1 Chapter 1

"I will be off then, grandfather."

"Alright, you take care of yourself now. Don't come back anytime soon."

"What will you be doing while I'm gone?"

"Who knows? The other kids here would probably need my help."

"I see. Then, see you soon."

The young boy set off from the church that he lived in for the past 17 years. With the wind behind his back, he bid his grandfather a final wave until the arch of the hills prevented him from seeing the tip of his head. He trudged along the path surrounded by grassy plains, a place he was all too familiar with after growing up here his whole life.

It didn't take long for him to reach the town below. The church he lived in was built on top of a hill, which surprisingly did not make it any more awkward for the journey. As the entire area around the town were nothing but hills and steep slopes, the locals have gotten used to the everlasting terrain that showed no signs of changing unless major development was needed or natural disasters happening. Then again, natural disasters in this area were pretty rare too. In the last 500 years or so, nothing but peace has only descended upon the area. Right now, the young boy called Kaze was living the comforts of home and setting off for his next part of his life's journey.

If one had to describe Kaze from an outsider view, there was nothing special appearance alone. His neatly trimmed brownish-black hair was somewhat dishevelled when walking against the wind, but it quickly settled down when the gust changed directions. His clothing was nothing out of the ordinary when compared to the town area. Everyone here had equal distribution of wealth, aside from certain lords that lived alongside commoners. Travellers would be surprised if they heard the church could afford normal clothing for every orphan who lived there, proving that there was sufficient care towards the poor.

Gripping a somewhat big backpack which contained all of his lifetime belongings, Kaze was now heading to the main city of the nation. Where Kaze and the town were was located due north of Czech, a hilly zone that had lesser economic activity compared to the busier side of Czech.

Czech is one of the nations whose population consisted mainly of humans. Should one ask of its origins, anyone with simply knowledge on the history of the establishment of Czech would tell you it had been a powerhouse from thousands of years ago. One reason for it was the quantity of manpower and resources available. Where there were enough wood and minerals to sustain life, population quickly boom and today was the result of the development.

Despite growing up in the church as an orphan, Kaze was taught enough to be able to continue studying at a higher-level education, hence why he was headed to the capital of Czech. Czech's capital, Tritania, was named after the King who first established it to be the main city of its nation. If one wanted to change their lives and get away from the quietness of the countryside, the first place in mind would be Tritania. The city alone boasted a huge population of a little over half a million, causing one to wonder what the total population would be if they were to take into account of every other city and town within Czech jurisdiction.

Kaze swung his sword around him to practice while heading down the path. The sword was given to him by his grandfather, something of a parting gift. While it wasn't in the best shape or had the best craftsmanship on it, Kaze still cherished it dearly. Other than it being a keepsake of his grandfather, it was also used by him to train on a daily basis. Some kids at the orphanage preferred the way of magic while some worked on technical skill, but Kaze had his grandfather kept him occupied with sword training for the past few years. Sword skills required intense physical training and mental fortitude, which deterred most from entering the field. Then again, it wasn't like Kaze had a choice. It was true that his determination kept him going from all the sadistic training his grandfather bestowed upon him, but other factors like being weaker using magic and being lazy in studying deterred Kaze from being a businessman or a mage.

With each step he took, Kaze was slowly leaving town and heading onto the normal highway route that travellers and merchants would take. Despite the idea of it being dangerous to walk alone, there were normally no thieves or ambushes set alongside the area considering that nothing valuable actually passes. Even so, Kaze was properly trained that even a fairly competent knight in the city would have to be careful when it came to one-to-one combat with him. This wasn't to say Kaze was exceptionally skilled or had a rare skill that others didn't, it was more of his grandfather's teaching.

Kaze didn't know about who his grandfather was, but he knew that he wasn't his actual grandfather. When Kaze first came to the church as a baby, the old man he considered to be his grandfather was in the later years of his adulthood. The likely scenario was that he was a great swordsman or adventurer in the early stages of his life before retirement set him back all the way to a remote village no one normally would go without business. As such, all the training and skill weaved into Kaze right now was hand taught by the supposed grandfather from early age, as soon as Kaze showed interest in the sword.

His grandfather was not one to speak much about his past life, though the arrogance when talking about the glory stories to Kaze quickly showed along with the pompous attitude of narcissism. If anything, Kaze doubted the stories his grandfather had said from how exaggerated they sound, but took it with a pinch of salt when considering all the lessons he had taken. Still, it did not change the fact that his grandfather was excellent with the sword and survival skills. Kaze took each day of training with great care and thus forged up his way to where he was currently.

"Damn, I wonder how the capital is going to look like?" Kaze muttered, twirling his sword skillfully from one hand to the other. "Is the King there really as lame as grandfather described him? I hope the books served to show just how good or bad the city is."

At the same time, a huge shadow briefly covered the area Kaze was at before sunlight took over again. Tilting his head upwards, Kaze caught sight of a huge beastly form soaring off towards the western sky. Grinning at the sight of it, Kaze ran after it for a short moment before stopping. Even though it was clear that Kaze had no way of growing wings and flying off after it, the idea that a dragon was seen soaring in the sky for a brief period caused Kaze's heart to thump violently.

