.

.

"A communication device, you say?"

"Exactly!" The sketchy old woman grinned, showing off her missing teeth. "If you channel mana into that mirror, you will be able to communicate with the person holding on to the other mirror!"

"What's the distance limit? Time limit?"

"Both depend on the users' mana control and sheer power, of course."

"… How much?"

"45,000 yuls. But! Since I've got the feeling that you'll become a usual at my shop, I'll already give you a discount and sell it for 35,00 yuls instead. Deal?"

This was the oldest trick in the book: give an unreasonable price before playing the nice guy and giving a generous discount, which leads to the actual price. However, Quinn couldn't deny it was a useful tool and, had the woman kept the first price, the girl would have paid it anyway. So, giving her the money, the Knight then carefully tucked away the two silver mirrors.

"Oh! QUIIIIN!"

Startled, the girl spun around. A few meters away was none other than Asta, and two how his Black Bulls comrades, too. He cheerfully waved her way, quickly running up to join her.

"Asta!"

Overjoyed, she brought him into a tight hug, to which he quickly answered.

"Oi, bakasta! Don't go running off on your own like… that…"

Quinn instantly recognized the girl who had just joined them. She was the white-haired girl from her vision, the one fighting side by side with Asta during the attack! And from her mana reserves, Quinn could easily tell she was from one of the royal families. Though, that did lead her to ponder upon why exactly a member of royalty joined the Black Bulls, of all squads…

"Oh, Noelle, Vanessa-nee-san!" Asta basically shoved the purple-haired girl in their faces. "This is my sister and rival, Quinn! Quinn, those are my friends from the Black Bulls, Noelle, and Vanessa-nee-san!"

"It's very nice to meet you," smiled Quinn, meaning it. "Thank you for taking care of Asta—I know my brother can be a handful, but he means well."

"Yeah, we've noticed," deadpanned the one named Noelle.

"Aw, aren't you a cutie," cooed Vanessa, pinching her cheek. "Don't worry too much about Asta—he's fitting right in, really."

"Yeah, that's right!" exclaimed the boy, pumping his fist in the air. "I even got a star thanks to my first mission!"

"Already?" Quinn's grin turned a tad provocative. "Not too bad, but not that good either—I've already got three of those."

His eyes bulged out of his sockets. "Say what!?"

"For the rescue of some Magic Knights from Purple Orcas, for the arrest of a bunch of Diamond spies, and for the retrieval of a long-lost magical artifact." She glanced to the pink-haired woman beside her. "I'm guessing the Seed of Life will ring a bell for you?"

Startled, Vanessa then smiled, though it seemed a little tight. "Unfortunately. Though, I didn't think we'd hear of it again."

"Gah, how could you have gotten so far ahead of me in not even a week!?" panicked Asta. "I know you're good, but that's just cheating!"

"Hey, it just turned out that my first mission was misranked, is all. You know, C-rank to A-rank," she shrugged. "I got lucky, I guess."

"Lucky? A misranked mission is much more dangerous than an average mission, even more so when it's above B-rank," replied Noelle, clicking her tongue in annoyance. "Now I see how you and chibista are related: you're both suicidal morons."

"Nan, we just like overcoming challenges," grinned Quinn, unperturbed by the girl's attitude. She sounded arrogant, but Quinn could easily tell it was just a mask. She then noticed what the other girl had bought. "Say, that's an item to help you control your Magic, right?

Noelle instantly grew flustered. "What- what about it?"

"Oh, nothing. I just thought it looked like the one I used to have," she admitted, bemused.

"You- you used to have one of those?" Noelle gasped, surprised.

"Oh, right! Noelle, Quinn is a mana manipulator, so she's the expert when it comes to mana control!" assured excitedly Asta. "Say, Quinn, would you mind helping her out? She's super strong but she'd be even stronger if she could actually control it—itai!"

"Shut up, bakasta!" fumed the royal, hitting him over the head again. "I don't need help!"

"Well, you obviously do." Quinn raised her hands in a soothing manner when Noelle glared at her, obviously about to offer an acidic reply. "Just hear me out, please: I have a sensory ability and, even without using it, I'm extremely sensitive to mana. So, I can tell by just looking at you that you possess an incredible source of inner mana, one that goes beyond those of the royals I've met until now—and yes, I'm including my own Captain in that statement." Noelle looked at her, dumbstruck. Had the purple-haired weirdo just told her she was basically stronger than a Captain? "Of course, you've got a lot of work ahead of you if you wish to surpass him one day, but the potential is there. The thing is, you've got too much magic power. I'm simply guessing your mana core developed much faster than usual and it has already reached its maturity, contrarily to your mana coils and your body itself."

"I- I don't understand," frowned Noelle. "What are you trying to say?"

"Well, basically, our mana core is the source of a mage's power. It grows along with the mage until said mage reaches their full potential, their maturity." Trying to put in words something that Quinn usually felt was a lot harder than expected. "That's why spells appear in our grimoires when we, for a lack of a better word, unlock another part of that potential. In your case, though, your core has grown prematurely. Instead of your mana core having to keep up with your body, it's your body that has to keep up with your mana core, hence why it's so hard for you to control it." Quinn shrugged. "You're basically a powerhouse who bloomed a tad too early. With some work, you should figure out a way to balance everything just fine. And, when you do, you'll certainly be one of the most powerful Knights in the kingdom. Pretty neat, uh?"

