fics I read

Later that night, Father Orsi, Sister Lily, and Anika began placing all pop-potato-based food and drinks on the dinner table as everyone was seated around the wooden furniture.

"I take it these are Hage's famous pop-potatoes?" Salim asked curiously.

"I'm not sure they'll be up to your noble taste, sir." Father Orsi admitted. "But we hope you will at least find them adequate."

Salim grabbed a crispy fried pop-potato ball and munched it.

"Goodness. Incredibly crumbly and mealy. And I'm not certain I've ever had something that dries the mouth so." Salim commented. He picked up a cup of water and slurped it. "And yet it's…tasty."

"Good. I'm so glad to hear it." Father Orsi said.

"Sister Lily, it would seem you possess an exemplary talent for cooking." Salim said, turning his head to Sister Lily.

"I only prepared a few basic dishes." Sister Lily said.

"There's more than enough for everyone. Please don't hesitate to eat as much as you'd like." Anika said. She then looked towards Klaus and Mimosa. "And the same goes for you two as well, of course."

"Yes, thank you." Klaus said. He looked down at the plate with a scowling expression. A noble of the Clover Kingdom, in a ramshackle church, eating dishes that defy identification.

Mimosa grabbed a piece of a pop-potato pie and took a bite of it.

"Oh wow. It really does dry one's mouth out." Mimosa said.

"Yes, quite extraordinary, isn't it?" Father Orsi nodded. "Our good boys, Yuno and Asta, both sent home money from the first wages they received as Magic Knights. Thanks to them, we were able to buy a huge supply of pop-potatoes. Enough to make sure all the children at the church will have full bellies every day."

Yuno and Mora smiled as Father Orsi sobbed into tears.

"Here's an idea. Maybe next time buy us something different for once like Ms. Anika does." Nash remarked with a deadpan face.

"The boy's not wrong, Orsi." Anika concurred as she placed her hands on her hips. She turned her head to Nash. "Don't worry, Nash. I'll be more than happy to provide you and the children with different foods every now and then."

"There's no need to be greedy, Nash." Father Orsi scolded as he walked up behind Yuno. "Just look how big and strong Yuno here got on a steady diet of pop-potatoes."

"Yuno." Salim spoke.

"Hmm?" Yuno said.

"Sending the first of your wages back home, that was very honorable." Salim said.

"It's nothing." Yuno said.

"That's not true. We're very grateful, Yuno." Sister Lily said. "And the money that you sent home and helped us out so much, and not just with pop-potatoes."

"We were finally able to patch up all the holes in the floor." Recca said.

"And we dug a well out in the garden, too." Nash added.

"Thank you for everything, Yuno!" Aruru smiled.

"Yeah, for everything!" Hollo smiled.

Yuno smiled at his foster siblings. He then looked up at Father Orsi.

"Asta sent something, too?" Yuno asked.

"Yes, and what a contribution it was." Father Orsi said.

"How much did he send?" Yuno asked curiously.

"Oh, um. He, uh..." Sister Lily said.

Sister Lily approached and whispered Asta's money estimate in Yuno's ear, making his eyes widened with a gasp.

"When I get my wages next month, I'm sending it all to you." Yuno said firmly.

"What? That really isn't necessary." Sister Lily said. "The amount you already sent was so generous, we'll be more than fine for a while. But thank you for offering."

"You'll get it all." Yuno said firmly.

"Um, well, sure. If that's what you want." Sister Lily said.

"Oh brother." Mora muttered with a smile as she rolled her eyes.

"Mora, can we feed Athena and Ares?" Aruru asked Mora.

"Yeah, can we?" Hollo pleaded.

"Athena and Ares?" Mimosa repeated.

"Relatives of yours?" Klaus asked.

"Not exactly." Mora replied. "Ares and Athena are…my spirits."

"Spirits?!" Klaus, Mimosa, and Salim exclaimed in a complete shock and surprise. "As in elemental spirits?!"

"Yup." Mora answered. "When I got my grimoire, Ares and Athena came out of it. They've been by my side ever since. It was the best day of my life."

"And why didn't you use them during the entrance exam?" Mimosa asked.

"I didn't think it would be fair if I did. I want to pass that exam fair and square." Mora replied. "Cheating was never my option."

