Punishment And First Meet

"Lein Arcel... You're suspended for 5 days for violating training rules regarding violence against fellow personnel!"

----

Lein stepped out of the academy hearing room, letting out a gentle sigh...

"I'm sorry, I know you lost control back then... I couldn't help you because you broke the rules, but I still managed to discuss with the disciplinary lieutenant to reduce your suspension by 2 days," Lucy said seriously.

Lucy walked away from Lein without even looking at him, and Lein knew she was disappointed in him. At least that's what he thought before Reo and Grace approached him.

"Lein... Why did you do that?" Grace asked, her tone curious yet tinged with disappointment

"Hey... I've never seen you like this before, what's going on with you?" Reo asked, his face pinched with concern and a hint of scrutiny.

"Sorry, I've been dealing with mental issues and I didn't want to burden you both... I've been trying to get rid of my obsession, but it seems like I couldn't," Lein replied with a faint smile and scratched his head.

He stepped past Reo and Grace, which annoyed Reo.

"Hey, Lein! Are you fucking kidding me?! Don't you feel guilty about messing up Therrie's face like that, huh?!" Reo exclaimed, his frustration evident as he gripped Lein's shoulder tightly.

"Sorry, I know what I did was wrong, but... I need some space and time to deal with my mental condition too," Lein replied calmly, yet his gaze locked onto Reo's with intensity.

"Do you think we don't care about you?! We've been close friends and promised to grow together, but why didn't you ever tell us?!" Reo's frustration grew, his gaze matching Lein's in intensity.

"H-hey, you two, please don't fight. Didn't we promise to stick together?" Grace said with a worried and frightened tone, tugging on Reo's uniform sleeve to intervene.

"Sorry... I'm sorry for disappointing and worrying you both. I promise to come back to you and work on my mental condition," Lein said, stepping forward and leaving Reo and Grace behind.

"Fuck..." Reo muttered in frustration.

"Reo... I think we should give Lein some time to work on his mental state," Grace said, her tone still laced with concern.

"Yeah, you're right... I was too harsh on him, I should've understood how he felt as his friend," Reo said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"No, you've been caring about him, worrying about him as a friend... I'm sure Lein knows that too," Grace replied, gently grasping Reo's hand, and smiling softly at him.

"Y-yeah," Reo's face flushed slightly, but he eventually smiled back.

----

Lein walked through the academy's corridors, overhearing people talking about him. Insults and criticisms stuck to his ears as they caught sight of him.

'Hey, isn't he the one who attacked his classmate beyond limits?'

'Just look at his right eye, he looks like a monster...'

'Don't be so loud, he might hear us.'

Lein ignored the insults, letting out a soft sigh before leaving the academy to clear his mind.

He gazed up at the sky, which appeared dark and terrifying. In the distance, he could still see the colossal tower piercing through the sky.

The absence of helicopters and planes suggests that the evacuation efforts have come to an end, or it's possible that those outside are no longer alive.

----

He wandered through the streets of Medarie Capital City, venturing further out and discovering buildings he had never seen before.

Lein's feet came to a standstill as he gazed out at the vibrant market, a whirlwind of colors and sounds that seemed to overwhelm his senses. The air was alive with the hum of chatter, clinking goods, and laughter.

He stepped into the market area, and Lein's eyes landed on a snack stand in front of him. He entered the stand and browsed the various treats on offer.

"Wow... I didn't expect the academy personnel come browsing around my shop, and be my customer," said the Old Vendor, greeting and speaking to Lein.

"Well, actually I'm currently suspended for causing trouble, so I decided to take a walk around," Lein said with a faint smile.

"I'll have one strawberry and one vanilla snack, please," Lein said, pointing to the treats on display.

"Sure," the Old Vendor quickly prepared and wrapped the snacks Lein had pointed out.

. . .

"I never expected something like this to happen... The sky is so dark and that strange tower is towering high into the sky," said the Old Vendor, handing Lein his snacks.

"Yeah, everything happened so suddenly," Lein replied, paying with his point card.

Since the genocide, cash and gold have lost their value. Now, people in Medarie Capital City pay with point cards, a currency earned through hard work to contribute to the city's growth and development.

"My child passed away during that tragedy, now I only have my grandchild left, and I'm grateful that we're safe here," said the Old Vendor with a faint smile.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Lein said, his voice filled with empathy.

"Thank you, but have you ever wondered how this place is so safe... I don't know what kind of shield is being used to protect the people here," the Old Vendor said to Lein.

"Yeah, I'm curious too..." Lein replied, suddenly feeling intrigued and wondering to himself.

----

Lein walked out of the shop, continuing on his way while wondering curiously why Medarie Capital City was so safe that even angels couldn't attack.

Does this place have a special protection to prevent angels from coming here?

Why hadn't he ever thought about this before, and why hadn't he ever asked Saint Adam and Lucy about it?

Lein became increasingly consumed by curiosity, his mind racing with questions: why... why... how...

He decided to ask Saint Adam and Lucy about it later. For now, he sat down on a market bench and enjoyed the snacks he had bought.

---

He blinked, and suddenly found himself in a realm similar to his previous dream, dark and shrouded in white mist.

He stood up, and this time, he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, or so he thought, until he saw a silhouette that looked like him shaking hands with a silhouette of an angel.

He stepped forward and ran, trying to approach the silhouette, but the closer he got, the thicker the white mist became, obscuring his view.

The thickening mist made his eyes blink momentarily, and when he opened them again, he found himself in the midst of a crowded market, bustling with people.

"Shit..." Lein muttered under his breath.

Lein tried to avoid the crowd, passing through a fairly large alley and wandering around while familiarizing himself with the streets.

He continued to look around, until a man carrying books bumped into his shoulder, and the books scattered all over the ground.

"Ah, sorry," Lein quickly helped gather the books scattered on the ground.

"Are you a personnel at the military academy?" The stranger man asked.

"Yeah, I forgot to change out of my uniform when I wanted to travel after I got suspended... Here, by the way," Lein said, handing over the man's books.

"Thanks, by the way, may I ask what your name is?" the stranger said to Lein.

"My name is Lein Arcel, nice to meet you," Lein said with a faint smile.

"Lein Arcel, huh... That's a good name, especially for someone with a unique Flux like yours," the man said, removing his hat. His eyes shone brightly, a golden yellow that sparkled like light.

"Wait a minute, how do you know about my Flux? Who are you? Have we met before?" Lein asked, his gaze sharp and inquisitive.

Their eyes met, Lein's gaze sharp and serious, while the man's gaze remained calm and composed.

"No, we've never met before... Let me to introduce myself," the stranger man said with a faint smile.

My name is...

. . .