Somewhere not far from the estate.

By a tall stone, where a small stream split the forest from the endless meadows, Nero and Izzy sat side by side. They watched in silence as the sun slowly dipped toward the horizon, even though there was still a long time before dark. As evening just began to settle, Nero broke the silence with a timely remark. "Why do you keep teasing me? You didn’t used to be like this," he asked, not really expecting an answer.

"Beats me…" Izzy answered bluntly.

They had already chewed through every topic. To avoid talking about the weather, Nero asked Izzy what she wanted to do in the future. He knew, everyone in her family were knights same as in his, and that her path had been decided for her, just like his.

Not that either of them cared all that much. Nero had already been told where he needed to go and what he needed to do. Logically, with his talent he wanted to study magic at the academy, which was funny, considering he couldn’t use it right now.

"Wait, really?! You used to pull it off… I distinctly remember you bragging!" Izzy yelped in surprise.
"I didn’t brag about anything… ugh…" Nero tried to explain, but deciding it’s better to see once than hear a hundred times, he simply pulled out his wand and tried a spell.

A small sphere of water formed in front of them and in the next instant, before Izzy could say a word, it popped, splashing them both. Nero, for his part, swayed, dropped the wand, and went very pale.

"Mm-hmm… you’re as much of a mage as you are a fencer." she quipped.
"I’ll get you back for that," Nero chuckled weakly.
"Oh, come on. Can’t take a joke?" Izzy said, poking him with a finger. Then, seeing the state he was in, she hopped down from the rock, picked up the wand, and tossed it back into Nero’s hands.
"Here. Don’t lose it. You’ll explain to me later how this thing works. Heh…" she said, cheeks coloring a little.

Climbing fully down and turning around, the two kids started back toward the estate.

Thankfully, after these past few months, Nero knew the area well enough not to get lost at dusk.

For that he had to thank Frank, who kept dragging him out of his room…

In the end, it wasn’t hard to show Izzy around and, of course, to find the way back.

On the way home, walking a forest path in almost complete darkness this part of the woods was very dense, and the canopy let through little of the setting sun Nero, who was leading, spotted the silhouette of a grown man in a fur coat. Before he could think "W-Who’s that?" he recognized the figure ahead.

It was Benjamin, Izzy’s father, striding from the direction of the estate visible in the distance behind him.

He glanced around as he walked, searching for them, stifling a yawn behind his hand.

Around him, his path was lit by bright red, orb-shaped lights that cast a gentle glow, pushing back the shadows of the thicket. Nero’s first thought, with a raised brow, was: "…A spell?"

The Dan Rossi line were hereditary knights, and thanks to magical fencing they had cemented their status as one of the great families, later receiving the title of Stella.

And since casting a spell without a wand didn’t fit any idea of "knighthood," Nero’s brain short-circuited.

He decided not to dwell on it, clearly there was something he just didn’t know. He and Izzy ran to meet Benjamin with happy, childish shouts…

Benjamin came up to them and, to save time, immediately gave them not-so-pleasant news.

Due to urgent matters, they had to leave right now.

They’d planned to stay a week… yeah, Izzy was not thrilled. Ruffling both their heads, Benjamin ignored his daughter’s grumbling and led everyone back.

They needed to go immediately because of business in the capital. Benjamin had just received a message from Kataske: they had arrested a mercenary connected to that organization…

At last they had a lead and a living witness.

Benjamin wanted to question him personally, on the way dropping his daughter off at home, of course…

Unlike the Von Lavrelio estate, House Von Dorr’s manor was only a little more than a few days’ ride by carriage.

Yes, airships had long been cruising high in the sky, and the first automobiles were rolling along the smooth roads of the capital, but the noble’s vehicle of choice was still the good old carriage.

Naturally, the kids weren’t thrilled by the news. Benjamin flicked his hand, and two of the lights peeled away, splitting and hovering separately beside each of them.

Benjamin wanted to say something to Nero, so after sending his daughter ahead, he started the conversation almost at once.

Almost but not immediately, because Izzy puffed out her cheeks, indignant at being shooed. Batting her lashes, she got the same reaction from both Nero and Benjamin: a synchronized dismissive wave. Muttering about injustice under her breath, she trudged off toward the estate.

Benjamin sent one of the orbs after her to light her path.

The Stella and Nero slowed to a crawl. The first thing Nero focused on were those strange glowing spheres Benjamin was controlling, and then it hit him.

"Right!"

He turned toward one of the orbs, then back to the Stella. "These glowing things… they’re a spell, right?" After a beat he added, "Am I right?" His eyes were full of pure curiosity.

Benjamin said nothing, he seemed lost in thought and didn’t respond or didn’t notice, Nero buzzing beside him like a fly…

"You’re quiet… so am I right or not?" A couple seconds later he continued, "Will you teach me…?" with a sly grin.

He was bursting with curiosity, and his childhood friend’s father just kept silent…

After that little cacophony of words, finally knocked out of his thoughts, Benjamin started answering briefly, still trying to pull his focus together.
"I’ll send you a scroll. Be quiet for a bit…" the Stella said, coming to a full stop.

"Nero, are you bored here?" Benjamin asked suddenly, catching him off guard.

He was bored, very, especially after realizing they were going to keep him here who knows how much longer…

That’s what they talked about. Benjamin told him about the "unconventional" teacher they’d found for him—omitting the part where the unhinged Oliver butchered the Cameroonian aristocracy.

He also told Nero where they wanted to send him once he got a little older.

"So it’s Glairus Academy after all, right?" Nero asked.
"Yes. That’s now the final decision," Benjamin replied, adding that Nero’s father, Theo had wanted his son to go there as well.

Benjamin found, to his mild surprise, that convincing Nero was relatively easy. He hadn’t expected a struggle, but still… Chuckling carelessly, the fifty-year-old man with red eyes led the boy back toward the house.

A little later…

Butlers, maids, and other servants were rushing all over the manor. The guests who had only arrived that very morning were leaving already?

Once everything was prepared and the proud steeds were fed, the servants lined the front steps, while the members of House Von Dorr stood by the carriage to see their lively guests off.

The door thumped shut, and the carriage rolled out.

From the windows, the passengers waved cheerfully to those seeing them off.

Nero, well «Loki»  stood closest, nearly at the gate itself, waving his right hand into the distance. He stood there and wondering what awaited him next…