"You know, sir," Alaric's father began, a hint of worry etched across his brow, "I really don't see the necessity for him to take the Magic Knights exam. He's more than capable. Can't you just assign him to a squad?"

Julius chuckled lightly, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, though I do have the authority to do so," he replied, leaning back in his chair, his tone teasing. "But where's the fun in that? You see, both of you will be staying in the Clover Kingdom for quite some time, and given your son's age, it only seems fair for him to experience the exam like so many others will today."

He glanced at the clock, a flicker of anticipation crossing his features. "Speaking of which, I really should be going before Marx returns. I can't wait to see all the new and exciting magic!" With a sudden burst of energy, he sprang from his seat, signing a document in a swift flourish before darting off through the window.

Just then, a firm knock echoed through the room. "Wizard King, are you here?" Marx called out, swinging the door open with purpose.

"Lord Vincent!" he exclaimed, his gaze sweeping across the empty space.

"Long time no see, Marx!" Vincent waved, a smile lighting up his face.

"He ran off somewhere again, didn't he?" Marx sighed, a knowing look in his eyes.

"Seems like it," Vincent replied, his voice laced with amusement.

"Since you're here, I'm guessing it was approved for your son Alaric to be placed in a Magic Knights squad," Marx speculated, a serious expression settling upon his features.

"As a matter of fact," Vincent interjected, his eyes glinting, "he wants to take part in the entrance exam taking place today."

"I see. I just need His Majesty to sign off on a few papers," Marx said as he approached the desk. His heart sank slightly when he noticed the papers he needed were already signed. "At least he signed off on everything on time," he muttered with a resigned sigh.

"Where did you run off to this time, Lord Julius?" he added, his frustration mingling with curiosity.

...

Asta, Yuno, and Stella stepped into the vibrant heart of Kikka, the air buzzed with excitement and the aroma of exotic spices filled their lungs. Stalls adorned with colorful banners beckoned them closer, each a kaleidoscope of magic-infused goods and tantalizing foods.

"Wow, this is amazing!" Stella exclaimed, her wide eyes sparkling as she absorbed the scene. She gestured animatedly toward a nearby stand where an enchanted vendor effortlessly roasted a boar with his flame magic with a flick of his wrist.

"So cool!" Asta chimed in, his voice brimming with wonder as he took in the myriad ways magic intertwined with everyday life. A dazzling array of colorful fruits and vegetables caught his eye, including a stall where a merchant used his magic to peel an apple, the skin swirling away like ribbons in the wind. The trio wandered past a weapons shop, the glint of steel and magic sending a shiver down their spines. A sharp gasp escaped them, as they inspected the prices, and they instinctively took a step back, their eyes wide with caution.

"This place is a far cry from the village, huh?" Yuno remarked, his brows furrowing as he scanned the bustling crowd.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Stella replied, her voice laced with awe. Suddenly, Asta's gaze shifted upward, locking onto the majestic castle that loomed ahead.

"Hey, is that where the Wizard King lives?"

"Probably the country's king too," Yuno responded, his tone thoughtful.

"Pretty nice, especially since it's going to be my castle someday."

"My castle, you mean!" Yuno shot back, amusement dancing in his features.

"Yeah, sure! Maybe we'll just have to see who gets there first. Who knows, it might actually become my castle instead," Stella teased, striding ahead with newfound confidence.

"Well, she's feeling confident," Yuno said, shaking his head with a smile.

"No way! Don't tell me you want to be Wizard King too!" Asta exclaimed, half-serious, half-joking.

"I'm just joking!" Stella laughed, waving her hand dismissively. "I have absolutely no desire to become the Wizard King. I'll leave that to both of you!" Their light-hearted banter was interrupted by the piercing cry of a baby. They turned to see a woman carrying a child on her back, several young ones trailing behind her, laughter and chaos at her heels.

"That reminds me of everyone back home at the church," Asta murmured, a nostalgic smile gracing his lips.

"I miss everyone already," Stella sighed, her voice tinged with longing.

"I feel real sorry for them," Asta continued, raising his hands behind his head in a carefree gesture. "Must be really lonely without me there."

"Yeah," Yuno replied, walking a few paces ahead, his thoughts drifting. Stella walked alongside Asta.
...

As Asta and Stella made their way to the meeting place for the Magic Knights exam, a tantalizing aroma wafted through the air, drawing them toward an elderly woman tending a sizzling grill of violet snakes skewered on wooden sticks. Asta's eyes widened in delight as he exclaimed,

"Whoa! These are super cheap!" He quickly purchased one, the grilled violet snake glistening under the sun.

