The Lord of the Mages

by ApologeticGuy

A failure mage, trying her best to master the art of magic in her world. A gravekeeper, whose past is an enigma and only wishes to return to his old life. When the two are combined, the world will tremble as their footsteps echo throughout the land upon which they both stand. There will be OCs here and this will be AU as well.

2. Chapter 2: Lessons, Duels, and Success

Hello guys, thanks for reading my fanfic. I wished that I got more reviews though... But still, I'm glad that there are people who like my story.

Anyway, this chapter will be the start of an AU for the Familiar of Zero. I might end up having few characters go OOC. And for that, I am so sorry about it. I'd like to explain some more about the reason on why will it take an AU path but that would kill the surprise. However, I do have a clue to give to you on the reason why this happened. Let's just say that Louise's failure to cast spells up to the time when she summoned Sagasso did something to the FoZ world.

Oh and Imma remind you all that I do not own the Familiar of Zero before you read it.

---

"Where am I? Why am I in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by numerous gravestones far and wide?" these are my questions as I found myself lying on a grassy plane and next to a gravestone with words that I couldn't understand, "What is this place?"

Asking questions will not do anything. So I'll have to look for the one in-charge of this area and ask him on the location that we are currently in. This place might be the place where commoners are buried-.

"I see that we have a visitor here." turning my head, I saw a brown skinned girl who is as old as me. Her hair's black, just like the maid that works at the academy. She's wearing a sleeveless white tunic and loose pants that are made of cotton. Her arms are bandaged for and she's barefooted. What is wrong with these commoners and their weird taste for clothing, "Welcome, visitor! Are you lost by any chance perhaps?" she asked me while wearing that stupid, toothy grin on her face.

"Where is this place? I need to know where in the hell am I?" I demanded, I'm already disturbed on the fact that I awoke in some commoner graveyard. Does she even know whom she's talking to?

"Well, I definitely know that this place is a graveyard. Though I can't remember the name of this place..." stupid commoners, "I think that this place is the place where unsung heroes are buried."

"Unsung heroes?" okay, this commoner got my attention. What did she mean by unsung heroes? And why haven't I heard of this place?

"Unsung heroes." she nodded while looking at one grave with a staff with a curled head is protruded on its ground, "Unsung heroes who fought and died stopping evil from consuming our worlds." wind blew gently while she is talking. Admittedly, this breeze is quite nice, "Countless legends died and birthed from this very graveyard that you tread on, dear. Show some respect and don't think of this place as a 'commoner's' graveyard." what the, how did she know what I was thinking?

"How did you-?" before I could finish what I was about to say, she held a palm on face and shushed me, the nerve of this undertaker.

"The winds told me of what is inside your mind, Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere. And what you were thinking about this sacred ground as some common graveyard is quite insulting to the people who died here and the legacies left by those people who died here. Kings, queens, great leaders, soldiers, lovers, family men, and children are buried here. All of them sacrificed their lives and protected the very world and ideals that we valued with all of our heart. And you dare to treat this place as nothing more than a common graveyard?" I never felt so low in my life. Her harsh words, said in a calm tone made it painful for me to listen to. I stared at her brown eyes; they were filled with rage, rage that was brought out thanks to my disrespect towards the ones who are buried here.

"I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have thought of that..." I apologized repeatedly. Never in my life have I ever apologized to a commoner. She then put her hands on my shoulder and made me sit on the grassy plains and next to a marble grave along with her.

"It's all right, Louise." I looked at her face as she smiled in a way that reminded me of my Big Sister Cattleya, "I am not angry, nor disappointed. After all, people who come here for the first time tend to forget about what this place is. Though I'd like to talk with you as a punishment for disregarding this place as a 'commoner's' graveyard." I nodded to her 'punishment sentence' and smiled a bit. She looked a bit weird, but sitting down here might not be bad... the breeze here makes me feel like I'm home, despite the fact that this place is a grave.

And so we talked. We both talked about many things. Before I knew it, I am telling her all about my life and my problems. She was a good listener, just like my sister. She didn't interrupt me as she listens to me, telling all of my problems. I felt all of my troubles getting washed away as I recall my stories in life while the winds gently breezed. I never told anyone of my problems before. All of my schoolmates would rather call me names and make fun of me. I felt alone back in the academy. But right now, I'm not feeling any loneliness.

"You can't cast a spell at all?" she asked innocently, I nodded at her question, confirming that she is right, "I've never heard of a mage who fails at spellcasting. Nor have I ever heard of a mage that can't use magic."

"Well you're looking at one right now..." I hung my head in shame. My inability to cast a spell can be quite depressing to me.

"I have a friend who thinks that he is a failure as a spellcaster once." wait, this girl is actually a good friend of a noble?, "He usually mess up most of his spells and was once made fun off by his peers." this girl's eyes seems to have a strange look in her eyes, "He felt that the world was overbearing for him and nearly quitted studying magic to become a soldier..."

"Did he actually do it?" I asked her, since I felt that her friend was similar to me, a failure who felt that the world was against him.

"Nope, rather than wallowing on self-pity and failure..." she stood up and looked at the staff that was protruded on one of the graves, "He fought on. He refused to be left to the dust and persevered. No matter how many failures that he created, he considered them as stepping stones to a success." she said those words with great admiration to the noble that she speaks off, "He kept on going, caring less about the pain and suffering that he tackled and took on, face first. He continued until he became one of the greatest mage that ever stood in our world."

Whoever this mage is, I'm already respecting him. I'm not the only one who is having a hard time learning how to cast a single spell.

I always thought of quitting, just like him.

I always let my failures get the best of me.

And yet the man that she speaks of, he didn't do so. He steeled himself and carried on despite the fact that the world was against him.

"Well, I better get going." she said as she walked away from me, "The exit is easy to find. All you have to do is to open your eyes." she waved her hand as the winds breezed gently for the last time, "Good luck with your endeavours in life, Louise."

"Wait! Tell me his name first!" I want to know his name. I want to learn from him!

"You should ask him that yourself if you two ever meet each other. By the way, the name's Feena." she added as everything around me is suddenly bathed in light.

-0-0-0-0-

"Miss Louise, time to wake up now." Sagasso, now standing at the bedside of Louise and wearing the same outfit that he wore yesterday, said, "It's time for you to go to classes."

"Mmmmrhrrhh..." the pinkette grumbled as her eyes opened, "Who are you?"

"I'm your familiar, Sagasso Trentwood." the cloaked man said indignantly, "Don't forget my name or else." he added with an ominous tone.

"Whatever, familiar..." she rudely said to him, "Bring me my uniform and dress me."

Silence followed after what she said. Louise thought that Sagasso didn't know where her clothes were. Then she suddenly remembered what her familiar said to her yesterday. Sagasso's sides were suddenly surrounded by small flames and went towards the closet. The pinkette realized that if she didn't stop him, she will have nothing to wear but her nightgown. She immediately jumped out of her bed and blocked the closet from the cloaked figure that has flames dancing around him.

