Dinner was a nightmare; everyone knew about her new classmate, and it was discussed at length. Their mother threw a fit; these were prominent children, how dare the Academy add someone to the elite class without informing them? Afterwards, she threw another fit about how the Teacher dared to declare that her daughter should switch to class B, and not Amita. What was there to choose? Amita clearly belonged in B Class, not Titania. What, just what was she paying a fortune for? Class B? Class B?

Certainly not!

Titania kept quiet and ate her beauf al bourguignon with rice, focusing on the taste and hoping dessert would arrive soon. There had been a notice from Drake that there was apple custard pie. 

After dinner, she took her cake and vanished like everyone else did in the evenings. Entering into her private room, she closed the door and frowned. Closing her eyes, she prayed that Raon would not threaten Miki with murder and violence until after the background check was completed in the morning. As long as it came back clean she should be able to stop him, hopefully.

Cedric would snoop into it tonight anyway, she just hoped he would remember the fact that there was something called a private sphere. Most likely he wouldn’t but she hoped anyway.

Opening her door she wandered in and put her things at her large working table. It was time to finish the last of her homework for this week so at least it wouldn't bother her anymore. Stretching, her gaze fell to the window where a large chair she used when drifting off was standing .
On it huddled together was a small boy, staring at her with striking blue eyes. His dirty long hair was cut into a black mob, while his face was clean and surprisingly cute. He was wearing… a black suit with accessories;, a collar upon which sat a light green emerald, and delicate silver embroidery stitching. 

Not a suit collar, a dog collar.

...That looks like it might belong to one of Chry’s birds… What the…? Where…?

Banishing the thought from her mind she stretched out her hand, "Hello."  

He jumped down and kneeled directly on the ground, looking at the floor, "Good Evening Mistress." He said and bowed lower, his head now touching the floor.

"Dex… Dex… Dex… Get up." She rushed towards him and kneeled down. "I am not your Mistress." She said, trying to correct him. 

"You are, for now, and the only thing I can do is be a pet. A pet has to be obedient, so it gets fed and is allowed to stay." He said as he lifted himself up, "That is what the older blonde Mistress told me; ‘Unless you learn something, the only value you have is as a pet.’ So that is what I will be." He further explained, "What has no use gets thrown out." 

Mother or Chry must have spoken with him. 

"It is fine, there is no one in the world that knows how to do things immediately. You are welcome as long as I say so, just make an effort to learn..." She smiled at him, "... not as a pet, but as a person who has yet to discover their potential. I don't need an obedient boy at my back to call, if I wanted that I would have asked for a puppy a long time ago." 

She looked at his befuddled gaze and patted his head. He didn't understand, but that was fine, she was used to it, "The first task I have for you is to grow up healthy and learn a lot, understand?" 

"Yes...what should I call you then?" 

"Titania, simply Titania." 

He nodded and touched her hand before looking at her with clear eyes, "I swear, upon my name, upon my ancestors. I will be of use to Titania Tarajan, the Tarajan family, and I will grow up healthy." 

Her magic picked up on his words as he continued.

"You said promises count something here and I should only make them if I am sure of it since there are no take backs. Since you, the Tarajan, were the only ones ever paying attention to a magicless useless thing like me, and even gave me a chance, I will promise. I am sure of it, I will prove that I deserve that chance. Titania, I will be useful. I will grow up healthy. I will be with the Tarajan. No matter what happens." 

Titania almost let out a surprised gasp. Her magic she usually kept underneath an iron grip of control struggled free with booming force and wrapped around Dex. The air was trembling, humming, vibrating with her power The full force of a seventh order mage filled the room with visible sparks of vibrant and shining green. 

Her eyes widened, never had she seen a violent reaction like that. Her magic, usually a subtle thing, was swelling energy inside her body and making her dizzy. Struggling violently against all restraints she placed upon it, the feeling was a frightening and familiar one. The last time this happened was when she had first risen to fifth order; jumping the giant gap between her fist rise and her birth order. A rise always resulted in the temporary loss of control when triggered, the body needing a moment to adapt to the changes. 

