Joash walked into his mother’s office, the familiar scent of burning incense wafting through the air. Fintan sat behind her desk, her eyes focused on the paperwork in front of her. She barely glanced up as Joash entered, but a faint smile crossed her lips.

“You seem to get along well with Kenneth,” Fintan commented, her tone light but curious.

Joash nodded, a small smile on his face. “We have a lot in common. It’s nice to talk to someone who doesn’t treat me differently just because I don’t have magic. He doesn’t pity me like most do.” His voice softened as he spoke. It had been a while since he felt so comfortable with someone outside of his family.

Fintan glanced up at him, studying her son’s expression for a moment. “I’m glad to hear that,” she said. “But there’s something you should know.”

Joash raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“I’ve decided to let Kenneth attend the academy,” Fintan said, her voice calm yet deliberate.

Joash brightened at the news. “That’s great! Could he join me in the Theory Division? He’d be a good fit there, and we could work together. He’s smart, and I think he’d help with my research.”

Fintan shook her head, her expression turning more serious. “No, Joash. He won’t be in the Theory Division.”

Joash blinked, confused. “Then... where?”

“He’ll be in the Special Division,” Fintan replied, her voice firm.

Joash froze. His heart skipped a beat as the weight of her words sank in. “The Special Division? But... that’s where the successors of the Elemental Guardians go. Only those who are set to inherit the Ultimate Element are allowed there.”

Fintan’s eyes met his, unwavering. “Kenneth is going to be the successor of the Fireon family.”

Joash felt his chest tighten, disbelief washing over him. “What?” His voice cracked slightly as he tried to comprehend what he had just heard. “But… he’s not a Fireon. How can someone who’s not even part of our family be the successor?”

Fintan met his gaze, her tone calm but serious. “Joash, this isn’t just about family ties. The Ultimate Fire has reawakened into Kenneth. He will be the one to restore our family’s legacy.”

Joash felt as though the floor had dropped out from beneath him. “He’s an outsider,” Joash muttered, his voice tight with emotion. “How can he be the one to revive our family’s legacy?”

Fintan stood, walking around the desk to place a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I know this is difficult for you. But this happens for a reason. Kenneth doesn’t replace you, Joash. You are still important to this family. But he needs your support. You understand the intricacies of magic, even without wielding it. You can guide him.”

Joash swallowed hard, his mind still reeling. “But I...”

“Give it time,” Fintan said softly. “In the end, Kenneth may need you more than you realize. This could be the beginning of something bigger for both of you.”

Joash nodded weakly, but inside, the sting of betrayal lingered.

＊＊＊

“Wow, you can do magic?” Salem asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

They were in the room, Kenneth concentrating hard as he held out his palm, a small flicker of fire dancing above it. The flame was weak, smaller than he expected—probably due to the restrictions of the bracelet Headmaster Nero had given him.

“Yeah, I’ve been practicing,” Kenneth replied with a shrug. He tried to make the flame grow, but it only wavered slightly. “This bracelet keeps my power in check. For now, I can only summon small flames.”

Salem leaned in closer, his face lit with fascination as he studied the flame. “I don’t know why, but the fire from this world… it looks more beautiful. There’s something pure about it.”

Kenneth smiled, though he wasn’t entirely sure what made his fire different. With a small wave of his hand, the flame extinguished. “By the way, I’ll be attending the academy in a few days. Will you be alright here on your own?”

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Salem nodded confidently, his usual cheerful demeanor returning. He wasn’t the same timid boy Kenneth had met when they first arrived in this world. Now, he seemed more settled, more at ease.

“Dr. Mir has been teaching me about herbal plants,” Salem said, his grin growing wider. “He even said I could assist him since I’m good at memorizing things.”

Kenneth chuckled and gave Salem’s shoulder a reassuring pat. “Looks like I worried for nothing. You’ll do just fine here. Now I can go to the academy without any concerns.”

Salem beamed, and Kenneth felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Seeing Salem thriving in this strange world was a relief. With him in good hands, Kenneth could now focus on the new challenges that awaited him at the academy.

＊＊＊

“Did you hear?” Aine asked, breaking the silence.

Rika and Ash turned their attention to her, while Lucian, the new successor of Luminel, remained seated, seemingly uninterested.

“Hear what?” Rika asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Fireon just announced their successor,” Aine replied, a grin tugging at her lips.