"Hoh, that was fast, Miss Louise." he said in a sweet tone that made Louise shiver at the sound of it, "Don't worry, I'm just going to warm your clothes since you might complain on how cold your clothes are." though the mask is blocking his face, Louise can sense that malice and dark intentions are written all over Sagasso's face.

"No. Go away! Stay away from my clothes, Sagasso!" she said in a scared and nervous tone, "Don't you dare touch my clothes!" she said as she shields her closet with her body from her familiar's path of vengeance, "You are not allowed to touch my clothes from now on, okay?! Now get outside and wait for me there!" she ordered him.

Almost immediately, the flames that surround the cloaked familiar died out. Louise sighed and made a mental note to never ask him to dress her unless she wants to become an exhibitionist. Sagasso decided that she knows whom she's dealing with and went out at her request.

"Better hurry up in getting dressed. Time is running out." his voice said to her in a teasing tone.

"I know that, for Founder's sake!" Louise shouted back as she took out her uniform and slipped out of her nightgown.

-0-0-0-0-

Outside, Sagasso stood by and waits for Louise to finish her morning businesses. He looked around the hallways and observed the other students that come and go. Most of them would rather pass the other side of the corridor rather than going through him, gossiping about the sadistic monster disguised as Louise's familiar. Though there are some who say that what is underneath the mask was a beautiful prince, the former was more prevalent due to how intimidating he looks. The staves that he carried didn't help at all when one of his staff that has a head of an expressionless human suddenly contorted itself and looked like it was grinning maniacally, causing the shrieks of some who saw it suddenly change.

The cloaked man did not mind their mindless chatter and smirked underneath his mask at the look of their faces. He knows that they saw one of his staves suddenly switch face that made them a bit jittery. He'll definitely enjoy laughing at their irrational fear if he ever got a chance to explain the harmlessness of the said staff. The Staff of Emotions allows the user to draw out powerful magical attacks if the user feeds it with his own emotions. It could also change the emotion of his opponents to the user's own advantage depending on what emotion the user is feeling right now.

Though I'd rather use my other staves than using the Staff of Emotion, too random and too simple for my own good... Sagasso said to himself inside his mind. If one's concentrated too much on one emotion, you'll end up losing your mind and go crazy while you're holding the staff. Worst case scenario would be me, unable to express other emotions except the one that I used to power it for the rest of my life. I don't really want to something that has a negative effect on my psyche unless I'm that desperate anyway, he added with a cautious tone inside his mind.

"Well hello there, masked prince." a sultry voice nearby caught Sagasso's attention, "Waiting for your master?"

"Miss von Zerbst." he looked at his side and saw Kirche and the blunette reading a book named Tabitha, both of them are blocking the door of Louise's room, "I'm waiting for her to finish. Move along or else you will be late for classes." he suggested to her.

"I don't mind being tardy. Classes can be so drab and boring." the redhaired bombshell dismissed Sagasso's suggestion, "I want have some excitement. I want to have some-."

"You can have those after you have finished your studies, Miss von Zerbst." he interrupted her 'bored student' speech with common sense, "Education is the most vital building block of a society. Without it, there would be no society, no community, and no civilization. Sacrificing the chance to learn something for the sake of trivial things is foolish beyond comparison." the cloaked man didn't hide is disdain towards her and her regards towards education, "If you're just here just to slake your own thirst for pleasure and waste precious time and money, then you are in a wrong place to do those things, Miss von Zerbst."

Tabitha cocked her head from the book that she is reading and looked at Sagasso when he said his piece of mind. Kirche, despite the fact that she was lectured by a cloaked familiar, was undeterred by what she received. Not a good sign for him.

"Oh my... What a strict, masked prince~..." Kirche covered her lips and blushed at what Sagasso said while the latter frowned at her stubbornness, "Very well, if you wish for me to learn, then I will do it..." she leaned Sagasso and trailed her fingers towards his mask, "Let's learn about each other then~."

"Door." Tabitha backed away from Kirche when the door slammed open, causing Kirche to get pushed away from the cloaked familiar by the door.

"Get away from my familiar, Zerbst." an incredibly angered Louise said to Kirche while emitting an aura that could instantly instill fear towards those who are of weaker will, "Haven't he told you yesterday that he isn't interested with a faux Succubus like you?" she hissed while Zerbst looked surprised and amused at the pinkette's reaction.

"If it isn't Louise the Zero~, being a spitfire at her finest in the morning." Kirche teased her and watches her turn red just like her hair, "You sure are holding an iron grip on my beloved, huh~?" she infuriates the little mage even more, "Do you plan to take away his innocence while you still hold him in your grasps, Zero~?"

Sagasso winced when she said that he was 'innocent'. He definitely wanted to make an 'I'm still here' cough to remind Kirche that he can still hear her. However, Louise took a hold on Sagasso's cloak and dragged him away from the current company before it escalates into something worse. Her blush was quite imminent when the redheaded girl suggested the fact that she wanted to remove his chastity. Tabitha buried her face on the book she is currently reading, apparently embarrassed on what her friend just said.

"Let's go and have some breakfast before the first classes." Louise said monotonously as she walked like a robot with Sagasso on the tow, "Talking with that faux Succubus is making me angry..." she added as the gap between her and Kirche is great.

"I already had my breakfast." Sagasso informed the blushing pinkette, "I don't know what you might give me for breakfast so I decided to eat my breakfast in my room." the statement made Louise stop and loosen her grip of his cloak.

"You... had breakfast already?" she asked.

"Well the Dreamhares usually serve my breakfast at my bed." he cheerfully said to her as he grinned at her, shaking from where she stood, "The food that they served today were pancakes with honey, fruit salad, and toasted bread." Louise turned to face him, with puffed cheeks and an angry and jealous glint in her eyes.

"Sagasso..." she said with a voice filled with jealousy, "Next time... I want to have the same arrangement as yours..." she gritted her teeth as she gaze on his eyes, "I too deserve that kind of an arrangement."

"Why?" Sagasso, now smiling happily at her jealous face, asked her.

"Because that would save time, familiar, and I wouldn't have to see that Zerbst whenever I eat. Instead of going into the Dining Hall, I could just eat from my bed! I don't have to go there and eat while others pick on me!" Louise cracked while Sagasso's eyes widened when she said her reason behind asking for such arrangement, "And after that, all I have to do is to go to classes without getting late! Now I want to have white bread with all of its crusts removed, some of that pancake that you speak of along with-."

"The answer is no, Miss Louise. And I'm doing this for your own safety. The Dreamhares really didn't like you when you said that the world where we came from is a barbarian's paradise." Sagasso said to Louise in a carefree tone, "They weren't happy as well when you called their former master who is also the said princess who married a commoner are something akin to an indecent person."

"Wha?" was all that Louise could say. She couldn't believe that the ones that served tea and sweets were actually listening to what she was saying last night. Her request would be rejected immediately thanks to her disrespectful quip that managed to gain their bad sides.

"By the way, the next time you say something bad about their former master..." he added, "They'll add laxatives in your tea and lock the comfort room."

"Laxatives? What is that?" Louise seems to have gotten worried that the Dreamhares are also capable of adding poison on someone's beverages.