Quinn was quite proud of how she had just handled the entire situation. She still felt like her explanation lacked a bit of clarity but, looking at the bigger picture, she considered it a job well done. After a few seconds of stunned silence, though, she finally noticed the small tears rolling down Noelle's cheeks as the girl stared at her, aghast.

"Gah! I didn't mean to make you cry!" exclaimed Quinn, worried. "Are you okay? I'm sorry if I said anything wrong, I didn't mean to!"

"I- I'm what…?" Noelle lightly touched her cheeks, apparently surprised. She then shook her head, quickly wiping them away. "I- I'm fine. It's okay. I simply… wasn't expecting this."

"Isn't it great, Noelle?" grinned Asta. "I told you you were strong!"

Quinn then grabbed her hands, grinning from ear to ear, a tad eagerly. "Mana control is literally my entire life. So, I'd be more than happy to help you out. You know, training or Sparring, maybe give a few tips…?"

"But why- why would you even bother?" Noelle lowered her eyes, biting her lower lip. "You might be a peasant, but you made it into the Crimson Lion Kings squad. And I'm- I'm just a failed royal who—"

"Oh, peasant, noble, who cares?" scoffed Quinn, promptly cutting her off. "We're both Knights, aren't we? That means that, no matter our background, we stand on equal ground. Though, if you really want to know why… Well, I guess I just can't help myself." The girl's grin widened. "I love helping people! And, frankly, I can't wait to see you truly master your power. It's gonna be amazing! So, what do you say? Are you in?"

At first startled, Noelle could however see how genuine she was. At first, she had been a little wary of Quinn, thinking that getting into one of the top squads would surely have gotten to her head a bit but, in the end, she was just like Asta: foolishly, stupidly nice. She truly wanted to help her, just because she could, and it did make Noelle a little envious. Her own siblings certainly weren't cut from the same cloth, that was for sure. However, here she was now, presented with the opportunity to turn things around. And, though she was a tad annoyed at the idea of a peasant helping her, she had long since learned that she wasn't really any better than them—at least, when it came to Asta, and now Quinn.

"I… I would like that," she finally answered, averting her eyes in hopes to hide how embarrassed she actually was. "Though, don't you start looking down on me! I'm royalty, you know?"

Quinn simply laughed. "Knowing you'll probably end up kicking my ass in the long run? I don't think I'll take my chances, Noe-chan."

"No- Noe-chan!? Don't be so familiar!"

"Now, now—"

"Bah-ha! Well, well, what could bring such beauties in such a filthy place, hm? The Black Market is no place for you lovely ladies. Bah-ha!"

At the new voice, Quinn, Noelle, and Vanessa turned around. Asta had long since run off somewhere else, though. Anyhow, they turned around and found a blond guy wearing the Green Praying Mantises' uniform. He seemed familiar, but Quinn couldn't really place him…

"Are you lost? As an elite member of the Magic Knights, I shall guide you out of here. Bah-ha!" he insisted, sounding as dumb as he looked. "I can—argh!"

He froze in fright when finally noticing to whom exactly he was talking. As if he could forget the crazy girl who had somehow managed to erase his powers for an entire day! No matter how much he wanted to get her back for humiliating him of the sort, though, he already knew he was no match for her, and he'd rather not live through that experience again—

"Hey, do I know you?" she asked plainly.

"Bah-ha!" He almost fell here and there. "How could you possibly forget me!? We were at the Entrance Exam together! I fought your brother! I—"

"Oh, you're that asshole," she recalled. Her eyes then narrowed. "If you're here to try anything funny again, I won't go easy on you. I held back last time, but I won't show the same mercy twice."

"I- I'm not! I'm not!" he assured, now berating himself for actually making her remember him. "I was just passing by, I swear!"

"Hey, guys! Look at what I found!"

Quinn held back a sigh when she saw what Asta was holding. It was a very ugly, very much useless plush toy, and he had obviously bought it without thinking. However, his attention was quickly diverted from it as he saw just whom the girls were conversing with.

"Oh! You're Bah-ha!"

"The name's Sekke! Bah-ha!"

"How's it going, Bah-ha?"

"My name is Sekke!"

"Quinn, you remember him, right?" Asta grinned. "I completely kicked his ass!"

"That you did," she grinned back, ruffling his hair.

"It was fun! Right, Bah-ha!"

"I told you, my name isn't Bah-ha! It's Sekke!" snapped the other guy, infuriated. "And it wasn't fun—it was painful and humiliating!"

"Maa, maa—"

"Thief! Help! Help me!"

At the call for help, the Knights stiffened. There, not too far from them, was an old lady yelling at a man that was quickly distancing himself from his victim, holding a large bag of money he had obviously stolen from the poor grandma. Asta and Quinn instantly took off after him but, just as they passed by the old lady who was now kneeling on the ground, Quinn froze. Asta didn't slow down his pace and simply kept on running, unwilling to let the thief get away, but something else had caught Quinn's attention.

That aura… I'd recognize it anywhere!

No longer worried, she kneeled before the old lady, smirking a bit. "You really enjoy making other people do your dirty work, uh?"

A band of sweat rolled down her forehead. "I- I don't know what you're talking about, my dear."

"Of course you don't."

"Ah, he's got some nerve, stealing in front of Magic Knights," scoffed Noelle, quickly joining them, along with the other two.

"No kidding," sighed Vanessa, helping the old lady up. "But everything will be fine if we leave it to the little boy."

