Escort Mission

The trial began smoothly, with the merchants riding in their carriages and the 34 candidates escorting them. Mixarnt found himself sitting in the driver's seat of one of the carriages alongside Razen. The atmosphere was calm, but Mixarnt couldn't resist breaking the silence with his usual cheerful demeanor.

"Hey, thanks for that back there! So, we this carriage is filled with merchant goodies huh? Oh by the way, how old are you, Raz?" Mixarnt asked with a grin, his tone light, friendly... And annoyingly talkative.

Razen, however, wasn't as amused. "Tch, annoying," she muttered, her voice gruff as she tried to maintain her tough exterior. "And don't act all chummy with me." Despite her words, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. Unbeknownst to anyone, Razen was actually a 14-year-old girl, the daughter of Kalavan Valebrand. She had developed a crush on Mixarnt after witnessing him defeat her father in combat, and ever since, she had secretly admired him from afar.

Before Mixarnt could press further, Rise, a 12-year-old boy with a mischievous grin, jumped down from the roof of the carriage and plopped himself beside Mixarnt. "Hey, man, my name's Rise. Nice to meet you. I see that Razen has taken a liking to you," he said, his tone playful.

Razen shot him a glare, but Rise just laughed. "Name's Rise Lohengrin Goldcrest. But just call me Rise, hehe," he added, clearly enjoying himself.

Mixarnt chuckled, finding the dynamic between the two amusing. "Nice to meet you, Rise. And Razen, don't be so grumpy. We're all in this together, right?"

Razen sighed, muttering under her breath, "Annoying boys..."

Nearby, Mitchel and Liva were chatting, their conversation light and friendly. "Sigh... boys, well, one of them is a tomboy," Mitchel said, glancing at Razen with a small smile.

Liva giggled. "By the way, my name is Liva. Nice to meet you. I just turned 15."

"Name's Mitchel Warbane, I'm 17." Mitchel replied, her tone confident. "And my old man will be the one conducting one of the exam in this final trial."

Liva's eyes widened in recognition. "Oh, you mean General Lamorak!?"

"Yeah! He's strong, and my goal is to surpass him," Mitchel said, her voice filled with determination.

"I-I'll be cheering you on, Mitchel!" Liva said, clasping her hands together with a bright smile.

"Thanks! Fufu," Mitchel replied, both girls giggling as they bonded over their shared excitement for the trial.

Meanwhile, in the grand hall of the castle, the noble families and generals were watching the events unfold on the magical screens. Percival, Rise's father, leaned back in his chair with a satisfied grin. "I did tell my boy to get along with Mixarnt," he said, clearly pleased with how things were going.

Kalavan, however, was less amused. "Damnit! Razen! Why are you blushing!???" he exclaimed, his face a mix of annoyance and disbelief. His 14-year-old daughter, Razen, seemed to have taken a liking to the very boy who had defeated him in combat, and the thought was both embarrassing and frustrating for him.

Borris, another noble, couldn't help but laugh. "Hahaha! Aren't you lucky if Mixarnt chooses to court Razen?" he teased, clearly enjoying Kalavan's discomfort.

"S-shut up! That boy is a playboy!" Kalavan retorted, though his protests only made the others laugh harder.

Meanwhile, Kay, the shapeshifting general, was causing quite a stir in the grand hall. Currently in her female form and wearing a sharp tuxedo, she was being courted by both men and women. "General Kay, please accept my affection," one man said, his voice filled with admiration.

"S-shut up! Just because I can perfectly transform into a woman doesn't mean I'm a woman!" Kay protested, her face red with embarrassment.

"Lord Kay, whether you are a man or a woman, we love you," a group of women chimed in, their eyes filled with adoration.

Borris, watching the scene, turned to Percival with a raised eyebrow. "Why is Kay even in her woman form?"

Percival chuckled. "Well, I heard Kay lost a bet with Gawain. And looks like Gawain is quite satisfied," he said, gesturing to Gawain, who was clearly amused and chuckling good-naturedly.

Gerald, another general, added with a smirk, "I won't even be mad if Kay decided to just remain a girl and you two started dating."

Gawain's laughter abruptly stopped, replaced by a look of disgust. "I feel sick," he said, clearly uncomfortable with the idea.

"It's your fault, you idiot," Kalavan said with a sigh, shaking his head as he turned his attention back to the screen, where the trial was well underway. The antics in the grand hall were entertaining, but the real focus was on the candidates and their journey to becoming Aether Knights.

Meanwhile the tension among the nobles infront, 3 carriages away from Mixarnt's group was palpable as Ratrat, Kleto, and their group glared at Mixarnt, Razen, and Rise. Kleto, still nursing his bruised ego from Razen's punch, muttered under his breath, "That bastard, how dare he make fun of me." His eyes burned with resentment as she shot a venomous look at Razen.

Erenesto, another noble and one of Kleto's allies, placed a calming hand on Kleto's shoulder. "Calm down, Kleto. That tomboy isn't worth your time. Plus, nobody likes that girl acting like a man. In the academy, most nobles don't like her either," he said, his tone dismissive. His words were meant to soothe Kleto's pride, but they only deepened the divide between the factions.

