Chapter 72: The First MEMORY Has RETURN

Morning arrived at Aetheris Academy with an unusual sense of peace.

Sunlight poured through the tall windows, illuminating the rows of buildings and floating platforms surrounding the central courtyard. Students moved between lecture halls, some carrying books while others discussed their upcoming practical examinations.

It was an ordinary morning.

At least, that was what Kael Veyron believed.

"Pi."

A tiny voice interrupted the silence.

Kael opened one eye.

The little black creature was sitting on his chest, staring directly at him.

"...What?"

"Pi."

"Good morning to you too."

Kael gently lifted Pi and placed it beside his pillow before reaching for his clock.

6:42 AM.

He stared at it.

Then he stared at the ceiling.

"Why am I awake?"

Pi tilted its head.

"Pi!"

"Don’t answer that. I wasn’t asking you."

He sat up and ran a hand through his messy hair.

For some reason, he had been having strange dreams lately. Nothing particularly clear, just fragments of unfamiliar places and voices that seemed to know him.

Last night, he had dreamed about a door.

A black door with a silver symbol.

He couldn’t remember what was behind it.

And whenever he tried to recall the details, his thoughts seemed to slip away.

"Perhaps I should stop reading before bed."

Pi suddenly climbed onto his shoulder.

Kael glanced at it.

"You’re not helping."

By the time Kael arrived at the dining hall, Leon was already sitting at a table with Mira and Elena.

Leon waved enthusiastically.

"Over here!"

Kael approached with a plate of breakfast.

"Must you announce my arrival to the entire academy?"

"You’re welcome."

"I didn’t thank you."

"Your gratitude is implied."

Kael sat opposite him.

Mira was reading a document while eating, and Elena was quietly drinking tea.

Kael glanced at the paper.

"What’s that?"

"The practical examination schedule," Mira replied. "The academy has released the details."

Leon leaned forward.

"Apparently, we’re going to be assigned to teams of four."

Kael stopped chewing.

"Four?"

"Yes."

"How unfortunate."

Elena placed her cup down.

"What’s unfortunate about that?"

"There’s a high possibility I’ll be assigned with people who can’t follow simple instructions."

Leon raised a hand.

"Hey!"

Kael continued eating.

"See? The evidence is already presenting itself."

Mira laughed softly.

"The teams will be announced after today’s combat lecture. The exercise itself begins in three days."

"What exactly are we supposed to do?" Elena asked.

Mira turned the document towards them.

"Navigate an artificial environment, locate several designated objects, and return to the starting point. The instructors will introduce obstacles depending on each team’s performance."

Leon grinned.

"So, a dungeon exploration exercise?"

"Something like that."

Kael leaned back.

"Wonderful. An opportunity for the academy to send students into dangerous places and call it education."

Elena gave him a flat look.

"You’re exaggerating."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

"Then I look forward to seeing how confidently you say that after the examination."

Before Elena could respond, Leon began laughing.

Mira shook her head.

"You two haven’t changed."

For a moment, she paused.

Her eyes moved between Kael and Elena.

"...Actually, that’s strange."

Kael looked at her.

"What is?"

Mira blinked.

"Nothing. I just had the feeling I’ve said those exact words before."

Leon shrugged.

"Probably because you have."

"Perhaps."

Mira returned to her document.

But the strange feeling remained.

The combat lecture was held in the academy’s western training grounds.

Several instructors had gathered around the central arena, while students stood in designated groups.

Sir Gareth was among them.

His broad shoulders and familiar scar above his left eyebrow made him easy to recognize.

When Kael spotted him, he raised a hand.

"Sir Gareth!"

The knight turned.

"Young Master Veyron."

Kael approached with a relaxed expression.

"Are you supervising today’s class?"

"Unfortunately."

"That sounds reassuring."

Gareth gave him a brief look.

"Your enthusiasm is admirable."

Leon joined them.

"Sir Gareth! It’s good to see you."

The knight nodded.

"Ardent."

His gaze moved towards the training sword attached to Leon’s waist.

"Have you continued practising the technique we discussed?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Don’t become careless simply because your progress has improved."

Leon nodded.