"Bah-ha! I'm not going to let you steal all the glory, Asta!" suddenly exclaimed Sekke.

Using his Bronze Magic, he created some sort of weird-looking floating vehicle before taking off after Asta and the thief. Quinn shook her head, exasperated, but didn't bother running along. Now that she knew who was the woman, she easily understood this was all just a whim on her old friend's part, most probably meant to test the capabilities of the Knights around. She wasn't about to rat him out, but she did intend to seize the opportunity.

"Make sure you don't lose it again, ma'am."

The old lady chuckled, holding tightly against her chest the bag of money Asta had managed to retrieve for her. Sekke had left just before to deliver the thief to the local authorities, and everything had been resolved peacefully.

"Thank you, Magic Knights!" thanked the old lady. "I'll be going then—"

"Oh, I'll escort you home," announced cheerfully Quinn, patting the lady's head. "I insist."

"Ri- right…"

"Noelle, I'll contact you again soon so we can start working on your control," then added the purple-haired teen, offering the other girl a smile. "In the meantime, I know it's going to sound weird, but I'd like you to meditate as much as you can."

"I've already tried meditation," frowned Noelle, unconvinced. "It didn't work—"

"Because you were focusing on actually expanding your mana reserves, were you not?" pointed out Quinn. "That's what meditation is usually used for. In your case, though, you'll need to go at it the other way: try to restrain your mana. It'll be much harder, but trust me, it'll help out a lot once we start working on your spells."

"W- well, I guess I'll give it a shot," she mumbled, looking away.

"Great! Also, while I'm at it… Vanessa-san, if you don't mind a bit of advice?" the Lion mused, turning to the older woman. She simply nodded, curious as to what she would say. "Earlier, I was talking about unlocking one's potential, and I couldn't help but notice that there's a part of your Magic that feels… dim, for a lack of better terms. I don't really know how to explain it, but I think your Magic might have a much more powerful ability attached to it. Just saying."

Surprised, she then sighed, smiling a bit dryly. "You wouldn't be the first to tell me, sweetheart. But thank you, I'll think about it."

"Alright. Then, Asta…" She turned to the boy, opening her arms. He instantly hugged her because, contrarily to Yuno, he was a rather touchy-feely person. "Take care, okay? Kick some ass, get stronger, but most of all—"

"Be careful, I know," he laughed, pulling away. "I really should be the one telling you that, though. A misranked mission as your first? You really are a magnet for trouble, ah, ah!"

"Aa? I don't want to hear that from you, bakasta!"

Laughing, the boy and his friends then waved them goodbye. Quinn and the old lady waved back until the three fully disappeared from sight. It's only once they were completely gone that Quinn reported her attention on the "poor, frail grandma".

"You can drop the act now, Julius-san."

"Ah, I should have known you'd recognize me."

Magic particles shone around the old lady and, a few seconds later, the magical disguise completely vanished. Now, instead of an old lady, a tall, sandy-haired man with a star-shaped tattoo on his forehead was standing next to Quinn.

"Negation Magic, uh? Now that's a type of Magic I've never seen before," he mused thoughtfully. "Actually… is that even Magic? Yami sure took in an interesting kid."

"You know, you could have just acted like a normal person and asked him to show you," snorted Quinn, placing a hand on her hip. "He'd have been more than happy to oblige."

"But it takes the fun out of the experience!" he protested, a tad childishly. "Wandering around in disguise is the best way to find all sorts of different magics!"

"It's also the best way to skirt your duties as the Wizard King," she scoffed. "Seriously, one day, Marx-san is going to tie you to your chair and force-feed you the official documents I know you oh-so-conveniently forgot in his office."

Julius Novachrono, the current Wizard King, paled a little at the vivid image that popped in his head. He knew that, if pushed too far, Marx might very well do it.

"Ah! Talking about the devil," suddenly laughed Quinn.

A burst of mana later, a sphere of pure mana appeared before them. The light was almost blinding but, once Quinn's sight adjusted, she easily saw the blue-haired man inside of it. It was a form of Communication Magic from which Quinn had never managed to get a weapon, no matter how many times she tried.

"I finally found you!" exclaimed none other than Marx Francois, the Wizard King's personal advisor—though Quinn found the term "babysitter" more fitting. "What in the world are you doing, Wizard King!?"

"Ah, ah, ah, what am I doing? I'm strolling through the castle town looking for new Magic," replied casually the man.

"What!? Don't you have any awareness of your position!?" protested Marx, seemingly about to have a stroke.

"Encounters with Magic are once in a lifetime. You never know what kind of Magic you're going to encounter and where," simply stated Julius with a small, serene smile. "It's—"

"Alright, that's enough from the magic nerd," Quinn announced, deciding to step in before Marx truly well died from a heart attack. "Marx-san, frankly, you shouldn't be so surprised: you've known Julius-san for as long as I have, so finding out he's out and about exploring the city is nothing surprising. In fact, you're also used to his quirks, so it makes me wonder about what could have possibly happened for you to seek Julius-san out so actively…?"

"Qui- Quinn!" gasped Marx, relief obviously washing over him. "Thank God you're here… You're the only one he'll listen to! Please, make him come back to the castle at once! It's very urgent—"

"Oh, isn't that the new kid from William's squad?"

At that, Quinn looked up. Effectively, she could see Yuno flying in the distance, accompanied by other members of the Golden Dawn. They were apparently on an escort mission, if the noble comfortably settled in the middle of the group was anything to go by.

