Killian shook his head, turning to face him. "Myself. Pay no mind," he said calmly, but still stood at that position keeping eye contact with the boy.

The boy nodded once, and looked away, as if that was the only worry he ever had. They stayed that way silently before Killian added.

"I never got your name," he started first.

He couldn’t put it past the universe to make his opponent someone from his region, and the boy was the only person he never saw fight, and Evelyn sounded too impressed with his match.

The hooded boy raised his head, and tilted his neck. "Do you really not know my name?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "You are the first one, Killian Dominic, aren’t you?"

’First one?’ Killian cleared his throat, adjusting his posture. While he knew he was the older twin to Keith, being called the First One sounded like an honorary title.

"Yeah, I am Killian. Sorry. I never really got to meet you one on one for a talk." He glanced at Theodore who was still speaking with the girl. "You seem really close to him."

The hooded boy looked behind him, momentarily watching Theodore’s before turning back to Killian. "Yes," he said calmly. "My name is Ephraim Ferdinand."

The surname snapped a memory nerve inside Killian’s head and he leaned forward. That last name was the Director’s last name.

"You are a sibling to Theodore?"

As Killian asked, he stared down at the boy’s loosely cropped shirt under his hoodie, just above his narrow belted waist. His style was strikingly similar to George’s and if they were all family, blue eyes must be a running trait.

Ephraim nodded. "We are brothers."

Killian leaned back, now comparing the gloomy Ephraim seated by himself on a small bench, to Theodore brightly laughing with a girl behind him.

Unlike George and Theodore that seemed like they could’ve been raided in the same family, Ephraim looked different.

’He probably feels different too.’

"Have you all started training practices yet?" Killian changed the topic. He already knew that Keith wouldn’t refuse his invitation so he needed to make the last unknown variable part of it.

"Theodore said he doesn’t need it," Ephraim said simply. His words didn’t account if he wanted to train or not, and Killian noticed.

He sighed. "What dorm do you stay in? If you want, we can have training practices together."

The boy’s expression didn’t change. "Theodore said we don’t need it," he rephrased, and shifted his eyes to Killian’s direction but not directly on Killian. "But thank you for the offer."

The rejection was expected but Killian still felt disappointed. If he could figure out a natural way to ask about his basic element at least, he would know how he fought.

’Wait, I could guess that.’ Killian turned away from the boy after waving once. He headed outside the dorms and towards the address George had sent, while thinking.

’If the Director was a Water and Crystal User, George used Earth Element, and Theodore used the Water Element then the last son would either use the Earth Element or the Water element.’

The choices were narrowed down, with the likelihood of Ephraim also using the Water Element higher, because of the condensation of element in DNA and genes.

The stronger element from both parent would be present in more children. In his father’s case, It was the Fire Element he so much detested.

’Since the Director was a well-known Water and Crystal Mage, her unknown husband might’ve been good at Earth Element so George inherited it. The other children will likely inherit the Water Element.’

"You could’ve just asked him instead of thinking up a family thesis about this. You have too much time on your hands."

[REMINDER - Affinity Alert!]↓

Killian slowed his steps, and tapped the drop down.

[Affinity Alert - 89%]

His eyes widened slightly, then squinted at nothing. "Is this why you have been extra chatty these days?"

"What an odd way to describe my natural inquisitiveness."

The elevator in front of Killian chimed open, and he stepped back, letting those going down walk out. A horde of young people like himself hurried out of the elevator, wearing striped uniforms.

Killian watched them with a straight face, before looking forward again. "Natural inquisitiveness and it’s just—" he was pulled into the elevator, amidst the chaos.

"Hey, were you going to just stand there?"

Killian’s defenses dropped when he saw it was Evelyn. He could still feel her grip on his wrist. "You do a lot of pulling." The words left him, sounding like a scold when he didn’t really mind.

She let go instantly, and Killian felt the warmth vanish from his skin.

"Sorry. I thought you were being absentminded again." Evelyn held her hands behind her. "And I heard about George’s accident. Is that why you are going to meet him?"

"What accident?"

"You don’t know." Evelyn waited for the elevator door to close. She tapped the button to send them to top floor.

Killian raised a brow. The address George had given him was for the Third floor, but he said nothing.

"The match you arrived at was not yours. It was supposed to be mine." Evelyn snickered. "But good thing you handled it. That guy was impossibly weak. I would’ve cried from boredom."

Killian’s body stiffened as the events of that evening played in his head. The opponent with the fearful expression and the pathetic Showers of Rocks that had disappointed him.

"Those were all for you?" he grunted.

Evelyn chuckled, nodding. "The match needed anybody from Olpha Region and based on his D-Rank, it should’ve been me. But you handled it. You handled it too well, if anything."

Killian dragged his palms across his face as Evelyn laughed at him. The elevator stopped and she bounced out of it happily.

"Don’t worry though. Your next match won’t be that easy."

Killian shook his head. "I would hope."

He looked around the opulent interior of the top floor, spanning as far as his eyes could see and leaving him wondering if this was still within a building.

It looked too expensive, so he looked down at where he was going so he wouldn’t dramatically hit one of the expensive vases barricading the walls.

"Actually, I didn’t get to practice my Fire skills before that match." He said, in a bid to defend his future self who might not match the expectation. "I was quite underprepared but I won’t be for the next one."

"You were quite underprepared?" Evelyn repeated, her eyes widening. She stopped walking as she spoke, as if wanting to avoid hitting something expensive too.

"Killian, you destroyed the stage, and your opponent too. He’s alive though." She added humorously when Killian froze.

"And that commentator is still screaming about it. He was calling you... well..." She trailed off, biting her lip and stifling in another chuckle.

"Calling me what?" Killian asked, genuinely curious.