The Arrival of the Magic Tower Master

The grand banquet hall was filled with conversation, whispers, and intrigue, but none of that mattered when the heavy doors opened once more.

The air shifted.

An unnatural chill swept through the room, followed by a crackle of mana so intense that the chandeliers flickered. The nobles paused mid-conversation, turning toward the entrance with cautious curiosity.

And there he was.

Zephyr Magnus.

The Magic Tower Master.

A young man with soft green hair and deep black eyes, wearing dark robes lined with silver embroidery, his expression distant—almost as if he existed in an entirely different world.

He never attended banquets.

He never wasted his time on nobility.

And yet, here he was, walking through the crowd without acknowledging a single person.

Some brave aristocrats tried to greet him, stepping forward with polite smiles.

"Master Zephyr, what an honor—"

He walked right past them.

"Master Zephyr, if I may have a moment—"

No response.

The murmurs grew.

He ignored everyone… until his dark eyes landed on Lucien.

The little boy's gray eyes widened with delight.

"Teacher!"

Lucien instantly struggled in Lucius's arms, kicking his legs in excitement.

Lucius gasped dramatically. "Betrayal!" He clutched his chest as if physically wounded. "After all I've done for you?!"

Lucien, completely unconcerned, wriggled free and ran toward his magic tutor, throwing his small arms around him.

Zephyr, for a moment, seemed surprised.

Then, without hesitation, he picked up the child, holding him effortlessly.

The nobles stared.

A Magic Tower Master—a man known for his obsession with magic and his absolute disregard for human interactions—was carrying a child?

A prince?

Lucius stormed up to them, dramatically flipping his golden hair. "Unhand my student, you spell-obsessed gremlin!"

Zephyr gave him a blank stare. "…I refuse."

"This child is under my care," Lucius argued. "I teach him valuable life lessons—"

"I teach him magic."

"I teach him cunning and survival!"

"I teach him the laws of the universe."

Lucius huffed. "I teach him how to win."

Zephyr's expression remained impassive. "And yet, you lost to Diana in chess."

Lucius twitched. "That was one time."

Lucien giggled. "Teacher Lucius, you lost three times in a row!"

A few nobles nearly choked on their wine.

Zephyr, meanwhile, completely ignored Lucius and turned toward the delegates from Sorvenia, the land of scholars and mages. He faced them with an uncharacteristically proud expression.

"This child," Zephyr said, adjusting Lucien in his arms, "is my student."

The Sorvenian delegates blinked, processing the words.

Then, absolute chaos erupted.

Nobles gasped.

Whispers spread like wildfire.

The Magic Tower Master took an apprentice?

A five-year-old prince?

Even among scholars, Zephyr Magnus was an anomaly. His mana reserves were monstrous, his ability to cast spells continuously without exhaustion was legendary, and his knowledge was feared even among the greatest minds of Sorvenia.

And now, he had chosen a sickly child as his student?

Lucius, not to be outdone, grabbed Lucien's other arm and pulled him back. "This child is my student."

Zephyr pulled Lucien back to his side. "He is mine."

The nobles watched, speechless, as two of the most powerful men in the room fought over a five-year-old.

Meanwhile, Diana sat at her seat, swirling her wine lazily in her glass.

She turned to a nearby servant. "Is this the only wine available?"

The servant, visibly anxious, stammered, "T-The palace usually serves this vintage, Your Majesty—"

"Unacceptable." Diana sighed. "Find me something better."

The servant scrambled away.

She paid no mind to the scene unfolding.

Not even when a magic elder from Sorvenia suddenly froze mid-conversation.

His eyes widened in shock as he looked at Lucien.

"Mana overload," he whispered, horrified. "Like the young Zephyr once had…"

More whispers followed.

Mana overload.

A condition so rare that only a handful of people in recorded history had ever experienced it.

Children born with too much mana—so much that their own bodies struggled to handle it. It made them weak, sickly… but if nurtured properly, they became monsters in human form.

The elder turned to Zephyr, his voice urgent. "Do you understand what this means?"

Zephyr gave a slow nod. "Of course."

A rare flicker of excitement appeared in his black eyes.

This wasn't just about tutoring a prince.

This was about pushing the boundaries of magic itself.

A child who could cast spells continuously without exhaustion…

A child who could one day rival even the greatest mages…

Zephyr adjusted his grip on Lucien, his hold protective yet possessive.

"I won't let anyone else teach him."

The nobles, who had once gossiped about how Diana was too soft on Lucien, were now completely speechless.

Some of them had heard rumors—whispers that the Empress had dismissed Lucien's previous tutor because he was too strict. Many had assumed Diana was just being overprotective.

But now…

Now they realized something terrifying.

She hadn't replaced that tutor with just anyone.

She had secured two of the most dangerous, brilliant minds in the Empire.

Lucius Nightbane.

Zephyr Magnus.

Both young. Both geniuses. Both absolutely eccentric.

The nobles could barely comprehend it.

"The Empress… she was once—"

"The woman who chased after the Emperor…"

"But now… how did she…?"

Cassian, who had been watching the entire thing unfold, clenched his jaw.

This wasn't the same woman he had once known.

*****

A few days ago...

Diana walked through the dimly lit alleyway, her steps light and unhurried. The underground passages of the Imperial Palace were something few people knew about, and she had used them so often now that sneaking out had become second nature.