"That is effectively my brother and no, you can't follow them," warned Quinn, taking a hold of his cape so he wouldn't run off on his own. "Marx-san is obviously worried about something—you know he'd usually leave you be if things weren't too serious. I mean, he'd nag for sure, but you get my point."

"What? I do not nag—"

"If you come with me back to the castle, I'll show you my newest weapon."

Julius's eyes instantly sparkled in delight. "Deal!"

Marx heaved out a sigh. "Thank God that you're there, Quinn… Anyhow, I'll be waiting for you in my office! Please hurry!"

The communication spell dispersed, and the Wizard King instantly turned to Quinn, eager to see what kind of new magical weapon she would use. Rolling her eyes, she however pulled out her grimoire and summoned her Spatial Knife.

"Ooh!" Julius leaned closer, carefully examining the blunt edges. "What does it do?"

Without hesitation, she channeled mana into the blade and cut open a door. Her old friend clapped his hands in delight when understanding what was now before him.

"A portal resulting from Spatial Magic! Wonderful!" He then patted her head. "You grow a little more each time I see you. I'm happy to see you wearing the uniform, now."

"Yeah, well, I've gotta say, I think I'm going to modify it a bit," she admitted, pulling on her collar. "This thing is cool and all, but it's actually way too hot underneath it. And itchy, too. Anyway, now stop trying to win some time and go on through already."

"Will we arrive directly in Marx's office?"

"No, just outside the door. Didn't want to give the poor man a heart attack. Now go, come on already! Shoo!"

Laughing lightly, the man however held his end of the deal and passed through the portal, soon followed by Quinn. After all, she also had some business to discuss with the Wizard King and, while she hadn't expected to meet him again so early, she wasn't about to let that opportunity pass. So, she went through along with her old friend, landing a second later in one of the hallways of the castle, just before the advisor's office. Taking hold of Julius's collar before he could wander off on his own again, she then knocked on the door, before going in.

"Quinn! Lord Julius!" Marx startled, his eyes going wide. "But- but how?"

"My new weapon is spatial-affiliated," simply answered Quinn, only then releasing the Wizard King. "He's all yours, Marx-san."

He seemed about to cry. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Quinn."

"There, there," she mused, sympathetically patting his shoulder.

"So? What is so important that requested my immediate attention, Marx?" then inquired Julius, pouting a little. He had just missed his chance to see new Magic! "What happened?"

The advisor cleared his throat. "W- well, it would seem a new dungeon has appeared near the border we share with Diamond. Spies related to us that a group from Diamond will be there in a few days in order to claim the treasure room first. If we don't act quickly, we'll surely lose some very precious items to Diamond!"

At that, Julius smiled slightly. "A new dungeon, uh…? Well, fret not: I know exactly which Knights to send there."

"You're thinking about sending Asta," easily understood Quinn, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, I'm curious to see more of his Negation Magic," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "I would have suggested for you to go, but I'm more than aware of your extreme sensitivity. Dungeons are a type of Grand Mana Zones, so—"

"Nope, definitely not for me," instantly replied Quinn, paling a little. "I'll need to train a lot more before being able to even step foot in a place like that and not collapse."

"Yet you did very well in the Yume Forest, from what I've heard." He smiled warmly at her, and she couldn't help but feel ridiculously giddy at receiving his praise. "You did an excellent job on your first mission, Quinn. I knew you had grown a lot when seeing you during the Entrance Exam, but I didn't know how much until now. Though, talking of the exam, I have to admit, I was surprised to see you pick Fuegoleon instead of William."

"Call it a hunch," she simply shrugged. "He doesn't mind, so we're cool. Talking about the Yume Forest, though, I've got to warn you: the civilians who were rescued decided to rebuild Kiba in the forest itself."

"And let me guess: you've decided to help them?" smiled Julius, unsurprised. "You really are too kind, Quinn. You and William have that in common, for certain. Do you request any support?"

"Nan, I think I've got it," she assured, shaking her head. "I don't have to worry about finances right now, and I'm sure we'll figure out a way to bring in the money once the village is back on its feet. I simply wanted to warn you so you wouldn't be taken by surprise when news of Kiba's revival finally reach the city."

"What do you mean about not having to worry about finances?" wondered Marx, somewhat surprised. "Have you found a supplier? Or a noble supporter?"

"Nope!" She grinned, offering them a thumb's up. "I completely sucked dry the coffers of the Management Bureau! Ah, ah, ah!"

Marx groan, feeling a headache coming. "Quinn… Please tell me you didn't just somehow destroy one of the foundations of the Noble Realm's economy..."

"Well, we're talking about exactly 8,700,000 yuls, but I only took a quarter of it and decided to fetch the rest later," she shrugged nonchalantly. "I mean, the guy in charge… You know, Os- Os-something—"

"Lord Oswald," supplied Julius with growing amusement.

"Yeah, that jerk—anyway, he didn't want to do anything for those poor people, can you imagine?" She threw her hands in the air, now annoyed. "The Management Bureau is corrupted to the core, I tell you! They hide or get rid of some reports in order not to follow up on them with investigations, or they make false investigations, or they don't investigate at all because the nobles bribe them! I mean, just earlier, there was that asshole Count—"

"Quinn, language, please," sighed Marx, rubbing his temples.

"That pig actually kidnapped commoner girls! Snatched them right from their homes!"

At that, though, Julius narrowed his eyes. "Did he, now. Which Count?"

