"What dose it take to become the Wizard King?" He asked.

"Asta you can't just ask that!" Klaus yelled.

"I would like to know as well." Yuno stepped beside Asta.

"Tsk, fine if you must know, it's a noble heart..." Klaus started.

"No, a Noble heart will only go so far, being Wizard King is about getting results. It's about being the absolute best and standing atop the highest mountain while helping others climb it and hurling the evil back down. A noble heart to guide your hand, and a steadfast will to do what is needed for the kingdom." Julius said. "If you want to see what results look like, follow me. I would like you to attend something."

We followed the wizard king through the lavish halls of the castle into a finely decorated chamber hidden behind a heavy set of dark oak doors, inside was several Magic Knight captains, Charlotte of Blue Rose, Fuegoleon of the Crimson Lions, and Nozel of Silver Eagles. Along side the captains were several members of their squads, Sol stood next to Charlotte, a boy with wild orange hair stood next to Fuegoleon, several Golden Dawn members and two people that looked like Nozel and Noelle. "Welcome to the War awards ceremony."

The sheer amount of Mana in this room... it rivaled the dungeon.

'This... is the top of the mountain...'


Chapter 24: War Merits Ceremony

I stood at attention as Julius walked up to the podium. "Welcome. This ceremony is in recognition of the magic knights that have proven them selves on multiple occasions, those that have received a notable amount of gold stars." The Wizard king smiled. "First from the Crimson Lion Kings, Leopold Vermillion with seven gold stars, hereby promoted to the rank of Second Class Intermediate Magic Knight." The boy my age walked up to the front of the podium. "Your flames burn bright young Knight. Much like your siblings."

"I will continue to prove myself, Sir." he said

Julius smiled as he turned away. "Next, from the Blue Rose Knights, Sol Marron with six stars is hereby promoted to Third Class intermediate Magic Knight. Your magic is great, but you often take it to far."

"Only Char... my captain may tie me down." I blushed at her use of... words.

"Indeed." Julius smiled. "From the Silver Eagles, Nebra Silva with nine golden stars." A silver hair noble in fine feather clothes stepped forward, she had a striking resemblance to Noelle. "You are hereby promoted to Third class senior Magic Knight."

"As it I should be." She had such a haughty high voice.

Julius just nodded as she stepped to the side. "Again from the Silver Eagles, Solid Silva." Julius said beckoning the younger noble man forward, his sliver hair in much a similar style to Nozel and Nebra, "You collected six gold star, and as such I promote you to the rank of Third class intermediate Magic Knight."

"Thank you wizard king." He had the same self serving tone in his voice.

Julius nodded. "Now for the members of the Golden Dawn, Alecdora Sandler." A man with with grey green hair and a strong set angular face. A nobleman without a doubt. "With the use of you sand magic you have collected a commanding eleven stars." Julius commended the man. "I hereby promote you to second class senior Magic Knight."

'Eleven stars! I went through hell to get one...' I looked at the gold star in my hand.

"I will continue to do my kingdom proud." He bowed.

"Next may Siren Tirum step forward." Julius said as a large built man with rugged yet defined facial features, sandy blonde hair tied back into a braid. "You have proven yourself with receiving eight gold stars. I hereby promote you to the rank of First class Intermediate Magic knight."

"It is an honor sir." He stiffly saluted.

"And lastly, Hamon Caseus. Looking at you one would not expect glass magic." Julius said to a large round man with tufts of blonde hair poking out from his head in a odd yet unique hair style.

"Hmm, yes. My enemies often underestimate me." He sound quite... jolly, and his smile between round cheeks said just that.

"Indeed. You received seven stars and as such have been raised to the rank of Second class intermediate Magic Knight." Julius smiled.

And the fat man smiled back, "That's just so delectable." Hamon replied.

"And with that this years ceremony is complete, now as you may have noticed I have brought some additional guests." Julius addressed the room, "Now, I am sorry, but there is a pressing matter I must attend to. Please enjoy the banquet."

We moved to a tower dining hall, inside were tables of fine foods made by the best chefs in the kingdom. While the group I came with stayed together I was practically dragged by Sol over to a table with Captain Charlotte. "So how did the report go?" Sol asked with a smile on her face.

"Well it went good. I actually got this." I held up the gold star in my hand.

"Well, would you look at that, our little recruit got her first star Char."

Captain Charlotte sigh. "Sol, address me as Captain when in public."

"Sure thing Char." She smiled before taking a plate of food.

"Captain." Charlotte said slightly annoyed.

I looked at the plates of food, and had a slight grimace, most of them were meats. I took a plate and smiled. "I'll just go get some fruits and vegetables from the other table."

"Be quick." Sol ruffled my hair as I walked around. I got to the table with the kind of food that I eat.

'Right... manners, don't overload on the food. I don't think the captain would like that here.' I grabbed fruit slices and some vegetables and what I assumed was a dip sauce, it was creamy and white, and it tasted sour.

"Hello there." I nearly jumped out of my skin as a boys voice came from behind. "Whoa, didn't mean to scare you there."

"No, no." I turned around, it was Leopold, from the Crimson Lions. "I'm just... not used to people coming up from behind me."

"I could see that. I remember seeing you at the exam, I was up on the balcony with my brother Captain Fuegoleon." He said.

"Oh, I'll admit... I didn't see you." I rubbed the back of my head with some embarrassment. "Oh... um My name is Helen of Hage Village." I introduced myself.

"Hage Village? Can't say I heard of it." He had very... lion like face, and the orange makeup around his teal eyes only added to that.

I blushed a bit, "Yeah... that isn't surprising, it's way out on the edge of the common realm. It's where the first Wizard King defeated the Demon god five hundred years ago. My brothers and I would train in the ruins of the skull that still lays there to this day."