Stories of other species that lived alongside mankind was common, especially since there still exist a number of them to this very day. For people like Kaze who lived in the countryside or places that rarely had a mixture of different populations, stories and rumours from man to books were the only way to get to learn about them. As such, Kaze who had only read about the dragon race on books was ecstatic to have found that he was able to see the sight of a dragon flying so soon. The thought that he would be able to meet with students and people from other race and species soon roused Kaze, causing him to run along the path while letting out a cry of excitement.

The dragon that soared through the sky earlier kept on flying. With each powerful flap, it allowed its heavy body to accelerate through the sky at a high speed as it crossed the country's outer borders. Flying past the wild and cutting through the fields, it soon arrived at one of the outposts of another nation. Upon arrival, its entire body glowed lightly before transforming into a human counterpart while keeping its dragon wings and tail intact. The dragonkin wore clothes bearing the emblem of its nation's royal family, signifying its position within the ranks of the soldiers.

Following its footsteps, another dragonkin stood in front of the border gates that was both entrance and exit to the nation. With a deep breath, the dragonkin turned around to face the others who were there to see her off.

"I will be going then," the dragonkin said. "Please take care of things while Im gone."

"Don't worry, just go and have fun," one of the dragonkins smiled. "Its only for 3 years, and you can always fly back if you want."

"I know," the dragonkin giggled before boarding her carriage.

"So, are you ready to leave to Czech?" A female elf asked the dragonkin, who was in the same carriage.

"You don't have to make it to such a big deal Rena," the dragonkin replied. "Its not like we are moving away from Aravel or something."

"Well, you weren't very enthusiastic on the idea of studying abroad, so I was worried for a second," the elf being Rena replied. "Sera and Shoko are already waiting for us there, so we have to hurry."

"I know, we can depart now."

- - - - - -

A few days had passed since Kaze arrived at the capital of Czech, Tritania.

Right now, he was staying at one of the inns available close to school. Kaze had no idea what sort of school it was other than its name because the details were checked by his grandfather. After setting him up to take an entrance test to the school, Kaze left his hometown and now left to his own. Anyone would be a little worried if they had to manage themselves all of a sudden, but to Kaze who had grown up without any proper care in the first place it was normal. The only thing he had to worry about was the cost of living on his own since the church couldn't afford it in the first place.

Today was the day of the enrolment test. Kaze woke up early in preparation for it and was now polishing his sword while going through some magical formula. While there was no set format for how the test would be like, it was only as simple as a theory and practical test. The theory test would be focused on a range of subjects that relied on the students' past knowledge of what they have learnt before advancing to the next level of education available, whereas the practical test gauged the student's physical and magical aptitude. The scores of both combined would conclude whether a student got accepted or not. Generally, it wasn't too hard to score in the practical test because you only need to get above average to be seen as acceptable so the real determining factor for most students was the theory part, which was always anonymous year to year.

While going through the notes of classes from the church, Kaze began to doubt if what was taught in the church was even what he needed to learn to use in this test anyway. Regardless, it was too late to turn back now after coming so far. Kaze could only prepare and hope for the best. He wasn't doing this because he was told to but because he wanted to, and that itself was the best motivation. His grandfather only helped to pave the way for him to succeed on his own. Unlike some people whose future was already determined like being the son of an aristocrat or next in line to inherit certain businesses, people like Kaze could only work hard and make a future for themselves.

This was even more so visible once Kaze entered the front gates of the school. Immediately, people from all walks of life and races could be seen entering the school compound. Those dressed formally would often bear the emblem of their family on the buttons or the corner of the shirt while those dressed casually were people from middle-ranged family. There was no concept of 'poor' in this city, or so they say, because the standard of living was balanced. The King did a good job of challenging the social problems and established a hierarchy which 'poor' was out of the equation and becoming 'lower-middle class' instead.

Kaze didn't mind the differences in outfit that could be seen though, because his mind was more preoccupied with the appeal the school had. The name 'Czech 1st Institute of Tritania' didn't really have much of an impact, but the foundation and outwards appeal was simply mindblowing. The village Kaze grew up in was pretty and plain as compared to Tritania, but the school itself was constructed beautifully too. From the outside it looked like a mini castle on its own that was designed to house several hundred students and to host a wide range of activities.

"Wow," Kaze gasped in awe at the fresh view. "I don't think I have ever seen a place like this before-"

Just as he was about to step forward, he tripped on something and fell face first to the floor. The surrounding people merely giggled or gasped at this before walking away, everyone too focused on the test to bother of an ignorant person tripping on their own.

All except for one, anyway.

"Ow…" Kaze grumbled as he got up from the floor. "Can't believe I got my clothes dirty from the floor instead of my sweat."

"Are you alright?" Someone asked him as they approached. "I'm sorry, I didn't notice that someone was right behind me."

"Hm? No it's alright, I wasn't careful…. Dragon?"

