VOL. 1: CHAPTER 3 — “A GENIUS PRINCESS, AN IDIOT HUMAN, AND A FOREST THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST”

— Kai’s POV —

Okay, So here’s the situation:

I’m walking through a magical forest with an elf princess who hates my jokes, five guards who want me dead, and a sentient Authority AI whispering warnings about cosmic threats. Totally normal Tuesday.

“Stay behind me,” Lythiriel ordered again, voice firm and authoritative.

I sighed dramatically. “Yes, Mom.”

She stopped, slowly turned and glared. “…Repeat that." 

"Mom?” I repeated.

Her eyebrow twitched.

One guard whispered, “He’s brave…”

Another corrected, “He’s suicidal.”

Lythiriel inhaled deeply. “I am not your mother. And if you call me that again, I will knock you unconscious.”

“Wow. Violent. Should I call child services?” I asked sarcastically.

“…Kai.” She called.

“Yes?” I replied.

“Shut up.” She said.

“Okay.” I shut up, but I didn’t promise to stay shut up.

We reach the deeper forest. The trees were twisted—but not corrupted, not Abyssal, Just  old. Older than anything on Earth. Older than anything humans were meant to see. Their branches glowed with green mana veins, the roots pulsed like living things.

Lythiriel whispered something in Sylvan language—and the forest reacted. The trees shifted, clearing a narrow path.

“Whoa,” I murmured. “That’s cool.”

She gave me a sideways look. “This forest is alive. It listens to elven royal blood.”

“Makes sense. My forest back home only listens when I pee in it.” I joked.

“…You are banned from speaking.” She said.

I held up my hands. “Fair enough.”

But I caught it. A tiny twitch. The corner of her lips. She almost smiled. Almost.

— Lythiriel’s POV — 

Why is this human like this??

Every other outsider who sees our forest immediately becomes reverent, silent, speechless. But him? He jokes. He complains .He talks endlessly, and yet……he sees things, small things, but important things.

He noticed the shifting mana currents—something even novice elves miss. He understood the forest pulse instinctively and worst of all, when he smiled at my almost-hidden smile, my heart skipped. 

Just once. Annoying. Very annoying.

He is a child. A dangerous child. A disaster in human form. 

But…

He is lonely. I can tell. 

Spirit Arts allow me to sense emotions subtly. Kai hides fear with jokes. He hides confusion with sarcasm.

He hides pain……

by pretending nothing bothers him. Why do I sympathize with him? 

No. I must not. He is an anomaly. A threat. And yet… 

—POV: Forest Spirit (unseen)—

The anomaly walks…

The Fatebreaker moves…

And the girl blessed by moonlight walks beside him…

Twisted threads.

Fraying futures.

An approaching tragedy.

— Kai’s POV —

We finally reached the source of the disturbance.

A clearing.

Dead silent.

No birds.

No wind.

No mana flow.

That alone told me something was very wrong. Lythiriel drew her sword. Elorin signaled the formation.

“Stay behind us,” she said again.

At this point I was convinced she thought repeating phrases raised intelligence.

And then—A cry, achild’s cry.

“HELP!! SOMEONE—!!”

Lythiriel’s eyes widened. “An elf child? Here?!”

Without hesitation, she sprinted. The guards followed, I also sprinted. Because I’m totally a hero.…No, not really. I just hate seeing scared kids.

Amara chimed:

> 『Master, incoming threat from the west—two signatures. Abyssal residue detected.』

I muttered, “Great.”

We burst into a smaller clearing—And I saw him, a small elf boy. 

Barefoot.

Trembling.

Holding a tiny wooden staff.

His silver eyes were filled with terror. Two Abyss-corrupted root beasts surrounded him—twisted wooden creatures with howling, hollow mouths.

Lythiriel shouted. “Elorin! With me!”

She leapt, sword shining. “Moonweaver: Fifth Form — Heartpierce Arc!”

Her blade ripped through the first beast, purifying it instantly. Elorin finished the second with a wind blade.

The boy collapsed to his knees. “S-Save me… please…”

Lythiriel knelt immediately. “Child, are you hurt? Where is your guardian?”

