A few days later, Fíliya and Frieren's group arrived at the Magic Association as scheduled and were led by staff to a large hall where many other mages were gathered.
Looking at the crowd before her, Fíliya couldn't help but nudge the person beside her with her elbow.
"Frieren, you're completely unknown... There are so many mages gathered here, yet not a single one recognizes you."
She lowered her voice, but her words still clearly reached Frieren's ears.
"Eighty years is enough time to change many things. It's only natural this generation of mages doesn't recognize me. Besides, I prefer it this way. I never intended to be famous... If I were recognized everywhere I went, it would interfere with my life."
Frieren replied expressionlessly, returning the nudge.
"Ouch..."
Feeling the pain, Fíliya was about to retaliate, but then noticed her elder sister was already standing beside the main podium.
"Tsk... Frieren, remember this. I'll pay you back for that one."
She glared at Frieren displeasedly, but in front of Sense, she was very respectful and chose to behave.
"Remember what? Clearly, you elbowed me first. Are you accusing me of being the bad guy?"
Frieren looked at Fíliya with disdain.
"I didn't use that much force!"
Fíliya retorted subconsciously, and in her subconscious reaction, she failed to control her volume.
Thus, she successfully became the focus of everyone's attention.
'Uh...'
Feeling those silent gazes, even Fíliya felt a bit embarrassed, and Frieren's unhidden smirk only made her angrier. But what could she do?
"Over there, stop making noise."
A man in the Association uniform, with a parted hairstyle, looked from the podium towards Fíliya's side with an impatient expression.
As soon as she met his perpetually sour face, which made him look like everyone owed him money, Fíliya didn't hold back, directly extending her hand to give him the middle finger.
This was Genau, the chief examiner of the first round, whom Sense had mentioned the other day.
Fíliya didn't particularly dislike this First-Class Mage, despite his perpetually sour expression. After all, she knew he wasn't truly a bad person.
It was just that after his comrade, someone he'd fought alongside day and night, died on the front lines against the Demon Race, his temperament had become extreme, and he had completely transformed into a man who wore a perpetually sour expression and never smiled.
"Tsk... Sense, can't you control her?"
Genau clicked his tongue displeasedly and glanced at Sense behind him.
"No."
Sense also said expressionlessly.
"Since you won't discipline her as a sister, perhaps let me help you discipline her."
"I'll kill you, you know?"
Sense also glared at him with a look as if she were looking at a dead person.
"Tsk..."
Genau clicked his tongue again, but did nothing.
After all, he was well aware of Sense's strength. Her harmless appearance was deceptive; she looked exactly like a quiet girl next door... but he knew well that her fighting style was even more brutal than a berserker's, completely unlike a mage's. Moreover, she was among the strongest First-Class Mages, so Genau had no desire to fight her.
His earlier words were merely meant to provoke his colleague with such contrasting ideas, but he hadn't expected such a strong reaction from her, which left him somewhat embarrassed.
"Alright, you two, as chief examiners, can you please be a little more serious? So many examinees are watching."
A man also in the Magic Association uniform quickly walked between them, blocking their confronting gazes.
"Falsch... you explain the test precautions, I suddenly feel a bit unwell."
Genau said, directly handing the manuscript he had prepared to the glasses-wearing peacemaker, before slipping to the side.
"Eh?! Seriously... all First-Class Mages, how can they be so willful? Sigh."
The outwardly somewhat frail Falsch, a boy wearing glasses, sighed helplessly and then adjusted his glasses.
Then, he exchanged a glance with Sense, they nodded to each other in greeting, before stepping onto the podium.
During this bizarre interlude, the commotion wasn't limited to the stage; the audience was clearly not calm either.
After Fíliya gave the middle finger, which incited Genau and Sense's confrontation, the gazes on her became even more subtle.
Fortunately, those qualified to take the First-Class Mage test were clearly talented and cultured individuals, so no one would make strange remarks at such a moment.
"Uh... cough cough. Next, I will announce the precautions and rules for this First-Class Mage selection."
Falsch cleared his throat, pulling the examinees' attention back to himself with his speech.
"The first round of the test is a team-based task. The examinees present will be divided into groups of three to form small teams and complete the test... Now, let's proceed directly to grouping."
As Falsch spoke, he casually snapped his fingers, and a simple, unadorned bracelet with runic patterns appeared out of thin air before all the examinees.
Fíliya took the bracelet and examined it with great interest.
"Oh? Interesting..."
She murmured, while Frieren and Fern also put the bracelets on their wrists.
"Injecting mana reveals your teammates' positions... This grouping method is indeed quite interesting."
Frieren also agreed, before immediately injecting mana into her bracelet.
Fíliya and Fern did the same, and the three tacitly exchanged glances.
"What a pity."
Fíliya shrugged. Since the three of them weren't grouped together, they immediately split up and began searching for their teammates in the venue.
"Hmm... so they're having mages with different personalities and abilities temporarily form teams? Genau, that guy, still places so much importance on [cooperation]."
She complained as she strolled around the venue.
"The bracelet's signal indicates they're right here... but where are they? Hmm? No... did someone suddenly slip behind me?"
She chuckled lightly and turned around.
Then, she met a face she hadn't seen for a long time.
"Eh?! Wirbel... didn't you say you were good at hiding your aura? How were you discovered? I wanted to give Fíliya a surprise."
The brown-haired girl looked dejected.
"Tsk, how was I supposed to know this girl had become this much of a monster..."
The silver-haired boy was full of shock. The moment Fíliya turned around, he realized her current strength was probably beyond anything he could imagine.
___
🔥 New stories are available now! 🔥
We're handing out that '25% bonus' that makes your wallet smile. 😄
✅ Access up to 40 advanced chapters of ALL stories!
✅ Receive exclusive content and updates!
Help us hit our community goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 180 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters of ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan