A/N: Hi, thanks for your reviews kuroshiragami0 and LadyHilariexxx! It has been a while since I have written an update. I accidentally injured my hand, and I'm still having trouble typing. Please bear with this update. I hope you enjoy this update.

After class

Erza found herself unable to shake the curiosity. Irene had never thought twice before answering her questions, but the fact that last night, her brows twitched upon hearing her question fueled her determination to unravel the truth. Operation: Unmasking the Archmage! She thought to herself as she decided to sneak into the magic library. As she entered the library, she noticed that the librarians were not around. Well, did they go home already? She asked herself as she darted her gaze from side to side, seeing nobody in the vast floating shelves. Taking this rare opportunity, Erza quietly made her way past the towering stacks and floating shelves in the magic library.

"Where's the history section?" she asked her, eyes scanning the spines of the books.

Not long after, she froze, hearing the door creak. She instinctively turned her head towards the sound, and a faint murmur of voices drifted through the partially open door.

"She's the daughter of the sage, you know," one voice said, tinged with disdain.

"Daughter? No matter how smart the child is, as long as she can't wield magic, she's a shame to her name. The Scarlet Moon's reputation will be besmirched because of her." The other librarian added.

Erza felt a pang in her heart. She was quite used to the verbal abuse she received from the streets, but the fact that they are criticizing Irene's name because of her inability to wield magic is disheartening. She bit her lip as she tried to repress the forming salty waters in the corner of her eyes. If only I can wield magic. She thought as she pressed herself against the wall, trying to stay out of sight.

"Hush! You better watch your tongue. You know how protective the sage is about her daughter." The third librarian said as he cut through their disparaging remarks.

The first two voices fell silent, clearly cowed by the warning. Erza took a deep breath, her heart pounding. As the voices faded and the footsteps retreated, Erza slowly backed away and proceeded to find the book she was looking for. Until she noticed a shelf that stood out from the others. Unlike the magical floating shelves, this one was ordinary, firmly anchored to the floor and filled with old, dusty books.

"Isn't this weird?" Erza asked as she approached the shelf.

She reached out and pulled at one of the books, but instead of coming loose, the entire shelf creaked and shifted. To her amazement, a hidden door behind the shelf slowly swung open, revealing another part of the magic library in the academy. It was pretty similar to the main library but smaller in size. Erza's eyes widened in awe as she took in the sight. Rows upon rows of ancient books stretched before her. She moved slowly, her fingers lightly brushing the spines of the books as she walked.

"Then maybe they have accounts regarding the founding of the empire?" she thought.

After a few moments, Erza's gaze landed on a book entitled Alvarez: The Empire of Greed. It was not what she wanted to read, but the intricate black markings of the book made her pick the book. Alvarez was the empire that enslaved several kingdoms for the past centuries, right? Maybe it's right to read this one first. She thought as she sat down on a nearby bench to read. As she was about to read the first page of the book, a voice asked, making her turn her head.

"What are you doing here?" asked the child.

Erza blinked in surprise, caught off guard seeing her classmate. Her shoulder-length blue hair is tied up with a colorful bandana around her head. Levy McGarden? She thought as she immediately closed the book, her mind racing.

"Are you still curious about who the Archmage is?" Levy asked, her tone more curious than accusatory. "The assignment is due in two weeks, yet your curiosity seems much more intense that you had trespassed here."

"T-Trespassed? I did not trespass here. I did not know that the shelves would open up the door here." She explained, trying to ward off any suspiciousness around her, knowing that Levy was the daughter of the head librarian here.

"Y-you can see that?" Levy asked, raising her brows, puzzled.

"I mean, it was there, and I got curious," she said, looking away.

"Never mind that. I'm Levy! What are you reading?" Levy gave her a warm smile as she turned to where Erza was facing. She then gestured for her to sit again as she sat beside her.

"Uh-hi? I'm Erza." She said as she accepted her hand and shook it.

"It doesn't mean that just because Minerva is mean to you, all of us are. You should open up to us more." Levy said as she beamed and watched Erza's faint blush.

"People can be kinder than you think. Welp, except for them," she said, pointing at the book.

"Why?" Erza asked, raising her brows.

"Why don't you read it at home? Just make sure you return it tomorrow, though, because librarians will be closing the library soon." She handed Erza the history book she had been reading.

"Is it okay? I didn't ask the librarian for permission."

"I'll place the book under my name. It's a restricted edition, so no one's allowed to borrow that one unless you're the head librarian's daughter." Levy winked at her as she turned to the other side.

"Thank you," Erza said, bowing slightly as she waved her hand.

"Just take good care of it and bring it back on time, okay?" Levy said before walking away.

