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Kazuto Kirigaya didn't believe in fate. He believed in books — books with clear endings, predictable characters, and plot twists you could see coming if you read between the lines. Life was simpler inside stories. No awkward stammering in front of girls, no confusing expectations, and definitely no ancient magical tomes that tried to eat you whole.
But that was before he found The Book.
It was an ordinary Thursday when it happened, the kind of gray-skied afternoon where the classroom lights flickered just often enough to be annoying. The library was Kazuto's sanctuary, a place no one bothered him, not even his classmates who only knew him as "that quiet guy who always reads." The smell of paper, slightly damp from old pipes, was oddly comforting. He knew every aisle, every shelf. At least, he thought he did.
He found it while searching for the library's oldest volumes — stories from before the school even existed. The book lay wedged between two worn encyclopedias, its deep crimson cover nearly invisible in the shadows. The spine had no title. Its leather surface felt warm under his fingertips, like something alive.
Kazuto frowned. Books weren't supposed to breathe.
The moment he touched the cover, a whisper brushed against his ear, faint and melodic.
"Open me… The story has been waiting for you…"
Of course, Kazuto opened it. Curiosity was his fatal flaw — or maybe just the hallmark of every bookworm who thought they could handle a little mystery.
The pages didn't contain words — not at first. They shimmered, golden letters dancing across the paper, rearranging themselves into a language Kazuto shouldn't have understood but somehow did.
The Accidental Summoner shall awaken where love and fate intertwine.
The floor tilted. The air folded inward. Bookshelves blurred, and Kazuto felt like he was falling sideways into a void made entirely of swirling pink light.
---
Kazuto's landing was far from graceful. One moment he was standing, the next his face was pressed against a cool marble floor, the smell of lavender and something strangely sweet surrounding him. Voices echoed above him, sharp and elegant — not at all like the mumbled hallway chatter he was used to.
He blinked, pushing himself onto his elbows. A throne room. An actual, honest-to-god fantasy throne room. Arched ceilings with stained glass panels that radiated sunlight. Silken banners embroidered with hearts and swirling vines. And in the center, on a raised platform, sat a man who could only be described as dramatic royalty incarnate — silver hair cascading past his shoulders, a regal crown resting slightly crooked atop his head.
Kazuto didn't have time to fully process it before the king clapped his hands, eyes sparkling with unchecked delight.
"At last!" the king boomed, his voice echoing off the marble walls. "Our Accidental Summoner has arrived!"
The assembled nobles broke into polite applause, though many glanced at Kazuto's rumpled school uniform with confusion. Kazuto sat frozen, mouth half-open, brain trying to catch up.
Beside the king stood a girl about Kazuto's age, arms crossed tightly, crimson hair falling like liquid fire past her shoulders. Her green eyes narrowed, locked onto him like she was deciding whether to toss him back into whatever dimensional rift had spat him out.
"This… this can't be real," Kazuto mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.
"It's real, Summoner!" the king declared, leaping to his feet and descending the steps with far too much enthusiasm for someone wearing so much embroidery. "Welcome to Aishihara, the Kingdom of Radiant Hearts! I am King Yukishiro, and this—" he gestured grandly toward the glaring girl, "—is my daughter, Princess Reina!"
Reina didn't move, though her eye twitched. Kazuto offered a weak wave. "Hi."
"Put him back," Reina said flatly. "There's been a mistake."
"No mistake!" King Yukishiro sang, throwing an arm around Kazuto's shoulders. "You are our prophesied Accidental Summoner, chosen by fate to restore balance to love itself!"
Kazuto considered fainting.
---
The next hour was a blur of explanations, most of which Kazuto couldn't follow. Something about Aishihara being a kingdom where emotions fueled magic — where every citizen possessed a Kokoro no Ishi, a Heartstone embedded in their chest, visible just beneath the skin. These gems responded to love, sorrow, heartbreak — every flicker of feeling magnified into bursts of magic.
"But," the king sighed dramatically, "our kingdom is in danger."
The throne room dimmed as if on cue. Shadows curled at the edges of the stained glass windows, darkening the hearts and roses depicted there.
"The Queen of Silence seeks to destroy every Heartstone," the king continued, clasping his hands in front of him. "She would erase love from existence, leaving our world a cold, empty husk."
Kazuto was still trying to process the talking heart crystals when the king added, "And you, my dear boy, shall save us."
"Me?" Kazuto's voice cracked. "I'm just a—"
"Nonsense!" The king beamed. "The prophecy is clear! The Accidental Summoner, wielding the Charm of Miscommunication, shall guide us to salvation!"
Kazuto blinked. "The what?"
A servant appeared, holding out a small velvet pouch. Kazuto took it with trembling fingers, tipping the contents into his hand. A simple silver charm fell out — shaped like a heart, but cracked down the middle.
"The Charm of Miscommunication," the king explained solemnly, "a sacred relic that guarantees all romantic communication between you and your destined partner will… well… go horribly wrong."
Kazuto stared at the charm. "That… doesn't sound helpful."
"It's essential!" King Yukishiro's smile stretched ear to ear. "Love cannot bloom without chaos, after all."
"And who's my—" Kazuto froze, staring at Reina, who had gone pale. "Wait. No."
"Absolutely not," Reina said, backing up.
"Destiny is destiny!" the king sang. "The Summoner and the Princess — bound by fate!"
"Find someone else," Reina snapped. "A cabbage would make a better destined partner."
"I'm right here," Kazuto muttered, holding up a hand.
"Enough!" the king's voice thundered. "Kazuto Kirigaya, Accidental Summoner, you shall embark on a grand quest with my daughter, restore balance to love, and—if fate wills it—fall deeply in love yourselves!"
"What?!" Kazuto and Reina shouted in unison.
"Rejoice!" the king clapped his hands. "The royal wedding shall be magnificent!"
Kazuto dropped the charm. Reina drew her sword.
The misunderstanding had begun.
---
That night, Kazuto lay on the guest bed in his newly assigned quarters, staring at the ceiling. The charm sat on the bedside table, mocking him with its silver glint. Every attempt to explain himself to Reina had made things worse — tripping over her name, accidentally grabbing her hand when she stumbled, bumping into her in the hall and knocking her into a suit of armor.
The Charm of Miscommunication was definitely working.
A knock sounded at the door. Kazuto opened it to find Reina, arms crossed, expression stormy. "We leave at dawn," she said. "The sooner we finish this stupid quest, the sooner you go back to wherever you came from."
Kazuto tried a smile. "Great! Teamwork."
Her scowl deepened. "Don't talk."
The door slammed shut.
Kazuto sighed, collapsing onto the bed. "I'm gonna die here."
Somewhere, far off in the night, King Yukishiro's laughter rang — delighted, hopeful, and already drafting wedding invitations.
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