Fifteen years ago, a new life was born into the House of Ainsworth. That jewel-like baby girl was named Nia le Ainsworth.
"Heh, haha... Fuhahahahahaha! Splendid! What a day! I have waited three hundred years for this moment!"
The crazed laughter of Patriarch Zoeva echoed throughout the Ainsworth Estate. Zoeva le Ainsworth was the current head of the family. He was a man like a ghost, living through eternity by using Origin Class¹ Innate Magic² to halt his body's aging. His long white hair fluttered behind a frame exceeding two meters, lean yet packed with muscles like tempered steel. His wrinkled face radiated a fierce vitality, and his hawk-like eyes emitted an intense, crushing pressure.
"Look, the Primordial Flame! It is finally born! The Origin Class Innate Magic that pairs with my Original Ice!"
The House of Ainsworth were masters of magic factor research. Using a specialized method that did not rely on the Baptism Ceremony³, they accurately identified the Innate Magic of the newborn Nia as the Primordial Flame.
"With this, I can finally move on to 'The Plan'! Fuhaha, things are going to get busy now!"
Zoeva rejoiced from the bottom of his heart. He did not celebrate the birth of Nia, but rather the birth of the Primordial Flame residing within her flesh.
Under the elite education of the Ainsworths, Nia grew up healthy and strong. When she turned five, a major incident occurred that became the turning point of her life. One gloomy, overcast morning, Zoeva took Nia to the largest hospital in the Ainsworth territory.
"Well, well, Zoeva-sama, you are most welcome here," the Clinic Director said. He met them at the entrance and knelt before Zoeva.
"At ease. More importantly, where are the subjects?" Zoeva asked.
"They are in the fourth observation room," the Director replied.
"Lead the way."
"Yes, right this way."
They moved from the general ward to the special research wing, walking down a long corridor until they reached a small, pure white room partitioned by transparent glass. Inside, about ten small children lay on beds.
"Their status?" Zoeva asked.
"They are stable for now, but it should be any moment," the Director said.
"Hmm, I see."
While Zoeva and the Director exchanged meaningful looks, Nia looked at the glass. "Hey, Grandfather, why are these children locked up? Are they very sick?"
Zoeva cast a glance toward her, and the Director answered in his stead. "Nia-lady-sama, the children here suffer from a disease called Idiopathic Magic Deficiency⁴."
"Idiopathic, magic...?" Nia asked.
"It is a disease of unknown cause, mostly occurring in children up to five years old," the Director explained. "The organs that generate magic power wither and die. It is a terrifying thing that eventually leads to death."
"Eh? Are those children all going to die?"
"Regrettably, it will be very soon."
"That... isn't there anything we can do to help them!?" Nia asked.
The Director shook his head. "With modern medicine and healing magic, there is nothing that can be done. However... if we had your magic factors, My Lady, then perhaps..."
"My magic factors...?"
"Yes. The Primordial Flame is an extremely rare Innate Magic—"
Nia received a simple explanation from the Director. The Origin Class Innate Magic, Primordial Flame, was a mighty power that governed Destruction and Creation. The Flame of Destruction burned all things to ash, while the Flame of Creation returned all phenomena to their origin. If they analyzed Nia's magic factors, cultured only the part governing creation, and transplanted it into the patients, perhaps the disease could be cured.
"My Lady, for the sake of these unfortunate children, would you be willing to cooperate?" the Director asked.
"Yes, I will! If my factors can help, please use as much as you need!" Nia said.
"Oh, thank you very much."
And so Nia provided her magic factors. She had given them away.
The experiment was a brilliant success. The power of the Primordial Flame was tremendous, and the children who received the transplant made a remarkable recovery.
"Nia-onee-chan, thank you!"
"It's all thanks to Nia-nee!"
"Nia-nee-chan, I love you!"
The healthy children rejoiced innocently. Their guardians also wept with joy, repeatedly offering words of gratitude.
"E-ehehe... you're very welcome," Nia said. She was happy. She was proud. Her power could save people. That fact made her feel truly blessed. However, this was the beginning of hell.
