Chapter 6: The Coral Peacocks

Lars' mouth felt dry. He considered who had requested him and how that would weigh up.

Joining the Crimson Lion Kings would be nice, and Fuegoleon was a kind soul and an even better captain, but it wasn't him that he was worried about. It was the intensity of his older sister, Mereoleona, that he was worried about. No doubt she would work him to the bone. Plus, their aesthetic didn't particularly suit him.

The Purple Orcas were considered by far the weakest magic knight squad, so Lars wasn't attracted to the idea of joining them. Plus, he had heard a lot from his father about the corruption of the Purple Orcas from the inside, and didn't want to further besmirch the Mertens name by becoming involved in a scandal.

While joining the Blue Rose Knights would be kinda funny, as it was the first choice of his sister all those years ago, and joining now would certainly piss his sister off, there was just one problem. If he joined now, most likely he would be treated as an outcast in the squad and never get into the higher levels. He would probably take on the role of chore boy or something or other.

Joining the Silver Eagles was a no-no. He could guarantee that Frida, if given authority over him, would make every day of his life hell. Also, her status as Vice-Captain would make it virtually impossible for her to progress throughout the squad, and put more expectation on him. So, there was only one viable option (but you knew that when you read the title, didn't you?)

"It would be an honour to join the Coral Peacocks." Lars said, with full pride in himself and his abilities. Dorothy Unsworth, who was the witch she had seen earlier, smiled and laughed. "Welcome to the squad, Lars! Glad to have you on board!"

Frida muttered something to Nozel and left, her robe billowing in the wind. Her captain looked after her with an emotion Lars could not decipher.

after the exam

Lars, with all his baggage, physical and emotional alike, arrived at the Coral Peacocks base. It was quite a grand building, looking like it had just come out of the noble realm. It looked to have quite a lot of rooms, and was surrounded by lots of plant life. There was a nice coastal view on the east side of the building, which Lars thought would be quite a nice view in the moonlight. A huge stained glass window was positioned over the door, depicting a Coral Peacock, and the Coral Peacocks' founder, Emeryn. She had no last name. The captain was already at the door, welcoming him.

"Come in! I promise you, we don't bite," she told him, beckoning him to come inside. Lars obeyed, approaching the door.

...

Lars didn't really know what to expect, but what he did know was that there were surprisingly few people here. Two boys and two girls.

He looked at the first person. He sat cross-legged on the floor, practising warping small objects with his Spatial Magic. His hair, dark and unruly, fell into his eyes as he focused, sweat beading on his forehead. His loose, simple tunic bunched up around his shoulders as he gestured with a hand, sending a small book through another portal. He was humming quietly to himself, his commoner's plain but comfortable clothing blending into the dimly lit common room, though there was a quiet intensity about him.

One of the girls was perched on the armrest of a couch, legs swinging casually as she flipped through a glossy magazine. She carried herself with confident energy, her cheeky grin highlighting her playful nature. Her short, choppy blue hair fell just below her ears, the vibrant colour adding to her carefree, rebellious look. She wore a fitted jacket that hugged her frame, with high boots that accentuated her height, making her presence even more striking. Her bright, mischievous eyes darted across the room, already scheming her next witty remark.

Someone else leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed over a broad chest, steel-grey eyes scanning the room. His muscular frame was highlighted by worn-down training clothes, and he absentmindedly fidgeted with a coin between his calloused fingers. His short-cropped hair was still damp from an earlier session, giving him a rough, disciplined look. Though his expression was serious, there were moments when his gaze softened, especially when it landed on the last girl.

In a sunny corner, said last girl sat with legs stretched out in front of them, focused intently on the small plant resting on the floor. Their delicate hands glowed softly with magic as they nurtured the sprout, wide eyes locked on the growing leaves. Dressed in a loose, flowing dress that complimented their slight frame, they seemed at home in the sunlight. Short, curly brown hair bounced gently with every small movement, though they remained absorbed, coaxing the plant to life with unwavering attention.

Dorothy smiled and clapped, calling the squad to attention. "Everyone!" she beamed. "We have a new member, so make them feel welcome!"

