Chapter 1

The Royal Academy—it was the shortest route to the Royal University, the finest educational institution in the kingdom, making it a truly elite gateway to success. Those who managed to graduate near the top of their class gained a path to the core of the government and massively increased chances of earning renown. Even the ranks of the court sorcerers, fewer than twenty of whom were appointed each year, were dominated by graduates.

Of course, one couldn’t put too much stock in that—some people could graduate second in their class from both schools and still not amount to much. I doubted that any of my classmates were working as private tutors. Not that I was complaining.

Still, I have to ask: Why? Why must I...

I confronted my reflection in the massive full-length mirror. Just the day before, I’d sworn up and down never to dress like this again. Why was she so fixated on making me?

Beside me, a slender, chestnut-haired woman—the Leinsters’ head maid Anna—hummed as she made her final inspection. “Is anything the matter, Mr. Allen?” she asked with a smile.

“Oh, I was just musing on the incomprehensibility of life,” I answered. “By the way, what’s that video orb for?”

“I simply must show Lady Lydia!”

I considered what she had just said for a moment before replying. “I see.” After all those pictures she took, she still wants more.

Lydia had given me a hard time this morning as well. She’d known that she had to leave ahead of me for the royal palace, but she’d still lingered at the door, whining about wanting to attend the entrance ceremony too. She was normally cool, collected, and a sight to behold—an utterly flawless young noblewoman, apart from her personality. But when I was involved, she became much too willful.

I’d lost a lot in the negotiation. Did she not realize how much we would stand out walking through the royal capital together?

Maybe she really should have worn that dress. What would it mean for the eldest daughter of one of the Four Great Dukedoms to attend the prestigious court sorcerer investiture in her everyday clothes, and armed with a sword, at that? There had been an uneasy look in the eyes of Duke Leinster, who had come from the south to attend.

“Now for the grand unveiling. The young ladies must be growing tired of waiting. Oh, I can hardly wait!” Anna crooned as she skipped out of the room.

I took another look in the mirror and sighed. A moment later, a lovely young girl about as tall as Tina entered the room. She was wearing a red dress and had an ornament in her similarly red hair, which was slightly curly and longer than Lydia’s had been when we first met. Still, there was a strong resemblance.

“Excuse me, dear brother. I’m sorry to keep you—”

She froze, her eyes wide. It wasn’t a very reassuring reaction.

“Lynne,” I said after a pause, “you could at least laugh.”

“N-Never! Y-You look fabulous.”

The girl who so kindly soothed my wounded feelings was Lynne Leinster, second daughter of the Ducal House of Leinster and Lydia’s younger sister. This meant she was styled “Her Highness” as well, and was therefore not someone that a commoner such as I could ordinarily address so casually. The title infuriated her just as much as it did her sister, however, so I addressed her by name to avoid provoking her.

Lynne had learned both magic and swordsmanship from her older sister. Had I not taken my current job as Tina and Ellie’s private tutor, I might have contributed to her education as well. That was one of the reasons why I couldn’t stand up to her or Lydia at the moment.

Following after Lynne were my adorable students: a girl in a soft azure dress whose hair was decorated with an ornament and a snow-white ribbon, and a girl wearing the uniform of the Royal Academy.

“W-Wait for us. We don’t know our way around this house, and—”

“L-Lady Tina, you mustn’t run. Your hair will get—”

Both girls froze the instant they laid eyes on me, exactly as Lynne had.

The girl in the dress was Her Highness, Lady Tina Howard, the second daughter of the Ducal House of Howard, one of the Four Great Dukedoms and the guardians of the north. She housed what seemed to be the great spell Frigid Crane—one of the major reasons I was staying on as her tutor. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, so she must have been in quite a hurry.

The girl in uniform was Ellie Walker, the heir to the Walker family, who had supported the Howards for generations. She was also Tina’s personal maid and childhood friend. The Royal Academy uniform was as stylish as I remembered; other schools occasionally dressed their students in blazers these days, but as far as I was aware, only the Royal Academy had berets.

They’re reacting the same way as Lynne. That’s disheartening.

“Tina, Ellie. This doesn’t suit me, does it?” I asked. “I think I’ll sit out the entrance ceremony after all. Attending in Duke Walter’s place was always too much for me. Members of both the Howard and Leinster households will surely record everything too, so—”

“No!” three voices shouted in perfect unison. I was taken aback as the girls closed in on me.

“Don’t worry, dear brother!” Lynne reassured me. “You look absolutely, positively wonderful!”

“That’s right, sir!” Tina chimed in. “I wish I could have picked out your clothes myself.”

“Allen, sir, um... You look very, um, handshome...” Ellie added hesitantly.

“Lynne, Tina, Ellie...”

All this solicitude from girls even younger than my sister was making me teary-eyed. If only Lydia had even half—even a quarter—of this consideration!

A burst of laughter interrupted my thoughts. “That look suits you. It’s no wonder Lydia threw a tantrum. Perhaps I should have you wear something I picked out next time.”

“Please don’t tease me,” I requested after a moment of silence.

“Oh, but I’m only speaking the truth,” came the reply. “This has its charms. Well done, Anna.”

“Your praise is more than I deserve, mistress.”

The woman attended by Anna was Duke Leinster’s wife and Lydia’s mother, Duchess Lisa Leinster. She assisted her husband in governing the duchy—they were really corulers—and her days were ordinarily extremely busy. That said, Lydia’s appointment as a court sorcerer and Lynne’s admittance to the Royal Academy second in her class were extraordinary occasions. The duke and duchess had arrived from the south that morning, anxious to celebrate their daughters’ success. Lisa had apparently taken responsibility for her younger daughter and was leaving Lydia to her husband, it being customary for the Four Great Dukes and Eight Great Marquesses to attend the investiture of new court sorcerers and knights of the royal guard.

The duchess appeared to be in her late twenties thanks to her unchanging beauty and figure. Her gorgeous, long scarlet hair closely resembled Lydia’s, and she was just a little shorter than me; I seemed to recall her rejoicing when I had overtaken her. In a group with Lydia and Lynne, Lisa appeared more like their older sister than their parent, but the way she eyed them was unmistakably maternal. Coupled with her magnificent scarlet dress, she looked every inch the Duchess Leinster.

I suppose it can’t hurt to ask...

“Duchess Lisa,” I began.

“Hm? Allen?” she replied. “I couldn’t quite hear you; I must be showing my age. Would you repeat that?”

After a long pause, I tried again. “Lisa, I understand that the Royal Academy entrance ceremony is important, but I’d only be taking up space, so...”

“No. Do this properly. You’re practically my son, and a mother has a duty to make her sons look their best. You were thinking that your sorcerer’s robes would be good enough, weren’t you?”

There was nothing I could say to that.

“Am I correct?” she continued. “Lydia really is hopeless when it comes to these things. She needs to educate you properly. Just because she hasn’t seen you in three months and wants to fawn on you so much that—”

“Ahem. My lady,” Anna interrupted.

“Oh, was that technically a secret?” Lisa giggled and then resumed speaking to me. “She gets worked up so easily when it comes to you, you know? Why, earlier this morning I teased her a little about leaving for the capital ahead of you, and she shot a Firebird at me! I must have done something wrong during her upbringing.”

“I’ve been thinking the same thing myself,” I confessed.

Yes, I was currently dressed in formal wear of the very highest quality—clothing that I would normally never wear or even have the opportunity to. My hair had also been fixed in place with styling cream. To be frank, I thought I looked like a faux butler.

This was far from my first time being forced into clothes like these since my return to the royal capital, and this outfit was better put together than the one from the day before, but it still made me uncomfortable. That was partly because I had seen the genuine article at the Howard mansion in the form of Mr. Walker.

