Naoko Kawada

“Hey, hey, did you hear? They said the youngest son of the Kawada family is already heading to the Magic Academy!”

“Ehh? Isn’t that some kind of record? He’s only eight years old!”

“Impressive, right? It seems the rumors about him being a prodigy were true.”

“The Kawada family is truly remarkable. Their bloodline must have been blessed by Mors!”

Dante Kawada was one of the standout talents of the new generation of mages at the Magic Academy. Not only was he the youngest student ever admitted, but his grades and magical skills were on par with the older students.

Years passed, and no one doubted that he would become one of the greatest mages to ever walk this world. However, he was not the only anomaly of his generation.

“Have you heard? Apparently, young Kawada and some guy named Yamashita had a duel that nearly destroyed the Magic Academy!”

“Yamashita? I’ve heard of him before. Weren’t he and Kawada the most promising students in the Academy?”

“It goes beyond that. Those two aren’t just the best mages of this generation—they might be the greatest mages humanity has ever seen!”

“And why did they duel?”

“Well, I don’t know the details, but it seems that was precisely the reason: the desire to determine which of them was truly the strongest of all time.”

“Ohh… And who won?”

“Ah, unfortunately, it was Kawada who lost.”

Kawada and Yamashita were not enemies, just good rivals who, at times, seemed like longtime friends. All they wanted from that duel was the honor of carrying the title of “the strongest of all time.”

After graduating from the Magic Academy, the two would meet again over the years, engaging in new duels to keep the title up to date. But in the end, Kawada admitted defeat when Yamashita pulled ahead with a score of five to two.

Winning the title twice was more than enough reason for Kawada to feel proud, but he began to care little for it, as his life had taken a completely different turn.

“My dear, you won’t believe it! It seems that Kawada and Yamashita are about to get married!”

“Hohoho! To each other? I always thought there was a certain tension between them…”

“Don’t be silly! It just so happened that they both got engaged at the same time! They say their brides are beautiful women!”

“Oh, what a shame. Do you think he’ll abandon the adventurer’s life and return to our town?”

“I hope so.”

And indeed, Kawada returned to his hometown, celebrating his return like a war hero. Everyone was amazed by the beauty of his wife—her dark blue hair caught attention wherever she went. Beyond her beauty, she also impressed everyone with her magical knowledge, being an educator capable of teaching basic spells to any human.

The couple was beloved by everyone in town, living a fairy-tale romance, growing more in love with each passing day. As expected, their love story would eventually bear fruits, and thus, Naoko Kawada was born.

“The Kawada family has begun their new generation. Keiko just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.”

“It looks like we’ll soon see another great mage rise. Do you think she’ll surpass her father?”

“But magic isn’t hereditary. Just because she’s Dante’s daughter doesn’t mean she’ll be a mage.”

“Well, yes, but don’t the Kawada usually start teaching their children magic at an early age? Besides, Keiko is an excellent teacher. I’m sure this girl will be the next big Kawada prodigy!”

…

Eight years passed, and Naoko grew into an adorable and lively girl, full of curiosity about the world around her and aspiring to become a great mage like her father.

“Mama! Mama!” Naoko ran around the house with a book in hand, dressed like a little witch.

“What is it, dear?” Naoko’s mother held the girl, gently stroking her head.

Naoko opened the book in her hands. “Mama! I just finished reading another one of your grimoires! I can’t understand all the details yet, but I think I learned everything I needed to!”

“Incredible, Naoko! You’re doing very well!”

“Do you think I’ll be able to use magic soon? I want to use magic just like Papa…”

“My dear, there’s no need to rush to learn magic. Everything happens in its own time. I’m sure you’ll become a fantastic mage and make both Papa and Mama proud!”

“Yes! I’ll be the best!”

Naoko was not a natural genius like her father, but she was highly intelligent and dedicated to her studies, reading the magic books her mother brought home.

