The city had not fully woken yet.
Cold air moved slowly through the narrow streets, carrying a thin layer of morning mist along the stone paths. The sky above was still dark blue, caught between night and dawn.
Most of the market stalls stood empty.
Only a few early merchants had begun setting up their tables, working quietly beneath dim lantern light. Somewhere farther down the street, a wooden cart rolled slowly over the stones, the wheels creaking in the silence.
The city felt strangely calm.
Rei walked steadily through the quiet streets, his hands tucked inside his coat pockets. Each breath formed a faint cloud in the cold air.
A few steps behind him, Lumi followed.
She stayed close, occasionally glancing around at the quiet buildings.
"…It's colder than I expected," she said softly.
Rei looked ahead.
"It will warm up later."
Lumi nodded, pulling her sleeves slightly over her hands.
They continued walking.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
When they passed the empty marketplace, Lumi finally looked up at him again.
"You said… it takes about half a day to reach your home, right?"
Rei nodded.
"About that."
She had already known the distance. They had planned the trip the night before.
Still, saying it out loud made the journey feel more real.
The streets slowly began to thin as they approached the outer gate.
Lumi hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
"…What are your parents like?"
Rei was quiet for a few seconds.
"My father," he said eventually, "is a respected man."
Lumi tilted her head slightly.
"Respected?"
"He manages regional records," Rei explained. "Archives, laws, old documents."
People rely on him."
Lumi nodded slowly.
"You admire him."
Rei didn't answer immediately.
"…Yes."
They walked a little farther.
"But," Lumi added carefully, "you said you're not like him."
Rei glanced at her briefly.
"You'll see."
That was all he said.
Lumi didn't press further.
After a moment she asked another question.
"And… your mother?"
Rei's expression softened slightly.
"She's kind."
A small pause followed.
"She worries too much."
Lumi smiled faintly.
"…That sounds normal."
Rei gave a small nod.
"She always tried to take care of things for me."
They reached the city gate.
Two guards stood nearby, leaning against their spears while the morning mist drifted around them. Neither paid much attention as Rei and Lumi walked past.
Outside the walls, the land opened wide.
The road stretched across gentle plains, scattered trees standing across the open grass. In the far distance, mountains rose like dark shadows against the sky.
They walked along the road quietly.
The sky slowly began to change.
A thin line of orange light appeared behind the mountain ridge.
The sun began to rise.
Soft light spread across the plains, pushing the darkness away as the wind moved gently through the grass.
Lumi slowed slightly, watching the horizon.
"…It's pretty."
Rei stopped for a moment as well, looking toward the mountains.
"…Yeah."
Lumi looked back at him.
"…I'm a little curious," she admitted quietly.
Rei raised an eyebrow.
"About what?"
"…What kind of family you have."
Rei looked toward the road stretching across the plains.
"…You'll see soon."
Then he started walking again.
After a second, Lumi followed.
The road stretched far ahead of them.
And the sun continued to rise.
The plains stretched wide beyond the city walls, the road cutting across the grass like a thin scar.
The morning sun had fully risen now, pushing away the last of the cold mist.
They had been walking for a while when Rei suddenly lifted his hand and pointed ahead.
"See those mountains?"
Lumi followed his finger.
Far in the distance, a long mountain range rose along the horizon. The peaks looked faint and blue from how far away they were.
She squinted.
"…Yeah."
"What about them?"
Rei answered casually.
"We have to cross them."
Lumi stopped walking.
"…What?"
Rei kept moving.
Lumi stared at the distant mountains again. They looked impossibly far.
She hurried forward to catch up.
"I can't walk that far!"
Rei glanced at her.
"Don't be dramatic."
Lumi frowned.
"I'm not being dramatic!"
She pointed at herself.
"I'm fourteen. And I'm a girl!"
Rei didn't respond.
He just kept walking.
Lumi waited for an answer that never came.
Her cheeks puffed slightly in annoyance.
"…You're impossible."
She pouted and continued after him.
About an hour later, Lumi was regretting every decision she had made that morning.
