Kaiser took the provided pen between his fingers, inspecting it with mild amusement before placing the tip against the paper. Unlike his companions, whose faces showed varying degrees of nervousness and uncertainty, his expression was calm. The sheet before him was neatly structured, divided into clear sections, each prompting for straightforward answers.

With methodical ease, he began filling in the form:

Full Name:

Kaiser Dios.

Place of Origin:

Nebrosa.

He paused momentarily, glancing at Celestine out of the corner of his eye. Nebrosa would surely raise eyebrows, but the princess had instructed honesty, and he had nothing to fear. He continued, ink flowing evenly across the parchment.

Current Residence:

Southern Liberatorium.

Age:

Kaiser hesitated, amused. He wasn't entirely certain. The endless wars and turmoil had blurred such trivial details, and immortality hardly helped. With a subtle smirk, he wrote simply:

Uncertain.

Rank (if previously established):

Liberator in the possession of a blue Sol core.

Known Ability:

Kaiser hesitated, eyeing the single blank slot provided for him to fill out, and then wrote:

Control over ice;

He considered his options with clinical care. He could write "regeneration," but that secret was too valuable to reveal to these people so soon, even if he was certain they would know soon enough. Celestine already knew about his command of fire, but he wanted to test if she would tell that to anyone without his permision.

Sol Core Level:

Blue.

He found it irritating that his true power wasn't reflected here, but this was neither the place nor time to contest such a detail.

Awakened Origin (if applicable):

He paused, pen hovering just above the paper, jaw tensing as the memories surfaced. He remembered that moment in the fight with Sabel—how something inside him had awakened, unleashed, transformed him in ways he still couldn't name. He knew he'd touched an Origin, or something like it, but he couldn't control it, couldn't summon it again on command, and understood almost nothing about its nature, its limits, or its price. After a moment's thought, he wrote, with deliberate caution:

Unstable. Unknown function. Irreproducible.

Previous Allegiance or Loyalty:

Nebrosa, Supreme Military Commander.

He wondered briefly what the Liberatorium would make of this information, but he cared little if it unsettled them.

Specializations (e.g., Tactics, Espionage, Leadership):

Advanced Tactics, Military Command, Direct Combat.

The simplicity of his answers pleased him. He saw no need for embellishment.

Known Weaknesses:

This question genuinely amused him. Did they expect honesty from anyone here? He considered sarcastically writing "none," but decided subtlety was preferable. Eventually, he put down:

sun-dried tomatoes.

Purpose or Motivation for becoming a Liberator:

He hesitated, not because he lacked purpose, but because his motivation was complex. Eventually, his answer was clear:

Personal objectives aligned temporarily with Liberatorium.

It was honest enough, without revealing too much.

Family or Kin (if any):

With ease, he simply wrote:

None.

Educational or Formal Training (if applicable):

He allowed himself a small smile here, writing deliberately:

Royal Military Academy of Nebrosa, extensive field experience.

It felt inadequate to summarize decades of hardship in a single line, but Kaiser knew better than most that brevity could come off as confidence.

Affiliations within Liberatorium (if any):

He considered briefly before carefully jotting:

Associate of Princess Celestine.

It was truthful and beneficially vague.

He allowed himself a satisfied smirk. Let the Liberatorium ponder these particular revelations.

With an effortless flourish, Kaiser placed the pen down, his form complete. His gaze flicked around the table, noting how Ivan was nervously scratching his head, Aria was biting her lip in intense concentration, and Elsie had her face almost pressed to the parchment, whispering loudly. Celestine was glancing curiously toward Kaiser's paper, clearly wondering what the enigmatic man had shared.

"Finished already, Kaiser?" Celestine asked softly, the teasing note in her voice unmistakable. "You're quite efficient."

Kaiser merely offered her a faint, enigmatic smile. "When you've filled as many ledgers as I have, Princess, it becomes second nature."

Celestine chuckled lightly, shaking her head with amusement. "I imagine so."

Botanica approached, every movement the picture of composure—back straight, chin high, that perpetual air of measured grace about her. But as her gaze fell upon Kaiser's answers, something changed. For a fleeting second, she froze, utterly motionless, the world around her seeming to blur and quiet.

Her mismatched eyes scanned his responses line by line. The titles, the history, the Origin left ambiguous.

A thousand calculations ran through her mind in the space of a single heartbeat: political implications, security risks, the story behind each line. The crystalline Albus embedded in her hand flickered as if reacting to her sudden spike in adrenaline, casting strange, shifting reflections across her pale knuckles. She caught herself with a steadying breath, but in that instant, every instinct screamed at her.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

She looked up at Kaiser, her expression transformed—gone was the unflappable administrator. Now, her gaze was sharp, almost predatory.

"Kaiser Dios," she murmured at last, her voice carrying a weight that silenced the table. "You present a most... unique résumé."

Her eyes didn't leave his. For a heartbeat, it felt as though Botanica was searching for some crack in his mask. Finding none, her lips parted as if to say more, but she thought better of it.

Slowly, she nodded, composure returning but with an unmistakable note of newfound respect and caution. "I see now why the Princess recruited you herself. I expect your legend will only grow from here."

The quiet moment ended swiftly as Elsie loudly declared her own form completed. "Elsie has finished! Elsie has filled in everything very clearly!" she declared, thrusting the parchment triumphantly forward.

Ivan glanced nervously at his own paper, shrugging apologetically. "I think I've done my best. Maybe not as impressive as Kaiser, but at least I tried."

Aria rolled her eyes, elbowing Ivan lightly. "Nobody's expecting you to compete with him." she reassured softly.