As Erza left the library, she quickly hid the book in her satchel and made a beeline for the gates. She was eager to get past the students to see her mother, who had probably waited for her for minutes. However, in her haste, she didn't notice the tall figure in her path and collided with him, falling onto her back from the impact. Looking up, she found herself face-to-face with the archmage. His silver hair was as pure as snow, and so was his gaze toward her. She was about to scramble to her feet when, suddenly, Irene appeared before her, shielding her from him.

"What are you doing here?" Irene asked, her voice filled with barely concealed anger.

"I was merely passing through," he replied calmly, still looking at the child behind her.

"It seems your daughter and I had an accidental meeting." He added, this time looking at Irene with his inscrutable face.

Irene helped Erza to her feet, her eyes never leaving Charteris. Erza silently observed the two sages converse. The archmage's calm demeanor contrasted sharply with Irene's annoyed ambiance. She could sense the tension between them, but she didn't fully understand why the archmage would have those emotions in his eyes. Despite his blank stare, she can see and read his feelings through his eyes. What is their relationship? He would rather look at Mom with those longing eyes. Erza wondered as she felt Irene carry her arms.

"If you'll excuse us, we need to be on our way," Irene said before passing by the archmage.

When they reached the magic carriage, Irene helped Erza inside and settled beside her. As the carriage began to move, Erza turned to her and asked.

"Mommy, what's your relationship with the Archmage?" she asked with earnest eyes.

Irene's unfazed face hesitated as she took a deep breath and finally replied, "I don't like the Archmage, Erza. He's a complicated man, and I don't want you to get involved with him."

Erza nodded slowly, but she couldn't help but notice a hint of something else in her mother's eyes, signifying something other than her intended words. It was as if there was a history between them that Irene wasn't willing to share. She chose not to pry much and stared at her tiny hands instead as if reading her mood. Irene cleared her throat and patted her head as her expression softened from her earlier annoyance.

"Dear, there are things about my past and the archmage that are too complicated to explain right now. It's not just about the idea of liking or disliking him. It's about the choices we've made after all that… I'll tell you when you're a lot older, okay? For now, just avoid him in the mean time,"

"I understand, mom. I won't pry anymore." Erza said as she leaned closer to Irene.

That night, after ensuring Erza was fast asleep, Irene quietly stared at her daughter's serene face. She desperately hoped that Erza would not associate with the archmage. The feelings between them were entangled with a history of many unspoken truths she was uncomfortable discussing, so the idea of Erza getting interested in him filled her with anxiety. Irene knew that Charteris had openly detested her decision to adopt Erza, viewing it as a reckless and emotional act. His disapproval was always palpable. She sighed as she slowly got out of bed and carefully tucked the blanket around Erza, replacing herself with the teddy bear. She exited the room quietly, closing the door softly behind her, and made her way to her room, remembering the paperwork she needed to do.

Erza, however, was not asleep. As soon as she was sure her mother had left, she sat up in bed and reached for her satchel. Carefully, she pulled out the book and opened it. She glanced at the door once, and by the soft light of her bedside lamp, she began to read its contents.

The Alvarez Empire was not a kingdom in its inception. It rose from a rebellion led by the head of the council, Alvarez Belserion, against the kingdom of the dragons, Dragnof. The Kingdom of Dragnof was a matriarchal society where queens wielded more power than kings, and princesses were given the right to succeed the throne. The imperial family of Dragnof, often characterized by their black hair, were known as witches. They possessed the ability to communicate with and command dragons. However, not all witches used their powers for good. Some sought to dominate other kingdoms by subduing dragons for their own ends. Proud and ambitious, Alvarez staged a coup against Dragnof. The ensuing war lasted for months, turning in the apparent extermination of the last Dragnof princess. After the war, Alvarez declared himself king and established an empire in the most prosperous part of eastern Dragnof, naming the kingdom after himself, Alvarez Empire. The person credited with the successful subjugation of Dragnof was Alvarez's first child, Charteris Belserion. Charteris's tactical genius led to the empire's expansion, with significant assistance from his younger brother, Acnologia Belserion. The second prince was a child born of the union between Alvarez and a dark witch of Dragnof. Together, they expanded their territories over centuries. Eventually, Alvarez met his end centuries later due to a sudden heart attack. As expected, Charteris, the crown prince, took over the throne, but his reign was short-lived. His own brother, Acnologia, assassinated him. The fall of the greatest strategist marked the end of an era for Alvarez. Despite Acnologia's strength as a dark mage and dragon, the empire crumbled without his brother's strategic brilliance, falling into ruin after decades of relentless warfare.

