A violent gale began to swirl around the count's castle. The once-clear blue sky darkened, heavy with oppressive clouds.
Gale Songwas not an offensive spell—it was a rare, utility-focused formal spell. Powerful Tier 1 wind mages often cast it before battles to thicken wind element concentrations in the air, indirectly boosting the potency of their own magic. It was a way to stack the odds in their favor.
Kai's mentor, Modesto, had embedded this spell in his staff because wind complemented fire perfectly. With wind fanning the flames, every fire spell Kai cast would gain a significant power boost. Modesto's mastery of alchemical tools truly bordered on the pinnacle of Tier 1 magecraft.
Beneath the aura ofGale Song, Kai's robes fluttered violently. Then, slowly, his feet lifted off the ground, ascending into the air. It was a clever trick—Kai hadn't mastered the high-tierLevitationspell, but he could use the wind fromGale Songto temporarily fly.
It was his first time flying. If his mental fortitude weren't so strong, or if he hadn't rehearsed the move in his mind beforehand, he would have made a humiliating spectacle of himself.
From the sudden surge of elemental energy, to Kai's ascent, to his hovering ten meters above the ground, Count Grant stood frozen in shock. He'd even forgotten to lash out with his whip and yank Kai down when he was still low enough to reach.
Hecouldhave shot Kai out of the sky—his battle qi was strong enough. But confusion clouded his mind: Where had that overwhelming elemental force come from? And how was Kai flying?
His gaze fixed on the black staff in Kai's hand. It felt familiar—like the crimson sword sealed in the castle's secret chamber. Both were weapons meant for Tier 1 beings.
In the Lycia Alliance—and across the lower mortal realms of the Wizarding World—such artifacts were restricted. The powerful Holy Towers and Knight Halls had rules forbidding Tier 1 beings from wantonly slaughtering weaker creatures. Only the dark mages of Menzoberranzan had dared to flout these laws, using humans as lab rats.
Count Grant's shock lingered, but Kai was ready to flee.Gale Songwas a formal spell, but it had limits—it only affected a one-kilometer radius. Escaping the count's reach was just the first step; he needed more help to get away for good.
"Coo!" A gray-black shape materialized from Kai's spatial flute.
The appearance of Qi—Kai's quasi-magical beast owl—shattered Count Grant's understanding yet again. Quasi-magical beasts existed in Lycia's large forests, but none had ever wandered into human cities. The owl, half the height of a man, hooked its talons into Kai's shoulders.
Riding the wind ofGale Song, Qi spread its wings and soared. Its speed, amplified by the spell, carried Kai hundreds of meters away in the blink of an eye.
As Kai shrank to a black dot in the sky, Count Grant finally snapped out of his stupor. His face flushed with a mix of fury and awe. What had his son endured all these years?
Crack!His whip, infused with battle qi, lashed the flanks of his black warhorse. The beast—with its faint magical bloodline—sped after Kai. But one chased on land, the other flew in the sky. If Qi, a quasi-magical beast, couldn't outpace a mere enchanted horse, Kai would have considered doubling its rations.
The distance between them grew. Desperate, Count Grant channeled his battle qi into his voice, hoping to call Kai back. But Kai didn't look back. He had no reason to.
Slowly, the count reined in his horse. Just as everyone assumed Kai was gone for good, disaster struck.
"A quasi-magical beast in Lycia's human territories?" A elderly voice, carried by mental energy, echoed nearby. "And that formal spell fluctuation—what's going on here?"
A translucent projectile shot up from the ground, striking Qi mid-flight.
"Coo!" Qi screeched. Kai and the owl plummeted from the sky.
Count Grant, still not far behind, spurred his horse forward, racing to catch them.
By evening, a lavish noble feast was underway in the count's castle. Kai, the reluctant guest of honor, stood apart from the merriment. Most eyes were fixed on Count Grant and an elderly man in a white robe, standing at the center of the hall.
