Soaring Spirits

Chapter 4

"Congrats on your award, Clara! You should try to take the next step and become a Captain!" Fuegoleon congratulated, patting the woman beside him on the back as he took a sip of his tea. Clara put her finger to her lips, tapping it in thought.

"Hmm, sounds like a good idea, maybe I'll take your place, Fuego." She gave him a playful smirk. The Crimson Lion King's captain choked on his drink, and Clara started laughing as he tried to compose himself.

"You'd be a fine Captain!" Leo praised.

"Don't be ridiculous. Not only is she a high ranked Magic Knight, but she still works under the Wizard King." Nozel pipes in from the other side of the woman. "It'll be too much of a responsibility to juggle that many jobs."

"Awe, Zel... thank you for looking out for me." Clara teased, bumping his side with hers.

He only glared down at her before quickly looking away.  Zel was an old nickname from Clara he was never fond of. Least he made it seem he wasn't fond of the name. She knew he cared for her well being, and that his harshness was just how he communicated. A good friend she was for looking past all that and understanding his emotions behind it all as she noted the playfulness in his eyes.

Clara found herself nibbling on a finger sandwich when she heard Yami's new rookie yelling in delight. Placing the sandwich back on her plate, she watched the boy scarf random foods into his mouth like a stray animal finding his own feast. While she slightly cringed at the disgusting behavior, she could understand that he's probably never tried such marvelous foods before. Yuno was almost the same when he first started in the Golden Dawn, yet he kept himself restrained and ate politely. Mimosa had shyly tried to ease his stares by asking to join the boy, but the conversation echoed throughout the room as the loud boy accepted.

"Filthy , gluttonous commoner." Alecdora mentioned loudly at the table where the other higher ranked Golden Dawn stood. Clara gave a sigh of annoyance, knowing how the man was with his abnoxious habits towards others.

"Why would the Wizard King invite such vulgar guests?" He questioned louder.

"What a positively atrocious eater!" Hamon laughed. Between the laughs of her squadmates and the younger Silva siblings, Clara felt she had enough. Unlike the majority of the nobles, Clara didn't look down on those from the outskirts of the kingdom, that was just how she was. Would she admit that nobles and royals were genetically stronger than the common folk? Yes... but that didn't mean that they were completely useless. If Julius has taught her one thing, it was that there is a world of mystery out there when it comes to magic, and that anyone is capable of holding great power.

"If I remember correctly, you've got a commoner in your squad, too. Everyone thinks he's a big deal because of his four-leaf clover grimoire. Yet, he's still a commoner through and through." Leo had spoken up towards the Golden Dawn.

Clara was infuriated at the young Vermillion for acting as such, yet she didn't take action. Only looking at his elder brother who was glaring at the boy. Clara and the Captains did not interfere, and only observed what was to come of the open opinions.

"Well, Crimson Lion cub, aren't you full of yourself?" Alecdora taunted. "His work may be sub-par, but it's not as if we expect much of a commoner. True he's Golden Dawn, but it is we nobles who embody the ideals of our squad and captain."

"Now, with all due respect." Klaus butted in, pushing his glasses up.

"And what about you, Klaus? A man of your caliber ought to be ashamed to be seen in the company of these commoners." Alecdora demeaned.

"As for you, Mimosa. I hear you were promptly wounded in the dungeon and removed yourself from the front lines. Your ineptitude is making royal House Vermillion a laughingstock."