𝖲𝖤𝖫𝖤𝖭𝖮𝖯𝖧𝖨𝖫𝖤, william vangeance

4

you stepped off your broom as it vanished. you inhaled deeply and smiled, taking in the sounds of people chatting, kids running around, and the general bustle of life.

you had finally arrived at the capital, feeling a mix of excitement and worry. 

what if the captains dislike my magic? what if i mess up? a flurry of negative thoughts raced through your mind, but you tried to stay positive.

the captain who showed interest in your abilities had asked you to join his squad. there shouldn't be any major problems, right?

you arrived at the exam location and looked around, finding the entrance. with a small smile, you made your way towards it.

after the person in front of you received their number, it was your turn. you handed your grimoire to the attendant, who looked at it with a sparkle of excitement in his eyes.

"is there something wrong, sir?" you asked, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"n-no, sorry. i was just surprised... you use celestial magic?" he asked, his eyes wide.

you nodded in response.

he nodded back, "you're number 79." with that, you smiled and made your way into the stadium.

looking around, you thought to yourself, it looks like a big bowl. you chuckled at your own description but stopped when someone bumped into your shoulder.

"what's so funny?" a female voice from behind you snapped. you turned awkwardly to see who it was. "sorry, i... was just thinking of something," you mumbled, hanging your head low.

you mentally braced yourself, counting in your head, one... two... three, expecting her to hit you or something. instead, you were met with sweet laughter. "you don't have to apologize, dumbo," she said, slapping your shoulder softly with a smile. "will you be my friend?" she asked, giving you an adorable look.

"c-can i say no to that...?" you shyly looked away, feeling the heat rise to your face. you heard a chuckle followed by a "no" as you both smiled.

"what's your—" the woman's words were cut off by an ear-splitting scream. "aaah! someone get this off of me, oh gosh!" you both turned in sync to see the source of the commotion.

a red-headed girl was shrieking as birds swarmed all over her. "get off of me, you— germs, aah!"

your new friend laughed as a bird landed on her head and another on her palm. "they say these birds can tell how strong your magic power is," a guy said nearby. "the more birds, the weaker you are." he added, making you gulp as you glanced around, hoping no birds would approach you.

"no...?" you mumbled, looking around. you noticed no birds were coming near you. "look at her! she has no birds around her at all!" a guy said, followed by murmurs from the crowd. you looked down, feeling embarrassed.

"why are you sulking? there's no anti-birds around you; you should be fine," your new friend encouraged.

you sighed, trying to look friendly as you offered a warm smile. "what's your name, by the way?"

she smiled back. "yvane, maine yvane. and you?"

"i'm Y/N diana. your name sounds quite royal—are you a noble?" you tilted your head slightly.

yvane's eyes sparkled with a genuine smile. "yes, i am a noble, but my family's status is long forgotten. it's not a big deal, though. i still want to protect this kingdom."

her smile was sincere, and you were glad that there was no tension between you. since you were now friends, you decided to ask more. "did something happen?"