The sun is nearly at its highest point in the clear sky, and the day is beautiful in the center of the Lyskarra duchy, the crown jewel: the Royal Academy of Dragon Riders. Its territory spans hundreds of miles, ranging from beautiful forests to dark swamps, live-lava volcanoes to mountains with snowy peaks. And right at the center stands the gigantic Drakemor castle, surrounded by a vast lake of dark waters.
A large stone bridge crosses the lake, connecting the castle to a charming little village, the Dragons' Gate. And it is in that small village where one of the most important annual events of the Four Kingdoms is now taking place, the kind of event that brings thousands of people into the village, making it feel impossible to even walk the streets without bumping into someone every second; that's enrollment day for new Academy members.
Due to the magnitude and importance of such an event, it's no surprise that the Duke positioned most of the Academy guards around Dragons' Gate to manage the arrival and entry of people coming not only from every corner of the Four Kingdoms but from beyond and farther still.
Right now, hundreds of carriages keep arriving with more and more young adults longing for a golden ticket into the Academy. Of course, being an event dominated by Nobles, favoritism is everywhere, so those in charge place the most influential nobles and their allies ahead of the commoners and nobles from lesser houses, creating a line of other carriages and people on foot who must wait under the sun while the wealthiest pass in front.
But while the most luxurious carriages, carrying massive banners from famous houses, draw the attention of most, a discreet carriage with no crest at all passes freely by the guards, catching only the eyes of the more observant. Inside that carriage, of course, is the excited Theo and the mysterious Eruina, staring at him with a seductive expression.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Theo can't help but feel like prey under Eruina's piercing gaze, and she smiles teasingly. "I'm very curious and eager to see everything you'll be capable of achieving here. I've never felt so many expectations toward a new student, seriously."
Theo smiles too. "I won't disappoint you. What you've done for me… I'll always be grateful, and I'll fulfill every part of our deal." He speaks honestly, and Eruina can see it in his eyes, showing him a gentle smile.
"Alright, it's not the time to get emotional, you're about to enter the lions' den." She points to the crowd of nobles outside the carriage as they ride along the cobbled street. "Do you know why only eighteen-year-olds can enroll in the Academy?"
Theo doesn't have an answer, and Eruina quickly explains. "It's because this is where the elite warriors of the Four Kingdoms are forged, not just the legendary Dragon Riders, but also the most skilled mages and stronger warriors. No weakness is tolerated inside the Academy's walls, and people really do die trying to surpass their limits."
"The necklace I gave you," Eruina points to the necklace on Theo's neck. "I didn't remove the seal that contained your flames so you'd never use them again, on the contrary, this necklace is just so we can be cautious, but if you find yourself in danger in there and need to access your true strength, remove the necklace and let your enemies feel the power of your flames. These idiot nobles only respect power, so don't be afraid to show yours when needed."
"Understood," Theo casts a confident look at Eruina. "If I want to be the apprentice of the most powerful Witch of the Four Kingdoms, I can't let anyone step on me, right?"
"Fufufu~" Eruina giggles cheerfully. "Exactly, my dear boy! You're already talking like my apprentice, haha! I'll watch all those fools burn with envy when we reach the top… But now, focus on the present because the path will be long."
Eruina looks out the window and then returns her gaze to Theo, grabbing a dark leather bag and throwing it onto his lap. "Your stuff's all in there, and I put some gold coins too, but they'll be useless inside the Academy, so use them to take a good bath in the village and eat something nice."
The carriage stops on one of the streets around the main square, where hundreds of people now gather. Theo stands to leave, but Eruina grabs his arm. "I also placed a communication spell on the necklace. Press it firmly, and I'll hear you wherever you are." Eruina finishes speaking and gives Theo a quick kiss on the lips, catching him by surprise.
"Huh?" He's surprised by how soft and tasty her lips are, and that minty flavor fills his mouth along with the scent of wild roses. He instinctively leans forward, wanting to kiss more of such wonderful lips, but Eruina pulls back and throws him a teasing smile. "A good luck gift."
Theo is still confused and shocked, so Eruina pushes him out of the carriage. "Just one more piece of advice for now: powerful people make many enemies, and smart people, allies. Nobles come here already full of connections and alliances, but you have no one, so… Make friends."
"But I'm not good at making friends-" Theo quickly says, but Eruina signals the coachman to drive the carriage forward while she leans her head out the window and smiles at Theo. "Then become better at this!"
Theo can only watch the carriage roll away with the mysterious Eruina, leaving him lost in the middle of a crowd of strangers. He can't help but bring his fingers to his lips, still tasting sweet roses and mint, but then someone bumps into him, and he hears a female scream. "Kyah!"
"Who the fu!?" Theo nearly falls but quickly regains his balance as he notices a mysterious figure falling to the ground along with several books. He realizes he wasn't actually pushed, but someone collided into him in the crowd, and that person was the one who fell.
"Uhh…" The hooded woman lets out a low, slightly dramatic groan as she turns her attention to Theo. "Forgive me, I'm so clumsy!"
Theo can't help but feel sorry for the girl and extends his hand to help her up. "Are you hurt?" He tries to be friendly, but as soon as the girl grabs his hand and he pulls her up, she doesn't let go and moves in closer, forcefully.