Even though she worked hard every day, Naoko showed no signs of developing magic. Her parents were already concerned about how they could comfort her frustration, wondering if she simply hadn’t been born with the same talent as them. What they didn’t know was that Naoko’s magic was already sealed within the chains of fate.

…

It was a day like any other. Naoko had finished playing with her friends and returned home, ready to dedicate time to her studies. She entered her mother’s study to ask for some books, but her mother had gone out for some shopping.

On top of her mother’s desk layed a black grimoire with red details, sealed with a dark lock. As soon as Naoko’s eyes landed on the book, she was drawn to it. It was as if the grimoire was calling to her, whispering in her ear, longing to be opened by her.

The moment she picked up the book, the lock made a faint sound and disappeared, revealing itself to be a sealing spell. Naoko felt a chill run down her spine, but she still felt compelled to open it—and so she did.

The pages of the book were as black as the night sky, and its words were written in silver ink, making them difficult to read. At first, Naoko could only see scribbles that made no sense. But as she flipped through the pages, her mind began to drift away from reality, slowly being filled with forbidden knowledge.

As her mind devoured the book’s contents, her body entered a trance, unable to stop reading until the book was finished. However, when Naoko heard the sound of footsteps behind her, she managed to shift her gaze for a few seconds toward the reflection in the window before her, noticing the silhouette of someone with golden hair and white robes.

Due to the trance’s effects, Naoko couldn’t focus her eyes to identify the figure, but the presence did not interact with her. It remained for a few seconds before its footsteps were heard fading away.

When Naoko finally finished reading, she felt dizzy, with a slight headache. Frightened by what had happened, she closed the book and pushed it away from herself. Looking to the side, she noticed a wooden object with a curved shape and four stretched strings. It wasn’t just any violin—it was her violin. Even without any musical knowledge, she immediately deduced how it works. She felt that she could use it to play beautiful melodies, realizing that this was the manifestation of her magic.

Even so, she felt hesitant to play the instrument right away. But one thought passed through her mind: “I finally did it. This book taught me what I needed, and this instrument is the form of my magic.” Excited by the idea, she ran off to wait for her mother and share the good news.

As soon as her mother crossed the gate of their home’s yard, Naoko ran up to her with a bright smile. “Mama! Mama! I did it! I finally did it!”

"What is it, my dear?"

"I managed to learn how to use my magic!"

"That's incredible, Naoko! I knew that one day you—!" The joy in Naoko’s mother’s words was cut short the moment she saw the violin in Naoko’s hands. "Naoko… What is that? Where did you get that violin?"

"Hm?... It appeared to me after I finished reading that grimoire on the desk. My head felt like it was about to go ‘boom,’ and when I looked to the side, this violin was there."

Naoko's mother's face turned pale with an expression of despair—she knew exactly what her daughter had just done.

"I'm sure it came from my magic! Maybe if I try playing it like this—" Naoko was about to position the violin on her shoulder when she was abruptly interrupted.

Slap! Her face was marked by her mother’s hand.

"Mama?!" Naoko was so used to her mother’s kindness that she couldn’t process the sudden shift in attitude.

"Do not dare touch this violin!"

"Ma-Mama?"

Naoko’s mother grabbed her by the shoulders. "Naoko, please tell me… Which grimoire did you just read?"

"Mama…"

"Naoko! Which damn grimoire did you just read?!"

"Mama…" Naoko started panicking, and tears began streaming down her face.

"You read… the grimoire with the lock, didn’t you?"

Naoko nodded.

"Naoko…" Her mother was also in despair, she knew all the burden her daughter had just taken upon herself. All she could do was gently embrace her child as they both cried over that cruel fate.

…

"Hey, hey, did you hear? It looks like Dante and Keiko are leaving town."

"Well, after what happened, I think it’s the best they could do."

"What happened? What are you talking about?"

"You haven’t heard?... Their daughter renounced Mors—she became a Star Thief."

