Holy Calendar, March 10, 1010
I was working in the research wing like any other day when my monster of a boss suddenly summoned me.
(Did she find out I've been skimming funds from the Ministry of Magic?)
I headed toward her office with a heart full of dread. As it turned out, I had been requested at the estate of Lord Heisenberg. Apparently, a formal petition had come in for me to perform a 'Baptismal Rite'.
I was floored. Why me? I had absolutely zero connection to the infamous Heisenberg family. Honestly, I hated the idea. I didn't want to go. I didn't want to go, I didn't want to go, I didn't want to go... I absolutely, categorically refused to go.
I tried crying to my boss about it, but she didn't budge. The Heisenberg family is a cornerstone of the Four Great Noble Houses. They wield massive influence over the Ministry, and she made it clear that turning them down would lead to a lifetime of professional harassment.
I couldn't believe it. Was she really sending her precious subordinate into a den of demons? That woman is a monster. No wonder she's still single.
When I tried to throw a tantrum to see if I could get my way, she threatened me. 'If you defy this order, shall I report you for professional embezzlement?' she asked. I broke out in a cold sweat and tried to play dumb, asking what she could possibly mean. She just looked at me and said, 'The research budget.'
Well, at least she hadn't found out about the safety deposit box yet.
So, that was that. I was being shipped off to the lair of the wicked nobles. Ugh, I hated this. I've always despised aristocrats. They're always so stuck-up and needlessly entitled. This Hollow von Heisenberg kid sounded like the worst of the bunch. According to the rumors, he was a brat who was the literal personification of sloth and arrogance.
I just wanted to stay shut in my lab, studying the magic I loved. I wanted to drink and watch the horse races on the magic crystal. Like the great sages of old said: 'To work is to lose.'
(Did she find out I've been skimming funds from the Ministry of Magic?)
Holy Calendar, March 20, 1010
I visited the Heisenberg estate today. After arriving at the absurdly massive mansion, a refined old gentleman guided me to the private quarters of the heir, Hollow von Heisenberg.
He was every bit the arrogant brat I expected. Despite me being his senior, he didn't use a lick of polite speech.
I seriously considered giving his needlessly handsome face a sisterly smack to the head, but I knew the Heisenberg family would erase me from existence if I did. I stifled a groan and endured it. I seriously considered giving his needlessly handsome face a sisterly smack to the head, but I knew the Heisenberg family would erase me from existence if I did. I stifled a groan and endured it.
We got straight to work testing his mana capacity and magical aptitude. To be honest, I was stunned. Hollow von Heisenberg was a total genius. He possessed overwhelming mana and an aptitude for every single attribute. But more than that, he had the Unique Magic: !
I did some digging later, and according to my colleagues at the Ministry, Hollow-kun² is a hell of a thoroughbred. His father, Daphnes von Heisenberg, is a master of the Unique Magic , and his mother, Leila Toa Heisenberg, is the greatest swordswoman in the kingdom. Hollow was the result of that pairing. He's essentially the 'ideal human' a writer would dream up for a story.
Oh, and just in case, I won't write the details here, but I made a 'certain contract'³ with Hollow-kun. The Ministry's oversight is a joke, so I doubt they'll ever find out. Even if they do, I'll just play the 'I made a mistake during the appraisal' card.
Anyway, today was the best day ever! I've secured the right to research the Void. I need to hurry up and clear my schedule!
Holy Calendar, April 20, 1010
I got bogged down with some annoying paperwork, and a whole month slipped by. I felt like I was starting late, but it's fine. I took a year-long sabbatical so I could immerse myself in Void research.
I met with the arrogant genius boy this morning. I wanted to start the research immediately, but Unique Magic-the Void in particular-is incredibly volatile. Without the proper foundation, there's a real risk of a mana collapse. I didn't want to waste the rare Void factors I'd found, so I asked Hollow-kun to demonstrate the basics to ensure he met the minimum standards.
Once again, he blew me away. In just a single month, Hollow-kun had acquired high-level magic skills. His construction speed was abnormal, and his mana control was terrifyingly precise. He was soaking up knowledge like a sponge.
But one thing bothered me. Why had he only focused on defensive magic? Most mages, especially the gifted ones, gravitate toward flashy offensive spells. Defense is plain and boring by comparison. But Hollow-kun was different. He hadn't even looked at offensive magic; he had spent the entire month mastering defensive techniques. Given his personality, you'd think he'd want the most destructive power possible. Well, to each their own, I suppose.