She was leveling up. That would explain why her magic was pushing more than usual. Dex was wrapped up in green tendrils that coiled around him, chained him. Fine strands of magic started invading his body through his skin. 

An eighth order mage can influence reality and bend the rules of the world to a certain extent. That’s the difference between a high level mage and a high mid level mage. Not many can bear the burden caused by such magic, that is why the number of mages above seventh order is so extremely low. 

Her sister's words echoed in her mind. 

‘You will notice that jump in power like a sledgehammer hitting you right in the chest.’ 

She did notice, she also saw how the magic was chaining Dex to his words. An unbreakable promise. Her specialization. A dealmaker. A mage of vows. Her power had invaded him. She could even feel his heartbeat if she concentrated. 

Thrum, Thrum, Thrum… I will be of use, I will stand with the Tarajan. 

Her magic only understood the intention. 

Loyalty.

It echoed in her head, her magic did something to him and she had no Idea what. Her door burst open and she saw Drake standing there with her entire family storming in behind him. All of them were staring at her. She was the youngest of them to ever rise to the eighth order. Both Chry and Raon had been two years older than her when they reached it themselves. 

Next to her something ignited and she removed her gaze from her surprised family that burst in through the door and saw Dex still kneeling on the floor. The suit was surrounded by a thin layer of almost translucent flames. Fire, bursting out of him surrounding him, its color becoming more and more intense. Deepening, shining brighter until it changed color to a dazzling blue-white. Her magic was still wrapping around him, interfering with the flames, pushing them further. Pushing them to be stronger, raising his magic, fueling it. She had lost all control in that moment and invaded even the brilliant blue of his flames. 

Blood ticked out of the corner of Dex's mouth and she felt his heartbeat getting weaker. The magic overwhelmed him, his body not equipped to deal with it. 

No! 

Instead of continuing to try and restrain it, she started to push it. She funneled it with her own will, further and further. 

He will to live. 

Her magic moved upon her will, following the words. 

'I will grow up healthy' his words echoed through it as she made her magic bend to follow them. 

Not an adult, a child he still had to grow so her magic bent the rules, bent reality. It made his body stronger, strengthened his lungs, his muscles, his heart, every fiber of his body, it made certain he was keeping his promise and if he couldn’t then he was made capable of keeping it. 

‘I will be of use’

The flames grew colder, dancing but not burning, their heat softly touching Titania's hands, caressing them carefully. Suddenly she knew what his ability was. 

Blue fire, his magic ability is mythical fire. Healing and Destruction, the strongest and most ancient of fire magics. 

Titania realized and swayed, feeling the impact of her magic on him and at the power boiling inside the flames. He would die if she didn’t continue. Nobody had ever been able to endure the force of a power like that. She pushed more into it, not finished, he wouldn’t die. 

Her family around her was deathly silent observing, watching her work a deed deemed impossible. 

Someone without a birth order gaining an extremely powerful magic type, not a basic one, and surviving barreling through the ranks like this should be impossible. Her magic was the only thing making it possible, bending the rules for the sake of Dex. Forcing him to be able to keep his promise because she willed it so.

First order, second order. Her magic worked harder, continued on. Third order. She was getting weaker but yet her magic pushed further still...

‘I will be useful.’ 

Titania felt her magic waning but continued to push it forward without allowing it to stop. He had to survive, the punishment for an unkept promise was horrible, in that case he would be lucky to only die. 

So she poured more into it, and her magic flowed on. 

Fourth order. 

She felt it when he broke through the flickering flames around him burning bright. Her magic announced it was satisfied, now he could keep his promises. He could be useful in her magic eyes and he would grow up. Grow up healthy. 

His body changed to keep up with his power, to be healthy and strong. 

Titania felt exhausted in her bones and looked at the others. 