Meanwhile, inside the rear carriage where supplies were stored, Mitchel and Liva were chatting happily, their conversation light and cheerful. Behind the carriage, the four other commoners—Mara, Lina, Tessa, and Ewan—walked quietly, their expressions a mix of determination and nervousness. They had been assigned to guard the rear for any danger.

Liva, noticing the commoners, felt a pang of guilt. She turned to Mitchel and the others, her voice hesitant but kind. "You four can change places with us—oh, er, of course, if you agree, Lady Mitchel," she said, realizing she needed Mitchel's permission as well. Her nervousness was evident, but her intentions were genuine.

Mixarnt, overhearing the conversation, grinned and chimed in. "Hey, hey, I don't mind! I'm pretty bored holding the ropes of the horses anyway, hehe," he said, his tone light and carefree.

Rise, ever the cheerful one, added, "Me too! Let's switch things up!"

Mitchel, who had been listening quietly, smiled and nodded. "How about you, Razen?" she asked, turning to the tomboy noble who had been sitting silently in the driver's seat.

Razen, her arms crossed and her expression as stoic as ever, glanced at Mitchel and then at the commoners behind the carriage. After a brief pause, she shrugged. "Do whatever you want. I don't care," she said, her tone gruff but not unkind.

With Razen's reluctant approval, the group quickly made the switch. Mara, Lina, Tessa, and Ewan moved to the front, taking over the task of holding the ropes, while Mixarnt, Rise, and Liva joined Mitchel inside the carriage. Razen remained in the driver's seat, her sharp eyes scanning the road ahead.

As the caravan continued its journey, the atmosphere among the candidates began to shift. The commoners, now at the front, felt a renewed sense of purpose, while the nobles inside the carriage found themselves bonding in unexpected ways. Mitchel and Liva continued their cheerful conversation, while Mixarnt and Rise exchanged playful banter, their laughter filling the carriage.

Razen, though still maintaining her tough exterior, couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with the group. Despite her initial reluctance, she found herself drawn to their energy and determination. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she was part of something bigger than herself.

Back among the hostile nobles, Kleto and Ratrat watched the scene unfold with growing frustration. "Look at them, acting all high and mighty," Ratrat muttered, his voice dripping with disdain.

Kleto's eyes narrowed as he glared at Razen and the others. "They think they're so special, but they're just commoners and traitors to their own kind," he said, his voice low and venomous.

Erenesto's calm demeanor contrasted sharply with the simmering frustration of Kleto and Ratrat. His words carried a quiet confidence as he watched the caravan press on. "Let them have their moment. When the real challenges begin, they'll see who's truly worthy of becoming an Aether Knight," he said, his tone steady and assured. His confidence was unshaken, and he seemed content to let the others exhaust themselves with petty grievances.

Meanwhile, Ewan was awkwardly trying to strike up a conversation with Razen, who sat stiffly in the driver's seat, her sharp eyes focused on the road ahead. "Uh... L-Lady Razen, thank you for defending us earlier," Ewan said, his voice trembling slightly with nervousness.

Razen's response was as blunt as ever. "Shut up. I didn't do that for you guys. I did that for everyone. It would be a waste if we all fail the exam just because some noble shits hate commoners," she said, her tone gruff and dismissive. She hated being called a lady, and her irritation was evident.

Tessa, one of the other commoners, chimed in, her voice soft but sincere. "S-still, thank you, Lady Razen!"

Razen groaned, her patience wearing thin. "Stop calling me LADY. I'm also just 14 years old," she snapped, her cheeks flushing slightly with embarrassment.

Inside the carriage, Mixarnt, who had been listening to the exchange, suddenly poked his head out, startling Razen. "Wait, what!? This dude is a she!?" he exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.

Razen shot him a glare, her face reddening even more. "What's it to you, idiot?" she retorted, her voice sharp but tinged with a hint of fluster.

Liva, sitting inside the carriage, giggled softly. "Haha... Mixarnt, I guess you should stop basing the gender of a person based on their looks. Lady Razen is from House Valebrand, the daughter of General Kalavan," she explained, her tone gentle but teasing.

Mixarnt's eyes widened in realization. "Ohhh, so that's why she's so strong!" he said, recalling Razen's punch and his encounter with General Kalavan during the second trial. He remembered how Rosalind and he had fought the exhausted general, barely managing to hold their own. "No wonder she's got that warrior vibe going on."

Rise, ever the mischievous one, added with a grin, "Razen is what you call a handsome woman, I guess."

Mitchel, sitting beside Liva, sighed and nodded. "Yup. A handsome woman indeed," she said, her tone tinged with a mix of amusement and exasperation. She knew Razen well enough to understand that the tomboy noble had no interest in lady-like clothes or behavior, and she respected her for it.

Razen, however, was less than thrilled with the conversation. "Can you all just shut up and focus on the mission?" she grumbled, her voice low but firm. Despite her tough exterior, it was clear that the attention was making her uncomfortable.

The group fell into a comfortable silence, the banter easing the tension as the caravan continued its journey. The commoners, now at the front, felt a sense of camaraderie with Razen, even if she refused to admit it. Mixarnt, Rise, and the others inside the carriage exchanged knowing smiles, their bond growing stronger with each passing moment.