Zagan

**Zagan** is the protagonist of *An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride*. He happened upon an auction where he saw Nephelia, fell in love at first sight, spent *all* of his money to win the auction, set her free post-haste, and restarted his life with her with literally no plan.

## Appearance & Personality

Zagan looks like a sorcerer to anyone who meets him complete with crimson cape and dark clothing. He has sharp, piercing silver eyes that always seem to have deep bags under them from lack of sleep. He has long black unkempt hair tied in a ponytail below the base of his head.

Zagan spends most of his time deep in research, only venturing outside when he needs something from the nearby town. His domain is often left alone, since he has a reputation like most sorcerers, for not permitting any intruders. To those who do not know him, Zagan is a cold, callous young man to be feared, especially to his fellow Sorcerers like neighbor Barbatos. That being said, he does not bother anyone who does not bother him.

When he meets Nephy, his socially ineptness is finally brought to light. Try as he might, he has difficulty speaking in a friendly manner, but tends to get his true thoughts across by his actions. He cares deeply for Nephy and not many others, though Nephy's personality rubs off on him a bit as he begins to socialize more for her sak, earning many "friends" and followers. Those that begin to get to know him, such as Chastille Lillqvist and Manuela, know that he has a caring side, even if he chooses not to show it.

## Background

Zagan grew up as a penniless orphan on the streets with few friends, Marc & Stella Diekmeyer being some of the few. One day a Sorcerer, Andras, tried to use him in an experiment but Zagan turned the tables and used magic to kill him, earning all his fortune and assets for himself.

Sometime later, Zagan saved a girl from a bandit named Decarabia with overwhelming power. Zagan did not know it at the time, but the girl was in fact his old friend Stella and he had just killed her older brother (who had gone mad with magic). There, Stella berated Zagan (and her deceased brother) for how people with overwhelming power always impose their will on the weak; questioning if they even thought the weak had a right to live. This meeting would go on to haunt Zagan as he began to realize how magic was affecting his life.

Over time, Zagan would decide to isolate and devote himself to his magical studies; what his chosen subject though he had not decided. He soon built a reputation in Kianoides for blasting robbers and highwaymen in his domain and "accidentally" saving other random civilians causing the people give him a wide berth, but see him as a "kinder" Sorcerer than most.

## Plot

### Light Novel/Volume 1

As Zagan was trying to sleep, when he was awoken by the Sorcerer "Face Peeler" trying to restrain Chastille for use of her "Virgin Skin". Annoyed and disgusting his "Face Peeler's" chosen study of magic, Zagan killed him and returned her to Kianoides via teleportation as she passed out. Barbatos, an old friend of his then appeared and revealed that one of the Archdemons, Marchosias had died and his belongings were being sold at auction and invited Zagan to accompany him, so he could borrow money from him. At the auction, they saw some Sorcerers that were being nominated to replace Marchosias in the Archdemons and took note of their potential rivals. Then the final item was revealed on the auction, an elf named Nephelia. Seeing her, Zagan fell in love and as soon as the auction for her started, he offered one million kuriotes gold coins for her and won.

Back at his castle, Zagan and Nephy simply stared at each other for hours not speaking until Nephy asked him how he planned on killing her; which caused Zagan to realize he had bought her without any real plan about how to take care of her. Embarrassed and not knowing how to explain the situation, Zagan told Nephy he needed her to live for "his sake", beginning the extremely awkward relationship. Quickly, Zagan realized he had no assets, bedding, or clothes for Nephy so the two went into Kianoides for supplies. During the trip, Zagan "accidentally" saved civilians again from robbers causing Nephy to view him in a better life. Zagan then got her clothes from Manuela and attempted to find a way to remove Nephy's collar to no avail.

Later, the Chivalric Order sent Chastille and Angelic Knights to attack Zagan believing he was at fault for the recent string kidnapping of maidens. During the fight, Nephy revealed she held powers of *Celestial Mysticism* when Zagan was injured protecting her from of the *Knights of the Azure Sky*. Seeing she held potential and bonding over their abusive childhoods, Zagan decided to take Nephy as an apprentice. However, when he was made an Archdemon, he freed Nephy and forced her to leave out of fear for her safety. Later, the Knights of the Zaure Sky and Manuela came to him informing him of Nephy and Chastille's kidnapping.

