Mancer quickly stood from his bed and bowed deeply. Lord Baltimore glared at him, a vein popping out on his forehead. The boy stood up straight, staring evenly at the Baron. 

“Who are you?" Lord Baltimore demanded. 

“Pericles Mancer Allison. At your service,” he replied. 

"You speak remarkably well for a child.” 

“I have smart parents.” 

“Indeed. You are the alchemist's son?” 

“I am.” 

The Baron narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “How does a child like you learn magic like that?” he mused. 

“Your Lordship?” Mancer stared at him with large eyes. 

“Don't patronize me, boy,” he spat. He was about to say more, but Angelina tugged on his sleeve. 

“Ask him, Daddy!” she whispered harshly. 

Baron Baltimore turned back to Mancer and sighed. He had given up on belligerence, and now looked at the child mage, rubbing his face wearily. He knelt down to look at Mancer's face. 

“Who taught you, child?” he asked gently. 

“No one,” the boy replied innocently. 

“Do you mean to say that you're self-taught?” 

“Yes. Daddy gave me a book about it.” 

“Do you recall the title?” 

“I apologize, your Lordship. The name eludes me.” 

“Of course it does,” Baltimore grumbled, “quite convenient, if I may say."

Mancer stayed quiet, evaluating the Baron and his daughter. Baltimore stared back evenly. The two of them were engaged in an intense staring contest, but Angelina couldn't contain herself any longer. 

“Teach me magic!” she bubbled. 

Mancer was stunned. He blinked twice, then looked inquisitively at the Baron. 

Baltimore glared disapprovingly at his daughter, but it came off as more of a playful stare. He sighed and turned back to Mancer, scratching his head idly. 

“It's as you heard,” he admitted, “my daughter wants to learn from you.” He shot another not-glare her direction, and Angelina giggled brightly. 

Mancer gazed steadily at his lord, one eyebrow raised in disbelief. “Your Lordship,” he said carefully, “I don't believe myself to be an adequate teacher.” 

“And why is that?” the Baron inquired, “at age six, you already have two contract spirits, and from what I saw earlier, you must be at least second circle.” He chuckled humorlessly. “Pericles Allison, you have more mana than any mage I've ever met.”

“You must not have met very many mages,” Mancer replied innocently. 

The servants behind him looked shocked, but Baltimore just laughed. “I think you underestimate yourself,” he said. 

“But, my mana control is horrible!” Mancer protested, “and…” He cast his eyes downward, mumbling something incoherent. 

Baltimore stepped forward, straining his ears. “I beg your pardon?” 

“My fourth circle is… broken.” Mancer stared at the ground in shame. 

Baron Baltimore couldn't believe his ears. “You mean, you're… fourth circle?” 

Mancer nodded shyly, as if it were completely normal and expected for a kid his age. “But my fourth is broken, so I'm not very good.” 

The Baron rested his forehead in his hand and massaged his temple, shaking his head slowly. “No child your age can even sense mana.” 

A calculated silence filled the room. Mancer looked up at him with wide eyes. “R-Really?” 

Lord Baltimore squatted down to get on his level. “Even having just one mana circle would be amazing, but with four!” He placed a hand on Mancer's shoulder and looked directly into his eyes. “You are truly unprecedented.” 

Mancer smiled. What if I had eight? he thought, would you call me a monster? 

“I know you're young, and you may feel yourself to be inadequate, but…” He glanced back at his daughter, who was smiling hopefully at Mancer. “She really wants to learn from you,” he said finally. 

Mancer gave the Baron and his daughter a long look. “Okay,” he relented, “but first you have to apologize!” 

Baltimore smiled indulgently and bowed politely to the young mage. “I apologize for misunderstanding the situation,” he said smoothly, “and… thank you for saving my daughter.” 

Mancer frowned. “I'm not the one you need to apologize to,” he said menacingly, “she's the one you hurt.” He pointed at Shana, who had been hiding in the corner since Baron Baltimore entered the room. She paled at Mancer's statement. 

“N-No!” she protested, “I-I’m just a servant! You shouldn't do anything as shameful as apologizing to me!” 

But Baron Baltimore was already kneeling in front of her. “I am deeply sorry for hurting you. That was the truly shameful act.” His eyes sparkled as he studied her, and she blushed in the face of his flustering attention. “Who are your parents?” the Baron asked softly. 

