The news spread through Aetherial Institute faster than wildfire.
Students talked.
Professors talked.
Assistants talked.
Even janitors talked.
A mysterious woman had appeared.
A woman who had destroyed part of the city square.
A woman who had been interrogated by city guards.
A woman who somehow impressed multiple senior professors.
A woman who had been recruited directly into the academy.
As faculty.
Not student.
Faculty.
The distinction alone was enough to create countless rumors.
Within a single afternoon.
Dozens of stories emerged.
Some claimed she was a legendary mage from another continent.
Some claimed she was a hidden princess.
Some claimed she was a powerful criminal recruited by the academy before a kingdom could arrest her.
One particularly creative rumor claimed she was secretly the headmaster's illegitimate daughter.
Nobody knew the truth.
And because nobody knew the truth.
The rumors became increasingly ridiculous.
Inside one academy cafeteria.
A group of students gathered around a table.
"Did you hear?"
"Heard what?"
"The new assistant professor."
Immediately everyone leaned closer.
"The one who destroyed the city square?"
"That's the one."
A male student lowered his voice dramatically.
"My cousin works in city security."
The others immediately became interested.
"What happened?"
The student glanced left and right.
Then whispered.
"They say she destroyed the fountain with a finger."
Silence.
One student nearly choked.
"A finger?"
"That's what I heard."
Another student shook his head.
"Impossible."
A third student immediately joined.
"Not impossible."
"My senior told me she broke three mana evaluation crystals."
The table became quiet.
That rumor was actually true.
Unfortunately.
Nobody believed it.
Because the truth sounded more absurd than fiction.
Meanwhile.
Across another section of the academy.
Professors discussed her arrival.
"Assistant Professor Evelyne."
Professor Gareth folded his arms.
"A ridiculous talent."
Professor Isolde nodded.
"Agreed."
The female professor adjusted her glasses.
"Though I am more interested in her background."
Professor Aldric sighed.
"We all are."
Unfortunately.
Nobody possessed answers.
Not even Evelyne herself.
Or at least.
That was the official story.
Far away from all the gossip.
Far away from the academy's endless rumors.
Inside a faculty dormitory.
Evelyne sat alone.
The room was spacious.
Larger than most student accommodations.
Elegant furniture filled the interior.
Bookshelves lined the walls.
A private study rested near the window.
The room was comfortable.
Safe.
Warm.
Everything a person could want.
Yet her attention remained focused on something else.
The silver keychain.
The small object rested in her palm.
Its metal reflected sunlight entering through the window.
Evelyne stared at it.
Then stared harder.
Then sighed.
Because something about it bothered her.
Very much.
The woman turned it over.
Examined every detail.
Every scratch.
Every engraving.
Every mark.
"Evelyne."
The name remained beautifully engraved.
Yet the more she looked.
The more confused she became.
Because there was a problem.
A very obvious problem.
The keychain should not exist.
Not according to her memories.
Or lack of memories.
The woman leaned back.
Then closed her eyes.
Carefully reconstructing events.
The night beneath the cliff.
The purification ritual.
The transformation.
The monster skin shedding away.
The cloak.
The journey through the city.
The clothing store.
The inn.
Every detail appeared.
Then she reached one unavoidable conclusion.
"I never had this."
The realization became stronger.
Stronger.
Stronger.
Because she remembered something important.
When she regained consciousness.
She had possessed nothing.
No jewelry.
No accessories.
No rings.
No necklace.
Nothing.
The woman slowly sat upright.
Then looked at the keychain again.
"If I never had it..."
Silence.
A realization began forming.
Someone gave it to her.
Someone intentionally gave it to her.
Before the interrogations.
Before the evaluations.
Before the professors arrived.
Before everything.
Knock.
No.
Not a knock.
A soft sound from the window.
Evelyne blinked.
Then turned.
The window stood partially open.
A breeze entered the room.
Curtains fluttered softly.
And standing upon the windowsill.
Like a particularly suspicious cat.
Was Kel.
The silver-haired youth casually climbed into the room.
As though entering faculty residences through windows was completely normal.
Inside his mind.
Seiren immediately commented.
"One day someone is going to arrest you."
"They need evidence."
"YOU ARE CLIMBING THROUGH WINDOWS."
"It is efficient."
The Guardian buried her face in her hands.
Evelyne stared.
Then laughed softly.
The sight was simply too absurd.
"Aedon."
Kel nodded.
"Assistant Professor Evelyne."
The woman immediately rolled her eyes.
"That sounds strange."
"It sounds official."
The silver-haired youth stepped into the room.
Then looked around.
"Nice room."
Evelyne smiled faintly.
"It is."
A brief silence followed.
Then Kel folded his arms.
"Congratulations."
The woman blinked.
"For what?"
Kel looked confused.
"Employment."
The answer arrived immediately.
As though the matter were obvious.
Evelyne couldn't help smiling.
Then she looked down at the keychain.
Immediately.
Her expression became thoughtful.
"Aedon."
"Hm?"
The woman raised the keychain.
"This."
Kel looked.
Then nodded.
"Yes."
"I've been thinking."
The woman frowned.
"When did I get this?"
Silence.
Then realization appeared across Kel's face.
"Oh."
The silver-haired youth answered casually.
"I put it there."
Evelyne froze.
"What?"
"I made it last night."
Silence.
The room became quiet.
The woman stared.
Then stared harder.
Kel continued.
"You needed a name."
Another pause.
"So I made one."
The words arrived naturally.
As though creating identities for people was normal.
As though forging personalized keychains overnight was normal.
As though everything about this situation was normal.
Evelyne slowly lowered the keychain.
"You made it?"
Kel nodded.
"Yes."
"Why?"
The silver-haired youth leaned against the wall.
Then answered simply.
"Because everyone deserves a name."
The room became quiet.
A very different silence.
Not awkward.
Not uncomfortable.
Warm.
Evelyne looked at the keychain.
Then at him.
Then back at the keychain.
For some reason.
The small object suddenly felt far more valuable.
Because it wasn't merely a keychain.
It was proof.
Proof someone had thought about her future.
Even before she had one.
The woman smiled softly.
A genuine smile.
"Thank you."
Kel nodded.
"As I said."
The silver-haired youth pushed away from the wall.
"Congratulations."
He pointed toward her desk.
"Assistant Professor."
The title sounded slightly more real this time.
Evelyne laughed softly.
Then nodded.
"Thank you."
Kel adjusted his academy uniform.
Then turned toward the window again.
Naturally.
Because apparently doors remained optional.
Before leaving.
He paused.
Then looked back.
"Now we work at the same institution."
The woman blinked.
Kel continued.
"So we will probably meet often."
A pause.
"Daily."
Evelyne suddenly found herself smiling again.
The statement sounded strangely comforting.
For reasons she couldn't explain.
The silver-haired youth nodded once.
Mission complete.
Then climbed through the window.
And disappeared.
Just like that.
Leaving behind silence.
Moonlight.
And a faculty dorm that somehow felt less lonely than before.
Evelyne remained standing near the window.
The keychain resting gently in her hand.
Below.
Students continued spreading rumors.
Professors continued debating theories.
The academy continued wondering who Assistant Professor Evelyne truly was.
Yet none of them knew.
That the person responsible for her entire absurd situation had just escaped through her window.
Again.
And somewhere above.
Seiren's laughter echoed inside Kel's mind.
"You know, most people use doors."
Kel continued walking across rooftops.
"Doors are crowded."
The Guardian laughed even harder.
And for the first time since arriving at the academy.
Evelyne genuinely looked forward to tomorrow.