After night fell in the mirror world, everyone went their separate ways. It was midnight, and young Sein walked quietly through the streets until he reached the familiar park. There, sitting on a swing, was a familiar figure—his eyes lighting up at the sight.
—Joy!—he greeted excitedly. The young elf girl returned the greeting, though far less energetically.
—Good evening, Sein.
—What brings you here at this hour?
—I could ask you the same, but I've noticed you're always here around this time on Sundays. Since you weren't answering my messages, I decided to come.
—That makes sense—he replied, quickly taking a seat beside Joy. The two had stayed in touch but hadn't been able to meet due to their busy schedules—How have you been?
—I've been fine. Busy with my mission... We still haven't found any leads on what we're looking for—she admitted with a sigh. Sein patted her shoulder and smiled.
—Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find something soon.
—...Yeah, thanks, Sein—she avoided his gaze, finding his optimism almost blinding—How about you?
—I've been great! Actually, I've got good news—I'm ready for my promotion!
—Really? That's great! When's your test?
—In a couple of days... I'm a little nervous, but excited too. I hope I get a good ability like Shoun's...—he muttered the last part under his breath, but Joy's sharp ears caught it.
—Shoun?
—Oh, right! He's my friend and teammate. Not to brag, but he's one of the few humans with an S-rank ability—Sein said, clearly proud of his friend's achievement. Joy, meanwhile, looked stunned.
—S-rank?
—Yep, he's really strong—Sein confirmed. The elf girl summoned her mysterious book and began flipping through it—What are you doing?
—This... I think I have notes on him somewhere... Ah, here—She showed him a page filled with details about Shoun—his abilities, public history, even a photo—Is this him?
—Yeah, that's him! Guess word about his ability spread fast.
—Well, I have my sources. If people were talking about you, you can imagine how they reacted to your friend. Though, given his ability's rank, it's understandable... Do you know the risks of staying close to him?—she asked, concern evident in her voice.
—I'm aware. But I still want to stay by his side. We promised to get stronger together, and I don't break my promises.
—...I believe you. What's Shoun like? Personality-wise, I mean. You clearly admire him, so I'm curious.
—Well... he's a great cook, always treats me well, and he's reliable. Maybe he worries about me more than he needs to, but I think it's for my own good... He's been through a lot.
—I know about that last part. I don't know how I'd feel if I lost my family so young.
—...You don't know the rest of the story?
—There's more?
—...You could say that. Sorry, but it's not my place to tell.
—Don't worry. But I am curious—how did you two meet?
—Oh, that's a story I can tell! We met two years ago when he transferred to my school. Since he was a Codex bearer, I kept pestering him with questions about his abilities and how he became one—obviously not knowing his past. Somehow, he put up with me, and eventually, I stopped asking. That's how we became friends.
—Heh. Shoun must've had a lot of patience with you. Not everyone would tolerate that without yelling or worse.
—Probably because I was a kid. He's really kind to children.
—Interesting.
—Right? Anyway, I think you know enough about me now. How about you tell me something about you, Joy?
—Hmm, like what?
—Well... tell me about your family.
—Oh, that... I have my dad, my mom, and... just them—She hesitated, as if holding something back.
—...What are they like?
—My mom loves me a lot. She always cooks our favorite meals, likes knitting and reading... My dad's really strict, but I have to admit—he's an outstanding mage.
—Magic! I forget it exists sometimes, with all the amazing powers from the Codex. Now that I think about it, don't you elves use tattoos for magic?
—The tattoos... yeah, a lot of us have them—Joy's expression darkened slightly. Noticing this, Sein quickly steered the conversation toward something he knew she loved.
—Tell me more about magic! Like, where it came from and how it works.
—Well, magic was discovered by elves thousands of years ago. You might not know this, but all humans, demons, and elves—even non-Codex bearers—have a core. The difference is, you can't freely manipulate it unless you study magic or are a Codex bearer. After discovering this, elves started researching ways to interact with and use the spiritual energy inside them. They invented a series of runes—if you fuel them with spiritual energy from the core, they create spells.
—That's so cool! How did they develop it further?
—They realized spiritual energy was limited—even more back then, since the Codex didn't exist yet. So they found a way to cast spells without draining their cores completely by channeling ambient spiritual energy from the air.
—Like vestiges?
—Yes, like vestiges! But for other races, it's not that simple. Without an extra step, they can't use magic that way. That's where the tattoos come in—basically, to cast spells using both your own energy and the world's, you need to tattoo specific runes onto your body. They create a connection between you and the world, letting you use magic as we know it today—Despite her earlier discomfort, Joy didn't downplay the tattoos' importance—Now that I think about it... wasn't Shoun a metahuman? Or rather, he was, before becoming a Codex bearer.
—Yeah, he was born with his powers. Why bring that up now?
—Because it relates to magic. To explain... you should know that demons are born with elemental abilities—fire, ice, wind, etc. Each can control their element innately, though it's limited by their spiritual energy. Elves, on the other hand, seem like we were born to master magic. Spellcasting comes naturally to us, and even our tattoos are shorter because of our race. If demons or humans used them, the tattoos would be much longer. So, what do you think makes humans special?
—Hmm... having better Codex abilities?
—Generally, yes. But before the Codex, humans had a much stranger trait—your genes are absurdly dominant.
—What do you mean?
—Exactly what it sounds like. If a demon and a human have a child, it'll be half-demon, half-human, with traits from both. If that child has kids with a demon, the descendants will still carry human traits. Even if they keep reproducing with demons, the human traits won't disappear. But if that first half-human, half-demon has kids only with humans, the demon traits will fade within two generations.
—Wow, that is weird. But what does that have to do with Shoun?
—Well, even though physical traits eventually become fully human, the genes for demonic abilities or magic compatibility stick around. That's why humans with powers are born occasionally—those dormant genes wake up. Shoun's ancestor was probably a demon.
—Whoa! That was really interesting, Joy. Thanks for explaining.
—No problem. That's what friends do, right?
—Right!—The two chatted a while longer before parting ways.
After the pleasant conversation, Sein's mind returned to a lingering concern—once they all became Dominators, they'd have to stop going to the mirror world. (I don't know what to think... I doubt Shoun will join the government or the guild. And I have no idea what Deuz will do. As for me... what should I do?) His thoughts clashed. He wanted to be a beacon of hope for humanity, which meant getting stronger—something he couldn't do without the organizations' help. But now, after what he'd learned, he didn't see them the same way. In the end, he was back where he started—(Well, there's nothing I can do about it now. I'll figure something out when the time comes! For now, I'll focus on what's right in front of me—my promotion.)
Under the watchful moonlight, Sein imagined what his new ability might be. There was no doubt in his mind—he would win. He was strong, and he had even stronger friends backing him up.
—I won't let them down! I'll win and become an apprentice!—he declared to the night air, determined to spend every free moment from tomorrow onward preparing for his test.