Quick message from the author!

Yet another "Louise summons something different" with, guess what, another "summoned Original Character". This song and dance has been shown a great number of times. I don't plan on milking anything saying mine will be better because "X-Reason This" and "X-Reason That". My story is just a story to share. Whether it is liked or not is up to the viewer.

This story IS mostly for my sake. I love Familiar of Zero and wanted to write a story about it. Unfortunately I never found the right character. I don't even think I did with this one. Honestly, I chose this person out of sheer chance. By throwing darts. I had been so unsure which of my characters to use as each of them could have been as useless as a mundane individual (worse than Saito, and that's saying something) to someone who could, literally, burn the entire continent of Halkegenia to the ground. That is to say, the character I chose is... Above Average, I would have to say in regards to the scale I use in my stories.

I don't plan on doing a copy and paste of the novels or anime. Most of the key events will be in, but I plan on changing a few things here and there as I incorporate some of my story lore into the mix without changing any of the laws of the universe set in Familiar of Zero. It's mostly a story of what this character will change by him just being there. If you do not understand any of the lore, it's quite intended. You're not supposed to until the character explains certain things. And even then, certain other things will be unexplained as they are far too different between the logic of FoZ and my stories.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope you enjoy the show.

Chapter 1

I am a King

I wasn't so sure what to make of this. Here I am working on another project— a project in which my father never could finish either due to running into a wall or from the distractions that was his madness— when all of a sudden I felt a foreign wavelength infiltrate my workshop. It should have been impossible. The walls were lined with nearly every metal off the periodic table and then some my father, the Priest, and Roix Armadius synthesized. Nothing save for some of the more potent Primordial Works such as the Dra'cueri Queen's Authority of the World in which would have her completely rewrite the intended purpose of each metal as the World perceives it could pierce through these walls.

Or an Original Work. But nothing can block something as incomprehensible as that, with the exception of that which should not exist to begin with— Works from the Abyss.

My eyes shifted from the mundane plane into the String World. I watched as this foreign energy signature did not actually invade my workshop, did not touch anything that should have repelled it, and I was found completely intrigued as the strings in which made up everything let this signature pass by. If anything, this otherworldly program was being welcomed by the World.

Therefore, this was not an abomination of the Abyss. Nor was this an invasion of a Defiant Work such as Sorcery or a Miracle. If the World was welcoming it, then this signature must belong to someone of the Primordial or Original rank. I had already crossed out if this could be a sort of Dream Work, but that would require permission or influence of the Ruler of the World. With the Rulers long dead before the Age of the Kings, it had to belong to someone of Primordial or Original rank.

The conclusion frightened me. The only Primordial Being I knew of was the Dra'cueri Queen, and she and her people were servants to the Storm King. She would never be able to slip something like this through P'Zylor's attention. The other Primordial Beings I could think of would be the Priest and Roix Armadius. The former was a Guardian and was Traveling worlds in his duties and the latter was said to be lost somewhere in the Abyss.

So therefore, the conclusion must mean someone of Original rank must be calling for me. I couldn't help but shiver.

The energy source descended from its Traveling frequency to manifest inside my workshop. It appeared in a pool of… planetary life energy. Relieved that this wasn't an Original Work after all, I still couldn't help but frown. This was the work of someone from another world at the rank of Primordial. My world is considered [Dead] and cannot produce any more resources. Worse, even with my eyes I could not pick up the properties of this green reflection. To best of my description, this was a floating green mirror composed of raw planetary life-force of a foreign world.

I had thought about calling Alyse or Reaper from their chambers. But they were more than likely asleep at this hour. Besides, whatever they knew I would have known. Even if they now had their own individualities, they were both members of their respective families. Whatever they knew, the Houses of Alyse and Craven knew; and whatever those Houses knew, I knew.

So no matter what Jinni I would ask for, the best they could do was give me a second opinion or echo the thoughts I've already come to. It was times like this I understood why and how my father went insane.

In the end, the best I could do was stare at the glowing mirror. I wouldn't dare touch it. Not only does it have a foreign signature that could be completely incompatible with mine— and thus rip me apart faster than I could regenerate— but I did not know for what intended purpose it was here for. Was it a one-way mirror in which whoever sent it was watching me? Was it a trap? Was it to relay a message of some kind?

My questions were answered when a coil of the green substance lashed out at me. Immediately my Spirit flared through my veins as I weaved a counter-spell through my fingertips. My eyes entered the String World as I altered the weaves to match the frequency of the coil to the best of my abilities with the lone second I had. The coil was fast.

Matching the frequency, a weave of 'push' was made to repel the coil as I gathered distance. However, my spell was avoided as the coil swerved as though it were alive and latched onto my wrist before my feet could touch the ground. My body reacted as I wove a 'cut' spell to sever the binding.

Nothing. My spell just phased through.

Alarms went off in my head as my mind raced through my options. I activated the weaves set up within the confines of this castle to go off in the chance someone spotted an intruder who had been able to sneak past the wards. Such as this moment. Activity came alive in the castle as I sensed the Djinn Sentinels phasing through walls to reach me that much faster. And I felt the girls wake up and rushing to my position in haste.

I just needed to buy time.

The ground came alive as I commanded it to latch onto me the same way this intruding signature was. Still, the mirror fought and tried to pull me harder, but, strangely, just enough to where my skin didn't come apart. As though sensing its failure, more coils sprung from its surface and attached around each of my limbs and body.

My Spirit flared as I used propulsion weaves to push myself away from it as much as possible. But it seemed futile as even with the support of the castle materials and my own spells, the mirror was successfully pulling me in closer.

To the point where my fingertips just touched the surface.

The mirror spread like a gelatinous blob to encase me. The workshop door was blown open as Sentinels charged in. The eight-foot-tall white knights already knew nothing in their arsenal would be able to remove me and so they resorted to the more barbaric methods of attacking the main source with their weapons. Some attempted to grab onto me but found they could not get a hold of me as the green liquid repelled them.

"Artemis!" Reaper was the first of the girls to arrive. With her anti-magic attire of Roix Armadius, the tried to reach for me. There was a sound of evaporation as her gloved hands easily slid through the green substance.

The mirror didn't seem to like this and lashed out at her. A swipe of one of its coils caught her at the abdomen and forced her away from me.

Before she could recover and spring back, I was being swept away into the core of the mirror. It was a portal!

"Artemis!" roared Reaper in anger as she kicked off the ground with her Craven magic amplifying her abilities.

But she couldn't reach me. Darkness had engulfed me.

*Scene*

Traveling was not uncommon to me. I had Traveled from Ilyvander to Earth a number of times to visit my friends back home. Lolifor had enjoyed my visits whenever he wasn't busy running his chain of maid cafés. My half-sister Iris sure enjoyed my company with her new husband— one of my father's Djinn turned human from the Godking's Rite. However, Breaker remained as reclusive as always and continued to call me 'Virgin Boy' no matter how many years went by. And then it would start a lover's spat with Iris.

Momo and her Jinni partner, Judge Quinn, always found the free time to see me whenever I was visiting Earth. Momo would continue to flirt with me, especially if I brought one of the girls with me. And in those moments when Momo was having a catfight with one of the girls, I would sit down with Judge Quinn and ask for his advice. He was one of the first creations of my father and had served him since the beginning of the kingdom. Most of the time Quinn would tell me to figure it out on my own as he was retired, but on more dire matters he would give a decent opinion.

My point, Traveling is frequent for me. Normally, it's a highly illegal act. Worlds are not meant to mix and are supposed to run on their natural course. However, there are certain exceptions to this unofficial rule. Guardians can Travel because they go wherever a world is about to be consumed by the spreading of the Abyss, and therefore ending the world before its plotted time. Then there are worlds that are desperate enough or have hit a wall in their progress and require outside sources for their growth. Basically, Traveling was allowed most of the time if it meant veering out of the path of a world's demise.

I wasn't particularly allowed to Travel. However, I was looked at in the other direction because of my background. My father had illegally Traveled when he stumbled upon Earth and had laid my mother, having me. I was a citizen of Earth and therefore had the right to stay there. However, I was the rightful heir to what my father left back in the [Dead] world called Ilyvander.