"A medicine that would cause you to have some bowel movements, causing you to look for a nearby toilet and release your body wastes." he explained while seeing Louise get a little horrified, "It isn't meant to be drunk by young people since the laxative's effects get stronger that you'll soil your undergarments at the first sign of it."

Louise sighed out of relief when Sagasso explained the effects of the laxatives were not poisonous. Though she is still boggled on the reason why such a terrible concoction is considered a medicine.

"As for your request for breakfast on your bed, that will be denied until the Dreamhares decided to stop harbouring a grudge on you, Miss Louise." Sagasso said in a relaxed manner, "It took me some time to convince them to not put your clothes in a furnace, by the way. So you should thank me for the fact that you still have clothes." he laughed like an annoying noble while Louise looked flustered.

"Let's just go to the Dining Hall, familiar..." Louise said in a low voice, "I don't want to get late in breakfast..." she said as she turned around and started walking.

"Of course, Miss Louise..." Sagasso followed suit as well.

-0-0-0-0-

At Alviss Dining Hall, Louise took a seat in front of the same blond young man with a frilly shirt that Sagasso saw flirting about, though this time; he's flirting with a curly haired blonde. Next to her was Tabitha, who is reading a book and a second year boy that he has never seen in the yesterday's summoning. Sagasso remained standing behind Louise while everyone else prayed their grace before their meals before eating. After saying their prayers, they all started to feast on the large amounts and variety of food lain on the table in front of them. Other students slowed down in their eating and began to stare at the cloaked familiar behind Louise and began to speak of things about him. The blond seems to have taken notice of the talk about the familiar of Louise being a masked demon and smirked at him when he laid his eyes on the man.

"So, this is the rumoured monster that Louise the Zero has summoned, eh?" he said boastfully while taking out a rose from nowhere and waved it a bit.

"Miss Louise, may I kill him?" Sagasso asked Louise in a blunt tone that caused many of the students to shiver out of fear while she choked a bit on her familiar's query.

"Hoh, was that an empty threat, familiar of Zero?" he mustered his arrogance while ignoring the murmurs of others and the Staff of Emotion's sudden change from calm to maniacal.

"No. I really want to kill you, you man whore look-a-like. Though I can't remember the reason why I should kill you..." he playfully commented, causing more shock to other students, "But why should I care about my motives behind killing some worthless, pathetic fop like you? If I wanted to, I could just reach for your neck from here and take off your throat with my bare hands." the blond man paled on what he just said, "Or maybe I should kick your manhood so hard that they will come out from your mouth?" some of the male students made a protective stance on their manhood by covering it with their hands and shuddered.

"Louise, can't you tell that familiar of yours to be quiet while his betters are eating?" the curly haired blonde said in a rude tone to Louise, "That commoner should be lucky that he is here and-."

"Oh goodie... More commoner-noble rights crap that is getting older and older." Sagasso said in a more blunt tone, "Listen, whatever you are saying to me, curly hairs, it wouldn't mean anything to me. Unless you have something useful and/or meaningful things to spit out from that garbage can that you call as your mouth, then I would not listen to anything that you will say." he rudely spat out his words.

"You..." curly hairs seethed while Louise giggled a bit on how her familiar got verbal with her, "Your familiar needs a muffler, Zero. Commoners shouldn't talk rubbish in front of a noble."

"And you should ask man whore to carry around a broom and a dustpan with him since you might accidentally spit crap on the grounds. You wouldn't want the cleaning staff of this Academy to have a hard time cleaning up the places where you littered your crap now, would you?" he rebutted.

"Why you impudent commoner..." she was about to take out her wand when the blond man whore cuts her off, "Guiche! I want to teach this commoner a lesson on humility in front of a noble!"

Sagasso laughed when the curly hairs said the word 'humility' like as if it was a joke. The others seem to begin shaking when he began laughing since they believe that the cloaked monster was incapable of laughing.

"You, teach me about humility?" he pointed at curly hairs before laughing once more, "What's next? You, teaching manwhore next to you on being faithful to one woman?" the blond named Guiche seems to be shaking at the implication, "You know what, I'll go outside and wait for Miss Louise since I don't like the air of idiocy that reeks in here." Sagasso left the Hall while others gawked on how scary and rude Louise's familiar is.

"You should have disciplined that commoner of yours, Zero!" curly hairs angrily complained to Louise, who is now eating a meat stew, "That commoner made a fool out of all of us, you know."

"I could do that but... you know, I'm afraid of him as well." the pinkette said, straining her laughter and amusement, "It's not my fault that my familiar dislikes everyone around him."

-0-0-0-0-

"Stupid nobles of this backwater world and their idiotic backwater caste system..." Sagasso muttered to himself as he leaned on the doorpost next to the doors of the Dining Hall, "From where I come from, we nobles do not mind commoners sitting next to us. We don't care if your blood isn't blue as long as you are not a criminal. And these stupid, spoiled, entitled, arrogant little brats dare to act like as if they own the world? I'll bet that this Academy and the food that they are eating are built and cooked by their commoner's hands..."

"So, are you really a noble?" a girlish voice asked from nowhere.

"Oh yes, I am a noble but I don't care about my title, just like everyone else back at my home world. Having a noble title's not much of a use anyway other than temporarily gaining a little respect and admiration from others and access to few areas that only nobles can enter." he did not take notice of the fact that he is talking to someone else and still complained on how stupid the nobles are, "But still, having the 'noble' title will not make any difference in my world."

"So, you really are a noble whom Louise has summoned." the next thing that Sagasso did after realising the fact that he spilled the beans was turn around and look at the face of a black haired girl who has a well-endowed chest and wears a modest maid's outfit, "Sorry for disturbing you, sir. I thought that-."

"As long as you do not treat me like as if I'm like those refuses and not spread the words about me being one of them, I am fine with that." Sagasso sighed at his own carelessness, "I apologize for letting you see me at my most uncivilized fit of rage and contempt." he said to the maid in an apologetic tone while bowing to her, "I shouldn't have acted like that in front of a lady, Miss..."

"Siesta, good sir." the maid bowed to him, "I must say that I couldn't believe that you dislike the nobles here despite of the fact that you are one of them, sir."

"Don't compare me to those brats, Miss Siesta." the cloaked figure scoffed and pointed his thumb on the doors of the Dining Hall, "Those backwater noble brats are pathetic enough that they wouldn't last five seconds in my world anyway." he added while Siesta smiled at what he just said, "Oh and don't call me 'sir', Sagasso will do."

"I understand, Mr. Sagasso." the maid smiled and blushed a bit, "Though may I ask the reason on why you call this world a 'backwater', Mr. Sagasso?"

"Hmmmm... I have many reasons on why I call this world a backwater, Miss Siesta." he said to her in a boastful tone, "But I wouldn't want to hold you off on your duties as I tell you every reason that I have on calling this world a backwater though."

"Oh my, I almost forgot about that!" she bowed to him, "Thank you for reminding me, Mr. Sagasso!" she then ran off while saying 'oh no' repeatedly.

