Roswell Academy was the finest noble magic school in the Zivilia Kingdom. Children of nobility from various regions gathered here for their education.
This Academy was the most sought-after school for nobles with magic talent. Furthermore, common folk with extraordinary magic talent were also accepted here.
Every time Tsana saw the magnificence of the main Roswell Academy building, she felt a sense of nostalgia. Her head was always filled with random images of this Academy, whether it was a nameplate bearing 'Roswell Academy,' or the voice of someone wearing the academy uniform speaking to her, or sometimes images of stacks of books, and it always gave her a headache.
That was why she never came whenever the headmaster of Roswell Academy invited her, even on his knees, and only sent Zephyr to take her place.
Tsana wasn't sure, but it seemed that in the past, she had some connection to this place.
But when? And how?
"Wait!"
Just as Tsana and Zephyr passed through the Academy gate, they were blocked by two teenagers wearing the Roswell Academy uniform.
A boy and a girl.
Zephyr stepped in front of Tsana, still in his child form. He pointed his half-eaten candied fruit at the two teenagers and scolded them with a displeased look. "What's the meaning of this, Roswell students? Blocking distinguished guests at the gate is extremely rude."
The teenage boy slightly bowed his head to greet them, while the girl merely stood with a poker face.
The boy spoke. "Please forgive our impertinence. I am Rolan Gilbert, second son of Marquis Gilbert, a second year student at Roswell Academy."
"I am Helena, third daughter of Count Kamal, a second year student at Roswell Academy," the girl added.
Then, both looked at Zephyr seriously.
"Please teach us magic, Great Singing Witch, the Guardian of the Nightmare Forest!"
Zephyr put his hands on his hips and frowned. "That's very sudden- Wait, why are you only looking at me? Didn't you ask the Singing Witch to teach you magic?"
Rolan shook his head. "Yes, that's right. I once heard from my older brother, who personally saw the Singing Witch when he entered the Nightmare Forest, about the Singing Witch's characteristics. He is a small boy, with golden hair, sage green eyes, and a fondness for sweets. Everyone who has entered the Nightmare Forest says the same thing. I heard today that the headmaster invited the Singing Witch to come for the review of the exam students who will enter the Nightmare Forest in three days, and when I saw you enter the gate, I was immediately convinced that you are the Singing Witch. Last year, when you came for the student review, I couldn't meet you at all, so today I decided to wait for you at the gate."
Zephyr blinked several times, confused by Rolan's wildly inaccurate description of the Singing Witch.
"You are a symbol of salvation to us. When the monster hunters who enter the forest have lost all hope, when they are approaching death and resign themselves to being eaten by monsters, you always appear just in time and bring them out of the forest. You are truly extraordinary. I always get chills imagining your legendary line whenever you open the entrance to the Nightmare Forest: 'Do you wish to meet all my monsters?' Ah, truly mesmerizing," Helena chimed in. Although her face was a poker face, her eyes sparkled and her cheeks had a faint blush, a sign of admiration.
Zephyr nearly threw up in his mouth upon hearing the exaggerated praise.
Could they have mistaken him for the Singing Witch?
"Pfft!" Tsana held back her laughter.
Zephyr glared at Tsana, pouting, his look seemed to say, 'Seriously? You're laughing at me now, Master? What's so funny?! This is all your fault for always sending me to open the entrance and save those fools who were about to die in the Forest. You never show yourself to them, claiming you're too lazy!'
Rolan spoke again with full enthusiasm. "Therefore! Master! Please teach us magic!"
"H-Hey, isn't there a slight misunderstanding here? Isn't there a book that tells about the Singing Witch? The Singing Witch is a woman, you know. Whereas I am a boy," Zephyr said, trying to correct them.
Helena shook her head. "You don't need to be so humble as to deny it, Master. You are a great Witch. It shouldn't be a problem for you to use magic to alter your physical form. I don't understand why you would choose the form of a young boy, perhaps you are so fond of boys that you turned yourself into one?"
Zephyr's jaw dropped at Helena's statement. He truly didn't know how to explain it.
"Pfft." Again, Tsana's stifled laugh was heard.
Zephyr gave Tsana a pleading look, begging her to rescue him from this awkward situation.
But Tsana acted as if she saw nothing, which made Zephyr despair.
Zephyr suddenly remembered that for the past 80 years, he was the one who always replaced Tsana in meeting people. He was the one who always opened the entrance to the Nightmare Forest whenever monster and treasure hunters wanted to enter. He was the one who always saved the hunters who were about to die in the forest, and he was the one who always came to Roswell Academy for the student reviews.
