Prologue: Memories

"Saint Disciple Iska."

"Charged with treason for helping a witch break out of prison. Facing life in prison."

Turning back to a year prior, there was an incident where a witch captured by the largest

nation in the world—known as the Empire—was saved by an Imperial swordsman.

The witch was fourteen at the time, a young girl with lingering naivete.

Nevertheless, the Empire had no mercy for witches.

She would be subjected to unspeakable torture.

But her rescue came on the eve of her day of judgment. It had been a sleepless night

as she contemplated the terrifying fate that awaited her in the morning.

"Shhh. Keep quiet. I'm gonna let you out right now."

"Why?… Why are you… letting me escape…?"

Why would an Imperial soldier save a witch? What would he gain from this? Was this

a trap?

The witch couldn't process the sudden developments, but she followed his instructions

to escape.

She couldn't give up here.

She needed to succeed in her mother's footsteps.

Despite her dire situation, she eventually managed to slip away from Imperial territory

and returned to her homeland of Nebulis after an arduous journey.

But… what welcomed the witch upon her homecoming wasn't relief but a new feeling

of solitude.

…That's right.

…There's no one on my side, even in this country.

She started to remember everything after her fear of captivity subsided.

"…No!"

Before she could plunge into despair, the battered witch bit her lip and forced herself

to run… all the way to the royal palace and into her dwelling—the dreaded castle

where the worst of traitors made their nest.

"I refuse to hand the country over to those disloyal rogues. I will succeed my mother

and become queen. Isn't that right, Sisbell?" she asked herself.

She was Sisbell Lou Nebulis IX, the youngest of three princesses and one of those with

a claim to the throne.

It would take a few more days before she learned the Imperial soldier's name: Iska.

At present, fate was ready to bring the witch and swordsman together again, gently

guided by the planet's mischief.