-0-0-0-0-

Unknown to Sagasso, someone managed to hear his slip of tongue. The one who heard it was none other than the blue haired mage-in-training named Tabitha, who was about to go out from the Dining Hall when she heard the conversation that he had with the maid. The fact that Louise summoned a human familiar managed to rouse her suspicion towards her elemental affinity. She dropped her spectacles on the floor to listen on what the cloaked familiar was saying on the other side of the door.

This information might be useful in the near future... Tabitha thought as she walked out of the hall after the conversation was done, This man might be able to help me out in the near future... she looked at Sagasso, who still leans on the wall and waiting for his master to finish eating, But he's also a dangerous opponent... Especially after seeing what he did to the courtyard yesterday...

"Hrrmmm?" Sagasso turned his head and stared back at Tabitha, "You're Tabitha, right?"

He used a strange magic that sucked out the sand that was brought with him with the use of a small, ball of energy... she remembered what happened yesterday when she stayed somewhere where she will not be seen and watched him use a small, wooden rod to clean the area, I must be careful on what he might do if he decides to use that on humans.

"Are you daydreaming in the middle of the Hallway, Tabitha?" the cloaked familiar asked her bluntly, "You should know that someone might end up having an accident if you do that here." though she may not see what is underneath his cloak, his arms are crossed.

"I see..." was all that Tabitha said before walking away.

"What a strange, little girl..." Sagasso sighed.

For now, I must observe him and assess his powers... the blunette thought as she continued reading while walking.

-0-0-0-0-

Outside the academy's proper, a green haired bespectacled woman wearing the staff's maroon cloak and navy blue staff's dress walks in a nearby forest. She walked in there for a few minutes until she finds herself in a clearing with a being in black robes and carries a strange object that is wrapped in a cloth with many runes on it. The woman stopped on her tracks when she saw the being and said...

"The Staff of Destruction is inside the academy." she said to the being, "Are you sure that that thing is better off destroyed?"

"Yes. That staff isn't meant to be held nor kept in a vault of a man who doesn't even know how it works." it said as his robes sway on the breeze, "I am sorry for asking you to do this job, Matilda. But these so-called nobles are too immature to have such weapons in their corrupt hands."

"Osmond may be a simpleminded pervert and a lecherous fiend, but he is definitely not corrupted. He wouldn't let anyone get a hold of powerful weaponries hidden within the walls of the Academy, even if he was asked to give it to the Tristain's royal family to give them one." Matilda said as she crossed her arms under her chests, "I wouldn't like to steal it since it is in safe hands. Not to mention, the weapon's history of being held by a powerful mage that saved Osmond from a dragon. Why would you like it destroyed?"

"Because that weapon can be easily built if one of many accesses to resources and chemicals studies it meticulously, Matilda. Though they might be able to build a primitive imitation of it, chances are that that weapon might be the weapon that those Albion Reconquistas will use to crush all who are in their path." the being spoke in an ominous tone, "Last thing that I want is that my country will reveal itself to Halkeginia and conquer all of it in a matter of months."

"But your country has so much wonderful things. Not only that, the military might of your nation dwarfs the combined forces of Gallia, Germania, Tristain, Albion, and Romalia. Conquering Halkeginia will not be a problem for your people." the green haired woman said out of protest, "Hell, you wouldn't even need an army since you have spies and assassins set throughout Halkeginia, ready to slay every noble and royal families without any problem and weaken the country." she added, "Why is your organization not doing anything aside from observing and destroying every dangerous magical artifacts that are found across Halkeginia?"

The conversation stopped for a while after what Matilda asked. The robed man hummed as he thinks for an answer to the query that she asked. When he stopped humming for a while, he then gave the answer to her question.

"If you wish to know, it's because the so-called 'magical artifacts' are as I've said, dangerous. If one is to give children a pair of sharp scissors, who knows what they might do to them if they were to run around with them." he answered in a cold and calculating tone, "Why should I let someone deranged like that Oliver Cromwell, King Joseph of Gallia, or that bloodthirsty wolf in the guise of a pope, Vittorio Serevare get their hands on the technologies that we created for the sake of defending our homes from... them?" he said the last word with hatred while Matilda looked puzzled as he tells her the reason behind their motives, "We made them to fight against them and their hordes, not cause numerous atrocities and oppress the ones we are supposed to serve and to protect." with cold fury, he finalized what he said.

"... You know, if your country's ideals were also practiced here in Halkeginia before, my family wouldn't have suffered a terrible fate and she wouldn't have to lose her mother..." she said quietly.

"Her?"

"My half-sister... You've saved her three months ago in Saxe-Gotha when the Reconquista tried to abduct her."

"You mean the one with those ungodly..." before the robed figure could finish what he was saying, Matilda gave him a dirty look in the eye, "Optimism... That's what I'm about to say. Not her physical features, okay?"

"Sometimes, I wonder if all men are perverts..." she sighed.

"Well I've never seen a place where women have larger breast sizes that could make the Succubi in my country get a jealous fit." he reasoned with her, "The teenagers here have cup sizes that a fashion model would kill to have!"

"Fashion models?" it was Matilda's turn to get curious this time.

"Never you mind." he forgot the fact that the natives do not know the meaning behind some of the words that he say, "Anyway, if the so-called 'Staff of Destruction' is not destroyed due to some problems..."

"Don't worry about that, I will destroy that artefact." her resolve is seen in her eyes, something that impressed the robed man, "After all, I still have a great debt to pay to you after freeing me from that bastard of a priest and his Tristainian dog." she added before leaving the area, "For now, you should go and fool around while I look for a way to take that staff out from the Academy's vault."

"Sounds like a good idea..." the robed figure snickered as Matilda leaves the clearing.

-0-0-0-0-

Back at the Academy, Sagasso stood by the aisle and examines the insides of the Lecture Room where one of Louise's classes will take place. The way that the Lecture Room was designed and arranged seems to have given a nostalgic feeling on him and sent him in a trip to the memory lane. Louise noticed her familiar's rather mellowed state when he came inside a classroom, a welcoming change since all he did since morning were either insulting students who dared to insult him, making everyone else feel insecure thanks to his appearance, or comparing her 'backwater' world with his 'barbarian' world. Students are either too busy staying out of Louise's way or too busy raging on the fact that her familiar made insulting comments on them, injuring their pride without fail. The students who are inside the classroom, except for Kirche and Tabitha, are eyeing the cloaked man with either disgust or fear and whispers to each other about Louise, being a failure for her inability to control her familiar.

All of the small talks ceased when a brown haired plump woman in a purple cloak and hat with a black dress underneath it entered the room. She seems to have noticed that the class is rather quiet, a nice change since most f the time, she asks the class to settle down first and wait for a few minutes before they would stop. She also noticed the familiar that her colleague, Professor Colbert talked about yesterday. She seems to be a bit wary on him since there were rumours about him being some sort of a monster disguised as a human and insults the students like there was no tomorrow. Thinking of the fact that the familiar is the reflection of the master, the familiar must be Louise's frustrations to her rumoured inability to use magic manifested in a form of a human. Though that was what the students were saying.

"Good Morning everyone." the plump woman greeted everyone once she made it behind her desk.

