Morning arrived far too quickly.
Kael Veyron sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the system window floating before him.
He hadn’t slept.
Not because he was afraid.
At least, that was what he kept telling himself.
The truth was simpler.
His mind wouldn’t stop replaying what had happened.
The black void.
The ancient door.
The stranger.
The enormous eye.
And those words.
You weren’t reincarnated.
You were inserted.
Kael rubbed his face.
“Wonderful.”
Pi sat beside him, chewing on the corner of a book.
Kael slowly turned.
“…Are you eating my book?”
“Pi.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Pi.”
Kael stared at the creature.
Pi stared back.
After several seconds, Kael sighed.
“Fine.”
Pi happily continued chewing.
Kael opened his system again.
[Status]
Name: Kael Veyron
Age: 17
Race: Human
Level: 1
Strength: 11
Agility: 11
Vitality: 7
Intelligence: 12
Mana: 14
Luck: 4
Karma: 451
Skills: None
Titles:
– Failed Villain
– The One Outside the Story
Companion:
– Pi — Unknown
Kael stared at his attributes.
“I really need better stats.”
[Correct.]
“You’re supposed to encourage me.”
[The System believes honesty is more valuable.]
“You’re terrible at motivation.”
[The System has never claimed to be motivational.]
Kael closed the window.
Today was supposed to be his first official day at Aetheris Academy.
Instead, he had somehow become involved in an ancient supernatural incident involving an impossible creature, multiple irregularities, and a door that apparently shouldn’t exist.
Normal academy life was already looking impossible.
A knock came from the door.
Kael looked up.
“Come in.”
The door opened.
Elena stepped inside.
She was already dressed in her academy uniform, her silver hair tied neatly behind her.
“You look terrible.”
Kael blinked.
“Good morning to you too.”
“You didn’t sleep.”
“Neither did you.”
Elena paused.
“…Fair.”
Her gaze moved toward Pi.
The little creature had stopped chewing.
Elena narrowed her eyes.
“What is that thing eating?”
Kael glanced at the book.
“My book.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Pi looked away.
Elena sighed.
“Let’s go.”
Kael stood.
“Where?”
“Breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry.”
Elena stared at him.
“You’re coming.”
“You’re very commanding.”
“You need food.”
Kael grabbed his coat.
“Fine.”
As they left the room, Pi followed.
Neither of them noticed the faint silver symbol that appeared for half a second on the wall behind them.
The academy was different in daylight.
Yesterday, Kael had only seen it as an impressive institution.
Today, after what had happened beneath it, every tower seemed suspicious.
Every corridor looked like it might contain a secret passage.
Every professor looked like they might secretly be an ancient monster.
Kael stared at a passing instructor.
The instructor stared back.
Kael immediately looked away.
Elena noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You were staring at Professor Halden.”
“I thought he looked suspicious.”
“He teaches basic arithmetic.”
“Exactly.”
Elena stopped walking.
“Kael.”
“Yes?”
“You’ve become paranoid.”
“Considering everything that happened last night, I think that’s reasonable.”
Elena sighed.
They reached the dining hall.
Hundreds of students were already gathered.
The atmosphere was strangely subdued.
Everyone was talking about last night’s incident.
Kael could hear fragments of conversations.
“Did you see the sky?”
“I heard the barrier was destroyed.”
“My professor said the academy has existed for over four hundred years and nothing like this has ever happened.”
“Someone said there was a monster beneath the school.”
“Someone else said it was a demon.”
“I heard it was a dragon.”
Kael nearly laughed.
By tomorrow, someone would probably claim the academy had been attacked by an army of ancient gods.
He took a seat.
Elena sat opposite him.
Pi climbed onto the table.
Several nearby students stared.
Kael sighed.
“Don’t.”
Pi blinked.
“Pi.”
“No.”
“Pi.”
“Still no.”
Pi slowly lowered its head.
Elena covered her mouth to hide a smile.
Kael noticed.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“A little.”
“Traitor.”
She laughed quietly.
For a few moments—
Things felt normal.
Almost peaceful.
Then Kael noticed something.
Mira Ashbourne was sitting alone at a nearby table.
She was reading.
Of course she was.
Kael remembered the friendship mission.
[Mission: Make a Friend]
Objective: Establish a genuine friendship with an academy student.
Progress: 15%
Reward: 200 Karma
He hadn’t forgotten.
Kael stood.
Elena looked up.
“Where are you going?”
