3 years

"Congratulations Raven," Karen and the others happily congratulated him.

"Becoming a captain at the age of 20 and you're almost about to reach the peak of your ability. You really are amazing," Hideyoshi happily said as he pats his shoulder.

"Not just him though, Eureka as well," Feena said.

"You guys, it's been 3 years already. You shouldn't get too attached to her."

"Do you remember that whenever we pass by each other she wouldn't even look back at us? It's obvious she didn't want to associate with us," Mamoru sigh after hearing what Feena said.

"She didn't want to associate cause no one wants to associate with her," Karen said on their defense.

Both Karen and Feena would still talk about Eureka from time to time.

Sometimes they'd still try to speak to her whenever they come across her but she would not look at their direction at all.

"Didn't we try it already. 3 years ago, during that graduation competition. But she cut us out. So stop it already. It's no use okay," Hideyoshi reprimanded them.

The guys would sometimes talk about it, why these two girls still try their best to befriend her even though it's obvious that she didn't want to.

"Leave us alone will you. We want to so you can't stop us."

"Okay, that's enough. You guys are starting to fight over her again. We still have training this afternoon, so go on and eat your lunch," Raven ended up stopping them from fighting for the nth time.

"Ah, that's right. Let's go celebrate tonight," Karen suddenly said.

Taking a 180 degrees change on her attitude.

"For what?" Mamoru asked.

"Duh, obviously for Raven's promotion," she answered looking at him as if asking, 'Are you stupid or what? We were just talking about it.'

"That's nice. Let's go eat and drink. Squad 2 have no early training tomorrow anyway. How about you guys?" Feena asked looking at Mamoru and Karen.

"Of course. So let's celebrate," Karen excitedly said.

After discussing what time and where they would celebrate, the boys and the girls went their own way.

*****

Eureka who's currently sitting in the food court sighed internally, she can sense that Feena and Karen are approaching her once again.

They've been doing that for the past 3 years, she thought that if she kept on ignoring them, they'd stop eventually.

But only the other two guys did, these two girls are not even planning on stopping it seems.

"EUREKA!!"

With Karen's shout, she decided not to ignore them this time and continue eating.

Karen purposely shouted in order to gain everyone's attention, of course, if she just stood up and leave everyone will have another topic for their gossip which is tiring.

In the past, she would nod at them then would stealthily leave once everyone's attention is no longer on them, but this time she didn't have the energy to do so.

So she just let them approach her.

Sitting in front of her was Feena while beside her was Karen.

"You didn't avoid us this time," Karen said while grinning.

Eureka only sighed.

"Did you get tired of our pestering?" Feena asked.

'Why did this two wanted to befriend me so much? I didn't even do anything for them that would make them feel that we could be in a friendly manner.'

Eureka thought without answering Feena's question.

"Anyway, we know that you've heard the news about Raven's promotion and us too, heard the news of your promotion."

"So, you see, we are planning on celebrating this evening around six at Knights Hut. You should come," Karen, still smiling, said.

She casually said it but she's actually totally nervous inside.

She never thought that Eureka would let them approach her and sit with her so she wasn't exactly prepared.

In the end, she didn't try to ask her if she is free but just casually said that she should come.

Eureka remained silent for a while, she can tell that they were expecting her to agree.

She sighed and finished her food. She stood up and turned her back.

Both their shoulders dropped as it appears that she would be rejecting them once again.

"I can only come for an hour, today is the start of our night shift on guarding and our training would end at around six," she said before walking away.

Feena and Karen looked at each other before Karen shouted, "THAT'S FINE. WE'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU!!"

"Can you believe that? She actually agreed," Karen exclaimed while sitting down looking at Feena.

"Of course I heard, I am with you," Feena said calmly but she can't hide her happiness.

"Our pestering actually paid off. I'm so happy. I can't wait for the guys' faces once they see her come to the celebration," Karen snickered.

*****

That night at Knights Hub.