So, in short, so long as I kept up the mantle, I could Travel between Earth and Ilyvander whenever I wanted. Only those two worlds, though.

It came at a surprise when I felt this third signature fast approaching. Rather, I was approaching it. I had grown so use to the frequencies of Ilyvander and Earth that I hardly noticed their differences anymore. But as I was exiting out the tunnel of darkness, I immediately knew I was coming to another world.

The first thing I took note of when breaking through the planet's surface was the sun. My eyes widened at the glowing orb in the sky as my Spirit was being recharged at a hyper rate. My skin almost glowed as it greedily took in its warmth. This was no fake sun made from some forbidden magic, a god claiming to be a representation of the sun, or from heretic science such as our Sun Spheres. No, this was a real sun hundreds of thousands of light-years away from the planet.

Earth had the same thing. But the Earth I was from had a Ruler in which generated an emulation of the sun he remembered. The Earth I was from was a [Fake] world made out of Dream Works by its Ruler.

Ilyvander was a [True] world. Thanks to the event of the Sun King, all [True] worlds in every plane, everywhere, no longer had a sun. A near infinite amount of worlds had lost its sun and had, almost just as much, lost its life. Only worlds with rich Defiant Works of Phenomena or Evolution, Primordial Beings with potent Authority of the World Works, and worlds who were already [Fake] to begin with had survived.

Ilyvander had survived because of the Sun Spheres and because of the tenacity of its Kings. But, that is to say, humanity no longer existed in that world. Because I was born on Earth, I was the only human on Ilyvander.

If this world I was entering had a sun just like the one back on Earth, it meant it was just as [Fake] as any other. And if that were so, then it meant it had its own Ruler in which was projecting the image of his or her choosing onto the canvas. What it meant in the end was I, a complete outsider, was entering the den of someone who, literally, ruled the entire world.

I, a mediocre sorcerer, was entering the realm of a god.

This shock was so immense it took me a while to register what else was happening to me. Wind was blasting my entire body and I felt light as a feather at the same time. Well, no figure. I was falling from insurmountable heights at an alarming pace and picking up speed.

Of all the Gifts the Dra'cueri Queen could have given me, she couldn't have given me the Gift of Flight? Seriously? No! She had to give me the Gift of Craft!

I'm not saying I couldn't fly if I applied enough patterns into my weaving. I'm just complaining that I have to input so many commands into my spell in order to fly when all I would have to do is think if I had the Gift of Flight.

But at the level of speed I was falling and with how much time I had wasted panicking over the existence of the sun, I didn't have the time to weave something as intricate as flight. With only a few seconds left before impact, the best I could do was weave a barrier in which absorbed inertia while reinforcing my body with both Spirit and Craven magic.

I bent my knees and forced my body to relax. The impact forced me onto my back even with the precautions I took.

"Argh!" I groaned and then coughed as the dirt I kicked up from my landing swept into my mouth. I would like to say a normal person would splatter into a mesh of fleshy gunk if they were in my place. Even some of the more sturdy Djinn would have cracked and died upon impact. But even with the defenses I put up, I still crashed hard enough to break a few bones.

Automatically my Spirit was repairing these damages. Contrary to popular belief, healing is not relieving. Healing is just as painful as it is getting the wound. It's only when the healing is done is it relieving.

It was a few seconds before I could move. Sitting up forced me to cough more, which made me groan a little more as my body was still aching despite being fit enough to move. But my Spirit was taking care of that. Sick of this dirt, I wove a small ventilation ward over my face. It probably would have been better if I blew away the cloud, but, again, that would take up more weaves than I should appropriate. An ethereal mask that let me see and breathe from five commands was much better than making a gust to blow away this cloud from twenty-two commands.

I stood and started to walk out of the crater my body dug itself, rolling my shoulders and popping joints as I also stretched my sore muscles. Magically healing was not as simple and convenient as people thought it was. That nonsense was only found in fantasy novels.

Um… and… well, speaking of fantasy novels…

I blinked. They blinked. I had found myself in the middle of a large open lawn with a crowd of teenagers in the background. Teenagers with every shade of hair-color of the rainbow at that. In front of me was a flabbergasted pink-haired child. And to the side, perhaps the one in charge of them all, was an older man with balding hair, a staff, and dressed in a long robe. The teenagers, however, were dressed in private school uniforms of white tops, black pants or skirts, and cloaks over their shoulders.

Oh. And let's not forget the series of animals around each of these… students, I assumed they were. Some of them ranged from birds, to snakes, to cats, to dogs, to even a giant mole. However, there were… others. I caught sight of a large eyeball with batwings that was floating (seeing as its wings were not flapping to support its suspension), then there was the large reptilian nearly the size of a komodo dragon with its tail on fire, and last there was the blue-scaled dragon twice the size of a large horse.

I swiped my face, removing and evaporating the invisible mask as though it were made of mist.

One of the students pointed at me, said something in French (but not French, infuriatingly enough) and caused the rest of the crowd to join in his laughter.

The pink one near me flushed in anger, stamped her foot down like the child she was, and argued back at the crowd. Her attention went to the man with the staff as she began demanding something of him. The man shook his head and explained his refusal.

Alas, I could not understand what they were saying. They were speaking French, yes, but at the same time they weren't. To best describe it, they were speaking in the French vocabulary but were instead using some other language as their base for grammar. I had been able to pick up a few words such as 'familiar' and 'Zero' but couldn't make anything by them.

For example, instead of saying 'Hello, my name is Artemis,' they were saying 'Artemis my hello name be'. Or at least that's what I think would be the best way to describe it. As they were expressing the more intricate sentences, the subject was completely blended in with the sentence to make heads and tails of their meaning.

I could, however, understand something. Familiar Ritual, that was what the man had said. My eyes traced the mocking students and at the animals and beasts strangely close to them. In the String World, I could see there was a sort of tie between one student and one animal, a 'familiar'. I had heard of familiars from fantasy novels, but there had been nothing about them in the archives of any Djinn family or even in the personal study of my father.

From what I could guess, a familiar was a sort of summoned or created creature in which would serve the magician in question. That was where my mind linked another theory. Though there were no mention of 'familiars' in the archives, there were plenty of mentions of Heroes, Champions, and Apprentices from before the Age of Kings. In that era, magicians would have used a certain summoning ritual in order to summon a being from another realm— be it the lost past or from another world altogether— in order to assist them in what duty was needed.

I was aware of a few such historic events of Ilyvander magicians. One in particular came to mind…

"Pinky?" I asked, interrupting the little magician from her tantrum.

Her head snapped at me with a puzzled look. The crowd was silent for a moment. For a moment. It didn't take them much to start in their uproar of laughter once more.

The magician in question flushed a deeper red and muttered something at me angrily.

I asked instead, "Rose li Red?"

More incoherent ramblings were the response.

I sighed and scratched my temple. So this was truly a completely different world. I had thought that, maybe, just maybe, I had been sent to the past before the Age of Kings. To the time in which the sun had never died out. A small part in my heart had hoped so— so that I may change things in which the Sun King never rose to power. But, I already knew the truth. There was no magic, no technology, no authority strong enough to turn back the clock enough to replay a time before the Sun King.

Because the Sun King wielded Original rank. Nothing comes before that.

Simply, I had thought she had been the magician who had summoned Sir Rolan and lived and also the same magician who summoned my father into Ilyvander some years later. She was known as Rose li Red and was nicknamed Pinky by Sir Rolan because of her vibrant pink hair and child-like stature. So I had thought— hoped, more like— this was the same girl.

Before I knew it, the pink magician gave me a command with one word. Kneel. I looked down at her and realized that I did tower over her nearly twice her height. She was a child and I was somewhat of a grown man with another growth spurt on its way. Even amongst my peers I was a giant at six and a half feet tall. My father was six-feet-even and my mother shorter than him. I've no idea where my height comes from.

And so, I took a knee so that I may be face-to-face with her. She had something important to say to me and even if I couldn't understand her, I would at least try to. Perhaps from what she had to say I could figure out what my role was here.

I had no intention of being a familiar. The only exception would be if I did have that open window to stop the Sun King. Any other purpose other than that did not sit well with me. I had heard many stories about Sir Rolan when he was summoned as a Champion. He had a dark record of killing most of his summoners. He had told me he accepted the four out of thirty-seven summoners because those four had a good enough reason for him to accept them. The other thirty-three he killed almost immediately to break the contract because he found those reasons to be ludicrous and pointless.