Her legs felt heavy. Her breathing had grown uneven. The road seemed endless.
"…Rei."
He didn't stop.
"…Rei."
This time he glanced back.
"What."
"…Water."
She sounded completely exhausted now.
Rei studied her for a second before pulling a bottle from his bag.
He had bought it before leaving the city.
He handed it to her without a word.
Lumi took it quickly.
"Thank you…"
She drank almost half the bottle in one go.
Rei waited quietly beside the road while she caught her breath.
After a moment he spoke.
"If you couldn't travel this far…"
"…why did you agree to come?"
Lumi lowered the bottle.
For a few seconds she didn't answer.
The wind moved softly through the grass around them.
"…I thought," she said quietly, "that you might leave."
Rei looked at her.
"…Leave?"
"You're always walking somewhere," Lumi said, staring down at the road. "If I stayed behind… I thought you'd just disappear."
Rei didn't reply.
He turned and started walking again.
After a moment, Lumi tightened her grip on the bottle and followed him.
The mountains ahead still looked very far away.
They continued walking.
The sun climbed higher in the sky, and the early morning chill slowly faded into dry warmth. The plains stretched endlessly in every direction, the road cutting forward through scattered grass and small clusters of trees.
Rei kept the same steady pace he had held since leaving the city.
Behind him, Lumi tried to keep up.
For the first hour she managed.
By the second hour her steps slowed.
By the third hour she had stopped talking completely.
Rei walked for several more minutes before something felt… different.
The sound of footsteps behind him had disappeared.
He stopped.
Then he looked back.
Several dozen meters behind him, Lumi was lying flat on the grass beside the road.
Her arms were spread out like she had simply surrendered to the ground.
"…Impossible," she muttered weakly.
Her voice carried faintly through the quiet plain.
"Impossible…"
Rei stared at her for a moment.
Then he turned around and called out.
"Lumi."
No response.
"…Lumi."
This time she slowly turned her head toward him.
Her face was flushed from the long walk, strands of hair stuck to her forehead. Her breathing was uneven.
Her eyes looked wet.
Rei couldn't tell if it was sweat or tears.
Lumi stared at him helplessly.
"I… can't walk anymore…"
She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, her voice small and exhausted.
"…I can't…"
The road stretched silently between them.
Rei stared at Lumi lying in the grass for a few seconds.
"You are impossible."
He walked back toward her.
Lumi barely reacted as he crouched beside her. Her eyes were half closed now, her breathing slow from exhaustion.
Before she could even complain, Rei lifted her and shifted her onto his shoulders.
"…H-hey—"
"You said you couldn't walk," Rei said calmly.
"So don't."
Lumi didn't argue after that.
Within a few minutes, the gentle rhythm of Rei's steps and the warm afternoon air pulled her into sleep.
Rei simply continued walking.
The plains slowly gave way to rougher land as the day passed. The distant mountains that once looked like a faint line on the horizon gradually grew larger.
Eventually the road curved along the base of the range.
Beyond a small ridge, the land opened again.
A town appeared in the distance.
It wasn't large like the capital cities the academy students often talked about.
But it wasn't small either.
Stone buildings with tiled roofs filled the gentle valley between the hills. Narrow streets ran between orderly rows of houses, and a tall watchtower stood near the town gate.
Near the center of the town rose a large stone structure with wide windows and a sloped roof.
The regional archive.
Shelves of records, histories, and official documents were stored there under careful supervision.
Rei walked calmly through the town gate.
Several townspeople glanced at him in mild curiosity.
A few recognized him.
He nodded slightly in greeting but didn't stop walking.
The streets here were quieter than the academy cities. Small shops, book stores, and administrative offices lined the road. Couriers moved between buildings carrying sealed documents.
Eventually Rei turned onto a smaller street near the edge of town.
A row of modest but well-kept homes stood there, surrounded by low wooden fences and small gardens.
He stopped in front of one of them.
The house was simple but sturdy. Two floors, wooden beams, and a small tree growing beside the front gate.