For 80 years, Zephyr was the one who always appeared.
It was reasonable for this younger generation to think he was the Singing Witch, and not Tsana.
Because they had never seen Tsana in person.
That's right, Rolan and Helena were the new generation. Rolan's brother was probably only around 20 years old, too. That's why they only knew the fact that the Singing Witch was a woman named Tsana Norton, but they didn't know the true appearance of the Singing Witch.
"Ah, so that's why," Zephyr muttered.
Suddenly, Tsana, who had only been listening to their conversation from behind, adopted a wary stance.
Zephyr, noticing his Master's change in demeanor, felt confused. "What's wrong, Master-"
"Shh."
Tsana put her index finger to her own mouth, then looked up at the sky.
'A terrifying mana flow,' Tsana thought.
The atmosphere around them suddenly went silent, as if the wind itself had vanished. The trees and plants were utterly still, and the sunlight seemed to dim.
"W-What is this?" Even Rolan felt the approaching danger.
It had been a very long time since Tsana had felt such a terrifying mana energy. This sensation truly evoked a longing.
The last time she felt such overwhelming mana was...
She didn't know. Perhaps hundreds of years ago. She couldn't recall.
Suddenly, an extremely loud rumbling sound came from all directions. The ground around them shook violently, causing Helena to fall to her knees.
"Kyaa!" Helena screamed.
A very loud impact came from the sky, as if trying to shatter the barrier surrounding the Academy. All the teachers poured out of the building, including the students who were studying.
They all looked up at the sky, utterly confused.
"What's happening?"
"The ground is shaking terribly."
"Is someone attacking the Academy?"
"An earthquake?"
The impacts continued, and at the third impact, the barrier let out a cracking sound that spread in all directions, until finally, the shield truly shattered into pieces.
"Such terrifying power. Even the Grand Witches of the Kingdom couldn't destroy this shield in 100 attacks," one of the teachers said in horror.
"Sir Zephyr! You are here? Do you know what is happening?" Theo, the headmaster of Roswell, came closer to Zephyr.
Rolan and Helena looked at Theo, confused. 'Sir Zephyr? Who is Headmaster Theo referring to?'
Zephyr gritted his teeth and turned to Tsana, who was still warily staring at the sky. 'What is this? A demon? No way. Even the strongest Demon doesn't have such a terrifying mana flow. What kind of creature is this?'
Then he answered Theo. "I don't know, but I feel a very dangerous power approaching."
Theo looked at Tsana who was standing behind Zephyr. "Is she-"
Zephyr nodded. "Yes, she is my Master. The Singing Witch, Guardian of the Nightmare Forest. She finally decided to leave the forest after all these years."
Rolan and Helena looked shocked after hearing Zephyr's words.
"What?!" Rolan exclaimed in shock.
Meanwhile, Zephyr felt relieved that the misunderstanding was finally resolved. Fortunately, Theo came just in time, otherwise, he would still be confused about how to explain to these two foolish teenagers that the Singing Witch was actually behind him, and not himself.
Suddenly, Tsana's face turned pale, her eyes widening as she stared at the sky.
"Zephyr, that's-"
Zephyr turned towards Tsana and flinched slightly when he saw the change in her expression. It was a look he had never seen on Tsana's face before.
He followed Tsana's gaze, and that's when his heart started pounding.
Right above the Roswell Academy building, a creature, which had always been believed to be a myth, and yet the very creature Tsana had searched for across the entire continent for hundreds of years, was flying majestically above them.
Its long body twisted and writhed in the air, as if performing a beautiful dance. Its silvery white scales glistened, and the four incredibly wide wings on its back flapped with great elegance. Its entire body was surrounded by a golden aura, and its sharp golden eyes seemed capable of tearing apart any prey before it.
The creature landed atop the Roswell Academy building, tossing its head.
It looked down at all the humans standing below.
The sight was like that of a great deity arrogantly staring down at its helpless servants at its feet.
Along with its majesty, the aura of intimidation it released was terrifying.
Then, it let out a mighty roar.
The sound was so devastating that the people there could not keep their knees from trembling and fell to the ground. Everyone present, Rolan, Helena, the students, and the teachers, all knelt in fear on the ground. Some vomited, and many had already fainted, except for one person.
"That's-" Zephyr's throat tightened. He tried to swallow hard, gasping for breath as he struggled to support himself with one knee on the ground, his legs shaking violently. "The Light Dragon!"