Really, how did I end up in this predicament...?

Maybe it was because I didn’t treasure my parents enough; I still hadn’t written to them about my present situation. Or was it my punishment for not returning home with my sister that spring?

“Now, let’s be on our way,” Lisa said. It was hard not to notice how closely her voice resembled the albatross’s. “But first—Allen.”

“Yes?” I responded after a tense pause.

“What do you do when you see ladies, of any age, all dressed up?”

I allowed the question to sit for a moment before answering. “I’ll tell them later.”

“That won’t do. I take it the three of you agree?”

“We want you to tell us!” three voices affirmed.

“Living up to expectations is a boy’s duty. Do your best.”

“All right...” I conceded after another silence. I was no match for Lisa. She had treated me kindly ever since our first meeting, but she was also easily more demanding than even Lydia. There had never been a way out of this. At the same time, complimenting the four of them while Anna was cheerfully standing by with a video orb was essentially suicide; there was no question that the albatross would draw her sword and unleash a Firebird at me when she saw it. I wanted to cry.

Well, needs must.

“I’ll tell you in the carriage,” I proposed. “In exchange, I’ll live up to my attire and act as your butler until the end of the entrance ceremony.”

“Oh, will you now? Then you must ride in my carriage on the way there,” Lisa declared.

“N-No!” Tina objected. “I won’t give up my tutor, n-not even to you, Duchess Lisa!”

“I-I think that Allen’s own wishes ought to take priority! A-Allen, sir...” Ellie pleaded.

“D-Dear mother! Th-That wouldn’t be fair!” Lynne stammered. “D-Dear brother...”

“Listen to that, Allen. You’re in high demand. Now, decide who you’re going to ride with.” Lisa winked and smiled at me. So she’d anticipated all of this... I was torn between being impressed by her deftness and ashamed of my own inexperience.

I closed my eyes and announced, “I’ll serve as a butler to the three of you. I trust you have no objections, my ladies?”

✽

“Allow me to reiterate, dear brother: that outfit suits you to a T.”

Lynne smiled from her seat across from me in the luxurious carriage. I knew that she must be used to seeing clothes like these, but her solicitude meant a lot to me nonetheless. She was a nice, polite young woman—one would never guess she was Lydia’s sister.

Tina, Ellie, what are you scowling like that for? Come on. Smile.

The girls had squabbled over who would sit next to me, but one word from Lisa had put an end to that. The three of them were now sitting together, while I sat in front of them.

Lisa and Anna were riding in a separate carriage. I was sure that they were having a confidential discussion of some sort—they would never have given up an opportunity to tease or record me otherwise. I supposed that I was lucky the Howards’ head maid, Mrs. Walker, had gone on ahead of us, at least.

I really must be careful. I’d rather avoid getting caught up in anything serious.

“Thank you very much,” I replied. “You’re looking particularly radiant yourself, Lady Lynne. And please, my ladies, call me ‘Allen.’ I am your humble butler, after all.”

Lynne gasped at my words, while Tina looked annoyed.

“I, um... I-I agree with Lady Lynne, Allen, sir!” Ellie chimed in.

“You needn’t call me ‘sir’ either, Miss Ellie. Ah, I see that you wear your uniform magnificently. But what’s this? It appears that the ribbon at your collar is a little crooked. If you would allow me... There, that’s better.”

“Y-Yessir! Th-Thank you bery mush...”

Both Lynne and Ellie were now fidgeting in their seats, their faces flushed. Tina was sandwiched between them, looking indignant. “You seem awfully pleased to get compliments from Lynne and Ellie, si—Allen,” she remarked a moment later.

“Yes, I am pleased. I don’t receive many compliments,” I replied.

“Would you be pleased if I complimented you?”

“Of course.”

“I-I see.” Tina fell silent for a moment. “Um, it looks quite becoming on—”

“Allen,” Lynne interrupted, “please tell us what we should be careful of at the Royal Academy.”

Tina, who was sitting to Lynne’s right, was dumbfounded. She slowly turned to face Lynne and smiled, her eyes widened in an angry glare. The two girls had apparently been at each other’s throats since they met during the entrance exams, and asking either one of them to explain why only invited their displeasure. I had hoped that Ellie would intervene, but she kept silent and looked troubled.

Honestly, what happened between these two? I ought to ask the headmaster; he must have had something to do with it.

“I doubt you have anything to worry about, my ladies...but if pressed to answer, I would caution you against pride,” I said.

“Pride?”

“Yes. You are talented, my ladies. I’m sure that your peers will aspire to equal you.”

All three girls were unbelievably gifted. Tina had taken first place in the entrance exams and would be delivering an address at the entrance ceremony as the representative of the incoming class. She was in competition with the albatross for the highest ever score on the written test; I had gone over her answers with her and hadn’t been able to find any mistakes. As for her magical ability, she had managed to master the supreme ice spell Blizzard Wolf, albeit imperfectly. Whichever other applicants or teachers had faced her in the practical must have had a difficult time. One would never guess that she had been incapable of spellcasting until recently.

Lynne had taken second place, but if not for Tina, she would have been at the head of her class by a wide margin. As far as I could see, the two girls were practically neck and neck. Lynne had been trained by an enthusiastic Lydia, and it was safe to say that her growth surpassed my expectations. She might have even been more than a match for me in terms of pure swordsmanship. She had also learned the supreme fire spell Firebird, although its power paled in comparison to her older sister’s.

Ellie had already placed highly, but she could have aimed even higher if given more time. While she had lagged behind the other two on the written test, she was capable of casting a far broader range of spells. Her spellcasting style was similar to my own, which made her easier to teach.

“People with power tend to become overconfident, to believe that they’re more impressive than other people,” I explained as I surveyed the trio. “There’s nothing inherently wrong with that idea—confidence is necessary. However...”

“It also often leads to an inflated sense of superiority,” Lynne ventured after a brief pause.

“Exactly. And, speaking personally, I hope that talented people such as yourselves will remember to treat others with kindness and warmth. Please, my ladies, use your power when you protect yourselves, those you care about, and your beliefs. I have no doubt that you will; I know you are sensible young women of firm character. Thank you for your excellent question, Lady Lynne.”

I reached out and gently rubbed her head. She presumably took issue with her curly hair as she seemed to be doing her best to emulate Lydia’s hairstyle, but I personally thought it was fine just the way it was.

A happy smile spread across the red-haired girl’s face...when a blast of cold struck us. “I see that you think quite highly of Lynne, Allen,” Tina remarked icily.

“Oh, are you jealous?” Lynne shot back. “You seem awfully insecure for the head of the class.”

“I’m nothing of the kind, but if you’d like to fight, I’ll oblige you anytime.”

“I’d love to take you up on that offer...but I’ll refrain. I, for one, certainly wouldn’t want Allen to take a dislike to me. I suppose you don’t care either way, though, do you?”

“Wh-What?! O-Of... Of course I care!” Tina stammered. “Do you have any idea how much he means to me?!”

“Lady Tina.” I gave her a pat on the head and the chill vanished.

“I’m sorry...” she apologized, sounding dejected.

“It’s all right. You too, Lady Lynne. Please don’t take after Lady Lydia. I sincerely mean that.”

“My apologies. I got a bit too carried away,” Lynne conceded.

“And you, Miss Ellie. I know that you excel at mana control, but please refrain from deploying so many spells in such a confined space.”

“Y-Yessir!” she replied. “I-I’m so sorry.”

