4 The Rozenheart Family

Kyto, Elizabeth, and Grimhild all made their way into the Magic Academy together, their appearances stuck out like sore thumbs among the crowd of people gathered around them, as they entered the academy.

Grimhild didn't care about the stares and constant glares she was getting. Rather she seemed unamused with everything around her as if she was lacking emotions entirely.

"We're getting lots of stares aren't we?"

Elizabeth muttered underneath her voice. Kyto seemed to be laid back and didn't care for the glares as well.

"Huh? Are you anxious Elizabeth?"

Kyto questioned the short female.

"Uuuu, yes I am. I've never gotten so much attention before…"

"That's hard to imagine with your loud attitude."

Grimhild replied.

"Hey, what do you mean, Grimhild!? I'm not that loud!"

She frantically waved her arms up into the air, placing one hand upon her hip as the other pointed at the Gold mage.

"…If you believe that then you're a brainless walking meat bag."

Grimhild said in a hollowed voice.

"Oh yeah? I may have no brain but I have more potential out of this group."

Kyto cringed at Elizabeth.

('She didn't even deny it…')

He chuckled to himself.

"Elizabeth you're pure comedy relief, you know that?"

"Huh, you think so?"

Liz looked over at Kyto who complimented her.

"I'll take that as a good thing. Thank you Kyto!"

"Well well, well… look at myyy little sister."

A group of people approached the three of them. It was at least a dozen of individuals in the group, they were all wearing Black capes behind their back with the Symbol of a Black mage. They were all elite mages, coming from the Black mage division.

"Big B-Brother…?"

Elizabeth had a look of shock on her face.

"You know these guys Elizabeth?"

Kyto questioned her.

"Y-Yes… this is my brother, Edward Rozenheart… of the Rozenheart family."

Kyto's eyes widened, his nonchalant attitude quickly changing.

"Hold on a minute, you mean—"

Edward would cut off Kyto from speaking by releasing a hysterical laugh.

"BAAHAHAHAHAHA! There's not one mongrel here who doesn't know of the Rozenheart family! Even some Cyrodel knows of us, and he's from foreign lands that my family doesn't own!"

The others behind Edward began to snicker as well.

"The only disappointment to our family is this little idiot here, Elizabeth. She doesn't even know how to cast a magical circle… pathetic."

Grimhild turned her pupils to the side, seeing Elizabeth rub her arm in shame.

"Th-That's not… true… I do know how to erect a magical circle, Brother. I passed the magic exams after all—"

"You faker!"

Edward shouted, blowing Elizabeth back with a spiraling tornado of wind magic.

"Elizabeth!"

Kyto shouted her name, quickly running behind her to catch her in his arms.

"What the hell are you doing? Attacking a student— no… attacking your sister?!? What's your problem?"

Kyto shouted out loud, Grimhild only standing idly by, watching this entire commotion.

"Kyto… it's true. I don't know how to cast a magical circle… I-I'm a failure!"

The short girl would dig her face into his shirt crying her eyes out and feeling ashamed.

"Elizabeth…?"

Kyto quietly muttered her name, placing his hand on her head.

"Then how did you cast one during the magic exams?"

The Cyrodel pulled Elizabeth back by the shoulders to see her crying face.

"I-I… well… I—"

Edward stepped in front of them, his face full of disappointment.

"I can answer your question Cyrodel. You see, my sister here has a ring she stole from our family in order to use incredible magic. The Ring bestows the user enormous mana so they can perform spells and even amplify them over fifty times the amount."

"F-Fifty times the amount…? Are you serious?"

Kyto was even shocked to hear this, and he was a Cyrodel; a hybrid race with the most potential in the world.

"I'll return the ring back to Father… and then I will pay the consequences for my actions…"

Elizabeth's teary eyes quickly became determined.

"I'm not afraid to endure the chamber of death."

Edward would raise his brow in surprise.

"You'll pay for your thievery and endure the chamber of death? I must say… I am surprised by your bravery sister. If there's one thing about you Non-Mana borns, it's the courage you all have."

Edward had a mischievous grin upon his face.

"But I won't let you get away unscathed, SISTER!!!"

Edward shouted loudly as a magical circle quickly formed underneath the female Rozenheart.

"You'll pay tenfold for your crimes sister! Fire Magic: Swirling Phoenix!!!"

"…Spatial Magic: Reflection Gates."

