The Capital wasn't that much different from the market from your village. Same stores, the same people, and same attitudes. Thankful for the thick skin you have, you handle the narrow stares and degrading words thrown at you as you make your way to the place where the Magic Knights Entrance Exam will take place.

You placed yourself in the ever-growing line of people to get a number for the Exam. You can practically feel the magic attributes of everyone clashing against one another as they piled on one place, yours included. The mana was building up and an undeniable pressure will be produced because of it if you don't manage to focus your attention elsewhere.

"There sure are great opponents here!"

Without gaining any attention to yourself, you focused on the person's voice. The voice was quite boyish but the tone was high like he was excited and after sensing his spiking mana, you supposed that he is. He rambled on fighting stronger enemies and winning every fight with all of his magic. As you listen to his mumbles, you subconsciously turn the pressure of building mana into a background noise at the back of your brain. You stepped forward and grabbed your grimoire inside the bag to let the man on the counter see it. After that, he announced that you're number 280. You tucked the information of the boy behind you as number 281 for future purposes.

The dome was the largest thing you've seen, it even holds hundreds of people inside it. People were piling up and the place was surely becoming occupied and in other words, noisy. You weren't a shy person per se, you speak out about what is on your mind and don't think social class status to be an important thing. These must be the characteristics of yours that Freya saw that convinced her that you'll be a fine Magic Knight. But at the moment, you loathed these qualities because before you can think about it, you've already spoken.

"-like a bunch of chickens."

As the loud dome was silenced, a person beside you laughed. Trying hard to remain nonchalant and not to draw attention that you were the one who slipped up, you glanced beside you at the corner of your eye to look at the person who was now clutching their stomachs from laughing too hard. She was certainly tall, has ruffled short black hair and brown skin. She has green eyes, you figured, as she wiped the tears from her eyes, snorts still coming from her. You felt yourself face palm, praying to whoever's listening that people turned around and not cast you a second glance. When they do so, you let out a huge breath of relief before casting a half-hearted glare to the woman(?).

"It wasn't that funny."

"Calling men chickens is funny to me." She spoke, smiling widely.

"It's an honor for me to entertain you, then." You dryly said.

"My name is Sol, Sol Marron." she offered a hand to you, which you accepted and shook. "What's yours?"

"y/n." with a curt response, she nodded and continue conversing with you. She was like Freya in a sense of being excited and not minding the cold-like attitude you have. While the answers you give were short and can offend most people due to the tone, she paid it no mind and kept you company until the Entrance Exam started.

A clap from the top silenced the dome for the second time, a masked man and adorning an article of high-quality clothing that you're certain costs much more than what you can get for selling a bunch of bundled flowers. His presence alone calls out the attention of people, not to mention a large amount of mana that seeps from him. He was smiling when he successfully gathered the attention.

"Everyone, welcome to the Capital of the Clover Kingdom. As you may know, magic is an essential part of every person. It is also an important piece for you to become a Magic Knight. To protect your Kingdom, you must have magic. In this Entrance Exam, we will have four kinds of tests for the captains, myself included, to assess you. For the first one," he brought out his grimoire and used his magic to summon countless brooms and gave it to each participant before continuing his speech. "Maintaining a constant state of your magic flowing is important. To do so, we will give you these brooms to elevate yourselves by manipulating and controlling your mana."

Grasping the wooden broom in your hands, you noticed that the man's magical traces faded as the broom reached your destination. Is that what he meant by manipulating mana? You can control things by manipulating your mana to be able to do it instead of changing the object itself.

You placed your leg on the other side of the broom and let it settle between your legs. To manipulate an intangible thing such as mana, you accepted it as a part of you. You imagined it as an extension of yourself that comes from deep within inside you, like a protective blanket. You envisioned the mana wrapping around the broom, concentrating to adjust to the appropriate weight to carry both the actual broom and you. Then you were floating, meters above the ground with Sol grinning at you, giving you a thumbs up. You paid the giddiness inside you no mind and continued to stay afloat until the masked man say that you passed the first test.

The second test was about knocking down the targets by using magic and the third was about creativity in using magic which you've done with ease. However, the examiners must be bored to watch you create a large cocoon in the middle of many interesting magical manifestations. At this rate, you wouldn't pass this exam!

"For the last assessment, you will be using what you created in the third test for the individual battles."

Your face was passively calm as you listened to the man explain the criteria and the importance of knowing the basic combats in pursuing the career of being one of the Magic Knights but internally, you were dying! The cocoon you made doesn't stand a chance against the metal spikes, lightning boots, water spears, and even Sol's landmen.