Tina and Lynne were capable of casting supreme spells, but their lax control meant they were unable to make the most of them. That was only natural, considering their age; it was something for them to refine in the future. But Ellie was different. Of the three, she was the most suited to actual combat. She was incapable of casting advanced spells, let alone supreme ones, but she significantly outstripped the other two girls in her technical mastery of elementary and intermediate magic. And how silent her spells were! It was genuinely shocking. In that respect, she was possibly on par with a court sorcerer. I could hardly wait to see what heights she would go on to reach. I hoped that she would someday become one of the kingdom’s best-known sorceresses.

Setting aside the future, I decided to comfort the maid, who was becoming teary-eyed in the present. She gave a start as I gently brushed her cheek. “Don’t cry. You’ll spoil your charming looks,” I said. “I’m not upset.”

“Huh? Oh, um... Ch-Charming...” Ellie stammered.

“Yes, Miss Ellie. Your smile is positively angelic.”

She gasped. “Th-Thank you very much...”

Oh, I feel coldness and heat now... Handling girls was evidently still a challenge for me, despite my prior experience with Lydia and my sister.

“That goes for you two as well, Lady Tina, Lady Lynne,” I said. Both girls’ eyes widened in response, and all three began to twist in their seats. “Now, we’ll be arriving soon. Please get yourselves ready.”

We’re finally here—the Royal Academy!

✽

The window afforded me a view of the parking area, which was crowded with numerous carriages and a smaller number of cars—a clear demonstration that carriages were still the mainstream. The number of people who, like Lisa, avoided using cars was probably a factor. Automobile technology was still in flux, and cars were harder to maintain than horses until one got used to their upkeep.

That said, the duchess was no technophobe; she just loved animals. The Leinsters had even converted part of their duchy into a nature preserve. From what I remembered, they had given me a tour of it when I had been taken—practically abducted—to their estates. I had even heard that it was home to species found nowhere else. The Four Great Dukedoms employed their wealth on a dizzying scale.

Before us stood the massive gates of the Royal Academy, their gleaming black latticework inscribed with myriad sigils. Dwarves had apparently wrought them two centuries prior. Their imposing presence was somewhat softened by the vines that twined through them, stretching from the Great Tree at the center of the academy. The Great Tree also formed the core of a tactical barrier in times of crisis, but that was confidential information.

Now, how does this go? I believe students and guardians use separate entrances; something about respecting student autonomy.

I opened the door of the carriage and stepped out. The sky was overcast and threatened rain, although I hoped it would hold off, given that the entrance ceremony was outdoors.

“May I offer you a hand, my ladies?” I said, reaching into the carriage with a smile. All three girls froze at the sight of me.

Uh... Have I done something wrong?

After a moment, Lynne cleared her throat. “Dear bro—ahem—Allen, please don’t startle us like that.”

“Th-That’s right, si—Allen!” Tina added. “You look so handsome today that you might give us heart attacks!”

“Oh? Are you suggesting that he isn’t handsome all the time, Miss First Place?” Lynne gibed.

“What?!” Tina seemed taken aback, but she then calmed herself and crowed, “Humph. Act tough all you want; you’re obviously jealous of all the time Ellie and I spent with him. Well, too bad for you—he’s our teacher.”

“Shall we settle this now?”

“I-I’d love to!”

“Lady Lynne, Lady Tina,” I interjected as a gentle breeze enveloped the pair of startled young noblewomen, lifting them into the air and out of the carriage. They landed softly on the ground, dumbfounded, and then both let out small squeaks as I gave them each a flick on the forehead. “The kingdom’s best and brightest are gathered here, and the two of you are the most brilliant of them all. You’re going to be role models for all of your classmates, and you must act the part. Besides which”—I patted their disheveled hair back into place—“too much playing around will disarrange your hair and clothes, and we can’t have that.”

“All right. I’m terribly sorry,” Lynne conceded after a moment of sullen silence. “But we were not ‘playing around.’”

“I’m sorry too.” Tina followed suit. “And much as I hate to agree with her, she’s right—we weren’t.”

“Weren’t you?” I asked. “You look like the best of friends to me.”

“We are not friends!” Lynne and Tina shouted in perfect unison. I knew they would get along.

I reached into the carriage again. “Miss Ellie,” I said, “please pardon the delay.”

“Y-Yessir!”

As I took her little hand, I noticed she was rigid with nervousness. Oh, déjà vu. I feel like I’ve seen this many times before.

“Eek!”

True to form, Ellie’s feet stumbled over the step down from the carriage, and she almost fell.

“Whoa there,” I said, catching her in my arms. “Are you hurt, miss?”

It certainly would be a disaster if she injured herself on her big day.

Snug in my arms, Ellie blushed adorably. I squeezed her in a quick hug, taking care not to crease her uniform.

“A-Allen, shir!” Ellie stammered, tripping over her words in embarrassment.

“Dear brother!”

“Sir!”

“Yes?” I asked Lynne and Tina.

“Dear brother, if you, of all people, are going to behave like that,” Lynne said, “you shouldn’t leave me out. I’m always willing.”

“That’s right!” Tina added. “Stop this instant and... Wait, what do you think you’re doing, slipping in a request like that?!”

“Huh?” Lynne sounded confused.

“You know what I mean!” Tina shouted before lowering her voice into a mutter. “I knew we should have settled things during the exam...”

“That can wait. Dear brother, it must be my turn next. Ellie, trade places with me.”

“N-No thank you,” Ellie said after an embarrassed silence.

“If you agree to trade places with me, I’ll lend you the very finest video orbs of Allen from my dear sister’s private collection. Don’t you want to see every side of him there is to see?”

Ellie’s eyes widened. She considered the proposition for a moment and then said, “All right.”

Did I just hear something ominous? What “collection”? And did she say it belongs to Lydia?

Ellie squirmed in my arms, so I released her, albeit reluctantly. I hoped that my brief comforting had helped her get over her nerves.

All of a sudden, there came a laugh from behind me that sounded very much like the albatross. “You’re free to dote on them, Allen, but I won’t keep any secrets.” Sure enough, there stood Lisa, along with a positively beaming Anna, who was busy recording.

“Have a heart,” I said. “The play biting has been intense lately.”

Lisa chuckled. “I see nothing’s changed. I suggest you accompany me if you’d like to avoid any more.”

Essentially, she was ordering me to be her escort during the ceremony. She had probably taken a separate carriage out of concern for the trio of nervous girls—secret discussions notwithstanding—so I at least owed her that much.

Still, the ceremony is going to be packed with wall-to-wall nobles. Not exactly thrilling.

“Lynne, Tina, Ellie.” Lisa called the girls one by one.

“Y-Yes?” three voices answered.

“This is where we part ways,” she told them. “I’ll be borrowing Allen until the ceremony is over.”

“Dear mother,” Lynne ventured after a pause, “you can’t simply decide these things on your own. We were here first.”

“It’s too late. Blame your slow decision-making.”

“Duchess Lisa,” Tina said, “please refrain from trying any funny business with Mr. Allen.”

Lisa giggled. “I see you’ve learned to stand up for yourself. You used to be far too docile; I like you much better now. I’ll be looking forward to your speech. Good luck.”

“Th-Thank you.”

“Uh, um, well...” Ellie stammered.

“Look after the two of them, won’t you?” Lisa asked the maid.

“Y-Yes’m!”

“Well then, take care.”

“We will!” all three girls answered.

“Allen,” Lisa called me.

“Until we meet again, my ladies,” I said.

“All right,” Lynne and Ellie answered cheerfully. Tina, however, remained silent.

Well now.

I knelt down and rubbed Tina’s head. Her eyes widened.