Meanwhile, Kael had already begun inspecting the training arena.

A series of wooden platforms had been arranged across the ground, with several magical barriers surrounding them.

"What’s today’s exercise?" he asked.

Gareth gestured towards the platforms.

"Basic coordination and reaction training. You’ll be paired with another student. One will attack while the other defends."

Kael looked at the arrangement.

"Simple enough."

"Then I assume you won’t have any difficulty."

"Of course."

Gareth studied him.

"Your confidence has improved."

Kael smiled.

"My abilities have improved too."

"We’ll see."

A few moments later, the students were divided into pairs.

Kael ended up facing Elena.

He looked at the instructor.

"Was this intentional?"

"Does it matter?" Gareth replied.

Elena stepped onto the platform.

"Unless you’re afraid of losing."

Kael slowly turned towards her.

"That’s a rather bold statement."

"Would you prefer I apologise in advance?"

Leon, standing nearby, covered his mouth to hide his laughter.

Kael stepped onto the opposite side.

"Fine. Let’s see how much you’ve improved."

The exercise began.

Elena moved first.

Her movements were precise, and violet mana gathered around her training weapon.

Kael raised his sword to intercept her attack.

The impact echoed across the platform.

He shifted his weight, redirected her strike, and stepped sideways.

Elena immediately adjusted her stance.

A second attack followed.

Then a third.

Their movements became faster.

Neither seemed willing to give the other an easy victory.

Finally, Elena managed to push Kael towards the edge of the platform.

"You’re getting careless."

Kael smiled.

"Or perhaps I’m being generous."

She advanced.

He moved aside at the last moment, allowing her momentum to carry her forward before gently tapping her shoulder with the flat of his sword.

"You’re leaving yourself open."

Elena froze.

Then she looked at his sword.

"...You were holding back."

"Would you have preferred I didn’t?"

She lowered her weapon.

"Next time, don’t."

Kael shrugged.

"Your funeral."

"Kael."

"Fine. Your victory, then."

Leon burst into laughter.

Even Mira, who had been watching from the sidelines, couldn’t suppress her smile.

Gareth simply shook his head.

"Both of you, return to your positions."

After the training session, Kael found himself sitting beneath a large tree near the courtyard.

Pi was curled up beside him.

The little creature had spent most of the afternoon sleeping, occasionally waking to steal pieces of food from his plate.

Kael was beginning to suspect it had no other interests.

"You’re rather lazy, aren’t you?"

"Pi."

"Don’t deny it. I’ve seen you."

Pi opened one eye before closing it again.

Kael laughed quietly.

A shadow fell across him.

"You’re here."

He looked up.

Elena stood nearby, holding two bottles of water.

She offered one.

"Take it."

Kael accepted.

"Thank you."

She sat beside him, leaving a comfortable distance between them.

For a while, neither spoke.

The courtyard was peaceful, and the sound of distant students practising magic drifted through the air.

Elena eventually glanced towards his hand.

"What’s that?"

Kael followed her gaze.

The silver mark.

He had almost forgotten about it.

"Honestly? I don’t know."

"You don’t know?"

"I woke up with it."

Elena reached towards his palm.

"May I?"

Kael extended his hand.

She examined the mark carefully.

Her fingers hovered over the silver lines.

Then, unexpectedly, she pulled back.

"That’s strange."

"What?"

"I thought I’d seen it before."

Kael raised an eyebrow.

"Where?"

Elena remained silent.

Her violet eyes were fixed on the symbol.

"I don’t remember."

She looked away.

"Perhaps I’m mistaken."

Kael studied her for a moment.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Of course."

"You hesitated."

"You’re imagining things."

He smiled.

"That’s what everyone says when they don’t want to answer a question."

Elena gave him a light tap on the shoulder.

"And that’s what you say when you want to annoy people."

"See? You’re learning."

She shook her head, but a small smile appeared on her face.

For some reason, sitting beside him felt strangely familiar.

She couldn’t explain it.

It was as though she had once sat in a similar place, listening to him speak while something terrible happened somewhere beyond their reach.

The feeling disappeared as quickly as it came.

Elena lowered her gaze.

