The class had just finished a tour of the city and were overloaded with goodies and souvenirs for their journey home in a few days. They were surprised to hear high-pitched childish laughter when they walked into the manor house that was Sloth’s personal capital residence.

Sauntering over to the room where it was coming from, the class collectively peeked through the doorway. In the main living room sat Alex, who had a small child no older than three giggling as he put on a show.

“Lumus Rex!” Using his light magic method, he shaped the light into the form of a knight mounted on a horse galloping.

“So the knight was riding to the castle to rescue the princess. What do you think he saw as he was rushing to rescue her?”

“Uhh… Big Dwagon?!!” the boy asked.

“Well, let’s see, shall we? Lumus Rex!” As the little light figurine of the knight on his horse galloped on the spot, a new light orb shone far above and took the shape of a dragon swooping in.

“Oh no!!! How does he save the princess when a dragon is swooping in? Does he try to outrun it? Or does he turn around and fight the big mean dragon?”

The little boy paused as he pondered this scenario as if it were the most crucial decision of his little life. Finally, he bounced up and back into his spot and made his declaration.

“He stops and makes the dwagon a friend!” the boy declared. Alex practically beamed at this declaration.

“Couldn’t have picked better myself,” he said as the dragon figurine circled above the knight before roughly landing on the invisible ground the knight was riding on. The little knight spun his mount around and rode up to the dragon.

“So what does he say to make the dragon his friend?”

“Pwease be my friend?!”

“Let’s see?” Alex manipulated the spell and made the knight figurine dismount and wave its arms at the dragon. “Lumus rex,” Alex whisper, cast the light spell and created a phantom sound spell circle behind him where the little boy couldn’t see. Tapping it with his finger, a noble voice came out.

“Good heed, great sir dragon, I wish not to quarrel. Would you, by chance, be willing to become my ally?” the little dragon figure tilted its head at the little knight's question.

“Oh, no! It looks like the dragon doesn’t understand what a friend is.”

“Dats sad. Everyone should have a fwiend,” the little boy looked at the figures with a sad expression, gently tapping his finger against the dragon figurine.

“Maybe the knight could explain what a friend is?” Alex suggested; the boy eagerly nodded at this suggestion.

“Good sir dragon, an ally is one who supports the goals of another and, in turn, receives support. They develop an emotional bond which even aeons cannot break.” Alex manipulated the dragon to nod its head while silent casting the light spell to create a second phantom sound circle.

“I now understand little thing. I shall accept thy offer.” a deep rumbly voice said. This voice caused the little boy to recoil and hide behind a plushy wolf he had close to hand.

“I apologise for my deep tone; all dragons are cursed to speak with deep scary voices. Perhaps that is why I have never made an ally?”

“Dat is sad. Don’t worry, Mr Dwagon, you will make lotsa fwiends. I will be your fwiend!!”

“I accept thy offer, great giant,” the dragon figurine flew a few circles around the boy's head before landing next to the knight.

“Sir knight, how may I help my newest ally?”

“Well, how can he help?” Alex asked the boy, who again went into deep thought.

“Maybe Mr knight can ride dwagon to rescue pwincess together?”

“Brilliant idea!” Alex said with an ear-to-ear grin as he wiggled his fingers to manipulate the images.

“Great knight, if you wish for haste, then mount me, and we shall rescue your maiden as allies should.”

“I accept, oh great dragon!” the little knight figure jumped off the horse and landed on the dragon, and they flew off.

“Ok, think that’s enough story time for now,” Alex said as he dismissed the spells.

“Awh, no fair!!! I want more story!!” the boy demanded, crossing his arms.

“No, you’ll get grumpy if I get you too riled up,” Alex said, refusing to give an inch. Glancing around, it was only now he spotted his students had returned.

“Oh hey, kids,” Alex said with a wave; following his gaze, the boy spotted the class and retreated behind his wolf plushy.

“Sir, who is that child?” Daisy asked.

“Oh him… He picked me up off the street while I was out and about.”

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“SIR!!! I know you like entertaining kids, but you can’t kidnap a child!!!” Daisy cried out in shock.

“Huh? Uh no, he kidnapped me…” Alex said, looking bewildered by Daisy’s outrage.

“Icarus care to explain?” Alex asked the boy, who just shook his head.

“Fair enough, I guess they will just think you are a scaredy cat,” Alex teased; at this provocation, the boy lowered the wolf plushy to scowl at Alex only to put it back up.

“Maybe Wolfgang can introduce both of you to them?” Alex suggested. Icarus just nodded.

“Hello, I am Wolfgang,” the boy said, waving the plushy’s paw.

“My best friend is Icarus Bloodhaunter,” he continued refusing to lower the plushy.

“Well, hello Wolfgang, your friend looks really cool,” Gunter said as he knelt down as low as he could and gently shook the plushy’s paw.

“My name is Gunter, and this little lady on my shoulder is named Bea.”