She then hesitated, her eyes flicking between the others as she stared at her almost-completed form. She'd filled out every line except one, her pen hovering uncertainly above the final slot. Sensing her stillness, Botanica's sharp gaze locked onto her, snapping out of her earlier reverie with a startling focus.

"Is there a problem, Aria?" Botanica inquired, her tone precise, the previous trance of calculation in her eyes replaced by something taut and attentive.

Aria looked up, biting her lip, visibly uncertain. "It's this part here… I've used an Origin before, but… I don't know anything about it. I mean that—I know nothing. Are we supposed to give it a name or something? Can I just leave it blank?"

The words hung in the air, and for a heartbeat, time seemed to halt. Celestine, Ivan, and even Elsie, mid-dramatic sigh, all froze, their expressions shifting to absolute shock. Botanica's hand, previously steady as stone, trembled ever so slightly, betraying her another sudden rush of adrenaline. Her composed smile warped, sharpening at the edges, transforming into something truly predatory. Two Liberators, both with unclaimed Origins, sitting right in front of her. Impossible. Unheard of.

Botanica leaned in, eyes glinting like twin daggers. "When you used it, did you call out a name? Was there a phrase, a title, anything you said?"

Aria shook her head, still frowning in confusion. "No, nothing like that. I just… I remember shouting 'Origin'—that's it. I couldn't control it, and I can't do it again. It just happened."

Botanica's smile grew sharper still, barely containing her excitement behind her mask of calm. She glanced at Kaiser, then at Aria, her mind already racing with possibilities and implications.

"Fascinating," she murmured, voice low and reverent. "If you cannot name it, then it remains incomplete. Should the day come that you can, Aria… do not hesitate to inform me."

Ivan's mouth hung open, his earlier nerves replaced by awe. Celestine recovered herself, her gaze sweeping between Kaiser and Aria, as if seeing them anew.

Elsie could barely contain herself. She pressed closer to Aria, eyes huge with awe, nearly bouncing in her seat. "Aria is incredible! Most people train their whole lives and never touch an Origin. Elsie hasn't even seen one up close, except for, well—" she glanced at to the side, "—sort of. But you just did it! Without even trying!"

Celestine leaned in as well, her posture regal but her eyes alight with curiosity. "It's extremely rare, you know. Origins are the highest mysteries in the world. To have two in the same room, both unnamed and unbound… it's almost mythic." She smiled warmly at Aria, genuine pride shining through her measured calm. "Whatever it is, Aria, you should be proud. The fact that you survived using it at all is proof you're extraordinary."

Aria blushed, caught between embarrassment and an unfamiliar pride. She tried to shrink into her seat, mumbling, "I really don't feel extraordinary. It was scary. I still don't even know if I could ever use it again, or if I'd want to."

Kaiser leaned back with theatrical wounded pride, his lips quirking in a sly grin. "I must say, I'm a little hurt. Not even a fraction of that praise for me, Princess? It seems I'll have to settle for being merely enigmatic."

Elsie perked up immediately, practically bouncing in her seat. "Elsie thinks Kaiser is plenty mysterious! Elsie was sure Kaiser would have a perfect Origin already. Kaiser always looks like he's hiding some big, dark secret. And he never smiles unless he's plotting something!"

Kaiser placed a hand to his chest, feigning greater offense. "You wound me, Elsie. Here I thought my charm was obvious to everyone present." His eyes glinted with amusement, but for once, there was a warmth to it.

Internally, though, Kaiser was quiet, thoughtful. He had always been aware of Aria's unusual power, but he hadn't truly grasped just how rare her situation was. He was used to being the anomaly in the room, the exception to every rule. Now, sitting across from this uncertain, blushing girl, he realized he was witnessing something just as singular, and perhaps far more delicate.

Without another word, Kaiser rose from his seat and crossed over to Aria. He paused for a heartbeat, long enough for her eyes to widen in surprise, then wrapped her in a gentle, one-armed hug. It was brief, but genuine.

"I'm proud of you, Aria," he said, his tone quiet and uncharacteristically gentle. "You faced something terrifying and survived. That's strength. And I'll make sure you're not alone in perfecting it. We'll figure this out together."

Aria went scarlet, half flailing, half melting into the hug. "W-what are you doing? Don't—people are looking—idiot…" Despite her protests, she clung to his sleeve, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you… I mean it. I… I'll do my best..."

"How useful could you become, Aria?" Kaiser watched the girl's nervous blush, cataloguing every emotion on her face. "A weapon that doesn't yet know it's a blade. This world is full of people like that, raw, trembling, hungry for someone to tell them what they can become. All they need is a push. And the one who gives it... owns them."

Kaiser ruffled her hair gently, a rare softness in his expression before he released her and resumed his usual composure.

Elsie beamed. "See? Elsie knew Kaiser had a soft side! But Elsie still thinks he's plotting something."

Kaiser's eyes closed, his smile smoothing into something almost serene. "I haven't the slightest idea what you mean, Elsie," he replied with a tone so gentle it was nearly convincing.

A polite cough broke the moment. Botanica stepped between them, her composure restored and official business returning to the fore. "Well, as you are all now officially registered Liberators, I would suggest you begin your Tale today. I cannot delay this any further, not without risking a reprimand myself."

Kaiser straightened, his tone decisive and commanding. "Then it's settled. Everyone here will have an Albus crystal implanted. We'll accept the Tale immediately."

Celestine glanced at him, concern softening her golden eyes. "Are you certain, Kaiser? After this morning's sparring match… Do you not need a moment to rest?"

He offered her a dismissive, reassuring nod. "You worry too much, Princess. I am perfectly ready. There's no sense in waiting."

Botanica smiled at the exchange, faint amusement flickering in her mismatched gaze. "Efficient as ever, Mr. Dios. If you'll all follow me, the Albus implantation will take less than ten minutes."

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