"Err… Ido? Yeah, weird-ass name alright… Anyway, I managed to rescue some of the women he had taken, but I'm pretty convinced there's a bunch of them kept somewhere else in his mansion," grunted the teen. She then pulled out a paper and handed it to Marx. "Those are the names and the addresses of the three women I've managed to get out. They've agreed to testify against the Count. There was a fourth one, a girl, but her and her family have decided to move out of the castle town in order to avoid being caught in that kind of situation again."

"This is particularly worrying, and I understand your anger, but I beg of you: please tell me you didn't burn down Count Ido's mansion," cringed Marx.

"As if I was dumb enough to do that!" snapped Quinn, a tad offended. "I wasn't about to risk having innocent people involved in this! Though, I can't deny I was really tempted to destroy the gates… But don't worry, Marx-san: I was very civilized and only slightly manipulative. He was forced to let the women go, else he knew I'd figure out he was keeping them against their will, and that would have justified me kicking his ass to hell and back."

"I'll personally choose the people who will lead the investigation against Count Ido," assured firmly Julius. "If what you're saying is true—and I know it is—then we won't let him get away with this. Noble or not, no amount of money will get him out of that mess."

She sighed in relief at that. "I knew I could count on you. Thank you, Julius-san, Marx-san."

"Still, I'm impressed," admitted Marx, leaning back in his seat. "Not even a week of wearing the uniform, and you've already done much more than many experienced Knights."

She simply shrugged at that. "I guess it's simply because, contrarily to them, I'm not blind to the struggle of the poorer people, is all. And, to be fair, it's not like I've never helped out Will-san or Julius-san in the past. The uniform just makes it official now. But anyway, I should get going, now. I've still got a few shops to hit, and a lot of supplies to deliver to Kiba."

"I'll keep you informed of what happens with Count Ido and the Management Bureau," assured the Wizard King, patting her head. "Good work, Quinn."

Unable to help herself, she gave him a quick hug. Then, summoning her knife, she opened up a new door and quickly left the castle. She only had an hour or two of daylight left, and she wanted to make the most of it. Once the portal closed behind her, Marx sighed heavily.

"Well, she just confirmed our suspicions," he mused. "It'll actually save us a lot of work."

"To think such things could happen right under our noses…" Julius glanced at the paper with the names and the addresses that the girl had left for them. "Until our investigation proves fruitful, though, I'll have these women and their families put under watch. I'm afraid that, if left unsupervised, the Count might try something… ill-advised."

"I'll immediately send a covert squad to watch over the houses," nodded Marx, writing everything down. Once he was done, though, he glanced outside the window, a nostalgic smile gracing his lips. "Quinn… She really has grown a lot, hasn't she?"

"Well, we haven't seen her for almost an entire year, so she was bound to be different," mused Julius. "I watched her fight during the Entrance Exam, and I must admit that she has made tremendous progress since the last time we saw her." Suddenly, tears began running down his face. "Waa, I'm so proud! She's going to become a great Knight!"

"L- Lord Julius!?"

"THEY GROW UP SO FAST!"

.

.

"Yo, I'm back—holy crap."

Quinn honestly didn't know what she was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. Wooden boxes and steel crates were piled up before the house, along with dozens of bags and other stuff. It would seem that when Elric said they would be ready to leave by the end of the day, he meant it. Like what, one should never underestimate a father's determination: he didn't want his family to spend more time than necessary in the castle town. Then again, though, Quinn could understand his worry: Count Ido obviously wasn't about to give up so easily, and he had no way of knowing Quinn had already ratted him out—meaning he might try to do something ill-advised to tie up the loose ends.

"Welcome back, Quinn!" exclaimed cheerfully Winry, bringing out yet another box. Quinn took a moment to mentally praise the girl's apparent strength. "We're just about ready! Dad is finishing up with the forge and Al and Ed are helping him out, but it should only take a few more minutes."

"Alright, then how about we get started on taking all of this to Kiba in the meantime?" suggested the Knight.

"Do you possess some form of Transportation Magic?" wondered Winry, curious.

"I can use a form of Spatial Magic," she confirmed, summoning her knife. Then, she sliced open a new portal, though it was much bigger than the ones she first created. "It's the first time I try keeping one this big open, but it should work out. Wait here for a moment, I'll go get some people to help us out."

Quinn stepped through, instantly landing smack in the middle of Kiba. The people around startled a bit, but relaxed as soon as they realized who their impromptu visitor was. In a few words, Quinn summarized the situation at hand, and the men around quickly agreed to help out while the children ran off to spread the news. After what, the Knight and the five villagers stepped back through the portal, reappearing before Elric's house. Winry simply gaped when Quinn returned with reinforcements, while the men of Kiba looked around in awe.

"It's gotten so big!"

"It's completely different!"

"It really feels like we've traveled into the future, ah, ah!"

"Winry? Quinn-san?" Elric stepped out along with his sons, the three of them carrying the last of the boxes. "Who are these people?"

"They're men from Kiba, they've come to help out," smiled Quinn. "Now enough gawking, everyone! We've only got about an hour or so of daylight left, so let's not waste it!"

"Yes, Lady Knight!" they chorused at once.

She sweatdropped at that. "I told you not to call me that."

They were no longer listening, though, already getting to work. She shook her head, hoping the title wouldn't stick around too long. Sure, she didn't mind being recognized as a Knight, but she didn't want those people to look at her and see someone above them, of all things.