"Hey, do you want one?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at Stella, who walked beside him.

"I'm okay," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. A nervous smile flickered across her face, betraying her apprehension. "Besides, I'm too nervous to eat anyway." Asta, brimming with confidence, leaned forward slightly, his tone reassuring.

"No need to be nervous! We'll pass the exam for sure. But where did Yuno go? We should try to catch up with him!" He picked up his pace, his eagerness propelling him ahead.

"Right," Stella nodded, forcing herself to match his enthusiasm, though her heart raced with uncertainty.

The elderly woman, her eyes sparkling with memory, cast a knowing glance at Stella's robe. "My, it's been a while since I've seen that robe," she remarked, her voice warm and rich with nostalgia. Stella's curiosity ignited, she stepped closer.

"My robe? Miss, Do you happen to know more about it? it was given to me a long time ago." Her eagerness shone through, and her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

"It's a robe from a Magic Knight squad called the Grey Deer," the woman explained, a hint of reverence in her tone. "Though now, the name has changed to the Aqua Deer." The revelation hung in the air, a thread connecting Stella to a legacy she had yet to fully grasp.

"May I ask who gifted you that robe, my dear?"

"It belonged to my—" But before she could finish, Asta's energetic voice sliced through the air like a flurry of wind.

"Hey, come on! We don't want to be late for the Magic Knight exam!" he called out, his enthusiasm bubbling over as he bounced on his heels.

"Sorry! I'll be right there." Stella bowed gracefully, her smile lingering as she turned back to the elderly woman. "Thank you, ma'am, but if you'll excuse me—"

"Wait! Here you are, dear. Have one for free," the elderly woman insisted, holding out a skewer topped with a cooked violet snake, its shimmering skin glistening in the sunlight.

"Thank you! Hopefully, we can talk again another time." With a hint of excitement, Stella dashed away to catch up with Asta and Yuno.

...

"So, where's this exam happening, anyway?" Asta asked, taking a big bite of the violet snake he had bought earlier, the flavors exploding in his mouth.

"Over there, I think," Yuno replied, glancing to the side before his gaze fell upon the odd food in Asta's hand. "What is that?" he wondered, a questionable look in his eyes.

"Grilled violet snake on a stick! It was super cheap too! Want a bite?" Asta offered, grinning wide, bits of snake lingering on his lips.

"I'll pass," Yuno replied, only to notice Stella had one as well. "I'm not surprised Asta brought one, but you got one too?" His brow furrowed, She didn't respond to his question.

"Stella!" he called her name again.

"Huh?" She turned, her expression shifting to surprise. "Oh, this? Asta, you can have it. The elderly woman gave it to me for free, but I don't really have an appetite for it," she said, her fingers gently offering the skewer to Asta.

"Well, guess that's more for me then!" Asta exclaimed, excitement dancing in his eyes.

"Hey, you alright?" Yuno asked, concerned lacing his tone.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Stella replied, though the weight of unsaid questions lingered in her heart. She longed to ask the kind woman more, to see if she knew anything more, maybe about her mother too. Perhaps after the exam, she would find the chance to discover the answers she sought.

...

The three of them made their way to the venue where the exam was being held, the atmosphere buzzing with anticipation. A large crowd of participants, family, and friends gathered, their energy a vibrant tapestry of support. "Wow, there are so many people!" Stella exclaimed, her wide eyes scanning the throng.

"Good luck on the exam!" someone shouted, and the crowd responded with cheers.

"Clover Kingdom's rising stars!" the citizens called out as Asta waved enthusiastically.

"I won't let you down! Don't worry!" He announced cheerfully, his voice cutting through the noise like a clarion call.

Stella, walking right beside him, felt a blush creep up her cheeks under the scrutiny of so many eyes; she focused on the cobblestones beneath her feet to avoid the attention that Asta attracted.

In front of them, Yuno repeatedly reminded himself that he didn't know Asta, as if believing it might shield him from the spotlight.

They finally found themselves in one of the long lines destined for the participant entrance. When their turn arrived, they approached the Mage to receive their numbers.

"Well, next!" The Magic Knight assigned to the task called, looking up as Yuno stepped forward.

"Yuno from Hage," he introduced himself with quiet confidence.

"Yuno from Hage, all right. And your grimoire?" the mage asked, his curiosity piqued. Yuno showed his grimoire, and a stunned expression washed over the mage's face as he took in the four-leaf clover emblazoned within the cover of the book. Surrounding mages and participants alike gaped in awe.

"Right. Your number is 164," the mage said, a note of respect in his voice as he assigned Yuno his number.

