Prolog - Bound by a Heartbeat

They say a life debt is something that chains you—binding you to someone else's wishes, whether they're living… or gone.

I'm Ishimaru Naozumi, a transfer student to Protea High School, one of the few places that accept both Espers like me and Magicians. But I'm not here because of my powers; I'm here because I owe everything to someone who isn't even around to claim it.

Evander Edina.

He was my friend, and more than that, he saved my life, in the most literal sense. After the accident, he didn't have a choice. He was gone, but his heart… well, it's beating in my chest now. And that heart left me with one purpose: protect Violet Edina, Evan's little sister.

From the moment I accepted Evan's heart, I'd known that I was bound to protect Violet, the only thing that dear to him, even if she didn't know it.

For a while, it seemed like an impossible task. She was at Lelore High School of Magic, an all-girls school, a place I'd never even set foot in. I knew about her only through Evan's story—kind, but strong, hidden behind her quiet looks. That quiet strength held a power far beyond what anyone could see. She was a founder of magic itself. Violet, the girl who doesn't even know her brother is gone. My… debt.

Then, one day, out of nowhere, the opportunity came. A transfer chance opened at Protea, and I was given the chance to be there, to do what Evan wanted. Somehow, in that twist of fate, Violet was transferred to Protea too. I didn't know it until I saw her, standing in front of me, uncertain but determined. That was my first day. That was the moment I knew my life was about to change more than I had ever planned.

Life at Protea isn't what I expected. Most students come here to hone their powers, Magicians and Espers learning side-by-side. It should be normal, as normal as school could be with target to learn something. But nothing ever really feels "normal" around here, and even though I just got transfer here not long ago, I can't help but feel the weight of what we're all standing on. There's a group here, some kind of underground Magic Community, and they seem to know who Violet is.

To them, she isn't just another student—she's a founder, someone with a claim to great power. And they want to put her at the center of it all.

I'd planned to keep my distance from her and just watch from a far, to ignore whatever was starting to stir inside of me. But watching Violet walk the her way in Protea, seeing her face filled with the same wonder and curiosity I've been trying to bury, I can feel the lines of fate shifting, pulling me toward something I don't fully understand. And as the Magic Community closes in, it's clear my debt to Evan isn't just a promise—it's a path I can't avoid.

Because in the end, keeping her safe isn't just a matter of repayment.