Sol couldn’t help but feel a little weak in the legs as he walked down toward the private zone reserved for his teacher.

Edea Asmodeus, the witch of time, also known as the witch of the west. In Lustburg, there were three women who were known to stand at the top above everyone else and hold so much authority that anyone of them could plunge the kingdom into a dark age if they so wished.

Lilith Luxuria, the regent queen of the kingdom as well as the sword saint of this generation.

Camelia Castitas, the supreme daughter of Castitas.

Edea Asmodeus, the current leader of the witches cult.

Edea was his teacher in magic study, even though he couldn’t use mana until his awakening, and even then, he wouldn’t really need to learn witchcraft, he was still happy to have such a renowned teacher.

Finally, after turning in a halfway, he stopped in front of a wall before slowly knocking on it three times in rhythm.

The moment he did so, a weak light seemingly scanned him from head to toe before the part of the wall he stood in front of changed into a black door on which a scarlet snake was eating his own tail.

‘Ouroboros, the snake representing the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth. One of the fourteen divine beasts.’

“How long do you plan to stand like a dunce?”

A voice filled with the age of time entered his ear from behind the door. This voice brought him back from the trance he always entered in whenever he saw that picture.

Mustering the brightest smile he could, he pushed open the door and entered

-----

The moment he opened the door, what greeted him wasn’t the interior of a room, but an entire different world.

‘Everytime I see it I can’t help but marvel.’

The other side of the door was a large green pasture. The wind stirred gently, the sun shined high in the sky, and a little far away, seated a young girl on a white table, sipping tea from a teacup.If one had to choose two words to describe her, it would be white and black.

Even from here, the view felt like he was in a fairy tail. The first thing anyone would remark was how young she was.

At first view, she didn’t seem older than a young teen, but this impression would immediately vanish the moment they sharpened their senses. Even someone still unawakened like him could feel it. A deep primal fear was growing inside his gut as it screamed at him to run far away as fast as possible without turning back. What stood in front of him wasn’t a young woman, but a monster.

A being as old as the very kingdom he was the heir of.

A being so powerful, she was classed as a kingdom class threat.

A being so beautiful, no words could do justice to her beauty.

She was Edea West Asmodeus. The witch of time. One of the five directions of the sabbat, the witches cult.

She was also his master.

“My, my, are you still going to gawk at your master?”

The moment she raised her head, Sol was startled awake by her gaze. If people were asked what her most striking feature was, some people would answer her jet black dress that seemed to be made out of darkness itself as it sucked the light around it. Some would answer, her long white hair that reached her feet and seemed to reflect all light.

But for Sol, what stood out the most for him was her eyes. Heterochromia it is called. One of her eyes was as red as a sea of blood, while her left eye was shining gold, reminiscing of the sun.

As he walked slowly toward her, he slowly genuflected and took her outstretched hand in his as he gave a kiss to her finger.

“Of course master. You know well how legendary your beauty is.”

A small enigmatic smile formed on her face as she said,

“You are such a flirt, you really remind me of your ancestor. It was also how he tricked me in this tower.”

Sol let out a bitter smile at this accusation. He knew that even though she seemed dissatisfied, she didn’t hold any animosity against him. He didn’t understand why. After all, in her place, he would have most likely gone crazy if his loved one betrayed him after promising him everything.

“Fufufu~!! Don’t make such a face. You know very well, that I do not see Jupiter's actions as a slight against me. I have never regretted giving everything I had to him.”

“But-”

“Enough about that. The weather is pleasing today, why don’t you have some tea?”

She chided him gently as she pinched his nose with affections.

Sol frowned a little, before sighing as he got up under the loving look of Edea, she murmured as he took place in front of her

“Each day I look at you fills me with joy. You are growing so well. Soon you will be taller than me. I remember the little kid who entered this zone by accident with his slave but looked at me stubbornly as he protected her behind him.”

“Master!! Please stop. No need to remind me of that embarrassing day.”

The door could only be opened by the blood of the royal family. Back then, Sol and Setsuna were playing in this part of the tower when she wounded him accidentally with her claw.

'Back then I thought I would faint from fright.'

Frankly, had he been alone he would have cried and begged for his life. But he didn't want to look so uncool in front of the girl he liked.

"So, tell me, it seems like those two days were particularly busy."

Sol nodded without bothering to try hiding it. Initially, this tower wasn't created to serve as a castle. The whole tower is in reality a prison that the first king used to seal Edea.

But, Edea wasn't just any witch. In the first place, she would have never been sealed if she didn't let him do so. What’s more, she transformed the entire tower into her lair and had absolute control over all of it, and could also see everything going on.

"Master. Tell me how was my father?"

He had never really been curious about his father. On one hand, as someone from another world, he already had parents and didn't really see Mars as a father. What’s more, the ones to raise him were Lilith, Milia, Camelia, and Edea.

Edea stirred her tea as she crossed her legs. Her thigh showing a little from the slit of the gown she was wearing.

"Your father… If I had to say, your father was a charismatic idiot."

As she said this, she looked up with a large smile.

"Mars was also a student of mine as you know. But the way he found me was a little different. The one who brought him here was little Lilith. She was curious and didn't believe in the legend. So she brought him here and opened the door."

It was clear that she could see this scene in her mind. Her smile was so dazzling,

"When they entered they reacted the same way you and Setsuna did. They were frightened, but Mars didn't hesitate to stand in front of Lilith, and though his legs were shivering. Fufufu~! Just remembering this scene makes me laugh so much."

She calmed herself a little before continuing,

"The moment I saw Mars, I immediately understood that he was different. Even though he was from being 15 years old back then, he could already use mana. Albeit unconsciously.

"At 15, he did the impossible and managed to contract with a mythical beast. Your mother. Blaze Dragon. The direct daughter of one of the 15 divine beasts. The dragon of pride."

Sol nodded, he knew he was half-dragon. Even though he never particularly felt stronger or better than a normal human. Seemingly feeling his worry, Edea gave him a comforting smile as she said,

"Do not worry. Hybrids are very rare, almost nonexistent to be honest. But all known hybrids awakened their latent potential at 15 like normal humans.-So? Where was I? Yeah. Your mother."

"Blaze was a true monster. As a mythical beast, the fact that your father managed to make a contract with her was seen as legendary. But it didn't stop there. When he joined the academy, he breezed through the test and broke all records. At 17, he was already recognized as a disaster class. At 20, he was crowned as the strongest king in all history of Lustburg."

Sol’s hand shivered at those words. He could basically see the trail of what could only be called a true legend.

"But this wasn't all. If he was just powerful it wouldn't have been worthy of a legend. There are so many powerful beings in this world and throughout history. One more or one less wouldn't make a difference.

"What made me truly both fear and respect your father was his charisma. It was scary to see. In a few words, he could change an enemy into his best friend. He was loved by all the populace and no one dared to defy his reign.

"The same applied abroad. He had friends in all the six other kingdoms. Prince, princess, Religious leaders, General. He was also the sole man who was able to travel the spirit realm as he wished."

"Sol," She said, her eyes blazing with conviction, "Your father was a true monster. A great man of the like that never appeared in this world. If he was still alive, there's no doubt Lustburg would have stopped being a kingdom and would have transformed into an empire."

"But despite all that, he was such a kid when facing women, especially the beautiful ones when they approached him, he'd start stuttering like a kid got caught doing something bad by his parents fufufu~!"

Her smile changed into a teasing one as she said,

"Frankly, I'm more convinced it was your mother who proposed for marriage rather than your father, I just can't imagine him being proactive with women, with how they can easily lead him by the nose."

And this was how the mighty image Sol had of his father crumbled.