"Good Morning, Professor Chevreuse." everyone, except Sagasso, stood up and greeted her back.

"Take a seat now." she said and the students complied with it and sat down, "I must congratulate all of you for a job well done in the Springtime Familiar Summoning. I must say that this year's ritual was quite interesting." she looked at Sagasso, who seems to be spacing out before looking at the staves that he carry behind his back with interest, "Those staves are quite interesting..." she muttered before looking away from it, "Miss Valliere, care to give us the elements of magic?"

"Of course, ma'am..." Louise stood up and cleared her throat, "There are at least four known elements that mages use: fire, earth, water, and wind. Though there is also the lost element called 'Void' but no mage was known to be able to manifest such element other than Founder Brimir." she answered the question of her professor in an academic manner.

"Impressive, Miss Valliere." she beamed at Louise before she sat down, "Now, we will be reviewing on the things that we have learned about earth magic and then we will advance to line level spells."

"Hmmmm... Professor Chevreuse, is it?" Sagasso spoke all of the sudden, surprising the rest of the class and making Louise pray that he wouldn't insult her as well, "This line level that you speak off, is this the way that the magic in this world is classified in terms of complexity and tier?" he asked the professor, causing others to look at him with curiosity.

"Why yes, Mister..."

"Sagasso Trentwood."

"Mister Trentwood. The classification of mages' level is dot, line, triangle, and square." the plump professor explained to him.

"That's it?" the cloaked familiar sounds confused, "Are there any other levels in this world's art of magic?" he asked, hoping that there will be one.

"Well there is the rumoured pentagon level that royal families have but..." she cupped her chin and thinks for a few seconds, "I don't think that attaining such level is possible due to the lost magic, Void." she said before looking Sagasso in the eye, "And what do you mean by the words 'in this world'?"

"Erm..." the cloaked figure is now being eyed upon by the others who seems to be curious about what he just said, he then shrugged and said, "Well, our world has at least 12 levels to measure the affinity, ability, and strength of one person in magic." he said.

"Twelve? Founder's grace, why twelve?" one fat blonde with a shrill voice asked Sagasso.

"Well magic is a complex force where anything can happen, depending on the user's preferences and capabilities. Thanks to that, measuring the power and effects of the said magic must be very specific for the sake of easy identification. The twelve levels start from Initiate Tier to the God Tier. And before you tear on the God tier; only a handful of people ever made it to that rank and the only person whom I know that has ever made it to that tier passed away due to certain complications. Right now, the highest possible tier in our homeland is the 9th level, Lord Tier." he explained, making everyone's attention to be directed to him.

"Amazing... So, is this Lord Tier that you speak off equals a Square class mage?" the professor asked with more curiosity.

"Well I haven't seen the power of the mages in this world, Professor." Sagasso admitted, "I'll never know if they can equal the Lord Tier unless I see it with my own eyes and feel their power with my own body."

"You want to get hit with a square level spell? That's dangerous, my masked prince." Kirche looked at him and probably misinterpreted what he said, "Many of the square level spells are considered fatal at its finest, darling. Why would you want to get hit with a powerful spell?"

"For academic purposes, Miss Zerbst, we do dangerous and stupid things for the sake of knowledge and improvement." everyone was appalled when he said that. They have never heard nor seen such a person who was more than willing to bleed for the sake of education, "Well, enough about my home and the principles of magic that it uses. Shouldn't you be reviewing these mages-in-training on the use of Earth elemental spells or something, Professor Chevreuse?"

"Oh my..." the professor looked a bit embarrassed when she was reminded of what she was supposed to do, "I suppose that this could wait later. Anyway..."

The plump professor began to review the class on Earth magic and its fundamentals. Tabitha seems to be stealing glances at Sagasso whenever he isn't looking at her direction. Kirche seems to be trying her best to get his attention by winking at him seductively. Louise seems troubled after what her familiar just said. The rest are watching the teacher in front turn coal into bronze, something that did not impress Sagasso and making inaudible mutters of words like 'too easy', 'that's it?', and 'I can do better'.

Did I really summon a noble? she asked herself as the lesson continued, What should I do if I really did summon a noble? I might cause some sort of an uproar to his family thanks to what I've just done... I don't want that to happen... she groaned on the scenarios that she is thinking of about her situation.

"Miss Valliere..." Professor Chevreuse called upon Louise's attention, making her snap out of her lull, "Would you kindly demonstrate in front of the class the transmutation spell that I've just shown?"

Louise's classmates were unnerved when Louise was asked to demonstrate a transmutation spell. Everyone started telling the professor on the dangers of 'Louise the Zero' and her spells and attempts to discourage Louise from casting a spell. Sagasso looked at the table with anticipation when Louise was called in front to transmute the coal into something else. Louise ignored the pleas of reconsideration and Chevreuse doesn't seem to have any idea what the pinkette's peers are talking about. When she raised her wand, the students are prepared to hide under their desks or covered their heads with books or hands.

The Dreamhares said that you have the power and the potential to reach the unreachable 12th level... Sagasso listens to her, chanting in front while smiling at the other students who are shaking in fear while she chants a spell. Show me your power, Louise.

"Transmute!" Louise shouted as her wand sparked magical powers, shooting a ball of light on the coal.

Everyone, except Louise, Sagasso, Professor Chevreuse, and Tabitha (surprisingly), clenched their teeth, closed their eyes, and grabbed on tight on whatever things they are holding. They were all expecting a loud boom and school property damages. Then they hear the sound of clapping from the side. The blond fop whom Sagasso threatened to kill looked at his direction and couldn't believe that he isn't covered in soot. Better yet, everything was in one piece. He also saw Tabitha, now standing up from her seat and peering in front of Louise and Professor Chevreuse, who wears a curious and happy expression on her face.

Louise couldn't believe that for the first time, her spells did not blow up anything. The best part of it is that the spell actually turned the coal into a strange, sphere shaped, crystal ore that is never seen before. The ore emitted a warm aura that gave her a comfortable feeling. Its lustre and beauty made many of the students get the urge to come forward and feel the strange stone in their hands. Sagasso came forward to the teacher's desk and examined the ore that Louise made from the coal.

"This is called a memory diamond." Sagasso began to appraise the ore while everyone else listened to him, "It is used to store a precious memory with just a touch, quite useful if you want to relive your favourite past memory." he added as he handed the ore back to Louise, "Judging by the size of this thing, you can store a year's worth of memories in it."

"Oh my, you're quite knowledgeable about this type of ore, Mr. Trentwood." Professor Chevreuse smiled at him, "How do you know about this ore?"

"Well I've read some books about them..." the cloaked familiar said, "I also have some of these in my possession. Though I'm quite curious on how did Miss Louise managed to transmute one of the most complex magical gemstones from my homeland."

"What?" all of the students blurted out when they've heard him say that Louise achieved something that did not involve property damage, everyone looked at Louise curiously.

"I... I did not know what I just did..." Louise looked confused while holding the memory diamond, "I just felt my mind suddenly surged with strange information... I'm not sure what it was..."