“You look like a little snow fairy today, Lady Tina. Don’t worry. Just put your honest feelings into your speech and everything will be fine. And if you’re ever nervous...” I touched her snow-white ribbon, and her eyes filled with newfound relief and understanding. I hadn’t cast any spells; it was just a good luck charm. “Just remember your final exam at the mansion. And please don’t forget—I’ll be right there with you,” I said with a smile.

“S-Sir!” she stammered. “I... I...!”

“That’s enough of that, Miss First Place,” Lynne interrupted. “Have you no shame? Everyone can see you.”

“I bet you’re jealous,” Tina shot back after a beat.

Lynne looked incensed. “L-Listen here—”

“N-No fighting, both of you!” Ellie called out. The other two subsided into silence.

Oh, she got them under control. I feel like I’m getting a hazy idea of the dynamics between the three of them. I hope they build a solid relationship—it’s important to have friends and rivals your own age.

“Well then,” I said, “please take care, my ladies.”

“We will.” This time, all three girls answered cheerfully before setting off toward the school gate. I prayed that Tina’s speech went well and that the new lives the girls were about to embark on as students would be fruitful ones.

“Now, Allen, we should get going as well,” Lisa said. “You can tell me all about your time in the north as we walk.”

“It was just as I wrote in my letters. I was entirely truthful.”

“Yes, I’m sure you were. Nevertheless...” Lisa flashed me an impish grin.

I’ve seen the albatross smile like that all too often. I don’t think it’s ever boded well for me.

“I’m curious about what you saw inside Tina,” she said.

“I’m not certain. I can’t even venture a guess at present.”

“Liar. I’m sure you have some idea. I suggest you talk it over with me before you tell Lydia.”

She had struck right at the heart of the issue. I supposed I would have to tell her. It would mean trouble if the details reached Lydia’s ears, especially because it could have proved fatal if something had gone wrong. Then again, I suspected she would be equally angry if I told her myself. I could already hear her voice.

“Why didn’t you tell me right away?! Explain yourself!”

At the time, forcing a mana link with Tina had been my only option. Her mana had been out of control, for one thing. For the moment, Lydia believed my explanation that I had done it to help Tina cast spells, but I could only go so much longer without telling her about Frigid Crane, Tina’s late mother, and the mysterious diary. The thought alone made me shiver.

I decided to at least keep the real reason I had failed the court sorcerer exam to myself. If Lydia found out that I’d lost my temper and beaten the second prince to a pulp because he’d mocked her and insulted my family, she’d be furious, then embarrassed, then draw her sword, weave her spells, and...

Of course, I couldn’t let my family find out either. I knew just how my sister would sound—cold yet overcome with worry.

“Are you stupid, Allen? Why are you always getting yourself into trouble?!”

I-I can’t help it! It’s not like I go looking for it! Just look at the situation I’m in now; I don’t stand a chance against Lisa. There’s nothing I can do!

“Think of this as an ordeal,” Anna suddenly told me, pulling me from my thoughts. “Now, look this way and smile.”

I wish you’d stop reading my mind. I’m going to go through that video with a fine-tooth comb later. Oh, and don’t forget to send the Howards duplicates of the video orbs you used today. After all, this is a historic occasion—the representatives of the incoming and current students are both from the same family.

✽

“I’ve got the gist of it,” Lisa said. “That’s an interesting idea.”

“Thank you very much,” I replied.

I had explained my experiences in the Howards’ mansion to Lisa as we entered the academy grounds and walked along the small, verdant, ivy-covered path reserved for special guests. It would have caused serious trouble if we were overheard, so I’d asked Anna to cast a silencing spell to prevent eavesdropping.

“So, you believe there are two types of great spells?” Lisa asked. “Some that are just spells and others that resemble sentient magical creatures, like the one that seems to be inside Tina?”

“Yes,” I replied, “but that’s only a hypothesis. I don’t have the data I would need to verify it. I can’t even be sure that it really is Frigid Crane. I once searched the Leinster archives for information, but I drew a complete blank. Can you think of anywhere else I might look?”

“Let me think... Anna?”

“If you’re looking for something similar in the House of Leinster, mistress, there is Lady Lydia’s flaming sword,” the head maid suggested.

“Yes,” Lisa agreed, “but we know exactly where that sword came from. Elves, dwarves, and giants joined forces to forge it before the War of the Dark Lord. It’s also not powerful enough to shake nations—cities at most.”

The Four Great Dukedoms maintained spells, arts, and arms that symbolized their houses and were regarded with awe both in the kingdom and abroad. Those powers were popularly regarded as belonging to the same category as the great spells, which I had spent the past several years seeking and was currently researching ways to control due to Tina’s situation. In reality, however, there were significant differences.

The supreme ice spell Blizzard Wolf was unmistakably orders of magnitude removed from the thing we had encountered and assumed to be the great spell Frigid Crane. Whatever Tina had unleashed, it had frozen Duke Howard’s Blizzard Wolf solid. That put it beyond the realm of any spell currently known.

“Did you ever meet Duchess Rosa Howard in person?” I asked Lisa.

“Before her illness. I met her several times at palace dinner parties when I was younger. She was cheerful, refined, and an accomplished sorceress. I’m sure she wasn’t mixed up in any trouble then. The only rumors I remember hearing were about how close she and Walter were. Perhaps something happened after she married into the House of Howard.”

“In which case, I’m at an impasse.”

“Allen, who else have you told about this?”

“Only Duke Walter and the professor. I believe Graham and Shelley Walker know as well; they’re in charge of the Howards’ internal affairs. I plan to tell the headmaster once the entrance ceremony is over.”

“That seems reasonable. Very well, I’ll assist you. I’ll contact the Howards, and we can leave anything related to great magic to the professor and headmaster. Anna.”

“Yes, mistress,” the head maid responded. “You wish to know about Duchess Rosa Howard, correct? She was married to one of the Four Great Dukes, and after years of investigation, the House of Howard is still unable to determine the cause of her death or rule out the possibility of assassination.” She paused for a moment. “This may take some time.”

“My humble apologies. Thank you for your cooperation,” I said, bowing deeply to the two women. They had come to my aid on many occasions over the past few years, and I was just thinking that I would need to repay them one day when Lisa gently touched my right hand.

“You’re such a silly boy,” she said. “Listen, Allen. A mother always helps her children—anything else is inconceivable—and your parents placed you in my care. Now, make me happy and ask for my help more often.”

“I-I’ll do my best,” I stammered.

My parents had met Duke and Duchess Leinster just once and dined with them in the royal capital. Lisa and my mother immediately hit it off, and they apparently still exchanged letters.

Pen pals with a duchess... There’s such a thing as being too daring.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Lisa added. “I have a favor to ask of you too. Will you lend me a hand? I’m afraid I can’t give you any specifics; things are still up in the air.”

“Weekends and the days leading up to them will be difficult, since that’s when I tutor and prepare my lessons. I can manage any other time, though.”

“I’ll only need you on weekday afternoons. For the time being, at least. Think it over. Oh, there’s the exit.”

The ivy petered out and the end of the path came into view. It was time for the main event.

The Four Great Dukes, the Eight Great Marquesses, and most of the earls were away at the investiture of the new court sorcerers and knights of the royal guard, but their wives and any lesser nobles with children enrolling in the academy were presumably here for the ceremony. I feared they might speak ill of me, but I was there for my adorable students. I also needed to attend for Duke Walter, who I was sure had wanted to see Tina and his other daughter in their moment of triumph!

“That’s what I psyched myself up for, anyway...”

“Allen? What are you muttering about?” Lisa asked.