"Don’t overwork yourself during the practical examination."

Kael looked at her.

"That’s unexpected."

"Why?"

"Usually, you tell me to work harder."

"Then consider this a rare exception."

He chuckled.

"Understood."

Pi suddenly raised its head.

Its golden eye moved towards Elena.

For several seconds, it stared at her.

Then it crawled into her lap.

Elena blinked.

"What’s this?"

Kael watched the creature settle comfortably.

"Apparently, you’ve been chosen."

She gently stroked its head.

Pi made a quiet, contented sound.

Kael sighed.

"Unbelievable. I feed it every day, and it betrays me the moment someone offers it affection."

Elena’s smile widened.

"Perhaps it has better taste than you."

"That was unnecessary."

Later that evening, Mira remained in the academy library.

She had been researching spatial formations for the upcoming practical examination, but her attention kept drifting towards an unfamiliar subject.

A book about ancient magical structures.

She couldn’t remember why she had selected it.

The title was ordinary, and its contents were mostly historical records.

Yet one particular illustration had caught her attention.

A circular chamber.

Seven chairs.

A black door.

Mira stared at the drawing.

Something stirred in her memory.

A voice.

A familiar name.

And the sensation of standing beside someone while the world seemed to disappear around them.

She turned the page.

A short sentence had been written beneath the illustration.

THE WITNESS MUST REMAIN.

Mira’s fingers stopped moving.

"...Witness?"

The word felt familiar.

Too familiar.

She quickly searched the surrounding pages, but there was no further explanation.

Then she noticed something peculiar.

A small drawing had been made in the lower corner.

It depicted a tiny creature with two horns and a long tail.

Pi.

Mira stared at it.

Her breathing became shallow.

"Why..."

A sudden headache interrupted her thoughts.

For a moment, she saw a dark corridor.

Someone was calling her name.

Then everything vanished.

She closed the book.

Perhaps she needed rest.

That night, Kael returned to his room and placed Pi on the desk.

He changed into his sleeping clothes before sitting beside the window.

The moon hung above the academy towers.

Everything was quiet.

He looked down at his palm again.

The silver mark seemed slightly brighter than before.

"Strange."

He rubbed it.

Nothing happened.

After a moment, he picked up a book and began reading.

But his attention gradually wandered.

The black door from his dreams returned to his thoughts.

He remembered a voice.

A familiar voice that had called him something.

Carrier.

The word surfaced without warning.

Kael stopped reading.

"...Carrier?"

He repeated it quietly.

For some reason, his chest tightened.

He looked towards Pi.

The creature was already watching him.

"Pi?"

Kael tilted his head.

"Have I ever told you about a dream I keep having?"

Pi remained silent.

"There’s a black door. And someone standing in front of it."

The little creature slowly lowered its head.

Kael continued.

"I can’t remember who it is. But I get the feeling that I’m supposed to meet them."

Pi’s golden eye flickered.

Then it spoke.

"Don’t..."

Kael stared.

"What?"

Pi looked at him.

"Remember."

The room fell silent.

Kael slowly placed his book aside.

"...What did you just say?"

Pi blinked.

Its expression returned to normal.

"Pi!"

Kael remained still.

He was certain he had heard something.

But before he could question the creature again, a faint ringing sound travelled through the room.

One bell.

Then silence.

Kael looked towards the window.

For a brief instant, his reflection appeared to be standing in a different room.

A white room.

Seven chairs.

A black door.

And someone wearing a smooth white mask.

The reflection raised its hand.

Kael immediately turned around.

Nothing was there.

When he looked back at the window, he saw only his own reflection.

He stood motionless for several seconds.

Then he slowly closed the curtains.

"...I definitely need more sleep."

He climbed into bed.

Pi settled beside his pillow.

And while Kael gradually drifted into sleep, the silver mark beneath his palm began to glow.

Far beneath Aetheris Academy, something answered.

A second bell rang.

This time, the sound travelled through the ancient foundations.

And in a sealed chamber, an inscription that had remained unchanged for thousands of years began to rewrite itself.

THE CARRIER HAS BEGUN TO REMEMBER.

THE FIRST MEMORY HAS RETURNED.