The intense heavy magic energy and aura surrounding the arena slowly dissapered.
The trio stood to their feet exchanging confused glances at each other.
Sieg "We all passed. You're not pulling a prank on us right?"
Baka gave a slow nod
Captain Baka "You all passed, The exercise wasn't about raw power—it was about teamwork and skill Teamwork is everything in a squad.
Miki "So that means i can still be a Magic knight?"
Captain Baka "Yeah you can
Miki smiled relieved
Sieg ran to hug Miki
Sieg "Yeah Miki is still on the team." He said jubilated
Captain Baka "But never forget this very important lesson that those who disobey the kingdom's rules are scum… but those who betray or abandon their comrades are worse than scum."
Seig stared at Baka "He's… kinda cool." Seig muttered, a tiny smile tugging at his lips.
Baka gave them a nonchalant thumbs-up signalling the end of the combat assessment.
Captain Baka "That's it for the test, Team E's official mission starts in a week's time.
Suddenly the trio stomach grumbled in hunger because neither of them have eaten for hours.
Captain Baka "I see you three are hungry, i expected that so...
He walked over behind a tree and brought a large cooler
Captain Baka "I brought snacks, so everyone eat up.
The cooler slowly opened as the three were salivating they looked inside and their excitement dropped.
Sieg "Uh... Where's the snacks?"
Miki "Sensei you do know we're a little too young to be drinking alcohol"
Baka looked into the cooler puzzled
Captain "Oops my bad... I guess i carried the wrong cooler before checking.
Aturia sighed in exasperation.
Aturia "Seriously, Captain Baka… you're such an irresponsible adult sometimes, I wonder how you even became a Rank 1 Magic Knight."
Captain Baka grinned "Heh heh... Oh well i guess that means more for me"
He opens a can of beer.
Sieg I take back what i said you are not cool.
After leaving the arena, the trio made their way to a nearby restaurant.
Sieg walked confidently through the entrance before suddenly stopping.
He froze.
Sieg checked his pockets.
Then checked them again.
His expression slowly changed to one of pure horror.
Sieg thought. "Oh no…"
Miki looked at him.
Miki "What's wrong?"
Sieg pulled out his empty wallet.
Sieg "I just remembered i spent all my allowance on games."
Miki stared at him.
Miki "You spent all of it?"
Sieg nodded slowly.
Sieg "Every last coin."
Miki sighed.
Miki "That's... very Sieg of you."
Sieg looked offended.
Sieg "Hey!"
Miki reached into her bag.
She paused.
Her eyes widened.
Miki thought. "Wait…"
She searched through the bag again.
Then checked her pockets.
Miki "I forgot my wallet."
Sieg slowly turned toward her.
Sieg "You too?"
Miki gave an embarrassed smile.
Miki "I guess we're both broke."
The two of them sat down at a table, staring into the distance as if their lives had just been ruined.
Sieg "This is terrible."
Miki "Very."
Sieg "After everything we went through today…"
Miki "We can't even afford food."
Sieg "This is worse than Baka's training."
Miki nodded solemnly.
Miki "Much worse."
Aturia sat across from them, completely unfazed.
She picked up the menu.
Aturia "You two are ridiculous."
Sieg "Easy for you to say. You have money."
Aturia ignored him and continued looking through the menu.
A waiter approached.
Waiter "Have you decided what you'd like?"
Aturia pointed to one of the most expensive dishes on the menu.
Aturia "I'll have this."
Sieg's eyes immediately widened.
Sieg stared at the picture of the dish.
His jaw dropped.
It was a large, perfectly cooked piece of PREMIUM MEAT!!!
Sieg thought. "No way…"
He stared at it.
Sieg thought. "I've wanted to taste this for years…"
The waiter nodded and walked away.
Sieg slowly turned toward Aturia.
Sieg "You just ordered that?"
Aturia "Yes."
Sieg "That's the most expensive thing on the menu!"
Aturia "I know."
Sieg stared at her in disbelief.
Sieg "And you just casually ordered it?!"
Aturia shrugged.
Aturia "I'm hungry."
Sieg clutched his stomach.