Ares and Athena appeared from the opposite sides of Mora. Everyone, except for Yuno and Anika, gasped at the spirits with surprised expressions.

"And why wasn't your superior officer informed about this information earlier?" Klaus demanded.

"Because you're an arrogant jerk, that's why." Ares answered as he sped close to Klaus's slightly frightened face.

"Calm yourself, Ares." Athena said. "But you're not wrong."

Klaus turned away with a scoff.

"They're so cute." Recca smiled. She held out a crispy fried pop-potato ball to Ares. "Here. You can have some."

Ares flew away from Klaus and munched the fried pop-potato ball.

"Oh, wow." Ares commented. "It really is crumbly. Definitely dry your mouth."

Ares took another bite of the fried pop-potato ball with a delightful expression.

Hollo looked at Athena and held out a piece of a pop-potato pie to her. Athena flew slowly and took a bite of the pie slice.

"Oh wow." Athena said. "Delicious. It's not bad."

Mora smiled at her spirits.

Then, Klaus cleared his throat.

"Pardon, Salim, sir. We really ought to be on our way now." Klaus said to Salim.

"Why? What's the hurry? We can stay a little longer, surely." Salim said. "Just think, as members of the nobility, we have a rare opportunity to broaden our horizons here. Please, Sister Lily. Might I trouble you for another glass of water?"

"Of course." Sister Lily said.

Sister Lily walked up to the water jug, but the jug itself was completely empty.

"Oh, looks like it's empty." Sister Lily said. She held the water jug with both hands. "Well, I'll go."

"Let me." Yuno said as he rose from his seat.

"No, it's all right. You just stay put and relax." Sister Lily assured.

"I'll go with her." Ares said to Mora. "Just in case she needs help."

"Will do." Mora nodded.

Ares flew after Sister Lily, who was about to exit. But Salim's voice halted them.

"Wait, please. Just a moment." Salim said. He walked from his seat and covered Sister Lily with his shawl. "It still gets rather chilly out at night."

"Thank you very much." Sister Lily said.

Sister Lily and Ares then exited the church.

"A real gentleman, aren't cha?" Nash said.

"Yes, well, you know. These things just come naturally to me." Salim said. "That's what it means to be a true nobleman."

Yuno frowned at Salim's words.

Then suddenly, the sound of a shattering jug caught everyone's earshot.

Yuno, Mora, and Athena immediately rushed outside. They halted and looked down at the broken water jug with serious, alarming expressions on their faces.

"What happened?" Recca asked as she and the others arrived at the scene.

"What was that crash?" Father Orsi asked.

"Where's Sister Lily?" Nash asked.

"And Ares?" Anika asked.

Klaus bent down and picked up a small skull-shaped brooch from the ground.

"I recognize that." Yuno said.

"Me too." Mora said.

"The villains who came after Salim before were wearing these brooches." Klaus said.

"Those bandits who attacked us earlier?" Salim said with horror. "I can't believe it. I gave her my robe, so she wouldn't catch a cold out here. But because she was wearing it, they took Sister Lily, mistaking her for me." He then collapsed to his knees. "Oh, it makes sense. That must be what happened."

Klaus and Mimosa traded silent looks.

"Is Sister Lily going to be okay? Is she, Yuno?" Aruru asked, running up and hugging Yuno's leg.

"Yuno?" Hollo said, walking up to Yuno.

Aruru released her hug just as Yuno crouched and placed a comforting hand on Aruru's head.

"Yes, don't worry. I'll bring her back." Yuno said.

"You mean we." Mora corrected. "Athena told me that Ares went to keep an eye on Sister Lily, so he must be in trouble too."

"I'm going, too." Father Orsi said as he spun his magic broom around in the air.

"Same goes for me." Anika said.

"Yeah, so am I." Recca said.

"Count me in." Nash said.

"No." Yuno said. "Everyone else should stay here. Mora and I can handle this on our own."

"Athena, stay here and keep everyone safe until we return." Mora said to Athena.

"Understood." Athena nodded.

Mora.

Mora gasped.

Mora. It's me. I'm speaking to you through our minds.

Mora's eyes widened in surprise.

Ares? Mora spoke. Ares! Where are you?

