There once was a boy. A mere child, barely ten years of age. He lived in an old town, its location edged between two bordering countries, Erasma and its neighbor, Ordo. The boy lived in ignorance, the world around him both bewitchingly stunning yet eerily mysterious. It was a content life. A life that any villager would have accepted, one that they would have embraced.

The boy didn't want that life.

No, he hungered for discovery. His young mind wanted comprehension. He wanted to know why the sky was blue, why people die, why fire burned, and why people get sick. He wanted to know how animals think, how sound works, and how his body functions.

His thoughts were rattled with questions, questions which he thought would go unanswered. It stung him. An inquisitive brain was locked inside his head, a growing potential locked within the chains of limitations. The boy hated it. Curiosity ate away at his sanity. It was excruciating, a slow, torturous crawl of pain.

The boy had a mind of a researcher but he did not have the resources to exercise it. His future showed promise yet his past would limit him. It seemed inevitable. He would be forever stuck in a dull, torturous life of normalcy.

Then the boy met a Wizard.

A scraggly old man, his scruffy appearance along with his tanned, rugged face radiating an unapproachable aura. The tattered grey clothes that clung to his thin form made him suspicious. The gnarled wooden staff in his hand only cemented the fact. It was clear that he didn't want to socialize and the populace was only happy to oblige.

Ironically, it was the man's introverted qualities that allowed the boy to meet him.

The boy was curiosity personified. He watched the Wizard, always finding a way to locate him. It was an odd thing. A game of cat and mouse between a sketchy, old Hermit and an innocent, young boy. Spectators watched the scenes with questioning looks. What would a mere village child want with an elderly Wizard?

The answer, in hindsight, was rather obvious.

At their first meeting, the small child with messy brown hair stared at the impassive elder. His glowing green eyes clashed with the old man's dull white orbs.

The boy bowed.

"May I please be your disciple?"

He discovered magic.

XXX

"I refuse."

Diana flinched at his words. The woman's crumbling mask broke. All her noble training couldn't possibly prepare her for such a rejection. She took a deep breath as she gathered what remains of her dignity. "I understand." She straightened herself as she stared at him. "I apologize for my earlier actions. It was impolite of me."

"You misunderstand." He waved his hands as if dismissing the apology. "I will teach you."

Diana's eyes widened. Her expression was a mixture of confusion and another emotion he couldn't identify. "But didn't you just deny me a moment ago?"

"Yep." He smirked. "I refuse being your mentor."

"Then wh-"

"I will teach you." Aster interrupted her statement, an action that mildly irritated the noble. Fortunately, she managed to contain herself before any conflicts occurred. "I do not have to be a mentor to teach a student."

"Explain yourself." His words confused her, it was easy to tell. He could sympathize. From her point of view, he was playing with her emotions. With all the contradictory statements being thrown around along with her jumbled mind, any Wizard would be distracted. She flushed a second later, hastily adding in a 'Mr. Spinel' in the end.

Heh. How cute. She's addressing him as if he had any authority in this school.

"A mentor teaches their protege everything they know." He waved his hands at his lab for emphasis. "It's a symbol of passing their research to the next generation. I'm too young for that." He chuckled, shaking his head at the thought. Sure, young Wizards could still accept proteges but such cases only occurred to those magically gifted and with people they trusted. That or money. Loads of money. "No, instead I have another idea altogether."

Diana caught on to the implied message. "You won't teach me everything."

"Just the bare basics." Aster nodded at her assumption. Hermits are secretive beings. A mentorship is a heavy weight. He didn't trust her and she didn't trust him. It's harder for his kind to open up. He inherited that trait. "I'll teach you enough for you to discover the secrets of my field but I won't freely gift you the information." He grinned, pointing at his head for emphasis. "I will not mentor you. I will teach you."

"Like a professor?" She gave him a skeptical look. "Is that why you are here?"

He shook his head. "Believe me, child, if I could leave, I would."

"Then why are you he-"

"I will, however, aid you if you start stagnating." Aster grinned when her eyes twitched at his interruption. He had to admit, it was fun irritating the woman. "I will build you a solid foundation. Anything after that is all you."

"I understand." She sighed in resignation before nodding her head in resolution. It seemed that it was enough for her. Good. It wouldn't be optimal if she didn't fully invest everything. "I will try my best to meet your expectations."

He raised an eyebrow.

She clicked her tongue before continuing. "I will try my best...sir."

Huh. Maybe this wouldn't be such a waste after all. He patted her on the shoulder. She tensed at his touch but did nothing else. "That's more like it." They've still got problems to smooth over but nothing that he couldn't fix. "From now on, you can call me Mr. Spinel, professor, or sir." He paused before chuckling. "If you want, you can even use all three."

"That wouldn't be necessary, sir." Her smile was as fake as his teaching experience.

"Oh but I insist."

"And I insist that you leave me the freedom to pick, sir." Diana's words held a sort of pressure that made him back off. He knew when he crossed the line. He still stands by his words. Women truly are scary. So unpredictable. She sighed when he stopped his teasing. Her expression shifted into a more serious facade. "Now, I believe we should talk about scheduli-"

"No schedules."