The reaction was instant. Both Rika and Ash stiffened in surprise, while Lucian, who had been ignoring the conversation until now, finally looked up. The news hit them like a wave—shock, disbelief, and a strange anticipation stirring in the air. The Fireon family had been absent for so long that hearing they had a successor seemed almost surreal.

“They actually named a successor?” Rika echoed, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“And that person is already here at the academy,” Aine continued, her grin widening. “I’m dying to see what this new Fireon successor looks like.”

Rika and Ash exchanged glances, a mix of excitement and apprehension in their expressions. It was a big deal. The Fireon family, whose power had disappeared for years, was finally returning. But Ash noticed that Lucian still hadn’t budged.

“Aren’t you coming with us?” Ash asked, eyeing Lucian, who remained seated with an air of indifference.

“I’ll meet him eventually,” Lucian replied nonchalantly, barely glancing up. “No rush.”

Without another word, Rika, Ash, and Aine hurried off, eager to see the new Fireon successor for themselves. As they approached the Headmaster’s office, their pace slowed. Standing beside Headmaster Nero was someone all too familiar.

“Kenneth?” Rika and Ash exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with disbelief.

Kenneth turned sharply at the sound of their voices, his eyes widening as they locked onto them. “Rika? Ash?”

Aine, watching the exchange with interest, looked between them, her curiosity piqued. “Wait… do you know him?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kenneth’s gaze shifted to Aine, his breath catching in his throat. For a brief moment, he looked as if he had seen a ghost. “Eumie…” he whispered, the name slipping from his lips before he could stop himself. The resemblance between Aine and the girl from his dream was uncanny.

Aine tilted her head, clearly confused, though a playful smile tugged at her lips. “Eumie? I haven’t gone by that name in a while,” she said with a knowing look. “How do you know that name?”

Kenneth quickly recovered, forcing a smile as if to brush off the moment. “So… that was you,” he said, more to himself than anyone else. “I knew you seemed familiar.”

Ash stepped forward, throwing an arm around Kenneth’s shoulders with a grin. “He’s from our school,” Ash explained to Aine. “He was our student council president. It’s been a while, President.”

Kenneth nodded, feeling the tension ease a little. “Yeah, seems like a lifetime ago,” he said with a small smile. Then, turning to Rika, he added, “Vice President, long time no see.”

“It has been a while, Kenneth,” Rika said, her lips curling into a subtle smile.

Aine suddenly clapped her hands, remembering something. “Wait! You were the one hosting that school event I was supposed to attend!” She winced, looking apologetic. “Sorry for canceling at the last minute.”

Kenneth let out a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s fine. We managed to find a replacement, though I didn’t really stick around to see how it went… you know, since I ended up here.”

The group shared a light laugh before the mood shifted slightly. Rika, her expression more serious now, looked at him directly. “So, you’re the new successor of Fireon?”

Kenneth let out a small sigh, glancing down for a moment. “It’s… complicated,” he admitted. “A long story.”

Before they could dig any deeper, Headmaster Nero, who had been standing nearby with a quiet but authoritative presence, cleared his throat. “You can continue your reunion in the classroom. Classes are about to start.”

“President, let’s go!” Ash said with a grin, pulling Kenneth along as they headed toward the academy.

The group began making their way to their first class, the air around them buzzing with unspoken questions and the weight of their reunion hanging between them.

＊＊＊

"Did you hear? The successor of Fireon is attending the academy now," one of Joash’s classmates remarked, their voice filled with curiosity.

Another chimed in, "It's been ages since I’ve heard that name. Have they finally come out of hiding after all these years?"

The words made Joash's hand freeze over the notebook he had been writing in. The mention of Fireon stirred a complicated swirl of emotions inside him. Ever since he learned that Kenneth, an outsider, had been chosen as the successor, a knot of confusion and resentment had been tightening in his chest.

His mother had explained it as fate—the Ultimate Fire had awakened in Kenneth. And there was even the possibility that Kenneth was his half-brother, the other son of his father. But that only deepened the sting. Joash had spent his life studying the revival of fire magic, yet it was Kenneth who had been chosen.

"What do you think about it, Joash?" one of his classmates asked, bringing him back to the present. "You’ve spent so much time researching ways to bring fire magic back. This must really interest you, right?"

Joash forced a smile, though it felt heavy on his face. "Yeah, it’s definitely a big step toward the revival of Fireon’s magic. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next."

But as he spoke, the thoughts that churned inside him were far less hopeful. Why wasn't I the one to awaken the fire? He felt happy that his family’s legacy would continue, yet the question gnawed at him.

Why couldn’t it have been me?