Leopold just nodded. "I see. Your brothers?" He asked.

"Oh, Asta and Yuno. They took the magic knight exam with me. Yuno choose to go in the Golden Dawn, and Asta was chosen for the Black Bulls." I said as I pointed over only for my mouth to slam open. Asta was making a mess. "Goddamn it Asta." I held my face in second hand embarrassment.

"He's a lively one." Leopold said. "But he is a Black Bull Commoner, so it's not like we expect much from him." I narrowed my eyes at the underhanded insult to my brother.

"I wouldn't underestimate him. His Anti Magic swords is something I avoided to go up against." I said.

"Indeed, not that you need worry, not with your magic reserves. You seem to radiate nearly as much mana as a few of the captains." He said. "I've never heard of a commoner holding that much power so young before."

'He's right, the gap between even me and Charlotte feels to have closed considerably.' I thought, 'But... how and why?'

A deeper voice cut into our conversation. "I would like to know that as well." I practically swallowed a whole water melon as I looked up at Captain Fuegoleon, his Mana feeling more akin to a roaring bonfire. His regal form and if Leopold looked similar to a Lion, the Vermillion captain was the leader of the lion pride.

"I trained to become stronger..." My voice was small in my throat. He stood so much taller over me.

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Still meek. You should have more pride in your self. Your a Magic Knight now. Back straight and chin up." I did as he said. "That's more like it, what you did in that Dungeon was a great feat."

"Y-you know about a that?" I asked.

"Hmph, your squad mate couldn't keep her mouth shut." He said. "It seems I was wrong to pass you over at the magic knight exams..."

"YOU THINK I CARE TO FIT IN WITH YOU PEOPLE!" My heart more or less dropped out of my chest. We all turned to Asta who was standing on the table, Noelle hiding behind him, her hair wet and her siblings stood there with a empty glass.

'Asta what on Earth are you doing?' I asked myself. 'Even I wouldn't do something so stupid with this many nobles and royals!'

"YOU NOBLES THINK YOUR SO MUCH BETTER THEN US COMMONERS! WELL I WILL PROVE THAT ALL WRONG WHEN I BECOME THE WIZARD KING!" Asta shouted.

"That's enough out of you." Alecdora said as his grimoire opened. "Sand Creation Magic: Sand Storm." A condensed swirling storm of sand encased Asta.

'Damn it Asta.' I set my plate down. "Excuse me." I said to the two Royals.

"What are you doing?" Leopold asked as my tail brought my Grimoire in front of me.

"Making sure my idiot of a brother doesn't get himself killed. Elemental Enchantment; Lightning Path." My body turned to pure Lightning as I rocketed at Alecdora, In and instant I was in front of the magic knight and as my fist connected with his stomach a metallic ring sung out from the sand storm, the magic was dispelled by Asta's sword, the wide blade trailing smoke and sand from the spell. Alecdora fell over the wind knocked out of him.

"Insolent commoners." Solid said as he aimed a spell as me. "Water Creation Magic: Tidal Shot." A large ball of water was fire at me.

"Elemental Enchantment: Divine Gale." A spiral wind shield blocked the attack.

"What the... two..." Solid started before I went on the offensive, as there was no one between me and him, I had a open shot.

"Elemental Enchantment:" I started the spell, heat forming in my throat as my neck glowed orange. "DRAGON BREATH!" The flame attack washed over the royal burning his fine cloak and slamming him into the wall with a powerful explosion.

He laid there, his hair out of his face as he stared at me with horror. "Three elements... that's... impossible..."

"You damn animal!" I turned to Nebra Silva. "Mist Illusion magic."

"Elemental Enchantment: Geyser." The pages of my Grimoire flicked to a new spell, flame and water magic condensed in my hand and shout out as a powerful scalding hot attack. The boiling water struck the royal woman she laid on the ground writhing in pain from the burns, her clothes steaming.

I heard the sound of metal on stone, I turned to see Asta fighting Siren, who used a stone creation magic. Asta slahed through the attack with the smaller of the wto blades.

"Enough of this." We all turned to Captain Nozel. "Captain Charlotte, I demand you get your creature under control. Solid, Nebra, how dare you let..."

"I'm no one's creature." I let go of the restraint on my magic, letting it flow around me in a blood crimson aura.

"You dare to interrupt me you filthy animal." He glared down at me.

I took in a single breath. "Elemental Enchantment: Zeus' Fury." I said deathly calm. In a fraction of a second my fist connected with the captain's cheek. He flew across the room and hit a book shelf. Heavy tomes fell on him.

"Did.. she... just knock away the captain of the silver Eagles?" Sol asked.

Nozel stood up. "Mercury Creation Magic: Silver Volley." The silvery liquid metal shot past me as easily dodged the attack.

"Elemental Enchantment: Storm Strike." Wind, water and lightning magic spiraled around my arms.

"Enough!" Fuegoleon stepped between us. "Nozel, you would allow yourself to appear so petty, letting a mere commoner get the best of not one but three of the great Silva house?"

"She should have never been chosen as a magic knight." Nozel said, "A freak like that..."

"That is enough Nozel." Captain Charlotte said. "Helen has only proven herself time and time again. While her power is strange and defies normal conventions she is worthy of the title of magic knight. Perhaps you should revaluate what that means yourself. To think that a commoner recruit and match a Royal captain, I'd say I got the best one at the exam."

"Yeah, you tell him Char!" Sol said.

"Call me captain."

"Indeed." Fuegoleon said.

I went to go back to my table when a hand fell on my shoulder. "Helen. Tell me do you have a Rival?" I turned to Leopold with a look of confusion.

He smiled, "Well then you and your brother Asta are my rivals!"

Asta and I just stood there for a second. "Um... what?"


Hello there.