Good morning, Miss Trickster.

The Starfall Continent is a land of magic, much like you might imagine. The war between humans and magical beasts has raged for thousands of years. What was once a battlefield has now become a buffer zone between the human kingdoms and the habitats of magical beasts. Of course, the most dangerous magical beasts now dwell deep within the forests, living peaceful lives undisturbed—unless, of course, you’re persistent enough to go dragon hunting, in which case pretend you never heard this.

Not to be outdone, humans have established their own kingdoms based on their unique talents, defending their descendants: the White Tower Kingdom, famed for its warriors, and Kairinia, renowned for its academies of magic.

Our story begins in Kairinia.

Whiteborder City lies at the northernmost edge of Kairinia, bordering the White Tower Kingdom. Once a battlefield, it has been rebuilt many times into a sprawling city-state, rich in resources. Known for its abundance of water mages, it is also called the City of Water. At the city’s heart stands a statue of an ancient mage’s staff, which, weathered by centuries of storms and snow, continues to guard the city steadfastly.

It was noon. The sun lounged warmly in the sky, melting away the remnants of winter. Crowds thronged the southern road of Whiteborder City. The seasonal market, a tradition for centuries, was as lively as a grand festival.

Children clustered around the candy stalls, hoping their parents would buy them a treat. The adults ignored the sweet, floating confections, their eyes fixed on more practical goods. Beyond everyday necessities, the market attracted magical merchants from across the land: magic wands inlaid with quicksilver beads, lightweight cloaks to ward off biting winds, and—if luck smiled—a rare and affordable spellbook.

To find such treasures at the market was a rare bargain, and people relished the thought.

Naturally, where there are riches, there are rascals—no matter how safe a city claims to be.

Take, for instance, this particular character.

Someone, hidden beneath a wide-brimmed mage’s hat and a dramatic black cloak, their gender indeterminate, was attempting to earn lunch money with a freshly practiced, deep and authoritative voice: “My, my, what an extraordinary event! Young one, do you know that a flash of inspiration shoots from your crown? You are so young and already surrounded by magical elements—a genius mage seen once in a hundred years! If you ever find the right spell for yourself, you will soar like a dragon. The world’s justice and peace will rest on your shoulders, my child.”

“Hmm?” The little boy, unsettled by this strange adult, stared back in confusion.

Unfazed, the cloaked figure produced a battered pamphlet. “This ‘Tidal Wave Supreme’ manual is a priceless treasure. But since you and I are fated to meet, I’ll let you have it for just one silver coin.”

The boy hesitated, still suspicious but unable to resist the lure of power. “Fine, wait here. I’ll go get the money.”

“Hold on!” called the figure as the boy dashed off. “Why not take a few for your friends as well? I have more manuals!” With a flourish, several tattered booklets were fanned out, their covers flashing titles like “Mountains Toppled, Seas Overturned,” “Tempest Roars,” and “Flooded Golden Mountain.”

Slurping and munching in a modest noodle shop by the roadside, the figure devoured their first meaty meal in a week. Times were tough—magical beasts grew more vicious each year, farmlands shrank, prices soared, and wages fell. Even a con artist could hardly make a living. Shaking their head, they sighed, remembering how, in youth, they had foolishly refused their father’s secret curry beef for the sake of a fleeting figure. Now, regret was useless.

“That’s him!” A crisp, youthful shout shattered their reverie. Looking up, the figure saw a swarm of sturdy young men in white mage robes, staring him down. Their wands bristled with orbs of water, ready for battle. At their center stood a well-kept middle-aged man, clearly a commander. He sneered, “Well, well, what nerve you have, swindling our young master! Perhaps if you surrender your wand now, our master might consider sparing your life.” As he spoke, a water barrier sealed off the escape route.

Not even in a world of ghosts would I believe that threat! The figure, seeing the boy glaring and nearly ready to attack, quickly pulled their hat lower and gripped their crooked wand, preparing to fight.

