Chapter 374: Royal Capital
The road out of Hage Village stretched far into the distance, but none of the three boys looked back. Every step carried them farther from their small home and closer to the Royal Capital—the heart of the Clover Kingdom, where each year young hopefuls gathered to take the Magic Knights Entrance Exam.
Asta was, as always, the loudest. His energy never faded as he marched ahead, fists pumping in the air, voice carrying down the road.
"Wizard King! Wizard King! Wizard King! Just wait, I’ll shock everyone there!!" he shouted, his words echoing like a chant. Some travelers frowned at the noise, while others couldn’t help but laugh at his fire.
Beside him walked Yuno, tall and quiet. His four-leaf grimoire, polished and marked with the clover insignia, was strapped neatly at his belt. He didn’t speak much—not because of arrogance, but because of certainty. Each of his steps was steady and controlled, as though he already knew the road ahead belonged to him.
Dave followed just a little behind. His own four-leaf grimoire, silver and black in color, rested securely in a sling bag at his side. He didn’t boast like Asta, and he didn’t radiate calm pride like Yuno. His eyes simply stayed sharp, watching everything—the travelers, the merchants, even the clouds above. People who passed them often whispered in surprise. Two rare four-leaf grimoires and a five-leaf, all from the same forgotten village—it felt to many like fate itself was walking down the path.
After days of travel, the view began to change. Stone towers rose from the horizon, and before long the vast shape of the Royal Capital came into focus. Towering white walls, etched with glowing magical runes, stretched high into the sky. Huge banners bearing the crest of the Clover Kingdom flapped in the wind, and from the tallest spires, motes of light drifted from suspended magic circles.
The closer they came, the busier the road became. Carriages carrying nobles rolled by, silks embroidered with family crests spilling from the windows. Poorer candidates held their grimoires tight to their chests, muttering hopes under their breath. Vendors shouted about charms and food, while armored soldiers patrolled the gates, keeping order in the swelling crowd.
Asta nearly tripped over himself staring up. "Wooooow!! Look at that place! It’s HUGE! And those walls—wait, is all of that powered by magic?!"
Yuno’s expression hardly changed, though his eyes held a faint glimmer. "It is... impressive."
Dave smirked lightly, tightening the strap of his bag. "Don’t lose focus. The real test is inside."
Soon enough, they were swept along with the crowd into the capital and directed to a massive arena. The stone walls of the coliseum were layered with protective spells, and high above floated platforms glowing with enchantments. Huge crystals projected moving images into the stands, where people were already gathering to watch.
The arena floor was crowded with candidates. Some stood nervously clutching their grimoires, while others showed off—flaring sparks of flame, streams of water, or sharp gusts of wind to impress or intimidate. The air was thick with tension and mana, heavy enough to taste.
"Look around," Dave muttered, scanning the mass of hopefuls. "Every single one of them thinks they’ll make it."
Asta grinned, balling his fists until his knuckles cracked. "Then I’ll just prove I’m the one who deserves it most!"
Yuno said nothing, his hand brushing the cover of his grimoire. His silence spoke louder than words.
And then the air shifted.
A crushing wave of magic rolled over the arena, strong enough to make the weaker candidates gasp for breath. In an instant, all noise died.
From the far end of the coliseum, figures emerged. The Magic Knight Captains.
Each carried overwhelming presence. One’s steps burned faintly with fire, another’s breath frosted the air with cold, and another’s shadow seemed to bend unnaturally around him. They didn’t need to announce who they were. Their very aura declared it—these were the strongest mages of the kingdom.
The arena stayed silent.
Dave walked with his usual calm, his steps unhurried. The weight of his silver-black four-leaf grimoire at his side didn’t seem to press on him at all—it was as if this entire exam was just another formality. While others shifted nervously under the pressure of the Captains’ presence, Dave’s expression didn’t change. He looked more like someone watching an everyday scene than standing before the highest order of knights in the kingdom.
Yuno stood close by, equally steady. His sharp gaze remained fixed on the Captains, but his calm aura matched Dave’s. The two of them carried themselves in a way that set them apart from the crowd—composed, unreadable, and completely unfazed.
Asta, meanwhile, was the opposite. His fists trembled with excitement, his grin stretched wide despite the suffocating aura pressing down on everyone. He shouted under his breath, "This is it! The start of everything!"
Then, a fluttering noise filled the air. Small, dark shapes swooped in over the candidates—anti-magic birds. They darted through the air and quickly settled over the arena, flocking toward those with the weakest mana.
Almost instantly, a huge cluster of birds swarmed Asta. They perched on his head, shoulders, and arms, chirping and pecking as though he were a magnet. Some candidates snickered and whispered, pointing in amusement.
But Yuno stood tall without a single bird coming near him. The mana pouring from his grimoire was too strong and pure for the birds to bother. Dave was the same—no birds circled or landed near him, his balanced magical presence too stable for them to be interested in.
The contrast was striking. On one side stood Asta, practically buried in anti-magic birds. On the other stood Dave and Yuno, unbothered and untouched.
Dave glanced at Asta from the corner of his eye, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. "You really attract attention in all the wrong ways."
Asta flailed, trying to shake the birds off, but his grin never left. "H-hey, it doesn’t matter! I’m still gonna crush this exam!!"
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