The Lirian Grand Academy dormitories were a city unto themselves—segmented into wings by year, rank, and status, yet bound together under one ancient enchantment: no open violence within the walls.
On the surface, peace reigned.
Underneath, however, it seethed.
Politics. Pride. Power.
And Kaleid Ashvale—newly noticed, still dismissed by some—had just become a variable no one expected.
---
East Dorm, Room 7-C
Kaleid entered the shared room just as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Inside were three beds, modest desks, a central table, and a window view of the academy walls.
Two boys were already there.
"Yo!" one waved. A lean elf-boy with leaf-green eyes and short hair sat cross-legged on his bed, polishing a wooden staff.
"Name's Fenrick. Third son of no one important. You?"
"Kaleid," he replied simply.
The other student—broader, darker-skinned with sharp, confident eyes—nodded from his bunk.
"Terren. From the southern farming guilds. If it ain't about crops or fistfights, I'm out."
They were friendly. Casual.
No noble lineage. No dragonblood. Just boys trying to survive the year.
Kaleid had expected loneliness. Silence. What he got was laughter and harmless bickering.
And that—strangely—caused more ripples than he realized.
---
That Night – Dining Hall
Dorm students dined in a great common hall segmented loosely by caste.
At the far end, nobles sat beneath hovering crystal lights, flanked by their entourages and wards. Their conversations were hushed, polished, dangerous.
Toward the middle and edges sat everyone else.
Commoners. Demi-hybrids. Outer branch scions. Mundane track students.
Kaleid found a spot near the center with Fenrick and Terren, who were arguing about which class had the worst instructor.
From across the room, Serika Drakonheart sipped wine slowly, golden eyes narrowed.
She wasn't watching Kaleid's table—but she was listening.
So were others.
—
"Why's Drakonheart looking this way?" one noble whispered.
"He's dining with commoners again," another said, sneering. "After saving that fox girl."
"He's gaining influence. They say the beast incident wasn't luck."
Whispers spiraled. Some suspicious. Some jealous.
The noble class, especially younger sons and daughters, were raised on hierarchy. Someone from "nowhere" was supposed to stay nowhere.
But Kaleid had sat with a fox-demi, drawn a dragon's eye, and now shared smiles with unremarkable peers.
> And that made him dangerous.
---
Later That Night – Room 7-C
Kaleid lay on his bunk, staring at the wooden ceiling beams.
Fenrick snored softly nearby. Terren mumbled something about cabbage in his sleep.
The system pulsed softly.
---
[Environmental Analysis Complete]
Dormitory Dynamics Detected: — Status friction rising. — Influence Spread: [Commoner Sector: 18% → 29%] — Reputation Adjustment: "Quiet One" → "Hidden Asset"
New Trait Emerging: Latent Talent – Soul Presence [Sealed]
> Your presence subtly shifts perception around you. As your soul awakens, your very existence bends social gravity.
> Condition to Unlock: Reach 10% Sync
Current: 6%
---
He sat up, stunned.
> I influence people just by existing?
No skill. No speech. Just presence.
It made sense now—Rin's instinctive trust. The professor's lingering glances. Serika's attention. Even commoners aligning without hesitation.
It wasn't charm. It was something deeper.
---
[Soul Trait Notification:]
> "Soul Presence" is a unique talent tied to True Origin.
Most beings influence space through strength.
You will influence the story itself.
---
Kaleid gripped the edge of his bed.
> I'm not just part of this world… I'm starting to rewrite it.
And that—he knew—would either elevate him…
…or put a target on his back.
---
Meanwhile – Northern Tower Lounge
Three aristocratic students sat around a magic-fire hearth, swirling drinks and sharing intelligence.
"She's watching him," one muttered.
"The dragon girl? Then we can't touch him yet."
"No. But we can isolate him."
"He dines with foxes and farmers. Soon, he'll forget where he belongs."
"Then we remind him."
They raised their glasses.
"To the fall of false stars."