Perhaps I should have kept my emotions in check and not provoked Ketsu Sugawara yet again. It would have been more sensible to craft something simpler and submit it to the lecturer after the Japanese guy. In hindsight, that would have been more strategic. Yet, I couldn't help myself and acted as I did. Truth be told, I harbor no regrets. Even if Ketsu remembers this incident and seeks revenge, it would have been worth it! Without a doubt.

Stepping aside, I surveyed the clearing and the students scattered across it. That's when I spotted a pair even odder than Sugawara and me. By some twist of fate, Maya and Claire were paired together for this task. I had noticed the growing tension between these two girls for quite some time. The root of their discord remained a mystery, but they had been avoiding each other recently, barring a few occasional face-to-face interactions.

However, there was no hint of their ongoing feud this time. The girls were quietly collaborating on a single project. They hadn't attempted anything overly ambitious, but had decided on crafting a basic spear. Maya was working on the shaft, while Claire was meticulously chiseling off pieces from a blank stone, meant to serve as the spearhead. Judging by their progress, they would likely finish about fifteen minutes before the class concludes. The only indication of the underlying tension was the enveloping silence. At times, Claire seemed like she wanted to initiate a conversation, but would quickly dismiss the idea. I hope their conflict is only temporary and they find a way to reconcile. It's hard watching people you care about at odds with each other.

My attention shifted back to Maya. She seemed a bit different these past few days. She appeared more lively, even the perpetual dark circles under her eyes weren't as noticeable. Had she finally managed to catch up on some much-needed rest? Or perhaps something positive had transpired in her life, lifting her spirits? Regardless, she certainly looked much better than she did back on the rocky beach.

I found myself admiring Maya's diligence. Setting the scraper aside, she inspected her work, running her palm over the shaft a few times. I was so captivated by the sight, I didn't notice Claire catching my gaze. The redhead flashed a mischievous grin, mimed a broken heart with her hands, hinting at my unreciprocated affection, then got back to work. Nothing ever seems to escape her attention, as if she has an inbuilt radar that instantly picks up on anything that piques her interest.

As expected, the girls accomplished the task and submitted their work, receiving a "good" grade. Considering the majority barely scraped by with a "satisfactory," they performed better than most. To my mild disappointment, Ketsu also managed to secure a "good" grade, miraculously constructing his ax in a stable manner. The only ones to achieve an "excellent" grade besides myself were Jan and Christian who cooperated to craft a wooden sword with a compound blade of flint fragments. Their creation was far from a masterpiece, but the teacher commended their original approach to the task.

Per the schedule, I was set to attend a lecture on optical systems, unlike the rest of the group. Even though it was intended for third-year students, it aligned with the specialization the Count had assigned to me. Therefore, after congratulating the guys on their success, I started my journey towards the southern part of the campus. However, I barely covered half the distance when Maya appeared before me, silently as a whisper. I stumbled in surprise, narrowly avoiding a tumble into a ditch. I just can't adapt to her newfound ability to suppress the roaring sound of the Break whenever she enters or exits it.

"Milady," I greeted, bowing ceremonially to the Knight maiden.

"We already exchanged greetings today," she dismissed the formality.

"How may I assist you?"

"Firstly, lift your gaze!" she ordered, to which I had to reluctantly comply.

She had a point though; ogling a girl's bosom, particularly a Knight's, is the kind of rudeness that could cost you your head. But what did she expect, flaunting her stunning figure in a tight top before class? I get it, it's hot, but there's a bunch of young guys around and she's teasing us like this! Surprisingly, Maya's green eyes weren't flashing with lightning but remained calm and curious.

"Secondly, answer this. Are you ever going to change your style of dressing?" she questioned, her finger poking my chest, pointing to the robot graphic on my T-shirt.

"Not anytime soon, Milady," I replied, barely containing my amusement and bowing low.

"You realize..." she disappeared mid-sentence, only to reappear behind me after a moment, "that it annoys me, right?"

Even as a fellow raig, her display of power left me utterly impressed and slightly winded.

"Should I undress?" I asked innocently, slowly turning around.

"What?!" Maya recoiled.

"If Milady is bothered by this T-shirt, I am willing to remove it here and now at her command."

"Stop!!" the girl waved her hands, her cheeks visibly flushing. "I didn't mean anything like that!"

"Then, if you permit, I'll stay true to my choice of attire," I replied, hoping my act of youthful defiance was convincing enough.

"Where did you appear from, so audacious?!" Maya rolled her eyes.

"Melanie," I couldn't resist replying.

"What?!!"

"My mother's name is Melanie, and I appeared from..."

"Shut up! Now!!" Realizing the explanation I was leading to, the girl cut me off, blushing even more fiercely. "Do you have a class now?"

"Yes."

"Then head there." She waved her hand and vanished.

