Barthomeloi.
A name so heavy it almost equates to the entire history of the AD calendar.
A name that, by itself, can suffocate most magi from prestigious families under the weight of its mere mention.
This family carries an overwhelming number of halos.
The head family of the Clock Tower, the headquarters of the Mage's Association;
The leader of the three aristocratic families, the core of the largest faction of aristocratic supremacy, with the other two major aristocratic families needing to join forces to challenge it;
A family that stands equal to the legendary wielder of the First Magic;
The ruling family of the Department of Policies, holding supreme authority;
A family that has dominated the Clock Tower for over a millennium, capable of crushing the lower-ranked families among the Twelve Lords without much effort.
If you operate within the world of magi, it's nearly impossible to avoid this family, and even the self-isolated Atlas Institute or the enigmatic Wandering Sea can hardly be exceptions.
This family has endured and maintained its brilliance for nearly two thousand years, and naturally, it has its unique qualities.
Beyond its unimaginable resources, the family is rigorous in cultivating its descendants.
Barthomeloi is a quintessential ancient aristocracy, proud of its family name and bloodline, and it does not tolerate any tarnishing of its history. As a result, most Barthomeloi members pursue perfection. Each generation's head of the family is a perfect example of a perfectionist.
If you don't meet the standard, you cannot leave the family. If you're not yet a formal magus, you won't appear in public. Once you enter the Mage's Association, you must possess the ability to lead a department.
The current heir to the family, Lorelei, is no exception.
The moment this seemingly delicate young woman appeared in London, she shocked the entire Clock Tower.
Perfect.
Perfect without any flaws.
Powerful, dignified, with an overwhelming magic circuit.
Though she possessed no special abilities, she excelled in all aspects, achieving outstanding results in any situation.
She seemed like the crystallization of Barthomeloi's accumulated history, born with an innate nobility and an insurmountable gap that made everyone else look up to her.
Of course, if one insisted on finding a flaw, it wouldn't be impossible. This young woman was extremely aloof in her humanity, and her actions were overly rigid. However, this is typical of the Barthomeloi, and magi were long accustomed to it.
Lorelei herself didn't think anything of it either. This was the kind of education she had received since childhood. It also earned her a title—The Queen.
In her view, a person's abilities far outweigh their personality.
Parents and relatives were insignificant compared to outstanding talent.
The noble deserve greater authority. Since she is the most excellent and noble, she naturally ought to rule and control everything.
No magus can stand on equal footing with her—not the other eleven Lords, nor the other two noble families, nor even Barthomeloi's long-standing ally, El-Melloi.
Lorelei firmly believed this and adhered to her philosophy.
Whether she was handling tasks for the Department of Policies or forming her army, the Chelon Canticle Brigade, even when she showed concern for her subordinates, it was always from a high and aloof position.
Until one evening, when she received news and was dispatched to mediate a conflict between a second-rate family and El-Melloi.
To Lorelei, this was a task that couldn't be simpler.
If she showed up personally, who would refuse? Especially not El-Melloi, weakened by three years of internal strife.
At worst, she could allocate some resources to El-Melloi. After all, the current head, Kayneth, was an extraordinary magus destined to ascend to the title of Grand and an essential figure in advancing magecraft.
However, reality greatly exceeded her expectations.
The assassin sent by El-Melloi had no regard for her presence, even attempting to kill the target right before her eyes.
This made Lorelei furious. Since her debut, when had she ever been treated with such disrespect? She wanted to see what this assassin was capable of, to belittle her and Barthomeloi!
The result was once again beyond the young woman's expectations.
This assassin was indeed highly skilled, so strong that even Lorelei had to take the fight seriously. She had never encountered such a situation before.
Who was she?
She was destined to become the pinnacle of magi. Even though she had yet to inherit the Barthomeloi family's magic crest and was not yet strong enough to contend with certain ancient monsters, how could an assassin possibly threaten her?
Yet the fact was undeniable. This masked individual not only held their own against her but also possessed a powerful artifact capable of killing her.
For the first time since arriving in London, she felt a mortal threat.
It was from this moment that things began to spiral out of control.
The family that had painstakingly invited her to mediate suddenly shed its earlier submissiveness, revealing its true nature, and pushed her into a desperate situation, even declaring they would kill both her and the assassin.
The assassin, even more outrageously, had a way to break the stalemate but refused to use it. He claimed he didn't trust her, or Barthomeloi, who ruled the Department of Policies.
She was Barthomeloi Lorelei, the first heir of the Barthomeloi family. When had she ever been treated like this?
The emotions she had suppressed since childhood surged wildly, almost breaking through the rational barriers she had built. But in the end, she calmed herself down.
The situation was beyond her control. Although she had a trump card, the success rate was low. So she made a shocking decision—not only did she compromise with the assassin, but she also allowed herself to be knocked unconscious. It was the first time she had ever made such a choice.
It turned out to be the right decision. The assassin helped her escape the crisis and obliterate their enemies.
When she awoke, Lorelei became fixated on this mysterious assassin. She had never been so intrigued by another person.
Few dared to question Barthomeloi, and even fewer dared to say it to her face and knock her out. Combined with his strength—and let's not forget his strange personality.
Despite his immense power, he quibbled over trivial matters.
He seemed greedy, yet when she extended an olive branch, he remained loyal to his duty.
She couldn't figure him out at all.
The more she didn't understand, the more she wanted to.
As the queen destined to rule the Mage's Association, she couldn't allow such an unstable factor to remain at large.
She would make this mysterious assassin her own. That was the queen's duty.
She began gathering information about him, engaging with the El-Melloi faction he belonged to, and successfully obtained his basic details.
Matou Shinji, male, age 11, address...
Her first reaction was that he was young, younger than her.
What followed was an even deeper curiosity.
What kind of person is he?
What kind of life does he lead?
Where does his immense strength come from?
What expression will he have when they meet again?
And what should she say to him?
Then, she met him again.