A few days later, the screaming started. "It's hot... it hurts, it's so hot...!"
"Nia-onee-chan... help me...!"
The children who had received the magic factors suddenly began to suffer. One after another, they collapsed. "...Eh?" Nia stood frozen.
"Primordial Flame, Power of Siphoning⁵ confirmed! Remote absorption of magic power was successful!" a doctor shouted.
"Zoeva-sama, congratulations!"
"With this, the Factor Fusion research will proceed to a new phase!"
The doctors offered their compliments, and Zoeva nodded heavily. "Umu, you all have worked well. However, this is only the first stage of The Plan. Stay sharp and move to the second stage. Also... these subjects are precious experimental samples and useful energy sources. Keep them in a state between life and death. Do not let them die, but do not let them recover."
"Yes, sir!"
As the machinery of the plan whirred, Nia was left behind. "...What happened?"
The Primordial Flame possessed a third power: Siphoning. It allowed the user to share their flame, only to forcibly collect the host's magic power whenever they wished. Normally, this control should have resided with Nia, the host. However, she had undergone factor remodeling surgery as an infant. The control had been stolen by Zoeva before she could even walk.
"G-Grandfather... what on earth is this?" Nia asked.
"Now, now, don't let it weigh on your mind," Zoeva said, laughing wickedly. "These things were defective products from the start. I merely let them see a fleeting dream. They have reason to be grateful, not to hold a grudge."
"No... that's wrong! These children aren't defective products! Grandfather, you are wrong!"
Young Nia fought back desperately. "Hmm, it seems discipline is required," Zoeva said.
On one side was a five-year-old child; on the other, a three-hundred-year-old patriarch. The outcome was obvious. Nia was punched, kicked, and beaten. After a brutal scourging, she was thrown into the estate's dungeon.
"Listen well, Nia. You are my property. You live for me, and you die for me. Keep that carved into your heart."
Inside the lightless cage, Nia lay like a tattered doll. She shed tears in the silence. (I want to die... I hate this... I just want to die...)
She felt like disappearing from the world. But if she died here, what would happen to those children? The disease was real. Without the Primordial Flame, they wouldn't last six months. This flame was their agony, but it was also the only thing keeping them alive. She began to loathe her own power.
(I have to atone...)
She believed it was her fault for being born with this curse and for naively providing her factors. Of course, she was not to blame. If the evil known as Zoeva did not exist, this tragedy never would have happened. But Nia took the responsibility anyway. She began to think.
(How can I stop Grandfather's rampage...?)
Zoeva was the Patriarch of the Ainsworths, one of the Four Great Noble Houses. His influence was absolute. If a child like her exposed him, she would be silenced by the shadows. (There is no one to turn to.)
This house was Zoeva's fortress. Her parents, the servants, the knights—no one dared to cross him. If he said white was black, then it was black. Even the Holy Knight Association was under his thumb.
(The Primordial Flame is my magic, but I can feel him pulling at it. He's done something to my body...)
She was cornered. There was nothing a child could do. (I can't talk him out of this. He is rotten to the core. If I let him continue, hundreds more will suffer.)
Zoeva intended to use the children as living batteries for a grand experiment. Someone had to stop him. (I have no choice. I have to kill Zoeva.)
Nia hardened her dark resolve. A month later, Zoeva descended to the dungeon.
"How is it, Nia? Have you finally come to your senses?"
"...Yes. I am sorry. I was wrong. From now on, I will live as your tool, Grandfather," Nia said.
"Heh. Good girl. I'm glad you understand."
Zoeva hugged her with sickening tenderness. Nia squeezed her fists until her knuckles turned white. (He is too strong. Right now, I couldn't win even if the world turned upside down.)
She would obey for now. But her heart had not yielded. (I have to get stronger. Every second counts.)
With tragic determination, the girl began her long climb out of the dark.
She had gripped a sword earlier than anyone, mastered magic⁶ swifter than any other, and endured days more grueling than anyone could imagine. Everything was for the sake of killing Zoeva, atoning for her sins, and saving the children.
