(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
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Golden Dawn Squad's Base...
In towering halls of the Golden Dawn headquarters.
Unlike the chaos-filled Black Bull base, this place gleamed with polish and order.
Inside the grand chamber,
Captain William Vangeance stood tall, his masked face calm as ever,
His robe flowing regally as he looked down at the newest recruit standing before him.
"Yuno,"
William's voice carried a composed weight.
He was in foul mood after hearing the bounty on the heads of the members of the Eye Of The Midnight Sun.
"From this moment on, you are officially a member of the Golden Dawn. Our squad is Clover Kingdom's pride, and I trust you will uphold its honor."
Yuno bowed his head respectfully.
"Yes, Captain."
William's eyes softened with approval.
Looking at his kin.
He then turned to the vice-captain standing nearby.
"Langris. I want you to guide Yuno around the base. Show him our training grounds, quarters, and operations room. He is to be treated as one of our own."
Langris Vaude—
Elegant, immaculately dressed, with a sharp aristocratic air—
Bowed smoothly.
"As you wish, Captain."
William gave one last glance at Yuno, then walked away,
Thud. Thud...
His footsteps echoing until he disappeared into the upper hall.
The moment the captain's presence faded,
Langris's polite expression twisted.
His lips curled into a sneer, and his sharp eyes glared at the quiet newcomer.
"____"
"…Tch. Escort duty."
He muttered, his voice dripping with disdain.
"Me. The great Langris Vaude… babysitting a commoner."
His tone was low but sharp enough for Yuno to catch.
Langris didn't care.
He wanted Yuno to hear it.
Yuno, unfazed, simply stared back with his calm golden eyes.
He didn't flinch, didn't argue, didn't rise to the insult.
He just tightened his fist ever so slightly at his side.
Langris clicked his tongue, annoyed by the boy's composure.
Tch~
He turned sharply on his heel, cloak flaring behind him.
"Fine. Come along, commoner. Try to keep up. Don't expect me to slow down for you."
Yuno followed silently, his expression cool, his thoughts steady.
Inside, though, a quiet fire burned.
He wasn't here to seek anyone's approval.
He was here to rise to the very top.
And no matter how much scorn Langris threw his way—
He wouldn't be shaken.
Langris walked briskly down the gleaming marble corridor,
Every step echoing with a certain arrogance.
Yuno followed in silence, his eyes calmly scanning the Golden Dawn's headquarters.
They first entered a wide chamber lined with enchanted practice dummies and glowing magic circles.
Several Golden Dawn members were sparring, their magic lighting up the room with golden flares and shimmering constructs.
Langris spread his hand with a mocking flourish.
"This is our training hall. Only the finest magic knights in the kingdom practice here. Don't get in anyone's way, commoner. You might get burned."
Yuno's sharp gaze swept across the room.
He didn't reply—
"____"
His silence was answer enough.
Clicking his tongue,
Langris led him onward to another section,
Opening a tall golden door.
Inside lay a grand chamber filled with bookshelves and board,
Glowing with missions and reports.
"This is our strategy and operations hall,"
Langris said with a bored drawl.
"From here, we receive high-priority missions directly from the Wizard King. And unlike the Black Bulls, we don't waste time goofing off—we actually get results."
A few Golden Dawn members glanced at Yuno,
Whispering among themselves.
Some looked curious about the quiet new recruit, while others smirked at Langris's jabs.
Finally, Langris brought Yuno to a balcony overlooking the sprawling gardens below, where magic constructs floated in elegant patterns.
He gestured lazily.
"And here are the grounds. The pride of Golden Dawn—where we perfect the kind of magic most people can only dream of wielding."
Langris turned, stepping close to Yuno, his voice dropping into an icy tone.
"Understand this, commoner. The only reason you're here is because Captain William chose you. But don't mistake that for belonging. You'll never rise above your station."
For a moment, the air grew tense—
Langris's disdainful smirk against Yuno's steady, unshaken stare.
Smirk~
Then Yuno finally spoke, his voice calm and firm.
"…I'll rise to the top. That's all."
Langris's smirk faltered for the briefest second before returning with a sharper edge.
"____"
He scoffed and turned away, unwilling to admit Yuno's words unsettled him.
"Let's see how long that confidence lasts."
Langris's patience ran thin.
With an exasperated sigh, he waved his hand toward one of the nearby Golden Dawn members.