“Oh, nothing. Just wondering what I’m doing here.”

I looked down and saw a host of people in the temporary spectator seats erected dozens of tiers high on all sides of the arena, all waiting for the entrance ceremony to begin. Only the permanent seats had roofs overhead, so chaos would probably erupt if it started to rain.

All the seats faced the open space that normally served as the academy’s practical testing ground, where Lydia and I had first crossed paths. I wondered why part of the wall looked strangely new.

Several hundred chairs stood in rows on the marble floor of the arena. The flooring must have been specially installed for the ceremony using earth magic, as the mana was still fresh. The raised dais for the officiating students and guest speakers was already in place, and a podium and several luxurious chairs were arranged atop it. The students had yet to enter, and the gates on the east and west sides of the arena were still closed.

Anna took pity on me as she poured hot water into a teapot. “Mr. Allen, you are in attendance as a representative of the House of Howard,” she said. “Your presence is perfectly natural.”

“That’s true,” I admitted, “but these seats are reserved for royalty and members of ducal houses. I don’t think it’s any place for the likes of me.”

We were in the most exclusive seats on the highest tier of the stands. The area was furnished with the finest chairs, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the climate was perfectly controlled. It was designed so that we could see out, but no one outside could see in. It appeared that no royalty or members of other ducal houses were in attendance, so we had the place to ourselves.

Beside me, Lisa took an elegant sip of her black tea. “Delicious,” she said. “Stop being so self-deprecating, Allen. Anna is correct—today, you represent the Howards at Duke Walter Howard’s personal request. You’re also practically my son. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be here.”

“The mistress is correct,” Anna added. “Everyone who came to greet us was quite complimentary. No one in the capital can call themselves well-informed and be ignorant of you!”

“Is that so?” I asked perfunctorily.

An uninterrupted stream of people had been coming to pay their respects to Duchess Lisa Leinster. Earls, viscounts, barons, and other mid-level nobility. Influential people from the royal and regional capitals. Wealthy merchants, veterans of their trades, who hoped to do business with the House of Leinster. The chiefs and other leaders of minority peoples, who wielded great authority despite being regarded as only quasi-nobility. There must have been dozens of them.

At first, I had hung back and done my best to stay out of the way, but Lisa would call me over every time. “Let me introduce you,” she would say. “This is Allen. You might know him better as ‘the Brain of the Lady of the Sword.’ He’s practically a son to me. I do hope you’ll get along.”

And the reactions that had elicited:

“Oh, so that’s him.”

“Ah! I’d only heard rumors! Duchess Lisa, you simply must tell me where you found him!”

“I wish to request a bout.”

“My daughter is fifteen this year and looking for a husband.”

“Thank you for all the help you gave my son at the university.”

“Might I convince you to tutor my children?”

How odd... I wasn’t expecting this. Everyone was extremely pleasant. Do I have Lisa’s presence to thank for that?

“It’s only natural,” Anna noted, filling my teacup with practiced elegance.

“Thank you,” I said. “What do you mean?”

The tea was wonderfully fragrant. Perhaps it was a new blend—the House of Leinster excelled at developing new products for sale. I occasionally got Lydia to share some of their wares with me, and they had been consistently delicious.

The head maid responded with an exaggerated show of exasperation. “I’ve always suspected that you were ignorant of your own qualities, Mr. Allen, and now I’m certain of it.”

“I like to think that I have a fairly objective view of myself.”

“Dear me,” Anna replied, not seeming to believe me. “Oh, dear, dear me...”

“He really means it, Anna,” Lisa cut in. “It may be an uncommon virtue, but really, what are we to do with him?”

“But mistress,” Anna countered, “isn’t this precisely why the young ladies put such firm trust in Mr. Allen?”

“I suppose so,” Lisa admitted. “I’ll leave setting him straight to them. Now, I believe I interrupted you. Please continue.” Her tone was mild, but I suspected that I had just been given a lecture. Personally, I thought that I was overconfident, if anything.

“If you’ll permit me to say so, Mr. Allen, you represent hope,” Anna cheerfully resumed, bringing an index finger to her lips.

“Hope?” I repeated.

“That’s right.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t imagine what you mean.”

“A charming, unknown young man freshly arrived from the eastern capital skips grades to graduate from the Royal Academy in just a single year—and second in his class, no less. He accumulates civil and martial honors and goes on to graduate from the Royal University as well, once again second in his class. He’s on intimate terms with the professor and the headmaster of the Royal Academy, two of the most renowned wise men in the kingdom, and best of all, wherever the Lady of the Sword fights, he’s there to support her! Surely he must have stepped out of a fairy tale. And now you have ties to the House of Howard as well. Whatever will you do next?”

Anna jubilantly counted her points on her fingers while Lisa listened with a smile. It was all rather—well, extremely embarrassing. Lydia deserved the credit for most of what was being said. I had certainly tried, but after all, I had still failed the court sorcerer exam.

I looked down, fanning my face with my hand to cool my burning cheeks, and that was when I spotted maids of the Leinster and Howard houses standing by in perfect recording positions. Each one carried a video orb and wore an earring with a communication orb embedded in it, although no type of orb came cheap. I could sense an intense determination to see beloved daughters and granddaughters at the entrance ceremony at any cost. I thought of the two dukes, who were on their way to the palace, and a certain butler who was stationed in the north. Their daughters and granddaughter certainly didn’t lack for affection.

Anna resumed her cheerful commentary. “The House of Leinster has always been entirely in favor of the meritocracy now championed by His Majesty, and the other three ducal houses have followed suit. Still, I’m amazed at how much it has permeated society. And in the midst of that shift, you gallantly stepped onto the scene—and with Lady Lydia, at that. The daughter of a ducal house and a young commoner who earned a place at her side by his own merits—what could be more picture-perfect? Of course, all eyes were on Lady Lydia at first, but some people can be quite perceptive.”

“I’ve been receiving frequent requests to arrange meetings with you lately,” Lisa added. “And just look how popular you’ve been today. We must capture the pair of you on a video orb next time.”

“Yes, mistress! You’re exactly right!” Anna exclaimed. “Mr. Allen looks picturesque alone, but the two of them together are simply untouchable! Lady Lydia’s charms, in particular, increase severalfold—no, several-dozen-fold! What could be more worthy of committing to video?! To anyone who knew Lady Lydia as a child, it’s a veritable dream come true!”

“I’ll admit that Lydia has grown into a beauty in the past few years,” I said, “but I don’t think I’ve changed much. Apart from my height, anyway. I did finally pass her there.”

Lydia was quite tall, and she had kept growing after we started school together, so it had taken me a while to overtake her. It was one of the few areas in which I clearly surpassed her...the others being cooking, doing laundry, sewing, and putting people to bed.

Anna giggled. “Lady Lydia used to worry about that, you know. ‘I want to stop getting taller,’ she would say. ‘Don’t serve me any food that might make me grow!’ Oh, what halcyon days those were. And if only you could have seen her when you passed her in height! To this day, I’ve never seen my lady so delighted. You have the full support of the Leinster Maid Corps so long as we can witness that sight!”

“Oh...” I said. “There was a period when she was giving me all sorts of foods and teas and so on that were supposed to make me taller. That explains why. Some of those things were awfully dubious, though.”

“I gathered them myself. If you ever want to grow even taller, I shall present you with a myriad of rare goods imported from foreign lands.”

I forced a chuckle. “I appreciate the sentiment.”

The people who served the Ducal House of Leinster took intense pride in their work and seemed fanatically—ahem, sincerely devoted to their masters. They really looked as though they enjoyed their work. Of course, the Howards’ servants had been much the same. I didn’t know about the other two ducal houses, but I had to believe they were more strict.

