at dusk, James went the garrison to check on Kane state and he received reports about three freed prisoners .

“…how did this happened?” 

James asked the emissary who brought the report for him.

“after you ordered, they were released in morning, we watched them closely. They separated their ways and returned home normally, but all of them reunited with each other shortly afterwards, going to an abandoned house in vicinity of city and then …”

“and then all of them were found dead, butchered to be exact, am I right?” James said bluntly.

Gilbert and his party weren't weak, their magician was rather unwilling to act and that was the reason they struggled with Kane. 

Though she'd used heavy magic on Kane, she could do it much faster to get him done in, even then she'd used it as tool of intimidation, and not with intent to kill.

Same group who made a ruckus inside city, had been easily taken out. Those who followed them hadn't even noticed a thing, not until hour later that mana used for concealment ran out and it was too late.

It was obvious that they had died too fast and without any chance of resistance, no sound or sign of battle, only three  body left on their hands.

“…yes, my lord, it our shame to bring such results.” he confirmed it with heavy tone laced in remorse.

Dropping to one knee, he continued.

“asks my lord to administer punishment on us for inadequate performance in our duty.”

“unnecessary.”

Though James felt it was regrettable lose of chance, but punishing the Shade was unproductive and unjust.

The Shade was young organization that Zack, William's oldest son was in charge of.

They were trained for intelligence gathering, undercover protection, sabotage and assassination. They weren't elite yet, such failure wasn't unexpected and could be set as their growth, but cost of failure was sometimes too high.

“but…”

“but nothing, what's lost is lost.”

Just a short three days ago, he stood against them and now they were dead.

Quite pitifully, they'd lost their lives over something that had nothing to do with them. The vampire's target was Samuel, but in her way she'd used innocent lives.

In James's opinion, he might disliked them and treated them cruelly, but he couldn't say their death wasn't a part of his misjudgment.

He was someone who kept his domain safe by intimidation and iron fist policy, he was neither unexperienced in politics schemes and its dirty way nor a genius in it.

He assumed the usual acting of demons which led to this.

“…where are their bodies?”

So he wished to see his decision outcome with his own eyes.

“they're here, my lord.”

“bring me there.”

“…as you command.”

The young emissary was rather hesitant about it, but he brought James to where they kept them.

Opening the door, James saw young man hands were shaking a little.

“you can stay outside.”

“Yes, Sir.”

The relief in his voice was apparent but there was nothing to blame.

As James entered and neared the body, he put away the cover and realised what made the Shade member that scared.

“holy shit…” 

Looking at body he felt demon had changed a bit from what he remembered.

The entire body was turned to mash, not a piece of body was left untouched, from head to toe, each and every single part of it had been separateed and flattened, as if a giant monster had trampled them.

From reports James heard that assailant had killed them instantly, so their bodies had turned into this shape after they have been killed…maybe as a sort of amusement. And one of them was in far worse than rest, as if it'd been treated more violently.

“…what mad creature does this kind of thing?” he said slowly to himself.

The three body was in unrecognizable state, it wasn't possible to say who they were if they weren't under surveillance.

“…rest in peace.”

Returning cover on them, James left the room.

Outside the young man stood silently, looking at him.

“…he's in interrogation room?”

“yes, he's.”

Saying no more, James walked there, his heavy expression said more than his words.

He was angry, not at vampire or these bunch, rather himself who allowed such to happen.

Guards didn't interrupted him, opening door for him, he saw Kane sitting on side of interrogation table, but his eyes were hollow, looking lost and dismayed.

“what happened? Are you playing idiot now that you are free?”

James sarcastic tone didn't made change in Kane as he remained the same.

“hey, say something!” 

Punching heavily on table James shouted at him.

“…I was…”

A weak voice responded to him but it was unaudible.

“what? Say it clearly!”

James irritated mind state, cause him to lose control over his anger, and he flipped the table aside.

“No! let me say something to you before that.”

James pointed a finger at him and said.

“your friends are dead, killed by someone you can clearly guess.” 

Mercilessly delivering news of their death, shook the lifeless look on Kane, making him tremble in despair.

“and who's fault it is?”

Although James blamed him as one who caused those people death, he knew full well that all wasn't his mistake.

“I …I just … I wasn't able to control myself, I didn't wanted any of this …it's not my fault… it's really not my…”

Kane tried to deny as he yelled back, but in the end his voice grow weaker and weaker.

“you don't even believe that yourself and wants other to believe it, hah, stop dreaming you fool.” but James mocked and crushed his escapism.

Taking a step back, James asked him something which he felt from his words.

“you said you wasn't able to control yourself, so you should remember everything, right?”

“ugh…that's …right.”

Upon hearing his question he clutched his head in pain and responded.

Though they'd cleared out the blood in his body, it didn't mean it had left no aftereffects. And it showed up when he tried to remember or memory itself, pained him.

“is there anything that you might know that can help?”

James didn't hope for much, the opponent wouldn't leave important information in the hands of a puppet.

“I know a few … at least one or two should be useful.”

“hmm?”