Rei stepped inside the yard.
A few minutes later, Lumi stirred.
"…mm…"
Her eyes slowly opened.
She blinked in confusion.
They were no longer on the road.
Instead, she saw the wooden roof of a house above her.
For a moment she didn't understand where she was.
Then she noticed Rei standing nearby.
"…Where…"
Her voice was still sleepy.
Rei answered simply.
"We're here."
Lumi sat up slowly, still trying to process everything.
"…You carried me the whole way?"
Rei didn't answer.
He just walked toward the house door.
Lumi stared at his back.
"…You're actually ridiculous."
But she followed him anyway.
Rei pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The house smelled faintly of fresh tea and wood polish.
Inside, sunlight filtered through the wide windows, lighting a clean wooden floor and neatly arranged shelves filled with books and rolled documents.
Somewhere deeper inside the house, someone was moving.
A woman stood near a table, wiping her hands with a cloth after finishing some small chore.
She turned when she heard the door.
For a brief second she froze.
Then her eyes widened.
"Rei!"
The cloth fell from her hands.
She rushed forward almost immediately.
Before Rei could even react, she wrapped her arms around him tightly.
"You came back!"
Rei stood still as she hugged him.
"…Hello, mother."
Lumi remained near the doorway.
Completely frozen.
Her eyes widened slowly as she stared at the woman.
She was beautiful.
Not just pretty.
Beautiful.
Long dark hair fell over her shoulders, and her face looked bright and youthful. Her movements were full of energy, and the warmth in her voice filled the entire room.
But the strangest part was—
She didn't look like a mother.
At all.
Lumi blinked several times.
She looked… maybe twenty-five.
At most.
There was no way…
Lumi stared silently, her brain trying to process the situation.
Meanwhile Rei's mother pulled back slightly, holding his shoulders as she looked him up and down.
"You've gotten thinner!" she said immediately.
"Are they feeding you properly at the academy?"
"I'm fine."
"You say that every time."
Her eyes then shifted.
And she finally noticed Lumi.
The woman blinked in surprise.
"Oh!"
She stepped closer with immediate curiosity.
"And who is this?"
Lumi stiffened instantly.
Rei answered casually.
"Lumi."
Rei's mother smiled warmly.
"Well Lumi, welcome."
Before Lumi could react, the woman gently took her hands.
"I'm Rei's mother."
Lumi's brain was still stuck on the same thought.
She looks twenty-five.
Maybe.
"…H-hello…"
Her voice came out much smaller than she intended.
Rei quietly watched the interaction.
And for the first time since arriving—
He looked slightly amused.
Rei stepped further into the house and motioned toward the sitting area.
"Sit."
Lumi followed him inside carefully, still glancing around the room.
The house was neat and warm. Wooden shelves lined the walls, filled with books, rolled maps, and thick bundles of documents tied with cord. A few framed sketches of landscapes hung between the shelves.
It looked less like a normal home and more like a quiet place where someone spent a lot of time reading.
They sat down on the couch.
From the other room, Rei's mother's voice drifted through the house.
"Wait a moment! I'll bring something!"
Lumi leaned slightly closer to Rei and lowered her voice.
"…Is she really your mother?"
Rei looked at her.
"Yes."
Lumi frowned slightly.
"But…"
She glanced toward the kitchen.
"…you don't look alike at all."
Rei didn't answer immediately.
It was true.
His hair was white, almost silver under the light.
His mother's hair was dark.
Completely different.
Lumi studied him again, clearly trying to make sense of it.
Rei simply leaned back against the couch.
"…Wait until my father arrives."
That was all he said.
Lumi blinked.
That somehow made the situation more confusing, not less.
Before she could ask anything else, Rei's mother returned.
She carried a small tray with two glasses of water and several plates of food.
The moment the tray reached the table, a warm smell filled the room.
Fresh bread.
Something fried.
Sweet spices.
Lumi's eyes widened slightly.
It smelled incredible.
Rei's mother placed the tray down with a satisfied smile.