“In any case, Mr. Allen,” Anna continued, “I believe you should have more faith in yourself. It wouldn’t hurt to regard yourself a tenth as highly as Lady Lydia and the other young ladies regard you.”

“Modesty is a virtue,” Lisa added, “and I think your parents did a wonderful job raising you. That said, excess is never a good thing. Consider it something to work on.”

“I’ll make sure to be careful,” I conceded.

“Don’t worry so much.”

I bowed my head to both women. No one else would have put their critique of me so gently. So, excess was a vice. I would be sure to remember that.

The arena had started to buzz with activity; it seemed that the ceremony was about to begin. I looked up at the sky and saw that the clouds had grown even thicker. I hoped that it wouldn’t rain until after the ceremony.

The shrill blare of trumpets filled the air, the gates swung open without warning, and spells flew out to burst over the testing ground. Lights scattered, and dazzling colors filled the air.

So, those will act as guides for the students filing in. That’s a good idea. I just hope the girls aren’t too nervous...

✽

A beautiful magic circle appeared on the dais, followed by a female student in a flash of violet lightning.

The Royal Academy’s students took the lead in events like entrance and graduation ceremonies. The student council, as the students’ representative body, consequently exercised a lot of authority and frequently served as a point of contact for relations within the academy. If I remembered correctly, the new vice president had been the master of ceremonies at my entrance ceremony.

A round of applause rose from the onlookers, and the female student on the dais gave a slight bow. “Thank you very much. The Royal Academy entrance ceremony will now commence,” she announced. Her voice carried with the help of applied wind magic and orbs installed throughout the arena so that—

Hm? I-I recognize this voice...

“Wh-What is she doing here?!”

I leaned forward and strained my eyes. Her beret hid her ears, but the hair I could see poking out the sides was silver-gray, and she had a bushy tail sticking out behind her. That settled it—the girl standing at attention on the dais and presiding over the ceremony was my younger sister Caren.

I had seen her just two days earlier, and her behavior then had been just as usual. All she had said to me was, “You’ve been far too neglectful of your one and only sister in the whole world lately. You wouldn’t visit mom and dad with me, you took that tutoring job, you’ve been spending all your time at Lydia’s place and the Howards’ mansion... I’m leaving! This is your last chance to stop me. A bit of kindness might just put your adorable little sister in a better mood. You can’t afford to pass up this opportunity.”

I had indulged her, and then we had promised to eat lunch together after the entrance ceremony...but she hadn’t said a word about this. She must have wanted to surprise me. She was levelheaded, but she was still too attached to me. Of course, she was so adorable that I’d forgive all her faults.

I wasn’t related to my parents or to Caren by blood. My parents had been young traveling merchants when they had taken shelter from a rainstorm under the eaves of an abandoned house. It was there that they had found me, a wailing infant swaddled in cloth, and taken me in as their son. They had even given up their profession and settled down then and there.

There had been nothing to show where I came from, so my parents had given me my name as well. According to my mother, “It was the name of a legendary hero of our people. But if you grow up healthy and happy, that will be enough for me.”

I will, mom. I’m doing fine.

My parents and Caren are beastfolk of the wolf clan, whose prowess in battle had once drawn the wonder of the entire continent. In the War of the Dark Lord two centuries prior, the wolf clan had fought valiantly...but sustained heavy losses. As a result, they were now a small minority even among beastfolk, who were already less numerous than the human population. Because all the boldest warriors of the wolf clan had fallen in battle, most of its current members preferred peace and were warm and kind to anyone they had ever recognized as family.

My sister was one of the few exceptions—an extremely rare case of atavism. She wasn’t as strong as Lydia, but she was strong. Her swordsmanship, unarmed combat, and spellcasting were all first-rate. No one her age had ever been a match for her.

That said, the Royal Academy was packed with brilliant young people. Competition was fierce, and only the cream of the crop could join the student council. It was also an unwritten rule that the children of nobles took priority, and deep-rooted prejudice against beastfolk was alive and well. Caren could only have distinguished herself by being truly extraordinary. I had known that she was working hard, and I’d had faith in her, but her achievement still astounded me!

“Pardon my delayed introduction,” Caren said to all those assembled. “My name is Caren. I am the student council vice president, and I will be presiding over this ceremony. As you can see, I am of the wolf clan. Please enjoy the ceremony.”

The answering commotion from the crowd was mostly positive, but there were some jeers.

Well now. I hope you don’t expect to last long in the royal capital after using foul language like that to my sister. I’ll find out who all of you are later and make you regret it.

Anna interrupted my brooding. “Why, Mr. Allen, you look positively terrifying. Have no fear—the House of Leinster will address the matter privately.”

“Sit down, Allen,” Lisa added.

“I’m sorry,” I said after taking a moment to regain my composure. “I couldn’t help myself.”

That won’t do. I need to learn to let go of my sister as much as she needs to let go of me. Lydia is always finding fault with me for that.

“Now,” Caren continued, “it is time for the incoming class to enter. Please give them a hearty round of applause.”

A section of the marble floor began to glow, and students filed out of the east and west gates to thunderous applause. The leaders of the processions must have been upperclassmen. They were followed by new students in fresh uniforms. I had presumably looked just like them four years earlier when—

“You and Lady Lydia were flirting shamelessly from the moment you entered the arena,” Anna chimed in. “I could hardly believe my eyes.”

“I was shocked when she brought you home after your entrance exams. She’d never shown an interest in anything but swordplay before then.” Lisa chuckled. “My husband stayed up late drinking that night.”

“I wish you wouldn’t read my mind like that,” I told them after a pause. “Here come Lynne and Tina now. Wait, what have we here?”

The top two students in the incoming class should have been led straight to the dais instead of taking their seats on the floor of the arena with their classmates. Unless my eyes were playing tricks on me, however, Tina and Lynne were arguing with each other as they walked. The dresses they were both wearing made them easy to spot. The students near the pair seemed flustered. Ellie had placed highly on her entrance exam, so she was nearby, but not near enough to intervene.

Honestly. It’s always something with those girls.

“They must be quite a handful,” Lisa commented. Both she and Anna looked exasperated. “Allen?”

“I’ll do what I can,” I said.

Spellcasting was prohibited in the arena. If my attempt was detected and I came under attack, I would have only myself to blame.

What to do...? Ah, I’ve got it. They’re a little far away, but I should be able to manage. The clouds will make it easier to pass off.

I conjured droplets of water above Tina and Lynne—taking great care to camouflage my spells, of course—and let them fall onto the girls’ faces as they walked. That was enough to stop their argument, but I followed with a faint breeze that brushed their ears. It operated on the same principle as the maids’ communication earrings and delivered a simple message: “Quiet.” The spell could only convey single words, but it required almost no mana and carried little risk of being overheard. When I was younger, I had often used it to startle children and adults alike.

Tina and Lynne resumed walking. It seemed they had gotten the message.

“Marvelously done,” Anna remarked.

“I see you’ve improved your stealth again,” Lisa added. “But wouldn’t the wind have sufficed on its own?”

“I considered how the students near them would react. It doubled as a punishment,” I explained.

“So you have a mean streak,” Lisa observed. “And if any student could detect one of your spells, I’d recruit them on the spot.”

“At least one of them did,” I noted as I pointed to the dais, where Caren was looking up at me. She might not have been able to see us, but I’d told her that I would be in attendance, and I had often used that spell to tease her when she was younger. Of course she would notice.

I could see her lips moving, but at that distance, I couldn’t possibly—

“‘Are you an idiot, Allen? Expect a talking-to later. And thanks,’” Anna suddenly interpreted. “My, what a loving sister you have,” she chirped.

