The first volume of Sorcerous Stabber Orphen was released in 2005 by ADV Manga. It tells us about Azalie, Orphen's love-interest, and best friend from six years ago, much sooner than the anime does. In the first manga we are told almost exactly what the eighth episode (titled "Azalie") of Sorcerous Stabber Orphen tells us about her. The story in the manga follows the anime but more the Novels almost exactly, except for information coming up earlier, or later. 
(Source: Wikipedia)

A sorcerer who once been the top student of the famous Tower of Fang, now spends his time chasing around his hopeless clients as a moneylender; at least until his client comes up with a plan to make money: marriage fraud. Unwillingly being dragged in to the plan, Orphen encounters a monster who has long been his goal since the day he left the Tower of Fang. Between those who seek to kill the monster and Orphen, giving everything to protect the monster, his lousy but peaceful days end. Trying to turn back his sister, Azalie back to her true form leads to many more mysteries and the key to the secret to the world.

Six years ago at the magic school known as the Tower of Fang, a grave accident happened involving the magical sword Baltanders and the magic user Azali. Unable to control the sword's power, Azali was transformed into the shape of a great dragon who since that day became known as Bloody August. Krilancelo, a young magician at the Tower who cared greatly for Azali found much to his disgust that the elders of the Tower of Fang were less than willing to save Azali and wanted rather to pretend the accident never happened. Angered by their stand, Krilanceloa swore that he would find a way to return Azali to her former self. Thus he forsook the name Krilancelo and declared himself Orphen, leaving the Tower and his magical studies behind to wander the world...
 
(Source: Anime News Network)

It seems some killing machines have woken up, and want to destroy every sorcerer on the planet! But Orphen isn't allowed to die, so he must stop their evil plot. This is a side story to the first Orphen manga, but you don't have to know much about the Orphen universe, so go ahead, read on!
 
(Source: Izumo No Ryuu)

He calls himself Orphen: a rogue sorcerer who turned his back on the Tower of Fangs, the powerful academy that trained him. In those hallowed halls, a terrible curse fell upon his best friend Azalie, twisting her into a monstrous beast... and the teachers decided to simply cover it up. Forsaking his studies and even his own name, Orphen now wanders the land searching for Azalie, and a cure for what she has become. It won't be easy -- a quest brimming with adventure, spells, and swords awaits!
 
(Source: Seven Seas Entertainment)

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