"You must be tired after walking so far."
She handed Lumi a glass first.
"Here, drink some water."
Lumi accepted it carefully.
"…Thank you."
Then the woman placed the plates on the table between them.
"You should eat."
Rei didn't move.
But Lumi stared at the food for a moment.
Her stomach betrayed her with a quiet sound.
Rei's mother laughed softly.
"Go on. Don't be shy."
Lumi hesitated only a second before reaching for the bread.
The first bite made her pause.
Her eyes widened.
"…This is really good."
Rei's mother smiled proudly.
"I'm glad."
Rei quietly watched Lumi eat while the afternoon light filtered through the windows.
For the first time since arriving—
The long journey actually felt finished.
Lumi continued eating while Rei slowly picked at the food beside her.
She had clearly been hungrier than she thought. After hours of walking, the warm bread and freshly cooked food disappeared quickly from her plate.
Rei ate much more slowly, taking small bites while watching her.
Across the table, his mother observed the two of them with quiet curiosity.
After a moment she rested her chin lightly on her hand and smiled.
"So…"
Her eyes moved toward Lumi.
"Who is this young lady?"
Lumi nearly choked on the bread she had just taken a bite of.
Rei calmly drank some water.
His mother tilted her head slightly.
"What is your name?"
"…L-Lumi," she answered.
"And how did you meet my son?"
Lumi hesitated.
Her cheeks grew a little pink under the attention.
"Well… we—"
"Friend."
Rei answered flatly.
The word dropped into the room like a stone.
Lumi's blush disappeared instantly.
She slowly turned her head toward him.
"…Just friend?"
Rei looked back at her.
"Yes."
Lumi stared at him for a second before turning back to the table and taking another bite of food.
His mother covered her mouth lightly, hiding a small laugh.
"I see."
Her eyes sparkled slightly with amusement.
Then she straightened and gave Lumi a warm smile.
"I should introduce myself properly."
She placed a hand gently against her chest.
"My name is Aiko Takeda."
Lumi nodded quickly.
"It's nice to meet you."
Aiko's gaze moved between the two of them again.
"You walked all the way here with him?"
"Yes…"
"That must have been exhausting."
Lumi nodded immediately.
"Very."
Rei continued eating calmly as if none of this conversation involved him.
Aiko watched him for a moment before smiling again.
"Well," she said softly.
"I'm glad Rei brought a friend home."
Rei didn't react.
But Lumi noticed something strange.
For someone who spoke so little…
Rei looked unusually comfortable here.
Lumi continued eating while Rei slowly finished his food beside her.
Across the table, Aiko watched them both with a thoughtful smile.
"You know," she said casually, "this might be the first time Rei has brought a friend home."
Rei looked up slightly.
"Mother—"
"He never had any friends growing up," Aiko continued, completely ignoring him.
"He spent most of his childhood alone. Either reading or wandering around the archives."
"Mother."
"He barely spoke to other children," she added.
"Even when they tried to talk to him."
"Mother."
"And look at him now," she sighed lightly.
"He hasn't changed at all. The same dry answers."
Rei set his cup down.
"Mother, stop."
But Aiko continued speaking as if she hadn't heard him.
"We really thought the academy might change him a little."
Rei opened his mouth again.
"…Mother."
But no one was listening.
After a few seconds he simply stopped trying.
Lumi quietly watched the exchange while nibbling on the last piece of bread.
Then suddenly—
THUD
The front door swung open loudly.
Heavy footsteps moved quickly across the wooden floor.
"Rei!"
A tall man appeared in the doorway.
He looked slightly out of breath, as if he had rushed there the moment he heard the news.
His build was solid, his shoulders broad from years of physical work. Not bulky like a soldier, but clearly strong.
But the most noticeable thing about him—
Was his hair.
Bright white.
Almost identical to Rei's.
So that's where it came from.
The man walked forward quickly and opened his arms wide.
"Come here!"
For a moment Lumi expected Rei to remain seated like usual.
Instead—
Rei stood up.
