A Peculiar and Unforgettable Magic [6.1]

A man stood upright with a proud and frosty expression firmly on his face. His slicked-back dark hair shone blue in the sunlight. He had light golden skin that was flawless except for a beauty mark at the corner of his eye. His piercing dark blue eyes scanned the distance while he pursed his lips deep in thought.

Beside him, the knights shifted uncomfortably wondering if they should step further away. Not only were they shivering in his presence, but they were also worried they may be annoying him just by existing. His cold and rigid personality scared everyone nearby to the point where they could almost not hold their bladder. In his entire lifetime, no one had ever been brave enough to look him in the eyes.

Caldwell had just been bawling to him, screaming about his young master. Then, out of nowhere, he shut up, turned into an owl, and sped away so quickly the frosty man barely saw any of his movements. He now stared in the direction Caldwell had disappeared to.

Before anyone could ask what their orders were, flower-like fireworks exploded in the distant sky. It was huge and easily detectable despite the distance. They were all stunned as they watched them explode.

The only person not wearing an expression of surprise was the frosty man who stared at the fireworks with a frown. He didn't wait another moment before pulling out his wand. The dull silver wand had dark blue traditional markings and a Dara knot carved into the bottom. Anyone who saw it would instantly gasp in veneration.

This wand was considered to be an ancient relic.

He spoke in a low and quiet voice without any urgency, "Te-"

Before he finished his sentence, he disappeared into thin air. Only a single layer of frost on the spring grass was left where he had been standing. No one around him had been prepared for his departure. They almost didn't even see him cast a spell.

The men all looked at the empty spot with admiration and surprise. One spoke with astonishment on his face, "Wow! The Headmaster really is as great as the rumors say! He's such a powerful magician he doesn't even need to finish a command! Just one letter is enough!"

"You idiot! Did you really not trust that he was the best in the kingdom?! He is the only one the King trusts!"

Another added, "Not only that, but he is a natural genius! He always scored highest in the Academy during the aptitude tests! He even beat the previous headmaster in a duel when he was only 15!"

Another sighed, "Shame he doesn't have a family… He may be more approachable if he did…"

One gave the other a look of pity, "You better make sure he doesn't hear you say that. He would probably freeze you to death."

Meanwhile, the Headmaster had arrived on the scene. He watched as Caldwell coddled a small golden-haired boy. The boy was alive, but he appeared to be badly injured. While his life wasn't in danger, he sustained many injuries that needed attention quickly.

Originally, the headmaster was assigned to this case because the golden-haired boy had been kidnapped. This was because this boy was Cyrus, a candidate for the throne and a member of the royal family albeit a distant relationship. Even though Cyrus wasn't well-favored due to his blood containing demon ancestry, he still belonged to royalty. An attack against a royal member was an attack on the King. It didn't matter how they ranked in the family.

Thus, the King spared no time and begged the Headmaster to go find him. However, the Headmaster was having difficulty discovering where Cyrus had been taken to. Who would have known that there was such a powerful underground society with tight connections? Even though the orphanage leader was a bit suspicious, the Chief of the M.I.B did recommend her. After that, he completely ran out of leads.

That was until this firework exploded in the sky just like a beacon lighting his way through a dark and stormy night.

"Headmaster! You must heal my young master! Quick!!!" Caldwell dragged the boy over to the Headmaster. Cyrus took one look at the man's uninviting gaze and shivered unintentionally. His eyes immediately looked towards the ground as his lips pinched together in silence.

The Headmaster gazed at the boy with disinterest as he hummed, "Go." He held out his wand and a soft golden light enveloped the boy. His injuries lessened and he felt his broken bones return back into place. Cyrus rubbed his now repaired wounds impressed by the healing quality. He still had minor injuries, but all his major injuries were fixed.

His smile contained a mix of reverence and fear. He spoke politely, "...Many thanks to the Headmaster for healing me."

"Hmm." The Headmaster turned to look at the sky as if waiting for something. He spoke absentmindedly, "You see a doctor when you return. I healed your major injuries, but some damage still remains."

Cyrus hesitated for a moment before nodding, "Yes, sir."

Caldwell bowed respectfully, "I will ensure the Young Master does exactly that."

The Headmaster looked around. Upon closer examination, he noticed two men in a corner of a room with their hands and legs stuck in ice. He furrowed his brow as he thought to himself. Who did that?

The Captain of the Royal Knights suddenly appeared and stepped out of the transportation ring followed by a group of Knights. The Captain rushed to the Headmaster huffing from the exertion, "Sorry we are late!" He glanced at the men with glum expressions encased in ice. He blinked in disbelief, "Did you already take them down? That was quick..."

The Headmaster ignored him as he spoke without paying him much attention, "Tend to the injuries."

He flinched, "R-Right! Healers!"

Even the Captain who was always grumpy and domineering was rendered into a weak puppy in the presence of the Headmaster. He quickly commanded the healers to get to work before the Headmaster grew irritated with him. The healers of the group stepped out wearing long brown cloaks. They quickly went to the children healing and checking out their injuries.

The Headmaster spoke to Cyrus with an unsympathetic expression, "Explain what happened here."

Cyrus flinched from his critical voice and stumbled over his words as he explained. "There was a young girl who looked younger than me that was captured. She was unconscious when she was thrown into the room with us. She must have been hit on the head before she arrived. However, she woke up just in time to save my life when the men attacked me. Then, she broke off her collar just by using her mana, stole their wands so we can use them, then encased them in ice before announcing that she was going to go after the rest of the traffickers. I tried to stop her, but she was determined."

His eyes widened slightly, but it was almost imperceivable. His voice held no trace of emotion, "Tell me more about the girl."

Cyrus glanced down, flushing softly. Cyrus spoke in a timid voice, "S-she was a peculiar girl. She had blondish brown hair with green eyes. Her mana was… Unforgettable…"

Caldwell cast him a look almost as if he had to make sure Cyrus was actually blushing.

The Headmaster didn't quite understand, "What do you mean?"

"She was an ice attribute… But… Her mana was surprisingly warm. It felt like you were lost in the Northern mountains freezing to death, but you were covered in a heated blanket so you wouldn't freeze. It was cold but warm." He scratched his head, "The feeling is a bit hard to describe… But whatever it was, it was comforting."

The Headmaster frowned slightly as if he was tasting vinegar. He thought to himself: No one has ever told me that my ice mana was comforting. They always said it was too cold and frightening.

The Captain came over to the Headmaster, "We healed the children. Now that we have the Prince, we should head back and report to the King."

The Headmaster hummed back apathetically.

The Captain wasn't sure what he was thinking and scratched his chin awkwardly, "Um… What should we do?"

The Headmaster didn't answer and stared off into space absentmindedly. Although the Headmaster had successfully rescued Cyrus and finished his task, he couldn't help but look at the sky. His curiosity was piqued. It had been a while since he last felt interested in something other than learning magic.

He mumbled silently to himself, "How was a small girl capable of doing what Cyrus mentioned? I had been labeled a prodigy, but even I wasn't that skilled at this age."