“I don't have any,” Shana mumbled. Her face was pointed directly at the ground, not daring to look down on her lord. 

Baltimore lifted her chin gently so he could look into her eyes. Shana swallowed nervously and tried to step back from him, but she was already in the corner, so she pressed herself against the wall in an attempt to escape the Baron's attention. 

“Is there anything you desire?” Baron Baltimore mused, “anything at all?” 

Shana visibly panicked at his question. “Y-Y-You w-want to… grant me a wish?” 

He nodded patiently, mildly amused by this servant girl's reaction. “I do indeed,” he said, “tell me what you want, and I will see it done.” 

Shana licked her lips. “Then, please…” Her voice faltered, and she swallowed again, trying to keep her words steady and even. “Please stand up, your Lordship!” The words burst suddenly from her mouth, and she clapped her hands over it, turning bright red. 

Baron Baltimore stood up immediately and stared at her sullenly. “That hardly counts!” he complained. 

“I'm sorry my lord, but there is nothing I wish to ask of you, though I greatly appreciate your Lordship's offer.” Shana bit her lip, wishing he would simply go away. 

“That won't do,” Lord Baltimore muttered, “it won't do at all.” He stole a glance at his daughter, who was watching them curiously. “Angelina,” he said mischievously, “how would you like to have an older sister?” 

Angelina squealed and jumped up and down, clapping her hands excitedly. “Oh, yes please, Daddy!” she exclaimed, “who is it?!” 

“Shana, if she accepts.” He grinned. He knew she couldn't reject it, and she knew that, too. By refusing to ask for a wish, she had essentially deferred the judgment to him, leaving her no room for negotiation. 

Angelina dashed over to Shana and threw her arms around her, smiled gleefully at her. “I've always wanted a big sister!” she excitedly exclaimed. 

Shana's mouth hung open. When she realized she was drooling, she snapped it shut and furrowed her brow. “But what about the daycare?” she protested weakly, “those children are my responsibility.” 

“You may still visit them if you wish it. As my daughter, you will have unconditional, unrestricted access to most of the house, except for those rooms that could cause you harm.” 

Shana nodded, still wide eyed with disbelief. “So, you're really…” Her head swayed, slightly dizzy from the shock. “You're really going to adopt me?” she asked incredulously. 

“I never go back on my word, dear one,” he explained, “from this moment on, you are my daughter.” 

“The other nobles won't accept it,” she muttered. 

Baron Baltimore blinked at her, smiling kindly. “And why ever not?” he asked. 

Shana pointed to her arm. “You can see for yourself!” she cried, “just look at the color of my skin! Don't you see? I have the mark of the evil one!” 

Baltimore's expression darkened. “Who told you that?” he growled. 

Shana listed a handful of names, presumably servants, that neither Mancer nor Angelina recognized. 

“Everit!” Baltimore called, and his secretary bustled in from where he was waiting outside the door. “You heard those names, right?” 

“I've got them all written down, my lord.” 

“Good. Send them to the gibbets. The crows will take care of them.” 

“It will be done, my lord.” Everit bowed and was about to leave the room, but Shana stopped him. 

“Wait!” she said desperately, “you can't kill them just for that! It's… It's not right!” 

“Fine then,” the Baron sighed, “Hang them outside their windows by their toes until they agree to apologize to my daughter.” 

“And if they don't?” Everit smiled grimly at the prospect. 

Baltimore's eyes flashed with a gleeful malice. “Then cut them loose,” he said ruthlessly, “there is no place in my estate for any who would dare to speak ill of a Baltimore.” 

Everit’s grin widened, and he bowed as he left the room to tend to his task. Within the hour, sixteen people were hanging upside down from their windows, screaming loudly for forgiveness. Their voices troubled Shana, and she couldn't help but feel that their suffering was somehow her fault. 

The moment Everit left, Mancer's parents burst into the room and rushed over to their child, staring fearfully at Lord Baltimore. “Please forgive him!” they wailed. 

“It's our fault! We should have taught him better!” his father said. 

“He's only a child!” his mother added, “please punish us instead!” 

Mancer was touched by their selflessness, but… It was pointless. 

The Baron pointed to a random servant. “You,” he said, “take care of this.” 

And with that he exited the room, leaving nearly everyone inside confused and befuddled. He smiled to himself as he entered his study, doubly happy now that he had two daughters to dote on. Satisfied with himself, he took out a piece of parchment and began planning a party for his new daughter.