"Since we are all here," Mamoru started before they heard the door open once again and Karen abruptly stood up.

"Eureka!! Here," calling Eureka to where they are seated.

Once seated, Eureka knew that the other two guys are staring at her unbelievably.

"I could leave if you don't want me here?" she asked seeing how they didn't expect that she would be there.

With that, she could guess that the two girls intentionally didn't tell the others.

"No, it's not that. We were just shocked that you're here," Hideyoshi said.

"They invited me, but I can only stay for an hour. Our night shift starts tonight," she said.

"That would be good enough," Mamoru smiled then continued his words that were interrupted awhile ago.

"This is indeed a wonderful day, let's all toast for Raven and Eureka who became the Captain of each of their unit within their squads."

He raised his cup and the others follow, toasting with each other.

There are only six of them in the table but they still gain a lot of attention.

First, because of Raven, the son of the Head Knight and became a captain within squad 2 at the age of 20.

Second, because of Eureka, who after graduation never interacted with the other five until now and also became a captain within squad 10 at the age of 20.

And finally, because five of them are all nobles, Karen was the daughter of a Duke, Feena was a daughter of an Earl, Mamoru and Hideyoshi were sons of Marquesses.

"Congratulations," Eureka faced Raven and raised her cup.

Raven raised his cup as well and said, "Congratulations."

The whole hour that Eureka was there she would answer yes or no, but never did she say anything about her past 3 years of being an official knight.

Soon it's time for her to go.

"I should be going now. Thank you for inviting me," she said and stood up.

"Thank you for coming as well," Mamoru said before raising his cup towards her.

"And congratulations once again."

Hideyoshi followed him and with a smile, "Congratulations again."

Eureka nod at the two of them.

"Thanks for coming, Eureka," Karen smiled and waved her hand.

"But don't think that this would be the end, we'll still keep pestering you in the near future," Feena said as she raised her cup with a smile.

"*sigh* I hope not," Eureka said before nodding her head towards Raven, who nodded back, and with a final look at them, she left.

"I'm amazed you were able to invite her," Hideyoshi said after Eureka had left the place.

"Actually we were shocked as well, it seems that she got tired of avoiding us so she just agreed," Karen explained.

"Stop pestering her too much," Raven suddenly remarked.

"But..." Karen started.

"She is already busy with her promotion, if you pester her even more, she might end up getting mad," Mamoru answered.

"Not just that," Raven continued.

The others looked at him curiously.

"Do you think being a zero is easy for a knight?" he looked at the two of them and asked.

"She needs to come up with new ideas in order to be useful for wars."

"She needs to strengthen her physic in order to keep up with those who have abilities. She actually doesn't have any time to act leisurely," he said with the tone of a lecture.

He knows that this two girls, whenever they have the time, would look for Eureka and try to chat with her or ask her to do stuff with them. 

He didn't stop them at first cause he too thought that they would eventually stop, like the other two guys, if Eureka kept on declining their invitations. But he never thought that they would be so persistent.

He too was actually shocked that Eureka agreed this time, but seeing that she only stay for an hour he can tell that she really is very busy.

"We understand," Feena and Karen could only surrender.

*****

Late that night.

As Karen and Feena walked along the alley, where no one is around.

"Raven was right, she must have been very busy. We should minimize our invitation," Feena said.

Karen nodded, "Yeah, especially now that she is a captain. She'll have more work on her shoulders."

Just as Feena was about to say something, a wind passed by them. And by the time they've realized it, blood was dripping on each of their sides.

Feena before losing consciousness sent a message using her water to Knights Hut, which is not so far from where they were walking, where the three guys are still staying.

This move is a specialty of Water Ability users, where short messages could be sent within a certain distance which is a radius of 250 meters, or 500 meters in diameter.

This water will form a paddle once it arrives at where the caster wants to send the message. And in that paddle letters are formed.

While for Wind Ability users they could use voice to send a short message with the same range of distance.

What Feena sent was "Help" and their distance from Knights Hut.