She knew exactly where to go.

She had lived this life once before, after all.

As she turned a corner, she saw him—just as she remembered.

Zephyr Magnus, the Magic Tower Master, was sitting on the cold ground, his knees pulled to his chest, his black eyes distant. His long green hair, slightly messy, framed his face as he stared blankly at the street ahead. He looked utterly lost.

Diana sighed.

The strongest magician in the world, feared and respected, yet completely useless in human interactions.

In her past life, Zephyr had visited the Empire, and this exact scenario had happened. Because he didn't carry a single coin and refused to ask for help, he ended up sitting in an alley, waiting for someone from the Magic Tower to find him.

Not because he was worried.

Not because he was in distress.

No, he simply did not care enough to solve his own problem.

It was ridiculous.

And Diana was going to exploit it.

She stepped forward, her voice cool and composed. "You seem troubled, magician."

Zephyr blinked slowly and looked up. His dark eyes, bottomless and unreadable, landed on her.

For a moment, there was silence. Then—

"…Do you require magic services?"

Diana's lips twitched. He truly didn't recognize her.

"How much?" she asked.

Zephyr tilted his head, considering. Then he shrugged. "I don't know. I don't usually do work for money."

That was an understatement.

Diana smiled, stepping closer. "Then allow me to set the price. If I pay you now, will you follow me and answer a few questions?"

Zephyr stared at her.

Most magicians would hesitate.

They would ask who she was.

They would ask what she wanted.

Zephyr simply nodded. "Alright."

Just like that.

Diana handed him a few gold coins.

He took them, examining them with mild interest before slipping them into his pocket. Then, without a word, he stood and followed her.

—

Zephyr followed Diana through the underground passage without questioning it.

It was only when they arrived at the Empress's Palace that he blinked, tilting his head.

"…This is the Imperial Palace."

Diana continued walking. "Yes."

A pause.

"This is the Empress's residence."

Diana finally turned, smiling slightly. "Yes."

Zephyr stared at her for a long moment.

Then he shrugged. "Alright."

No further questions.

Diana exhaled through her nose. Dealing with him is truly easy.

She led him to a small sitting area, where she placed a delicate necklace on the table. The pendant shimmered, its deep blue color almost hypnotic.

Zephyr immediately leaned in.

His black eyes darkened. "This is a monster core."

Diana nodded. "I know."

Zephyr picked it up, tilting it in the light. "…It invokes madness."

"Yes."

Another silence.

Zephyr stared at her, and for the first time, a flicker of curiosity crossed his usually expressionless face.

"This isn't why you brought me here, is it?"

Diana smiled slightly. "No."

She poured herself a glass of tea and took a slow sip. "I needed you for something else."

Zephyr set the necklace down. "What?"

Diana didn't answer immediately.

Because at that moment—

"MOTHER!"

The door burst open.

A small figure ran inside, black hair bouncing as he rushed toward her.

Lucien.

Zephyr barely had time to process before the little boy threw himself onto the couch beside Diana, his gray eyes shining with excitement.

Diana set her teacup down. "Finished your lesson with Lucius already?"

Lucien nodded rapidly. "Yes! But then he disappeared! I think he went to scare some people again."

Diana sighed. "Of course he did."

It was only then that Lucien noticed Zephyr.

The little boy blinked, his gaze locking onto the green-haired magician.

Zephyr stared back.

Silence.

Lucien's gray eyes widened. His mouth parted slightly.

"…You're a magician."

Zephyr tilted his head.

Lucien inched closer, studying him with an almost reverent expression. "You're a really, really, really strong magician."

Zephyr blinked.

Then—

A slow, wide smile spread across his face.

Diana quietly watched, her own expression unreadable.

She could see it—the exact moment Zephyr realized.

Lucien's presence. His mana.

It was exactly like his own when he was a child.

The overwhelming power. The mana overload.

Zephyr's black eyes gleamed.

"…Fascinating."

He reached out, brushing his fingertips lightly over Lucien's forehead, as if confirming what he already knew.

Diana took another sip of her tea. "You see it now, don't you?"

Zephyr didn't even glance at her. "How long have you known?"

"Since he was born."

Zephyr finally looked at her. "And you called me here… for this?"

Diana set her cup down, meeting his gaze. "That child needs a magic teacher."

A deep silence stretched between them.

Zephyr turned back to Lucien.

The boy blinked up at him, curiosity shining in his eyes.

Zephyr's lips curled into a slow, excited grin.

"I accept."

His voice was calm, but his eyes…

His eyes burned with madness and excitement.

Diana exhaled softly.

She had expected this reaction.

Zephyr was someone who lived for magic. He had spent his entire life frustrated because no one around him could match him. Even other mages, even those who were considered geniuses, were like a bowl of water compared to his endless ocean of mana.

But now—

Now, before him, stood a child with the same terrifying potential.

Lucien tilted his head, blinking. "Does that mean… you're my new teacher?"

Zephyr grinned. "Yes."

Lucien's eyes sparkled. "Really?"

"Yes."

"…Forever?"

Zephyr laughed.

A deep, almost unhinged sound.

"Oh, little prince," he murmured, his black eyes shining.

"You have no idea what you've just unleashed."