I'm with Sister Lily. Ares explained. She's unconscious, but she's fine. A group of those bandits that attacked you and Yuno have ambushed Sister Lily when she had me retrieve the cover for the water jug. I couldn't risk attacking the bandits without harming Sister Lily, so I followed them.

And how would I follow you? Mora asked.

I'll let you see my location...through my eyes. Ares relied.

Mora closed her eyes and took a deep breath for a moment. When she opened her eyes again, Ares' pupil-less orbs appeared within her eye socket. She looked around to scan the area, seeing nothing but broken stone structures and pillars.

Wait a minute. Mora said. I know this place. You're inside the demon's skull. Asta goes there to train before he gets his grimoire.

There's no time to waste, Mora. Ares said. They will ambush you with everything they got. Go!

Mora snapped out of her trance and Ares' head with a gasp.

"Mora, what's wrong?" Yuno asked as he stepped towards Mora with a concerned face.

"It's Ares." Mora replied. "He's with Sister Lily and I know where they are. We have to go now."

Yuno and Mora summoned their magic brooms.

"Hold on." Klaus spoke, stopping Yuno and Mora from leaving. "Remember our mission to protect Salim. We don't know when they'll come for him again. We must depart at once."

"You can't really mean that." Father Orsi said.

"What about Sister and Ares?" Recca asked.

"We can't just forget about them." Anika said.

"Yeah, come on, four eyes!" Nash snapped.

"What did you just call for me?" Klaus threatened.

"Uh, four eyes. I mean, Klaus. Can't we…?" Mimosa said.

"That's quite enough, Mimosa." Klaus said. He looked back at Yuno and Mora. "Now, I know you two are worried about your friends, but you both will just have to leave it for the local watch to handle." He held his glowing, open grimoire in one hand. "We're leaving this instant."

Klaus summoned his steel chariot and already stood on it.

"Come. I need everyone to move quickly." Klaus ordered. "Let's go."

Mimosa sighed reluctantly.

"Yes, sir." Mimosa said as she went over to grab her magic broom.

"Yuno? Mora?" Klaus called.

"No, sir." Yuno said.

"You will do your duty." Klaus said firmly. "Insubordination will be punished."

"Don't care, four eyes. We're going after them." Mora snapped.

Mora and Yuno jumped onto their brooms. Then, they took off.

"Mora! Yuno!" Klaus yelled. He let out an annoyed scoff. "Does whatever they please."

Yuno and Mora soared through the air on their flying brooms. They gasped when they came across one of the mage bandits.

"Did no one ever tell you that recklessness isn't the same as bravery, Yuno?" The mage bandit spoke.

"He knows my name?" Yuno asked.

"But how?" Mora wondered.

"How about I show you the difference?" The mage bandit said as he opened his grimoire.

The mage bandit summoned stone spikes erupting from the ground, but Yuno and Mora swiftly avoided the stone spikes. But one stone spike managed to demolish Yuno's flying broom into pieces, which quickly made Mora grab Yuno's hand and pull him onto her flying broom behind her. Yuno then pulled out his grimoire.

"Towering Tornado!" Yuno yelled.

A tornado spawned in front of Mora and Yuno.

"What's that?" The mage bandit said.

Yuno's tornado smashed one of the stone spikes, sending the fragments to bombard the mage bandit rapidly and knocking him unconscious.

"That's one down. Four to go." Yuno said as he closed his grimoire.

Mora rode forward with Yuno on her flying broom.

Then suddenly, a water pillar rushed upwards out of nowhere and surrounded Mora and Yuno, preventing them from escaping.

"I'm not necessarily going to kill ya." The mage bandit said as he stood behind with his glowing grimoire. "So, don't worry. This might hurt just a little bit, though. Sorry."

"I see what's going on here." Yuno said. "It's me you've been after this whole time. Not Salim."

"Say what?" Mora gasped.

The mage bandit cackled softly.

"You really are a clever boy, aren't ya?" The mage bandit said.

With a thrust of the mage bandit's hand, his water pillar transformed into a sphere while trapping Yuno inside and leaving Mora out in the open.

"Now, I'll sit back and watch you drown while I take care of your friend here." The mage bandit said.

"Yuno!" Mora shouted.

However, Yuno became enveloped with wind all around him, allowing him to breathe freshly inside the water sphere.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I can breathe here just fine." Yuno said.