"Now that is intriguing." Her mother noted, greed in her eyes, "A pity, that it consumes so much power and endangers you. Both are things I will not tolerate being repeated." 

She snapped her fingers and her illusion magic activated, placing claws at the throats and vitals of all non-blood-related people in the room, "One word and we will rip you apart. This secret, this power, will never be known to the world outside." She hissed and Drake, Emery and Anne bowed their heads in obedience at her words. One of the claws flicked, and a small cut appeared on Drake's left cheek, a trickle of blood running down from it before dropping to the floor. 

"We will never speak about what we have seen today." They said in unison. Her magic wanted to move again but was too weak, enfeebled for the moment, it felt empty. 

Raon noticed and moved closer to her slowly helping her up from the floor while Chry went running next door. 

Silence reigned in the room. Cedric tiptoed forward, looking at her before smiling, "Congrats Titania." He said and hugged her, "Now you will kick all those asses at the Academy yourself." He muttered and Titania hugged him back. Raon kept her standing as Chry hushed back in, her arms cradling a small box. 

"Recovery potions." She said, and pushed Cedric aside, "They will help, I adjusted them to your magic." 

"Thanks." Titania said weakly, as she took a potion. After drinking it, she almost instantly felt better. 

Raon still helped her to the bed so she could sit down. 

"Rest." He said expressionlessly and stroked her hair, "Older brother's orders." 

He moved his gaze then to Dex who was still sitting on the floor, "You too." He said. "You need it." 

Cedric picked the boy up with his shadows and put him on the sofa in the corner. 

Chry was searching for something in her box but not finding it when Emery stepped forward and stopped her hand, "This one dear." He said and took out a small glass container with a light blue Liquid.

He walked forward and stopped next to the boy, "Here, drink it; it will stabilize your powers as well." He said before walking back to Chry and hugging her from behind. Her sister leaned into the comforting touch offered.

"Titania, you will be staying here for the next few days, I will inform the Academy. Take your time and stabilize your powers. The same goes for that… individual…" Her mother pointed at Dex. "...it will be staying here and once it has stabilized I will put it into a school, earlier than planned to." 

"Alright." Titania said, and Cedric appeared behind her and hugged her again, "Congrats." He muttered before leaving the room. 

Chry giggled, now fully recovered and rushed towards her as well. Hugging her tightly, "We really have to go shopping to celebrate this." She said while Raon stood at the side and watched them a bit lost while not moving. 

"Get here brother." Titania said and untangled a bit, "Group cuddling." 

Raon, stiff like a wooden board, joined in hugging them back, "I wanna join." Cedric said and promptly hugged all of them as well. 

"Mom?" He asked her but she shook her head, "Not today… I have things to take care of." She said and walked out leaving them all puzzled. 

Mother usually always joined in at those rare moments. 

"I will go see what is bothering her." Raon said and left, almost fleeing the hug. Chry and Cedric untangled as well, "I will go eavesdropping." Declared Cedric. 

Chry nodded, "Tell us what this is about later." He nodded leaving after their mother and Raon. 

"Have a good night." Chry said and Titania nodded, "Our sheltered little princess." 

"Hey" She protested, "That was because you are always keeping me out of the loop when something dangerous happens." 

"I know, but Titania, we can fight, even Cedric is a better fighter than you regardless of his age, you are soft hearted, your ability is a valuable one and completely unsuitable for Combat." Chry spoke quickly and hugged her, "We want you to be our next leader, the next head and we need you sane and safe for that; we fear what would happen if you step into our world completely." 

"I have to, or else how will I be a good family head, I am not afraid of you, Chry. Or anyone here and I never will be, you are my people." She muttered but Chry simply shook her head and left Titania behind who fell into her bed with a sigh and closed her eyes, "You cannot know that, and we fear what will happen once you do know." 

"I will never know if you don't let me, and that will be far more dangerous." Titania answered and Chry smiled, kissing her little sister’s temple. 

"I know but you stepping into our world is something all of us fear, we fear that you realize how big of monsters we can be.”