Eagerly, Asta bounded up to the mage, practically thrusting his grimoire into the man's face. "I came here from Hage too! I'm Asta!"

"Huh. Not really in great shape, is it? Are you sure that's a grimoire?" The mage scrutinized the dirt-smudged cover with confusion.

"What? Of course I'm sure!" Asta replied, undeterred. "Come on, take a good look!" He leaned in even closer, practically shoving the book into the mage's face.

"Asta, don't just shove the book in his face!" Stella chided, a mix of embarrassment and exasperation coloring her tone.

"But it's a grimoire!" Asta defended, his enthusiasm unyielding. The mage, visibly annoyed, quickly assigned Asta the number 165.

"Yes!" Asta whooped, then dashed off with reckless excitement.

"Hey, hold on!" Stella called after him as she stepped up to the mage. "My name's Stella from Hage," she said, introducing herself with a polite but slightly nervous smile.

"Your grimoire?" he asked skeptically. Stella revealed her plain white grimoire, and the mage's confusion deepened.

"Is this some kind of joke?" he blurted out incredulously.

"What? No! I know it doesn't look like one, but I promise you it's a grimoire!" Stella insisted, her voice steady though agitation simmered within her.

The mage appeared even more skeptical, and the two companions alongside him began to chuckle, clearly not taking her seriously. Stella felt the heat rise in her cheeks but held her composure. Suddenly, her grimoire glowed, and Luna appeared gracefully upon her shoulder, a celestial presence.

"You see? It's a grimoire!" Stella said, glancing pointedly at the mage. Luna arched an eyebrow, commanding respect. "Now give her a number already!" she demanded.

"Alright, your number is 166," he relented, annoyance creeping into his tone.

"Thank you!" Stella said brightly, eager to move forward as she started toward the entrance.

"Thank you, Luna."

"No worries! I'm just glad you finally made it. Are you ready for the exam?" Luna asked, her voice soothing yet thrumming with energy.

"I'm a little nervous, but with you two by my side, I should be just fine. I just hope he'll show up. I tried summoning him during training, but it just wasn't working."

"More like he's just being stubborn," Luna replied with a playful roll of her eyes. "But he'll appear just in time for your match—or he'll definitely assist you like before when you shattered that rock."

"I hope so, because besides my Glitch spell and defensive spells, I won't be able to do anything offensive without him," Stella said, a twinge of worry in her voice.

"No need to worry," Luna reassured her, a gleam of confidence shining in her eyes.

...

As Stella gathered with the other participants, her eyes darted anxiously around the bustling crowd, searching for Asta and Yuno. They were nowhere in sight until a flash of movement caught her attention. A flock of black birds with red beaks soared overhead, their wings glinting in the sunlight.

"What are those birds?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"They're anti-magic birds," Luna replied, her tone matter-of-fact. "The lower your magic power, the more birds gravitate toward you."

"With that in mind, I guess it's no wonder they're avoiding me," Stella mused with a wry smile, glancing up at Luna perched on her shoulder. "I assume it's more likely because you're here with me."

"More or less," Luna agreed.

Stella instinctively turned her gaze forward as a commotion erupted among the other participants. They were pointing excitedly in Yuno's direction. "Look at that guy! There aren't any birds around him!" one exclaimed, and another added, "And that girl too!"

"I figured Yuno wouldn't have any birds surrounding him," Stella conceded, but then a realization struck her. "Oh wait—Asta doesn't have any magic!"

Just then, a boisterous laugh rang out, and Stella's heart leaped as she spotted Asta bounding toward Yuno. "Oh no," she whispered in horror as his figure came into view.

"One of us is going to be the Wizard King! This is where our legend begins, isn't that right, Yuno?" Asta proclaimed dramatically, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.

"He can't be serious," murmured some of the others, their surprise evident in their expressions.

"I've been training for this for the last six months!" Asta declared, an ominous cloud of birds swirling around him like a living storm.

"Why are they trying to kill me?" he hollered, flailing as he sprinted away, desperately trying to shoo the birds from his head.

Laughter erupted from the crowd as they watched him dash around, flapping his arms in every direction.

Stella being close by, watching him with worry. "Asta, watch out!" she yelled, just as he collided into someone standing before him.

The impact startled the flock, sending the birds scattering into the sky, leaving a brief silence in their wake.

"Whew, guess they finally had enough," Asta panted, turning to face the tall man he'd just crashed into. "Hey there! Sorry about that!" But the man's expression was far from welcoming; his face was carved with an intimidating scowl, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

"You got a death wish, boy?" He growled, a powerful aura radiating from him that sent a shiver down Stella's spine.