I'll admit summoning Sir Rolan, someone with the power to burn an entire civilization to near-extinction, just to help the summoner clean a barn is a little… silly. But I don't think it would warrant someone's death for wasting a few short minutes.

But it was without a doubt I was here because of this magician. I'll not kill her— good God no. But maybe I could discuss with her my reasons for being here and see if there was a way for me to return home.

She closed her eyes, lifted her wand, and muttered something. Not necessarily an incantation but rather a plea of some sort. Following I heard, "Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière…" and then more obscure Not-French grammar.

So her name was Louise. She definitely wasn't the Archmage Rose li Red who summoned my father as her Champion. That, or she was swearing up a storm and blaming some figurehead named Louise. I couldn't tell.

But then she went and kissed me. It was just a small peck on the lips, nothing fancy and nothing meaningful. But the gesture of having me lock lips with someone so young forced me back onto my feet and stepping away. She, however, had her head bowed and blushing with her fingers touching the tips of her lips with lingering feelings.

Me, on the other hand, I was panicking. One, that pedophile Lolifor will never let this down if he ever found out someone as young as Possibly-Louise kissed me. Two, Alyse will kill me if she ever found out if there was so much of a chance of another girl entering my so-called harem. I'm not talking about some comedy-sketch scene where she chases me down while hailing her magic bricks at me. I mean she will, literally, kill me. And three…

I blanched. I don't want to know what Reaper will do…

My thoughts were put on hold when I felt a foreign frequency invade my core. Spirit pulsed from my vorpal gland to try to remove the infiltrating virus. But it was futile as even photosynthesized magic nutrients could not so much as touch the frequency.

My back of my left hand was burning. The sound of sizzling fat and smell of burning flesh forced my body into overdrive. Spirit pulsed to nullify the pain, to begin the healing process, and to try to remove the problem. Only the pain was dulled down as a series of runes etched deep into the back of my hand.

The wings that marked my Gift of Craft came alive as the tattoos moved with the runes, as though giving it enough space for them both to fit into the back of my hand.

I realized I was panting. I had to scan my body in order to see why. Upon some sort of activation by the magician via the kiss, this foreign magic had used my own energies to fuel its branding. Not only that, but it had used my own energies to even repel the energies I sent to destroy it. Therefore, I had spent three times the Spirit and stamina, burning my body nearly dry in the process.

The energy consumption had been more than enough to make me winded. I could feel my body drinking in the light of the sun to recharge and I thought about removing my shirt to increase the flow. But I wasn't in a critical state and so a simple breathing exercise would suffice.

I took note the man with the staff was jotting down the formation of the runes on my hand with a piece of charcoal and a pad. He nodded and addressed to the students in the background. With his words, he took off the ground as he flew away towards the main building.

To piss me off more, because he made it look so easy, the crowd of students followed after him with their own flying spells.

Oh come on!

Meanwhile, the familiars were left on their own. I was sure they would start eating another once their masters were out of sight, but they didn't seem to mind each other. They began to wander around the field but never took off outside the walls or through the widely open gates.

I was left alone with the girl who branded me. She looked up at the students with a thin line crossing her lips. Seeing as I was staring at her, she looked away in… embarrassment? I didn't see why, but I knew nothing about her to determine anyways.

Rather than taking up flight like her peers, she chose to tread casually towards the main-tower entrance. She gestured for me to follow her and so I did. There were things we needed to talk about and things I needed to know. With or without being able to understand another, I will find a way to communicate with this girl.

*Scene*

I might as well have been tossed into the past. Earth's past, anyways. Most of the building was made of cement bricks but, from what my eyes could pick up, they had yet to install steel wiring. There was no lighting system outside of a lit torch and large windows for sunlight. I was worried this was an era in which indoor plumbing was considered their science-fiction.

Don't laugh at me. Indoor plumbing is the greatest invention known to mankind!

The room of my summoner was located in the North-West wing of the main-tower within the female dormitories. As the sun was setting, I could only assume male guests were still permitted at these hours. But it's not like we walked into someone on our way here. I also took note the furnishings of the hallways and walls were full of statues, fine wooden floors, expensive vases full of fresh flowers, and esquisette paintings of… middle-age European aristocrats.

At the sight of her room, I couldn't help but groan and slap my own face. Fine silk and cotton school uniforms should have been a clear giveaway. Her room was just as large as any of the guest rooms of my castle. That is to say, her room was just as large as the square-feet of the little house I lived in back on Earth. There was a queen-sized bed with sheets so soft it made it look like a still cloud, a fine wooden wardrobe wider than I was tall, a desk, a small dining table which could fit four individuals, and a large bookshelf filled to the brim.

Oh good God. It's another Lolifor. Any one of these things could have been sold off to pay for a year of living expenses when I was still living with Terah.

Terah… I shook my head. I wasn't ready yet to start thinking of her again.

"Summoner," I announced in French as soon as I shut the door. A door of splendidly carved oak with a gilded doorknob that could alone pay for… No, bad Artemis. You're not poor anymore. Get out of that mindset.

My choice of language got her attention. She asked me a question with her expression full of shock. But it's not like I could understand her…

"What was the purpose of summoning me?"

Her brow creased as she stared at me as though I had grown an extra head. Well, no, I had actually seen that stare before. Funny experience that was. So I was just using the wrong comparison.

Nonetheless, she said something, dismissing me, and began to walk towards her wardrobe.

…And started to strip.

"THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" I, admittedly, flipped out a little bit more than I should have. Alyse, Reaper, Bladeworks, and Coquette especially did this in front of me. Some to entice me, others to tease. But Louise? She was completely ignoring my existence as though I were nothing more than…

Oh wait. I was branded as a familiar. She did think of me as nothing more than a pet.

Well, the other half of the problem was that she couldn't be older than twelve. Like hell did I want to see some undeveloped naked body. No, no, that was for sick fucks like Lolifor. I refused to be anything like that short-ass little turd. Refused.

Louise put on a camisole with nothing underneath. She turned, pointed at the heaps of clothes on the floor, and barked out orders for me. Then, she pointed at the hamper at the corner of the room and barked out more orders. Last, she pointed at the heap of hay at the side of the room in which I had completely missed and (guess what) barked more orders.

I didn't need to be a linguist to figure out what she was telling me to do.

"No," I stood my ground. I stepped forward and instead of picking up her laundry, I tipped the basket over with my foot. "I'm not here to serve you."

She scowled and twitched angrily as she fetched her wand and pointed it at me. Naturally, she threw words at me regarding the order of things. She the master and I the familiar, and all that.

"You are child," I countered. She understood that much. Good. It meant he had to keep his sentences short. "I am no dog. My name is Artemis, not familiar. Answer my question. Why am I here?"

I grimaced when she told me to shut up or else.

I knew better than to argue with a child. Children needed to be guided and shown what is right and what is wrong and let them decide on their own. That's the way my father taught me and it was the way I taught Terah when it was just us. I can't speak for myself, though I believe I always make the right choice in life, but Terah was always a good girl.

However, those principles didn't apply here. Looking around once more at the fancy furnishings, the fancy uniforms of a prestigious school, and from her obvious superiority complex, I believe my normal methods will just land on deaf ears.

"No," I crossed my arms and refused to move any further. "Put your wand down. We will talk—"

She had enough and shouted a two-verse incantation.

Fine. If she wanted to resort to violence then I will indulge her. If she truly wanted to behave like a child then I shall treat her like one. My Spirit flowed through my veins in an instant as I commanded it to weave a predetermined pattern of fair-level magic resistance. It would repel planetary reserves— the energy source she was using to cast her spell— up to three-line incantations. In short, it could repel .55 caliber magic bullets. Nothing save for an anti-magic technique or armor-piercing spell could penetrate it.

My preparations were useless as her spell exploded in my face. My protections were completely nullified as though it was an anti-magic brick. Metaphysical strings in which should have bounced the spell off had become brittle and shattered. I was knocked off my feet as my nose started dripping blood.

"How the hell…?" I cursed as I started the recovery process.

