Iska is the Empire's finest swordsman, stripped of his rank once already for showing mercy to the enemy; Aliceliese is the Nebulis Sovereignty's strongest witch, a princess expected to end the war her nation has fought for generations. Neither knows the other's face until they meet on the battlefield, and what should have been a duel to the death instead leaves both of them intrigued by who they were told to hate. This light novel by Kei Sazane started the story a manga and anime would later adapt, following Iska and Aliceliese as the fighting keeps forcing them back together.