"Now, choose partners and show what you're capable of."

"Oi," a rough voice called out to you. The boy was sporting a smirk on his lips and an arrogant glint in his eyes as he stared you down. "You. My opponent." He didn't even ask, he demanded before he left. He must've heard your internal monologue about the uselessness of your cocoon.

You could only sigh and wait for your demise. But first, you'll watch Sol's fight.

She was against a fire magic mage. In a natural logic, she must've got the advantage between them since she wields an earth creation magic. Sol quickly created landmen before launching head-on towards her opponent, who reacts and pour out a large amount of firebomb at the approaching woman. She placed the earth creations in front of her that acted as a shield for her. Her opponent was visibly distressed as Sol neared, panicky letting out spells after another to make the girl step back. But she wasn't having it, she continue pushing until her opponent ran out of mana, which made the battle a win for the brown-skinned girl. You clapped for her as she celebrate her victory.

The next battle was between the lightning user and a glass-creation mage. With lightning boots, the blonde with a smile can boost his speed while the glass-creation mage with his Shiny Cube, a defensive spell such as your cocoon but more effective than yours, you don't know what will be the outcome of this fight. The fight started and the blonde sped past to his opponent, not giving the other enough time to utilize his glass-creation and imprison the smiling blonde. You supposed the fight was over in an instant, the opponent was beaten to a pulp while the lightning user was still smiling. It was a terrifying sight, to see an ecstatic expression of a person with the blood of his enemy dripping down his face. Several official Magic Knights peeled off the blonde from the bloodied man as he mutter, "I want to fight strong opponents more."

Huh. So, he was the boy behind you earlier. The number 281.

"What a battle maniac!"

"He almost beat up to death the other guy!"

"And his smile! Scary!"

"Number 280 and 120, please step forward."

Putting a sweaty hand atop of your racing heart, you willed yourself to get a hold of sanity and remind yourself the reason why you're taking the Exam. Cautiously walking over to the battle stage, your opponent's smirk greeted you. "Sorry about earlier. Had to find weak ones as my stepping stones to be a Magic Knight. Be grateful that your failure will make my dreams true." Then he created a fist out of his sand-creation magic.

A stepping stone?

"Bold of you to assume that I'll let someone with the likes of you trash step on me." You coldly told him, grimoire already floating in front of you as it glows. As the person in charge announced the start of the battle, your opponent quickly pushed his sand fist to you. You calmly outstretched your hand forward and, "Butterfly magic: Chrysalis." A hard cocoon quickly enclosed around you, effectively covers any opening that sand could go in. The cocoon wasn't transparent, so you don't have an active visualization of what your opponent was doing right now but you have faith in your magic and ability. A repeated force made your defensive stance shake, he must've been using his sand fist to at least break your spell and left you open. He must have thought that you only know defensive spells.

What a moron.

"Butterfly magic: Swarm of the Dancing Speyeria Cybele" you spoke as hundreds of the bright orange-colored butterflies emerged from the back of your cocoon and quickly flies over to your opponent, who was completely open and didn't expect the offensive spell you made while inside the defensive layer. Once the sand fists disappear, you left the cocoon and run to him, grimoire ready. He was having a hard time protecting himself as the butterflies flew around him and spread their faux-poison. "Butterfly magic: Chrysalis Spear."

The boy coughed and choke as the butterflies filled his vision, what is this? A type of a smokescreen? To prevent him from seeing your next spell?

"Hey. . ." you called out to him, cold eyes staring through him as the once defensive spell turned into a newly shaped spear that was pointed directly to him. "Be my stepping stone to achieve my dreams."

Then you let go.

-

"123. . . No offers."

"039. . . One offer."

"192. . . No offers."

"281. . . One offer."

"120. . . No offers."

"679. . . Two offers."

"179. . . Three offers."

"280 . . . "

You stepped forward with a neutral face to hide the sweatiness that was building in the palm of your hands. Admittedly, you went too far on the last test. You're afraid that you scared the captains away!

"Four offers."

With wide eyes, you looked over to the captains. Outstretched hands of the captains of Coral Peacock, Blue Rose, Aqua Deer, and Crimson Lion. You took your time and focused on deciding which Magic Knight Squad you'll join but since you were a child, that robe was burned into your mind. Fortunately, the decision was already made years ago.

You took a deep breath and decide, "Please let me join the squad of Crimson Lion!"