"Hey?!" He tries to pull away from the girl, but her grip is simply too strong and she unbelievably… "Sniff, sniff…" starts smelling him. "Hmm, how interesting, sniff, sniff…"
"What the hell are you doing?" Theo has to use all his strength to free his hand from the girl's grip, and she's the one who finally lets go, staring at him with a curious smile from under the hood.
"Ah, I'm sorry again, I didn't mean to be rude." The girl gives a small bow while looking Theo up and down. He's a tall young man, 1.92 meters in height, with an athletic build despite currently looking quite thin, underfed, actually. He has dark red hair, cut short and messy, fair and flawless skin, a well-defined, prominent nose and jawline, and sharp brown eyes. Even with his underfed appearance and simple black clothes, she thinks he's one of the most handsome men she's ever seen.
While the mysterious woman analyzes Theo, he tries to do the same with her, but aside from her height, which doesn't seem to exceed 1.70 meters, and her slightly curvy figure, he can't see much else with that thick cloak covering her. Yet, he's more curious about her suspicious behavior. "Did you just smell me?"
The woman ignores his question and glances toward the direction Eruina's carriage had gone, then returns her attention to Theo. "Who were you talking to just now?"
"Didn't you see h-" Theo begins to speak, but stops when he thinks about the large number of people around and the fact that no one seemed to notice Eruina when she appeared in the carriage window, and someone with her appearance would draw attention anywhere. Imagining Eruina must have some kind of trick to avoid being noticed, he just stares at the mysterious woman. "Who are you, anyway?"
"Sarah Lysenne Malveryn," the woman introduces herself courteously and even gives a slight bow before lifting her head and pulling back her hood, revealing a beauty so striking it surprises Theo even after having been in Eruina's presence.
She has long dark brown hair, healthy fair skin without a single flaw, a delicate, proud nose, calm and gentle light blue eyes, and the softest, pinkest lips Theo has ever seen. She doesn't look older than twenty, but is already a beauty without equal, the kind that radiates confidence without seeming arrogant.
Theo's impressed gaze makes Sarah laugh. "Try not to let your jaw drop so much, hehe~" He laughs too, but sarcastically. "I wasn't the one sniffing you a second ago, was I?"
"Hahaha!" Sarah laughs even louder. "Fair, fair, my fragrant gentleman. By the way, what should I call you?" As soon as she asks, he quickly responds. "Theo."
"Theo? Just that?" Sarah tilts her head slightly to the side, making a cute, curious expression that makes her look even more captivating. Theo tries not to be swayed by her charm and simply nods. "Theodore, if you prefer."
"Hmmm…" Sarah's gaze becomes even more curious, and a sparkle flashes in her blue eyes. "Theo… Good name. Want to hear a fun fact, Theo?"
Before Theo can say anything, Sarah gets even closer to him, that delicate nose twitching slightly. "Once I heard the rumor that one of the most powerful women in the Four Kingdoms, a legendary Witch, the Grandmaster Eruina herself, The Purple Storm, had a peculiar scent of… roses and mint."
"Roses and mint?" Theo can't help but think aloud while still feeling Eruina's scent lingering with him, even tasting that sweetness in his mouth. But he also remembers that his connection to Eruina could now bring her problems, so he gives Sarah a puzzled look and shrugs.
Sarah simply watches Theo's expression for a few seconds while sniffing him a few more times. "Yeah, roses and mint… I always wondered what those two scents would be like together, so you can imagine how surprised I am right now to smell a fragrance that matches that description exactly… all over your body."
"Really?" Theo takes a step back, but Sarah steps forward again and stands on tiptoe to bring her nose close to his mouth. "Especially your lips…"
"What are you suggesting?" Theo spins his body around Sarah, turning his back and furrowing his brow in confusion. Sarah reveals a provocative smile that he doesn't see. "Me? Oh, no; I would never suggest something like that. After all, Grandmaster Eruina is a woman with a reputation more solid than the ebony floors of the Hall of Heroes. No one would believe that a woman like her, someone who's never been seen being intimate with any man or woman, someone who's even rejected Kings, would kiss the lips of a young student who's barely become an adult?"
Theo isn't sure if Sarah knows about his connection to Eruina or if she's just bluffing to get something out of him. Either way, he tries to stay calm and not let her provoke him, but then the girl pulls out another card from her sleeve. "Not to mention what her admirers would do to such a person…"
"Admirers?" Theo can't help but turn around, making Sarah's provocative smile shine even brighter. "Ah, yes, she's not only one of the most powerful witches but also one of the ten most beautiful women in the Four Kingdoms. Sixth place, if I'm not mistaken, and well, it's no secret she has all kinds of fanclubs out there, from girls wanting to be like her, to obsessed admirers who can't stand the idea of her being romantically involved with a man."
Theo can already imagine the amount of trouble he's going to face when he becomes Eruina's first apprentice. But somehow, he can also imagine her encouraging him to become strong enough to beat everyone who desires her, to burn everyone who dares try to separate them. And thinking about that, he starts smiling, leaving Sarah now the one confused. "What's so funny?"