Chapter 80: Another side of The Female Summoner

Chapter 80: Another side of The Female Summoner Kairos stepped out of Melvin’s room, and just as he had expected, the golden bulbs of the hallway ceiling were already aglow. Darkness had crept over the academy grounds, and curfew time loomed closely behind. ’Man... the others must be worried,’ Kairos thought, quickening his pace. A hint of guilt nipped at him for not practicing even a single Feral Art technique that day, but deep down, he knew his time had been well spent. Meeting Melvin had turned out better than anticipated—and getting his core weapon crafted for free? That was something he couldn’t overlook. As his boots tapped swiftly against the polished hallway floor, a soft chime echoed in his mind. A system notification blinked into view. [Why do you care about getting stronger?] Kairos blinked in surprise, halting his steps for a second. That question... it came out of nowhere. ’What the hell?’ he thought, stunned. The system never approached him like this—especially not with random, personal questions. It had always been cold, mechanical... objective. Still, he didn’t want to leave the question unanswered. He paused and thought deeply, fingers brushing lightly over the hilt of the weapon now strapped to his back. ’I want to kill a certain man... and live a well-deserved life,’ Kairos replied after a moment of reflection. [I see.] The system’s response felt... human. Like someone had actually heard him. [But there is a warning to give. Just as there are many factions, lost factions, and even obscure ones... your ability is tied to one.] Kairos furrowed his brows, confused by the strange and ominous message. ’Are you saying I belong to a faction?’ he asked internally, a flicker of disbelief rising within him. [Correct... and wrong. You do not belong to a faction, but the shadow ability you possess does.] [Just as every faction has its own set of unique summons and abilities, yours is no exception. While your summon may appear different, that shadow ability stems from a greater whole—a forgotten lineage.] Kairos slowed his pace. The corridor around him felt like it had grown colder. ’Then... you’re saying this power of mine... it’s not random? It came from them? From that faction?’ His heartbeat pulsed harder against his chest. If the system said it, then it had to be true. [This is just a warning... Get stronger, for the time will come when you meet them.] His mind flooded with questions. What kind of faction? What was their goal? Who else had powers like his? But before he could respond— A silhouette appeared at the far end of the hallway. His steps slowed, and his thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt. The figure was still, unmoving, and for a moment it was hard to recognize her. But then, with a closer look, his heart jolted. It was a girl—with long brown hair tied neatly, exposing her face. A face that was strikingly beautiful with glowing, soft eyes. She wore a long-sleeved hoodie and jeans, her hand gently clutching a nylon bag that held some sort of container. But more importantly... the girl was Kaela. She looked different. Maybe it was the way her hair no longer concealed her face. Maybe it was the way she stood—silent, almost uncertain. ’She’s beautiful,’ Kairos thought, a warmth crawling up his chest like an ember catching wind. [Grrr! Mate found, boss!] his shadow wolf yelped joyfully from within, its tail practically wagging with excitement. Its words caught him off guard. Kaela didn’t move. She stood frozen, eyes locked on him. Not saying a word. Not making a gesture. ’Was she caught off guard? Embarrassed?’ Kairos wondered. ’Wait... what’s she doing at the boys’ dorm this late? Is she coming out of a room? A boy’s room?’ The thought spiraled out of control for a moment, and he immediately forced himself into composure. ’She’s my teammate... and a powerful ally. Focus.’ Kairos raised a hand and waved casually, quickening his pace until he was right in front of her. "Hey Kaela, it’s good to see you here," he said smoothly. She looked startled, almost caught in a daze. Her gaze dropped shyly to the floor as she spoke. "How... how did you know it’s me?" Kairos almost let out a laugh. ’Is she dumb or something?’ He quickly discarded the thought, not wanting to be rude. "Let’s head back together," he offered. "Or do you still have something to do?" Kaela shook her head softly. "No... I was just leaving." [Boss, she agreed to mate! Let’s go! Hurry before the female loses interest!] Kairos sighed within and began to walk without another word, letting his feet carry him forward. Kaela quickly caught up. They walked in silence, side by side, leaving the second-year dorms behind and heading towards the first-year quarters. Kairos glanced at her. This moment—it felt rare. Peaceful. He decided to take advantage of it and initiate conversation. "Uhm... So what were you doing in the second years’ building?" Kaela took a breath and responded slowly. "I cooked... and brought it to my elder brother." Kairos felt a strange sense of relief wash over him. He didn’t know why, but her having a brother eased something in his mind. He never thought she would have a brother but now that he knew, he pictured the brother as a quiet, pale-skinned guy with curtain-like hair draping over his eyes. "Cool. I went to meet someone too... a partner," Kairos replied, revealing only a sliver of the truth. Silence returned for a while... until Kaela suddenly muttered, almost too shyly: "I can cook for you sometime... if you want." Kairos blinked. She wasn’t looking at him. Her cheeks had reddened, her eyes downcast. The offer lingered in the air between them. He hesitated only for a moment before replying calmly, "I’d like that." "And also!" she snapped suddenly, her voice rising with uncharacteristic force. "Stop going around beating and threatening people! Even Rivet has it hard. Don’t be a bully!" Kairos was taken aback, but he nodded in acknowledgment. "And don’t think just because you have two summons you need to shoulder everything alone!" she continued passionately. "You always carry that look—like the weight of everything is on your back. But you have two summons. Trust them! Trust your friends, Kairos Veyl!" Her voice had conviction, depth—something Kairos had never heard from her before. It was the first time she spoke so much... and with such emotion. It felt good. Her words. Her concern. Her presence. ’She’s... different when her hair isn’t covering her face. Like she’s not hiding anymore.’ As silence returned once again, Kairos decided to speak. "Try keeping your hair like this more often... it really suits you," he said with a small smile. Kaela turned her face weakly away, her blush deepening. [Master, keep pushing! You’ll win her over soon!] Kairos rolled his eyes internally at the Shadow Wolf’s ridiculous encouragement. But just as the moment seemed to stretch into something deeper, Kaela suddenly stopped. She turned down a narrow path branching off the main route. Without saying a word, she bolted away from him, hoodie fluttering behind her as she ran. Kairos stared after her, slightly stunned. ’She’s... really weird,’ he thought, shaking his head. Then he turned and walked his own way. [Master! No! Follow her! Master!!!]