"So you guys were summoned by the headquarter to report back about the dungeon's mission?" Kana empathized after hearing their intentions at the headquarters'.

"That's right." Klaus nods, confirming her question. He won't deny the facts that she's a commoner and declared that she would be the one to destroys the Magic Knights.

He fully remembers how furious he was when he first heard the story of a commoner rudely declaring such threats toward the captains, including Captain Vangeance.

Many members even think of attacking the girl by themselves, but after as if their captain knows fully well their thoughts, they have been warned not to cause trouble, and she wasn't at any fault.

Despite the distaste feeling he had for her, Klaus decided to be civil with the younger girl since, from his observation, Asta and Yuno seem to believe in her and even showing how close they are among each other.

He even concludes that despite Asta's airhead attitude and Yuno's stories, Kana wasn't as bad as the rumors he heard around. Most of them saying how rude and ungrateful peasant she is who also disrespects the nobles and even royals.

Given that he a noble-born child, Klaus knows how high his status is above her, but the past months after finding himself getting close with Yuno and Asta coming into his life, the man found his heart and thought slowly opening to those who status below him. Instead of looking down at them for being a mere commoner, he learns to look at them on the same level as any living humans being.

Pushing up his glass, Klaus intercepts the conversation between the trio talking among them as they all want to catch up with each other after a long time apart. "If I'm not wrong, you were off duty for badly injured from your first mission."

"Hm? Oh, that." Kana glance over the older member, shrugging the topic off as it was nothing. "I'm fine now. I got plenty of rest, and now I'm permitted to go back on the field."

Asta narrow his eyes at her that tell how he didn't believe any words she said. "Must be a lot of works for whoever needed to put her on bed rest. Poor guy." He lowly whispers to Yuno, who nods in agreement.

"Nee, Kana-chan." The shortest boy glance over his childhood friend, frowning. "Is that why you didn't write back for a while?"

"Yeah~" She scratches the back of her neck. "I'm sorry about that. I kind of having a hole through my stomach for a while."

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Laughing out loud while wiping non-existing tears, Asta pats her back, making her stumble forward a few times.

While he is laughing so hard, thinking that she's joking, Yuno's expression turns pale as he looks at her in worried.

"Aren't you supposed to rest?" His eyes darted on every inch of her body, making sure that she wasn't showing any signs of pain.

Kana sigh, watching Yuno staring intensely at her in worry. An image of a younger version of him flashes over his side, making her smile. "Don't worry. I'm fine now. I was on observation all through my recovery. Although, thank you for worrying about me, but honestly, I'm feeling alright now." Tilting her head a little, she smiles lovingly at him.

A small pair of blushes creep over his cheeks. Yuno's pupils shine, and he can feel his heart beating so hard that he almost choked on his breath. "I—I-If you said so......"

The other three awkwardly standing behind them, not knowing what to do in such a situation except for Asta, as he didn't feel awkward at all from being around the two of them for so long.

"I have never seen Yuno act like this before!" Mimosa whisper-yell as she, along with Klaus, gape at the rare sight.

Klaus's eye twitches as he watches Yuno turning into an entirely different person. "I don't even know anything anymore."

"By the way-" Kana finally glances back at the other, but her eyes befall on Asta. "I heard that you also got pretty beat up from the dungeon mission. Are you feeling fine now?"

"Yeah!" He cheers loudly. "My stomach still hurts a little, but I ate lots and slept lots, so I'm fine!"

"What are you, a kid?" Kana and Yuno deadpan.

"Who are you calling a kid?!"

"You." The dark-haired boy answers coldly while Kana stuck her tongue out and turn away from the pointed finger.

"You guys are the same age as me! And Kana-chan so cruel! Ack!" His eyes fall on Mimosa. "I'm better because of your magic, Mimosa. Thanks!" Raising his hand as he greets the wavy-haired girl.

Instead of answering back at him, she turned around and took off.

"Why'd she run away?" He watches in dumbfound by her sudden disappearing.

"When you raised your hand, your arm was shorter than expected, and it startled her." Yuno bluntly assumes before adding. "Maybe?"

The ash-blonde haired boy immediately attacks the taller boy but is held back as Yuno pushes his head away.

"What the hell?! Yuno, you jerk!!"

"See?"

Kana's sweat drops as she watches them bickering childishly. She notices Noelle approaching the other royal-born girl, but her attention got distracted by another being on top of Asta's head. She stares at the weird-looking bird as if trying to remember something.

As if it was feeling that it was being watched. The bird glance over, and their eyes meet each other, and that's when she remembers that it was during the Magic Knight's entrance exam.

"Hey, isn't that—" She wasn't able to finish her words as the sudden ruckus caused by the other girls distract her thought.

"What are they moaning about?" Klaus is the first to ask.

Asta then add. "Maybe they have a headache."

"I believe headquarters is this way."

The group continues their way to the headquarter after checking that the girls aren't feeling sick even after seeing their faces redden for some reason.

"I guess there are things even you don't know, four-eyes."

"Indeed, there are." Klaus, who brush away his nickname answer. "We don't often get to come to the headquarters."

Just as he about to walk in first, they all froze at the presence in front of them.

"Y-your Majesty!" Noticing who the person is, he sweats nervously and quickly lowers himself in respect. "I never expected you to welcome us yourself." He quickly blurts out nervously with Mimosa, and Noelle follows his action.

"Who's that flashy old guy?" Asta, who has no sense of reading the situation, looks over his childhood friends.

"You fool! That's the current Wizard King, Julius Novachrono!"

"What?!!!"

'What an impatient old man,' Kana sigh internally.  

A/N: For me, this isn't the best and my proudest chapter. I just had to post this chapter because the upcoming one will be becoming more intense. I have a lot to catch up with the anime reaching the Diamond Kingdom Arc, and I'm still staggering with the earlier arcs. 

I'm sorry to those who patient enough with my update schedule because they are trash. I can only write when I'm in the right state of mind, or my plots will be flying around. I know where this story will be going, but too reaches there won't be easy, and I know that.

I want to write every day if I can, but I work as a technician, and customer service leaves me drained at the end of the day. I'm planning to continue working until March, and I will quit in April since my mother needs my help on that month for her business. I may also be able to focus on writing more on that month and search for new work.

Anyway, thank you for reading this chapter. Please don't forget to vote and leave some of your thoughts of what you think will happen in the next few chapters?!!!

https://youtu.be/g7Xeh82MzSQ