Entrance Exam I

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After that one day where they said their promise for the second time in their life, time passed by so quickly. Hours to days, days to weeks, and weeks to months.

It all flew by so fast that the white-haired girl didn't even realize that in a few seconds, she and the other two boys were going to start the Magic Knights Entrance Exam everyone had been hyped about.

"The Magic Knights Entrance Exam, huh?"

Xierra looked up to the bright blue sky as she stood beside her black-haired foster brother who looked around. They were in some sort of arena or some coliseum-like building.

Tall walls circled them and crowds filled with people from all over the Clover Kingdom was there. It was truly a new sight for the girl to see.

"Six months of training. I hope it pays off..." she muttered quietly, knowing an invisible Inari was sleeping on her shoulders–– as always.

Yuno heard her hushed mumbles, amber orbs scanning the girl's worried state. "Don't worry," he began, putting a hand on her head. "I'm sure that you'll do just fine."

The blue-eyed female looked up and nervously chuckled, a bead of sweat running down the side of her face. "H-Haha, easy for you to say, Yuno. My magic is nothing compared to yours."

"Nonsense. You're just as good as me."

Smiling one last time, Xierra took a look around the vicinity. The place was more crowded than she had expected.

'The Magic Knights... Nine squads of mages specializing in a battle that work directly under the command of the Wizard King...' Xierra smiled at the thought of joining one.

Remembering the stories she always heard from others. This army of heroes would risk their lives to protect the kingdom. They're also admired by the entire nation.

Jumping on her spot, a bright visage was plastered on her face. Xierra was excited, truth be told. Inari noticed her bouncy movements and grunted, unable to sleep.

"Master, stop moving––"

"Oh, whoops. Sorry, I forgot you were sleeping, Inari."

"No worries."

Speaking of Inari, Xierra had grown fond of the fox. The first impression he made was one of a devil, but it seemed that he's the complete opposite of her view of him.

Thinking back to the journey they had before arriving at the Royal Capital, Inari was very much protective of her, despite the latter able to defend herself.

Inari even proved himself that he'd dare to risk his life from getting snatched away by unknown beasts in the forest they passed by before.

Sleeping beside his master with his body as her shield, keeping Xierra away from the hands of the obnoxious Asta he had come to somewhat dislike, and supporting Yuno's confe–– okay, let's not get to that.

Heck, even before they started walking all the way to the Royal Capital, the black-furred fox took the initiative to train his master to the bones. She swore, Inari's training had one word to describe it: Hell.

It was torture.

Running around endlessly to build the girl's stamina, focusing on training her mana so that she could use bigger spells, finding out how to use her crescent grimoire, the story behind it, bla bla bla–– so many things had happened she couldn't even comprehend what's happening right now.

One particular memory that stood out to her was one from their trip to the Royal Capital. They were only beginning to leave Hage Village at that time.

The sadness Xierra felt when the children of the church said their goodbyes were something she wouldn't forget, even in a million years.

––

Xierra paused in her steps and looked back, only to see that the kids were still waving. She couldn't see them clearly, but she knew they were crying.

Sad to see the three of them leave, gloomy that they wouldn't be able to hang out anymore. They cried because the time the three would spend with them would go away, leaving little to no playtime for them.

They were wailing. The little ones were sobbing into the nun's arms. Nash looking away with a reddened visage while Recca was just letting it all out, letting all her bottled emotions out.

They didn't want to send Yuno, Asta, and Xierra away with their cries–– they couldn't help it.

The thought of not being able to see the three teens that often anymore made a small hole in their hearts. An empty feeling crept up, loneliness and sadness glazed over their teary eyes.

Hands wiping away their tears, only to leave crimson trails behind. Their stinging eyes and blurred vision, the sniffles that blocked their way to breathe–– they cried.

⠀

"Don't cry..."

⠀

The children were––

'Don't cry,' Xierra telepathically told them with a giggle. The faint sounds of their wails stopped slowly as they all stared at each other with wide eyes.

'It's not as if we're going to not see each other anymore,' the female teen assured with a smile. Even if they couldn't see her bright smile, they knew it was there.

Yuno and Asta listened in as well when Xierra's voice reached their heads at the same time she communicated with the kids back at the church.

It was in the heat of the moment. Xierra never knew she had the ability to communicate telepathically with anyone aside from Inari.

Smiling, she continued, 'We'll be back with good news. Wait for us. Even if we come with a bad one, I'm sure you'll be able to cheer us up, right?'

"Yes!!!"

Hollo's audible yell resounded loudly, with the owner not understanding that talking in his head was enough as a reply.

Aruru followed shortly behind, only to respond with incoherent shouts and wails. Xierra laughed airily at their state, unable to talk clearly.

'Don't cry...' she repeated, softer this time. She was holding her tears back as well.

Leaving the home she grew up in, leaving the friends she made in the past, the villagers she bonded with, the children she was so fond of, and the guardians who took care of her–– she would miss them all.

'We'll be back before you know it.'

The three walked away as they waved softly.

'Until then, wait for us.'

––

Xierra sweatdropped at the memory, giving no one, in particular, a crooked smile. She regretted thinking back to that one event. The topic they're discussing was one of those topics that made her face flush crimson.