"What the…?" The mage bandit gasped.

Yuno glided out of the water with his wind magic.

"You want to know how to drown someone? Let me show you." Yuno said.

Yuno manipulated the swirling wind within the water sphere, transforming it into a water tornado. He then controlled the water tornado and sent it to engulf the mage bandit, making him scream within the vortex. Once the mage bandit couldn't breathe and lost consciousness, Yuno canceled the water tornado and the unconscious mage bandit collapsed to the ground.

"That's two down." Yuno said.

"You're just full of surprise, aren't you?" Mora smiled.

Yuno smiled back.

Mora and Yuno strolled into the forest as they began following a trail of footprints on the ground. Earlier, Yuno suggested Mora to walk on foot to avoid detection in the air, which Mora agreed on.

Then, Mora's eyes caught the sight of an ice shard heading straight toward Yuno. She quickly grabbed Yuno's arm and pulled him away, causing the ice shard to dash into the trees behind them.

"Thanks, Mora." Yuno said.

"No problem." Mora said.

Yuno and Mora quickly jumped back with their wind and fire magic, avoiding several more ice shards and hiding together behind the trees. Yuno took a peek, but he quickly pulled himself back and avoided more incoming ice shards. He and Mora peeked around the trees as they both saw the mage bandit conjuring up several more ice shards high above him.

"I can't believe you and your friend fell for our false trail so easily!" The mage bandit said. He then began firing more ice shards at Yuno and Mora. "Ha! How do you like that?"

The mage bandit unleashed a rapid barrage of ice shards that pierced straight through the tree. But Yuno and Mora both protected themselves with a barrier of wind and fire.

"Not bad. Let's see." The mage bandit said. He looked up and began molding all the ice shards into a giant icicle. "How about this?"

Before Yuno could strike with his wind, Mora stepped forward. She shaped her fiery barrier into a large sphere of fire and launched it upwards. The large fiery sphere then bursted and sent out multiple streaks of fire at the giant icicle, shattering it into multiple pieces.

"Impossible." The mage bandit said in shock.

"And that's not all." Mora grinned.

Mora produced a large fireball in the palm of her hand. She launched it towards the mage bandit, exploding and knocking him out upon contact.

"Three down. Just two to go." Mora said.

"Impressive, Mora." Yuno said with a smile. "You've certainly gotten stronger."

"Well, I've got Athena and Ares' training practices to thank for that." Mora smiled back.

Mora and Yuno then noticed a pulsing light coming from the demon's skull. They traded knowing looks and made their way towards the demon's skull. As they walked inside, they spotted an unconscious Sister Lily with her hands bound. Ares, on the other hand, hid behind a broken stone structure. Mora quietly noticed her spirit, but she remained calm to avoid the mage bandit from noticing him.

"Look, Yuno. There's Ares and Sister Lily." Yuno said.

"Stop right there."

Yuno and Mora caught the sight of the mage bandit emerging towards Sister Lily and Ares with a fiery ball in his hand.

"That's a good boy and girl." The mage bandit said as he aimed his flaming ball at Sister Lily's face. "You wouldn't wanna do anything stupid and get the Sister's pretty face burned now, would you?"

Mora and Yuno didn't move a muscle. Yuno looked calm while Mora glared at the bandit.

"Now then, down to business." The mage bandit said. "Hand over that grimoire of yours, Yuno. Without it, you should be suitably helpless."

"What would you do with my grimoire?" Yuno asked.

"Sell it, perhaps. Maybe I'll decide to burn it instead." The mage bandit answered. He then extinguished his flame from his hand. "I'm not especially concerned about what becomes of it. If you don't have your grimoire, the Magic Knights won't see any reason to keep you around."

"Is that what you're after?" Yuno questioned. "And if I won't give it up?"

"You refusing?" The mage bandit said as he conjured up a fireball and aimed it in front of Sister Lily.

Yuno pulled out his grimoire.

"That's what I thought. Hand it over. " The mage bandit said. He turned to Mora. "And you too, girlie. Then you two can take your precious Sister and be on your way."

Mora growled. Before she could reach her grimoire, Yuno stopped her from doing so and looked back at the mage bandit.