After a quick lecture, we started training with the Void, and I was left speechless. Unique Magic: is a nightmare. It was a hundred times more dangerous than I had imagined. The pure offensive potential was staggering. As the ancient texts said: 'The mana of the Void consumes all.'
Nothing is permitted to exist in the face of that magic. Water, earth, air-living or dead-it is a power of ruin that swallows all of creation. A thousand years ago, the 'Calamity' Xeno used this power to plunge the world into chaos. I'm the luckiest researcher alive to be able to study the world's most dangerous magic from the front row.
Holy Calendar, May 20, 1010
It's been a month since we started the Void research. To be blunt, Hollow-kun's training is incredibly tedious. It's just constant repetition and review-three steps forward and two steps back. However, because he does it at such a breakneck pace, his overall progress is astronomical.
It's completely different from the stories I heard. My colleagues at the Ministry said his slothful nature would be his undoing, and that he lived a life of total self-indulgence. He certainly is arrogant-he's incredibly condescending and has a foul mouth-but when it comes to magic, he is dead serious. He never lets himself get complacent. He moves forward one steady step at a time. If I had to describe him in a phrase, it would be 'Humble and Steady.'
Hollow-kun spent today refining the defensive aspects of the Void again. I finally reached my breaking point. 'Come on, at least try to polish the offensive side!' I wanted to scream. 'You have overwhelming destructive power, use it!'
I'd been frustrated about it all month, but today, I finally understood why he was so obsessed with defense.
'Fiona, I recall you could use Unique Magic, could you not?' Hollow asked.
'I can,' I replied.
'Then we're going to conduct a defensive experiment. Use your magic to attack me.'
'Excuse me?' I stammered.
'Don't hold back,' Hollow said. 'Come at me with the intent to kill.'
'That's insane!' I shouted.
My is a Legend-class Unique Magic. Its range, deployment speed, and lethality are all top-tier. I'm incredibly strong. No matter how much of a genius Hollow-kun is, and no matter how rare the Void is, blocking my attack should have been impossible. Defending against magic with magic is one of the hardest skills to master. It requires the eye to read the spell, the timing to react, and the skill to deploy a counter instantly. There was no way a kid who had been studying for a month could do it.
I refused as hard as I could. If I accidentally injured him, the Heisenberg family would have me crucified.
When I told him exactly how I felt, he just smirked.
'Do you really think magic of your caliber could leave a scratch on me?' Hollow asked. 'Know your place, woman.'
That was it. My patience finally snapped.
'Fine! If you're going to be like that, let's do it!' I barked back. 'I have my pride as a mage, too. If you're that confident, I'll hit you with everything I've got. But since I'm still terrified of your family, you're going to guarantee my safety with a !' When I told him exactly how I felt, he just smirked.
Contract established. With the contract in place, I didn't have to worry about being erased in the dark. Besides, this was the perfect chance. Hollow-kun had been acting like a king since the day we met. I was going to give him the 'Sisterly Chop' he deserved, right in the ego. I let loose with my highest-tier magic.
But he blocked it perfectly. No-he erased it.
'Hollow-kun... what was that?' I gasped.
',' Hollow replied. 'Not bad for a first try.'
, it creates a thin membrane of the Void around the user, shunting all incoming attacks into the Void Realm. For now, he still has to toggle it manually, but he told me he plans to refine the filters for 'harmful' and 'harmless' until he creates a perfect, automatic defense.
Maintaining that would normally drain someone dry, but Hollow-kun claims that by mastering mana control and optimizing the Void, he can eventually make it permanent.
This kid is terrifying. He hasn't even been studying for a year. How is he mastering a Unique Magic like this? Usually, the lack of a grimoire means it takes decades to learn even the basics. But for some reason, Hollow-kun moves through the process as if he's reading an instruction manual.
Ignoring the drawbacks, he continues to master the with maximum efficiency. It is almost as if he has known this magic from the very beginning. (Is this what they call true talent?)
*Holy Calendar: April 20, 1011
Time flies like an arrow. A year has passed in the blink of an eye since I began my research into the Void. Ultimately, since then, Hollow-kun has done nothing but polish his defensive applications of the magic. He is already rock-solid, which makes me wonder: what exactly is driving him to this extent?
(Oh, wait. Could it be that?) I wondered. (Is it Hollow-kun's hobby to set up an ironclad defense just to make his opponents taste utter helplessness? Smirking as he looks down upon an enemy mired in despair because every single attack was blocked... Wow, he really seems like the type to enjoy that sort of thing.)