"Well this is a wonderful thing that you have just done, Miss Valliere." the plump professor shook her hand, "I must say that you are on your way in becoming a great Earth element mage, Miss Valliere." she praised the pinkette.

-0-0-0-0-

"I've actually managed to cast a spell that did not destroy a classroom..." Louise, who is now walking in the corridor and holding the memory diamond on her hands, blankly said while Sagasso followed her around, "I actually did it..." she added.

"Yes you did. Now please stop repeating what you're saying that. A lady shouldn't talk to herself in public and while she is walking." Sagasso curtly said to her, "And do take care of that diamond, Miss Louise. If someone else touches it, they too will see what memories are stored within it."

"Wait, what?!" Louise remembered what her familiar just did after she touched the ore, "W-w-w-what did you see?!" she asked him immediately.

"I saw the events that transpired yesterday from a classroom of a man named Colbert up to the Vestri Court in your eyes, Louise." he answered the pinkette as honestly as possible, "It seems that 'Louise the Zero' is your nickname due to your inability to cast spells and causing some to blow up on their faces."

"... Well that name will be lost in the future, Sagasso." Louise confidently puffed her chest, "I can now cast a spell that doesn't explode. And I definitely know that I'm an Earth Mage!" she added, "I should write this in my letter to Big Sister Cattleya on the fact that I'm an Earth Mage like her as well!"

"Hmmm, are you sure about the fact that your element is Earth?" the cloaked familiar asked Louise in a sing-song tone.

"What?" was all that Louise could say to her familiar's question.

"Memory diamonds cannot be made by using the Earth element. The only way you could make these magical ores is through the use of-..."

"How could you do this to them, making two wonderful maidens cry, you peasant?" an indignant and flamboyant cry of a familiar person was heard from afar.

"But..." a confused squeaks of another familiar person's voice was also heard from afar.

"When I said it isn't mine, it isn't mine. Got that, whelp?"

"Eeeep! I'm so sorry."

"Sagasso..." Louise saw the cloaked figure went towards the source of the commotion, "Wait! Where are you going?"

"I see that the nobles pick fights on the people that they are supposed to serve, huh?" Sagasso ignored everything else until he made it to the source of the fight.

-0-0-0-0-

Siesta is now backed into a corner by Guiche, who is now sporting two red palm marks on his cheeks. She cowered as the blond approaches her with an angry look on his eyes. Many nobles are quite irrational once they are angered; he is not an exemption. There are other students who are nearby watched the scene unfold, not doing anything and ignoring the maid who had faulted the young blond. The maid's eyes began to well up with tears while the blond fop continuously rant on how stupid she was on not playing along with his schemes.

"For what you have did, I challenge you to a duel, peasant!" Guiche angrily declared in a flamboyant fashion, "You have brought tears upon two lovely maidens, and I shall bring their honor back by-."

"A duel with a defenceless woman, man whore?" a voice that others did not expect to hear brought fear into their chests, "Are noble standards in this land go that low?"

"Mister Sagasso?" Siesta looked at Sagasso, who seems to be spewing out an ominous aura from him, "I suppose that whatever she did, it was not intentional nor her fault, correct?"

Other students backed away when Sagasso went forward to Guiche and Siesta. He first looked at him with contempt and coldness that could turn any lesser beings into stone before looking at Siesta, who now began to cry out of relief. Siesta never felt so relieved in her entire life. Louise came into the scene as well, gasping for air after running for Sagasso, and saw him in between Guiche and Siesta.

"You, Zero." Guiche snapped at Louise, "Tell your familiar to stay out of other's businesses this instant."

"Familiar, stay out of Guiche's businesses." Louise half-heartedly ordered the cloaked being, causing Siesta to flinch and remember the fact that he is still a familiar.

"How about no?" the cloaked man said in a cheery tone, hiding the anger that he is feeling deep inside him.

"Welp, I tried..." the pinkette shrugged, infuriating Guiche even more.

"You really are a Zero... You can't even make your familiar follow orders." Guiche spitefully commented on her half-hearted attempts to order her familiar, "As I have said, I challenge this peasant to a duel of honour."

"And I shall fight for Siesta's stead, man whore." the cloaked familiar coldly declared in front of everyone, "You will not fight a lady who is not even armed nor has the power to fight back. Instead, you will duel with me."

"Fine, I shall meet you at Vestri Court. Fifteen minutes from now." the blond confidently walked away from the scene, "Malicorne, make sure that that commoner will not run off from our duel." he ordered the same fat blond who took the same class with Louise.

"Wait, you want me to keep an eye on him?!" Malicorne looked scared and pointed at Sagasso, who is standing in front of Siesta.

"Oh don't worry man whore. I will come to the location of the duel and crush your pathetic body to the dusts." Sagasso boasted in a sadistic fashion, "You wouldn't have to worry about me running away since I've been looking for someone to vent my frustrations upon after being summoned from my home since last night."

Most of the students couldn't help but shiver at his declaration. The familiar is actually frustrated after Louise summoned him. They couldn't help but imagine what he might be able to do to Guiche as they walked away from the scene while Louise came to Sagasso. She looked furious and crossed her arms at him as Sagasso comforted Siesta and calmed her down.

"Don't kill him, Sagasso." Louise sternly ordered him.

"You don't want me to cleanse this world of his stupidity?" he looked at Louise and sarcastically asked her.

"Don't kill him, Sagasso." Louise repeated her order, "I only want to see that womanizing bastard beaten down to the ground and be humiliated in front of everyone. And I also don't want to have blood in my hands since you are my responsibility."

This girl... Maybe there is still some hope for her... Sagasso admired Louise's steel when she ordered him to keep Guiche alive. Heh, I guess I'll just have to hold back against him.

"Mister Sagasso..." Siesta looked worried after drying her tears, "I'm sorry for being such a bother."

"Don't be sorry about it, Siesta. I for one can't stand nobles who do not know their places nor understand who they are dealing with." he coolly said to her as he walked off, "Standing by while a defenceless woman is being harassed by those who are of great power leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

-0-0-0-0-

That Zero and her familiar... I can't believe that she actually authorized that commoner to defeat me. He may know some of the things that he said in Professor Chevreuse's class but that's because he is only making them up. There's no way that that thing is a mage. He's but a pathetic commoner, just like that maid who dared to make my sweet Monmon and dear Katie cry. That familiar must have done that to look better in her eyes. Yes... he's after what is underneath that peasant's skirt. He may look fearsome, but I will prove to everyone else that the Zero's familiar is but a hired actor disguised as a fearsome mage.

"Guiche, I think you should back out from this fight..." that Malicorne... how dare he doubt my skills. "You might end up getting killed by that evil familiar that Louise have..."

"I refuse to back down from my duel for the honour of the two ladies." my pride is at stake here. I will not let that maid nor that familiar trample all over it like so. "I will show that commoner and that tramp the error of their ways."

"Apologizing to Montmorency and Katie is much easier to do than fighting." damn it Reynald, you diminutive fool. Can't you just encourage me on this situation? "I don't think that those staves that he carries around are just for show."

