Morning came draped in gold and soft chirping. Floyd awoke not in his bed, but beneath the tall flowering trees of the manor's eastern garden. The memory of Sophia's kiss still tingled on his lips. It was a moment he'd replayed endlessly through the night—how she tasted like apples and summer, how warm her breath felt against his skin, and the look in her eyes when their lips parted.
He sat up slowly, blinking at the soft sunlight that filtered through the leaves.
Galeheart was beside him again, tail swishing lazily.
"You've been following me, haven't you?" Floyd muttered, scratching the Kirin's mane.
[Galeheart: Wind Elemental Affection +2]
He chuckled. "Right, you like emotional drama, don't you?"
The cub snorted proudly and pawed at the grass.
With a stretch and a sigh, Floyd stood and dusted off his clothes. His system chimed gently:
[Schedule Updated: Sword Training (Father), Arcane Reinforcement (Gabby), Emotional Sync Analysis (Pending)]
"Emotional sync analysis?" he muttered. "That's new."
He swiped to expand the log. A new section had appeared:
[Affection Bonds - Tier 1]
— Sophia: 13% Sync
— Gabby Fox: 7% Sync
— Mina: 3% Sync
He swallowed.
So it wasn't just in his head.
Before he could explore more, his father's voice echoed from the eastern balcony.
"Floyd! To the fields. Your grip was lazy yesterday!"
"Coming, Dad!" he shouted back.
Floyd took off at a jog, Kirin cub following close behind.
—
The training fields, with their dew-drenched grass and worn sparring posts, felt like a second home now. BohLin stood waiting in full leather armor, two wooden swords at his side.
"You slept out again," his father said, tossing him a practice blade.
Floyd caught it with ease. "I needed space to think."
"Thinking doesn't win duels," BohLin replied, circling him. "Instinct does. Confidence. You've got power—but power without control is just noise."
Floyd smirked. "Getting poetic now?"
BohLin didn't answer. He lunged.
The sparring match began with fierce, clean strikes—BohLin's technique like a river, flowing and relentless. Floyd countered with speed, his blade ringing against his father's in a blur of practiced parries.
Each clash of wood sent small gusts of air spiraling around them.
"You've improved," BohLin muttered, breathless.
"Not enough yet," Floyd replied, ducking low and sweeping.
His father blocked, then laughed. "That's the spirit."
The fight ended minutes later when Floyd disarmed him with a twist-and-turn feint Gabby had taught him weeks ago.
BohLin clapped his son's shoulder. "That move wasn't mine. Gabby?"
"Guilty," Floyd said, grinning.
"You're getting clever." BohLin raised an eyebrow. "You've also been smiling more."
Floyd lowered his blade. "Yeah. I guess I have."
—
Later, in Gabby's arcane chamber, Floyd stood before three glowing stones suspended in magical stasis.
Each pulsed with raw energy—one violet, one emerald, and one a soft pale gold.
"Elemental foci," Gabby explained, standing behind him. "Each one contains distilled mana from different sources—void, nature, and spirit. Today, we test your resonance."
He frowned. "Shouldn't I start with just one?"
Gabby shook her head, her long silver hair catching the candlelight. "You're not a normal mage, Floyd. Your mana pool is bottomless, and your control is nearly perfect. We need to find out which affinities whisper to you most clearly."
He nodded and stepped forward, extending a hand.
The violet stone pulsed first, then flared bright as his fingers brushed it.
[Void Affinity: Strong]
Then the emerald: gentle thrum, warm and familiar.
[Nature Affinity: Moderate]
Lastly, the golden stone shimmered faintly, hesitant—before surging with a surprising burst of light.
[Spirit Affinity: Unique Synchronization Detected]
Gabby leaned forward. "That one's rare. Spirit affinity is tied to emotion and the divine. Most mages can't tap it at all."
Floyd blinked at the glowing stone. "It felt… alive."
He could hear whispers in the back of his mind—soft, soothing, like the breath of an ancient forest. Not threatening. Just present.
Gabby stepped beside him, her voice lower now.
"Affinities like that usually only respond to people with awakened hearts. Or people chosen by fate."
Their eyes met for a long moment.
And then—without warning—Gabby stepped closer.
Floyd felt her chest press softly against his side. Her hand brushed his wrist, the touch sending small electric jolts up his arm.
"You're growing," she whispered, her lips just near his ear. "In more ways than one."
He tensed. His heart raced.
"G-Gabby…"
Her smile was playful, but something behind her eyes was far more serious.
"You're not a boy anymore, Floyd. I see it."
Then, just as suddenly, she stepped back and the warmth between them faded.
"Continue your meditations tonight," she said, returning to her desk. "There's more I'll teach you when you're ready."
Floyd stood frozen for a beat longer, his mind a fog of energy, longing, and embarrassment.
He left without another word—but his chest ached in a strangely pleasant way.
—
That night, his room was quiet again. He sat shirtless at the edge of his bed, meditating on the spirit affinity and the strange pulse he'd felt when touching the golden stone. Galeheart was curled at the foot of the bed, snoring softly.
Then came the knock.
A soft, uncertain tap.
He stood and opened the door.
It was Mina—the housemaid. Her hair was braided over one shoulder, and she wore a long night tunic that barely reached her thighs.
"Sorry, Master Floyd," she said, biting her lip. "I know it's late, but I noticed you skipped supper again."
He blinked. "Oh… I was meditating."
She held up a small covered tray. "Then maybe you can eat while I brush your hair? Like when you were younger?"
His mouth went dry. "You… want to brush my hair?"
She nodded with a sweet smile, stepping past him into the room.
Floyd hesitated, heart pounding, then followed and sat cross-legged on the floor.
Mina settled behind him, gently pulling his dark hair loose. Her fingers were warm, delicate, and careful as they combed through the strands.
"I remember when you were smaller," she said softly. "You used to curl up beside me after nightmares. You'd cling to my dress like it was a shield."
He smiled faintly. "I was a coward back then."
"No," she said, brushing softly. "You were a child who needed warmth."
A long silence.
Then he felt her hands still… and then one dropped, trailing softly down his bare back.
"You've grown strong," she whispered. "And… quite handsome."
Floyd turned to meet her eyes.
She leaned in slowly, cautiously.
Their lips met.
It wasn't as sudden or bold as Sophia's—but it was deeper, more tender. Her hands curled around his arms, and his fingers found the edge of her waist.
The tray of food remained untouched as their kiss deepened and her body pressed against him, soft and warm and curving in all the right places.
When they finally parted, breathless, Mina touched her forehead to his.
"Goodnight, young master," she said gently. "I'll come by earlier tomorrow."
And she slipped out the door with a smile, leaving Floyd once again alone with his thoughts—and a very red face.
[Mina: Affection Sync Updated — 12%]
He slumped back into bed, heart hammering.
This world, he thought again, was strange.
But he wouldn't trade it for anything.
---