"Do you wish to save her?"
Those were the words that Zack heard from the mysterious man in front of him while he hopelessly stared at the unconscious form of his friend lying lifelessly on the ground.
Hours ago, Zack and his friend, Bianca, were in the village going about their uneventful daily lives as they played along at the riverside nearby.
"… And one day, I'm going to be the most powerful Witch to ever grace in this world!!!" Bianca, a little girl with shoulder-length blonde hair, declared loudly while pounding her fist proudly on her chest.
"Haha, the most powerful is kind of a stretch if you ask me." The boy, Zack, snickered amusingly, earning a glare from the girl. "But since you are a girl, then you can be a Witch, unlike myself, who is a boy."
"D-don't worry, Zack!!" The girl sensed her friend being depressed and attempted to comfort him, "When I become a Witch, I'll make you my husband!!! After all, a Witch's husband is going to live a life of comfort since, from what I heard, being a Witch also pays very well!!! Then, we are going to live in the capital and spend the rest of our lives in luxury!!"
Zack smiled at how optimistic Bianca really was. The girl was certainly a handful, a cheerful bundle of energy that he, a reserved young lad who mostly kept to himself, had some trouble keeping up.
But Bianca was his best friend, and he would not trade her for anything in this world.
"That's quite an admirable goal, Bianca." Zack patted her hair, causing the girl to squirm in delight at the affectionate gesture, "I'm sure that with your drive and energy, your dream will come true without question."
"Hehe, then will you be my husband, Zack?" a blush formed on Bianca's cheeks while she still enjoyed the head pats from her best friend.
"Hmm, I'll think about it. I'm not exactly thrilled about the prospect of lazing around and being dependent on you completely. I still have my pride as a man, after all." Zack ceased the patting. "If only I could be a Witch as well so I can support your dream. But alas, it's impossible for a man to become one."
"Yeah, if only." Bianca sighed and shared the same sentiment. "Stupid rules and everything. Who the hell decided that only women get to use magic?"
"It is as what it is." Zack made a sad sigh, "For 500 years, ever since the Warlock King perished, no man has ever documented to be capable of harnessing magic."
The number one Ironclad rule of Magic: Only Females are able to harness the powers of the Arcane arts. For centuries, a Brand has never appeared on a single man, and it won't be happening anytime soon.
Zack already accepted the harshness of this reality. Indisputably, he desired to become a Witch… a Warlock back when he was younger. Naturally, it was impossible for his goal to bear fruition.
Even when reality struck hard on his face, the boy still could not help but long for the chance to even possessed a semblance of control in the Arcane Arts.
But that was just wishful thinking on his part. This was the world that he lived in, a world where Witches governed society and dictated the laws of humankind.
When the Warlock King passed away, his firstborn daughter took the mantle of being the ruler of the land. Subsequent female rulers until today bore the King's blood and led the land with sheer authority and power unlike any other.
Five hundred years of history, filled with peace and countless other forms of bloodshed, molded the world of Grayhart as it is today.
Witches mostly held positions of power within the community, but it was not unheard of for a man to do the same. Society nonetheless recognized skill and talent, and if a man proved himself to be an asset, then even a Witch would be forced to acknowledge him.
"Even so, I can at least be a Knight and support your dream to become a Witch."
Among the ranks of society, men were the backbone that supported the body. One prominent employment path that a man may undertake is to become a Knight.
A Witch trained and honed their intellect constantly. As a result, they spent less time improving their physique in favor of the mind.
And that's where the path of the Warrior came in.
Knights, Mercenaries, Fighters, and Gladiators were among the many that a man might pursue.
Of course, there were Witches who were also physically adept and may give Warriors a run for their money in physical combat alone, but they were very few.
And the Warrior's path was the road that Zack wished to travel, a Knight, to be more specific.
A Knight served as a Noble or Witch's retinue. Skilled in various weaponry, they served as the protectors of their Master's household.
Basically, a Knight was a Witch's guard and the first line of defense. While the Witch prepared her spells and cast them, the Knight would be on the frontlines and engage their enemies in close combat.
Of course, the battlefield was never constant, and the circumstances of a battle may change depending on the situation.
When Bianca was going to be a Witch, then Zack would become the first Knight under her command, making him her right-hand man and commander.
"It's a promise, then!!" Bianca cheerfully proclaimed and motioned her pinky finger for their promise, "We're going to start a Noble House of our own!!"
"Sure. And I'll be there with you all the way." Zack smiled earnestly and locked his pinky finger with the girl's own, commemorating their promise that would shake the entirety of Grayhart to its very core.
As they merrily continued to play along the riverside, a suffocating smell suddenly invaded his nose, and the boy frowned at this.
"Smoke?"
Z-zack, look!!!!" Eyes widened with immense fear; the girl frantically tapped the boy's back for him to look.
What greeted them was an unpleasant sight.
Their village… The village of Sanders was burning.
Screams of horror and pleas were heard from the distance as the villagers were being slaughtered mercilessly to the ground.
"My parents, we have to get back!!!"
"Bianca, no!!!"
Bianca, the foolish and concerned child that she was, rushed back without thinking, and Zack let out an annoyed snarl before running in the girl's direction.