In the southern district of the Capital City of Liwein, there was an incredibly large market filled with all sorts of products. It was here one could find everything from as simple as fruits and vegetables to weapons and luxury goods. The market was filled with all sorts of skilled craftsmen, there were magic scribes creating scrolls, blacksmiths forging armor, weavers selling fabric, alchemist brewing potions, and so much more.

And it was due to all these goods that all manner of men of women from all walks of life would come here. There were the residents of the capital coming to buy their groceries, there were adventurers gearing up with some new equipment, mages buying new robes, knights repairing their armor, and naturally the rich would often visit these markets to buy all sorts of luxury goods.

And last but not least there were the merchants and their employees, they would come to the market every day to buy and sell goods. They would enter the auction houses to bid for specific items, or some would take the time to invest in a business by setting up shop. Though this avenue was only really available to nobles or the wealthier merchants.

It was also in this district that one could find a maid and several guards leading a caravan down one of the districts larger streets. However instead of following the caravan which was heading further west where a large number of warehouses were located the maid got off and walked towards a building with an emblem of a blue rose.

As she walked in the employees bowed and greeted her, and she waved her hand dismissing them. She walked up a flight of stairs and down a hallway before reaching a door. But before she could knock she heard a voice from inside saying, “Come in Noel.”

The Head Maid Noel didn’t appear to be shocked as she quietly opened the door and walked into the room. The room was a relatively small office, only furnished with a few lamps, a desk, some bookshelves, and most of the room was used simply to store a few boxes and a large amount of paperwork.

Baron Whitmore was sitting down using magic to float several papers in the air as he read them while writing something down. At the same time, several other pieces of paper were floating across the room being neatly sorted, and there was even the stamp to the side of the desk stamping a stack of papers.

Noel looked at this and sighed, “Sir, shouldn’t you get some of the secretaries to do this sort of work?”

“No need, I’m more than plenty.”

Noel shook her head, “Honestly, what I don’t know what to do with you.”

“How’s Thomas?”

“Recovering. He said he should be fully healed within a week or two.”

“I see.” the Baron drew some symbols quickly with his right finger that was writing something down causing a drawer to open and a red box with a yellow ribbon flew out towards Noel, “Do you mind giving this to him?”

Noel looked at the box, but before she could ask anything the Baron replied, “It’s chocolate.”

Noel put away the box and replied, “Alright.”

Then Baron Whitmore put his pen down and clapped his hands causing the papers in the air to turn into a stack that landed on his desk. He raised his head and looked at Noel, “So how are they?”

“According to Owen, the first young master Hiro has performed incredibly. Apparently, in the beginning, he even beat up the Third Prince. In terms of being a Knight, he’s quite lacking in terms of Qi, he’s yet to obtain a first level Spiritual Body either. However, as a Mage, the young master has performed admirably and has shown rapid improvement for a child his age.”

“And his brother?”

Noel replied hesitantly, “The second young master Quinn has yet to do anything noteworthy outside of his general education courses. He’s taken a few Knight and Magic courses but they were all very basic and elementary courses…”

Noel paused, “Holstein are you really just going to leave him like this?”

“I told them they could do as they wish.”

“But why!? Even if the Whitmore’s would be fine with the first young master, it doesn’t mean we should just leave the second young master like this. We should push him forward.”

“Noel, I’ve told you before-”

Noel clenched her fist, “He’s your son! He’s her son! What would Victoria think of this!?”

Then suddenly the temperature in the room dropped, it was similar to what happened in the study years ago, but this time the temperature dropped drastically. Noel’s face paled and she began to control the mana in her surroundings and formed a small region around herself where the temperature was warmer.

Noel looked at the Baron and said, “Holstein… this isn’t like you.”

“Get out.”

“Holstein, think of your children. Think of your family.”

“I said get out.”

“I know it hurt when she died, but it’s been a decade...what about the mistress, what about Eris. I’m not saying you should forget her but-”

The Baron slammed his fist on the desk causing several stacks of paper to fall off, he slowly said, “Get out Noel.”