Grimhild whispered underneath her voice, the magic circle suddenly vanished and appeared through a rip in space behind Edward, shooting a winged bird of fire right into his back which coated him in flames.

"G-GNAAAAAGHHHH!!!"

Edward yelled in agonizing pain, his eyes widening, his clothes burning, and his skin receiving third-degree burns.

"…What the…?!?!"

Kyto had shouted in an eccentric tone of voice, questioning how he had gotten hit by his own attack.

"Ugh…"

Edward released an exaggerated groan of pain, falling flat onto his face while his body twitched as if he was having a seizure.

"Edward!"

"Sir Edward!"

Those in Edward's group quickly made their way over to him, crouching down to pick up his burnt body.

"Quickly cast Healing magic!"

One of the Black mages yelled to her other subordinates, as they all performed healing magic upon the Rozenheart wounds.

"Big Brother…?"

Elizabeth tried crawling over towards him, but Kyto grasped her shoulder.

"Liz… let's go, he'll be fine. These are Black mages, their healing magic is advanced enough to save him."

"Kyto…? R-Right!"

She stood up with Kyto as they approached Grimhild.

"I'm assuming you did that Grimhild?"

Kyto said in a curious tone of voice.

"…I did, he attacked a student and even threatened her life with his spell. That Swirling Phoenix would've killed Elizabeth if I didn't stop it since she has no mana to use a magical barrier."

"Wait, seriously? So he was really trying to kill her?"

Kyto looked over at Elizabeth who was bowing her head in shame, tears starting to swell back into her eyes. She quickly took off her ring and held it in her hand, throwing it onto the ground in a fit of intense rage.

"I'm a failure. I don't deserve friends… nor do I deserve anything special. I have no magic, I'm a Non-Mana Born! We possess not even the slightest bit of mana…"

She walked past Kyto and Grimhild, making her way to the exit of the academy.

"I'm sorry that I've put you both into my mess. Please forgive me, this Non-Mana user will no longer be a burden to you both. I apologize for my existence…"

She inhaled through her nose before exhaling deeply, calming herself down as her body was filled with adrenaline.

"I'm going back home to accept punishment…"

"…Then I'll come with you."

Elizabeth's eyes had sparked up, hearing Grimhilds hollowed tone.

"If you're returning back home then I'll accompany you, and I'll be the one to decide if your punishment should be substantial enough for your crimes as a thief."

Elizabeth slowly turned around to face Grimhild. Even Kyto seemed taken aback by the golden mage's words.

"Grimhild…?"

Liz questioned her, too stupefy to even reply to her bold words.

"Do you know of the Rozenheart family Grimhild? They're known across the entirety of Midgard! My family owns half of Midgard and its resources, even the gods protect them in order to do business!"

Liz shouted back at her, the Rozenheart words were coming from the bottom of her heart. She didn't want either Kyto or Grimhild to interfere with her business, knowing very well that they could die if they were to venture out with her and question her family's decision to punish her.

"No man or god in the world can change my family's decision, nor their rules. Once they make up their mind, it's set in stone. I stole the precious ring from my family's home and now I have to pay for it! Plain and simple!"

Grimhild approached Elizabeth slowly, her staff still held in one hand before reaching out her other hand… rubbing its palm against Liz's head and brushing down her hair.

"You are special to me Elizabeth. You have made me feel alive after so many years."

Grimhild would gently smile.

"G-Grimhild…?"

"…I know we have just met, but your personality and idiotic attitude made my day worthwhile. The same is said for you Kyto…"

Grimhild said, glancing back at the Cyrodel.

"For so long I have been ignored and forced myself to isolate away from others. I have a reason for doing such a thing that I wish to not say, but the reason for it is also logical."

Grimhild would start to show shimmering emotions, however, her tone of voice was still hollow.

"Therefore I want to help those in return that helped me feel alive as well. That is why I will venture with you Elizabeth…"

Liz balled up her fists in a way to not show violence, but instead, happiness.

"Grimhild… If that's how you feel… then I won't decline! Thank you so much…!"

Liz began to cry, quickly wrapping her arms around the gold mage's waist.

"I'll come with you both as well. I'm glad we're together, there's no one else you can rely on more than us Elizabeth."

Kyto walked up to the two of them, his smile as bright as Grimhild's own.

"Alright Grimhild, Elizabeth. Let's get a move on."