But let's tackle one issue at a time, she reminded herself, grabbing the nearest box. Hopefully, moving into this new, barely standing village won't be too hard on Elric-san and his family.

"This place is amazing!"

"I love it!"

"It's actually bigger than our home in the city!"

Well, looks like I was worrying for nothing, laughed internally Quinn. Seems like they like it after all, though I can't really blame them: it is a pretty nice place, for such a rundown village.

"It's the home of our former blacksmith," then informed Chenoa. "He's one of the few who moved out of Kiba when the curse first acted up. The forge should still be in a good shape, though I can't say the same for the tools inside…"

"Don't worry about a thing, ma'am," grinned Elric, a glint of challenge lighting his gaze. "We'll get this place up and running in no time, and we'll definitely help out in rebuilding Kiba!"

The old woman simply smiled. "We're all looking forward to it. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me, or anyone. We'll be more than happy to help."

"Well, I'll leave you guys to settle down," then announced Quinn, quickly checking the sky. It was almost impossible to gauge the time, but she could tell she ought to return soon. "It's almost time for me to go back, and I still need to talk to Chenoa-san. I'll check up on you in about a week, though, when I bring back all of the supplies I bought in town—whoa!" Quinn stumbled back as Winry threw herself in her arms. "What- what's that for…?"

"Thank you," the girl choked out. "For saving me, and for helping my family. Honestly, thank you!"

"Maa, maa, we've already gone over this," chuckled the teen, ruffling her hair. "As I said, I'm happy to help. And of course, you're the first person I'll ask if I'm ever in need of a suit of armor."

Winry's eyes glinted happily. "Really!?"

"Promise."

"You won't regret it, I swear!"

Wait, I didn't say I was actually getting one—oh, no matter. Let her have her fun.

Waving goodbye to the family, who had already started taking everything inside, Quinn then left with Chenoa. As they walked down the street, she was happy to see that the repairs were already well on their way: the roofs had been the first things that had been taken care of, meaning they didn't have to worry about getting caught off guard by some storm, and they had already begun solidifying some of the houses. The forge and the house attached to it were one of the few buildings that hadn't been as damaged as the rest, probably because they were located smack in the middle of the village. However, Quinn was confident that, with some work and the right supplies, Kiba would be back on its feet before the end of the month.

"So? Why exactly did Elric-san and his children agree to move here?" then inquired Chenoa, apparently curious. "Kiba isn't exactly in the best of shapes right now. Why would people from the city suddenly decided to move to such an isolated location?"

"I ended up saving Winry from the clutches of a disgusting noble," answered Quinn, her nose scrunching up at the thought of the Count. "Her and a few others. I ended up telling them about Kiba over dinner, but when I said I wanted to order some stuff, Elric-san told me to forget it because he'd do everything right here. He didn't want to risk exposing his family to any more whims on the nobles' part."

"I see. Well, they are more than welcome, obviously." Chenoa's eyes then shone with amusement. "You seem to have a habit of picking up strays, my child."

"It's not like I mean to," replied Quinn, rolling her eyes. "Thinks just happen to… conveniently work out for me. I guess I'm just lucky." Well, that and there's Lady Fate who's literally siding with me. "In the end, I just want to help as many people as I can. That's why I became a Magic Knight!" She then smiled. "And one day, I'll become the Wizard King. When that happens… that's when I'll really be able to make things change."

"While that is an honorable goal to aim for, don't look down on the things you can already do," mused wisely the old woman. "As a Knight, as the Wizard King, or as a humble peasant, there's one thing about you that will never change, after all."

"Which is?"

"You'll always be Quinn. As long as you remember that, I'm sure you'll be able to accomplish great things, my child."

She's wrong, though. I'm not Quinn, I won't always be Quinn. I was someone else before, and I'll be someone else after. And when that happens, I'll forget you like I forgot all the others, and I will bear yet another name that will last no longer than the others. I'm not Quinn, I'm… I'm…

"I don't know who I am."

She internally cursed herself for letting that slip out. So caught up in the whirlwind of emotions that had suddenly taken over, she had completely forgotten about who she was conversing with. Chenoa simply smiled, though, patting her shoulder in comfort.

"No one ever really knows who they truly are. It's simply something one discovers in the long run along this limited path we call life."

::

"Hello again, XXXXX. It has been a while."

"Not long enough. What's next?"

Sorrow. Sorrow and grief and helplessness—

"You do not have to keep walking down this path, XXXXX."

"You're the one who led me to that path in the first place. And would you stop using that name already? I don't even remember it, or the life attached to it, anymore."

"Then what should I call you?"

"Your Champion—nothing more, nothing less."

Sorrow. Sorrow and grief and helplessness… and resignation.

"Very well."

"Alright. Then, let's get this shit show started again."

::

"—Quinn?"

The teen inhaled sharply, stopping dead in her tracks. She hadn't expected a memory to resurface so suddenly, and her mind was buzzing with the already fading images, the colors but a blur and the words already losing their meaning.

"I- I'm fine," she choked out. She cleared her throat a few times. "I'm fine, just- just a headache. It's been a long day."

Chenoa frowned slightly. "Then you should head back to get some rest. You have done more than enough already."

"R- right. I'll come back in one week with the supplies, then—oh, wait!" Shaking off her daze, she pulled out the two mirrors she had bought earlier and handed one of them to the elder. "Those are communication devices. Channel mana through it and you can speak with the other user. So, if anything happens, contact me immediately. Any time, any day—I'll be there."