I was baffled. Why had she come? What did she want? These women were driving me insane!

This mysterious encounter, coupled with my preoccupation with Maya, resulted in a stern scolding from my optics professor. After the lecture, I avoided the canteen, choosing instead to take a detour into a small grove and seated myself on the grass, leaning against a palm tree trunk. Thoughts of Maya dominated my mind, but her intentions, the motive behind our conversation, remained a mystery. Before I could delve deeper...

A shadow loomed over me, causing me to flinch. I barely suppressed an instinctive shift into the Break.

"Did I hear right?" said Ketsu Sugawara, looming over me, his face as pale as chalk. "Is your mother's name Melanie?"

"Um-m-m. Yes."

"Does she have any connection with museums?" His jaw was clenched.

"She's a culturologist," I replied truthfully.

He crouched beside me so abruptly that it blurred my vision. His hand shot forward but froze just before my throat. His elongated fingernail traced a line along my chin.

"Is fate being kind to me?" he whispered. A bloodthirsty, anticipatory whisper.

His tone caused a frigid knot to form in my chest.

His fingernail elongated and sharpened, piercing my skin. Blood dripped onto my shirt. I understood clearly...

He wanted to kill me!

This was not a game!

He was ready to kill me here and now, regardless of the consequences. He didn't care about the aftermath.

His other palm moved closer to my face. The shapeshifter's index finger lengthened, and the nail transformed into an animal claw, hovering a centimeter from my left eye.

I froze. One more move from him, even a millimeter...

And he would be dead.

The Break was near. It beckoned me. "Word" burned my palm demandingly.

Ketsu had transformed: half his face had morphed into an elongated animal snout. Flecks of foam fell from the edge of the beastly mouth onto the grass.

"Agh!!!" The shapeshifter suddenly roared.

He roared and released me!

"Vaillant," he whispered, resuming his human form. "I'll remember you."

With that, Ketsu Sugawara turned and deliberately retreated into the grove without looking back.

I pulled out a napkin from my folder and staunched the bleeding. Upon inspecting my chest, I realized that only a dry cleaner could salvage the T-shirt.

What was wrong with everyone?!

What did he want?! Besides wanting to kill me, of course...

And why did he change his mind?

After ensuring Ketsu had disappeared into the grove, I exhaled deeply. But as it turned out, I had let my guard down too soon.

"You certainly have a knack for something," Maya Grimm emerged from behind the tree I was leaning against.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

Her stance and the position of her hands made it clear that she was prepared to step in. Even now, her hand was poised on the ethereal hilt of her spirit sword, visible only to her.

"A knack for getting into trouble?" I clarified.

"For never leaving anyone indifferent." She sat next to me, moved my hand aside, and inspected the wound on my chin. "It's no big deal, just a deep scratch."

Tossing aside my handkerchief, she retrieved a delicate, nearly translucent silk scarf from the back pocket of her shorts and, after folding it three times, applied it to my wound.

"Thanks. I'll return it."

"Keep it."

At this rate, I'll have my own collection of scarves!

Good heavens, what am I thinking?!

"Everyone who even brushes against you..." Maya drew back and plopped down on the grass, apparently intentionally. "No one remains unaffected. Christian would tear anyone limb from limb for you. Jan is ready to strangle you out of jealousy. Claire... If you were older, she would have dragged you into her... Never mind."

"What about Claire?" I asked, intrigued.

"Forget it," the girl dismissed with a wave of her hand.

"But..." I tried to press for an answer, but Maya's warm smile made me back down. "Already forgotten."

The valkyrie in a tank top and mini shorts sprung to her feet in one swift motion.

"That Ketsu Sugawara was tailing you when I talked to you. I thought it was a coincidence. But after you left for the lecture, he bolted into the forest. He transformed into a beast there and reduced an old tree to dust. I decided to stick around," Maya winked. "But, judging by your calm demeanor, you had everything under control and could handle it yourself!"

She was clearly teasing, trying to cheer me up; she didn't believe her words.

"Of course," I nodded in agreement.

"Ha-ha-ha!!" The girl burst into laughter. "Oh, I can't... You genuinely believe what you're saying!! And..." Maya doubled over laughing, tears springing to her eyes. Once she composed herself, she wiped her cheeks and asked again. "You're not serious, right?"

"I am serious."

"Sugawara is a noble. Your complaint would get lost in bureaucracy and be ignored," Maya suddenly turned grave. "I'll handle it."

"Thanks, but there's no need."

"What?"

"Don't file any complaints. I'll handle it myself, Milady."

"Just Maya."

"I'll handle it myself, Maya."

"That's foolish - he's a fourth-degree shapeshifter! And you've barely awakened your Spark. You're no match for him."

Damn it, is there no such thing as privacy or personal space in this world?

"I can handle it," I got to my feet, insisting.

"Are you serious again?"

"Completely."