But contrary to his expection Kane knew more than what he assumed.

“…I was awake the entire time …I remember …everything clearly.”

The time he was under blood puppetry, his conscious wasn't cut off, as such he remembered it all.

“…she called herself Ramona Mores.”

Mores?! Those merchants?! Is she a part of them or did she lied to him?

“…when I brought her to my house, she showed up as two persons …like twin or something, but one of them didn't talked at all…it was more like a doll than a living being…”

Twin?! Doll?!

James wasn't surprised at this information, the vampire's attack on mansion was reckless, and she died easily, without any solid measure of their strength or any backup plan but now he could guess that it wasn't so and she didn't die either.

“…Clone.”

This was a record he knew, a power which vampire used.

Using flesh of human or humanoid creature, they could build a clone for themselves to use, but a huge amount purest magic crystal and few years of growth in cocoon until its become usable, hence its not commonly used or known by public.

Such expenses, what does she want from Samuel?!

James had no idea of what she wanted but he could say that their try hadn't ended and they would return for sure.

(…good, that way I can deal with them faster.) 

“anything else?”

“…no.”

James felt his reluctance in telling last thing he knew, but he didn't pressure him for it. He already had enough clue to trace them and more likely they would come to his domain for another play, so going after them was unneeded.

“what's going to be, would I be freed or…”

Looking at Kane, instead of answering him, he inquired about his plan for what he wanted to do after this.

“what are you going to do if you are freed?”

“…I …I have to kill that wench.”

Murderous eyes that looked back at James, amused him.

“good words but this wish, you think you're capable of it?”

With his strength, he would be nothing but plaything in hands of vampire once more, even if his will for revenge was enough to fill a sea, it granted him no power to do job.

“you are not. But you'll be if you want it badly.”

“…how?”

He knew what this Duke was proffering wasn't without cost but he didn't had much to lose, so he didn't asked what he wanted from him but rather how he could do it.

“are you sure you're not going to ask what I'm seeking from you?” 

Narrowing his eyes, James threw him a threatening glare and wave of hostile aura at him.

“no.”

Shaking his head simply, he gazed directly at him no longer afraid of James frightening aura which seemed worse than beginning.

“… a fool you are, but still useful anyway. Prepare yourself, your life is no longer just yours.”

“prepare for what?”

“for a voyage and strict training that awaits you.”

Giving him brief explanation what it was he left the room.

James detested blind choices, but he couldn't force his ideas to others, Kane accepted his deal without any knowledge, such wasn't wise for man himself but useful for James and he wouldn't let chance of recruiting fighting force slip away from him.

“…have to request reinforcement for city defense also, can't let it happen again.”

With his thoughts he moved back to mansion.

As he returned to mansion, he found Samuel waiting for him at main hall.

“…finished it?”

“yes, I did.”

“let's talk somewhere else.”

James didn't wanted other to hear their talk, so they moved to Samuel's room.

Sitting on sides of study table, James waved a hand as he erected a barrier around them and began their topic.

“what was your impression on it? ”

“…it was bizarre and inexplicable.”

This was best he could describe what was written in the note book.

At first it explain mirage as naturally occurring optical phenomenon which was caused by light being bent by refraction resulting in image the people saw. And later it said about creating such image to make others see what user desired and built for them.

The book described it's magic rather plainly. Use water that is present everywhere, like water vapor in air and even moisture in the eyes could be used, bend the light and create your image. The more complicated and more lasting you wanted, more mana it needed.

But in the end this was more like a light magic than water attribute to Samuel.

“isn't it, father?!”

So he shared his thoughts with James.

“…you say that it should belong to light magic?!” James asked him with strange tone.

Samuel nodded slowly.

“what makes you think so? Any reason for it?” The curiosity was evident in him as he asked for explanation.

“firstly, the refraction. In nature we can use water on light to create them in a place but the note book said nothing about calculations of it, as the angle of refraction determine the shape of image, how can it be done without calculated parameters beforehand? Just imagine and done? Seems too much fantasy to be true, for me at least.”

He'd been researching on magic and it had become a habit of him to consider a magic from every angle before using it. Even when he said it like that, he didn't knew that even mirage in nature could be perceived differently by each person.

“and if it was just this, then what's different than a illusion magic? Would it be protected this severely by our family? Why are we the only user? And why I've only heard it's name from you and not see you use …”

In the end of his sentence he paused, eyeing the barrier around them.

“hahaha!!”

Suddenly bursting into laughter, James looked at him proudly and hit his shoulder lightly.

“brilliant, son, as I expected.”

“father?”

Samuel was perplexed at his behavior, but also happy, as it showed his accomplishment.

“what you said is indeed true, our magic should be and it is light attribute but nevertheless we use it by water magic. We are only user and no one besides us had ever accomplished in recreating it by water attribute. And yes, this barrier is the same as you thought.”

He affirmed most of his speculations besides one.

“actually, we don't guard it that heavily, cause even if anyone read that book, they would never make it, unless if it is a genius of light magicians.”

“why?”