The old woman nodded, carefully tucking it away.

Sighing deeply, Quinn then bid her goodbye, before opening a new portal and passing through. However, it would seem she was starting to get a little tired because, instead of appearing in her room, she landed smack in the middle of the mess hall, where everyone was already gathered for dinner.

"Err… Hi! I'm back!" she greeted, a tad awkwardly.

Thankfully enough, the rest of the Knights simply laughed it off. They had been a bit startled at first, some even fearing a surprise attack, but it would seem their new recruit simply had a lot more surprises up her sleeve. She then quickly joined her fellow female Knights. It would seem everyone was either back from their missions or done with their duties, so the four of them were there.

"So? What'd you do today?" asked Debra as soon as Quinn sit down. "You were gone the whole day. Found something interesting?"

"Kind of. I ended up running into my adoptive brother, Asta, so we chatted a bit," she answered, not exactly lying. She didn't see the point in getting anyone else involved in her plans for Kiba, they'd probably just try to dissuade her anyway. "Bought some stuff for my family back in Hage, too." Also not a lie, though I did spend a pretty penny on those dumb sweets. The brats better be grateful! "I spent most of the day exploring the castle town, though. Nothing interesting, really. And, of course, getting used to using my Spatial Knife. I think I tired myself out a bit, though."

"Hence why you suddenly showed up in a room full of some of the most powerful Knights in the kingdom without a warning?" drawled Daphne. "Not your smartest idea, kid."

"Well, I was thinking of my room, but then I got hungry and my mind switched back to the mess hall while I passed through my portal," she explained, a tad sheepish. "I'll just have to work on my focus a bit, is all."

"Well, that and your negotiating skills," then replied Helena, not even looking up from the newspaper she was reading. "What's that I heard about you bullying the Head of the Management Bureau?"

Crap, busted!

"You did what?" gaped accusingly Debra. "Girl, you just said nothing interesting had happened!"

"I didn't think he'd actually be dumb enough to spread the word," mumbled Quinn. Their eyes widened, and she then realized how misleading her words were. "Wait, no! I did not bully the guy! I was just following up on the report that was given about our mission in the Yume Forest, and I ended up figuring out he's a greedy, corrupted little pig who actually does whatever he wants with said reports, either making some disappear, or even falsify others! I was simply… kind enough, to make him realize the error of his ways."

"Yes, and that kindness earned a lot of attention."

"Gah!"

Paling, the teen turned around, only to find Fuegoleon standing right behind her. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his expression was completely unreadable. By now, a certain silence had fallen over the entire room, everyone wondering what exactly was going on.

"In addition to the little stunt you pulled in the Management Bureau, I also heard that you infiltrated the mansion of Count Ido and showed him the same… kindness," he added, and she gulped. Was she going to be punished for acting out, after all? "In the end, Sir Oswald was arrested, and so was the Count, thanks to the testimonies offered by the women you rescued from his estate. To thank you for your services, the Wizard King has given you two stars: one for identifying a corrupted official, and the other for denouncing the sickening deeds of the Count. Following his arrest, eight more women were rescued from his estate." At last, his unreadable expression broke, and he smiled. "Good job, Quinn."

She exhaled in relief, placing a hand over her heart, laughing a bit. "Oh thank the stars, I thought for sure I was in trouble. You scared the crap out of me, Fuego-danchou!"

The silence weighing in the room suddenly grew even heavier, if possible. Every single Knight held their breath, waiting to see how their Captain would react to being called with such familiarity. He was a man who followed etiquette, after all, and whose presence demanded respect and acknowledgment. All of his Knights had instinctively taken to calling him "Captain", and so for Quinn to act so informally—

"Hey, Randall-san!" Quinn suddenly exclaimed, completely oblivious. She grinned. "Looks like I'm off to a good start on that bet of ours, don't you think?"

"Bet?" echoed Debra, unable to help herself.

"Oh, yes! Quinn has made a bet that she would be selected for the War Merits Conferment Ceremony that is to be held in six months," Leopold explained energetically. "Randall-san is betting against her being able to make it."

Astel suddenly shoved a paper in Daphne's hand, who easily interpreted her question, and spoke up in her stead: "What are the stakes?"

"If I win, she has to do my chores for an entire year," answered the Vice-Captain, downing his cup of wine in one go.

"And when I win, he'll have to take up my chores for an entire day, once a month, for an entire year," added Quinn. "Basically, I get another free day to his expense." She then glanced at the Captain, who had yet to move. "Unless you see a problem with it?"

He offered a mild shrug. "As long as it does not interfere with your duties as Knights, I see no issue with it. If anything, it'll push you to overcome your limits. Though, talking of overcoming your limits…" Suddenly, flames erupted from his body and he suddenly spun around to face the rest of his Knights. "In less than a week, a rookie has managed to gather five stars already, two of which she earned completely on her own! If a new recruit can do it, then why not my most experienced Knights!? I best not see any of you slack off, you hear me? We will not lose to Golden Dawn or Silver Eagles this year in the rankings!

"Yes, sir! We agree, sir!"

"THEN WHY ARE YOU STILL LAZING AROUND IN HERE!? GET BACK TO TRAINING!"

"YES, SIR!"

As the Knights quickly stumbled out of the mess hall, Quinn stifled back a laugh. She was starting to wonder if her Captain's temper had smoothed over after the Entrance Exam, but it would seem he was just as fiery as when she first met him. Her laughter however quickly died down when he sharply looked at her and the rest of the women.