The girl took a few steps back, slowly scanning me from head to toe, her gaze lingering on my blood-stained T-shirt. The look in her eyes shifted, leaving no trace of amusement or superiority. She looked at me as if she were seeing me for the first time.

"Finally, I've figured out what that phrase means..." Maya murmured, more to herself than to me.

"What phrase?" I asked, puzzled.

"It was told to me by... well, that doesn't matter... I always thought it was just a saying, but now, I get it..."

"So, what's the phrase?" I pressed, my curiosity piqued.

"If people were made into nails - there would be no stronger nails in the world!"

Ra-a-a-a-a-i-i-i-ig!

With that, Maya Grim shifted into the Break, making no attempt to muffle the sound.

Feigning interest in my T-shirt, I watched as her ghostly silhouette disappeared in the same direction Ketsu Sugawara had recently gone. Evidently, Maya, satisfied that my life was no longer in danger, had gone to investigate what the Japanese was up to. I'd probably have done the same were I in her shoes.

Lifting my head, I rubbed my chin with the scarf she'd given me. The wound was shallow, and the bleeding had nearly stopped. Glancing at the clock, I was surprised to find it was still far from evening, despite the feeling that the day should have long since ended.

I had another optional extracurricular activity planned for today. In theory, I could still make it. In the morning I had been keen on attending, but now, after everything that had happened... I might just give it a miss.

Leaning against a palm tree, I tried to piece together the day's events. So, according to Maya, Ketsu had been following me after my anthropology class for some unknown reason. Maybe he wanted to vent his feelings after I upstaged him, but he was certainly not rushing to congratulate me on my "excellent" grade. Could that be it? With his personality? Quite possibly. But then Maya had interrupted him, unexpectedly appearing from the Break and starting a conversation with me. After our chat, I attended a lecture, while Sugawara retreated to the woods and began demolishing trees. That part was baffling... What could have prompted such a drastic mood swing in him? Could he really be so hot-tempered that he lost control simply because he couldn't vent his frustrations at me?

From what I'd observed of Ketsu, he was generally calm and composed. A typical member of the Japanese aristocracy, all about saving face. And then, out of the blue, he snapped. So much so that he didn't stop at destroying the forest edge, but waited for me after the lecture and attacked. That was quite an emotional roller coaster. Two possibilities came to mind: either Ketsu had lost his mind and control over himself, or I was missing something. It would be simpler to believe the former, but alas, life is rarely that straightforward!

A sudden flicker at the edge of my vision interrupting my thoughts. Without making my curiosity apparent, I stood up from beneath the palm tree, pretending to inspect the bloodied scarf while scanning my surroundings. A silhouette of a Raig Projection perched on a tree branch about ten meters away. I don't believe in coincidences, so I figured it must be Maya who had just returned. I wondered how long she intended to observe me. I let out a heavy sigh; the last time she tracked me, it lasted several hours. I hoped she wouldn't be as insistent this time.

The bleeding had almost ceased, and I decided to head towards the dormitory. At the very least, I needed to change clothes. To avoid any unnecessary questions about my appearance from random passers-by, I navigated through the bushes and stuck to the shadows. This simple method allowed me to reach the entrance of the building without drawing much attention. However, as soon as I stepped into the dorm hall, I had to stop and assess the situation.

Mr. Redtliff stood right in the middle of the hall, berating three second-year students. The superintendent was not mincing his words.

"I get it, beer! One bottle each! But this!" Redtliff kicked a duffel bag at his feet, and something inside clinked characteristically. "It's absinthe! Seventy degrees of poison! Are you planning to wreck the whole building in a drunken stupor?!"

The guys were indeed unfortunate, apparently caught red-handed. Officially, alcohol was prohibited on university grounds, but in reality, as long as you didn't go overboard, everyone turned a blind eye to a mild beverage. Beer and wine in moderate quantities did not elicit any penalties. But hard liquor, especially absinthe, could land you in hot water.

The inconvenient part was that I couldn't sneak past the superintendent while he was standing guard like that. For about three minutes, I waited for the right moment, half-listening to the colorful string of curses. As soon as the superintendent seemed to look the other way, I immediately tried to slip by.

"Izao!" A sharp shout stopped me in my tracks.

So much for that...

"Good afternoon, sir," I replied, pretending as if nothing had happened.

"Show me," Mr. Redtliff commanded, lifting my chin with his finger.

"It's alright. The wound isn't deep," I quickly assured him.

"Such scratches can be more dangerous than they appear," the superintendent muttered while examining my wound. "I get it, you're young," he gestured to the woman's scarf in my hand. "But to peek at girls, and even covertly. I didn't expect this from you!"

"What?!!" I was both confused and indignant.

"Didn't you get this wound while hiding in the bushes, spying on the girls?!" I had no idea how he arrived at such a conclusion, but his misconception worked in my favor.