This was a completely alien technique to me. With all my knowledge, I've never heard of raw anti-magic. I had been able to generate a barrier of anti-magic, but that was from burning just as much Craven magic keeping it up. Anti-magic required something for it to cement itself into. But someone can't make a spell and encase it with anti-magic. That'll just unravel the spell itself. Someone would need to find, say, a brick, wrap it with anti-magic properties, and then throw the damn thing.

Louise did all that without the physical brick.

"Learn your place, familiar!" Louise demanded of me. "Now get up and do as you're told!"

I waved the smoke of… sulfur out of my face as I gripped the edge of the nearby table to lift myself up. "God, for all I care at this point, you could just burn in hell…"

"What did you just say?! …Huh?" Her anger abated as we had both started to realize something. "I… I can understand you. Say something else!"

Dusting the soot off of my sweatshirt, I tried to assert myself once again. I could ask about her anti-magic spell at another time. "If you really can understand me, there are things we need to discuss. I want to know about this familiar pact you forced me into."

"There's nothing to discuss," she replied stubbornly. "You are my familiar and that's that. Now see to your chores or I won't grant you breakfast. I expect them to be done by the morning. I am tired. I am retiring for the day. Wake me at dawn— I will not be late for my classes because of tardiness."

With that, she closed the curtains, climbed into bed, and laid there with her back to me.

I did everything in my power to hold back the sigh. But there's only so much the magic of pinching one's sinuses could provide.

Forcing my emotions back down, I willed myself into a neutral mindset. "I am going for a walk. I will find my own quarters for the evening. Once you've calmed down, I will come back and we may discuss this matter again."

Before she could rise up and argue, I was already out the door.

*Scene*

The castle was nowhere near as huge as mine back in Ilyvander. No, no, the monstrosity my father built by carving out a whole mountain was big enough to fit every Djinn family in their own hallways with plenty of space left over. It was more of an indoor city than anything. Countless times I had gotten lost and had to call upon the Sentinels to escort me to my intended destination. It took me months just to get familiar with the most frequently used areas. I haven't even touched the lower levels. Bladeworks had been enthusiastically suggesting an exploration for a while.

Having that said, the concept of 'lost' was a good friend of mine. He or she was always by my side no matter where I went. Even as I retraced my steps, I found the twists and turns of the hallways were leading me around in circles. Maybe I just didn't have a sense of direction. I mean, seriously, I couldn't have been in that room for more than ten— fifteen minutes, tops. I am very proud of my photographic memory as it got me very far in school. Therefore, the only logical reason would be because the hallways were magically shifting even as my eyes could not pick up any interference.

It had to be.

The sun was over the horizon at this point with its rays slowly dying and cutting off my external resource of Spirit. Not that it mattered. The magicians of this world relied on the natural energies of the planet itself. It's not like they knew my magic was based off of sunlight. And even if they did and tried anything during the night, they would quickly find out the hard way my powers were hardly dwindled.

I let a smile slip as I watched the torches lined against the walls light themselves simultaneously. If they had a magic in which could light up all torches at a predetermined time, then surely they could use those theories to better their lack of technology. Or perhaps they had and I am judging too soon. For all I know, they could have progressed quite well within the past few years and were quickly improving. Maybe I will make a link with this world and Travel back here within the next ten years.

But first, I had to get off this rock.

And to first do that, I had to find my way out of this atrocious maze.

I turned the corner and had stumbled upon a pair of students mingling in a small waiting room lobby between dorms. The blonde I recognized immediately as one of the boys pointing and laughing at Louise. He was sitting on a bench, spewing sweet nothings of nonsense to a younger brown-haired girl who was eating every word he said. His school uniform was full of frills and made to expose his open chest while he waved a vibrant rose around.

What a fruitcake.

Then again… Lolifor's not that different when it comes to picking up girls. Not women. Girls.

I paid them no mind as I used a weave to conceal my presence. Unless they looked directly at me they would not see me. Hell, I could wave my arms, grab a torch and wave that around as well, and they would not notice me one big. But noise could get their attention, however I didn't feel like installing a few extra weaves to silence myself. Simple Craven magic will suffice, especially when stealth is what it was designed for.

I slipped by them without problems.

A while later, as I started to recognize my surroundings, I was stopped by one girl whom I had seen from the crowd earlier. She was another blonde, but had long hair twirled in ringlets and had her nose dotted with freckles. On her shoulder was her familiar, a small frog smaller than my palm.

She asked me if I had seen someone and gave me a description matching the fruitcake I had just seen. After a small inquiry, I found out she was his girlfriend.

Oh so he was one of those fruitcakes.

However, I had some mild respect for such individuals. I shouldn't, as what they do go against my morals. I shouldn't be talking since even though I love Alyse with all my heart, I still have the other girls who embrace me as much as I do with them. Alyse knows and approves (with some reluctance). However there is a line between having multiple lovers and just outright cheating.

I would have to say I respect the fruitcake because he reminds me of Lolifor. Despite the pedophile having no morals whatsoever, he was still a good friend who had did everything he could to have as many survivors as possible during the Godking's Rite.

So, I made up a story and pointed her in a false direction.

It would be the only kindness I would ever show the boy if he continues this path.

About half an hour later of wandering around, I finally found the first floor. Granted, that still didn't mean I knew where I was going. I may have been familiar with the general area, but with all the hallways looking the same and no sunlight to direct me, I had no idea where I was going. Luckily I had found a staff member who was carrying a basket of rags. I startled her, caused her to drop her things everywhere, and I helped her gather them.

We greeted another. Her name was Siesta and she was one of the many maids working in Tristain's Academy of Magic in order to support her large farming family back home in a small village of Tarbes. She had only known me as the human familiar summoned by Louise Vallière. I couldn't let my identity be known as this. I simply let her know my name and that I had been summoned from another world.

Of course, she didn't believe me. Who would? Coming and going with other worlds is only found in ideas of fantasy stories. I decided to leave it as me being from someone far away— a complete foreigner.

We had something of an agreement. If I were to assist her with the laundry she could provide me with some base knowledge of where I am. As she mentioned before, I was in the Academy of Magic in the heart of the country of Tristain. It was an institute in which the Nobility sent their children to learn all manner of education along with how to control their magic gift. The academy was but a few hours away from the capital by horse.

I looked up at the sky as soon as we stepped out of the building. The sky was much in the same as Earth's. No, that wasn't correct. The alignment of the stars was completely different. I would love to map out a chart if I could stay here long enough. Also, there were two moons instead of one— one red, and one blue. The hues of the moons did not affect my Spirit in the slightest. I say it's the same as Earth's because the sky in Ilyvander is black.

Though the sun is a star, Sunlight and Starlight are two different Originals. But since the sun vanished since the end of the Sun King, all the stars in the sky vanished as well. I should also mention the moon was also gone, but I never asked if there was one to begin with. If Earth had one moon, this world had two, there might be no moon assigned to Ilyvander.

Siesta told me about the status between the Nobility and the Commoners. The Nobles were blessed with the gift of magic by this Founder Brimir. They ruled much in the same way the feudal aristocracy did in the early centuries of Earth. With Nobles, there was a ruling family of Royalists who were said to be the direct descendants of Founder Brimir. So, this world had Victorian era English technology while still running on the old and completely unfair feudal system?

"Thank you very much for your help, Mr. Familiar," Siesta smiled at me as she hefted one basket while I carried two others under each arm. "Is there anything else you would like to know?"

I have a name, Siesta.

"Nothing that comes to mind," I shrugged as we approached the staff. Siesta had been a huge help. She could have told me what she knew about the Springtime Familiar Ritual, but I had declined and told her it was under the responsibility of my summoner to tell me. It also fell upon Louise to tell me how the system of magic works in this world, although I already had a few theories in mind.

"Have a good night, Siesta," I placed the baskets down against the wall of the staff facilities where she had told me to. "I appreciate the conversation."

"No, thank you Mr. Familiar," Siesta smiled sweetly at me. "I'd be up all night doing this if it wasn't for you. I hope things work out between you and Ms. Vallière."

With nothing else to say, we said our goodbyes.