Water magic’s greatest bane is—electric magic! The figure’s mind raced through escape plans. With a gentle lift of their right hand, a complex, unfamiliar magic circle appeared underfoot. Golden currents flowed along its lines, gathering into visible orbs of energy on the wand. The immense charge threatened to turn the assembled mages to ash.

“An electric mage?!” The middle-aged man was dumbfounded. Though the four cities of Wind, Water, Electric, and Fire all belonged to one nation, they had long operated separately. Water and Electric especially were at odds, their feuds centuries old. Why had he been unlucky enough to encounter a mage whose very element countered his own?

The crackle of electricity drew cold sweat from the water mages. The commander ordered, “Defend!” The others withdrew their water spells, conjuring a massive, pure energy shield. Such shields were weaker and drained magic quickly, but it was the only choice against a true elemental counter.

Perhaps this electric spell isn’t as dangerous as it looks? They hoped.

“Wrath of Thunder!” The deep voice boomed, and golden brilliance flooded the scene. The mages braced themselves as the current flashed.

Boom! An earth-shattering explosion.

A flock of beaked birds cawed overhead.

The water mages slowly cracked their eyes open. The dazzling lightning had vanished. Tables and chairs remained untouched; the hasty shield was unscathed. Rather than an attack, it felt like a theater performance, complete with lights and sound.

They had been duped.

“Dispatch the shadow guards to follow if possible,” the commander’s face was as dark as a thundercloud. “The rest of you, spread the wanted posters!”

Oblivious to the storm he had stirred with a powerful family, the figure strolled calmly down the street. Two men lurking at the corner had been tailing him so blatantly, they might as well have tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Hey, pal, we’re following you.”

With a resigned smirk, the figure thought, Let me rescue you from your hopeless stupidity! He pushed into the densest part of the crowd.

Damn! The bustling street was a nightmare for the shadow guards, who could only curse the wretched market under their breath. Fortunately, the figure in the black hat was still visible. As they pressed forward, the target suddenly turned, locked eyes with them, made a face, crouched down, and vanished into the crowd.

Alarmed, the guards shoved their way to where he’d disappeared, searching frantically, but he seemed to have vanished without a trace.

Tucking the black hat and cloak into a neat bundle, a girl with bright red, cropped hair slipped into a long queue. She pulled a vial from her pocket and dropped liquid into each eye; black tears streaked her cheeks, revealing eyes of a rosy hue.

Now no one in the world could recognize me, not even the emperor, she sighed in relief. Just as she was about to see where the line led, a firm hand gripped her shoulder.

Xu Yi was captain of the Rhine family’s shadow guards, well known in the nation for over a decade’s service. That day, on orders to catch a swindler, he watched as the target noticed the tail and plunged into the crowd. While the family’s guards spread out in pursuit, Xu Yi instead seized a girl near the spot—her appearance, build, and even apparent gender completely unlike the suspect’s description.

Still, his instincts told him something was off. He seized her shoulder. “Miss, have you seen a man in black pass this way?”

“Huh? What?” The girl’s face flushed in alarm. “I… I didn’t see anything.”

“Forgive my rudeness, may I ask your name?” Xu Yi narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her. “Why are you in this line?”

“My name is…” she blurted out a made-up name, glancing at the crowd. Most wore mage robes or warrior armor; this was clearly not a simple queue for shopping. She improvised, “I came to spar and learn from the experts here.”

“Oh? Is there some reason you shouldn’t be here?” She tugged the sleeve of the white-robed mage ahead of her.

“Of course not!” the man replied cheerfully. “This is just the Grant family’s guard recruitment site.”

Oh no, talk about bad luck! The Grant family was the wealthiest in the City of Water, dealing in high-end mage equipment for centuries. Their guard selection was sure to be exceptionally challenging. But with this suspicious man eyeing her like a wolf, she feared walking away would be fatal.

If not me in hell, then who? The heavens yawned and stretched, exhaling, pushing her into an abyss of the unknown.

Stardust Chronicle 001_001: Good Morning, Miss Swindler—updated!