Kaze looked up to thank the respondent for their kindness, but was stunned by what he saw. In front of him stood a female student wearing a complex piece of white clothing. It was clear from the aura she was exhibiting and her outfit that she didn't come from any simple background. Her long silver white hair flowed neatly behind her, his face reflected within her orange pupils. What that most captivated Kaze other than her beauty was her features. A long tail matching the colour of her hair extended from the gap below her waistline right out to the floor, a pair of wings neatly tucked behind her back sporting the same colour as well that seemed to blend in with her fair skin. In other words, she was a dragonkin.

"Oh? Um, yes, Im a dragon, or a dragonkin to be more precise," the girl giggled at his response before pulling him up with her hand. "As I was saying, I apologise for causing you to trip. I was a little careless with my tail."

"E-Erm, no, you need not apologise," Kaze stammered, breaking free of the illusion the girl's beauty was putting up. "Doesn't your tail hurt? I think I stepped on it."

"Dragonkin tails are delicate, but I instinctively placed a protection spell on my tail the moment I felt your foot's presence," the girl sighed. "Which explains why you tripped instead of just kicking my tail. But in return, I didn't control how much power I placed into my magic and it made it as though you are directly tripping from a rock paved in the road."

"I didn't know you can do that with protection magic," Kaze smiled, happy to see that the person he met was someone friendly. "Is this some dragonkin magic?"

"Not really, its just years of experience and culmination that brought me to this point," the dragonkin smiled back. "You can do it too if you have lived as long as I have."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Kaze," Kaze stuck out his hand to shake hers. "I'm glad to have the first person I met since stepping foot into this school to be someone like you."

"It's alright, I'm glad that we met too," she nodded back at him

The dragonkin opened her mouth and was about to tell him her name, only for them to be disturbed by an elf that came from nowhere.

"There you are! What are you doing? It's almost our turn," the elf exasperated before dragging the dragonkin away. "We can talk after the test, they won't allow us to resit if we miss. This is ridiculous, with how many people…"

"A-Ah, Sera! Wait…" the dragonkin tried to stop the elf but eventually blended into the crowd.

Just like that, the bizarre encounter Kaze had with the first dragonkin he met of his life came to an abrupt stop.

A few days later, Kaze received a letter from the school stating that he was accepted along with the uniform.

"Did you hear? I heard the opening speech would be given by a special guest."

"Ah right, do you think its someone from the royal family of Czech? I wonder if we will get to see the prince this year."

"No no, I'm sure its an elf. We don't see them that often."

"I think it's the top scorer of the entrance test? They had to raise the standard because there were a lot of insanely strong people this year…"

When Kaze entered the school hall for there to be the welcoming ceremony, he kept on hearing people talking about different things that had similar topis strung together. Since he was kept in the dark and worked for the past few days to earn some extra income at a diner, he wasn't in the know and didn't really cared, to be frank. All that mattered was that Kaze was able to make it into the school and now he had to study for the next 3 years without trouble.

"And here I thought dorms were more affordable," Kaze grumbled to himself while taking a seat. "It doesn't have that much difference from staying at the inn if you count the cost per monthly including food and other utility costs."

At the same time, the entire hall turned dark from the lights being cut. This prompted the crowd to turn silent since the welcoming ceremony was about to start. Lights casted by magic began to flood the hall from above, possibly due to magic crystals that were fixed above to give off the atmosphere of it being grand. The student body buzzed in excitement following the next arrival of the teachers on the stage, each of them taking their respective seats after appearing one by one out of thin air.

"They really do put in effort for making this look impressive huh," one guy next to Kaze chuckled. "I suppose it has to do with the guest we are having today after all."

The speeches from the headmaster and other important faculty members went by quickly, the student body concentrating on each word said without missing a beat. Everyone knew the importance of this being a ceremony, although it was mostly because everyone had the same question in mind: they wanted to see if the rumours of there being a special guest was true.

Finally, the time that everyone waited for came.

"And now, we would like to welcome the student who had the top scores to take the stage and give a few words of inspiration," the headmaster spoke through a voice-magnifying magic tool. "Before that, I would like to inform everyone that this person is someone very special. Anyone who would later on be the same class with her, please take care and not treat her differently. She has requested to be treated the same like everyone here, even if the purpose of this was originally a cultural exchange. Please, let us put our hands together to welcome, from the nation of Aravel, first princess of the royal Rentaria family, Lunaria Sven Rentaria!"

Following the thunderous applause was a bunch of gasps and awe as the first princess took the stage. The person who appeared before their eyes would be described by most as a goddess. Lunaria easily took away the breaths of many male students from her formless beauty the moment she came to their sight.

One thing that everyone was shocked about was her nationality, especially the moment the headmaster mentioned it in his welcome speech earlier. The nation of Aravel was none other than the home to the dragonkins, a race so secluded that one would rarely see them walking around in the open. Yet, they have the first princess of said nation in front of their very eyes. Indeed, the students and some teachers considered their luck of a lifetime to be exhausted the moment they processed the information that was given to them.

"W-Wait, no way…" Kaze, like many others, rose to his feet when the first princess came on stage, but for a different reason.

The person whom he met the other day was Lunaria, first princess of Aravel.