"A Star Thief? Among the Kawada family? You must be joking!"

"…I wish I was."

…

After becoming a necromancer, Naoko and her parents moved to an isolated forest, building a house to live. They believed it would be better for her not to deal with the contemptuous and doubtful gazes of other humans.

Naoko was forced to trade her childhood friends for the heroes of her fantasy tales, immersing herself in stories about the value of justice and romances that defied the power of fate. Her books were the only remedy she had to cure her boredom.

Her safety was not an issue, after all—her father was one of the most renowned mages in history, capable of handling any demon that dared come after the little necromancer. Her mother was also an exceptional mage, strong enough to deal with powerful demons in his absence.

Years passed, and Naoko was growing into a beautiful young woman, but she was still lost in the books her mother brought from the city. She was fascinated by reading, living in the clouds, thinking about teenage romances she would never get to experience. Naoko had already resigned herself to the idea of spending the rest of her days isolated from other humans, but the fate of a necromancer always ends up meeting death.

On a fateful day, her home was attacked by two powerful demons, and by a stroke of misfortune, her mother was fatally wounded. Her father couldn’t bear to see his beloved dying before him, and he faltered, creating an opening that allowed him to be struck as well.

Seeing her parents being struck down, Naoko rushed out of her hiding place, surrendering to despair. One of the demons approached her, but before he could touch her, her father cast one final spell, taking the two demons down with him.

This is the fate that awaits all necromancers. Naoko watched as her father took his last breath and died before her very eyes. Her parents were her inspiration to live—but now, they were gone. A hollow emptiness filled her chest. Why did this have to happen to her? All she wanted was to make them proud. Why did she have to become a necromancer?

Naoko found herself alone in the darkness of the forest. She thought about calling for help, but it was useless. She had nowhere to go and no place to stay. The fear of being alone consumed her heart. Wishing to see her parents again, Naoko picked up her violin. If she was a Star Thief, then why not use that power to bring her parents back?

The rain began pouring down over the forest, as Naoko watched the water droplets mix with her parents’ blood. The sound of footsteps echoed through the woods as Undertaker Jack arrived to carry out his mission.

"Are you Mors?"

"No, but I was sent by her. I’m here to take your soul."

"…Alright."

"Are those your parents?"

"Yes. Please, take me with them."

"That is not possible."

"... Why?"

"Necromancers do not share the same fate as normal humans. Soon, their souls will become stars in the sky, but that will not happen to you."

"What will happen to my soul?"

"I don't know, but you must return to the Marble Palace."

"…Very well. I accept whatever fate awaits me. Just get me out of here already."

Jack wasn’t used to this kind of reaction from a necromancer. Wasn’t she supposed to be running with all her strength or begging for her life? Why was she simply accepting her own death?

Jack pulled out one of his pistols. "What is your name, necromancer?"

"Kawada… Naoko Kawada. The youngest daughter of the prestigious Kawada family. Heh… What a pathetic end for my bloodline."

The girl tried to force a smile, but her face was devoid of expression, and her eyes had lost all color—she was nothing more than an empty shell.

In his mind, Jack hesitated over what he should do. Naoko gently took his hand and placed the barrel of the pistol against her forehead. "It’s okay… Go ahead."

"…Why don’t you try to escape?"

"I have nothing left in this world… I think it’s better to give up on it."

This didn’t feel right. Jack couldn’t understand how such a young girl could be speaking like this. After consulting with Mors in his thoughts, Jack was forced to make a decision.

"I was sent here to take your soul, but that doesn’t mean it has to be now. If possible, I’d like to postpone that moment." Jack retreated his pistol and extended his hand to Naoko. "This world is cruel, but there are still many good things in it. I don’t think you should give up on it."

And thus, this duo of hypocrites was born: Naoko Kawada, the necromancer who did not wish to live, and Undertaker Jack, the necromancer hunter who wished to protect her.