Why can't they just cheer on me rather than asking me to forfeit a duel for the sake of my two, lovely dames? Can they not understand that this is a matter of pride? Did their mothers drop them when they were younger? I am nobility, a man of high status and power. Magic is our shield and sword. These commoners dare to challenge a noble? Fine, I shall show them the error of their ways. I will not listen to the pleas of those fools who think that that nameless, ragged, filthy, walking stick peddling commoner is stronger than me. I will show them all that the image that they see on him is nothing more but a hysteria caused by his appearance.

"If you're done fantasizing on how you will lose..." what the hell? He's already here?! "Then pull your face up so that I could see it, man whore." that nickname again... I swear to the Founder himself that he and his callous tongue will be disciplined with my Valkyries.

-0-0-0-0-

"If it isn't the Commoner of Zero, facing someone who is clearly superior compared to himself. I'm quite glad that you have shown up." Guiche held a fake rose on his hand and pointed it on Sagasso.

"As if I'll pass off a chance to show you who your true superiors are, you man whore." Sagasso answered back, "Be glad that I've graced you of my presence in this battlefield, whelp." he boasted as he took off his turban and cloak, leaving only his mask, gray shirt, and black pants.

Others were awed when they saw that what was underneath all of the restrictive garments was a masked human whose body is more fit than any of them. His long, golden hair, tied at the back of his head, is one of his standing features next to the mask that still remained on his face. The thoughts of Louise's familiar being a commoner surfaced once more in the minds of the spectators. Sagasso held his hand on the air, garnering the curiosity of others.

"Vitanovae." the same masterly crafted sword that is made of white steel appeared out of nowhere and into his hands. He then held his free hand on the spot where he put his cloak and turban, "Yggdrasil's Twig." one of his staves, a crooked headed staff made of white wood and has the sweetest fragrance, flew out from the pile and unto his free hand. Everyone is now dispelled of the thoughts of him being a commoner.

"W-w-w-w-wait... You're a mage?" Guiche faltered a bit when his opponent managed to summon his weapons from nowhere.

"Oh, why would that matter in a battlefield, man whore?" Sagasso planted his sword on the ground, "The only thing that matters here is life and death. No one is an exemption, noble or commoner." he said in a dark tone, "Now, en garde." his body shifted its stance, to the surprise of the others since they were expecting a fight where two mages will only stand still while they cast spells at each other.

"So, you wish to slug me with that walking stick of yours?" the blonde's confidence went back to him and snickered at Sagasso, who is now poised to attack him, "Very well, I am Guiche de Gramont, and my Runic name is 'The Bronze'." he waved his rose and an construct of an armoured golem as tall as Guiche and shaped like a woman bared its sword at him, "By the way, this Valkyrie will be enough to defeat you."

"I see... So you dare to sullen the manly traditions of a one on one duel by summoning a construct rather than fighting for yourself, huh?" Sagasso raised his staff, "Rise, Aegis."

An iron fist shot up from the ground, to everyone's surprise. Another fist came out as well and held on to the ground and pulled a body out of it. Everyone thought that Sagasso summoned a fearsome construct, but when they looked closer at the construct and found themselves giggling at it. The armoured golem is a size of a child. It wears a black knight's armour that is meant for children. It also has a short halberd and a round shield in hand. It then pointed its spear towards the construct and shielded its chest in a threatening fashion (though many of the female spectators who saw Sagasso's construct found it cute).

"I will not be disturbed by your constructs while I feed you with dirt, man whore." he coldly announced to him, "Aegis, take care of that scrap iron." he ordered his iron golem before he made a run for it to reach for Guiche.

"Attack that commoner my Valkyrie!" Guiche panicked and ordered the Valkyrie to charge. When the distance between the masked familiar and Guiche's Valkyrie is close, Guiche thought that Sagasso is as good as dead... until he saw his Valkyrie getting impaled by a short halberd, "I... Impossible!" he waved his wand to summon five more Valkyrie, "Attack! Don't let him touch me!" he ordered to his Valkyrie.

Louise, who is also watching the duel, saw Sagasso's childlike iron golem throw Guiche's Valkyrie to an another Valkyrie using its spear and slammed its shield on a Valkyrie that was about to crash its blade on its head. It was unbelievable when Sagasso's iron golem called Aegis is holding its ground against the Valkyrie without any problem. The masked familiar dodges all of the constructs that blond continuously summon to get to him while his construct destroys the ones that dare to come close to its builder. When the Valkyries managed to surround the two, Guiche laughed at the fact that he already won the duel.

"Aegis, show them your power." Sagasso ordered his construct.

Aegis nodded at Sagasso's order and cocked its head back. Everyone wondered what it might do, thinking that the construct might try to charge against all of them. That's what they taught until Aegis let loose a breath of wind from its visor and caused half of the Valkyries that surrounds it to turn into dust and fade away as the wind continuously blows from its visor. Sagasso, cuts two Valkyries down with the use of his sword and skewered the Valkyrie that was about to attack him with his staff.

"Impossible... That construct of Zero's familiar can use wind magic as well?!" Malicorne looked amazed while it watches the Aegis tear down its opponents with its breath.

"That's impossible, I've never seen a construct that has two elements as well." the blonde fop shakes from where he stands while summoning ten Valkyries to act as his bodyguard and a sword to defend himself with, "What in Founder's balls did you do?"

"I'll give you an exposition of what I just did if you survive this fight, man whore!" Sagasso, now unhindered by the Valkyries, advanced towards Guiche with his Aegis running next to him.

"Stay back!" Guiche desperately waved his rose and shot earthen projectiles at him.

Sagasso effortlessly dodged most of the projectiles that were shot towards him while Aegis deflects the shots that were directed at him. Unfortunately, one of the projectiles that Guiche managed to distract Sagasso enough to get him too close for comfort to one of the Valkyrie's sword. Without hesitation, the Valkyrie slashed his face vertically, causing half of his mask that covers his mouth to be exposed. Sagasso was forced to jump back and paused for a bit. Everyone now knows that the familiar is a human thanks to his half exposed face. To the girls, the masked familiar looked dashing now that half of his mask is gone and exposed a part of his face.

"My mask..." was all that Sagasso said as he looked at the half of his mask that is now on the ground while the Aegis attacks the bodyguards of Guiche, "You destroyed my mask..."

"What?" the blonde fop is now getting more and more confident when Sagasso paused, a sign that he sees as fear for its own life, "You're just stopping just because your stage paraphernalia is gone?"

"No... You've destroyed the mask that my son made for me when he was still a child..." his hands that held both his staff and sword shook with anger, "Pray to your god, Guiche..."

In a blur, Sagasso is now in front of Guiche with a mad glint in his eyes and sports a sadistic grin at his face. Before he could even act nor say anything, his gut felt the knee of Sagasso and was followed up by the hilt of his Vitanovae to his head. The blonde's world is now filled with stars and backed away in a dazed manner, dropping both of his wand and sword. Sagasso dropped both of his weapons as well and began to dismantle Guiche with his hands by letting loose a flurry of fists at his face and torso. Guiche tried to defend himself with his arms but it was useless when Sagasso grabbed one of his arms and threw him on the ground, back first. The sight of the blonde's destruction at the hands of Sagasso looked brutal and merciless at the eyes of spectators. They saw him being forced up to his feet, only to be kicked down and stomped to the ground by the familiar.

