Chapter 00

Dressed in a white long sleeved dress shirt, tucked in on his brown breeches and his black riding boots a young man sat at a branch of a tree in watch for his prey, his long purple hair reaching the back of his waist moved along with the wind, his aquamarine eyes fixated on a small cave in a distance. The night before, he had already made sure he'd eaten almost everything he brought in order to combat hunger once he starts his the final task of his mission—mark the target, wounding it if possible.

He looked at his horse from afar, he plan to run all the way to his horse after marking the target. He's tired of wearing the same clothes for a month, he hardly even smelled like human right now.

"Oh, I almost forgot about this." He pulled out a rolled paper from his sleeves. "Tristain Academy… Huh… Wait, that's where Montmorency went, right?" he thought to himself.

"It's been years, she may not remember me, but I remember her."

The Lamia has appeared. He jumped from the branch of the tree, perfectly landing behind the Lamia—a half woman, half snake creature. The young man successfully wounded the creature using the small knife he always brought with him, he was about to run towards his horse, but the creature's long snake-tail wrapped around his right foot, causing him to trip. He didn't want to use his magic against the creature, but he had no choice.

"Damn it!" An enormous blast of water came out of his wand. He quickly grabbed the creature's long hair, and cut its neck. Dragging the creature's head through its hair, he one-handedly opened his rucksack and grabbed the small sack inside. He placed the Lamia's head inside, and hid it back to his rucksack. He started walking his way to his horse to return to the Palace and report about what happened in his mission.

The doors of the castle opened for him. Behind him was two knights, escorting him to the throne room, where the newly crowned Queen awaits. He kneeled before the Queen.

"Stein de Martyniere, a scout from the Martyniere Family. I have brought the head of the monstrous creature that lured your men to death."

"I thought I gave you a scouting mission, for the battalion to handle it?"

"I was cornered by the Lamia, and was attacked. I had no choice but to use my magic. I decapitated it once it fell unconscious."

Stein opened his bag and grabbed the sack soaked in blood. Inside was the Lamia's head. After giving the decapitated head to the guards, he was about to return home, but was approached by the Queen.

"You're going to study in Tristain Academy of Magic, right? I heard it from the Marchioness."

"Yes, is there something I can help you with?"

"Nothing."

"Then, I'll be taking my leave, your highness. Send me a letter if you needed help."

Stein looked at the landscape painting inside his room, hung just right on his view point. It was a painting of the two most prominent family of water mages. He touched the frame, on the painting was him of seven years ago, standing beside a blonde little girl. A smile drew to his face, remembering the memories he had before his father sent him outside the country to study in Germania.

The days when he had sworn to the blonde little girl that he'll become a knight for the palace of Tristain, and will protect her at all costs. The time when he first met the current Queen of Tristain, back when he went to the Palace along with his brother—a Marshall, to introduce him to the people he'll be serving in the future. It's not really like he had made friends with the princess, but his brother agreed to let him play with the princess while he talk to the current people at the throne for the upcoming missions.

Stein looked over at the side of his bed, he had three bags packed of his things to be sent at the Academy's dorms.

"Right. I'm leaving for school tomorrow." He sat on his bed a few minutes before standing up to go have himself a nice warm bath before calling it a day.