Noel clenched her fist and turned around exiting the room. The Baron sighed and went to pick up the papers he’d knocked over as well as the stamp that had also fallen. But as he picked up the stamp which had the same emblem that was in front of the store he couldn’t help but reminisce…

~20 years ago~

“So you’re heading back Holstein?”

The Baron who had only just recently graduated from the academy turned around, and bowed, “I’m sorry Headmaster, but I can’t just leave my mother alone. Our territory is close to the frontier and I’ve heard that our sales haven’t been doing too well.”

“I see, I would have liked for you to have become a Royal Mage or an instructor, but I pray for your success.”

Holstein laughed, “I’ll come by to visit whenever I stop by the capital.”

Holstein turned back around and looked at the coaches before him, and asked, “Derrick are those Adventurers we hired here yet?”

A black haired well-built man poked his head out from the coach and replied, “Ah, not yet.”

Holstein walked over to the other coach, and asked, “How are things on your end Charles?”

“Good to go, if they’re late I can just send a letter to the Guild and we can just be on our way.”

Holstein shook his head, “No, you can head to the gates now. I’ll wait here for the Adventurers.”

Charles and Derrick replied, “Alright boss.”

The headmaster walked up to Holstein who sat down, “You hired Adventurers?”

“Yeah according to the Guild these two had just returned from the frontier, they were originally a party of five, but three of them perished. The other two returned to the capital to look for more party members and stock up on equipment apparently.”

“Oh? But do you even need guards, given your level of strength even if you were to be ambushed you could fend off most people?”

Holstein looked up and said, “In truth, I intend to join them, I heard among the adventurers these two are quite powerful, there’s even a magic knight among the two of them.”

“A graduate?"

Holstein shook his head, “No, that’s why it peaked my interest.”

“What are their names?”

“Oh, their names are-”

Holsteins suddenly raised his hand and a wall of ice appeared in front of him, and just as abruptly as it appeared it was immediately cut into pieces. A brown haired woman then immediately charged forward knocking the pieces of ice away as she swung her heavy broadsword down.

Holstein twisted his hand in the air and suddenly a tornado shot out of his hands knocking the woman back. The headmaster immediately pulled out his staff, but Holstein stood up and motioned him to stop.

Then a blonde haired woman in light silver armor appeared beside the brown haired women, she drew her sword and said, “Sir Holstein I presume?”

Holstein looked at the women’s sword and noticed that it was coated in a layer of frost, and its guard was surrounded by thorns formed of ice. He smiled, and raised his hand causing several spears of ice to form in the air around him, “Victoria I presume?”

Victoria nodded her head, and Holstein turned towards the brown-haired woman, “And Elizabeth?”

The woman named Elizabeth grinned,“The one and only!”

Victoria lowered her head slightly, “I apologize for being late and for our abruptness.”

Holstein laughed, “Don’t worry, but should you really just be standing there?”

Holstein took a step forward and a mass of ice surged forward from his feet trying to engulf the two of them. At the same time, the ice spears floating above Holstein shot forward with incredible speed.

However Victoria appeared quite calm, she merely swung her sword down and the wave of frost around her sword surged forward. As the wave of frost crashed into Holstein’s mass of ice, the ice suddenly transformed into a mass of icy thorns that instead shot backward blocking the ice spears.

Holstein’s eyes widened as he stared at this phenomenon, and his finger reached towards a ring on his other hand. The suddenly, Victoria appeared beside him, her sword to his throat. He turned to the side and said, “I underestimated you.”

“You’d do best not to underestimate your opponents, sir.”

Holstein laughed, “No, it’s not that, you’re just a lot more beautiful than I anticipated. And you’re even more so up close.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s nice that you can take a compliment.”

“I’ve naturally been told I was beautiful before.”

Holstein continued to laugh, “I bet! Anyway, I suppose let’s call this a draw.”

Victoria looked over at the ring flashing brightly on Holstein's finger and put down her sword, “I suppose.”

Holstein extended his hand and smiled, “Once again it’s nice to meet you Victoria”