“I-I… I was with the forest sprites… then… the shadows came…” His voice shook, his body even more.

Lythiriel gently placed her hand on his head, activating healing mana. “There, there. It’s over now.” 

I stepped beside her.

The boy’s eyes lifted—and locked onto mine, he gasped.

“Y-You… you’re not an elf.” He said.

“Yeah. Sorry. It’s a medical condition.” I replied with a joke.

Lythiriel pinched my arm. “Be serious.” 

“Ow—fine!” I said.

I crouched down, meeting the boy’s eyes. “Hey. You okay?”

His lips trembled. “…You… saved me… didn’t you?”

“Not really. Your princess did most of the work. I just look pretty.” I said.

Lythiriel sighed. “Kai…”

But the boy giggled. A tiny giggle. 

And he reached forward—touching my hand. “You feel… warm.” 

I froze. Not because of the touch. But because—I felt something. Something faint. Fragile. Pure.

> 『Master, emotional tether detected.』

『Be cautious. Forming bonds can—』

“Amara,” I whispered mentally. “Shut up.”

> 『…Acknowledged.』

The boy sniffed. “I’m Aerin…” 

“Kai,” I replied. “Nice to meet you, kid.”

“Are… are you gonna leave?” He asked.

“…Not right now.” I replied.

Being honest, I wanted to say something cool like “I’ll protect you.”

But I’m not a liar. So I said what I could.

“I’m… here.”

Aerin smiled. A small, vulnerable, trusting smile. Something in my chest tightened, a feeling I hadn’t felt in years. Protectiveness, responsibility, maybe even…Brotherly warmth. I barely remembered my own little cousins back home.

But this kid…

He reminded me of something I’d lost.

 Something human. 

Aerin whispered. “You… feel like… an older brother…”

My heart nearly broke. Lythiriel’s eyes widened, even she felt the weight of that moment. Elorin stared cautiously and deep inside—Amara whispered:

> 『Master… emotional tether confirmed.』

『This is dangerous. For both the boy and the timeline.』

But I ignored her, because Aerin was shaking, alone, scared and I couldn’t walk away. 

I ruffled his hair. “Yeah. I guess I can be your big bro.”

Aerin’s smile brightened the entire clearing.

— Aerin’s POV (short, childlike, emotional)—

He saved me. The scary shadows were going to eat me— But he saved me.

The princess is kind.

Her guards are strong.

But Kai…Kai feels different.Warm.Soft.Safe.

Like sunlight that doesn’t hurt. My chest feels calm when he speaks. And…And…I don’t want him to leave .Ever.

— Lythiriel’s POV —

Aerin clung to Kai’s sleeve.

Kai… smiled softly, a genuine smile.

Not sarcastic.

Not defensive.

Not lazy.

Soft but human.

My heart fluttered faintly. So he can smile like that.

Aerin whispered, “Big brother…”

Kai ruffled his hair, pretending not to blush. “I guess I’m stuck with you now, kid.”

Aerin giggled. And in that moment……

Kai didn’t feel like a threat. 

He felt like a gentle anomaly. 

A boy with too much power and too little guidance. 

A disaster, yes. 

But perhaps……a good disaster.

— Revenant POV —

The mirror cracked again. 

This time violently.

“…Unacceptable.”

Aerin’s image glowed faintly in the shattered reflection.

“…The anomaly forms bonds.”

The Revenant’s fingers curled. “…This must not be allowed.”

Fate threads screamed. 

Aerin’s life thread shivered. “…The child must die.”

— Back to Kai’s POV —

As we walked back, 

Lythiriel looked over her shoulder. “Kai.”

“Yeah?” I answered.

“You handled that child well. You acted… mature.” She complemented.

Aerin clung to my sleeve like a koala.

“I’m always mature.” I said acting cool.

“You’re absolutely not.” She retorted.

“True.” I said.

“…Idiot.” She said.

“…Mom.” I joked again.

She reddened. “STOP CALLING ME THAT!”

Aerin giggled endlessly. And as I carried him gently through the forest…

I didn’t realize—

The bond forming between us…

Was the beginning of fate’s unraveling.