​"Everything that I am is a gift as well as a curse."

Rumors about an infamous Mage-sprout - Azalea "The Bewitched"- had been circling around the Hunter's Council. Such rumors tend to attract the attention of various organizations. It's easy to tell with the uncanny similarities the men enquiring often possess. These malicious gossips had produced troublesome situations for Azalea's demon hunting job. Most hunters are afraid to team-up with her and some people are reluctant to make a hunting request with her involved.

During her solo hunt in Dimatagpuan Region, four students from the renowned school, AB Academy, appeared before her with an odd offer. This academy's Headmaster had grown a sudden interest in her skills as a Mage and he wants her to enroll as one of his scholars. It is the most unexpected offer which might as well bring the greatest change in her current lifestyle. Is she prepared to leave behind her normal daily life of hunting and fighting, to turn it around into an unusual daily life of socializing and schooling? How will she respond to her new environment as she learns more about who she really is?

Defiant

Fifty-one minutes after two o’clock in the afternoon 


“Those tin cans sure are tough,” Primrose says while stuffing her mouth. “Duz shanzing hir ish voring.” 


“Excuse me,” Schnitzel responds while looking at Primrose in a weird way. “I couldn’t really understand what you just said.” 


Primrose gulps down what she is eating. “I won’t give you any even if you beg me.” 


“No, I’m not really hungry… and they look gross.” 


“It’s called gummy worms. Hey, do real worms taste sweet too?” 


“I don’t know—I mean, I wouldn’t want to know.” 


Primrose and Schnitzel keeps on their leisure chatter by the library’s broken door. They cannot fight on their own so they are left on standby behind. Emil went off to the green dorms area, leaving Duke and Zacharius in the front lines, and Wrie is supporting farther behind. 


“Ah--” a familiar female voice resonates from inside the library. “The fighting still continues. Well, I guess it can’t be helped… if it’s something like this.” 


Counter 24: Quell the Squall I