"Excuse me?"

"No schedules," he repeated his words once more. He matched her incredulous stare with his own. "I have experiments to conduct and theories to test. A Wizard's research is sporadic and unpredictable. A schedule would limit my magical breakthroughs." He had a life too and while he was perfectly willing to teach a desperate student, his research takes top priority.

Sorry, Diana but it can't be helped.

"Understandable." She nodded slowly though he could feel frustration welling up within her. "However, what time is appropriate for me to study?"

"You can come in anytime." He shrugged lazily. "I'll mostly be in the lab anyways so feel free to enter whenever you are free."

"I see." Diana nodded before bowing. It seems the conversation is over. "Thank you for accepting my request, sir." She gave one more nod towards him before bowing at the silent Emilia in the background and leaving. The remaining blonde smiled back before shifting her attention towards him.

Huh.

Was Emilia always there? What's with her smile? His conversation with Diana must have distracted him from her presence in the room. Aster inwardly groaned as he stumbled upon another societal obstacle. Great, more talking. Did his social skills suck that bad?

XXX

"That's nice of you." Emilia grinned as Aster watched her warily. Her respect for the Hermit grew as she watched him interact with her student. Truly, he was a one of a kind Wizard. No professor would have easily accepted Diana's request. The fact that Aster at least considered it spoke volumes of his personality.

"Hardly," Aster's tone was once again dry. "I've refused her initial request."

"Yet you're still teaching her."

"The basics, a far cry of what she wanted."

"Want and need are two different things." Emilia pointed out. Sometimes what you wanted isn't what you needed. Perhaps Aster's lesson plan could improve her better than her initial request. "It's still better than what she expected."

"She will have to work hard to progress in my field." Aster sighed as he went back to working on his magic. She smiled as he procured a variety of ingredients. Even when in conversations, he still wouldn't stop. It was a trait many researchers share.

"She excels in hard work." Emilia grinned. "Few students could rival her in effort."

"Hard work isn't everything." Aster grabbed a large egg from the cabinet. A common breed of dragons now that she thought about it. "She will need intelligence."

"This is Fernum-Magnum." She spoke as if her words explained everything.

Which it did. Decades after its creation, the university is still considered one of, if not the best in the world. Only a select few other institutions could rival the majesty that is this establishment. Going strong even after so many years, many tend to wonder how they managed to keep their reputation spotless. Aster nodded in understanding. "Even then, they're still young."

"You might want to look in the mirror." Emilia mused. "You're not that much older."

"I'm different." Aster waved away the comment.

"I'm not sure that is a good thing."

"You're right." What? Aster grinned at her shocked look. "It's a great thing."

What a witty Hermit. "That arrogance will kill you one day," she warned. She had seen many promising Wizards fall from overconfidence. It was a sad thing, seeing so much potential vanish from a simple mistake. She did not want to see the same happen to a man like Aster.

"I know my limits." The Hermit sighed. He honestly looked exasperated from her worry. "The more you speak, the more you sound like Oleander."

Emilia giggled at his words. How did the red haired professor handle Aster for so many years? It surely must have been an exhausting experience. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"It was an insult." Aster seemed to lament her words. "One of the direst. His name is synonymous to a heretical researcher of our respected arts. It will brand you a traitor."

"I am a Wizard Slayer, the most feared soldiers of Erasma." A title that comes with more consequences than rewards. "I think I would know who is heretical and who's not."

"Oleander's a tricky heretic." Aster's voice was mingled with amusement, a feeling that she could empathize. She liked the small banter. "He hides among you, plotting malicious plans and experimenting with forbidden knowledge. You all just don't see it."

"I think I would have more experience with heretics than an introverted Wizard."

"Oleander's a different sort of heresy." Aster grinned, his eyes glowing with an ethereal green shade. Magic oozed into the air as his magical experiment progressively got stronger. She noted that the dragon egg was filled condensed magic. He must be using Biological Manipulation. "He's the type to hide in plain sight, using his riches and princely charms to seduce his coworkers."

"I believe I would know if I'm being seduced." Emilia giggled, her hands covering her widening smile.

"Emotions are a complicated thing. Sometimes it would cloud what would otherwise be a clear mind."

"A biased mind is not that far off either." Emilia tapped her chin as she spoke her thoughts. She gave him an accusing glance. "Sometimes one's personal opinions on a man would question their credibility."

"I do not need a Wizard Slayer to tell me who is a heretic or not."

"And the same could be said for a Hermit."

"I personally know Oleander for years now." Aster's hands placed the egg down. The green glow fading among his eyes as he watched the magical aura artificially added on the dragon egg. He tapped the egg, the durable shell breaking with but a soft touch. "Surely, experience holds weight in the accusation of heresy."

"Indeed." Emilia chuckled. If experience counts then her occupation as a Magic Knight should be more than enough to end this whimsical conversation. She's faced more than the simple researcher. "I've met several heretics in my time."

"I'm sure you've slaughtered hundreds." Aster rolled his eyes.

