Kael sat frozen on the balcony, staring at the sky like someone just got slapped by… the world itself.
The System had never spoken to him before.
Not even when he nearly died tripping over a venomous chicken wing during basic training.
That time, it had just said:
> "You almost died. Fix it."
But now?
> [Notice: New Class Available]
[Requirement: Refuse one fate]
Kael frowned. "Refuse… fate? I didn't know I had one."
Meliora gave him a wary look. "You okay? You look pale."
"If I told you the System just asked me to defy destiny," Kael said slowly, "would you tell me to lie down and nap again?"
Meliora sighed. "If I said yes, would you actually nap?"
> "Maybe. But this time it feels... weird. Like the world's finally lost it."
Just then, the ground trembled slightly, followed by a soft blue light streaking across the sky.
They both turned to look—northeast, over the Forbidden Woods.
> Something had fallen from the sky.
Not a meteor. Too gentle. Too... radiant.
Kael grunted. "Great. The universe just threw another problem at me."
---
A few hours later...
Kael, against his better judgment (and with plenty of complaints), made his way into the forest.
Meliora refused to follow. "I have patients. And I don't want to die today."
He pushed through the underbrush wearing curtain-fabric gloves.
His passive skill [Instinctive Caution] kept giving him soft internal buzzes.
> Something... was watching.
And then, he saw it:
A small crater, still warm, glowing faintly.
In its center...
Lay a girl.
Her white hair shimmered like snowfall under moonlight. Her clothes didn't look like they belonged to any planet he knew—soft, shifting fabric that changed with the light. Her eyes were closed. But she was breathing.
Kael took a cautious step.
> [Warning: S-Class Entity detected.]
[Suggested Action: Flee. Or... bring snacks?]
"...Snacks?"
Before he could process that, the girl opened her eyes.
And the first thing she said was:
> "...Were you the one who refused me?"
Kael blinked. "Huh?"
She sat up slowly and pointed at him.
> "You. One of the few across trillions who rejected fate.
I've been... assigned to interfere."
Kael crossed his arms. "What are you, fate's unpaid intern?"
She narrowed her eyes. "My name is Lirieth. I am Emergency System Intervention Unit No. 7.
And from now on, you are under... special monitoring."
Kael nodded slowly.
> "So... the universe really does hate me."