My eyes shifted to the String World as I traced my fragrance back to the room of my summoner. It took me a while because, good God, I really was going around in circles for a while. It was one big knot with the way I was roaming around. Shifting the frequency in which they perceived, I read her emotions. She was sound asleep and dreaming well. However, she was still peeved with me. It would probably be best if I left her alone…

My eyes readjusted to the mundane plane. It looks like things are going to be that much harder… I hope the girls aren't worried about me.

*Scene*

"Mr. Familiar?" Siesta called out to me.

I had been awake before she called for me. There was no magic involved, only experience. My body had been tuned to be aware of presences whose attention was directed towards me. If someone was staring at me from a great distance, I would know. So I had been awake ever since the staff had begun trimming the bushes of the lawn. And here I thought sleeping under the tree in the far edges of the academy had been a good idea.

It all started when the girls lived with me during the Godking's Rite back on Earth. At first it was just Alyse staying in the same room as me when she was a ten-inch doll. But then my partners in the Game grew to Bladeworks, then Baker, then Reaper, then the Gemini sisters, and then Rose. Eventually it all grew into a fiasco to where I reopened my father's room and made them all sleep in there.

That didn't stop them from sneaking in. Eventually my body just became aware if they were planning on doing something to me in my sleep.

Still, the staff only noticed me and went on their duties. I was able to sleep lightly while keeping notice of my surroundings. It wasn't until I felt Siesta's eyes lying on mine I became fully awake. It was a shame. I had been up for nearly two days in total hours between my project and roaming around in this world. I couldn't have fallen asleep no later than midnight. It was still dark out but I could feel the sun was starting to arrive over the horizon.

A simple healing weave to drive away my fatigue had me ready to take on the day. But I would have still preferred a good cup of coffee over shocking my brain.

I got up off the ground and stretched. "Good morning, Siesta. You seem to be up early. Shouldn't you be resting a bit more? I'm sure you were working all day."

"Oh don't worry," she waved her hand in dismissal as she smiled. "This is the norm of the staff around here. But, um, what are you doing out here? Did things not go well with Ms. Vallière?"

"I didn't bother going to her," I finished rolling my shoulder. I noticed how her smile faltered at the mentioning of ignoring a Noble like Louise. Not that it mattered to me. I was just an outsider. "She was pretty upset last night, so I'm giving her some space to cool off. Anyways, I've got a few hours before she wakes up. Is there anything else you need help with for the moment?"

I suppose I should at least clean myself up. As she looked away in thought, I spun my fingers in a weave to reject dirt and grime off my skin and hair. I'm not saying I'm hiding my magic from her. However, I don't want her getting the impression I'm some sort of Noble. There was an obvious aura of fear when Siesta told me about Nobles.

"Well…" she tapped her chin as she looked to the sky. "I suppose, if you're free, you could help us in the Alvis Hall. That's where we serve breakfast to the students and faculty. We're a little short-staffed at the moment as some of us are also preparing food for the familiars."

So the school also takes care of providing provision for the familiars as well? Then what was all that hoopla Louise mentioned about not giving me breakfast?

I shrugged and gestured for her to lead the way.

*Scene*

I had half a mind to recreate a scene from Fantasia. You all know the one I'm talking about. Hours before the Alviss Dining Hall was open, Siesta, I, and a handful of other maids were to clean every corner. The dining hall was large enough to have a feast of over a few thousand students— honestly there couldn't be more than a few hundred blueblood magicians attending this school. There were three rows of tables parallel to another made out of one whole chunk of wood. I could only conclude magic was in the works when carving such ridiculous tables.

The floors needed to be scrubbed and waxed; everything from the tables, to the decorum, to the walls themselves needed to be dusted and oiled down; and the glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling several feet above needed to be polished with a just as ridiculous ladder.

Making wooden appliances come alive sounded like a good idea. What I found funny was with my particular Sorcery I could have made it happen. Having an army of dolls is one thing, but I'm more than sure the girls (Alyse in particular) would ridicule me for bringing home an army of mops, brooms, rags, and buckets. It was the only thing stopping me from actually doing it.

That, and I wanted to rub it into Baker's little fairy face that I do not suck at cleaning.

Seeing it was finally time to start serving the students, I was pushed to the staff entrance by another maid. They gave me a cooking apron with a chef's hat and told me to push one of the carts around as the maids served the breakfast.

As the students began to arrive at their own leisure, I eyed the food being placed on my cart. And holy crap. When I first arrived at my father's castle, the Djinn who had been maintaining the building had served me and the girls food just like this. That is to say, the food was beyond exquisite. And this was just breakfast for a bunch of kids? On a normal day?

What a bunch of spoiled little pricks. A meal like this would have taken me a few months of saving back at my job as a grocer.

I kept silent as I pushed the cart while Siesta served the food and poured— good God Almighty— wine into crystalline glasses. And I continued to keep silent as those students I recognized were snickering at me and asking me if 'the Zero' couldn't pay me well enough. I had no idea what they were talking about. I had heard that word yesterday but knew nothing about it.

Be that as it may, only an idiot couldn't put two-and-two together. I didn't know what Zero meant, but I knew they were talking about my summoner. They continued to mock her.

What bugged me was I was so bothered by this. It wasn't pity in the slightest. It was more so…

…I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Familiar!"

And suddenly those feelings washed away. I even waved goodbye to them as they drifted down the metaphorical river.

"Good morning, Louise," I gave a warm smile as I greeted the little mage who was stomping her feet towards me. Rather than trying to fake a smile, I instead sought to find amusement in her actions. It wasn't difficult to find this humorous as she was just a child. "Did you sleep well? I hope you've calmed down since last we've talked."

She did not look happy in the slightest. Though passable in the modern age of Earth, I could make out the little imperfections of her and her attire. Strands of her hair were out of place, her clothes were wrinkled with some of the buttons mismatching, and one stocking was only raised to her calf while the other went up to her thigh. It was a clear sign of someone oversleeping and rushing to prepare themselves.

She actually thought I was going to wake her up? Hilarious.

"What do you think you're doing here?!" she nearly shrieked but did surprisingly well to keep her voice down. The eyes of her peers were already on her and she didn't want to make a scene. Good. "You were supposed to wake me at dawn! And not only did you fail to return to your master but you have the audacity to assist the staff? They are paid to do their jobs for a reason. Are you even listening to me?!"

I take it back. She might have kept her voice down but she knew next to nothing about not gaining bad attention.

"Please enjoy," I said to the pair of students I served while Louise was ranting. Siesta had been troubled between carrying on with her job and helping me. She stood in the background, frozen with the exception of switching glances between Louise and I. I took it upon myself to finish the job she had started as soon as Louise interrupted us.

"What's wrong, Louise?" said the boy to my left. "You not paying him enough and now he went back to serving?"

"We all knew you faked your summoning," snickered his friend to my right.

I turned to the little magician who had summoned me and gave her a simple smile through hardened eyes. She could only stare back at me as her emotions were controlling her thoughts. She couldn't even tell I was disappointed with her. That, or she didn't care in the slightest. I was nothing more than a pet to her after all.

"Siesta," I turned to the maid. The girl jumped in surprise but had my full attention. "I'm very sorry but could you finish without me? I need to have a word with my master."

Siesta blinked and had a thin line on her lips as she was unsure of what to do. I gave her a nod of assurance. With that, she gave me a nervous smile and pushed the cart away, leaving me with Louise.

Louise didn't have that talk with me like we were supposed to. Instead, she gestured for me to follow her to the middle table. I held back a laugh when she glared daggers at me as she waited in front of one seat, expecting me to pull it out for her. I had half a mind to do so and to pull it under her at the last second and watch her fall to the floor. As funny as it would have been, I wouldn't stoop to her childish level. But I wouldn't do her a kindness either.

I tilted my head and feigned ignorance.

With a puff, she corrected my mistake and told me in the future to pull out her chair. She left it at that and seated herself.

She nearly flipped when I took the seat to her right.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Sitting," I replied through a strained voice. I was quickly getting tired of this nonsense. I can already predict what she was going to say next.

"Only Nobles can sit here. You're place is down there."

My eyes followed where she was pointing at. Yep, I was totally right in my assumptions. I really was nothing more than some pet. She was pointing at the dish of bread on the floor beside her chair. I had seen it earlier but thought nothing about that. I knew she though so little of me, but I didn't really see how badly until that.