Speaking of crimson, her face's blushing madly right at that moment.

Yuno noticed her oddly red complexion and called out, "Xierra, are you all right? You look a bit red. You didn't catch a cold somehow, did you?"

He waved a hand in front of the girl to catch her attention. To no avail, Yuno looked from the sides, making sure that he was seeing things right.

Her face was indeed flushed–– for some reason.

"H-Huh?" the girl stuttered out, looking at Yuno who's about to put a hand on her forehead. She nearly shrieked, but held herself back and shook her head furiously. "No, I'm fine. It's nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yep, 100% sure."

Yuno hummed and kept a stoic expression. The worried tone he wore earlier spoke otherwise. Nevertheless, Xierra assured the male that she's fine and healthy.

"I'm fine, Yuno. Don't worry too much."

Yuno arched an eyebrow in slight scepticism but soon discarded the thoughts away. "All right. Tell me if you're ill."

The girl nodded in response, "Thank you."

She stood still beside the raven-black-headed male who's apparently searching for a certain ash-blonde that escaped their sight.

'I swear, that magicless kid is always running around out of our sight. I don't want to get involved if he somehow finds himself in trouble,' Inari grumbled telepathically.

A nearby participant spoke just loud enough for others to hear. "Phew, I'm getting nervous..." the male huffed out with his hand placed on his chest. He's obviously nervous.

Another one beside the first man Xierra looked at yelled, flailing his hands around in an attempt to get rid of the birds who flocked to him.

"Owww! What the heck is going on with these birds?"

The birds of navy-blue, scarlet, and white adorning the colours of their feathers pecked the second man and most of the other participants.

It caught the white-haired female's attention that none of those uniquely feathered birds flew towards her nor Yuno. What was it that made them different?

"They're the famous anti-birds of the exam venue," someone replied. "The less magic power you have, the more they'll peck at you."

"Ouch, nasty," Inari bluntly commented, forgetting that he's invincible. Xierra nearly panicked when she shushed the fox, reminding him of his existence which's somewhat a secret.

Whilst the fox was musing to himself, a gloomy aura rained down Xierra's slouching stature. Her expression was one of disappointment. Those anti-birds she deemed adorable wasn't flying anywhere near her.

'Was it because of Yuno? Must be him. Yep, it's him.'

Whilst the participants were shooing the anti-birds that were pestering them to no end, one of them gestured towards the pair of teens from Hage Village with wide eyes.

"Hey, look at them! Not a single bird is near them!"

"Oh, it's them!"

"Huh? Who?"

"The ones from the boonies..."

"Isn't he the one who was chosen by the four-leaf clover grimoire?"

"Four-leaf clover?!"

"What?! I thought the four-leaf clover's only a legend!"

"Yeah. The girl beside him was the one who got that weird grimoire, right?"

"I wouldn't say weird, though..."

Xierra's small form cowered away from their stares. She made use of Yuno's tall form and hid behind him since her body was much smaller than the male in comparison.

"What are you doing?"

"Hiding."

"Why?"

"Because I'll probably die of embarrassment. It's only a matter of time now," Xierra spoke groggily, fiddling with her crescent grimoire and pursed her lips.

The black-haired male wore an amused look on his face, though it was faint. His lips remained clammed at all their indiscreet chatters towards the pair.

Amber eyes and ocean-tinged orbs landed on a figure they had been searching for a while now. Asta's determined form walked towards the two–– they could guess what he's about to say by now.

"Heh... heh... heh..." Asta chuckled slowly, walking somewhat dramatically towards the pair that Xierra could imagine Inari deadpanning at Asta's entrance.

"One of us is going to become the Wizard King. Our legend starts here, Xierra! Yuno!"

Xierra's eyes widened in surprise. Nearby participants could be heard gasping and uttering words of disbelieve.

"What...?"

"Did he say..."

"Become the Wizard King?!"

Light-blue eyes stared at the ash-blonde with a dumbfounded look as well. Xierra was about to say something until she couldn't take it and muffled her laughter, looking away from the ash-blonde who was pecked by anti-birds.

"I'll show you the results of my six months of training––"

Asta was cut off by the pain he felt from the flocking anti-birds, pecking him to no end. "Owwwwww!!!"

Their sharp beaks were pecking and pinching Asta's poor cheeks. Xierra could imagine how elastic they would be if those anti-birds kept at it for months. Perhaps they could even make dents onto Asta's cheeks.

"ARGHHHHH!!!" Asta shrieked and attempted to run away from the anti-birds whilst shielding his head. "What's up with these freaking birds?!"

'Serves you right for being so loud,' Inari commented in his head. Since his thoughts and Xierra's were connected, the latter was able to hear him loud and clear as she sweatdropped.

'W-Well, don't be like that.'

'Hmph.'

"Get a look at him," one commented in amusement, laughing at Asta's state. "That's really bad, even for someone from the boonies."

Xierra staggered when Asta kept running in random directions, fearing for his life if fate wouldn't side with him soon.

Seemed like fate preferred the white-haired girl over the boy when Asta harshly bumped into someone with a bigger stature.

