Chapter 1
Prologue
“As a rule, wizards are…”
The man raised his goblet with a smug grin.
“A sinister, eccentric bunch whose thoughts no one can ever understand. You’re better off avoiding them whenever possible.”
“Aaron’s right. The best thing to do is stay away from wizards.”
The other men surrounding Aaron readily voiced their agreement.
Aaron Schmidt was a Holy Knight of the kingdom, one of the elite known as the Gold Hands.
In the Kingdom of Peron, Holy Knights were divided into two orders: the Gold Hands and the Silver Hands. Boys aspiring to become Holy Knights first entered the training academy, and earning their ordination as a Silver Hand was the first hurdle. Among those Silver Hands who distinguished themselves through outstanding service, only a select few were promoted to the rank of Gold Hand.
The Gold Hands were the only knights permitted to command dragons, and their numbers were strictly limited. Whenever a vacancy arose, whether through retirement or the unexpected death of an existing Gold Hand, the most exceptional Silver Hand would be elevated to take their place.
To become a Gold Hand was the highest honor imaginable, the greatest position a man of the Kingdom of Peron could ever attain.
Wizards, on the other hand, were among the people most feared and avoided.
One could become a wizard in two ways. Some were born with magical power, while others awakened it unexpectedly later in life. Either way, they were sent to the Mage Academy, where they were trained as wizards.
The two pillars protecting the Kingdom of Peron were the Holy Knights and the wizards.
Yet while Holy Knights were admired by everyone, wizards were shunned.
The rumors surrounding them were always unsettling.
They were said to use children as ingredients for potions, to keep toads and centipedes crawling around them at all times, and to bewitch people’s souls so they could bend them to their own will.
No one knew how much of those stories were true. Still, everyone agreed on one thing: wizards were necessary, but they were certainly not people anyone wanted to get close to.
“Even if it’s His Majesty’s birthday celebration, inviting the wizards as well… don’t you think that’s going too far?”
That was precisely why Aaron and his fellow Gold Hands had been badmouthing the wizards ever since arriving.
The royal palace was hosting a grand ball in honor of the king’s birthday, and the wizards had been invited as guests.
A celebration like this ought to have been dazzling and joyful, yet gloomy, unsettling wizards had been allowed to attend. Naturally, it spoiled the atmosphere. No one could possibly think that those shadowy figures wrapped in dreary gray robes belonged at such a splendid gathering.
“Look over there, Aaron.”
One of the Gold Hand knights gave Aaron’s shoulder a light tap.
“It’s Grand Archmage Freyan.”
Aaron casually turned his gaze in the direction his companion indicated.
Grand Archmage Freyan. Aaron had heard that name so often his ears were practically numb from it. The leader of all wizards, Freyan spent most of the time in the highest floor of the royal palace’s Central Tower, conducting magical research while overseeing the education and training of new wizards.
No one knew how old he was or what he looked like. He was always concealed from head to toe beneath a gray robe, and it was said that not a single person had ever seen his face clearly.
The only thing everyone knew was that he possessed the greatest magical power of any wizard in the kingdom’s history.
“Don’t you ever feel like tearing that robe off him?”
“What would be the point? Underneath it’d probably be the face of some hideous creature covered in warts. He’s probably a hundred years old, too.”
Aaron lifted his goblet to his lips. For once, he had shed his armor and left his sword behind.
Tonight was a night to indulge.
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