Unfortunately, I could not obtain any "Void Offense Data." However, I managed to snag a mountain of ultra-rare "Void Defense Data." This is the kind of information magic researchers the world over would shed tears of blood to obtain - something I likely never would have found even if I spent my entire life searching. For that, I am grateful to Hollow-kun from the bottom of my heart.
I also learned something new through this research. He has an impudent streak, certainly, but he seems to know where to draw the line. He never crosses the boundaries of human decency. In fact, there are times when he is surprisingly considerate in his words and actions toward me.
(Maybe he's actually... surprisingly kind?) I thought.
Of course, if I ever said something that "soft" out loud, I'd surely be strung up, so I'll keep that to myself. At any rate, today is the final day of the long holiday. I was feeling quite gloomy, thinking about how the research was ending and that I'd have to return to my grind at the Ministry of Magic tomorrow. That was when Hollow-kun led me out, saying, "I'll show you something interesting."
After a bumpy carriage ride, we arrived at a vista of blue mountains stretching as far as the eye could see. Apparently, this entire region is the territory of the Heisenberg family. (Seriously, the wealth of the Four Great Noble Houses is just obscene...) Standing at the foot of a mountain, Hollow-kun slowly extended his right hand and invoked a certain magic.
In that instant, the mountain was erased.
I couldn't believe my own eyes. My legs gave out, and I hit the dirt. (Wait, what just happened...?) It was gone. The entire mountain. It was as if nothing had ever been there from the start. A child who had only been studying magic for a year had reshaped the map with a single spell.
This was the "Arrival Point" - the pinnacle of mastery that those who devote their entire lives to magic would weep with joy to reach. And yet, Hollow-kun was not satisfied at all. He just stood there muttering to himself about "sloppy composition" and "weak range targeting."
(No, no, it's enough! It's more than enough!) I thought. (What are you planning to do by getting even stronger? Destroy the world?)
Come to think of it, they say the Great Mage of Calamity, Xeno, tried to destroy the world using the power of the Void a thousand years ago. Maybe these two are just cut from the same psychopathic cloth.
Regardless, I was moved. I saw firsthand just how much raw destructive power the offensive application of the Void possesses. Long after I parted ways with Hollow-kun, that scene remained burned into my mind. Beautiful, grand - and terrifying magic. I want to know more. I want to be immersed in the Void more and more.
Void. Void. Void. Void. Void. Void. Void. Void. Void. Void. Void. Void. Void. Void. Void.
My mind was filled with nothing but the color of the Void.
I wondered if there was any way I could stay by Hollow-kun's side. If I begged the head of the house, Lord Heisenberg, maybe he'd hire me as a permanent tutor. With those thoughts swirling in my head, I arrived home to find men in black suits standing in front of my apartment. They were officials from the Kingdom of Klein. Apparently, my embezzlement - the business with the safety deposit box - had been found out. I was hauled off to the Ministry of Magic and interrogated by my demonic boss.
The total amount I had "borrowed" was apparently 50 million Gold. I was floored. Even I didn't realize I'd taken that much. I guess if you skim a little off the top for three years, it really adds up. (Is this that "small change becomes a mountain" thing?) I thought. (Haha... I'm not laughing.)
The big shots at the Ministry demanded immediate restitution within a week. There was no way I could pay back 50 million Gold. I thought until my brain hurt. That was when a bolt of inspiration struck my genius "Fiona-Brain." If it's come to this, I have no choice but to borrow a massive amount from the loan sharks and put it all on the horses! By some miracle of fate, the "Klein Kingdom Cup" was happening in a week.
(If you don't bet now, you never will!)
*Holy Calendar: April 30, 1011
...It's over. It's over, it's over, it's over, it's over. It's the end.
My entire fortune vanished like foam on the tide, and all I had left was a handful of worthless betting slips. As I sat there drowning my sorrows in cheap booze, I heard a knock at the door. With my face a mess of tears, I opened the door to find Hollow-kun. He was different than usual. He listened to my story quietly and comforted me with a gentle voice.
Then, miraculously, he said he'd lend me the exact amount of my debt, interest-free, to be repaid when I'm successful. On top of that, he offered to hire me as his personal tutor and researcher at the Heisenberg estate.
