Kaito Hyuga woke up in a hospital bed.
The early morning sky was still dark, and the hospital room was dimly lit by the emergency lights.
Kaito had lost consciousness after being taken to the hospital and had been in a feverish state until now.
“Ugh… ah…”
Fear resurfaced, and Kaito almost let out a scream.
He had been attacked by a monster resembling a jester wearing a mask, and it had pierced his chest. However, there had been no bleeding, no pain.
All he felt was the sensation of something being stolen from him. Lying on his back, Kaito looked at his hands—and then felt a strange unease.
(These hands… they’ve gotten smaller… they were more bony before, but now… Is this a result of that attack…? A temporary status ailment?)
This wasn’t supposed to happen.
Kaito, the youngest son of the Hyuga family, had known since before entering school that his profession was that of a “Holy Knight.” Having earned a profession befitting his lineage, Kaito had been expected to live up to the same standards as his outstanding brothers.
Everyone obeyed Kaito’s commands. Just being a member of the Hyuga family was enough for most people to revere him without hesitation.
The world was divided into the Hyuga family and everyone else. To Kaito, that was an undeniable truth that would never change—until now.
“Ai… tsu… Fuji… wara… Fujiwaraaa…”
The voice that rasped from his throat didn’t sound like his own. That, too, heightened Kaito’s growing sense of anxiety.
“Someone… is anyone there…? I’ve woken up… I’m still alive…”
Kaito flailed his arms in the air, desperate, when the door to the hospital room quietly opened in response to his plea.
Standing there were the two who had always followed him in his group: Remi Yusa and Hibiki Yura.
“…Excuse us, Lord Hyuga.”
“Earlier… we were unable to fulfill our duties…”
“That’s enough… No one could’ve known a monster like that would appear… The map we had beforehand didn’t show anything…”
Kaito coughed as he spoke. Remi approached to help support him as he tried to sit up—while Hibiki watched silently.
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I… It’s nothing…”
“That look… wait… Why are you…!”
“There is nothing of the sort. I… I would never…”
Hibiki began to tremble, and Kaito couldn’t understand why. Yet, he no longer had the strength to raise his voice.
“…Your elder brothers, Lord Hyuga, have been instructed to refrain from any conspicuous actions for the time being. This is according to your father’s wishes.”
“Tch… kuh kuh kuh… What is that supposed to mean? Am I nothing but a disgrace to the family…?”
“I would not dare to presume. What everyone is struggling to decide is… well…”
“Say it clearly… What good is it now to beat around the bush? You all must despise me after the failure I’ve shown.”
Kaito was slowly getting used to speaking again. His raspy voice, however, still hadn’t returned to its original tone.
(…The feeling of my voice coming out of my throat… it’s different… why…)
“The attack I suffered…”
“The attack from that monster, they say it’s called ‘Life Drain.’ I apologize deeply, but…”
“Life drain… in this case, life means…”
“It includes your level as well. Lord Kaito… your level has been reduced to the minimum…”
“Im… possible… There’s no way…”
Level: 1
Vitality: 10/10 | Magic: 5/5
Strength: 8 (F)
Spirit: 10 (F)
Intelligence: 10 (F)
Agility: 12 (F)
Luck: 5 (F)
Skills: None
“A… aah…”
A voiceless sound escaped Kaito’s throat as Remi showed him his student card.
Watching the light fade from Kaito’s eyes, both Remi and Hibiki stood there, their expressions filled with grief. Their lips had turned pale, and they trembled.
“…How… how could something like this happen? What was that monster… and how can it do something like this?!”
Kaito clung to Remi, but his hands were weak. With just a gentle touch, Remi easily pried his grip away.
“We will continue to protect you, Lord Kaito. Your return to class will be when your strength is restored…”
“This has no precedent, so the academy may not know how to proceed. As for your body…”
“W-what… what do you mean…?”
Remi and Hibiki were staring at the card in Kaito’s hands.
There was still a part he hadn’t yet seen. A part that should never have changed, something that didn’t need to be checked—
Name: Kaito Hyuga | 15 years old | Female
Student ID: 013941
Profession: None
“The doctor said… unknown monsters can have effects we still don’t understand. The changes in Lord Kaito’s body are likely due to that…”
Kaito gave no reply, his hands going limp.
His hands were no longer bony. His voice had become higher—the reason was obvious. After a single night of fevered dreams, Kaito had transformed into someone different from the person he once was.
“…If this condition persists, the school has suggested considering a transfer to another institution.”
“…I see… that’s probably for the best. If even my profession has vanished, I’ll have to start everything over again.”
Remi and Hibiki, still watching over Kaito, were at a loss for words. Without saying anything, Remi adjusted Kaito’s hospital gown, which had slipped open while he slept.
“…Why did Fujiwara save me? I insulted him and even thought of taking everything from him. There was no reason for him to help someone like me…”
“That’s because…”
“He holds to his beliefs… That’s all we can say.”
Hibiki’s words reflected her changing view of Tsukasa Fujiwara.
She had once dismissed his E-rank profession. Now, shame swelled within Kaito as well—because the one who had saved him from dying over and over again in his nightmares was none other than Tsukasa.
“…It’s a long way to go before I can find a way to return to my original body. But… as long as I’m alive like this…”
He couldn’t finish his sentence, tears dropping onto the sheets.
“…I’m sorry… Could you leave me alone for a while?”
At Kaito’s request, the two quietly left the room. Left behind, Kaito held the student card in his hand and continued to stare at it.