The only move I had left was to feign indignation, to ensure he was confident about his suspicions:

"I didn't..." I began to defend myself, but the superintendent cut me off with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"There's no need to start lying!" He suddenly winked at me. "We're all human after all."

"But weren't you a bit harsh on the sophomores?" I redirected the conversation.

"Those idiots? They should've been expelled for being so stupid they couldn't even hide their booze." He added in contempt. "Bunch suckers, acting like they just slipped out from under their mommy's skirts."

"Are they going to be expelled?" I asked in surprise.

"They were caught before they could drink anything, so no, even though we were ordered to forbid drinking on the premises. Considering what happened yesterday, it's only logical..." The superintendent trailed off.

"Yesterday?" I asked, attempting to probe for more information.

"Yes! Last night, in dorm number nine over on the other side of the island, the sophomores had a drinking party. Some idiots got plastered and one fell down the stairs, broke his neck. Fatally, I mean." He then turned towards the students with the confiscated alcohol. "Where do you think you're going?! I didn't dismiss you!" He turned back to me. "Alright, your injury seems minor. Still, you should get it checked at the hospital."

"It'll heal on its own," I brushed off his concern.

"Suit yourself." The superintendent didn't push the matter. "Just be more careful in the future." He clapped me on the shoulder.

With that, Mr. Redtliff winked at me and returned to scolding the students caught red-handed. Not wanting to push my luck, I quickly ascended the stairs and locked myself in my room. I leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath.

However, I had let my guard down too soon. Perched on my windowsill, completely invisible, was Maya - within the Break, of course. She was so persistent! It seemed she couldn't find Ketsu and decided to guard me instead. How much prana did she have left? I wasn't certain, but at the worst-case scenario, she had enough energy to remain in the Break for another hour and a half.

Walking over to the mirror, I examined my T-shirt. Then, exhaling deeply, I began to slowly remove it, deliberately dragging out the process. Maya was watching me now - well, I had something to show her. Over the past month, Izao's body had undergone significant changes. No, I hadn't transformed into a muscle-head, but regular training with the Maker, fixed through the effects of the Break, had made a noticeable difference. I was far from having a perfect physique, but the outlines of a four-pack were clearly visible.

I stripped off my stained T-shirt, taking my sweet time deciding what to change into, all the while ensuring that I was framed in the best light for the windowsill observer. Of course, I didn't really think I could impress Maya this way, but I could at least have some fun at her expense. A token payment for her prying eyes. Eventually, I settled on a beige polo with a particularly vibrant image of a robot and pulled it over my head. Naturally, I could have stayed in the room, but it wasn't as spacious as my apartment in the capital, and the close proximity to Maya was making me uneasy. After washing my wound, I covered it with a band-aid, checked the dry cleaning schedule, stuffed my dirty T-shirt into a bag, and stepped out the door.

As I strolled towards the laundry room, my mind wrestled with Sugawara's odd behavior. I couldn't accept that he had simply gone mad. Something had happened, something so significant and unforeseen that it had shattered his composure.

But what?!

During the anthropology class, he seemed perfectly normal. His usual icy calm was tinged with a touch of disdain. The only exception was when I upstaged him, handing in the assignment first and earning top marks. Could this have been the trigger for his meltdown? Maybe that's why he trailed me after class. The theory had some merit, but felt a bit far-fetched... Such murderous intent, just because someone bested him in an assignment? If he had such a short fuse, he wouldn't have survived this long!

There had to be another reason! But what?

Let's assume Ketsu overheard my conversation with Maya. Being a shapeshifter, he could fine-tune his hearing and eavesdrop without me noticing. Maybe he's secretly smitten with Maya, and mistook her interest in me as reciprocal? Could this have brought down his defenses? A plausible theory. But it doesn't explain the questions Sugawara asked me. He wanted to know Izao's mother's name and if her job had any ties to museums. Additionally, it was only after hearing my replies that the Japanese guy really lost his marbles.

Japanese...

Japanese?

Japanese!!!

A theory struck me like a bolt of lightning. I stumbled to the nearest bench and collapsed onto it, clutching my head in my hands.

Could it be...

It all adds up!

But life doesn't deal in such coincidences! And yet...

Despite my skepticism, I think I've pieced it all together.

Firstly, Izao's father, whom he never met, was from Japan. Indirect evidence suggested that the father was a shapeshifter, a fact supported by the funds transferred to Melanie's account over a period of fourteen years.

Secondly, I frequently have dreams where I transform into a fox. Then, a young Japanese man enters my life. A nobleman, a shapeshifter... Just half a year my senior.

And...

His family's beast is a silver fox!

Can this be mere coincidence?

My Spark burst forth in a brilliant flash.

This isn't mere happenstance.

It's real.

The only thing left to figure out is why this newly discovered brother of mine is so intent on killing me!