Raviel swallowed back the leftover, lingering taste of the bile and kept scrolling.

His eyes caught the dates as he scrolled further.

Age 12–15: Serenity Medical Institution.

Three full years.

"So the previous Raviel, had spent three full years in that institution." Raviel whispered.

His fingers trembled. The further he scrolled, the more new revelations came up.

His chest felt tighter now, like someone was sitting on it. Then he noticed it— an extra attachment at the bottom of the file.

Video Log – Personal (Age: 13, Day: 398)

Raviel felt unsure, but clicked on the file nonetheless.

The screen flickered, and a video started playing.

A young boy with white hair and violet eyes appeared. He looked about thirteen, just like the label said. His face was softer, rounder. There was no sharp edge to him yet. He was wearing loose clothes with his age stitched near the collar.

The room behind him was warm and modest in design. Sunlight creeped in through the half open curtains. Pots which contained colorful flowers, were lined up on the window pane.

The boy then walked forward and adjusted the camera with his small, carefull hands, then sat down, cross legged in front of it.

He smiled shyly.

"I… I don't know if mom and dad will listen to this," the boy said, his voice quiet but gentle. "But I learned a new magic trick today."

Raviel's breath hitched.

The boy picked up a deck of cards, lying near the scattered toys on the floor and began to shuffle them.

His movements were clumsy but nimble, like he'd practice them a lot. He messed up once, sticking his tongue out, he laughed and sighed at the same time.

Then he looked up at the camera.

"Do you believe in magic?"

Swooosh—!!!

He tossed the cards into the air. They fluttered down like falling leaves. At the last second, he grabbed one.

"Which card do you think it is?"

He turned it around.

It wasn't normal in any sense.

One side showed a joker, grinning wide. The other side — upside down — had the face of a king.

The boy's smile grew brighter.

"I call this the coward's card," he said happily. "Lucas told me about it."

Raviel's mouth went dry, hearing the name.

The boy held the card proudly and kept talking, faster now.

"He says the coward's card isn't really about being scared. It's about freedom. And happiness. About choosing your own way."

"Lucas also knows many magic tricks...dad"

His eyes softened.

"Mom… Dad… even if you say Lucas isn't real, he is real. He talks to me. He teaches me magic, like real magic."

The smile cracked mid sentence.

"I'm not dreaming," the boy said, almost pleading now. "I know you think I'm sick. I know you think I'm lying. But I'm not."

His eyes shimmered.

"I feel lonely here. There's no one to play with. There is no one around my age here... I feel lonely sis."

His voice shook.

"Why won't you come back together…? I miss you guys."

A tear slid down his cheek.

"…Sis," he whispered. "Please come."

He sniffed, took a shaky breath, then looked back at the camera one last time.

"Do you believe in magic?"

Tears kept falling even as he smiled, they stained the cards lying on the ground..

"Ahh!...I only learnt one trick, so I guess… my magic ends here."

The screen went dark.

The video ended.

Raviel sat frozen in front of the laptop, his hands clenched tight as, he stared at his own reflection on the black screen.

Raviel leaned back in his chair and covered his eyes with one hand.

"…None of this makes any sense."

His head felt heavy, while his stomach tensed. The video kept replaying in his mind— the way the boy tried so hard to be believed. Raviel rubbed his eyes slowly, fingers pressing into his temples.

"Do you believe in magic… huh?" he whispered, half confused.

He exhaled once, longer this time and forced his hand down, looking at the screen again.

Then, quietly, he reached forward and tapped the keyboard once more.

....

Class 1-S

Raviel was slumped in his seat, one elbow on the desk, chin resting on his palm.

With a lazy gaze, he listened the ongoing lecture.

At the front of the class, Miss Evelyn's calm voice floated through the room.

"Today, we'll be learning about soul weapons…"

Raviel rubbed his eyes slowly. Three cans of energy drink. Three. Even after drinking that much, he still felt like his brain was shrinking.

His head dipped for a second, then jerked back up.

After opening the global file, he hadn't slept much. He praised Chico's information network after reading the files.

By learning about the current status of the world, he wanted to know if the world was still following the novel's plot or if things had already started changing.

And his guess had been right.

The Finnish rescue team massacre, and speculated suicide of one the top N.U.A officer.

Both of them were highlighted in the reports for being a major breach.

The Finnish rescue team was a serious incident, as twenty soldiers were told to be dead along with the one's present outside the rift, when he read the report.

The reports were also more of a guess work —some claimed a Soulborn Revenant was responsible, others blamed the cultists.

While nothing much was reported in the second incident involving the suicide. The victim was said to be strangled in the reports. That's it. That was the whole piece of information present for it.

'Why can't things happen like in the novel...damnit, more work for me now.'

"…A soul weapon," Miss Evelyn continued, tapping the board, " It is essentially a part of your soul given form once you bond with it."

Raviel's eyes stayed half-open as he listene— stared.

"When synchronization with your weapon and soul reaches higher levels, the weapon may grant unique abilities, ones that belong only to the user. But understand this — bonding is common. Synchronizing is rare. Reaching a hundred percent?" She paused. "There are fewer people, only in double digits, recorded in the history who've done that."

A quiet murmur ran through the class.

Raviel blinked slowly.

Just as his head started to dip again.

Thwap—!!!.

Something soft hit his forehead.

He froze, then slowly looked up.

A crumpled paper ball rolled off his desk.

Raviel's eyes narrowed.

Across the room, Ethan was sitting back in his chair, trying—and failing—to hide his grin.

Raviel smirked.

'You're dead. Let me show you how a pro does this...'

He picked up the paper ball and flicked it back with perfect aim.

It hit Ethan square in the side of the head.

Ethan flinched.

Silence.

Miss Evelyn stopped talking.

Raviel felt it before he saw it.

That glare.

The glare, which seemed irritated more than displeased.

Her eyes locked onto him.

Raviel straightened instantly, face neutral, hands folded like he was the most innocent student in the room.

Miss Evelyn stared for a long second, then turned back to the board without a word.

Raviel leaned back slightly and muttered under his breath,

"…fuckin' hell. I survived. Ethan fuck you. I'll see you after the class"

When Ethan rolled his head back, trying to hide his laugh.

Raviel just showed him, the most absolute and towering — middle finger.

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