There is a difference between coincidence—
and intervention.
Most people never know the difference.
Xavier L'Amour didn't either.
Not yet.
---
The next morning, the sky was clear.
Too clear.
As if the world did not care that he had been beaten in front of dozens of people yesterday.
The academy was still alive.
Students walked.
Laughed.
Trained.
And Xavier—
was still himself.
No Arcanum.
No talent.
Nothing.
Except—
luck.
Or so they said.
---
Today was sparring class.
Third Combat Arena.
A large stone circle.
Protective barriers active.
The instructor stood in the center.
"The fight will be stopped before fatal injuries."
he said flatly.
"This is training. Not an execution."
Some students chuckled.
Some—
glanced at Xavier.
With faint smiles.
---
"Xavier L'Amour."
The name was called.
Some people immediately whispered.
"He again…"
"Poor guy."
"How long this time? Five seconds?"
The instructor continued.
"Your opponent—"
He looked at the list.
Paused for a moment.
Then—
"Seraphine Vale."
Silence.
Some were surprised.
Some—
were curious.
A girl stepped forward.
Short silver hair.
Pale blue eyes.
Her expression cold.
Calm.
Seraphine Vale.
An Ice Arcanum user.
Rank 12 in their year.
Another genius.
Not on Caelum's level—
but far above Xavier.
She looked at Xavier.
No mockery.
No pity.
Only—
facts.
"You can surrender now."
she said.
Flatly.
Xavier gave a small chuckle.
"Heh… you're a nice person."
He stepped into the arena.
"Sorry, but I'm trying something."
Seraphine did not answer.
The barrier activated.
The fight began.
---
He had no plan.
No technique.
No power.
All he had was—
a choice.
He stepped forward.
A normal step.
A foolish step.
Seraphine raised her hand.
The air around her—
froze.
Ice crystals formed.
Dozens of them.
Floating.
Pointing toward Xavier.
"Don't die."
she said flatly.
And—
released them.
WHOOSH.
Too fast.
Too many.
Impossible to dodge.
Impossible to block.
Impossible—
to survive.
And for the first time—
Xavier did not hope luck would save him.
He just—
moved.
A small step to the left.
Reflex.
Instinct.
Not enough.
The ice would still hit him.
Everyone knew it.
Seraphine knew it.
The instructor knew it.
Caelum—
standing far in the back—
knew it too.
This—
was it.
---
CRACK.
One ice crystal—
cracked.
In midair.
For no reason.
Without contact.
It cracked—
then shattered.
Its fragments hit another crystal.
Changing its trajectory.
Slightly.
Very slightly.
But—
enough.
The entire formation—
shifted.
Not disappearing.
Not stopping.
But—
missing.
WHOOSH.
The crystals passed Xavier.
Only centimeters from his body.
None of them hit him.
Silence.
Total.
---
Xavier stopped moving.
He blinked.
"…Huh?"
He didn't understand.
He should have—
been hit.
Everyone saw it.
Seraphine did too.
Her eyes widened slightly.
For the first time—
emotion appeared.
"…What?"
she whispered.
The instructor frowned.
The barrier was intact.
The attack was not blocked.
No other Arcanum was detected.
So—
why?
---
Far in the back—
the gray eyes of Caelum Argentis—
narrowed.
He saw something—
that others didn't.
Not the crystals.
Not Xavier.
But—
the moment.
The moment before the crystal cracked.
The moment where—
reality
seemed—
to reselect.
Extremely small.
Extremely subtle.
But—
real.
"…Impossible."
he whispered.
Softly.
---
In the arena—
Xavier was still standing.
Uninjured.
Not dead.
Not understanding.
He was just—
alive.
And deep inside him—
something—
had just
responded.
Not to save him.
Not to protect him.
But—
to ensure
that a certain outcome
did not occur.
And for the first time—
that luck
did not feel like coincidence.
It felt like—
will.
---
Seraphine stared at him.
For a long time.
"…Interesting."
she said.
Softly.
And for the first time—
their fight
truly began.