Sigh~
"You—escort the new recruit to his quarters. I've wasted enough of my time already."
His sharp gaze flicked back to Yuno, lips curling into a mocking smirk.
Smirk~
"Enjoy the luxury while you can, commoner. Even if you sleep in silk sheets, it won't change what you are."
Without waiting for a response,
Langris turned on his heel and strode away, his cape fluttering behind him.
The assigned knight, a man with calm eyes and short brown hair, gave Yuno a polite nod.
Nod~
"This way."
They walked through another long corridor, golden chandeliers lighting the path,
Until finally they stopped before a polished oak door inlaid with silver runes.
When the knight opened it,
Yuno stepped inside—
And paused.
The room was spacious, easily larger than the entire house he once lived in back in Hage Village.
A canopy bed with velvet curtains sat by the window,
The mattress so soft it looked like it could swallow someone whole.
Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with tomes and scrolls.
A polished desk, an enchanted wardrobe,
And even a crystal lamp that glowed gently completed the space.
"…This is mine?"
Yuno asked quietly.
The knight gave a faint smile.
"Yes. Each Golden Dawn member is afforded their own quarters. Make yourself at home."
With that, he bowed slightly and left Yuno alone.
"____"
Yuno stood in silence for a long moment, taking in the sheer luxury that surrounded him.
His reflection stared back at him from the polished floor tiles—
So different from the humble boy of Hage.
But instead of being swayed, his hand instinctively clenched into a fist.
'This… this doesn't matter. I didn't come here for comfort. I came here… to become Wizard King.'
His eyes sharpened, determination burning brighter than the glow of the crystal lamp.
Black Bulls Squad Base...
The moment Asta stepped into his assigned quarters, his jaw nearly hit the floor.
"Whaaaat the heck is this!?"
He shouted, spinning around in disbelief.
Unlike Yuno's elegant suite,
Asta's room looked like a disaster zone.
The ceiling had holes patched with old boards, the walls were covered in crude doodles and burn marks,
And the bed was a flimsy mattress stuffed with who-knew-what.
A single, crooked lantern flickered faintly, barely lighting the mess.
Magna leaned against the doorway, laughing so hard he had to clutch his stomach.
"Bwahaha! Welcome to the Black Bulls, newbie! Don't worry, you'll get used to it—if the rats don't get you first."
"R-rats!?"
Asta yelped, jumping onto the creaky bed,
Which immediately sagged under his weight.
From the hallway,
Luck popped his head in, his grin stretching ear to ear.
"Hey, Magna, should we test if he survives his first night here? I'll release a lightning spell in his room—it'll be fun!"
"No way!!"
Asta barked, flailing his arms.
"I'll make this room work, you'll see! Wizard King candidates don't get scared off by a little mess!!"
From deeper inside the base,
A loud explosion rocked the walls, followed by Charmy yelling about food and Gordon muttering ominously to himself.
Wizard King's palace...
Inside the grand halls of the Wizard King's palace, the atmosphere was unusually heavy.
Julius Novachrono sat in his seat, his expression uncharacteristically stern.
"____"
Normally full of boundless curiosity and childlike wonder at magic,
He now stared at the intricate designs of the chamber floor as though lost within them.
Ben's words still echoed in his mind.
"Don't even trust your most trusted men. There's a high chance they may be under forced control."
Julius rested his chin on his hand, his golden eyes narrowing slightly.
If what Ben suggested was true, then the rot might run far deeper than he imagined.
Even loyalty could be an illusion.
"Mind control… or worse,"
Julius murmured under his breath.
"If they've truly found a way to manipulate even my most reliable knights…"
Across the chamber,
Marx Francois watched quietly.
"____"
Normally, he would have asked the Wizard King about his troubles or tried to pull him back into the rhythm of daily work.
But the weight in Julius's eyes was different today—
Sharper, heavier, and edged with suspicion.
Marx tightened his grip on his clipboard, choosing silence.
"____"
He understood when not to disturb his master,
Even if unease prickled at the back of his own mind.
Julius finally leaned back in his chair, gazing toward the towering windows where sunlight spilled in.
"Ben… you're dangerous in your own way,"
He muttered.
"But perhaps… your unpredictability is exactly what this kingdom needs right now."
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(Author's POV)
(A/N)Thanks for reading the chapter!
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