POV: Kai Mizushino
Date: October 2, 2214
Place: Luminara Magic Academy – Grand Library
The morning sun had barely climbed over the academy towers when Kai stepped into the Grand Library. His chest still carried the weight of what he overheard—Yuuna calling the headmistress "Mother."
Kai hadn't confronted his mother yet. He needed more—something that could explain the questions burning in his head. He wasn't ready to hear the truth from her lips, not until he had some proof.
The Grand Library stretched endlessly, with high glass ceilings that let in golden rays and enchanted lanterns that flickered above every aisle. Books floated down when called for, but Kai ignored the enchantments. He needed something old, something untouched by glamor.
Akito and Touya followed him silently. They had sensed something was off with Kai since the day before, but neither of them said anything.
"Kai, what are we looking for again?" Touya finally asked, his voice hushed.
Kai didn't respond at first. His eyes scanned the shelves until he found it—a thick, worn-out tome with a leather cover marked by time.
The Heroic Clans of Solaris Earth.
He pulled it free, feeling an unusual heat radiate from the cover. The book was old—possibly ancient. He walked to a reading table under the skylight and set it down. Akito and Touya sat beside him, exchanging glances.
Kai flipped through the pages, past the Helios family, the Verdant Archons, and then—
Mizushino.
His breath caught.
Top-ranked Magician Family of Solaris Earth.
He read aloud, voice trembling:
"'The Mizushino lineage has ruled the elite mage circles for centuries, known for producing champions of balance and light. Their strength peaked during the Great Cataclysm ten years ago when Lady Yuu Mizushino, the Archmage of Light, and her daughter Yuuna Mizushino, one of the youngest ever to wield celestial-class magic, defeated the Ancient Flame Dragon of Mount Pyra, thus saving the eastern continent.'"
Kai's mouth went dry. His heart slammed against his ribs.
There was more. A detailed entry about Lady Yuu—how she became the youngest Headmistress in academy history, her countless titles, her brilliance unmatched. There was an entry about Yuuna too: her battle tactics, her elemental prowess, and her refusal to accept noble titles even after their victory.
Kai sat frozen. He felt like a character in a book that had suddenly learned he was related to the protagonists all along.
A sketch adorned the next page—a youthful Yuuna with fire in her hands, and beside her, a regal, stoic Yuu whose golden gaze seemed to see through time.
Kai clenched his fists. "They… they're legends."
"And you're their heir," Akito whispered.
"But I have no mana," Kai muttered. "I'm the failure of the Mizushino family."
Touya slammed his palm on the table, startling them. "That's crap and you know it. Mana or not, you've trained harder than anyone. You've pushed past pain, humiliation, and fear. You're not a failure, Kai. You're a flame waiting to ignite."
Kai stared at him. Akito gave a firm nod. "He's right."
Still, Kai couldn't stop the rising storm inside.
—
He left the library in silence. The wind bit his skin as he walked back home. The dorms and training fields passed by in a blur.
Yuuna was hanging laundry in the garden when he arrived. Her hair, loose and sunlit, made her look like a completely different person than the warrior he had seen in the book.
"Kai, welcome home," she greeted softly.
He walked up, heart pounding. "Is it true?"
She paused, basket in hand. "Is what true?"
"Everything. That you're one of the most powerful mages in the world. That Headmistress Yuu is your mother. My grandmother."
Yuuna set the basket down. "You found out."
"I read it in the library. The book said you defeated a dragon. That you and Headmistress Yuu are part of the strongest magical family on Solaris Earth. And… you never told me. Why?"
Yuuna turned to him, her expression unreadable. "Because I didn't want you to be burdened by our name. Because I wanted you to grow into your own strength without being crushed by expectations. Because I love you."
Kai's hands trembled. "Do you think hiding it made it easier?"
"No," she admitted. "It broke my heart every time someone mocked you, every time you cried thinking you were worthless. But I couldn't give you shortcuts, Kai. You were born without mana, yes—but not without strength. And I've always believed that your path would be different."
Kai looked down. "You should've told me."
She stepped closer, placing a hand over his heart. "And I should've trusted you more. I'm sorry."
They stood there in silence, wind rustling the garden leaves.
"I'm tired of being laughed at," Kai finally whispered. "Of pretending to be okay."
Yuuna smiled sadly. "Then don't pretend anymore. Stand tall. You have every right to."
Kai nodded. Slowly. "I still have a long way to go."
"And I'll be with you, every step."
In that moment, the world didn't seem so heavy.
He wasn't just the weakest boy anymore.
He was Kai Mizushino—son of Yuuna, grandson of Yuu.
And maybe… just maybe… that meant something.
To be continued
[End of the chapter: The Truth About the Mizushino Family (Part 2)]