"Elder Domwal, I apologize for the chaos today," Count Grant said, raising his goblet to the quasi-mage.
Domwal of the Fire Emblem Order was no ordinary mage. He was a powerful quasi-mage on the cusp of Tier 1, and he specialized inair magic—a rare branch of wind magic. Air magic lacked offensive power, so few mages bothered to study it.
Qi had been unlucky. Most quasi-mages—even Tier 1 mages—could not have shot it down from such a height. But Domwal's mastery of air magic made all the difference. A singleOxygenless Bullethad robbed Qi of air mid-flight, sending it crashing to the ground.
It was a stark reminder: magic's strength wasn't just about raw power.Oxygenless Bulletwas a mere mid-tier spell, but Domwal had timed and aimed it perfectly. Even high-tier mages, caught off guard by sudden suffocation while casting spells, would suffer severe mana backlash. Domwal was a true master of his craft.
At over 120 years old, he had once served in the Lycian military. He had come to Grant Territory specifically for Kai.
"Elder, you're nearly a formal mage now," Count Grant said after a brief exchange. "Might I ask your purpose here?"
Domwal was far older than Grant, and on the verge of Tier 1—a status that demanded respect. While Grant was a quasi-knight with potential, he lacked Domwal's depth of power. Even if he became a formal knight, it would take at least a decade.
Domwal chuckled. "I'm here for your son. A senior apprentice mage at just twenty-odd years old—remarkable. I was over forty when I reached that rank." He leaned in, his tone earnest. "The Fire Emblem Order values talent like his. He deserves a place in our headquarters. I'm heading there soon—if you agree, I can take him with me."
The Lycia Alliance and its neighbors had many mage organizations, but only a handful mattered: the Thorn Circle, the Holy Harmony Society, and the Fire Emblem Order. Each had a headquarters guarded by formal mages—and rumors suggested their core members included more than just Tier 1 mages.
Domwal's offer was unprecedented. A quasi-mage on the brink of Tier 1 personally vouching for Kai's entry into headquarters? It was an honor that would make most apprentices jealous.
But Domwal's interest wasn't just in Kai's potential. The Fire Emblem Order—and the Holy Harmony Society—coveted Kai's alchemical skills. Alchemy was a rare talent, requiring innate gift, relentless practice, expert guidance, and vast resources. Kai had learned from Modesto, observing the crafting of rare magical tools in his lab—an opportunity most apprentices could only dream of.
Count Grant's eyes lit up. Allying with a mage organization was standard practice for noble knight families. His late wife Catherine had come from a declining mage clan—one that had once produced Tier 1 mages. Even now, it had several high-ranking apprentices, giving it influence in Lycia. A partnership with the Fire Emblem Order would benefit both Kai and House Grant.
Yet he hesitated. After fighting Kai earlier, he knew his son was stubborn—pressuring him would only backfire. And Kai's hidden strength had convinced Grant he was no ordinary apprentice. The decision to join the Fire Emblem Order had to be Kai's alone.
Grant led Domwal to Kai. It was clear Kai was uncomfortable at the feast. While nobles mingled and chatted, he stood in a corner, wearing his black robe (a stark contrast to the attire around him) and sipping a tart green fruit wine.
As the count's eldest son—the "guest of honor" at this "welcome home" feast—he was the subject of countless curious glances. Young nobles from House Grant's branches and neighboring territories stared, whispering among themselves. It was a feeling Kai hated: being seen, but not belonging. Only the bold smiles and winks from a few noblewomen caught his fleeting attention.
He hadn't tried to escape again. If he was forced to stay, he'd stay—for now. He'd already begun planning his next move.
When Grant and Domwal approached, Kai was struggling with a fruit pastry. Noble life was absurdly luxurious; his own cooking skills paled in comparison to the castle's chefs. The food and wine helped pass the time.
At their request, Kai set down his pastry, wiped his mouth with a white napkin, and even rinsed his mouth with wine. He might have hated the feast, but he learned fast—his movements were 优,a perfect imitation of nobility.