"Be grateful I'm a forgiving master," she said with such pride it was as if she had performed some grand charity and sacrificed so much for me. "But today will be my only kindness. If you refuse to obey me further I'll not show you another. Normally familiars aren't allowed in the Hall, but I've asked to make an exception for you."

Dark thoughts flashed through my mind. I've never wanted to do such terrible things to a girl before. I thought about grabbing the bread, pinning her to the floor, and shove it down her throat until she suffocates and pisses as her brain dies out.

And then I had the dark thoughts of things I would only do to my enemies. Things that would have her begging like the dog she thought I was.

But I willed those away. As efficient as fear is, I did not want to use it to overpower the magician girl. I wouldn't be at her level— I would be far worse. There were more virtuous methods of educating someone like her. I'd like to sleep soundly at night.

"Tell me, master. It's my understanding so far that a familiar is a creature in which serves a specific magician though a unique bond. Is this correct?"

Louise eyed me when I leaned forward on the table, propped up my elbows, and rested my chin on my cupped hands. In the corner of my eyes I stared back, keeping my expressions as neutral as possible.

"…Yes, that's correct." Her eyes narrowed. "If you understand then you should know your place and listen to what I have to say."

"So then it is in my understanding that I am to be in your care. That since you summoned me I am to be by your side and perform duties under your name. That anything I do is a reflection upon yourself and your responsibility over me."

She said nothing as her brows creased in confusion.

"So, master," I paused as I looked around the room. I caught glimpses of students staring at us in disgust for me sitting here and snickering like teenagers would while mocking Louise even further. It meant nothing to me. I was busy evaluating something else.

"I think I'll make a fool of myself," I said with a shrug. "Maybe strip down naked and run amok right here and now. Maybe break a few things, throw some food and wine in Nobles' faces, steal a few kisses from the girls around here, maybe do a little bit more here and there. Normally I would never dare to do these things as they're rather embarrassing. But what do I care? I'm not the one who will get the blame. I believe those in charge will reprimand the one who let their dog get out of control."

Truth be told, my mind wanted me to start a fire. A part of me didn't care if a few students got caught in the blaze so long as Louise got in trouble for it. But I would never do something like that. As sweet as the idea sounds, it also made me sick. There are not very many things out there worse than burning bodies. It's an experience I never want to see again.

Louise gawked. "Y-You wouldn't dare!"

"Do I need to, Vallière?" I turned my head and sharpened my gaze. I didn't look down upon her as an enemy, or even as a potential threat I might have to attack. It was a sharp gaze I would have given to one of the girls if I thought they went over the line.

Unfortunately, Louise didn't seem to be bothered by it in the slightest. She quickly recovered, stood on her feet as she kicked back the chair, and shouted. "I will not be patronized by my own familiar! You will do as I say or— WHAT IN BRIMIR'S NAME ARE YOU DOING?!"

There was no need to answer that question. I had taken off my sweater and was beginning to unbutton my shirt. She was just repeating herself at this point and refused to face facts. Oh well. Maybe this will be a lesson she needs to—

The room had been silent as students stopped their gossiping to watch the two of us. It was more than quiet enough for me to hear anything else that was going on. The sound of shouting was heard. I stopped stripping and focused my eyes on what was happening. Normally I would have proceeded with my plan, but the second sound hidden underneath the shouting had gotten my attention.

Siesta was muttering things so quietly I could not hear them. She was pressed against the wall with her arms to her chest like a protective shield as a group of boys stood in front of her. At the center was the blonde fruitcake I had seen last night as he was spewing fancy and unneeded words regarding something being Siesta's fault.

"Excuse me," I said as I got out of my seat and began to quickly pace over to their direction.

Louise wouldn't let me and was about to intercept my path. However, I kicked up the chair she knocked over, spun it around, and shoved her into the seat. I gave her one glare that told her not to stop me.

"Alright that's enough," I said with a loud voice as I approached the group. "If there's a problem then deal with it yourself; there's no need to gang up on one person."

Everyone's eyes turned towards me. The group of boys stared at me dumbfounded while worry crossed Siesta's face. I felt her body trying to signal me to just walk away. But I wouldn't have any of it.

"Who… Oh, yes, I remember you," the fruitcake dressed in the same style of clothes as last night waved his rose around with a flourish. "You're the plebian the Zero hired. I don't know how you staged all that, but it doesn't matter. It would seem you're back to serving in the kitchen."

I took this moment to stand beside Siesta. The thought of me using magic of any sort was expunged. With everyone watching these boys would never resort to anything distasteful without having their reputations broken. It was why they were grouped together to begin with. They wanted to look as imposing as possible.

Ah, it would seem no matter what world one is in, high school bullshit never escapes.

"The business between the girl and I is none of your concern," I cut him off as he had more to say. "Now what happened?"

The blonde boy didn't seem to like my tone. "This is none of your business. It is between the maid and I."

"Yes, it would," I nodded. "I'll not stop you, but I believe I should be here to support Siesta since you lack the balls to approach her alone."

Silence. The background and white noise of the Hall had been cut off by my words. Now there wasn't a soul who wasn't paying attention to this confrontation.

"…What…" his voice was so low I had barely heard him. His face was flushed with rage as he gritted his teeth. "What did you say to me, Commoner?"

I did not bother to reply to him. My head turned to Siesta. "What happened?"

"Ah!" she had been so caught by my insult that my question brought her rudely back to reality. She had to take a moment to collect herself. "W-Well, I saw Mr. Gramont drop a vial and so I sought to return it to him—"

"Do not ignore me—"

I put my hand in front of the boy's face before he could say anything more. The act was more than enough to shut him up as he was caught in his own rage. It would take a short moment for him to gather his wits. I gestured for Siesta to continue.

She was conflicted between finishing my request to fearing the wrath of what will happen once the Noble recovers. But she eventually continued, "A-And he denied it was his. But I knew I saw him drop it and tried to return it to him once more. There was a dispute as the vial was found out to be perfume made by Ms. Montmorency while Mr. Gramont was with Ms. Springfield a few moments ago. Ms. Montmorency arrived moments later and discovered his… relations with Ms. Springfield. Both ladies slapped him and left."

I crossed my arms and waited. I blinked as she had nothing more to say. "…So what do you have to do with this?"

"This girl," interjected the Noble as he pointed accusingly with his rose, "broke the hearts of two maidens by bringing the vial after I had denied its ownership. As such, she needs to take responsibility—"

"Oh shut up," I refused to let him finish. "It's your fault you little shit. Do not put the blame on another for the sheer stupidity of your own doing. Should Siesta have listened to you, the girls would have found out on your actions and the events would have played out just the same. Go away before you embarrass yourself further."

I had nothing more to say. I grabbed Siesta's hand and pulled her away. I believe after all this she would need a break and guided her towards the kitchen.

But somebody wouldn't let this go.

"I'll not be insulted by a mere plebian," gritted the fruitcake through his teeth. "It would seem you need to know your place, Commoner. I hereby challenge you to a duel!"

The silence from the background was broken by a series of gasps. The group of boys around him was telling him to just let it go and face facts. They also said it was against the rules to hold duels. The boy countered that his honor had been stepped on and it was his duty as a Noble to teach me the way things work. He also said there was no rule against dueling Commoners and familiars.

I stopped walking.

I let go of Siesta's hand.

I turned, paced my steps back towards the boy, and glared down at him. "I refuse your challenge."

The Gramont boy did not take my words so well. He scowled as his lips tightened into a thin line. "You have no choice but to comply or face the punishment of the law. You will fight me or be thrown into the dungeons—"

I didn't let him finish. I had reached into the back pocket of my jeans, pulled out the tuning gloves I use when at my workshop, and slapped him across the face with them. The crack of contact was louder than thunder at this point.

"No, Gramont," rage seethed through me. "You will fight me. You are filth. Garbage! You use those who love you for your selfish and pathetic needs, cower when these things are taken from you, and bully the defenseless in order to hide your shame. You are not a man. You are not even a boy. You are a dickless child. And you'd dare to try these things again. So I will teach you what happens when you step over your liberties. I will be the one to challenge you to a duel."