Two years later, a cruel prank of fate arrived. On a beautifully clear day, Nia was led away by Zoeva, who claimed it was "time to broaden her horizons." She was entered into the Grand Martial Arts Tournament held in the Royal Capital. Competing in the "Ju-Nia" Division for children under ten, she secured victory after victory with overwhelming strength, advancing to the finals in the blink of an eye.
Her opponent in the final match was the eldest son of Lord Heisenberg, a cornerstone of the Four Great Noble Houses⁷-Hollow von Heisenberg.
(So this is him... Hollow...)
Nia had heard his name several times before. Some called him a prodigy blessed with divine talent. Others called him the incarnation of sloth and arrogance. Still others claimed he was the most wicked child ever forged by gods and demons. The rumors surrounding Hollow were never anything but vile, but they all agreed on one thing: he was absurdly strong.
"And now, we begin the final match: Hollow von Heisenberg versus Nia Le Ainsworth! Are both combatants ready? Then-begin!" the announcer shouted.
At the signal, Nia drew her blade in an instant. However, Hollow remained standing still, completely unguarded.
"Yaaaawn..."
He let out a massive, lazy yawn with a look of pure boredom on his face.
"Hey... the match has already started," Nia said.
"And?"
"I mean... you're wide open," Nia replied.
"Sigh... use that tiny brain of yours and think. Does anyone actually go out of their way to take a stance just to swat a gnat?" Hollow asked.
"...I see," Nia whispered.
Just as the rumors suggested, he was a man as rotten as a sewer. He was pampered as a genius by those around him, but he was ultimately just a hothouse flower-a spoiled, sheltered aristocrat. He didn't even belong in the same world as her, someone who had crawled through the dirt and bled through her training. She decided she would pummel that annoyingly handsome face of his until it was unrecognizable.
However, the world was heartless.
Thud.
"Gah-hk!?"
"Hey, hey. It's a bit early for a nap, isn't it?" Hollow said.
"Eek!"
"What's the matter? Is that all you've got!?" Hollow shouted.
"Augh..."
"Come on, show everyone how pathetic you are!"
"Ugh..."
Nia was punched, kicked, thrashed, and tossed aside. She was beaten until there was nothing left of her pride. In front of the massive crowd, she was subjected to the ultimate humiliation. Faced with such a brutal, one-sided slaughter, a low murmur rippled through the stands.
"H-hey... this is going way too far..." one spectator said.
"Yeah, he's overdoing it," another replied.
"Hollow von Heisenberg... he's every bit as evil as the rumors say," a third man whispered.
"Hmph. This is exactly why I can't stand the Heisenbergs," a noble said.
"Shh! Master, your voice is too loud!" a servant hissed.
As a foul atmosphere settled over the arena, Hollow subjected her to a verbal assault. "Heh, what a pathetic sight. Look around-every single person here is laughing at your disgrace," Hollow said.
Nia bit down on her shame. Hollow knew exactly how to break a human. He knew the precise way to punch to snap a bone, the exact kick to make the organs scream, and the perfect throw to tear a tendon. Because he understood that, he knew the limit. He took meticulous care to torture Nia without letting her lose consciousness.
Nia was too proud and stubborn to declare surrender. Even as she was treated like a human punching bag, she desperately searched for a path to victory. Because she kept trying to fight, the referee was unable to stop the match.
"Not... yet..."
Her hands shook as she gripped her sword, but just as she tried to strike back, her knees buckled.
(Ah...)
The sheer weight of the damage had finally claimed her legs.
"Heh. Let's end this with a bang!" Hollow shouted.
The demon's fist closed in.
(No. I'm going to be killed...)
Nia squeezed her eyes shut in terror. However, the blow never landed.
"Hey... what do you think you're doing, Olvin?" Hollow asked.
The one who had caught Hollow's murderous hand was the Heisenberg family's elderly butler. "Forgive me, Young Master, but your victory is already beyond doubt. I ask that you leave it at this," Olvin said.
"Tch... the mood's ruined," Hollow replied.
Hollow let out a sharp click of his tongue, and Nia collapsed face-first into the dirt.
