Splash.
Cold water struck Kazuki's face, seeping into his hair and dripping down his cheeks.
He inhaled sharply, coughing as consciousness surged back into his body.
Blink. Blink.
His vision swam for a moment before gradually sharpening. The first thing he noticed was the unfamiliar ceiling—wooden beams, faintly cracked with age, yet clean. The second was the unmistakable sensation of restraint.
Kazuki tensed instinctively, mana stirring within his chest as he attempted to sit up.
He couldn't move.
Before panic could fully take hold, a calm voice reached him.
"Don't worry," he said gently. "You're safe here."
The words carried an odd weight—steady, composed, and strangely reassuring. The agitation in Kazuki's heart eased almost immediately, as though his instincts themselves had been soothed.
He turned his head toward the speaker.
An elderly man stood a short distance away.
His features were sharp, yet not severe, etched with the kind of lines that came not from weakness but from age tempered by discipline. Ocean-blue eyes regarded Kazuki calmly, clear and deep like still water concealing unseen depths. Long silver-white hair framed his face, tied loosely behind him.
He wore flowing robes of white and ash-grey, adorned with black trinkets that radiated a subtle, ancient dignity. The man did not radiate pressure openly, yet the space around him felt… settled. As though the world itself acknowledged his presence.
The old man smiled faintly.
"I imagine you have many questions," he said. "But first, introductions are in order."
He inclined his head slightly.
"My name is Takamura Hikari. Former Sword Saint. And Headmaster of Regia Nevaris."
His gaze returned to Kazuki. "And you are?"
Kazuki swallowed. "My name is Kazuki. I… I'm an orphan. I don't have a family name."
Hikari nodded, unsurprised. The information aligned perfectly with what he had already confirmed from the Domus Orphanage.
"How long have you been practicing magic?" he asked next.
Kazuki hesitated for a fraction of a second. The question startled him—not because it was invasive, but because it confirmed something he had already suspected.
He sensed my mana heart.
"I awakened when I was eight," Kazuki replied honestly. "I started practicing properly at nine."
For a brief moment, skepticism crossed Hikari's face. The timeline was abnormal—bordering on unbelievable.
Then the expression vanished.
"And those men?" Hikari asked, his tone sharpening just slightly. "Who were they?"
Kazuki's fingers curled against the restraints. His gaze drifted away.
"They're black market traffickers," he said after a pause. "They deal in children with magical aptitude. Sell them to noble houses."
His voice tightened.
"Most are trained as assassins."
Hikari's eyes narrowed.
"They target orphanages and the slums," Kazuki continued. "Places where disappearances don't attract attention from the Inquisitors."
Silence fell between them.
After a moment, Hikari spoke again.
"Why didn't you report them yourself?" he asked. "The Inquisitors exist to protect the people. Surely they would have acted if informed."
A bitter scoff escaped Kazuki before he could stop it.
"They asked one thing," he said. "Whether the group was targeting children from noble lineages."
He laughed quietly, hollow and humorless.
"When I told them no, they said they'd 'look into it.' That was months ago."
His eyes hardened.
"They only protect nobles. Not people like us."
The accusation lingered in the air like a stain.
Hikari closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them, there was no surprise—only confirmation.
It was as he had expected. Though formed by the royal family, the Inquisitors were bound by noble pressure. To act too decisively in matters that did not affect noble interests was to invite replacement, disgrace, or worse.
"What if I intervene?" Hikari asked suddenly.
Kazuki's head snapped up. "You would?"
"If I deem it necessary," Hikari replied evenly.
"That would be incredible," Kazuki said without hesitation. "If it's you, even the nobles won't dare ignore it."
He wasn't exaggerating. As Headmaster of the most prestigious academy in the Kingdom of Arcanora, Hikari's influence rivaled that of royalty itself.
"But," Hikari continued, "I will not do so without something in return."
Kazuki frowned. "What could I possibly give someone like you?"
"I intend to adopt you."
The words struck harder than any spell.
"…Adopt me?"
"I have no children. No relatives," Hikari said calmly. "If I provoke the nobles without an heir, they will attempt to replace me. With a legal successor, that excuse disappears."
Kazuki considered the logic carefully. It made sense—uncomfortably so.
"But why me?" he asked quietly.
Hikari studied him for a long moment.
"Because you unconsciously refine ambient mana," he said at last. "That level of instinctive control is rare—especially at your age."
He paused. "Do you only practice magic?"
"I also train with the sword," Kazuki admitted. "But only what I've seen city knights practice. Nothing formal."
Hikari stepped closer, observing Kazuki's posture and build even as he remained restrained. After a moment, he nodded.
"The fundamentals are there."
Kazuki shrugged. "I learned by watching."
Hikari chuckled softly.
"Very well," he said. "I'll submit the adoption documents to the Bureau of Administration tomorrow."
Kazuki stiffened.
"Your training in both magic and swordsmanship will begin immediately after."
A dangerous smile spread across Hikari's face. "I refuse to let my name be tarnished. You will train until you can knock down those pampered noble brats—or at the very least, stand on equal footing with them."
A chill ran down Kazuki's spine.
I may have agreed too quickly…
He exhaled slowly and stood once the restraints were removed.
Just as he turned to gather his belongings, Hikari added casually—
"Ah, by the way…"