The Sorcerer's Handbook

Backstage at the Starfall Auditorium.

Sonya was staring at her cue cards, silently rehearsing her lines. The more she thought about them, the more restless she became. Without realizing it, she had edged toward the rear exit, only to be stopped by Louisa, who hurried after her.

Louisa called, ”The restroom isn’t this way!”

Sonya protested, ”I think taking the warning letter might actually be better!”

”Didn’t you just make up your mind? Why back out now?”

”Because... I realized I’m not as confident as I thought. I’m scared!”

Just then, a handsome young man in a dark blue formal suit approached with a polite smile. ”Good evening, Miss Selby. Is there anything I can help you with?”

Sonya replied quickly, ”Good evening, Mr. Cage. You came at just the right time. Could you hold onto my roommate, Louisa? She’s stopping me from escaping.”

The young man was her co-host for the evening, Arsen Cage—a second-year student from the Wind Department, known among peers as the Prince[1] of the second year. His striking looks had inspired a fan club among female students. If Felix hadn’t outshone everyone, Arsen would have been the undisputed public envy of all male students.

Arsen said with a wry smile, ”That won’t do. A gentleman shouldn’t get involved in games between ladies.”

He added, ”Professor Librom asked me to remind you that the gala begins in ten minutes. Please settle any personal matters and prepare behind the curtain. This is our first time working together. If I mess up, I hope you won’t hold it against me, Miss Selby. Maybe we can end the night as friends.”

Sonya shook her head. ”Don’t worry. I’ll definitely make a huge scene you won’t be able to smooth over. Just... don’t hate me after tonight.”

Arsen froze for a moment. ”Miss Selby, you’re certainly... very humorous. I’ll wait for you, then.”

After he left, Sonya pleaded, ”Let me go, Louisa! I’m terrified. My heart is pounding! I’m definitely going to mess something up!”

Louisa shook her head firmly. ”No, absolutely not! What about your ambitions? Don’t you want to become Didaros? Are you really willing to spend your life as just a sword practitioner?”

”I understand the logic. I know I’ll regret it if I leave... but I still want to run!”

Before they could argue further, Angelica and Adele entered through the back door. Adele’s voice rang with excitement. ”There’s a star hanging in midair outside! You have to come see it!”

Angelica glanced at Sonya, who looked on the verge of tears. ”What’s wrong with her now?”

Louisa sighed. ”She lost her nerve at the last second and wants to run again.”

Angelica frowned, pondering. ”That’s strange. The Sonya I know is a swordswoman brave enough to challenge Felix and Leona. How could she be so hesitant?”

Then, she clapped her hands. ”I get it. Sonya’s the type who performs better the more nervous she is. All we need to do is push her onto the stage.”

​​As Sonya’s number-one supporter and someone who had witnessed her rise firsthand, Angelica’s words carried weight. The group promptly guided Sonya to the preparation area behind the curtain, where Professor Librom and the gala staff were waiting.

When Librom saw her, he nodded slightly to the staff. ”Raise the curtain. We can begin.”

There was no turning back. Sonya inhaled deeply, smoothed the wrinkles in her gown, met Arsen’s gaze, and said, ”Try to take the spotlight yourself. Don’t interact with me too much. Remember this. The more I talk, the more likely something will go wrong.”

Arsen blinked in surprise. He had hosted the gala last year, and back then, his partner had done everything possible, like constantly cutting in and making flashy moves to steal the spotlight. He had hoped only for a more cooperative co-host this year, but he never expected Sonya to voluntarily step back. It felt unusual. After all, most hosts would aim to shine and earn the professors’ approval.

Is Sonya here just for fun? Or did she come with a friend to the selection and end up chosen herself... is that why she seems so unenthusiastic?

Many thoughts crossed Arsen’s mind, but on the surface, he nodded. ”I’ll do my best to honor your request.”

Librom spoke again, ”Ten seconds until the curtain rises. Take your positions. The stage is yours. Remember to turn on your microphones.”

Arsen stepped onto the stage first. As Sonya looked at the stage she had long anticipated, an unexpected calm washed over her. ”Watcher... are you there?”

She knew there would be no reply, yet for some reason, courage welled up inside her. Her brows relaxed, the corners of her lips lifted, and a faint smile appeared in her eyes. Watcher, are you fighting alone, too? If I mess this up, you’d better make it up to me properly.

”Dum-dum-luh—”

The orchestra began to play. The lights brightened, and the curtain rose. Under the watchful eyes of teachers and students from both universities, Sonya fully stepped into her role.

”Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. I am tonight’s host, Arsen Cage.”

”And I am your host, Sonya Selby.”

***

At Shattered Lake Prison.

Gerard, the white-haired hunter, sat on the edge of Ashe’s bed. In his hands was a library book titled A Concise Introduction to Simulated Lightning Spells (Third Edition). Ashe immediately recognized it as the kind of textbook he had hated since his university days.

After a while, Gerard rubbed his eyes and glanced at Ashe.

Ashe was lounging at the head of the bed, absorbed in a comic. The title read Guess It’s My Fault for Saying I Like Married Women. It was a hugely popular romance series in Caimon City. Gerard had even seen Amy flipping through it in her free time. Rumor had it that the series was about to be adapted into a live-action production, with the male lead, Ron, coming from the same institute as Gerard. The difference was stark. Ron was a beloved film star, adored wherever he went, while Gerard was a Bloodrage Hunter feared by all.