"What if I have?" Emilia pondered out loud. She inwardly grinned as her statement held the desired effect. Her question hung in the air as the Hermit paused. His experiment all but forgotten as he processed her words. The casual way she responded only emphasized the atmosphere. The tension between them became palpable.

A silent laughter erupted inside her. The Hermit is afraid or at the very least cautious. How amusing.

Understandable considering that a Witch Hunter was in front of him. She was surprised it took this long for him to genuinely realize the fact. He knew before yet it only really occurred to Aster how dangerous her presence was.

"You exaggerate." His words were cautious yet it held a firm tone that surprised her. Aster's eyes clashed with hers. Emilia slightly widened her eyes when he stayed rooted. His posture was unyielding yet ready to jump at the slightest of movement.

Oh my. Very interesting.

"There's a reason why I've been granted the responsibility of teaching them," Emilia grinned, "and it's not because of my pretty face. I'm pretty good at what I do." Aster's form tensed at her explanation. An understandable action. Magic Knights are the boogeyman of Wizards. Hermits especially. If they judged that their magical research risked thousands of lives then her kind would descend upon them like wolves. Insatiable. Unrelenting. Unforgiving.

She wouldn't do such a thing to Aster. As far as she was concerned, his magical field could actually benefit the world. His recent actions only made her favor him than even some of her coworkers.

She genuinely respected him.

Not that he knew that, of course. Which might be the root of the problem. Aster's trust issues can be both a blessing and a curse.

Aster watched her carefully. He scowled as he noticed her sly smile. "You're doing this on purpose."

Ah, it seems that he finally figured it out. Boo.

"Doing what, Aster?" The tension dissolved as he both sighed in relief and glared at her mirth.

"Stop playing coy." Aster's wit seemed to vanish. "Do you enjoy scaring people with your title?"

"Of course not." That was probably one of the most blatant lies that she's ever told. Aster despite his lack of social skills immediately picked up on the falsehood. If looks could kill then Aster's would have buried her a thousand times over.

Emilia giggled as the man grumbled from her reply. She couldn't help but smile as he went back to his experiments. Talking with Aster was certainly refreshing. Most of her fellow teachers would either be respectful or wary because of her profession. It was irritating. When news came out that they would be receiving a new professor, she hoped Oleander would be different.

The red haired man was unique but she could tell that the respect for her station made him wary. Wary enough to hold his tongue on many opinions.

It was who the man brought with him that intrigued her. Aster was cautious yet he would speak his mind. He held no standard Wizarding etiquette, he deviated from the norm and it's probably because of those traits that made her like him from the start.

Well, that and silencing Ala. Definitely because of that.

"Is it common for professors to watch poor, old Hermits work?" Aster spoke out loud as he noticed her continuous attention. "Is a Wizard's privacy while they practice their secrets not a thing anymore?"

The message was obvious. He's starting to move to the more delicate phases of his operation. After the world's embrace of shared secrets, even the most sociable of Wizards would have several spells hidden from the public. Several hostile encounters with her targets enlightened her of such a truth.

She laughed, her body already moving towards the exit. "I wouldn't know. There are no old Hermits here."

"Funny." His words held zero emotions. He strolled towards the door. "Now get out."

She couldn't help but giggle as he started shooing her away. She left the lab, watching as the man closed the door. The sound it made as it blocked her entry was astoundingly loud. A common Wizard would have been affronted. She would like to think that she's different. Despite the rude gesture, she smiled.

Oh yes.

Talking with Aster Spinel was definitely refreshing.

XXX

Talking with Emilia was an irritating experience. Aster sighed in relief as he went back to his experiments. He thought she would never leave. A comment that might sound rude to the general populace but an opinion that was warranted. He didn't have any proper research done today. It felt like a slow crawl, an agonizing experience that tormented his very soul.

Research was his passion and advancing on a presumed dead branch was his motivation.

Having to hold a casual conversation was a strenuous experience. That's even more true when talking to a Wizard Slayer. By the gods, he had no idea how to speak to someone that could kill him with a flick of a sword and his impatience for a nice testing environment did not help.

He had to resort towards using all his allocated experience in talking with Oleander to even speak which considering the words tossed between him and his best friend, wasn't exactly a good idea. In the end, Aster believed that he did a decent job in entertaining the blonde professor. He probably did better than any other Hermit in his shoes.

Which wasn't much of an accomplishment to begin with.

Aster stretched his arms as he went back to the dragon egg. Comparing the anatomy of a chicken and a dragon was an amusing exercise. There seems to be some sort of genetic relation between the two species. A common ancestor, perhaps?

He hummed in thought as he enjoyed the silence that followed. He could hear his mind contemplate several theories in his head. The familiar buzz of the lab was a comforting one.

Finally, some peace and quie-

"Aster, tell me everything!"

He sighed as he watched a red-haired blur burst out of the entrance. There was an excited gleam in his eyes, the professor practically jumping towards him. It took a moment for Aster to process his words due to the sheer oddity of his friend's behavior.

What the hell?