Path of the Unmentioned: The Missing Piece Chapter 67 67: Zalrielle [1]

(In the Classroom A1)

The classroom buzzed with chatter as Professor Veldrin dismissed them.

His warning about the upcoming mana calculus quiz t with collective groans.

Eleanora barely heard it. Her gaze had already drifted to the empty seat beside Reo for what felt like the hundredth ti that week.

'Where are you, Kyle?'

Her fingers twitched toward her pocket where her comm device lay.

She'd ssaged him three tis since Saturday.

Polite inquiries, nothing pushy.

But the ssages remained unread.

The little "last active" tistamp hadn't changed in days.

She could call.

But then she would be that girl.

The clingy noble who couldn't take a hint.

'No. There's a better way'.

Eleanora smoothed her skirt and approached.

Her attention shifted to Reo and Luna, who were huddled near the window.

Luna poked at a floating ice crystal between her fingers while Reo dramatically lanted Kyle's absence.

"—swear, if he's off training sowhere crazy again without —"

Eleanora smoothed her skirt and approached.

Reo's rant cut off mid-sentence as her shadow fell across his desk.

He looked up.

Blinked.

Then gulped audibly.

"P-Princess Eleanora!" He straightened so fast his chair squeaked.

Luna discreetly lted her ice crystal into nothingness.

Eleanora smiled.

The polite, practiced one that made nobles sweat.

"I couldn't help but overhear you talking about Kyle."

Reo's grin returned, though it looked slightly strained now.

"Yeah! That guy's been skipping class like it's going out of style."

Luna elbowed him.

"What? It's true!"

Eleanora pressed her lips together to keep from smiling.

"Have either of you heard from him?"

Luna shook her head. "Not since last Friday and he's not even taking the calls."

Eleanora just nodded.

"Reo. You are close with Instructor Valemont, aren't you?"

Reo's face paled.

"Instructor Aurelia? I an, Instructor Valemont? N-no! I an, yes, but—"

"Could you ask her where Kyle is?"

Silence.

Reo's mouth opened.

Closed.

His fingers dug into his desk. "You... want to just... ask her?"

His voice cracked.

Eleanora tilted her head.

"Is there a problem?"

Luna snorted into her textbook.

Reo leaned forward, whispering like they were sharing state secrets.

"Princess, with all respect, Instructor Valemont is terrifying. Last week, she made a Gold-rank upperclassman cry during sparring drills."

"Like actual tears"

Eleanora's smile didn't waver.

"I'm not asking you to duel her. Just... inquire."

Reo shuddered.

"That's worse. She gets this look... like she's ntally calculating how many bones she can break before the academy dics notice—"

"Reo."

"—and her eyes. Gods, her eyes pierce right through your soul and—"

"Reo."

He froze.

Eleanora exhaled through her nose.

"Never mind."

Reo sagged in relief.

Then yelped as Luna kicked his shin under the table.

"Ow! What was—" He caught Luna's glare.

"I an! Uh. Maybe... maybe I could... casually bring it up? If the timing's right? When she's in a good mood? Like... never?"

Eleanora sighed. "Forget I asked."

She turned on her heel—

"Wait!" Reo scrambled up.

"I'll—I'll try, okay? Just... pray for ."

Luna rolled her eyes.

"Dramatic."

Eleanora hid a smile as she walked away.

'Mission accomplished.'

Now she just had to wait.

And hope Aurelia didn't actually break Reo's bones.

———

Reo stood outside Instructor Valemont's office.

Sweating through his uniform. He raised his fist to knock—

Knock knock.

Too soft.

He cleared his throat and tried again.

BANG BANG BANG.

Too loud.

The door swung open before he could flee.

Aurelia stood there, arms crossed her sharp blue eyes already pinning him in place.

"Dustbane."

Reo's mouth went dry. "I-Instructor! I was just—uh—"

"You are blocking my doorway."