Sieg "I'm hungry too…"
A few minutes later, Aturia's meal arrived.
The smell immediately reached Sieg.
His eyes practically sparkled.
Sieg "Ohhh…"
Aturia quietly began eating.
Sieg watched every bite with painful concentration.
He swallowed.
The waiter dropped another plate in front of Miki
Aturia "You must be hungry too, right? I bought two, so you can eat."
Miki "Thank you Aturia"
Sieg "Why won't you buy for me? I fought too.
Aturia continued eating as though she hadn't heard him.
Sieg "Hey, I'm talking to you."
Aturia took another bite.
Sieg "Seriously?"
Aturia completely ignored him.
Sieg "You know, sharing is part of teamwork."
Aturia glanced at him.
Aturia "You spent all your money on games."
Sieg froze.
Sieg "That has nothing to do with this."
Aturia returned to her meal.
Sieg sighed dramatically and rested his head on the table.
Sieg "Cruel…"
Miki watched them quietly.
She glanced at the plate of food in front of her.
Then at Sieg.
Miki thought. "I would share with him…"
Her stomach growled.
Miki immediately looked down at her own plate.
Miki thought. "...But I'm really hungry too."
Miki happily began eating.
Miki "Hmm... This tastes so good.
Aturia "I know right "
Sieg lifted his head
He stared at Miki.
Sieg "Traitor!"
Miki giggled.
For the first time since the assessment began, the three of them weren't thinking about fighting or becoming stronger.
They were simply sitting together, eating and arguing like ordinary friends.
A week later Team E assembled in the mission hall. A Mission Officer sat behind the counter, sorting through a stack of mission requests."
Officer " Team E? I've got an escort mission available. The person you'll be escorting is him.
An old man stepped up, hauling a massive amount of luggage.
Iroh "What's this? Just a bunch of ten-year-old brats?"
Sieg: "Um... Actually, we're twelve."
Iroh: "You think that makes me feel any better... Tch."
Iroh smirked. "Name's Iroh, Veteran bridge builder. You'll guard me with your lives until I finish my bridge back home."
Later that day the five of them walked outside Camelot huge steel gates
Sieg "All right! Let's do this!"
Aturia glared. "What are you so excited about?"
Seig grinned wide. "I've never left the kingdom before, That's why I'm excited!"
Iroh raised an eyebrow. "Hey, am I really safe with this brat? He's really annoying"
Baka waved a hand dismissively.
Captain Baka "I'm Rank 1 and their Captain. I'll watch over them and make sure your bridge is complete, don't worry.
Seig puffed out his chest. "Hey, old man—don't mock magic knights! I may be a kid now, but I'm gonna work hard and be the King of Knights one day.
Iroh: "King of Knights? Aren't they the rulers of a kingdom? You sure don't look like you could be king of anything to me. Why don't you choose another occupation and become a welder instead? Your fire magic would be useful."
Aturia snorted from behind, trying to hold back her laughter as Iroh continued to insult Sieg.
Seig clenched his fists. "I'll do whatever it takes, You'll have no choice but to acknowledge me then."
Iroh "Keep dreaming, kid. I'll never acknowledge you—even if you become King of Knights."
Miki: "Mr. Iroh, you said you were from the Lightning Kingdom, right?"
Iroh: "Yeah, but I actually live on one of the kingdom's outlying islands, far from the capital."
Miki's curiosity was piqued.
Miki "Captain Baka, are there magic knights there too?"
Captain Baka: "Yeah, each of the kingdoms has them. Cultures differ, and there are still plenty of small places like villages and islands, but these four great kingdoms dominate the world. Camelot lies in the East, the Earth Kingdom in the South, the Lightning Kingdom in the North, and the Spade Kingdom in the West.
"Each kingdom has a King of Knights who serves as its leader and protects its people."
Miki's eyes widened in awe.
Miki "No way… so the King's of Knights are that incredible?!
They reached the Port Harbor an hour later and began loading the old man's luggage which contained building materials onto the boat.
Once everything was loaded, they all sat down quietly. Baka cracked open a can of alcohol and took a sip before glancing at Iroh.
Captain Baka "Mr. Iroh, I believe you've got some explaining to do.