“I’m more impressed by you at the moment,” I said after a pause.

“You exaggerate! I am but a humble maid!” She curtsied with a smile. I could never figure her out. Of course, I knew that she was Lisa’s right-hand woman and managed all the maids in the Leinsters’ service—of whom there were more than one thousand—so I ought to have been less surprised by her impressive capabilities.

The music stopped. The majority of the roughly three hundred new students were finally in their seats. Three hundred might sound like a lot, but I saw the number in a different light, considering that only about half of them would manage to graduate in three years.

Tina and Lynne were seated in the ornate chairs on the dais.

The older students overseeing the ceremony began to panic. One of them approached Caren and whispered something in her ear.

Rain? What awful timing. Actually, I suppose I should take it as a perfect opportunity for him to make his entrance. He’d never pass up this chance; he loves putting on a show.

The spectators began to murmur, but Caren calmly spoke over them. “Silence, please. I would ask you all to look to the sky.”

All eyes peered upward. In the air above hovered a sorcerer in a hooded robe. He raised the staff he was holding above his head and a barrier spread from it in all directions. His spell formula was delicate. Part of me doubted its practicality in a combat situation, but I supposed that was none of my business—the man was a veteran fighter and had even served in the War of the Dark Lord. Once the barrier closed over the arena, he vanished and reappeared in his seat on the dais.

“The gentleman who just erected a barrier against the rain is the headmaster of the Royal Academy: Lord Rodde, ‘the Archmage.’ He will greet you shortly,” Caren explained. “Headmaster, thank you very much.”

The elven man, who had now removed his hood, raised one hand to enthusiastic cheers. He was so theatrical.

“All 309 members of our incoming class are now seated. Permit me to greet you all.”

So, the new vice president—Caren, in this case—would be giving the opening remarks. The same thing had happened for my first year. Almost nothing about the ceremony was set in stone, with the exception of the headmaster’s address—infamous as the mightiest sleeping spell in the kingdom—and speeches from the head of the incoming class and a representative of the student body.

“I’d like to congratulate the entire incoming class. As I said earlier, I am Caren, your student council vice president. I’m sure that the head of this year’s incoming class, Tina Howard, and our student council president, Stella Howard, have moving speeches to give you, so I’ll be brief. As you have surely realized, the representatives of our new and current students are sisters—a first in the long history of the Royal Academy. Please remember that all of you are fortunate to be here, and spend your time at the academy well.”

Caren’s words were met with wild applause—including from me. I wasn’t exactly impartial, but I thought she had done that flawlessly. I would have to get a video orb of it later.

She raised one hand, signaling an end to the applause.

That’s the way. You look great.

“Now, I’d like to invite the representative of the incoming class to say a few words. Tina Howard.”

Tina shot to her feet like a flicked spring. I hoped she would be all right.

“Tina, please come here.”

Despite Caren’s coaxing, Tina remained motionless. I was just thinking that I would have to risk another spell when Lisa motioned me to stop.

“She’ll be fine,” she said. Her delicate finger pointed to Lynne, who had risen to her feet alongside Tina and was now saying something to her.

“They’re saying... ‘Let me do it if you can’t; I’m fully prepared. I’m certain that Allen will praise me for it,’” Anna interpreted. “‘What?!’ ‘Make up your mind already. We don’t have time to wait for you.’ I see that Lady Tina has begun walking now.”

Can her vision really be that good? I wondered.

Tina had started walking toward the podium, albeit stiffly. I supposed she hadn’t completely overcome her nerves. I wished that I had done a better job of encouraging her—there were so many things I could have tried. I shouldn’t have optimistically assumed that she would do fine.

Without warning, Lisa prodded my cheek. I turned to look at her in surprise and found a mother’s love on her face, which was so like Lydia’s. “Allen, have faith in your students,” she said.

“I-I’ll try.”

“Mr. Allen,” Anna said, calling my attention back to the dais. Once Tina reached the podium, Caren gave her a shove on the back and stepped aside. The spectators stopped talking, and soon there was total silence.

Tina brushed a hand against her ribbon before returning her arm to her side. She then faced straight ahead and began to speak.

✽

My name is Tina Howard. It is my honor to deliver this address as the head of this year’s incoming class. I sincerely apologize for subjecting you all to my undignified conduct just now; I’ve never spoken in front of so many people before, and I’m somewhat—no, extremely nervous. Nevertheless, I feel that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I intend to speak my mind.

When I learned that I would be speaking here today, I was beset by worries. Did I really deserve this? Could it be some kind of mistake? Was I merely dreaming?

I experienced these feelings because, as many of you here are aware, people have called me “the Howards’ cursed child” for almost my entire life. Although I was born into one of the Four Great Dukedoms, I was utterly incapable of using magic. I was defective. Worthless. A stain on my family’s honor. A pitiful girl cursed from birth. Some would ask whether I really was Duke Howard’s daughter. They said many other things about me too—far too many things for me to remember them all.

Although my father, my sister, and all those who serve our family showed me love, I could feel dark emotions piling up like snow within me. But I still yearned to cast spells. I was determined to learn, no matter what it took. First and foremost, I wanted to fulfill a personal dream of mine; I won’t deny that. Yet...I would be lying if I told you that the negative emotions were not part of what drove me.

I wanted to get back at the people who scorned me! I wanted to fling the words they crushed me with back in their faces! And one day, I would do it. One day!

But reality was cruel. By the time I reached the age of thirteen, even elementary magic was still beyond me. I’d worked as hard as I knew how, frantically poring over reference books, studying on my own and under dozens of teachers, whom I got to research many things for me. And yet...not a flicker of flame. Not a drop of water. Not a grain of earth. Not the slightest gust of wind. Not the smallest crackle of lightning. Not the faintest hint of light or darkness. I could not command a single element—not even ice, the specialty of the Howards.

To be honest...I had given up hope. I was convinced that I would never cast a spell. That I would live out my life quietly in the north. That I had no choice but to know my place and stop hoping for more. That there was no one—no one in the whole wide world—who would save a hopeless case like me.

But now, here I am, at the head of the Royal Academy’s incoming class, even though I was completely incapable of spellcasting until three months ago.

As I said earlier, I can’t get rid of the thought that my standing here and giving this speech to all of you is just...a happy dream. I suspect that the next thing I know, I’ll wake up in a room where I’d gone to cry in secret. At the same time, if this is a dream, it’s such a pleasant one that I sincerely wish I’ll never wake from it.

I am able to use magic because of a certain someone I met. Without him, I wouldn’t be here today; I’d be back in my room, reading books and tending to my plants.

I’m grateful to that person. I can never thank him enough. But I also resent him a little—just the smallest amount. Learning to use magic had always been my dream, and he gave me that magic—real magic. But at the same time, I learned that my dream coming true wasn’t the answer to all of my problems. I learned that Tina Howard is a bad girl, that even after she stumbled upon the miracle that taught her spellcasting—the miracle that she had been so desperate for—she’s wretched enough to want more.

There is no end to human desire.

Just being able to cast spells isn’t enough for me now. I can’t be content with that. I want more, more, more! I want to learn all sorts of different spells. I want to reach that person, or even just come closer to him. I want to be able to do something to repay him. I want to be able to pass on the miracle I received to someone else someday.

I’m chasing those new dreams now. I’m sure that there’s a hard road ahead of me, full of challenges that I can’t even imagine—challenges that will make even earning admission to the Royal Academy seem like child’s play.

Should I give up, then? Don’t I have enough already?