"Right! Yes! Sorry!" He scrambled aside as she strode past him.

Reo jogged to catch up.

"So, uh, amazing weather we are having? Really brings out the—"

"Spit it out."

He gulped. "HaveyouseenKyle?"

Aurelia stopped walking.

Slowly, she turned. "What."

"I an! Not that it's my business! Or that the princess asked to ask! Or—" He clamped his mouth shut.

Aurelia's eyebrow twitched.

"Eleanora sent you?"

"No! Maybe? Sort of?" Reo's voice climbed an octave.

"We are just... concerned classmates! Because he's missed like, two days of Professor Veldrin's class, and you know how he gets about attendance, and—"

Aurelia held up a hand.

Reo's mouth snapped shut.

"Kyle's fine," she said. "Family matter."

"Oh! Okay! Great!" Reo backed away. "I'll just—"

"Tell Eleanora," Aurelia added.

"—that if she's so concerned, she can ask herself."

Reo froze.

"I... don't think that's necessary?"

Aurelia smiled.

It didn't reach her eyes. "Was there anything else?"

"Nope!"

"All good! Bye!"

He turned and practically sprinted down the hall.

———

Luna and Eleanora cornered Reo near the dorms.

"Well?" Luna demanded.

Reo collapsed against a wall, gasping.

"I'm alive."

Eleanora frowned. "That's all?"

"She said it's a family matter and he is fine." Reo wheezed.

"And that you—" He pointed at Eleanora.

"—should ask her yourself next ti."

Eleanora's cheeks pinked.

"I see."

Luna smirked.

"Told you he would survive."

"Barely!" Reo clutched his chest.

"Do you know how fast my heart was beating? I could have died!"

Eleanora sighed.

"Thank you, Reo."

As she walked away.

Reo called after her, "Never making do that again!"

Luna patted his shoulder. "Sure you will."

Reo groaned.

***

Kyle stared at the last bite of his sandwich, the crust now softened from sitting too long.

He chewed chanically, barely tasting the food as his thoughts churned like a storm.

The quiet of the empty dorm room pressed in around him, making the questions in his head echo louder than they should.

'That presence in the void...'

He could still feel the ghost of those cool fingers on his shoulders, hear the whisper that had pulled him back from the brink.

The voice had been familiar, achingly so.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't place it.

With a sigh, he pushed away from the table and carried his plate to the sink.

The water ran cold over his fingers as he scrubbed, the repetitive motion doing little to quiet the restless energy thrumming through him.

The plate clattered into the drying rack.

Kyle gripped the edge of the counter, his knuckles whitening under the pressure.

"Sitting around won't change anything," he muttered to the empty kitchen.

The silence that answered was suffocating.

Without another thought.

He wore his academy combat suit and shoved his feet into his boots.

The door slamd behind him with satisfying finality as he stepped into the crisp afternoon air.

The private training wing lood before him.

Its walls humming faintly with containnt spells.

Kyle swiped his student badge, ninth rank privileges had their perks, and the reinforced door slid open with a hiss of compressed air.

The chamber was exactly as he'd left it last ti.

The faint ozone sll of spent magic lingering in the air. The only sound was his own breathing echoing off the soundproofed walls.

His fingers twitched at his sides, restless energy coursing through him.

'I should check my status first'

He hadn't checked from the long ti.

"Status."

The familiar blue screen materialized before him, its glow casting eerie shadows across his face.

His eyes skimd the information:

======[STATUS]======

[Na]: Kyle Valemont

[Age]: 18

[Class]: Swordsman

[Title]: ????

[Blessing]: Echoes of the Roaming Storm

[Mana Core Rank]: Bronze

[Mana Core Grade]: Grade 1 (Peak)

[Affinity]: Lightning, Wind, Ice, Water

[Soul-bound Spirit]: Zalrielle (Dormant)

===================

"Huh"

Kyle's breath caught.

Soul-bound Spirit?

Zalrielle?

***