At almost the same time as the Flame Dragon attack incident.

  At the Ozbein Residence, the home of a distinguished family in Sacris. Argus Ozbein, the eldest son, was absent from the Magic Training at Mount Kirathon, an event for third-year students, and was on standby at home.

  It wasn't simply that he skipped it. Information had come in that the masked group was making extremely suspicious movements, so he thought to be able to move in case of emergency. Unfortunately, all the main personnel were out to participate in the joint military exercise currently taking place in the capital, Dandama. Therefore, the house was quiet itself.

  Argus, who was relaxing somewhat aimlessly in his room, noticed the sound of a knock on the door kon kon.

  "Come in."

  When the door opened, a woman who appeared to be of mature age wearing a maid outfit entered.

  "Young Master. Your father is calling for you."

  Argus frowns as if embarrassed.

  "Nilha. Stop treating me like a Young Master. I'm not a brat anymore."

  "For me, Young Master will always be Young Master."

  The one who said so with a gentle smile was Nilha, the best maid in this family. She is a Nesla, a long-lived species like Inea, and an old-timer who has continued to serve this house since the generation before the previous one.

  "Hmph. Does living longer than humans make you like that?"

  "Yes."

  He shrugged his shoulders saying good grief, but seemed not so displeased as his words suggested. Guided by her, Argus heads to the study.

  After walking through the spacious mansion for a while, the two arrived in front of the study. First, Nilha knocks on the door and asks for permission.

  "I have brought the Young Master."

  "Come in. I don't mind you too, Nilha."

  Receiving permission, Argus enters the room first, and Nilha follows a step behind. Nilha decided to stand quietly in the corner of the room. She values the moderation natural for one who serves.

  Argus greeted the person sitting on the splendid executive chair casually.

  "Yo. Father."

  "You came."

  The man who was about to reach old age touches the white beard on his chin with his fingers and grins. Even though he is old enough to settle down, that expression is somewhat like a mischievous boy. As usual, the son thought such a thing.

  He is Argus's biological father and the current head of the Ozbein family, Greas Ozbein. Although his magic skill is far inferior to his son's, he is an outstanding figure who solidified Sacris's status as the 'Town of Swords and Sorcery' with his excellent political skills.

  Argus, while sometimes speaking rudely, secretly respected this great foolish father.

  "How is school lately? You are only popular with girls and have few friends you can talk to as equals."

  "Shut up. Friends, or well, I found someone I can talk to as an equal for now. Though he's a weird guy."

  Argus thinks of Yu and smiles bitterly. But his father did not miss that he couldn't hide his happiness there.

  "You looking strangely happy around here recently, was it because of that after all?"

  "I told you shut up."

  "Did you get a girl you like? Hmm?"

  "No, it's different. It's not like that."

  "I see, I see. I've heard the story from Nilha."

  "What the hell."

  "You can use our bed freely, you know."

  At Greas's grinning bombshell remark, Argus turns bright red.

  "I told you it's different! That was because we trained too much and that guy collapsed. Hey, you're persistent!"

  "Kukku. Even bringing out the heirloom magic book. Must be quite a fun research partner."

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "...Tch. What, you understand, don't you. This is why Father is..."

  "Youth is a good thing."

  "Shut up."

  Mixing in chats, they start from several trivial stories to gain momentum for the main topic. This is the Ozbein family style communication. Nilha remains silent, but she always enjoyed this silly exchange between the two.

  Now. After loosening up with small talk, Greas finally moved on to the main topic. His expression changes to a serious one.

  "About the masked group. I finally grasped their true identity."

  "Really!"

  Argus leans forward and listens intently to what his father says for the first time. After finishing hearing all the truth, he kept his arms crossed firmly and exuded quiet anger on his face.

  "Tch. As expected. I thought it was suspicious."

  Greas drops his shoulders and sighs deeply. Changing completely from before, he has the face of an unmistakable leader.

  "It's a major incident that could ruin the credibility of Sacris, which has been selling magic industry, to the ground. It's a headache."

  "But you're not going to pretend you didn't see it and bury it in darkness, right?"

  The reason Argus respects his father was also because he possesses the humanity to prioritize true conscience over profit at times.

  "Of course. In another week, the main force of our family will return from the capital. Let's crush them at once then."

  "Good grief. So the masked group is finished in another week."

  "That's how it goes. No, I was moved by your obsession since that incident. I had them investigate with effort."

  "Thanks. Dad."

  It was at that moment. One of the soldiers of the imperial guard rushed into the study frantically without even knocking.

