"So it's just watching others get awards? How boring!" Asta pouted.
"They're actually here..." Noelle was incredibly nervous, as those older siblings of hers who despised her were all present. This meeting would surely involve a round of ridicule, wouldn't it? More importantly, she didn't want to embarrass herself in front of Asta, so she desperately wanted to leave, but she didn't dare!
"Silver Eagle Squad, Solid Silva, 6 stars obtained. I confer upon you the title of Intermediate Magic Knight Third Class!" When Julius read this name, Noelle stiffened as if by a conditioned reflex.
"Noelle..." Asta noticed Noelle's unusual behavior but remained composed, quietly running through the facts in his mind. Noelle's full name was Noelle Silva, and this person was named Solid Silva. Wasn't this the relative who had cast such a dark shadow over Noelle?
No wonder his Noelle was so nervous; it was a case of enemies crossing paths!
Asta looked at the Silver Eagle Squad, where almost everyone had silver-white hair and gazes filled with an annoying, high-and-mighty arrogance. His favorability toward this squad instantly plummeted to freezing point.
"...The high operability of your magic is commendable, but it would be even better if you didn't flaunt your power so much and cooperated with your teammates instead." Julius had advice for almost everyone, pointing out the pros and cons with pinpoint accuracy. It had to be said that he was a very competent Magic Emperor.
"I will keep it in mind." Solid displayed a noble demeanor toward the Magic Emperor, accepted the medal, bowed, and left.
"Silver Eagle Squad, Nebra Silva, 9 stars obtained. I confer upon you the title of Senior Magic Knight Fifth Class!" Julius looked at Nebra as she walked up gracefully and said, "The clever illusions created by your Mist Magic are remarkable, but I hope you do not toy with your enemies too much, lest you get bitten by your own carelessness."
"Thank you for your advice!" Nebra was equally gracious and proper toward Julius, possessing the air of a noble lady.
"Golden Dawn Squad, Hamón Caseus, 7 stars obtained. I confer upon you the title of Intermediate Magic Knight Second Class. Your Glass Magic, which is unimaginable given your appearance, must certainly catch enemies off guard!" Julius said.
"Thank you for the compliment, haha!" Hamón's voice was unusually high-pitched, just like a woman's, which clearly didn't match his sturdy appearance. Perhaps this was where Hamón's unpredictability, even in his magic, lay.
"Golden Dawn Squad, Zora, 8 stars obtained. I confer upon you the title of Intermediate Magic Knight First Class. It would be even better if you could express your own opinions more often, just like your eloquent magic!" Julius reminded him.
"Understood!" Zora said expressionlessly—or rather, he had made an expression, but no one had noticed.
"Golden Dawn Squad, Alkradra, 11 stars obtained. I confer upon you the title of Senior Magic Knight Fourth Class. Your diligence and flexible magic have astonished me. I hope you find a balance between tension and relaxation; perhaps it would be good to let yourself unwind occasionally!" Julius exclaimed.
"Thank you for your assessment!" Alkradra said resolutely before stepping back. Now, it was time for the summary.
"The Golden Dawn has obtained a total of 71 stars, leading by a wide margin. Other squads, please continue to work hard; don't always lose to them!" Julius finished his summary with a smile and continued, "In any case, everyone has worked hard. I have prepared a simple banquet for later, so please enjoy yourselves!"
"Is that it?" Asta had thought Julius was going to give a long-winded speech.
"Phew..." Hearing this, Noelle couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Thankfully, it was over. If she snuck away during the banquet later, it should be fine.
"Oh, right, I have also invited special guests today, so please interact with one another!" Julius suddenly added. The voice was like a devil's, making Noelle's skin crawl instantly. The very thing Noelle feared most had happened: all of her older brothers and sisters turned and stared at her.
"It's over..." Beads of sweat the size of beans immediately rolled down Noelle's forehead. Recalling the insults of the past, she wondered what malicious words would come out of her family members' mouths today!
"It's okay, Noelle. I've said it before: I will help you solve any problem, and I will never allow anyone to bully you again, including your family." Asta held Noelle's cold little hand and then gently unclenched her tightly balled fists. "If you clench your hands too tightly, you'll get hurt. Look, you have nail marks in your palms."
"Asta!" The most fragile string in Noelle's heart was touched by Asta once again. If there weren't people around, Noelle would have already thrown herself into Asta's arms and wept bitterly. She had lived such a difficult life all alone these past few years!
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