“let me show you instead of saying it.”

Pointing his palm at right beside Samuel, and demonstrate the Mirage.

“wow…”

An exact copy of Samuel was standing there, with no point difference between them.

Out of curiosity he tried to touch it, while expecting his hand to pass through.

“Huh?!”

But as he did, the fake body took his and made a hand shake with him. He felt a real sense of touch transmitted through his hand, just like it was a living person hand.

Dispelling the magic he had casted he explained.“That's the difference son, creating a fake sense of touch, even if someone imitate Mirage magic by light, they can't replicate this, and only once a light magician did reach that stage to make it work without touch.”

“what happened to him and his magic?”

Samuel hadn't heard or read about such person and his researches, so either he hadn't found out about him or…

“…he was a wise man, so he accepted our joining proposal and didn't publicized the results, thus avoiding a bad fate, though his  descendents wasn't talented in magic and thus his researches was lost.”

“…if he hadn't accepted, then what would you do father?”

“anything and everything in my power to keep my family's secret safe.” the sharp gleam in James's eyes told Samuel what he meant.

“…all right, what about water magicians, they should be able to do it, right?” Not wanting to let conversation continue in this path Samuel asked.

“either fortunate or unfortunately none them can, even if it is best of water magician.”

A sad light passed his eyes as he continued “even if it is your brother.”

The one his father exampled was by all means best of his forte as he had divine protection of God of Sea and Goddess of water, showing how much talented he was to be chosen and if he couldn't then no one else could but…

“…even brother? Then how comes that I can? …wait, I can, right?!”

Knowing that his brother couldn't use it, he was worried that if he was the same also.

“…you can, this is magic that only those of our bloodline can use, so you can.”

If it was like this then first thing to come to mind was that Simon wasn't his brother, but that was too outlandish.

His blue hair which was perfectly resembling to their father was easy evidence to deny the possibility.

“…then why does he can't?”

“…because of his divine protection.”

“What?!”

Divine protection of God of Sea and Goddess of water, was both water attribute, the holder, without a doubt could make innovation in water attribute, most of time creating unique magic of their own, then how could they not use a unique magic like this or even be unable to use the magic due it.

“when someone take divine protection, their bodies would change in basic structure, growing more ' perfect ' in a sense and ' cleanse ' it from impurities. Even though he still has our family blood, he neither has the magic nor he can pass it on.” James explained

“…is that why you choose me as successor?”

He couldn't deny the sadness he felt about if he really was chosen because of this, but it was what he had to face.

“…a part of it, not all.”

Though his word were lenient for his usual tone and listener was quite wise child, he was still a child.

Softening his expression a little he continued.

“there's more important reason that you'll know in future, for now son I've mission for you.”

“two year from now, you'll leave the house with miles as your destination, where you'll live for six years, when you reached there I want you to accomplish something.“

“what is it?”

James grave tone showed the importance of task he was giving to Samuel.

“I want you to learn life and chose how to live.”

“do I not know them?”

“then how will you live?”

“like you father!!”

He announced proudly as most parents wanted their child to follow their example.

But it wasn't responded the way he presumed.

“That's wrong answer son, it's your life, not mine. So you should determine it for yourself, will be a heroic soul seeking justice, a selfish man in pursuit of wealth or a playboy chasing skirt. Not recommending the last one though.”

Each person lived for themselves not other, some were otherwise, but at any state people had to choose themselves but not everyone had the chance to.

Samuel had the chance provided for him so his father tasked him to do so, when he had enough interactions with people.

“you would rule this land in future, so answer me how are you going to do so, with a compassionate heart, with forceful methods or a crafty mind that manipulate foe and ally alike?”

“…will I have strength for such thing?” he asked, dubious if he would be ever ready for such thing.

“honestly son, strength isn't only a great physical body or a destructive magic, if you're popular with your people and have connections, you amass strength and wield it, if you're wise enough you can play your enemies to death, without even needing to engage in battle with them. All of this are strength, just find your own.”

Before moving out he said in a heavy tone.

“…and one thing more son, if you ever made a mistake, make sure to correct it or make amend for it, don't escape them, no matter if they're small or big mistakes.”

“I'll try my best to do so.”

Saying so he got up and left the room. 

The time passed and two years went by, contrary to James expection vampires made no second move and city returned to normal.

Few summoning was sent by emperor but all was rejected.

James was unwilling to let the matter fall, and other didn't publicized the incident of that time as it would damage the both side reputation. 

Samuel schedule was more pressed but he kept usual training for years. A childhood devoid of most of what other child experienced, he no longer had time for leisure, but he continued his lifestyle and was unwilling to change it.

In such he learned the miles language and worked tirelessly on diffusion of lightning magic, which he succeeded in a year and half span of time but had no chance to test it.

But as his ninth birthday drew near and he had to began a journey, journey for adventure that was awaiting him.

His father told him that he has to wait for Harold to bring him there, Harold hadn't visited them since Samuel was four, as such he hardly even remembered him.

Before his arrival, Samuel's grandfather returned to mansion with a gift.