Noticing Gerard’s gaze, Ashe raised an eyebrow. ”Want to read it? I highly recommend this comic. Its take on emotion and human nature is surprisingly sharp, vivid enough to feel almost timeless. But it’s best enjoyed alone in bed. Otherwise, you might find yourself writhing from sweetness one moment, then clutching your stomach in pain the next.”

Gerard said, ”I thought you were just putting on an act for me. Hard to imagine you’d read romance comics.”

”Then what kind of person do you think I am?”

”Someone always plotting to overturn the Blood Moon. A madman, basically. I thought you’d be reading books like The Crowd, How to Trigger a Virtual World Turbulence with Bare Hands, or Criminal Law. Things that help your career.”

Ashe sighed. ”I told you, I lost my memory. I’m not some cult leader. All I want now is a quiet life spent facing the sea, watching flowers bloom, and simply living out my days in peace.”

Gerard chuckled. ”Interesting. You don’t seem afraid of me. I thought you’d avoid coming back tonight and hide in someone else’s room.”

”Why would I be afraid? You’re not going to do anything to me.”

Gerard reached for the sword leaning against the bed. ”That’s not entirely true. You’re the one in restraints, while my authority has no limits here. If I want to, your head can roll at any moment.

Ashe said calmly, ”That just makes me less afraid. You can strike whenever you want. The prison isn’t big. If you wanted to kill me, I wouldn’t be able to escape. At least staying in my room lets me die with some dignity.

”Besides, I don’t believe you’ll kill me. Right now, I’m just a condemned man, hunted by the Blood Moon Tribunal. I am barely surviving. Killing me brings you no benefit. I can’t think of a reason you’d do it.”

Gerard brushed the hilt of his sword, then let go. He said, ”True. That’s the proper way to deal with trash. Killing doesn’t create value. I’m better off letting you rot here, breed maggots, play the clown for the citizens you once terrified, and die an ugly death. Squeeze every last bit of value out of you to repay your sins.”

Ashe muttered, ”To be honest, I kind of agree. If only I weren’t a permanent resident here.”

A flicker of blood-red light passed through Gerard’s pupils. ”Still, you look pretty relaxed. This isn’t my first time here. Most people I bring in don’t stay stable for long. They break down, confess, beg, and scream. I’ve seen everything. But someone as natural and at ease as you? That’s a first. Do you already have a way out of this prison?”

Ashe met his gaze. ”Of course. I’m waiting for you to realize you arrested the wrong person, grow a conscience, and let me go.”

Gerard burst out laughing. He pulled out a flask for a swig. ”I was starting to wonder if I’d caught the wrong man. But after hearing that, I’m relieved.”

”Huh?”

”I didn’t expect you to actually have a plan to escape.”

Clang!

The instant Gerard swung his sword, Ashe almost used the Slash Me Miracle on himself. He was ready to pull the Honeyed Tongue Sword from his mouth and fight to the death. Still, he held back at the last moment. Even if he had neutralized the chip, at his current One-Winged Silver strength, Gerard could crush him effortlessly, even with his hands and feet bound.

The blade brushed Ashe’s neck, carving a shallow line of blood. Gerard sniffed lightly, his crimson eyes darkening.

Ashe asked, ”Why would you come to that conclusion?”

Gerard replied flatly, ”Instinct. And I’ve already guessed your method.”

Ashe’s heart pounded. No way. We haven’t even done anything yet. Have we already been exposed? Is this the true strength of the captain of the Bloodrage Hunters, a Three-Winged Sacred Realm sorcerer? Or is there a traitor?

”You’re planning to have the Four Pillars Deities rescue you, right?”

Ashe’s eyes widened. His mouth fell open, as if he had just seen someone fake an accident ten meters from a speeding car.

After a tense silence, he said stiffly, ”I haven’t studied law, but I believe criminal procedure follows the principle of presumption of innocence. If you want to frame me, at least give me some evidence so I can die convinced, not based on a wild guess. Captain Gerard, you’re a busy man. Is it really necessary to pick on a small-time prisoner like me?”

”Because I came here specifically for you, Ashe Heath.”

Ashe froze.

Gerard continued, ”Someone said you would escape. They wanted me to stop you and cut you down at the root. They even spent a significant favor to send me to Shattered Lake. Killing prisoners is a serious crime. In Caimon City, only a few are exempt, and I happen to be one of them.”

The familiar name hit Ashe instantly. A chill ran through his body. The killing intent in Gerard’s eyes plunged him into icy despair. Still, he asked, ”Who was it?”

Gerard said softly, ”Syrin Dorr. He said the remnants of the Four Pillars Cult must not survive. To stop the Four Pillar Deities. For the glory of the Blood Moon. Ashe Heath must die.”

1. Just as Sonya is known as the Rose of the 67th Batch, I’ve taken a more inventive approach by giving a nickname to her male counterpart that contrasts with ”Rose.” Raw translated it literally as Swordgrass, which feels awkward in English. In this context, Prince captures the intended meaning with a far more natural nuance for English readers. ☜