Erza's mind whirled with the implications of what she had just read. What was that? She asked herself as she grabbed her notes and tried to weave the pieces of her questions into an answer.

"C-could it be that?" she asked herself as she stared at her notes.

The next day

At the same time, Erza nervously returned the book to the library, hoping to put it back without drawing attention. However, as soon as she approached the restricted section and placed the book back on the shelf, she heard footsteps that made her freeze. She was shocked to see the archmage glaring at her with a look of stern disapproval on his face, his gaze tracing the book she had returned.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice cutting through the silence of the library.

"These are off limits," he said, clearly annoyed by her presence in the restricted area.

"I-I was curious. I saw that the shelf was different from the others, and when I tried to pull out one book, it opened the door and prompted me to enter. I did not steal anything, Your Excellency; I simply read the books." She said, using the same excuse she had told Levy.

"Did you see the magic passage? How is that even possible?" He raised his voice as he snatched the book from Erza's grasp.

"You are quite fond of history, aren't you?" Belserion gritted his teeth seeing the book; it was the same book accounting for their empire's fall.

Erza nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. Watching the disdain through her bangs, she was certain that her guess was right; she tightened her grasp on her cloak and seized her courage. Taking a deep breath, she looked him in the eye and said.

"Teach me how to wield magic."

Charteris burst into a deep, mirthless laugh that echoed through the library.

"I'm not fond of games, child. And let me remind you how your mother vented her anger on the academy after finding you in such a delicate situation after trying to learn magic."

"That's why I am asking you. You are the Archmage, after all." Erza said with her determination unwavering.

"I'd rather not anger Irene over this matter. You return to her this instant," he ordered as he turned his back to leave with the book in his hand.

"You are rather concerned for my mother's well-being after what you've done to her, C-Charteris Belserion."

The archmage's expression darkened, his teeth gritting in fury. Hearing his name spoken so boldly by a child infuriated him. Charteris turned slowly, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"You are filling your head with fantasies, child." He said in a calm tone, yet his eyes were shooting daggers at her.

"I am not him," he snapped.

"Then what is your name? I have been wondering what your name truly was and why everyone seemed to be anxious when I asked them. It appears that they all have no idea who you are. Well, nobody wants to be associated with the fallen empire that had once overruled this kingdom, right? "

"The only person who can overthrow the Alvarez Empire is the very person who built it," she said confidently.

Charteris stared at her, a myriad of emotions flickering across his face: anger, frustration, and something else Erza couldn't quite describe. Belserion's mocking tone echoed in the library as he turned to leave.

"Tell that to everyone and see if anyone believes you," he said, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

"They may not believe me, but I wonder how Lady Irene will react knowing that you erased her memories of her real daughter."

Just before he could step outside, Erza's words made him freeze and retrace his steps. "What did you say?" he demanded.

"I've always wondered why you look at her with those eyes, yet the guilt in your heart must be hurting you."

The archmage's face contorted with rage and pain. "You ungrateful child," he hissed, stepping closer, his hand twitching as if to reach for her neck.

"Do you not know how painful it is for Irene to lose that child? You have no idea."

"I know. She often cries in her sleep, asking for forgiveness for killing her own daughter. Yet she will be extremely angry with you, knowing that you have erased her memories of her own child. There's only one person in the empire capable of purifying anyone's memories, and it's you, " she said, glaring at him.

The archmage was momentarily shocked as if seeing Irene glaring at him. He clicked his tongue, angered by the audacity of being threatened by a child. His eyes narrowed as he took a step back.

"Now let me rephrase my question. Do you want me to reveal this information to my mother? I know you care for her. I can sense it, and I am not making an offer. I am threatening you." She paused and stared at him.

"If you don't help me wield magic, then I will reveal everything to her."

"Did you not understand that I can erase your memories this instant? Who do you think you are trying to outsmart, child?" he asked, his voice like ice.

"If you do that, I'll get sick again, and Mommy will get mad at you," she replied confidently.

Charteris scoffed though there was a trace of amusement in his expression. "What makes you think that?"

"Mommy told me that I'm too young to wield magic inside my core, but using external magic is fine. If you mess with my memories, it could disrupt my inner core entirely and make me ill," Erza explained.

"Too young to wield magic, my ass!" he muttered to himself, seeing her empty core.

"Wait until your next magic class. If any word gets into Irene, remember that I am equally as powerful as her. I will surely kill you with my own hands." he whispered before exiting.

Erza slumped to the ground as the archmage exited, her heart racing with the thrill of her success. She took a few deep breaths to steady herself.

"Finally, I convinced him," she rejoiced.

A/N: Please leave some reviews. Thanks for reading. It might take a while til my next update.