"That's the match! The winner is Hollow von Heisenberg!" the referee announced.
The champion of the tournament had been decided.
"Honestly... to think a piece of trash like this is part of the Four Great Noble Houses? How utterly revolting," Hollow said.
Nia could only lay there, tears streaming down her face, biting her lip until it bled as his insults rained down on her. The arena was thick with a heavy, sickening tension as the year's tournament drew to a close. From that day forward, the infamy of the "Slothful and Vile Aristocrat" Hollow von Heisenberg echoed across every corner of the Klein Kingdom⁸.
Summary:
A tragic flashback reveals the origins of Nia and her 'Primordial Flame'. She was tricked by her grandfather, Patriarch Zoeva, into donating her magic factors under the guise of saving sick children. In reality, the experiment was a trap to turn those children into magic energy batteries for Zoeva's 'Plan', leading Nia to a dark resolve to eventually assassinate her own grandfather.
Nia Le Ainsworth enters a prestigious martial arts tournament to prove the results of her grueling training, only to face the notoriously cruel Hollow von Heisenberg in the finals. Despite her skill, Hollow subjects her to a calculated and brutal physical beating, intentionally keeping her conscious to maximize her humiliation. The match is only halted by the intervention of Hollow's butler, leaving Nia defeated and broken in spirit as Hollow's infamy spreads throughout the kingdom.
Trivia:
- The 'Power of Siphoning' explains why Nia's magic feels like it is being pulled away by Zoeva; it's a built-in function of her Innate Magic that was hijacked during her infancy.
- Nia's 'Factor Remodeling Surgery' as an infant hints at the sheer depth of Zoeva's long-term planning and lack of familial love.
- The 'Idiopathic Magic Deficiency' is likely a fabricated or induced condition used by the Ainsworths to source 'subjects' for their experiments.
- Nia's internal monologue about 'atoning' suggests her future actions are driven more by guilt than just a desire for survival.
- Hollow's knowledge of 'how to break a human' suggests he has undergone training far more sinister than standard noble swordsmanship.
- The mention of 'gods and demons' in Hollow's rumors may hint at a supernatural origin or a cursed bloodline within the Heisenberg family.
- Olvin the butler intervening suggests that even the Heisenberg household recognizes Hollow's behavior as a potential liability to their reputation.
- Nia's refusal to surrender highlights a psychological vulnerability that Hollow was able to exploit for his own amusement
Character Insight:
The dynamic shifts from a standard grandfather-granddaughter relationship to a master-slave dynamic. Zoeva explicitly states Nia is his 'property', while Nia transitions from innocent pride to a calculated, faked submission while harboring murderous intent.
The power dynamic between Nia and Hollow is shifted from a competitive rivalry to a predator-prey relationship. Nia's initial confidence is shattered by Hollow's overwhelming apathy and clinical cruelty. Hollow's dismissal of Nia as a 'gnat' and 'trash' cements his position as a primary antagonist who views others as objects for his entertainment.
Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
Introduces the concept of 'Origin Class' magic, which is superior to standard Innate Magic. Reveals the Ainsworth family's specialty in 'Factor Research' and their influence over the Holy Knight Association, suggesting a corrupt political landscape.
The 'Four Great Noble Houses' are established as the peak of the Klein Kingdom's hierarchy. The tournament serves as a social stage where political reputations are made or destroyed, as seen by the spectators' fearful reactions to Hollow's 'evil' nature.
TL Notes:
The term 'Idiopathic' was chosen to localize 'Tokupatsusei' to maintain a professional medical tone. 'Siphoning' was used for 'Shuudatsu' to emphasize the parasitic nature of the magic link.
The term 'Ju-Nia' is a creative localization of a Japanese pun merging the word 'Junior' with the protagonist's name. 'Hothouse flower' was used to adapt the Japanese idiom 'onsitsu-sodachi' (greenhouse raised) to convey a sense of sheltered fragility.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Origin Class (オリジンクラス): A rare and supreme tier of magic factors that exists outside the normal ranking system.