"Not happening." Yuno said.

"What?" The mage bandit said. "Don't you understand? They'll be…"

"He's right. We're not gonna let you hurt them." Mora said.

"You think attacking me is going to do you any good? If you wanna give it a shot, okay. Sure." The mage bandit said.

"We won't be the ones attacking you." Yuno said.

Yuno pulled Mora close to him as they quickly ducked down just in time for Klaus crouching on the ground with his grimoire open behind them.

"Steel Creation Magic: Spiral Lance!" Klaus yelled.

Klaus slammed his hand onto the ground and summoned a huge lance with a spiral head out of the ground as he launched the drilling lance towards the mage bandit at a high speed and battered him away, knocking him unconscious to the ground.

"Mimosa." Klaus said as he, Yuno, and Mora stood back up.

"Right!" Mimosa said. She walked over towards an unconscious Sister Lily and examined her. "She'll be okay."

Ares moved out of the broken stone structure.

"So much for planning a sneak attack." Ares said.

Ares flew up towards Mora, who opened her arms wide and hugged Ares when he came close to her.

"Thanks for staying at Sister's side, Ares." Mora smiled. "And for giving me the heads up on where to find you guys."

"My pleasure." Ares nodded.

Yuno sighed in relief.

"Are any of the bandits unaccounted for?" Klaus asked.

"By my count, there should be one more of them." Yuno replied.

"Ran away then." Klaus smiled. He readjusted his glasses and turned towards Yuno and Mora with a serious face. "What were you two planning on doing if I hadn't been there to help?"

"If that's the case, then why are you here?" Mora questioned. "If I recall correctly, your mission was to secure that royal back to the Heart Kingdom."

"Honestly, Mora, do you and Yuno take me for some kind of fool?" Klaus asked.

Mora and Yuno traded sideway glances as responses.

They do, the brats. Klaus thought with irritation.

Klaus cleared his throat.

"Now, listen closely." Klaus said. "As Magic Knights, we have a solemn duty to safeguard the people."

Yuno and Mora gasped in surprise.

"I already suspected something was off." Klaus added as he walked up towards an unconscious mage bandit. "This bunch wasn't out for Salim. They were after Yuno. You imagine a noble would want to visit this village? That he'd eat pop-potatoes, and without complaint? I'm sorry, but I don't think so. And they didn't abduct the Sister thinking she was Salim. Rubbish." He started tying up the mage bandit with a rope. "I found it strange that Salim would want you as his bodyguard after losing to you."

"After you left to rescue Sister Lily and Ares, I used a spell on Salim." Mimosa explained. "My Plant Creation Magic: Flower of Truth."

Yuno and Mora turned their heads to see Salim being completely wrapped in thick vines with a flower on his face that has a mouth at its center.

Earlier, Mimosa casted her Flower of Truth spell on Salim. With the nobleman immobilized, he was forced to admit the truth.

"It was Yuno's fault that I didn't get to join the Magic Knights!" Salim yelled furiously through the flower's mouth. "Him and that four-leaf clover grimoire. Damn book. I'm going to take it from him! He'll know what real pain is by the time Daddy gets through with him! I will have my revenge!"

Mimosa, Yuno, Mora, Ares, and Klaus watched as Salem struggled to free himself from Mimosa's Flower of Truth spell.

"He gave up everything easily." Klaus said.

"But once you decide to come find me and Mora, how'd you know where to look?" Yuno asked curiously.

"That was Mimosa's doing, as well." Klaus answered.

Klaus and Mimosa immediately rode on Klaus' steel chariot high in the air with Salim still tied up at the back.

"Plant Creation Magic: Magic Flower Guidepost." Mimosa casted.

Multiple vines gathered intertwined with each other directly from Mimosa's mana and flower petals began sprouting from the tip of the intertwining vines. The flower petals then produced a detailed three-dimensional blueprint of the demon's skull from the center.

Mimosa then examined the holographic image and saw a blinking light inside of the demon's skull.

"Let's see. Oh, yes. There they are." Mimosa said.

"And that's how we were able to arrive just in time to provide backup." Klaus concluded.

Yuno and Mora looked surprised. But Yuno managed to compose himself.

"I'm very glad you came. We needed the help." Yuno said to Klaus and Mimosa. "Thank you, Klaus, Mimosa."