"What are you still doing here? Get to work!"

"Y- yes, sir!"

None of them willing to face his wrath were they to protest, the five of them quickly ran outside to join their male companions. As soon as the doors closed behind them, though, a thoughtful expression fell over Fuegoleon's face.

::

"You asked to see me, Wizard King?"

Julius smiled. "Aa. One of your new recruits has made quite some waves in the city today."

"Quinn?" he easily guessed. The other two rookies had yet to go out on their own. "I apologize deeply for any trouble she might have caused. I will take full responsibility—"

"Trouble?" echoed the Wizard King, now confused. He then chuckled. "No, nothing of the sort. In fact, it's the contrary: she helped many people in the last few hours. Everything is in the reports just there, but the end result is the following: I award the Crimson Lion Kings squad two stars to reward her for her aid."

"Two- two stars? But what…" What could have Quinn possibly done in the span of a single day that would earn her two stars? He quickly shook his head, though. "I see."

"However, this is not the sole reason why I requested your presence so suddenly." He looked more serious, now. "Let me keep it short: Quinn is not an ordinary girl. Surely, you've noticed too, hence why you invited her to join your squad."

"I did notice she possessed some peculiar abilities," nodded Fuegoleon, wondering just where exactly this was going. "And while her strength certainly is unusual for someone who's not of noble descent, I understand that her adopted relatives are also quite unique."

"Yes, but Quinn's case is… different." The Wizard King turned to the window, gazing at the sky that turned redder each passing second. "I have known her for a long time, Fuegoleon. In fact, I've trained her myself, and so did William, and even Yami." At that, the fiery man's eyes widened. He certainly hadn't expected this. "The three of us met her in Kiten, eight years ago. At that time, she was on the run from Diamond soldiers, which we saved her from. She stayed with us for a while, before leaving the city to head for the Forsaken Realm, where she then began to live with her adoptive family in Hage."

"Diamond soldiers?" repeated Fuegoleon, thinking fast. The new information felt a tad overwhelming, but he easily managed to keep his cool. He was a Captain, after all. "Then she's not from Clover?"

"No. She was born in Diamond," confirmed Julius. "However, even as a child, she was already very peculiar. I believe that is why those soldiers were after her in the first place and, frankly, I doubt they've given up after all this time."

"You believe they'll come after her again," understood Fuegoleon, frowning.

"I do. Understand that I'm not asking you to keep an eye on her. You have other duties to handle, and she's already very strong." The Wizard King offered him a mysterious smile. "She's simply not strong enough, yet."

"You're asking for me to train her?"

"No, not you. As I just said, you have duties as the Captain of your squad. However, I seem to recall a certain Vermillion sibling who has gone off on her own for a while, now…" His eyes glinted mischievously. "Do you think you could convince her to take on a student?"

At that, Fuegoleon did pale a little. "My sister will probably end up killing her."

Julius simply laughed. "Now, I'm sure they'll get along great. After all, I'm sure you've noticed, but don't you feel like they're quite similar in characters?"

::

Learning that Quinn was from Diamond had been a surprise, but it didn't really matter to him, to be frank. If she was a spy, she would have been found out ages ago. To learn that she had been taught by the Wizard King himself and two of his fellow Captains? That actually startled him a bit but, in the end, it did explain many things. However, what weighed the most on his mind was learning of the girl's potential foes. Diamond was resilient and annoyingly stubborn—they wouldn't give up such a powerful asset so easily.

Quinn had been protected while growing up since they couldn't follow her all the way into Clover territory but, now that she had become a Knight, her existence would become known again. Rumors would pick up, words would spread: she was back, and more powerful than before—that was bound to earn Diamond's attention.

He's right. If worst comes to worst, she'll have to rely on herself to get out of trouble, but that means she has to grow even stronger. And who better than her, really? He then cringed slightly. That is, if I can convince her to come back. Hopefully, she won't tear my head off for dragging her out of her training in the wilderness—

"Hey, Fuego-danchou!" Out of the blue, Quinn suddenly reentered the room. "I think Randall-san is skipping again—you might want to grab him before he makes a break for it."

She then left again, and the Captain pinched the bridge of his nose, annoyed. Why was he surprised, really? He knew how much his Vice-Captain enjoyed avoiding his duties. His issues with the unruly Knight aside, though, his thoughts lingered on the new name the girl had dubbed him with… before he brushed them aside with a simple shrug.

Fuego-danchou, hm…?

He couldn't deny it had a nice ring to it.

I literally have no clue about how the Star System works in Black Clover. If it was something along the lines of 1 mission completed = 1 Star, it'd be simple, but then the system would work in favor of whichever squad was the most popular because they'd get more missions. In the same line of thoughts, it can't be 1 Knight = 1 Star (as in the number of Stars equals the number of Knights involved in the mission) because some squads have a LOT of members.

Seeing as the logistics are a little unclear, I've decided to set it up as 1 Action = 1 Star. In other words, "claiming an ancient magical artifact", "clearing a dungeon", "arresting a spy", "denouncing treasonous deeds", "public service", etc, etc all equal a Star. It's basically any action that benefits the Kingdom of Clover in one way or the other, by protecting it or bringing reknown for example, will result in a Star.

I honestly don't know if something in CANON might contradict my system but if there IS, feel free to remind me and I'll somehow figure out a way to work around/with it.

Later~