The arena buzzed with anticipation as the participants readied themselves for the final exam. The atmosphere was electric, a mix of nerves and excitement filling the air. Merchants began to enter the arena, their caravans lined up and ready for the first phase of the trial. The announcer, Pepe, a knight captain from Percival's squad, stepped forward, his voice booming across the arena to address the candidates.
"Everyone, today is the final exam of the Aether Knights trial!" Pepe declared, his tone commanding attention. "The trial will be split into three phases. The first phase is an escort mission. Your task is to escort the merchant caravan safely to the City of Ateria, which is two hours away from Aetherlight. This phase requires all 34 candidates to work together. This is the only information you'll receive for now. The second phase will be explained once you reach Ateria City. Good luck!"
The candidates exchanged glances, some nodding in determination while others whispered among themselves. Mixarnt turned to Liva with a confident grin. "Nice, let's do our best, Liva," he said, his enthusiasm infectious.
Liva blushed slightly but nodded eagerly, her excitement evident. "Yeah, let's give it our all!"
"Hey, you are Mixarnt right? I'm Ewan, this is Mara, Lina and Tessa. Is it okay if we join you? We four are commoners and were lucky enough to reach the final trial." Ewan said with a friendly tone. Behind him, the three girls were smiling and nodding.
"Sure! The more the merrier!" Mixarnt said with a grin. Liva smiled and introduced herself to them. "Nice to meet you all. My name is Liva, I may be a noble, but I don't mind being with commoners."
However, not everyone shared their optimism. Ratrat, one of the noble candidates, sneered as he looked around at the group. "Hahaha, can't believe we'll be working with some commoners." he said, his tone dripping with disdain.
Out of the 34 candidates, only five were commoners, including Mixarnt. The divide between the nobles and commoners was palpable, and Ratrat's comment only deepened the tension.
Riri, another noble, chimed in, directing her words at Liva. "Hey, Liva, come here. Don't join that bunch. They're useless. You're a noble, aren't you?" she said, her voice sharp and condescending.
Before Liva could respond, Razen, a noble from the prestigious House Valebrand, stepped forward. Her expression was stern, and her voice carried an air of authority. "Can all of you shut up?" she said, her gaze sweeping over Ratrat and Riri. "All of us here are in this together. So don't exclude them. It's fucking annoying."
Mitchel, a noble from House Warbane, nodded in agreement. Her sharp gaze and the small claymore strapped to her back made her an imposing figure. "Who are you guys, anyway, to decide who's better or not?" she said, her tone challenging.
Rise, a noble from the Goldcrest family, added with a grin, "Right. Everyone here knows that Mixarnt is capable. Let's not waste time with pointless arguments."
Ratrat scowled, clearly annoyed by the nobles defending Mixarnt and the commoners. "Agh... Aren't you ashamed of yourselves!?" he snapped, his frustration evident.
Muldik, another noble, echoed Ratrat's sentiment. "Yeah, why are you siding with them? They're just commoners!"
Rise shrugged, his grin unwavering. "None of your business hehe." he said simply, his confidence unshaken.
Mixarnt, who had been quietly observing the exchange, couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude toward the nobles who had spoken up in his defense. He stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. "Look, we're all here to prove ourselves as Aether Knights. Whether we're nobles or commoners doesn't matter. What matters is how we work together to complete this mission. So, let's focus on that, okay?"
His words seemed to resonate with some of the candidates, and the tension in the air began to ease. Liva smiled at Mixarnt, her admiration for him growing. Even Razen and Mitchel nodded in approval, their respect for Mixarnt evident.
The tension in the arena was palpable as Kleto, one of the high-ranking nobles, sneered at Mixarnt and the other nobles who supported the commoners. "Tch! A bug will always be a bug!" he said, his voice dripping with contempt as he grinned mockingly at Mixarnt and his allies.
