Astraea's POV
I am escorted to the field where the exams should take place, and I'm impressed. Julius thought good about the environment where every mage can show off their spells and affinities with elements. Not bad, indeed.
Right now I stand to a side to let all humans listen and understand rules and pairings of the exams, which to be frank, is also a good idea. Mixing teams will improve their adaptation skills and also their judgment when facing an opponent. Really Novachrono, not bad.
After everything is decided, I'm offered a throne to sit on, and as I do, I hear people's confusion when Byakko sit sideway on top of the chair. He's basically a big cat, he'd be comfy even on top of a pole, but to explain this to these humans would be too much of a pain, so let them enjoy the confusion.
What surprises me though, is that the Black Bulls sit next to me, all of them with smiles on their faces. Yami smirks and crosses his arms, like if he's saying that he entrusts his kids to me, which I appreciate. I know not everyone will partecipate at the exams, but I made sure to call every mage in the squads because they will all be doing my tests.
So for now, the ones who don't have to fight, are chatting with me and ask a bunch of questions or just talk about their day or past experiences. Of course, as the good listener I am, I listen very carefully to each one of them and make sure to ask questions so they will be even more excited and talk some more.
At a certain point, I grow tired of all this formality, so I uncross my legs and I stand. I watch with pleasure how puzzled the little humans are, until I sit on the ground with them and they all scoop even closer. It's really a shame they are treated badly by the others, they all have their quirks but all of them have a pure soul.
I have very trained senses, no matter which one. I hear REALLY well, and even if I'm focused on the Black Bull kids I can still hear the whispers of the other mages. They are all disrespecting Yami's knights because they are the only ones who have the privilege of having my attention. I'm gonna end this bullshit in a minute.
"Hold up for a second, Vanessa-san." I stop the girl and twist my back a little to face the big group of humans. "Yuno-kun, Mimosa-san, Klaus-kun, please be our guests. I am interested in your stories as well."
"Huh? Really?" the three kids blink surprised and I show them an opened hand, stretched out to reinforce my invite.
"What? Why only them?" , "Without mentioning the fact that he's hanging out basically with plebes." , "Shouldn't be us, the nobles having a chat with a king?"
There they are. Yuno-kun doesn't care about others' opinion, in fact he sits next to Asta and waits for his seniors. Unfortunately, the other two are stuck, held back by the fear of judgement.
"How should I explain this in a very easy and polite way so even dumbasses like you can get it?" I stand and walk over the littles Mimosa and Klaus. "When we talk about diversity ladies and gentlemen, learn that it's not a box to check. It's a reality that should be deeply felt, held and valued by all of you. It sucks to be discriminated, doesn't it? Think that you've done this to not only your own companions and the people you're supposed to protect, but even in front of 3 kings." I take Mimosa under my right arm and Klaus under the other to encourage them to walk to the group with me. "Let's go little ones, let me hear your stories. It's a real shame that closed minds don't come with closed mouths." I stop to look over my shoulder and end my job. "Be ashamed of yourselves, for discrimination is the refuge for the ignorants."
"You are good at judging, but I'm curious about your so mighty kingdom." before others could join, a low growl hushes everyone up.
"The Lord's lands are led with gender-equality." Byakko's back me up, probably he got fed up of this type of behaviors too. "You don't even know what that means, right?" He glares at the knights and looks at them with superiority. "A gender-equality society means that the word "gender" does not exist anymore; everyone can be themselves. Equality means that we are not treating everyone the same, we attend equally to everyone's different needs. Do you do this even in your house? I don't think so, so shut your damn mouth. Death doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints, so why you humans think you have the right to do it?"
The Captains scold their subordinates and Byakko closes his eyes to nap. I make the kids sit and they are welcomed by the others, but I see them being uncomfortable. I hope it's not my presence, but I ask what is wrong anyway.
"We're so sorry, you had to intervene to protect us." Klaus first, then Mimosa bow their heads and I can tell they are frustrated by what just happened. "We both are from royal families and-"
"First, raise your heads kids, nobody is forcing you to stay below me. Same eye level, like friends." I use a higher tone of voice to compensate the lack of expressions. I can't remove my mask without the hairpin, so I'll try my best to infuse my voice with emotions and facial expressions. "The beauty of standing up for your rights is others see you standing and stand up well, little ones. You have the right to live as you like to, and nobody has the right to tell you otherwise. Be more like Captain Sukehiro and his team, no offense, Yami-dono."