2 ↩ Innate Magic (固有魔法): Magic unique to an individual's genetic or soul makeup, determined at birth.
3 ↩ Baptism Ceremony (洗礼式): A ritual used to identify and awaken a person's magic power.
4 ↩ Idiopathic (特発性): A medical term for a disease that arises spontaneously or for which the cause is unknown.
5 ↩ Siphoning (収奪): The act of forcibly taking or draining away resources—in this case, magical energy.
6 ↩ Magic: Refers to the supernatural arts Nia studied to atone for her sins.
7 ↩ Four Great Noble Houses: The elite ruling families of the Klein Kingdom.
8 ↩ Klein Kingdom: The primary setting of the story.
Notes:
• Nia - A determined girl described as a 'heroine' with a strong inner core. She has a signature fire-based mana. She is training under Hollow to defeat Zoeva and save lives she feels responsible for. She has short-tempered and embarrassed reactions to Hollow's bluntness. A girl with the Primordial Flame magic factor. Described as having a sparkle in her eyes and being easily influenced. She is training to prepare for a fight against Zoeva. The heroine of the original story. She was seen sparring and shaking hands with Allen Fortis at the riverbank. Born into the Ainsworth house. Jewel-like baby girl. Five years old during the primary events. Possesses the Origin Class Innate Magic 'Primordial Flame'. Has blue/jewel-like eyes and a small frame. Later described as looking like a 'tattered doll' after being disciplined. A girl under ten years old belonging to the Four Great Noble Houses. She has spent years in rigorous training to atone for a sin and kill Zoeva. Possesses overwhelming physical and magical strength for her age. A heroine from one of the Four Great Noble Houses. She has long hair and is described as having soft skin and a sweet scent. She is desperate to defeat the Great Elder of her family to inherit the headship and seeks Hollow's training. The protagonist of this chapter. A noble girl with a high-minded spirit. She possesses the Primordial Flame. She has white hair and soft features, currently a student at Redrick Academy.
• Zoeva - A key figure in Nia's life, he oversees her training and took her to the tournament—though she intends to kill him eventually. Current head of the Ainsworth family, known as 'The Great Patriarch.' Over 300 years old, he stopped aging via Origin Class Innate Magic 'Original Ice.' Towering over 2 meters with lean, steel-like muscles, long white hair, a wrinkled face, and hawk-like sharp eyes. The Great Elder or Patriarch of the Ainsworth family—a legendary mage obsessed with fusing Primordial Flame and Primordial Ice.
• Heisenberg - Lord of the Heisenberg family. One of the Four Great Noble Houses. Noted for his immense wealth and territorial holdings.
• Hollow - A calculative and immensely powerful individual with a 'villainous' mana signature. He is currently training Nia. He views his own overwhelming power with a detached, analytical perspective and has a social disconnect regarding 'tact'. The protagonist, a reincarnated individual with original knowledge of Japan. Operates as 'Void', the leader of a secret organization. Focused on avoiding a 'Ruin End' by neutralizing the protagonist Allen. A vile aristocrat and universal genius. He has crimson eyes and a pointlessly perfect face. Known for his slothful pride and overwhelming magical power. A villainous noble and reincarnated individual with meta-knowledge of the world. He possesses the unique magic and is currently a student at Redrick Academy. He maintains a cold, haughty exterior to play his role while internally managing complex plans to avoid his 'ruin end'. The eldest son of Lord Heisenberg, part of the Four Great Noble Houses. A prodigy described as the incarnation of sloth and arrogance. He is highly skilled in 'breaking humans' and psychological torture. The protagonist who has reincarnated as a Vile Aristocrat. Currently Rank One at Redrick Academy. Possesses the Innate Magic Refraction and the unique skill Slothful Pride. He is working on a Protagonist Mob-ification Plan to avoid his ruinous end.
• Olvin - Tall and composed, with a refined gravelly voice, he serves as Hallow’s swordsmanship instructor and loyal knight of the Heisenberg family, reporting on territorial security while showing deep respect for Hallow’s status. As a servant at the Heisenberg estate, he escorts Hollow to his exam.