Before Mixarnt could respond, a sweet, melodic voice cut through the air, amplified by voice magic. "M-Mixarnt, do your best!!!!" The voice was kind, beautiful, and filled with genuine emotion. Everyone turned to the source, and there, in the audience, stood Alyssia, her cheeks flushed and her eyes teary with worry. Her beauty was so striking that even the nobles who had been mocking Mixarnt were momentarily stunned. Kleto, in particular, was captivated. "B-beautiful," he murmured, his earlier arrogance replaced by awe.
Mixarnt's face lit up as he saw Alyssia. He waved at her, his usual grin spreading across his face. "Alyssia! Don't worry! I promised, right? I'll be okay! Then later, let's go on a date again!" he called out, his voice full of confidence and affection.
The audience and the candidates in the arena were dumbfounded, their attention now fully on Alyssia. The magical observer quickly shifted the broadcast to her, and her image appeared on the large screens throughout the arena. Her beauty and cuteness were undeniable, and as she hid her face in the arms of her older sister, Elyssia, the crowd couldn't help but cheer and fall in love with her endearing shyness. "Okay..." Alyssia said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, her blush deepening as she peeked out from behind her sister's arms.
The nobles, particularly Kleto and Ratrat, were visibly shaken. "Bastard! Who's that girl, huh?!" Kleto demanded, his voice a mix of jealousy and disbelief.
Mixarnt smirked, clearly enjoying the moment. "Her name is Alyssia. She's a princess of the Kingdom of Naeva, my girlfriend, and my fiancée," he declared proudly.
The revelation sent shockwaves through the nobles, especially Ratrat, Kleto, and the others who had been openly hostile toward Mixarnt. Kleto, unable to contain his frustration, spat out, "Fucking kid. She's probably a slut if she likes a commoner like you—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Razen, stepped forward and punched Kleto square in the face. The impact was so forceful that Kleto stumbled backward, clutching his jaw. Razen's eyes burned with fury as she glared at Kleto. "Do you want me to offer your head to the princess?" she growled, her voice low and menacing. "As a soon-to-be knight of Aetherlight, it is our duty to respect royalty, no matter if they are from another kingdom. The same goes for all of you bastards. I don't know what your parents taught you, but calling a princess a slut? Aren't you ashamed, Kleto? Your father is a duke, right?"
The broadcast shifted to Razen, and her words echoed throughout Aetherlight. The entire kingdom watched in stunned silence as the scene unfolded. People couldn't believe what they had just heard—Kleto, a noble from a prestigious family, had insulted a princess.
In the grand hall of the palace, where King Arnold, the noble families, the current and former generals, and the royal advisors Lyandra and Amon were gathered, the atmosphere turned icy. Kleto's father, Duke Geleto, was livid. "KLETO!!!!!" he roared, his face red with anger and shame. He immediately dropped to his knees before King Arnold, his voice trembling as he begged for forgiveness. "Y-your majesty! Please forgive my son! I swear I will conduct punishment on him, whether he passes the trial or not!"
King Arnold's expression was stern, his gaze piercing as he looked down at Duke Geleto. "Sigh, if you want to truly punish your child, teach him manners and make him a good noble, Geleto. Also, make sure to apologize to the King of Naeva for this incident. News travels fast. If you don't do something about it, I will hand your head—along with your entire house's—to them," the king said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
The current and former generals, their eyes fixed on Geleto, added to the weight of the king's words. The other nobles in the grand hall felt a chill run down their spines. The current and former generals were the true nobles of the kingdom, individuals who had earned their titles through merit and valor. Their presence alone was enough to instill fear.
"I understand, your majesty!!!" Duke Geleto said, his voice trembling as he kept his head bowed very low.
Back in the arena, the tension remained high. Razen's actions had silenced the hostile nobles, at least for the moment. Mixarnt, meanwhile, stood tall, his confidence unshaken. He glanced at Alyssia one last time, giving her a reassuring smile before turning his attention back to the task at hand. The first phase of the trial was about to begin, and Mixarnt was determined to prove himself—not just to the nobles who doubted him, but to everyone watching. With Alyssia's support and the camaraderie of his fellow candidates, he was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.