Chapter 21: CHAPTER 21 SQUAD CAPTAINS

Sabrina Crook. Knowledge of her is few and elusive. The only few things that people know about her are her featureless steel mask, purple eyes, and her flowing purple hair.

In Merleona’s eyes, this person is but an enigma that is more of a threat to the kingdom than an advantage. In Merleona’s own words, there is this sticky feeling in her throat every time she meets Sabrina.

With her mask hiding her face, Merleona cannot tell what Sabrina’s expression is like. “Hmm… You ghost woman, are you still spreading your ghosts around?”

“Hmmmm…” Sabrina hums in ponder. “I’ve explained to you again and again. It is one of the Purple Orca’s main duties to gather information. My magic is perfect for it. Don’t be alarmed, I am doing this for the kingdom after all. You don’t need to be so hostile to a fellow knight.”

Merleona scoffs at Sabrina. “Really? Then why did you mark someone specifically?”

“Oho,” Sabrina playfully exclaims. “You saw that? And here I thought I finally managed to create a truly invisible ghost.”

Randall who was watching all of this is stiff because of the unnerving atmosphere. On his left is his captain emitting a fiery hot aura, meanwhile on the other is Sabrina emitting an eerie dreadful aura.

Wetting his lips, Randall awkwardly and nervously excuses himself. “Well, since there are now two captains, I should leave… Uuh- ookay? Don’t cause any trouble captain… s.”

Belatedly adding the ‘s’, Randall escapes through the door in a hurry.

A long silence ensues.

One by one, the Magic Knight Captains gather in the lobby. In the era of the 27^th Wizard King, there are a total of 6 Magic Knight Squads. They are Silver Eagle, Crimson Lion, Blue Rose, Coral Peacock, Purple Orca, Green Hornet, and Grey Deer.

“Okay,” With a cheery nuance, Acier Silva breaks the silence, “It’s the first time we are meeting again with all of us like this for about the year, huh? That was a heck of a busy year. Anyways, Mer-mer, I’ll definitely recharge myself by hugging you lots, kay?”

Merleona blushes at Acier’s words. “Stop that,” To Merleona, Acier is like the nosy elder sister that loves to tease her younger sibling. "Sister Acier, not here! You are drooling!”

“Sigh,” Comes the grouchy groan of Blue Rose’s Captain. “While I admire the sisterhood, let’s get over with it already, I have lots of paperwork to do.” It was Charice Roselei, an old woman in her later years.

It is impressive how she can even maintain her captaincy despite her old age. Mana capacity after all declines with old age.

“As if,” The Green Hornet’s Captain sarcastically comments. “The Wizard King is not even here. Do you think we can really get over this quickly?” The brown-haired outlaw, Robin, spits the toothpick he was chewing.

The Coral Peacock’s captain, Alice Unsworth shows a look of disgust at Robin’s act. “As expected of an ex-criminal, no manners. That’s what your squad would just amount to, you lowlives.”

Despite his girlish name, Alice is actually a guy, thus making him Robin’s strongest target of ridicule. “Alice, did you receive the cassette I sent you last month?”

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Sparks start flying from the two. Their killing intent is too evident it brings the room’s temperature down.

Julius Novachrono tries to cool off the two hotheaded captains. “Relax, there is no need to fight. We are all friends here.”

Acier chimes in being one of the only two goodie-two-shoes in the room. “Listen to Julius, we might not really be able to do something if we don’t cooperate with each other.”

“Captain Julius and Captain Acier are right,” Sabrina who was silent all this time starts intruding into the conversation, presenting her own case. “Although the Wizard King will not be attending the exam, we still have to continue. In the last generation before us, there were only 4 squads. With Wizard King Conrad Leto, we now have an additional two namely the Green Hornet and Grey Deer. Since it is a new generation now, I believe there is a need to change things up. Right, Merleona?”

Passing the ball to Merleona, Sabrina directs her gaze to the person in question.

Merleona devoid of any emotion coolly replies. “Purple Orca’s captain has a point. Before, the method of the exam is extremely simplistic. In fact, it cannot get simpler. There were two parts: an examination of mana capacity and duels.”

“So,” Acier holds her chin thinking out loud. “You mean, Mer-mer, we should make the examination process more interesting, right? The old ways are too boring anyway. Let’s do it! Let’s have a show in hands, those who are in favor?”

Except for Merleona who made the suggestion, and Sabrina who opens up the topic, everyone else raises their hands in favor.

After that is a severe exchange of opinions as to how the magic exams will proceed.

It was a tiring battle of ideas.

Finally, the brainstorming comes to an end. The exams will be~ Broom Flying, Magical Ability Exam, Magical Ability Control Exam, Creation Magic Exam, Developmental Magic Exam, and Combat Exam.

“Now, now, now,” Sabrina receives all of the captains’ attention with her weird cackle. “I have one more suggestion. In the previous generation, the method of picking members is by utilitarianism. If for example, your magic has a great affinity to information gathering, you’ll automatically join the Purple Orca or something like that. Prioritizing by a magic's utility to increase effectiveness! That was before, now, we need a new method.”

At her verbose explanation, the captains of different squads patiently wait for Sabrina to continue.

All of the gazes are in Sabrina’s direction, yet she is not feeling any pressure at all. In fact, she is happy. This is going too well for her. She just needs another push. “Captains, what do you think of doing a popularity contest?”

With an overwhelming grin that seems to reflect in her crescent smiling eyes, Sabrina continues. “Let’s add one more ‘exam’, an interview!"

"After the interview," Purposefully hanging on her words to build suspense, Sabrina then continues her explanation. “The captains will then make a show of their hands to decide if they want the applicant or not. After the show of hands, the power to decide which squad the applicant wants to join will be decided by solely the applicant themselves. Get it? Isn't that great? The power of freedom in the works!”