"Where's the offense dude?" he chuckled as he keeps smoking. "I've heard worse, don't worry 'bout it."
"By the way, Yami-dono. May I ask to have Asta for a while?" I am about to drop the biggest hammer of discrimination on these idiots. "I have a request for him."
"You can do whatever you want with him, buddy. Just don't kill him, I need someone to keep my base clean."
"Thank you for your trust Captain." I turn to face Asta and put my hand on his head. "I am about to give you the biggest mission you will ever get. Will you take on the challenge, Asta of Black Bull?"
"Yes, sir!" he looks so adorable when his bashful cheeks for the excitement. "Ask me anything and I will do it!"
"Well, with such skilled mage and his untamed will, I can't refuse." snapping my fingers I make appear a blank paper and with my magic I mark it with specific words that will grant Asta's safety. "Come with me, brave knight."
"Wow..." with another snap, I evoke the gate of my lands. A thin layer of mist floats over the ground and everyone's eyes are on the portal.
"If I ask you to go and call Y/n for me, would you do it?" as soon as I drop the question, his eyes almost pop out of his eyes and his jaw touches the soil.
"Huh? B-but I have to go in y-your land, sir...." he hesitates, but I reassures him by pulling him close to my leg.
"I allow you to enter, if you want to go of course. If you feel too pressured, I'll send Byakkomaru." Asta looks over the beast and I internally chuckle with myself when the scary tiger encourages the human to go with a head gesture. "What's your answer?"
"I'll do it! Yes, I'll call Y/n over here!" his star-shaped eyes warm my chest, to the point I gently caress his hair while I give him the paper. "What is this?"
"Listen carefully, as soon as you'll step in, someone will ask for your identity and the reason why you're there. They will be on their guard as their duty requires, so please don't be scared. Calmly say your name and show to whoever will appear the scroll. I wrote that you're under my permission to pass the borders to do what you have to do."
"Got it."
"Go ahead then, have a nice trip, little Asta." I gently push the kid forward and then wave at him. "See you later!"
As soon as the gate closes, hell is unlished. The ones who were silenced before raise up again, and this time with new friends, but that doesn't impress me at all. Not even the fact that their own Captains have issues to settle them down.
"Until you all accept that Magic Knight for his hard work and dedication, we're not on the same level, so don't speak to me 'cause I won't even look at such low levels." I return to my seat and continue to ignore the complains, until those turn into insults for Asta.
"Enough!" Novachrono stands from his chair and calls to attention his subjects. "You're embarrassing me and your king in front of our guests! You're not children, you even ignore your superiors and Captains, get your shit together!"
"Until you realize that all Asta's Grimoire provides are swords and flight, and that all his attack power is physical strength alone, you're not worth of even a glimpse of my lands. Asta's a true warrior who fights for the ones who cannot fight for themselves. He's a really smart warrior who finds a way to fight without swords or shield but with words and truth. For all I know, the one you hate the most only for his origins is the only mage that respect the knight's code without even knowing it."
"Knight's code?" , "What the hell?"
"See? You don't even know what you're doing with your miserable lives." My voice drops and everyone's shoulders tense up in a second. "Don't say another word about Asta if not praises, 'cause that makes me fucking pissed. Watch your damn mouths when you talk about the people around me, I'll magnify them greater than gods first, then I'll fucking burn your entire family tree."
"He cursed twice, that's a pretty clear sign that he's really pissed right now." Yami speaks up with a funny voice. Adding a big smirk, he adds: "Don't upset the Lord, it never ends well for whoever encountered his anger. You saw how the queen reacted. So be good and shut your traps, that's better for everyone who has a functioning brain."
With that being said, I change my aura and return to listen to the kids' chatting. I wish them good luck if they have to fight, and I'll wave at them when they look over here for a little boost up. I have to wait for Asta, and I have nothing else to do, plus this is a very pleasing way to entertain myself. Patting kids on their heads when they come back victorious, or frustrated that they lost.
Either way, all the matters to me is that they are comfortable around me and they are happy to be themselves even if people may judge or watch them. I'm glad to see that they behave like they do with my daughter, because just like her when people will hurt them, I will heal them, when people will humiliate them, I will magnify them; when people will judge them, I will justify them.
You know, some people survive chaos and that's how they grow; and some people thrive in chaos, because chaos is all they know. Such energetic and chaotic kids must have a painful, hard past to deal with, so I want to make sure that as long as they are with me, they don't have to worry about a thing but be free.