"So, this is a noble's power huh?" Sagasso spat at Guiche's face, "I'm not feeling any of it, Guiche de Gramont. Aren't you supposed to destroy me of your power?" he asked him while he kicked his sides, "Am I wrong about expecting more from a weakling like you."

"I... yield." Guiche weakly said to him as blood dripped from his head, only to be forced to stand on his feet by Sagasso, "Please... no more..." he begged out of fear, knowing that his life is now in jeopardy since all of his Valkyrie are destroyed by the Aegis, he now only hopes that Sagasso will grant him mercy.

"I wonder if I should accept your request to surrender, Guiche de Gramont." he held him by the collar of his bloody shirt and raised him from the ground, "Why should I accept the surrender of a pathetic fop like you who dared to skip his responsibilities and duel those who are weak and defenceless?" he said as the blade that he dropped flew into his free hand while he held Guiche on the air, "If I let you live, you might do it once more and cause more misery to any woman that loves you thanks to your womanizing ways. This world is better off without you, Guiche de Gramont." he aimed his sword towards his diaphragm, "Make peace with yourself and hope that in your next life, you won't turn out to be a terrible person."

The rest were horrified on the fact that Louise's familiar is not merciful and is about to execute Guiche in front of them. The curly haired blond and the brown haired girl that he last spoke off has tears welling up on their eyes as they were about to see their love interest get killed in front of them. Louise, who is rather calm and collected, went into the duel circle and towards Sagasso. The rest are curious about what she will do since the familiar wouldn't even listen to her.

"Familiar, don't kill him." Louise, standing straight behind Sagasso and crossing her arms, ordered her familiar in a stern manner.

"As you wish Miss Louise..." to everyone's surprise, Sagasso complied on her order to spare Guiche.

"Louise?" Guiche blinked when Louise's order to spare his life was obeyed by the familiar.

"Consider this as your second life, Gramont." the masked familiar walked towards the two girls that he talked to and set him down there, "Because the next time you do this again. I will not be so merciful towards your foolishness and slay you from where you stand. Nobles are meant to be the servants of the commoners. The moment that you take up the mantle of a noble is the moment that you dedicate your life in the service of those that you lord over. Nobles who betray the trust that was given to them are lower than the lowest of all traitors. Nobles who skip their responsibilities and blame it unto others are not worthy to lead even a blind man at all. Noble who use their powers against those whom they are sworn to protect and to serve deserve to suffer a hellish death at the hands of their own subjects." he lectured Guiche before he turned away, "If you emulate all those three things that undo a noble, then I have the right to remove you from this world permanently. You only lived thanks to Miss Louise's order and your luck. Be thankful to her once you've recovered." he then walked away with Louise at the tow.

-0-0-0-0-

"That was quite a show that Miss Valliere put up... Don't you think so, Colbert?" an elderly man in a black robe stroked his long, gray beard as he looked at a crystal ball with a balding man from yesterday's familiar summoning ritual, "His construct is something that even many of the Triangle Class Earth Mages could only dream to create."

"He nearly executed Mister Gramont, Headmaster Osmond. I was more than ready to ring the bell of slumber if in case that that young man decided to run his strange sword of his through Guiche." the man named Colbert sighed out of relief, "Thank the Founder that Miss Valliere ordered him to spare the young man."

"It would have been hard to explain to General Gramont that his third son was killed by an unknown noble that was summoned by Louise..." Osmond rested his hand on his long beard, "That young man speaks like as if he was a noble himself." he added, "I can't help but to agree on what he said a while ago... Nobles should be an example that others must follow. And that young man spoke like the nobility from the old days: Honourable, trustworthy, and loyal to both the crown and the people."

"I've heard from Madam Chevreuse that he spoke of something about his homeland's magical system and the strange stone that Louise managed to summon." the balding professor crossed his arms and checked on the orb where Sagasso is picking up his belongings while the rest of the student body are either being indignant that the topic that the two spoke off won against a general's son or how brutal Louise's familiar was towards the Guiche despite the fact that he yielded, "I believe that we should observe him as well."

"Indeed. He's an interesting subject. Not only that he is the Gandalfr, he is also a mage to boot. We will also keep this as a secret to the castle as well. Who knows what might happen if Miss Valliere and her familiar are used in their politics." Osmond stood up from his seat and peered from his window, "Speaking of which, I've received a letter today... It was from the Destroyer of Artefacts..."

Colbert's brows furrowed when he heard the title. The Destroyer of Artefacts managed to steal and turn every magical items, relics, and artefacts into dust. He made many safety precautions to hide the Dragon's Raiment that now resides in Tarbes five days ago and strengthened the vault tower. The said person was a proficient Earth Magic user and is quite powerful as well. The motive behind its actions is to see all items that are valuable to be shattered into million pieces. He is also said to appear three months ago, after the death of the infamous thief, Foquet of the Crumbling Earth in the hands of the Albion Reconquistas when she tried to steal an artefact from the vaults of the royal family of Albion. The letter from this person who has no respect to anything that might improve the lives of others is never good at all.

"What does he want from us, Osmond?" Colbert asked.

"The Staff of Destruction." the old headmaster answered while rubbing his head, "He'll destroy it, two weeks from now..."

---

Welp, time to give you the 12 levels that Sagasso was talking about:

1st - Initiate

2nd - Novice

3rd - Amateur

4th - Journeyman

5th - Practitioner

6th - Veteran

7th - Elite

8th - Master

9th - Lord

10th - Hero

11th - Legend

12th - God

The reason why Sagasso made a lot of slips of tongue in this chapter was because he is frustrated and careless on the fact that he isn't in his world anymore and the only place where he feels like he is at home is at his END Room. Though I'm already straying away from the true path of canon, I'd like add more things to it since as The Lord of the Magi said, my OC might treading on Gary Stu grounds. Expect many changes in my story, that's one thing that I could tell you for now. Louise's first success after so many explosions that she managed to conjure will be explained in the next chapter.

?: Hey!

A.G.: Hello Saito.

Saito: Don't 'hello' me, you canon defiling bastard. That should have been me back there and not that...

?: Oh I'm dying to hear what insults you might throw at me, you masochistic imbecile.

A.G.: Sagasso... Please don't be too hard on-.

Sagasso: Why can't you just grow a pair for once and tell Miss Louise off? I would have thrown her clothes from the window and tell her that she can go naked for all I care. And you what? Licked her shoes like a pathetic, neutered dog that you are and allowed yourself to be demeaned by her.

A.G.: That's enough now, Sagasso...

Sagasso: You also have that hormonal problems that gives you more flak. I mean, why the fuck would you kiss the princess on the lips instead of kissing her on the hands? Shouldn't you have asked your handler on where would she want to be kissed rather acting like a twat and snog the Tristain's ruling noble?

A.G.: Sagasso, stop. Please. Saito already gets it. He's using the corner of woe for love of God. I know that he's a flawed character but still...

Anyway, see you next time!