“To talk to someone.”
“Who?”
“Mira.”
Elena raised an eyebrow.
“Already making friends?”
“I’m trying.”
Kael walked toward Mira.
She didn’t notice him at first.
Her attention was completely absorbed by her book.
Kael stopped beside the table.
“Is that ancient spatial theory?”
Mira looked up.
“Kael.”
“Morning.”
“Good morning.”
She closed the book halfway.
“You actually recognized what I was reading.”
“I have an interest in magic.”
It wasn’t exactly a lie.
He had an interest in surviving.
Mira smiled.
“I wouldn’t have guessed.”
“Why?”
“Because your mana affinity was almost nonexistent during the examination.”
Kael froze.
Pi suddenly looked at Mira.
Mira noticed.
“Your little companion is strange.”
“That’s what I’ve been told.”
She smiled.
“Can I ask what species it is?”
“No.”
Mira blinked.
“That was fast.”
“I don’t know either.”
“Oh.”
She thought for a moment.
“That’s actually interesting.”
Kael sat across from her.
“You like mysterious things?”
“I like things I don’t understand.”
“That’s dangerous.”
“Why?”
“Because sometimes understanding something is what gets you killed.”
Mira stared at him.
Then laughed.
“You really are strange.”
[Karma Event detected.]
Kael’s eyes widened.
[Positive social interaction.]
[Karma +10.]
[Friendship Progress: 25%.]
Kael smiled.
The mission was progressing.
Then Mira suddenly frowned.
“Kael.”
“Hm?”
“Did you notice something strange last night?”
Kael’s expression became serious.
“What?”
Mira lowered her voice.
“Someone was missing.”
Kael leaned forward.
“Who?”
Mira looked around.
“One of the students.”
Kael frowned.
“Missing?”
“Yes.”
“After the attack?”
“No.”
Mira shook her head.
“Before it.”
Kael’s smile disappeared.
“Explain.”
Mira glanced toward the surrounding students.
“There was a boy in my examination group.”
“What was his name?”
“I don’t remember.”
“That’s unusual.”
“That’s the problem.”
Mira opened her book.
“I remember seeing him.”
She turned several pages.
“He stood beside me during the mana examination.”
Kael listened carefully.
“He had black hair.”
“Anything else?”
“Gray eyes.”
“Height?”
“About my height.”
“Name?”
Mira’s brow furrowed.
“I…”
She stopped.
“I can’t remember.”
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“Maybe you never knew it.”
“No.”
Mira shook her head.
“We spoke.”
“What did you talk about?”
“I don’t remember.”
Kael went silent.
Mira’s fingers tightened around the book.
“I remember his face.”
She looked up.
“But whenever I try to remember his name…”
Her voice became quieter.
“…my mind goes blank.”
Kael’s system suddenly appeared.
[Warning.]
Kael’s heart jumped.
[Unknown Karma signature detected.]
[Source: Mira Ashbourne.]
Kael stared.
“What?”
Mira looked confused.
“What’s wrong?”
Kael didn’t answer.
The System continued.
[Memory interference detected.]
[This interference is not natural.]
Kael’s expression hardened.
“System, can you remove it?”
[Negative.]
“Can you identify the source?”
[Attempting.]
The system flickered.
Then—
[Source identified.]
Kael’s eyes widened.
[Irregularity Two.]
Silence.
Kael stared at the notification.
The second irregularity had been here.
At the entrance examination.
Standing beside Mira.
A person everyone had forgotten.
A person who apparently shouldn’t exist.
Kael slowly looked at Mira.
“Do you remember anything else?”
Mira thought.
Then she whispered:
“He told me something.”
“What?”
Mira’s eyes became distant.
“He said…”
She swallowed.
“…’If you meet Kael Veyron, don’t trust him.'”
Kael froze.
His chair scraped against the floor.
Mira looked at him.
“I don’t know why.”
Kael stared at the table.
The second irregularity knew him.
And it had already been moving pieces before Kael even realized it existed.
Then—
Pi suddenly jumped onto the table.
“PI!”
Kael looked at him.
Pi was staring toward the dining hall entrance.
Kael followed its gaze.
Nothing.
Students.
Professors.
Normal activity.
Then he noticed someone standing in the doorway.
A boy.
Black hair.
Gray eyes.
Same height as Mira.
Kael’s heart stopped.
The boy looked directly at him.
For one second—
Everything around Kael became silent.
The boy smiled.
Then he disappeared into the crowd.