"Yeah, we're grateful." Mora said.

Klaus turned away with a scoff.

"It's nothing." Mimosa assured with a smile.

"Hey, four eyes! Show them some respect or else!" Ares barked as he zoomed right into Klaus's annoyed face.

Salem's muffled voice struggled to free his mouth from Mimosa's spell.

"Quiet!" Klaus snapped. "Honestly, blaming others for your own failure? Obviously, you'd be a loser in a match against Yuno. He earned the approval of all the squad captains, chief among them Captain William Vangeance, leader of the great Golden Dawn. That should tell you how talented he is."

Yuno and Mora exchanged surprised faces before looking back at Klaus.

"Thank you, sir." Yuno said.

"Yes, well…" Klaus said. He readjusted his glasses again and looked away. "Don't misunderstand me. You and Mora still have a ways to go before earning my approval."

Mimosa giggled slightly while Mora rolled her eyes with a groan.

"Right." Yuno smiled.

"Now then, I'll overlook your insubordinations this time." Klaus said. He turned his head to Salim. "It was all this cowardly little idiot's doing in the first place." He looked back at Yuno. "What next? Your choice. Shall we bring them to the capital?"

"No, I don't think that will be necessary." Yuno said.

"Are you certain?" Klaus asked.

"As long as they never come near Hage Village again." Yuno replied.

Afterwards, all the four mage bandits are tied up and gathered together with Salim as Sister Lily, Mimosa, Klaus, Mora, Ares, and Yuno stood in front of them.

"Those are our terms." Klaus said. "Now, make yourselves scarce and never repeat this folly. Do you understand?"

"You stupid commoner." Salim snapped. He quickly rose up on his feet. "Making you lose your guard like this was all part of the plan!" He then grasped his grimoire. "Holy Lightning Risin…"

"Water Creation Magic: Holy Fist of Love!" Sister Lily casted as she held her open grimoire in her hand.

An enlarged fist composed of solid water quickly punched Salim and knocked him straight to the tree behind him.

"Behave yourself! And try showing some remorse!" Sister Lily snapped. She turned to the mage bandits. "That goes for you too!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The mage bandits obeyed as they spun around and faced Sister Lily with terrified expressions.

"Wow. You go, Sister." Mora grinned.

"I think perhaps we should consider recruiting her into the Magic Knights." Klaus smiled as he readjusted his glasses.

Mimosa and Yuno smiled in agreement.

Klaus's smile immediately changed to his usual serious demeanor.

"Now, there's been a change of plans. We will be taking them in." Klaus said as he walked up the mage bandits. "But first, tell me where the other one went."

"Huh?" The mage bandits said as he looked at Klaus with complete confusion.

The fifth mage bandit sat on top of the demon's skull. In an instant, he was suddenly transformed into the Wizard King: Julius. He was a tall, middle-aged man with short messy blond hair, purple eyes, and a blue six-pointed star on the left side of his forehead. He wore a long red robe that is decorated with white fur and only has a single sleeve for his right arm. Underneath his red robe, he wore a long-sleeved white shirt that has a high collar with black fur at the end, light purple cuffs with black fur, and intricate gold and purple-colored designs, brown pants, and a pair of white high boots of similar with black fur at the collars. Earlier, Julius captured the fifth mage bandit and disguised as him without the Golden Dawn's knowledge.

Julius let out a relaxed sigh as he leaned back on the skull surface.

"Now, that's my idea of a good time." Julius said to himself. "I was ready to step in if it looked like things were getting dicey, but they handled it just fine without me. William's new recruits are certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Not at all..."

Julius's noble adviser suddenly appeared next to him through his long-range communication spell. He has light blue hair in a bowl cut hairstyle and narrow gold eyes with long lashes. He wore a long-sleeved dark blue formal jacket trimmed with fur on the collar and six horizontal diamond-shaped ornaments across the front, a light furred mantle decorated with an ornate chain and clasp attached to a light blue robe that reaches nearly to his ankles, and a pair of white boots trimmed with fur at the top.

"How long were you planning to laze about?" Marx snapped frustratingly.

Julius immediately covered his ears.

"Do you know how loud you are?" Julius inquired.