A man, she would say.

The anti-birds that had been pestering the ash-blonde all flew away in fear at the encounter of the unknown man. The loud thud Asta made when he bumped into the man kept echoing in Xierra's head repetitively.

'Oh, he's dead.'

'Inari!'

She couldn't hear what the man was saying, but she could CLEARLY hear Asta's reply. 'Asta, that's obviously a grown man!'

'Is he an idiot?'

The black-haired man gave away a fearsome aura, causing the blue-eyed girl to cower behind Yuno once more. She didn't want any part of conversing with that one man Inari had been oddly gushing about.

'Why in the world are you excited about him of all people?!'

'Why, Master, I sense that his magic is one of a kind! It would do us good to have you train under him. He's surely not a participant, I can tell you that,' Inari confidently replied with imaginary stars in his eyes.

Peeking from behind Yuno who paid no mind to Asta, Xierra nearly shrieked louder than Asta could when her foster brother was gripped hard by the head.

She's about to interfere when Yuno's arm blocked her sight. "Yuno!" she called out, concern audible in her voice.

The male spared her a short glance and looked away as quickly as he glanced. "He'll be fine, don't take care of him too much."

Staring at the black-headed male ludicrously, Xierra soon snapped into reality when the other participants began talking about two men walking in on the scene to fetch their so-called Captain.

'Finral Roulacase and Gordon Agrippa? Where have I heard those names before...' Xierra tapped her index finger on her chin, closing her eyes as she tried to remember the names she heard.

'Ooh, Incantation Magic Expert?' Inari repeated with interest lacing his voice. 'They're in the Black Bull, too. Master, this is perfect!'

'Huh? What do you mean by "perfect?"'

'That Yami guy is their captain and there's another in that squad who piqued my interest. Perhaps, we can join them t––'

'No,' Xierra flatly cut the fox off. 'There is NO WAY I'm joining the Black Bulls.'

'Oh, come on! Don't tell me you're scared!'

'Shut up.'

Yuno could be heard sighing as well in front of the hiding female, deadpanning at Asta's state. There was no hint of concern in his amber eyes despite growing up with the ash-blonde for fifteen years.

Both of them then noticed all the anti-birds flying away, escaping the place as quickly as their wings could take them.

Inari's body quickly tensed at the presence of large pressuring mana. His gold eyes travelled from one participant to another, scanning their magical energies only to find none that matched the pressure he was feeling.

'Man, that is some intense power...' Inari praised with a quiet whistle–– not that anyone could hear him.

His master nodded in agreement, keeping a solemn visage. 'Yeah. I believe that it's one of the captains. Each one rivals a hundred mages, I believe. Maybe more.'

'I see... That makes the matter more interesting than I had expected~'

'Inari, you're planning something, aren't you?' Xierra sceptically stared at her "empty" shoulder, where the invisible fox was supposed to sleep on. 'Speaking of sleep, aren't you supposed to––'

"Thank you for waiting, invited examinees."

Xierra flinched and looked at the source. That voice was somewhat loud, enough to capture all of the participants' attention in one go.

The anti-birds that were left flocked away, leaving the place with none of their kin left behind. A certain white-haired girl suddenly widened her eyes in amazement.

The nine captains of the Magic Knights she had heard of through rumours of the other villagers–– they were all standing in front of them, in all their glories and–– 'Master, focus.'

'R-Right...'

Despite her excitement at meeting them in the flesh, their appearances caught her attention the most. Even with the disturbing cacophony of cheers, she's able to gather her thoughts on the nine captains.

'One of them will become the next Wizard King...' Xierra looked at them fondly and with the same amazement that she had before.

A certain man stood out the most from the nine of them, specifically, his unique mask. Red feathers and the colours of a darkened blue and white, along with beige to complement them–– and behind that mask, hid violet eyes that had secrets within.

"I'm going to be in charge of the exams this time," the man spoke, revealing the same voice as the loud one before.

Well, it wasn't particularly loud. But it wasn't quiet either. What made his voice so different from Asta's equally loud one? Perhaps, the fact that it sounded calmer?

"It's the Captain of the strongest Magic Knights Squad, William Vangeance!"

"The top candidate to become the next Wizard King!"

'Oh? How interesting~' Inari mused to himself, ignoring all other words from the participants–– he deemed those words they uttered to be useless information he needn't know.

William opened his grimoire and stopped a certain page. "Magic Tree, descend!" he cast out loud.

The sky became darker than it would when it rains. The clouds began to gather and stole all the light from above, causing shadows to loom over them.

Rumblings grunted within the sea of clouds as giant roots descended from the sky. The spell truly fitted its name.

What they thought was about to attack them, halted completely.

The roots transformed themselves into magic brooms, handed to the hands of the participants. They stared at the brooms in their hand dumbfoundedly before looking up at the purple-eyed man.

'So, this man is the closest man to becoming the Wizard King,' the three orphans kept to themselves, keeping their eyes glued on the violet-eyed mage. A faint shudder ran down their backs as they waited for the man to continue.

William closed his grimoire with a thump and smiled.

"We shall now begin the Magic Knights Entrance Exam!"

To be continued...

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