When Aria woke up at the age of five, she jumped out of bed as if it was something good.

　She ran out of her room, down the stairs, and down the hallway.
She opened the door she saw in front of her with great vigor.
　And then he appeared in the living room.

　This is a living room, but it's inside a mansion.
　There is a glamour in the calm atmosphere.

　But to the familiar Aria, none of it is fresh and natural.
　The shiny handrails and the red carpet on the stairs are no different from the cracked grain and worn-out carpets of an ordinary home.　

"Good morning, miss.

　The servant pouring the tea smiled at me.

　As they exchanged greetings, he saw his father and mother next.

　They were sipping tea poured next to each other on the sofa and both looking through a thick book.

'This is Mr Carlisle?'

　Mother-- Julius rolled his eyes at the book in Saeki's hand.

''He's also in trouble, I can only use fire-attribute magic. He's pushing this kind of light-attribute book on me.

　Stroking his black mustache with a familiar gesture, Saeki Kenta smiled gracefully.
　He took a sip of tea and closed the grimoire.

''I have a friend who is a light attribute user. You see, he's a Greberg hero like me.

You mean, in the other world?

The first battle against the school, it was in the middle of that. The hall was in turmoil because the Chastain demon tribe attacked, and there were about three of my friends who were missing at the time. We looked desperately for them, but they were never found. Eventually, we came to believe that they had gotten sick of school and ran off, or so we thought. I wonder where the three of them are now...

And one of them is a light user?

'Yes. I'm sure he would have been useful to Mr. Carlisle, better than me and others.

　The wielder of the light attribute was 'Tadokoro Teppei'.
　In his mind, Saeki recalled the figure of him with his lanky stature and dark expression.

　But Tadokoro had already been killed six years ago by Masamune.
　Saeki still didn't know that.

'It can't be. You're a holy knight-in-chief, and that's because you're a genius who rose to that position in just six years. There can't be many people better than you.''

''You're overpaying, this is just another benefit of summoning a hero. See, even a prodigy would say something, I'm 23 now.

　In the concept of this world, a 23-year-old man is not called a young man.
　That doesn't mean he's "old," but he's old enough to be named captain of an order if he's outstanding.

　But there is no one who has risen to the top in six years.

'No, not at all, my proud husband.

　Julius liked the humble Saeki, who always wore a humble smile when he praised him.

　Then Aria jumped up to him and said, "Good morning, Mom.

　Aria sat on Julius' lap.
　Saeki patted her head gently, "You're your mother, not your mommy," she said.
　Faking an innocent smile, Aria smiled at her father as well, "Good morning".

　Saeki placed the tea on the table and hugged his daughter.

'Happy birthday, Aria,'

　Soon, Aria will be enrolled in school.
　A new system has been introduced, and in Greiberg, all children who have reached the age of five will be enrolled in the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

　Today, Aria will still make one visit to the school to take measurements for the school uniform and to buy materials for the class.

　Aria had been looking forward to it for a few days.
　Her mother, Julius, is busy with something, and her father, Saeki, has an executive role as a holy knight commander, so he is rarely at home.
　But since it was their daughter's birthday, both of them had plenty of time to spend on this day.

　After finishing breakfast and getting ready, the three of them climbed into the waiting carriage while being seen off by the servants.
　At the sight of Aria waving her hand innocently, "I'm off," the servants involuntarily shed tears of emotion.

''It's too soon, the entrance ceremony will still be a little while away.

　To the tearful ones, Saeki closed the window, "Then I'll go," he said.

　The carriage leaving the Saeki territory.

　On the day that his promotion to the rank of holy knight commander was decided, the Count was welcomed as a nobleman and given a title by the king of Grayberg--Arthur.
　Thus, he was given a fiefdom.

　This is the territory of the Duke - Kenta von Saeki.



Dusk.

　It had been a long time since they had been able to spend a day with their parents.

For Julius and Saeki it was a trivial one, but for Aria it must have been a blessed one, one that allowed her to experience happiness even as a child.

　The three of them were seated at a long table with more than enough room to spare.

　Saeki was seated in the middle by the window, with Aria and Julius in front of him across the table.
　For some reason, this was normal for the Saeki family.

　As Aria smiled at the sumptuous dinner brought by the servants, Saeki and Julius looked at each other, their trivial happiness growing even stronger.

'It's probably all Aria's favorite things today!

Yes!

Aria gave a jumpy smile.

'We'll go somewhere else on Commencement Day, since Mom and Dad will be able to make time again.

　Julius touched Aria's cheek affectionately as she sat down next to him.

'Really?!'

'Yeah,' said Saeki. 'Now, let's eat it up before it gets cold.

　Aria chorused, "Itadakimasu," and started on the dessert first.

　It's a sweet treat like pudding.
　At the sight of it, Saeki said, "Dessert all of a sudden?

Julius smiles, "Eat as you please.

　Then a light golden sound - a chime - sounds from the doorway.

　It's a signal that a visitor, or someone, has returned home.

'It's Alicia, I was asking her to do some shopping.

I didn't know that.

　The two men looked at each other with the language of a radish actor.

　Aria misunderstood the situation and was suspicious.
But they didn't show it on their faces and enjoyed their meal.

　Aria was more sensitive than they thought.
　But maybe children could see more than adults thought.

　It worked! -- with an expression of gentle scheming, as if they were thinking, they turned their eyes to the door.

　There was a servant with a large package - Alicia's figure.

''Welcome back, it must have been hard for you.''

　Julius welcomed Alicia to the table.

　The marketplace was overflowing today with people like the Saeki family everywhere.
Julius sensed this and was concerned that Alicia might have gotten stuck in the crowd.

'No, it went surprisingly easily.

　After six years of being hired as a servant, Alicia's tone was as calm as a friend's, and Julius didn't show any discomfort in speaking back.

　Julius has put his absolute trust in Alicia.
　It was built during Julius's school days, before he and Saeki were linked.

''Oh, what is that package?''

It's a daikon actor's performance.
Julius asks.

'This is, well, actually, I have something for you, Miss Aria.

　He sounds like he's in love with her.
Of course, Alicia was acting.

　But even with that, Aria would be aware of it.
　That her parents were up to something.

'Here you go, young lady.

　Rolling her eyes, she said, "For me? And Aria took the package.

　Aria opened the package slowly.
　The look on her face was already there, and she could already imagine what it was.

　With her mother and father's watchful smiles beside her, Aria reached into the package as if she were frolicking, and took the stuffed animal in her hand.

'It's a bear tribe stuffed animal, you've been wanting it.'

Is this from Mom and Dad?

From the whole family. Happy birthday, Aria.

　As I hugged my stuffed animal.

Thank you.

Aria had a big smile on her face.

　The servants stared at Aria's figure with a smile.
　To them, Aria's presence was a light.

'I'm glad you're pleased,' said Alicia.

'Come on Aria, let's put the stuffed animals aside for now and eat.


　But then the lights in the room suddenly went out--.


　The room went completely dark and we all looked up at the ceiling in confusion.
　We squinted our eyes and looked around.
　The only faint reliance is the light from the streetlights seen through the window, but even that is not encouraging.

''Are you out of magic?''

But you just changed it.

Yes, it's supposed to be.

　Alicia leaves the "I'll see what I can do" room.

　Then suddenly, the candles on the long table were lit.
　All the candles.

　All eyes are drawn to each candle.
　The room was faintly illuminated, though it was still dimly lit.

　Saeki stopped the knife and fork he was trying to carve the meat with.

''Was........who?''

　Saeki muttered in an upset voice.

　At the end of the table, there was a lone deformed figure dressed in white robes.