There was silence in which not a single thing was heard. And then there is silence in which the lack of noise is louder than any disturbance. This was a silence in which everyone in the Alviss Hall could drown in its tension.

The child was beyond rage at this point. His eyes had honed from fiery furry to cold steel. This was a rage in which broke through one's mental capacities.

"It is against the law for a Commoner to issue a duel against a Noble. I should have you arrested for this."

I leaned down and touched brows with him. "Then do you accept my words, coward?"

His eyes narrowed as he knew well what would happen should he turn down my challenge. Reputation was everything, including to one of nobility and especially a young teenager attending school. No one cares more about what others think than teenagers. I was counting on it for him to accept. And if not, should he call for the guards or something, then I'll be beating this little shit to the ground before they arrive.

"I shall be in the Vestry Court," he declared while turning around, never backing away. "I will put you in your place, plebian."

Students stood from their seats and followed after the Gramont, eager to see the event unfold. Gossips were whispered as eyes were directed towards me. I even heard one student start a tally on bets with every one of them against me.

All I could do was remain standing where my feet were planted. My eyes were closed as I tried to keep in my emotions. This world has done nothing but piss me off so far. Louise was one thing, and I could perhaps tolerate the Gramont boy to an extent. But the reactions from all of the other students infuriated me. They were treating this like some sort of gladiator match in which they were going to watch someone be slaughtered.

I had seen Siesta's petrified look of absolute horror. She truly believed I was going to die once I stepped into the Vestry Court.

"FAMILIAR!" However I could not tell for what reason my summoner was more agitated than usual. Oh, I could fathom a guess. But with her, it could be anything.

"Vallière," my voice was irate. Nevertheless, I opened my eyes and looked down as the little girl was tugging at my collar trying to pull me down to her level and failing miserably.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?!" she didn't seem bothered by my lack of compliance. "Guiche will kill you! Do you understand that?!"

I flicked her hand away. I really wasn't in the mood to deal with this. "Pray tell me, Vallière, in what way could he be a threat to me?"

"I-In what way?!" she stepped back speechless. She had to blink a few times as she rolled the question in her mind as though I had asked the dumbest thing known to mankind and was trying to find the sense in asking such a question. "G-Guiche is a Noble! He may be just a dot-class mage, but he is still more than capable of killing you! No Commoner can stand up against a mage! It's impossible!"

I gave her a dead-stare. If that was all she had to say I had no reason to listen to her. I turned away from her and began to exit the Alviss Hall.

"A-Artemis," the sound of Siesta's plea made me stop. "Please. You don't have to do this. I will turn myself in for punishment."

There were many words in which I could say to her. Words of ridicule, words of comfort, words of sympathy, of pity— endless replies came to my mind but none of them I would ever use. Instead, I gave her one look. An empty look in which would leave her imagination to fill in its own meaning. However she perceived its meaning would be up to her.

Ignoring the badgering and tugging of my summoner, I followed the crowd to the Vestry Court.

*Scene*

"I'm shouldn't be surprised that you actually showed up," Guiche stood in the center of the Vestry Court with the petals of his rose just under his chin. His expression hadn't changed in the slightest. "But if you hadn't, I would've hunted you down myself."

The Vestry Court was one of the larger gardens of the inner walls of the Academy. Or at least the bigger of what I have seen so far. It was a large open lawn with well-trimmed grass, a bed of flowers here and there, statues, fountains, and stone walkways littering across elegantly. The field was more than large enough to fit every student in the Hall.

The large crowd of some-hundred students let me pass as they circled around us in a large enough radius in which to give us enough space as well as for everyone to see the impending duel. A thirty-five foot radius wasn't much to work with. It was cramped and wouldn't leave much freedom for the things I would normally fight against.

Curiously enough, I had spotted the two girls from last night who I could only assume to be Montmorency and Springfield. Even the bitterness of a broken heart couldn't keep them away from such a spectacle, it would seem.

But it was from the tightness of the radius that assured me. Assuming duels were common around here and the students had seen their fair share, it meant the duels were hardly anything spectacular as the brawls, beat-downs, and slaughters I had faced.

I did not respond to Guiche's words. There was no need. "What are the terms for the victor and the defeated, the rules of engagement, and the conditions of decision?"

"Guiche!" my summoner shouted as she shoved her way through the crowd. "Guiche, stop this! He is my familiar and it's my responsibility! I will see to it he is properly punished if you—"

"You're still going on about that, Vallière?" Guiche was not amused. "No, I will not. This has gone far enough. Let alone he dared to challenge me. Your familiar needs to know his place."

The cold glare he gave her got her to be quiet. She wanted to say more, was about to cry as I saw the look of desperation. I could only assume it meant life or death to her if she was thinking about planting her face to the ground and begging for forgiveness.

If things turned out the way I expect them to, I could turn this into a learning experience for both Guiche and Louise. Maybe even for all the Noble brats present.

Guiche elaborated loud enough for everyone else to hear. He was more interested in making this into a show for everyone to witness rather than taking me seriously. "The victor shall do whatever is desired onto the defeated. We will fight with magic. And the victor shall be decided once the victor says so," he concluded with a smirk.

The victor is determined by the victor. And we were to fight with magic. If he was trying to get a reaction out of me, it wasn't working. I remained passive about his rules. The Nobility is blessed with the gift of magic and as such have full rights to rule over those without. I recalled what Siesta told me. Guiche truly wanted to put me to the ground as though I deserved it. He issued these rules so that no Commoner could ever agree— could ever defend themselves. And no matter how the Commoner would beg, Guiche would use the terms of the victor to keep the duel as long as he saw fit.

This would be brutality. If there was truth to Louise's words then the magicians of this world had a gap of power in which no mundane individual could ever hope to stand up to them, even against a child like Guiche. So under these circumstances, one would have to ask where the faculty was. Where were the guards who protected the order of the building and protected all of those residing within the walls?

They were using a scrying spell to watch from a distance, of course. As if my eyes couldn't pick up the trace of magic above our heads. I had half a mind to look into their mystical camera.

"Very well."

Whispers and snickers from the crowd. It was getting old very fast.

"Hmph," Guiche tussled the bangs of his hair as he tried to hold back a smirk. "So be it, Commoner. That arrogance will be your downfall."

He swished his rose around as I watched a lone petal fall off its stem. It drifted to the ground and vanished into sparkles of light as it faded into the dirt. Light shone brighter as a circular ring nearly three feet wide in diameter expanded. A figure rose out of the ground in full medieval armor made of pure bronze and stood just as tall as I was. In its hands was a bronze jousting lance just a little taller than the both of us.

There was life in this suit. Life, but no sentience. It was completely dependent on Guiche.

"I am Guiche de Gramont," he began to announce. "My runic name is the Bronze, so therefore it is only fitting you face my bronze Valkyrie."

I, however, was not impressed. The armor was shit. Its design was fragile and left far too many holes in its defense. It was purely something for decoration— no doubt he had based its design off of some decorative plating he had seen in pictures or had similar models in his home. Plus, bronze? Bronze was far too heavy for mobility and considered a soft metal. Had this suit of armor been used in actual combat, its user would be killed easily.

The only upside was there was no one inside. This was puppetry and transmutation. I respected his craft for turning the ground into bronze, even if it was just temporary.

But I was also not impressed because it was so basic. So childish.

"One," I called out in a low voice. The workings inside my body came alive at the command. Spirit surged through my veins and reached into my fingertips. The tattoos of wings at my hands came alive as I beckoned for the use of the Gift of Craft.

"Two," I commanded a second working to activate, my mind, body, and mystic functions to excel at thrice its potential. I lifted my hands as my eyes shifted into the String World.

Guiche grimaced but waited what I was about to do. He looked at me as though I were mad. And why not? From what I've seen so far, the magicians of this world needed a focus of some sort in order to use their spells. To them, I was counting numbers and raising my hands for nothing.

"Three," the insides of my body roared as my processing was pushed past its mundane limits. Had this been a few years ago, I would have been reeling in pain. But now, I was stronger than any mundane.

If Guiche was going to fight me with a puppet, if he was going to expect this to be a match between a bully and a defenseless, well, he was in for a surprise.