Kael immediately stood.
“Mira.”
“Yes?”
“Stay here.”
He ran.
Kael pushed through the crowd.
“Excuse me!”
He moved between tables.
The boy was gone.
Kael reached the hallway.
Nothing.
Left.
Right.
Empty.
He looked upward.
No movement.
“System.”
[The System is analyzing.]
“Find him.”
[Karma signature detected.]
Kael’s eyes sharpened.
“Where?”
[Thirty meters ahead.]
Kael sprinted.
He turned the corner.
Nothing.
Then—
A black-haired boy stepped out from behind a pillar.
Kael stopped.
The boy smiled.
“You’re faster than I expected.”
Kael drew his sword.
“You’re the second irregularity.”
The boy’s smile widened.
“So you’ve figured it out.”
“Who are you?”
“My name doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me.”
The boy laughed.
“You sound exactly like the first.”
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“The first?”
“The Observer.”
Kael’s grip tightened.
“You know him.”
“Of course.”
“Then answer me.”
The boy walked closer.
“You want to know why you’re here.”
“Yes.”
“You want to know why the original Kael Veyron was destined to die.”
Kael’s eyes narrowed further.
“Yes.”
“And you want to know what Pi really is.”
Pi growled from Kael’s shoulder.
The boy looked at the creature.
His expression became serious.
“Especially that.”
Kael stepped forward.
“Tell me.”
The boy shook his head.
“Not yet.”
“Why?”
“Because you aren’t ready.”
Kael scoffed.
“I survived an entity that broke Aetheris’s barrier.”
“You survived because it wasn’t attacking you.”
Kael went silent.
The boy continued.
“You think last night was a battle?”
He shook his head.
“It was an inspection.”
Kael’s expression changed.
“The creature was examining the world.”
“Correct.”
“Why?”
“Looking for something.”
“What?”
The boy smiled.
“You.”
Kael’s heart sank.
“Why me?”
The boy stepped closer.
“Because you’re the only person in this world who isn’t supposed to have a place.”
Kael stared.
“You said I was inserted.”
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
The boy’s smile disappeared.
“I don’t know.”
Kael frowned.
“You don’t know?”
“No.”
“Then who does?”
The boy looked toward the ceiling.
“The person who created the Karma System.”
Kael froze.
For the first time—
The system window appeared without being summoned.
[Warning.]
The boy looked directly at it.
His expression changed.
“You can see it.”
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“See what?”
“The thing attached to your soul.”
The System flickered.
[Unauthorized observation detected.]
The boy laughed.
“Interesting.”
Kael raised his sword.
“Tell me who created it.”
The boy shook his head.
“If I knew that, I wouldn’t be hiding.”
“From what?”
The boy looked behind Kael.
Kael slowly turned.
The hallway was empty.
Then the boy whispered—
“From them.”
Kael looked back.
The boy was gone.
Only a small piece of black paper remained on the floor.
Kael picked it up.
Three words were written on it.
THE STORY IS WATCHING.
Kael stared.
Then the System appeared.
[New Mission.]
[Hidden Mission: Find the Author.]
Objective: Discover the entity responsible for creating the Host’s current worldline.]
Reward: 1,000 Karma Points
Failure: Unknown
Kael stared at the mission.
“The Author?”
The System gave no response.
Kael looked down at the black paper.
Then at the empty hallway.
The mystery had grown larger.
Much larger.
He had entered this world believing he had been reincarnated.
Then he learned he was an irregularity.
Now he knew there were others.
The second irregularity had already been inside Aetheris.
The Observer knew more than it revealed.
Pi was something even the Unknown feared.
And somewhere behind all of it—
Someone had created the system.
Someone had inserted Kael into this world.
Someone had rewritten his fate.
Kael slowly smiled.
“Fine.”
He folded the black paper and placed it inside his coat.
“If someone is watching…”
His eyes hardened.
“…then I’ll give them something worth watching.”
Behind him—
A faint voice whispered.
“Good.”
Kael turned.
Nobody was there.
But on the wall—
Three symbols had appeared.
A crown.
An eye.
A broken chain.
And beneath them was a fourth symbol Kael had never seen before.
A hand holding a quill.
Kael stared at it.
The System appeared one final time.
[Unknown Symbol Detected.]
[Origin: Outside the Worldline.]
[Warning.]
[Something has begun writing again.]
Kael’s smile disappeared.
Somewhere far beyond the world—
A page turned.
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