The Spatial Magic user was the first to introduce themselves. "Oda Fullbright. Nice to meet you, recruit. If you need to go anywhere, I'm your gu-"

The girl with blue hair went next, cutting him off. "I'm Sharya!" she said with a slight smirk, her boots clacking as she walked across the floor. She raised a hand to Lars in a firm handshake. Lars obliged, but wondered why she didn't say her last name.

The scary looking guy went next. "I'm Yul Bishop! I hope you like sparring, because around me, you're gonna be doing a lot of it!" he stated in a booming voice.

Lars laughed. "I like this guy!" he said, their hands meeting in a brilliant dap.

The last member of the squad currently present greeted him. "My name's Theresa Day! I'm the youngest member of the squad, so everyone around here calls me 'little sister'! Don't hesitate to call me that too, squadmate!"

"I am not calling you that…" Lars said, slightly put off.

"Aw, come on, why?" Theresa retorted with a mock pout.

"And I'm Lars. Lars Mertens." Lars said, with a smile on his face. "Not really much else to say. Let's work together to safeguard the Clover Kingdom! Oh yeah, and I use Mi-"

"Silence!" a voice rang out. A flamboyant young man with long, orange-blonde side-parted hair that was tied back entered. He had a braid going across his hairline and a thin band around his head. Two dark earrings hung on each ear, and he sported the Coral Peacock vest. Cherry blossoms flew around him in a beautiful yet obnoxious

"Why was everyone around me born so ugly?" Everyone around him let out a collective groan, but the man carried on, seemingly unfazed.

"And yet, why was I born so beautiful?" he continued with a dramatic flourish.

Sharya, clearly unimpressed, stated, "You're not the only beautiful one in the world, Kirsch. Stop being so annoying."

"So that's the vice captain?" Lars whispered to Dorothy. "He's quite a vain one. And where are the rest of the squad?"

Dorothy's smile was tinged with annoyance. "They all decided to go on missions just before the Entrance Exam…they'll be back in a few days. For now, I have your first mission!"

Lars's eyebrow raised. A mission so soon?

"Get some sleep!" Dorothy said cheerfully, and oblivious to everyone's incredulous looks.

...

Lars, just outside the dormitories, met with Oda and Yul, who had actually been talking for quite a while now. Lars had stayed downstairs to ask the Captain the million burning questions he had, and much to his surprise, she had answered every single one cheerfully.

He called out to the spatial and steel mages respectively.

"Yo! What'cha guys talking about? Anything interesting? Can I join?"

Oda smiled kindly, but with a hint of tiredness. "Not really, we've just been talking…about you."

"What about me?" Lars asked confusedly.

"If I'm correct, you were about to say that you have Mind Magic. What's that? I've never heard of it."

Lars explained the specifics of Mind Magic to a very intrigued Oda and Yul.

"So it doesn't rely on mana alone?" Yul asked. "I wish I had magic like that…"

"It's a lot worse than you think," Lars explained. "The thing is, every spell I use has a cost. Mind Magic requires mental energy, which is something produced by everyone when they do something requiring brain power. My brain produces this mental energy, but not at a fast enough rate to keep up with the use of my magic. It's kinda like coronary heart disease."

"Coronary what now?" Yul asked.

Oda facepalmed.

"So eventually, due to my magic, I'm gonna go insane one day. Like… completely off the rails."

Lars took a deep breath, then continued.

"But that's why I believe that I shouldn't spend any of my time worrying about the future. It's why, even though I should theoretically have that power, I haven't bothered to tap into it." He grinned.

"The power to see into mine or other people's futures would make life a lot more miserable, wouldn't it?"

…

Lars, after a long and deep talk to Oda and Yul about their magic attributes and life in general, flopped onto his bed, still smiling. He hadn't really had many friends before, what with growing up in such an isolated place. Gratitude washed over him.

As he slept that night, a certain blue haired figure, not in boots this time, crept into his room. She touched his grimoire.

"Copy Magic: Copy and Paste."

Her grimoire flipped its pages, revealing Mind Magic: Grand Catharsis written in very faint letters. She smirked.

"Perfect."