Zagan immediately left to confront Barbatos who he had already deduced was behind everything and swiftly beat him to a pulp until he surrendered and agreed to serve under him. However, Zagan's new Archdemon Sigil activated Barbatos' magic seal which summoned a **Demon** into the world. horrified by its power, Zagan was shocked the beast asked *him* for an order; which he ordered it to "return". Seeing the potential danger the demons held, Zagan swore then and there to find a way to rid the world of them so Nephy could live a safe and happy life

Reunited, Zagan took Nephy back in, but not as servant or student but more...the romantic moment was ruined when neither Zagan nor Nephy knew exactly what this made them then.

### Light Novel/Volume 2

Whiling enjoying a meal prepared by Nephy, Valefor charged into Zagan's Castle to challenge him for his newly attained seat of power. Zagan however easily swats the armored sorcerer aside and knocks them out; revealed that Valefor was actually a small girl, and a dragon.

## Abilities & Skills

Zagan is a powerful Sorcerer, so powerful he was nominated and achieved the rank of Archdemon at the age of 18; the youngest Sorcerer to ever do so.

* **Heaven’s Scale:** A sorcery made with 2000 circuits with the purpose of repelling Sacred Sword. It endlessly sucks up mana in its surroundings and continuously accumulates its intensity as a shield
	+ **Heaven Scale — Dragon Form:** The completed form of Heaven's Scale, it can be considered as a golem formed by Heaven’s Scale and dragon's magic formula to counter celestial mysticism. The mana that composes the dragon’s body is drawn in by Heaven’s Scale, it also absorbs both mana and aura and makes use of them to enhance itself causing any attack that uses either as a source to be weakened.
	+ **Heaven’s Scale — Snowfield:** A version of Heaven's Scale that takes the form of specks of light that can defend from almost any attack, however the user can't move while using it.
	+ **Heaven's Scale — Western/Eastern Sky:** Massive gauntlets made of mana that extends from the user's shoulder. It is created to fight against individuals due to Heaven Scale - Dragon Form being ill suited for destroying a small target. Western Sky is the left gauntlet while Eastern Sky is the right gauntlet
	+ **Heaven’s Scale — Prayer’s Shell:** A sorcery that materializes mana to replace lost body parts, It could even recreate anything lost to powers like Heaven’s Phosphor.
* **Heaven's Phosphor:** A sorcery made to counter demons. It reverses the effect of Heaven's Scale. Instead of using its accumulated mana as a shield, it burns the mana to cause combustion creating black fire.
	+ **Heaven's Phosphor — Fivefold Grand Flower:** A sorcery that resembles both outstanding blades and a cluster of amaryllis. It is made up of five blade-like Heaven's Phosphor. This causes the Heaven’s Phosphor to be condensed and gives it a focused area of effect. It is a spell that burns its target from the inside out, anything struck by it would eventually burst akin to a blooming flower, hence its name.
	+ **Heaven’s Phosphor — Autumn Lightning:** A version of Heaven's Phosphor that takes the form of lightning that spreads into countless black branches. It has a greater area of effect compared to Fivefold Grand Flower though it also has less penetrative power
	+ **Heaven’s Phosphor — Will O’ the Wisp:** The Heaven’s Phosphor version of Heaven’s Scale - Snowfield. It doesn’t possess the penetrative power of the Fivefold Grand Flower nor the wide effective range of Autumn Lightning, however its true worth comes in being able to select one’s targets even in a large mob. It takes the form of small lights like powdered snow that coil themselves around the target and combusts burning the target.
	+ **Heaven’s Phosphor — Single Petal:** A miniature version of the Fivefold Grand Flower. It is a weaker, yet powerful, version of Fivefold Grand Flower.
	+ **Heaven’s Phosphor — Purple Lightning:** A form of Heaven’s Phosphor that is used in conjunction with the martial arts. It covers the user's arm from the elbow down and leaves a pale trail behind in a vivid, purple streak.

* **Heaven’s Ring — Shadow Sever:** A sorcery whose fundamental structure in devouring mana was the same with Heaven's Scale, but it focuses all of its intensity into propulsion.

* **Martial arts:** To Zagan, martial arts were the last means with which one could protect themselves from those who possessed money and power. Zagan was taught martial arts by Marc.

## Trivia

* The name "Zagan" is from The Lesser Key of Solomon
	+ Among the present Archdemons, Zagan is the only one who's name is based of the highest rank demon in The Lesser Key of Solomon that rank being King