“Hello,” Bea said with a wave from her perch.

“Is… is it fun to ride on his shoulders?” Icarus asked.

“The most fun!” Bea answered. “Want to try?” the boy weakly nodded before glancing at Alex, who nodded.

“Keep it safe, guys,” Alex said as he hoisted Icarus onto Gunter’s shoulders. Gunter stood up to his full height and began walking around as Icarus made awed noises. The moment they left the room, the rest of the class approached Alex.

“So, who is he?” Maxwell demanded.

“I can go get the guards?” Kline offered.

“No need; they know he’s here. Due to the naming systems, his family name is very important but also not widely known,” Alex explained.

“And who is his family?” Daisy asked.

“I’m surprised miss fangirl of the Dark Lady doesn’t know.”

“You don’t mean…” Alex just nodded.

“So Icarus is the Dark Lady’s son?”

“Yes, Prince Icarus Constantine Bloodhaunter.”

“So you saying he picked you up?” Kline began.

“Precisely what happened. He spotted me and knew I would be his kindergarten teacher next year. He wanted to meet me.”

“Wow, so is he going to become a Dark Lord candidate when he’s older?” Tasha asked, watching as Gunter ran up and down the long hallway with a giggling Icarus and a cheering Bea.

“Nope, never will happen.”

“Surely, if he proves himself worthy of the throne like his mother did…” Maxwell began before Alex held up a hand to stop him.

“To claim the throne, you need three things.”

“Those are?” Daisy asked.

“These are things you’ll learn in your fourth school year. But the first thing a potential Dark Lord needs is the approval of all seven sinful lords. Get their marks; you are closer to the throne.”

“And they aren't fans of hereditary rulership,” Tasha suggested, to which Alex nodded.

“So he already has an uphill battle. Next, say he got all seven sinful lord approval marks,” Alex shifted his sleeve up to show a single line on the underside of his left wrist, right by the palm.

“This is the mark of gluttony. You get all seven, and it’ll make the imperial sigil. You still need to complete the mark by killing the current Dark Lord and seizing the ‘eyes of the mark’. The two little dots contained in the mark.” Alex explained.

“So he would have to kill his own mother?” Daisy asked, looking pale.

“Yes, one of the reasons hereditary rulers aren’t accepted stops lots of familial murder.”

“So, did Lady Crozonia kill her father?” Tasha asked.

“Not really, he died of old age. She was present, and he recognised her holding all seven marks as his successor. It caused a big storm, from what I read. Still, though, poor Icarus has a bigger flaw than just being her son.” Alex glanced through the doorway and watched what looked like Gunter and Icarus riding on Bea’s shoulders.

“I… never mind. What is the one thing anyone who claims the ebony throne will need?”

“To be a capable ruler?” Maxwell suggested.

“A very Greyback answer. But also very vague. What singular thing unifies all Dark Lords?”

“Power?” Kline suggested, to which Alex nodded.

“Correct, you can be completely inept at governing, like Braxis, short-lived like Apophis or even completely unhinged like Octoroisis. But every Dark Lord who has sat on the ebony throne has had overwhelming power.”

“But he’s like three; surely he can grow in power?”

“No, he can’t. He was born with manastores that will make things exceptionally difficult for him just to get by. Without the mana to strengthen his body or to cast big spells, he will not even be strong enough to survive any scheme to claim the throne, let alone hold it.”

“But mana stores aren’t everything?”

“Sadly, they are still critical. The bigger your stores, the more magic you can use and for longer. It’s why Crozonia is so insistent on recruiting Yuu and me. I have one of the largest manastores on the continent, and Yuu has the very largest stores of anyone. We would be candidates before he would be considered.”

“So his future is hopeless?” Daisy asked.

“For ruling, yes. But he comes from old and long-standing nobility, so he won’t ever be found wanting, even through multiple lifetimes. Though without the throne, his weakness, if anything, is a blessing.”

“How so?” Maxwell asked.

“He isn’t a threat. With a long line of nobility and connections to two previous Dark Lords, he would be at the top of any elimination list. But as he is so weak, he can’t do anything.”

“Does he know?” Tasha asked, watching the child giggle as Bea maintained an air-foothold spell so he could have a turn carrying the pair.

“No, he is unaware of how weak he is. But he has the right mind for a scholar. He may not rule as the Dark Lord, but he could be one of the gears that keep this machine turning.”

“Hopefully, he can be happy with that?” Kline said, watching the fun through the doorway.

“Only time will tell,” Alex said, nodding as a bell rang, indicating lunch was ready.

“YAY, WE ARE HAVING MAGIC CLOUD CANDY TODAY!!” Icarus squealed as he ran into the room, lifting the sombre mood that had descended.

“I don’t recall agreeing to that?”

“I will tell my mummy if you don’t.”

“Blackmail?” Alex said as he scooped up Icarus and ran to the kitchen. “Well, eat all the veg, and you can have a small cloud.”