"You need to return immediately! There is a mountain of work to be done!" Marx hollered.

"All right, all right. At this rate, you're gonna give yourself an ulcer." Julius said.

"And whose fault do you think that is?" Marx retorted.

Soon, everyone returned back to the orphanage church.

"You're really back! I'm so glad that you're okay!" Father Orsi said with heavy tears from his eyes.

"I'm so glad!" Aruru beamed.

"So glad!" Hollo beamed.

"I guess we shouldn't be surprised." Nash smiled as he crossed his arms with a smile.

"Not with Magic Knights on the case." Recca smiled.

"Thank you all. Mimosa, Klaus." Sister Lily said. She took a bow to Klaus and Mimosa. "I'm lucky that you two were there as well."

"Think nothing of it." Klaus said. "We have the culprit. That cowardly fool. Honestly, what was he thinking?"

"Oh, please help yourselves." Anika said. "The least we can do is feed you before you go. They may be a bit cold, but you can have as much as you'd like."

Klaus grabbed one of the roasted pop-potatoes with a reluctant expression. He swallowed his pride and took a bite of it.

"Mm-hmm." Klaus said. He then drank water from a cup. "The flavor's not so bad, really."

"I thought Magic Knights weren't supposed to lie, sir." Mimosa smirked.

Klaus scoffed and Mora snickered.

Yuno grabbed a crispy fried pop-potato ball and munched it.

"Perfect." Yuno said.

Everyone laughed.

The next day, Mora, Yuno, Mimosa, and Klaus returned to the Golden Dawn base. They knelt towards Captain William Vangeance and reported the full details of their mission. Then, Vangeance announced a surprise news to his four Golden Dawn members.

"A star?" Klaus said in surprise.

"The Wizard King has evaluated your deeds, and he has seen fit to grant you a star." Vangeance explained as he held out the small golden star in his hand.

"Thank you, Captain. We're honored to receive it." Klaus said.

"Oh, wow." Mimosa said. "How many people can say that they got a star on the very first mission?"

"Although, I don't recall doing anything that extraordinary." Klaus said.

"On the contrary, Salim's testimony was quite valuable." Vangeance said. "Thanks to that, Congressman Hapshass' wrongdoings have all come to light. Bribery, fraudulent accounting, shadowy deals. Everyone involved has been rounded up. And you get all the credit."

"I wonder, sir. Did you accept this mission having anticipated such an outcome?" Klaus questioned curiously.

"Evil deeds must not go unpunished in the Clover Kingdom. It is our duty to see to that." Vangeance answered.

"Yes, sir." Klaus said.

"Klaus, Yuno, Mora, Mimosa. I look forward to seeing what you will accomplish in the future." Vangeance said.

"Sir!" Yuno, Mora, Klaus, and Mimosa nodded.

Yuno, Mora, and Mimosa. Klaus thought. As far as new recruits go, well, they seem capable, I suppose.

Then, Yuno, Mora, Klaus, and Mimosa walked out of the chamber.

"I expect a great deal." Vangeance said to himself. His eyes stared directly at Yuno and Mora. "Oh yes. Especially from you two, Yuno and Mora."

Yuno, Mora, Klaus, and Mimosa entered the courtyard.

"A star. Things turned out quite well in the end." Klaus said. He looked at Yuno and Mora over his right shoulder. "But, Yuno, Mora, don't ever go off on your own again."

Mora rolled her eyes as Yuno looked away.

"Right." Yuno said.

"Why did you pause? Come one, Yuno, look at me." Klaus demanded. He stood in front of Yuno, who turned his head away again. "I want you to look me in the eye now and promise me that you and Mora won't do it again."

"Sure." Yuno said.

Yuno walked off.

"Yuno! Hey, wait! Yuno!" Klaus called.

Mimosa and Mora giggled.

Meanwhile, Julius looked at the town from the window inside his office at the Royal Capital.

Then, Marx's communication spell suddenly appeared.

"Sorry to interrupt, but there's urgent news, sir." Marx announced.

"We have a situation on our hands, yes." Julius interrupted.

Marx exclaimed in surprise.

"Calm down, Marx." Julius said with a smile. "The timing couldn't be any perfect. I know just who to give this mission to."

"Who, sir?" Marx asked.

Julius merely chuckled.