  Greas and Argus turned pale instantly. Because he was out of breath as if he would collapse at any moment and was covered in blood all over his body. The soldier shouted as if squeezing out his last strength.

  "I report! Enemy attack!"

  "What did you say!?"

  "What!?"

  The room is wrapped in astonishment. Only Nilha tried not to show agitation on her face. Telling herself that if push comes to shove, she must let the two escape no matter what.

  "The skill is too good, and the enemy is already closing in right nearby! Please run quickly—"

  Suddenly, a sword flew out from the soldier's mouth. From his cheeks up was torn off and flew, scattering a massive amount of fresh blood. And from his cheeks down, he collapsed on the spot as if the strings were cut.

  Blood flowing doku doku dyes the stone floor deep crimson.

  From right behind him who was killed miserably, a human figure appeared sleekly. A large man with silver hair having a large scar on his cheek. It was unmistakably the very person the parent and child were talking about.

  Against the tragedy that suddenly occurred in front of him, Argus burns fierce anger in his chest. He told the man in a tone full of sarcasm.

  "Oi oi. Just as we were talking, you show up immediately. Mr. False Hero."

  Yes. The one in front of him is the hero of the Sacris Swordsman Corps. Clam Selenberg, the man himself.

  Clam quietly held his sword and said with an attitude typical of a hero as usual.

  "You guys have learned what you shouldn't have known. It means it's about time to pay the price."

  "Hoh. If that's a line knowing that I am Argus Ozbein, that's quite confident."

  While provoking lightly with his mouth, Argus prepares himself without letting his guard down at all.

  "Shall I make you realize?"

  "The one to be made realize is you."

  But that such preparedness is completely meaningless in front of Clam—. He will come to realize.

  —!?

  "Oi... Did you do something just now?"

  Argus felt such an incomprehensible sensation as if his consciousness was interrupted for just a moment. While it was unclear what happened, without diverting attention from the enemy, he observes the surroundings.

  Then, right next to him—.

  Father Greas was dead with his heart pierced. It was instantaneous death.

  "Wha...!"

  At the too abrupt tragedy, he couldn't catch up with understanding what happened for a moment. Soon he swallowed the fact—he, who had no choice but to swallow that everything became too late while he didn't understand.

  Driven by passion enough to lose himself, he shouted.

  "You bastard! How dare you do this to Dad! I won't forgive you!"

  Clam was full of composure and did not break his fearless look. Before anyone knew it, even more blood was stickily attached to the sword.

  "Shouldn't you worry about your own safety? Either way, you have only a little life left though."

  Argus had already lost his calmness. For the current him, there was nothing in his head but revenge for his father being killed.

  Without even understanding the true identity of the enemy's attack, he was about to take an irreversible step toward a reckless battle like going to die himself.

  There, Nilha jumped in sacrificing herself. With a desperate look, she tries to stop him anyway.

  "Please run away! Young Master!"

  "Let go! Nilha! I can't forgive this guy!"

  "But, even you—"

  —!?

  "Ka, ha..."

  When Argus noticed, a sword was thrust deeply into Nilha's chest too.

  "Nilha..."

  Lukewarm blood hits his cheek pichari, relentlessly. As if to say this is the price for recklessness.

  "Let's... run..."

  Receiving a fatal wound, still she was trying hard to save only Argus. From desperate thoughts, she activates the characteristic of Nesla with her last tenacity.

  Teleportation Magic.

  The figures of the two disappear in an instant.

  Knowing that he let them escape, Clam spat poison annoyingly.

  "That woman, was she a Nesla... Well fine. Even if one rat escapes, fate won't change."

  Where they barely escaped to was a quiet place in the suburbs, quite far from the mansion. Paying utmost attention so that pursuers wouldn't come.

  "Young Master... Please, live... You are, the house..."

  Saying only that, Nilha expired powerlessly.

  Too sudden a parting. Argus was stunned and no words came out. He just burns the corpse of her who says nothing into his eyes.

  Since he was a baby, he had been taken care of by her terribly. Every time something happened, Young Master, Young Master; he doesn't know how many times he thought it was annoying.

  But he will never be fed up with her anymore. He will never laugh in amazement that she is a stubborn person anymore.

  Never again.

  Then he burned the sight of his home burning far away into his eyes.

  "Dammit..."

  Patheticness came out first. There was nothing he could do. What genius. What the best wizard since the school opened.

  I couldn't protect anything...!

  "Dammit!"

  Sadness dominates his chest. But what exceeds that was.

  "Damn iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!"

  It was anger.

  While gazing at the house burning flickeringly, he felt a black flame lighting up in his own heart too.

  Clam Selenberg.

  Only that guy, definitely, with these hands.