Few would dare to take their time in front of a count and a quasi-mage. But Kai didn't care—and neither did Grant or Domwal.
"I have a mentor," Kai said simply.
Grant and Domwal exchanged glances, unsurprised. A senior apprentice mage at Kai's age, with alchemical skills and a quasi-magical beast? Hehadto have a mentor—likely a formal mage. The black staff Kai had used earlier only confirmed it.
Domwal smiled. "Having a mentor doesn't prevent you from joining the Fire Emblem Order. In fact, if you can persuade your mentor to join us too, the order will reward you beyond your imagination."
He was greedy—he wanted Kaiandhis mysterious mentor. Formal mages were rare in the Lycia Alliance; formal mages who knew alchemy were rarer still. Domwal had never heard of such a mage taking an apprentice in Lycia, which meant Kai and his mentor were outsiders.
Kai fell silent. Domwal's heart sank. Had the mentor already joined another organization?
Finally, Kai shook his head. "It's not that I don't want to join. My mentor has already arranged a place for me."
Domwal's white eyebrows shot up. "Which organization? The Thorn Circle? The Holy Harmony Society? Only they—and their parent organizations—can rival the Fire Emblem Order. Or is it something farther away?"
Kai paused, then pulled out a badge glowing with platinum light. "The Green Source Holy Tower."
"A made by a Tier 2 mage?!""Green Source Holy Tower?!"
Domwal and Count Grant exclaimed in unison. The badge's light illuminated the hall, drawing every eye to Kai. He had become the feast's undisputed focus.
Two people looked at him differently.
One was his half-brother, Thorin. Spoiled and proud, Thorin resented Kai. Why had this "dead" brother returned? Why was he so powerful, so admired? Jealousy burned in his eyes.
The other was Lady Thea. Unlike Thorin, she hid her emotions well. By now, she had realized her earlier mistakes. She wouldn't dare cross Count Grant again—not even for Thorin. Kai's standing in Grant's eyes meant he now had a place in the family. If she wanted to act against him, she'd have to be patient.
Their thoughts didn't faze Kai. Domwal and Grant were still reeling from the shock. As quasi-powerhouses, they understood the weight of a Tier 2 mage's 魔—and the Green Source Holy Tower.
Domwal stared at the badge for a long time, then sighed. "The Green Source Holy Tower isn't just any organization. Holy Towers are the sacred lands of casters in their regions. Joining it is a greater honor than joining the Fire Emblem Order." He spoke honestly, a hint of envy in his voice.
He would join a Holy Tower easily once he became a Tier 1 mage—but he was bound by a magic contract. He owed the Fire Emblem Order 200 years of service, a price for the resources and privileges he'd enjoyed.
Count Grant was equally stunned. A Tier 2 mage as a mentor, and a place in a Holy Tower? It was more than he'd ever hoped for. If House Grant's elders learned of this, they would shower Kai with attention.He's my son, Grant thought, pride swelling in his chest.
Domwal lost interest in the feast after Kai's revelation. He exchanged a few more words with Grant and Kai, then took his leave—he had no patience for noble pleasantries.
Grant, however, was elated. He ordered his servants to bring out rare wine from the castle's cellar—brewed with the blood of high-tier magical beasts. He had opened only one bottle for Thorin's coming-of-age ceremony.
The feast lasted until midnight. When the guests left, only House Grant's branch members remained. At Grant's silent command, Lady Thea and Thorin approached Kai, holding goblets.
"Kai, I was wrong earlier. I apologize," Lady Thea said, bowing slightly in a noble's gesture of deference.
"Brother, I'm sorry," Thorin mumbled, bowing his head.
Their apologies, made in front of the entire family, were a public acknowledgment of Kai's authority. It was also a warning: defying him would mean defying the count.
Kai lifted his goblet of magical beast wine to his lips. He glanced at the pair, then replied flatly, "Hmm."