Before becoming the formidable Barrier Mage, Louis begins as a rough boy from a poor remote village who earns a scholarship to Minerva’s mage-training institution after mastering an entire textbook in a week. Surrounded by nobles who dismiss him as a problem student, Louis relies on raw talent, determination, and the few teachers and friends willing to see past his background. The prequel follows the difficult school years that shape him into one of the kingdom’s future Sages.