No. I can’t do that. After all, I’ve learned that dreams can come true! I’ve made up my mind to keep working as hard as I possibly can to achieve my new dreams.

Today, I’m glad that I’ve enrolled in the Royal Academy—that I have the opportunity to learn in this great place, with all its traditions. I’m sure that my classmates are uneasy to have the likes of me at the head of our class, but I hope you will all move forward with me. I will strive to uphold the Howard name.

I’ve ended up leaving this for last, but I am sincerely grateful to my late mother; to my father, who raised me with love; to my sister, whom I admire; to our head butler Graham and head maid Shelley; to my childhood friend Ellie, who came all this way with me; and to all the people who have shown me affection while serving my family. I love you all from the bottom of my heart, and I hope that you will continue to support me.

I’m going to overtake you one day, so you’d better be ready, because I’m the most stubborn girl there is!

Thank you very much for listening.

✽

After Tina bowed and took her seat, a realization and a stir swept through the crowd, which had been listening to her with rapt attention. Ice crystals were drifting—practically dancing—through the air over the whole arena in response to her mana. It was a fantastical sight.

I stood up and applauded for all I was worth. Lisa followed suit from her seat beside me, as did Anna from her station behind us. Little by little, the warm applause spread, until it was coming from the whole arena.

I’m so glad I took this tutoring job. I truly am.

Lisa giggled. “I see that she’s awfully fond of you, Allen. Lydia will be jealous.”

Tina was an earnest girl. I was sure that before she’d met me, she had suffered more exclusion and hurt than I had imagined in her struggle with her inability to cast spells. I was so glad that the Howard household had taken her side; I shuddered to think what might have happened otherwise. From my perspective, that was the real miracle.

It might be true that I had created an opportunity for her, but she had made her own dream come true. All I had given her was a helping hand and a push forward. But she was still grateful to me.

You’ve done enough, I thought. You’ve already repaid me.

“Here.” Lisa reached over and offered me a handkerchief. “Dry your eyes.”

I took a brief moment to compose myself and then managed a quiet, “Thank you.”

“Allen.”

“Yes?”

“You’ve done well.”

For a moment, I didn’t quite know how to respond. I eventually mustered another thank-you as I wiped away the tears that kept streaming down my face. I must have looked pathetic. I seemed to remember having burst into tears during Caren’s entrance ceremony too, so I supposed I was easily moved.

Anna giggled ecstatically. “This will make a lovely souvenir for Lady Lydia!”

“I wouldn’t, Anna,” Lisa warned her. “She’ll sulk and grumble that he hasn’t cried for her yet.”

Anna froze for a moment. “Oh! I-I suppose that’s true!” she exclaimed. “I sometimes find myself thinking that I might be safe from Lady Lydia now—possibly thanks to you and Mr. Allen suppressing her Firebird—but this would put me in mortal peril! I had better archive it for future use.”

How can she be unfazed at a time like this? I wondered.

Just as I was trembling in awe of the Leinsters’ head maid, Caren returned to the podium. “Thank you. And thank you, headmaster, for providing another wonderful display,” she said, dismissing the dancing ice crystals as a bit of showmanship. The headmaster was holding up his staff, skillfully playing along. “Next, our student council president, Stella Howard, has a message for you all.”

Caren looked calm—to the untrained eye, at least. Tina talking about me must have rubbed her the wrong way.

A female student who had been sitting in the first row on the arena floor took Caren’s place at the podium and gave a deep bow. The hair peeking out from beneath her beret was the same color as Tina’s—platinum with a tinge of pale blue. I couldn’t see her face, but the way she carried herself bespoke a good upbringing.

There was a round of applause from the spectators. Once it subsided, the female student began to speak in a calm, assured voice.

✽

My name is Stella Howard, and I am the president of the Royal Academy student council. I would like to extend my congratulations to all new students for their admission to our academy, and to their parents and guardians as well. Two years ago, I stood where you do now. I can still recall how nervous I felt.

As you know, this academy is the finest educational institution in our kingdom. Its entrance examinations are rigorous, and I have no doubt that you are all proud of yourselves for having passed them. But this is only the beginning. Your true studies are yet to come.

Just over three hundred of you will be starting your lives at the Royal Academy today. If you continue to advance without difficulty, you will graduate in three years. If you advance without difficulty.

In reality, only about half of you will be able to graduate three years from now. The average student takes four or five years to graduate from the Royal Academy. While it is possible to skip years, only three students in the past decade have done so. One of those three was Lady Lydia Leinster, the Lady of the Sword. She and one other student succeeded in graduating in just a single year, but you should consider those the most exceptional of cases.

I realize how intimidating this may sound, but this academy is extremely demanding. Your studies will be difficult and your training harsh. You’ll have so many assignments to do on weekends that I doubt you’ll have much time to enjoy yourselves. But this is also a place that will help you to grow immensely. I may be the eldest daughter of the Ducal House of Howard, but when I first enrolled here, my placement was closer to the bottom of my class than to its head. Yet I promise you that if you keep improving day by day, a path ahead will open for you.

Everything that you need to grow is here. Never give up; keep moving forward. I look forward to meeting all of you at the academy.

Finally, I’d like to make a personal remark—Tina, Ellie, congratulations. Your struggles are far from over, but I wish you the best!

✽

Another round of applause filled the arena, albeit more reserved than the previous one.

Stella was exactly like Duke Walter had told me. She was too tense, like Tina had been when I’d first met her. The Royal Academy was demanding, but only if you insisted on doing absolutely everything it asked of you. If you knew how to manage yourself, you could actually end up with quite a bit of free time. The system probably had its roots in the headmaster’s twisted personality, like the problems on the written test, which he would get angry at you for answering completely. He really was a hassle—just like a certain professor I knew.

“I see Stella is an archetypal eldest daughter,” Lisa remarked. “Lydia might benefit from a share of her earnestness.”

“Lady Lydia is extremely earnest already, mistress,” Anna said.

“That’s true. Perhaps it’s courage that she lacks. Still, I’m not certain it would be good for her to lean too far in that direction.” Lisa chuckled. “What do you think, Allen?”

I took a moment to consider. “I think she would be difficult to deal with either way.”

Stella took her seat beside Tina, who began chatting to her in apparent excitement.

“Next,” Caren announced, “the headmaster will give his...”

So, it was finally time. All those who knew of the headmaster’s address feared it as the most powerful sleeping spell in existence, said to have lulled even a raging demonic beast to slumber. I was just thinking that I could do with a good nap when the door opened and a maid slipped into the room.

“I beg your pardon, ma’am,” the maid said to Anna before whispering something into her ear. Anna relayed the message to Lisa, and then Lisa to me, like a game of telephone.

“Allen, there’s a message for you from the palace. Lydia is going berserk, specifics unknown. Go and stop her—I’m sure it will be more invigorating than staying here for a nap.”

She’d picked today, of all days, to cause a commotion? I hadn’t even seen everything I’d come to see at the ceremony yet.

“Anna,” I implored the head maid.

“I take it you’re concerned about missing the silver decorations awarded for first and second place on the entrance exam,” Anna said. “Have no fear.”

“Thank you so much. Goodbye, Lisa.”

“Take care,” Lisa said in response. “I’ll explain things to the girls. Look after my daughter for me.”

“I will.”

“May fortune favor you, Mr. Allen,” Anna added. “I will follow you shortly.”

I’ll certainly need as much fortune as I can get, I thought as I bowed slightly to both women and left my seat. Honestly, Lydia was— Was she all right? I hoped that she wasn’t hurt. Of course, it was probably no use worrying about her. After all, the Lady of the Sword was the best there ever was or would be.