No one would be able to see what I was doing. My fingers spun faster than what should have been humanly possible. They should have twisted and snapped in two with the way I was moving them over and under another. But with my abilities they could have just been moving normally.

My eyes were tracing over the blueprints of patterns to weave. I knew this specific weave more than I knew the pattern that made up my body. It had been branded into my soul and could be replicated in my sleep. But it was a weave in which consisted of hundreds of billions of patterns. Its intricacy was unbelievable. Just from seeing it I have nearly gone mad.

Therefore, I could never look into it and examine each individual pattern, else end up like my father.

Guiche had grown tired of waiting. He flicked his rose across. The Valkyrie came alive and charged. It moved faster than any normal person should have, kicking up dirt with each step.

But it was so agonizingly slow to me.

An image was starting to form for everyone to see. At first it had been nothing but a flicker in which played tricks with their minds, making them doubt they had seen anything. But as my weaves started to come together with its enormous variety of patterns, the flicker began to become more frequent and started to take shape.

As the Valkyrie was closing in, I concluded the last of my spellwork.

There was nothing flashy in its finish. It had simply appeared when my spell was completed. There was but a single swipe, a high-pitch whistle in the air, and the Valkyrie was obliterated into a hundred fragments.

The sight of my Sorcery left everyone silent.

Standing at nearly eight feet tall was a figure clad in pristine white and silver armor made of metals only found in my kingdom in Ilyvander. In its grip was a just as colossal great sword of the same metals. Unlike Guiche's Valkyrie, this creation of mine wasn't designed for decoration. Though its armor was beautiful, there were no elaborate engravings or compensating shapes to put emphasis to its potential power. It was a suit of armor in which wasn't designed for show, for duels, or even simple security.

It was designed for war.

This was a Djinn Sentinel, the very same of the hundreds of thousands that guard the borders of my kingdom, the districts under my authority, and the castle I and my girls live in.

And unlike Guiche's puppet, mine was given sentient life. It did not require me at all to fully function and could act on its own accord.

The Sentinel stood straight as it flicked the fragments of the Valkyrie off its blade. It waited its next command or for whatever Guiche was about to do next.

"Y-You…" The arrogance Guiche had before was completely swept away just in the same way his Valkyrie had been destroyed. "Y-You're a N-Noble?!"

His awe had been shared by everyone else spectating. Jaws had been dropped, gasps were heard, and whispers and curses were exchanged. Louise was staring at me in a new light.

I kept silent, not giving him anything. With a mental command, the Sentinel took a stance that threatened to attack if Guiche did not make his next move.

"No…" Guiche's shoulders began to shake. "It's just a fluke! You're just a plebian! You made this giant appear just in the same you faked the Zero's summoning!"

Absolute denial to retain his sanity, or was he truly that ignorant? He didn't look hysterical, just infuriated. Regardless, it was a sad sight.

He waved his rose once more. Three petals fell off the stem, landed onto the ground faster than they should have drifted, and dissolved into the dirt. Much the same way as before, glowing rings appeared and three more bronze Valkyries rose up. The one in front had the same lance while the two behind it had halberds.

In the same formation they were summoned, they charged simultaneously towards my Sentinel. The power of their kicks lifting dirt into the air as they moved faster than a normal human could sprint.

But, still, so agonizingly slow.

There was nothing but the sound of a whistle as the air was split in two. The first Valkyrie crumbled apart as my Sentinel did not so much as move forward, but it would be better to describe it as he appeared before it. I did not install something as complex as teleportation— there wasn't a need for it. There was a level of power and there was control following after. It had harnessed its own power, channeled it, focused it, and moved forward at a speed in which made it look like it had teleported.

But to me, I had been able to follow its every movement.

Guiche, however, had been unable to notice yet his first Valkyrie was just cleaved in two. He only began to notice what was happening once my Sentinel had moved on and was already beheading the second Valkyrie. Realization finally struck home as his eyes widened when the third Valkyrie was stabbed through the chest.

By this point, he was beginning to panic. He raised his wand and began to call upon more Valkyries.

Only, I wouldn't allow any of that.

My left hand was around his wrist and my right ringing his throat in the next instant. I had crossed the distance in the blink of an eye and his slow senses hadn't even realized it. It wasn't until I was shoving him to the floor did his eyes bulge out from surprise. Seeing as the rose he carried was his focus for magic, I had it removed by snapping his wrist out of its socket. His gargled screams filled the air.

At this point, as I continued to strangle him and watch him struggle for air and freedom with his life slowly beginning to fade away, I began to ponder my next move. How should I go about this? I could kill him. I could humiliate him. I could even let him go. But it would be from my decision that would also decide how he was to live his life from now on.

"Y-Yield!" he gasped between hard breaths.

I couldn't help but cock a brow. He was yielding? Giving up? Putting up the white flag?

My response was to tighten my grip.

Some students stepped forward to stop me. My Sentinel responded kindly by swinging its sword down inches before they could move. Any closer and they would have been missing their noses, some knee caps, and toes. Or it could have just spliced their faces right off. They got the message and backed off.

"W-Why?!" hacked Guiche.

"The victor is decided by the victor," I replied with his own words. "And the victor decides what to do with the defeated. I'm heavily thinking about killing you. It's not like you'd learn your lesson anyways."

He tried to argue. Except it came out as more gargling as he tried clawing at my grip. Unfortunately for him, my skin was as hard as steel right now from activating such heavy magic. His attempt was laughable. Still, his eyes looked up at mine pleadingly. They were saying he would never do it again.

"Never do what again, Guiche?" I loosened my grip enough for him to cough and take a bit of air. And then I squeezed down once more. "Cheat? Lie? Bully? No, you'll do those things again if I let you live. You'll just never do them in my presence. And you'll never insult me again, but you'll turn around and do it on someone else. No, you haven't learned your lesson."

His struggling was starting to weaken as his face was beginning to turn blue. Now the other students were beginning to beg for me to stop. Some tried to cast a spell, only for my Sentinel to intercept the super-low ranked fireballs and wind blasts. Even if it hadn't, my own natural magic defense would nullify their attacks. But what infuriated me the most was the faculty. I knew they were still watching. Where the hell were they?

"Artemis."

My head turned at the voice calling my name. A curious brow was perked as I found out it was Louise who called out to me. She looked… defeated. No longer angered, no longer desperate— she had hit rock-bottom with her emotions. Her pride was gone.

"Please, let him go."

I stared at her for a moment, judging her. I would have assumed she wanted me to release Guiche in order to save herself from any political backlash. As her familiar anything I would do will be a reflection upon herself. Therefore, a Vallière would be responsible for the death of a Gramont.

However… that idea wasn't in her eyes.

I let Guiche go and stood. I towered over him as I let him cough out his lungs and gasp for air. He rolled to his side as he clutched his dislocated wrist.

I kicked him over to his back so that he could face me. "Guiche, I have decided. As of this moment, you will not address yourself as a member of the Gramont house. You are Guiche and nothing more. You will wake up at dawn and provide any menial task the helping staff has to give. You will apologize to Siesta and to anyone else you have harmed both directly and indirectly, whether they be involved with today's incident or not. And you will keep begging for their forgiveness until they do so."

I wasn't done yet. I twisted a weave with my Spirit flowing nimbly through my fingers. Even across dimensions, it answered the calling of its master.

A sword appeared in my grip. My sword. The blade in which carries my blood as it was I who forged it from nothing. Solstice. The blade representing my authority. Feeling it in my grip granted me invigoration in which caused my body to glow with transcending levels of Spirit.

I was a walking ray of sunlight before their eyes.

I pressed the blade to Guiche's neck. "To learn humility, you are forbidden from using magic outside of your studies. When you are not performing your tasks with the staff or attending your classes, you are to report directly to me. You are to be in my services until I deem you have learned humility."

I pressed the blade a little closer, drawing blood. "…Or until I decide to kill you. Your life is mine, Guiche. These terms are non-negotiable."

I lifted Solstice away, turned my back to the mess of a boy, and paced myself towards Louise. My stare was hard as she could only look away. But I stopped myself as something else came to mind. Something in which I found needed to be pressed onto this matter.

"To answer your question," I turned back to Guiche. "I am neither a Noble nor a Commoner. My name is Artemis James Philips, and I am a King!"