Asta, ever the oblivious one, grinned cheerfully at the man, "Wow, you look really old for your age! Must've had a rough life, huh?"

Stella's eyes widened in disbelief. "Asta, I don't think he's our age," she warned, her heart racing as the man's grip suddenly tightened around Asta's head.

The crowd fell silent, curiosity piqued as they watched the scene unfold.

"Looks like I was right about that death wish," the man remarked, a dark amusement glimmering in his eyes.

Luna, recognizing the ominous figure, decided it was best to slip away. "Hey, Luna! Do you know who that guy is that's about to kill Asta?" Stella called out, but she noticed Luna had vanished.

"Where'd you go?" Stella muttered nervously, her concern for Asta swiftly rising. She approached the two, but just then, two other men arrived, cutting through the tension.

"Finally! What are you doing out here anyway?" One asked, his tone light but edged with irritation.

"Right now? Getting ready to ring this kid's neck," the imposing man snarled, his grip on Asta's hair growing more painful.

A murmur spread through the onlookers. "Is that who I think it is?" someone whispered.

"Yeah, that's Finral Roulacase," a girl gasped, awe coloring her voice. "Wielder of the rare spatial magic."

"And with him is Gordon Agrippa! He's a hex magic expert. I heard he has some communication issues," chimed in another voice.

Stella's pulse raced at the names. An expert in spatial magic and another skilled in hex magic! This was becoming more exciting by the second. But her focus shifted back to the man menacing Asta, her heart racing as she mustered the courage to speak.

"Um, excuse me, sir," she said cautiously, forcing a smile. "I'm really sorry about my friend. He can be a bit of an idiot sometimes, but please don't hurt him." Asta groaned, both from the pain and from her blunt assessment of his foolishness.

The man glanced at her, annoyance flashing across his face. "I don't think so," he spat, squeezing Asta's head tighter.

"Dang it, I just made things worse," Stella thought frantically.

"Hey now, stop that! That won't do at all!" Finral interjected, stepping forward. "A squad captain can't kill an examinee, and besides, this lovely young lady asked you politely." He took Stella's hand in his, and before she could react, he conjured a delicate rose with his spatial magic, presenting it to her with a flourish.

"Um, thank you," she stammered, a mix of confusion and wariness washing over her as she instinctively took a step back.

"Why'd you even come down here?" Finral turned to his captain.

"So this guy is a squad captain," Stella thought, her mind racing as she cataloged the overwhelming amount of mana emanating from him.

"I went to take a dump and got lost," Yami grumbled, barely paying attention to the unfolding drama.

"That guy must be Yami Sukehiro!" someone exclaimed in surprise.

"Yami, the captain of the Black Bulls?" another added incredulously. "You mean the squad where every single member has a screw loose?"

As Yami tightened his grip on Asta, who was desperately trying to break free, he cast a lingering gaze at Stella, assessing the girl who had dared to intervene. His sharp eyes fell upon her tattered grey robe, bringing questions to his mind.

"Hey, pipsqueak," he addressed her, his tone shifting as he released Asta, who stumbled back, breathless.

"Yes, sir?" Stella replied, her heart pounding, her posture rigid with trepidation. But before Yami could pose his question, an explosion of fireworks lit up the sky, casting colorful sparks over the tense scene.

"Well, now look at that! The exam is about to begin!" Finral declared, striking a pose with his hands planted defiantly on his hips. The exam loomed ahead.

With an irritated click of his tongue, Yami strode off, his expression a mix of annoyance and resignation, leaving Asta to crumple to the ground, cradling his head in his hands as pain punctuated his every thought.

"Are you okay?" Stella exclaimed, her voice a rush of concern as she knelt beside him, her brow furrowing, a worried frown eclipsing her usual buoyant spirit.

"That was a close one, boy! You've been given a second chance at life; you better do something with it—or else I'll come back and kill you!" Yami threatened nonchalantly, menacing in the midst of his stride, keeping his gaze ahead without breaking his pace.

Finral shot a playful wink at Stella and a few other unsuspecting women in the vicinity, his trademark charm on full display. "See you later!" he called out, his tone dripping with carefree mischief as he swaggered off alongside his captain and squadmate.

Asta slowly rose to his feet, gingerly rubbing his throbbing head. "That was a whole lot of not fun," he muttered, eyes glazed with a mix of annoyance and disbelief.

"Tell me about it!" Stella replied, half-laughing, half-sighing, relief washing over her as she glanced at Asta. Yet, her thoughts drifted into shadows of uncertainty; her mind replayed the moment when their squad captain had opened his mouth to ask her something, only to let the question dissolve into the air, leaving her with unanswered curiosity. What could it have been about?