(Wait, is Hollow-kun a god?) I wondered. (Oh, God, Buddha, Hollow-sama... thank you so much. I'm so sorry I wrote all that stuff in my diary about you being a bratty kid. This lowly Fiona pledges her eternal loyalty to you.) I swear I won't touch the horses again for at least a week.
I showered him with gratitude and saw him off. As he was leaving, for the briefest moment, I thought I saw a truly wicked expression on his face... but it was probably just my imagination, right?
Still, I wonder how my embezzlement got out in the first place. I heard there was an "anonymous tip," but surely... no way.
Summary:
Fiona, a magic researcher and embezzler, is forced to appraise the young noble Hollow von Heisenberg. She discovers he possesses the legendary and destructive Void magic. Over the following months, she witnesses his terrifyingly fast growth and his strange obsession with perfecting absolute defense magic.
Fiona concludes her initial research year with Hollow-kun, witnessing his terrifying ability to erase a mountain with Void magic. Soon after, her long-term embezzlement is exposed, leading her to a desperate gambling loss. Hollow-kun miraculously appears to pay off her debts, binding her to him as a permanent tutor.
Trivia:
- Fiona is stealing from the research budget, not just the Ministry in general.
- The safety deposit box is where she hides the most sensitive stolen goods/funds.
- Hollow's parents are high-spec mages and warriors, explaining his natural aptitude.
- The 'Calamity' Xeno is the historical precedent for the destructive power of Void.
- Hollow is intentionally avoiding offensive magic despite Void's high offensive stats.
- Fiona had been skimming money for three years.
- The 'Klein Kingdom Cup' is the specific event she lost everything on.
- Hollow-kun focuses on defense to a degree that Fiona finds suspicious.
- The 'Great Mage of Calamity' Xeno is the only other known Void user mentioned.
- Fiona's embezzlement was revealed by an anonymous tip
Character Insight:
Fiona shifts from viewing Hollow as a spoiled brat to a terrifying enigma, noticing his 'Humble and Steady' nature beneath the arrogance. Hollow shows a strategic obsession with defense, suggesting he is preparing for a threat.
Fiona shows a lack of impulse control and a tendency toward extreme worship of those who benefit her. Hollow-kun demonstrates a calculated kindness that suggests he orchestrated Fiona's downfall to secure her loyalty.
Behind the Scenes:
The 'Humble and Steady' line is a direct nod to the series title, signaling Hollow's internal character alignment.
The story plays on the 'reincarnated into a villain' trope where the protagonist uses modern-style efficiency to bypass traditional magic limitations.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ 契約 (Keiyaku): A formal magical contract often used in fantasy to bind parties to specific conditions with magical penalties.
2 ↩ 洗礼の儀 (Senrei no Gi): A baptism or initiation ceremony, here used for measuring magical potential in children.
3 ↩ -くん (-kun): A familiar honorific used by Fiona to maintain a sense of superiority or casual distance from the young boy despite his noble status.
4 ↩ 虚空 (Kokuu): A rare, highly destructive magic attribute associated with destruction and calamity.
5 ↩ フィオナ脳 (Fiona-Brain): A self-deprecating term the narrator uses for her reckless or 'genius' schemes.
Notes:
• Heisenberg - Lord of the Heisenberg family. One of the Four Great Noble Houses. Noted for his immense wealth and territorial holdings.
• Hollow - Ten‑year‑old heir of the Heisenberg Duke house, 140 cm tall, red medium‑length hair tied in a ribbon‑ponytail, crimson eyes, lean build, navy jacket and black trousers. Holds Void (Origin Class) magic and all‑elemental aptitude, remembers the original Ronsolkia story, and is next head of the family, son of Daphnes and Leila.
• Daphnes - Duke of the Heisenberg family and father of Hollow, this gaunt, silver‑haired mage bears the weight of his wife Leila’s curse, driving him mentally unstable. A genius of Unique Magic: Vanity, he rules his lineage with twisted brilliance.
• Leila - The late, incapacitated Mistress of the Heisenberg house — Hollow’s mother — wears a silvered cloak, sharp eyes, and a scarred visage; known as the Sword Saint and the family’s Sun, she is famed as the kingdom’s top super‑genius swordswoman.
• Fiona - An 18‑year‑old Arbiter of the Ministry of Magic, once a top‑tier magic researcher, now known for a “garbage” personality. She stands 160 cm, slender, with black ponytail hair, mauve eyes and snowy white skin, dressed in a white jacket, black shirt and miniskirt. She owes Hollow 60 million Gordo after an embezzlement scandal and gambling loss.