He walked over and quietly hugged his father.
Lumi blinked.
That looked extremely out of character.
The hug lasted only a second before Rei stepped back again.
His father laughed warmly.
"Good to see you too, son."
They sat down together.
Only then did the man notice Lumi sitting across the table.
He looked curious.
"Well now," he said.
"Who is this?"
Lumi straightened immediately.
Rei's father leaned slightly forward.
"What's your name?"
"…Lumi."
"And how do you know my son?"
Lumi hesitated.
Her cheeks began turning pink again.
"Well… we—"
"Friend."
Rei answered flatly.
Just like before.
The blush vanished instantly.
Lumi slowly turned toward him.
"…Again?"
Rei blinked.
"Yes."
This time Lumi crossed her arms and pouted slightly.
Aiko covered her mouth as she laughed softly.
Rei's father laughed as well.
Rei looked between them.
"…What?"
Neither of them explained.
They only continued smiling.
After a moment the man turned back to Lumi.
"Ah, I should introduce myself."
He rested a hand on his chest.
"My name is Haruto Takeda."
His voice carried calm confidence, the tone of someone used to being respected.
"I'm Rei's father."
Rei remained seated beside him, still looking faintly confused.
Everyone else seemed amused.
He had no idea why.
Haruto leaned back slightly in his chair, still smiling.
"So," he said, glancing at Rei, "you're still the same."
Rei didn't respond.
Aiko sighed lightly.
"He hasn't changed at all."
Haruto nodded.
"Still quiet. Still blunt."
"And still ignoring people when they talk too much," Aiko added.
Rei raised his hand slightly.
"I'm right here."
Neither of them paid attention.
Haruto continued as if Rei hadn't spoken.
"Does he still forget to eat when he's reading?"
"Yes," Aiko said immediately.
"And he still answers everything with one word."
Rei frowned slightly.
"That's not—"
"And he used to disappear into the archives for hours," Haruto continued.
"Sometimes we thought he had left the house entirely."
"I was reading."
But again, no one acknowledged him.
Rei stared at both of them for a moment before giving up.
Across the table, Lumi quietly watched the exchange.
She had never seen Rei treated like this before.
It was… strange.
Eventually Haruto's attention shifted again.
"So," he said, leaning forward slightly.
"How is the academy?"
Lumi straightened slightly.
She realized something.
She actually didn't know where Rei had come from.
She had never asked.
Rei took a small sip of water.
Then he spoke.
He explained everything calmly.
The awakening ceremony.
The relic.
The moment it failed to react.
The silence in the hall.
The label that followed afterward.
"The Unchosen."
The room became very quiet.
Aiko's eyes widened slowly.
"…You didn't awaken a Mark?"
Rei shook his head.
"No."
Haruto frowned deeply.
"That doesn't make sense."
Everyone awakens one.
Even the weakest.
Aiko looked worried now.
"Did the representatives say anything?"
"They assumed delayed manifestation."
Haruto's jaw tightened slightly.
"Assumed?"
Rei shrugged.
"They didn't investigate much."
Haruto looked irritated.
"Of course they didn't."
His voice carried a hint of frustration.
"Those representatives only care about results."
He exhaled slowly.
"It's not like I can walk into the capital and question them."
But his expression still showed clear displeasure.
Meanwhile Lumi had gone completely silent.
Her eyes slowly moved toward Rei.
Until now…
She had never noticed.
Marks were visible.
Everyone had one somewhere on their body.
A faint sigil.
Sometimes on the neck.
Sometimes the arm.
Sometimes near the collarbone.
But as Lumi stared at Rei now…
She couldn't see one.
Not on his neck.
Not on his arms.
Nothing.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…You really don't have one."
Rei looked back at her.
"No."
Lumi blinked several times.
She hadn't noticed earlier.
But now that she looked—
The absence felt… strange.
Almost unsettling.
Haruto crossed his arms thoughtfully.
Aiko still looked worried.
But Rei simply reached for another piece of bread.
For him—
Nothing had changed.