Genre : Angst to fluff.
Trigger warning : mention of blood and injuries.
Summary : You are from a noble family that got into Silver Eagle through acquaintance. However, the captain doesn't approve much of your power. So you have to prove him wrong.
Words count : 2,166
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"I heard that the (L/n) family isn't that strong. In fact, their youngest daughter can't even cast a proper spell."
"Yes! But what I heard is that she has never casted a spell before. Maybe it's because she can't control her magic well enough to cast one."
"It's like she's a peasant that got lucky to be born into a noble family." Then laughter rings in the hallway.
It is not rare for you to hear or witness discussions about you behind your back. Unfortunately, that left you to shrink around yourself and form a shell to protect yourself from getting hurt by the piercing words.
'At least say it to my face, cowards.' The thought races in your head as you walk into the other corridor.
"I've even heard that Captain Nozel never acknowledged her powers. I don't understand what she's still doing in the squad anymore."
Now that strikes you like a broom in the eye, worse than a blow into the face. To hear that your captain and the person you love doesn't even acknowledge you hurts a thousand times worse than it would have been to get punched a hundred times.
It is true that you have never casted a spell.
Not in front of your captain or camarades anyway.
And it is because-
"(L/n), your presence is required at Captain Nozel's office." Rob commands more than informs you. You nod your head in a sign of understanding and immediately let your feet take you to Nozel's office.
× × ×
You knock twice on the door gently. Standing two feet away, you wait for permission to access the office.
"Enter." You hear your captain's voice from the other side of the door. You open the door, enter, close it behind you, then give a salutation to your captain before breathing in who and what is in the office.
You have been into Nozel's office in few occasions, never lasting more than 5 minutes. So, you take in the organised and spotless room.
The walls are in ornate grey with magnificent inscriptions. In the middle of the wall in front of you was the logo of the Silver Eagle squad. The furniture around you is well placed and fits the vibe of the office of one of the best squads in Clover Kingdom, from the bookshelves to the small coffee table, and the desk placed in the middle.
Behind it is the mighty captain of the Silver Eagles. He eyes you briefly before averting his eyes towards the other present people in the room.
And who happen to be his siblings, Nebra and Solid.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the almost magicless wizard (L/n) (Y/n)." Nebra starts then giggles, "I'm surprised you've been chosen to be part of this mission." She continues with a cocky smirk.
You just stare blankly at her to avoid any consequences.
"To think about it, I think your beauty is what got you into the magic knights more than your magic itself." Solid follows with a similar cocky, seductive smirk as his eyes travel up and down your figure.
You shift nervously at his intense gaze.
"Enough." One word breathed from Nozel and the two siblings cower away from you.
A knock mercifully interrupts the growing awkward silence around the room.
"Come in." Nozel says with usual firmness.
"Sir." Rob enters the room and salutes, not missing the way his eyes drift into your figure before going back into his captain, "All prepations are ready. We are ready to leave whenever you wish, sir."
Nozel nods at him before moving his eyes to look at the four of you standing in front of him.
"We have been tasked by the wizard king to inspect a dangerous dungeon around the outskirts of the Clover Kingdom. Specifically at the borders between the Clover and Heart Kingdom." He eyes you.
"Reports suggest that the dungeon is intense with enormous and lethal mana zone. The stronger the mana is around the dungeon, the more valuable its treasures are. Our goal is to retrieve whatever treasure we find and come back safely."
You nod at his order.
"Well this is going to be easy." Nebra comments with a smirk.
"And fun." Solid follows with a mischievous grin towards you.
The look almost sends shiver down your spine.
It would have, had you been weak.
"You have five minutes to prepare. We leave after that." Nozel says, dismissing you all.
You leave the office without a complaint nor an expression of enthusiasm. You have been into dungeons before and you have been lucky to get back in one piece.
So to hear from Nozel that this dungeon might be the most dangerous and lethal yet, it makes you wonder if you'd be lucky this time. Not to forget that this is the first time you will be joined in the same mission with Nozel and his siblings.
Nervousness is, therefore, the underestimation of the year.
× × ×
Flying on top of Nozel's silver eagle has always been one of your favorite things to witness.
The wind played softly with your hair as you let your mind drift into the calmness that surrounds it as only the sound of the eagle flying and the birds chirping next to you please your ears.
The same calmness that is shattered by Nebra and Solid snickering.
"Doesn't she remind you of Noelle? Both of them can't control their magic." Solid suddenly blurts out.
"What a waste." Nebra agrees.
You have heard of the history of the siblings with their youngest one. In fact, you have witnessed Nozel being harsh to her during multiple occasions. You wanted so desperately to step up for the young girl, but you were always stopped by her, worried that you might lose your job as magic knight if you intervene in family business.
Eventually, you became her friend and older sister. Providing her the sister-love that she missed from her own.
You could swear that you saw Nozel's eyebrow twitch in annoyance at Solid's sudden comment. However, that is quickly interrupted when you finally reach your destination.
Nozel lands the eagle within a safe distance from the dungeon. You have to take the trip on foot towards the dungeon to avoid any sudden aggravation from the mana.
You take the first steps towards your destination but you are quickly stopped by Nozel's deep voice, "No, you will be staying here."
You are shocked to say the least.
"S-Sir... What do you mean, sir?" You ask, hoping to get a better clarification about the situation.
"We need to have someone to get us backup in case things don't go according to plan. You will be waiting here for any orders from me inside the dungeon. We will have already analysed the situation before you get a word to whether come in or get backup."
So I'm just a dog to be whistled at to do your bidding?
"Yes, sir." You say blankly at him with a salutation.
"Suits you." Nebra comments before the four of them leave towards the dungeon.
Offended and betrayed, you sit still in your spot and wait for orders.
× × ×
Waiting for orders requires patience.
Yet within the twenty minutes of waiting, you could not possible think it is possible for you to wait any longer.
Your powers scream at you to unleash it.
"Quiet." You hiss at it. Turning your head towards the direction of the dungeon, a sudden wave of strong mana hits you with great force.
"Shit." You curse under your breath before breaking into a run towards the depths of the hell pit in front of you.
You race against your thoughts and through the complicated and never-ending corridors of the dungeon. You feel the mana of each of your teammates.
Yet what strikes you is that Nozel's mana is lowering with a dangerous pace.
Time feels slower as you witness a large beast about to land what seemed to be the final attack on the four people beneath it. Nebra holding Solid as a gash graces his side, while Rob lays unconscious on the ground.
Nozel...
Nozel is still standing, all bloodied and cut, yet his arms outstretched in front of him as his grimoire brightens up to cast his final spell.
Yet it did nothing against the mana created beast that towered them. The captain's arms fall to his sides and his look is one of defeat and acceptance of a doomed fate that the fist directed towards them promised.
Yet the fist never came.
And death never visited.
Opening his eyes, Nozel gasps at the sight of you, your invisible barrier stopping the beast from moving any closer to the people behind you.
With powered up mana, you cast one large spell that sends the beast flying back and away.
Fortunately, your magic is a natural opponent to the mana that created the beast. Yet, that doesn't mean you could defeat the beast.
"Captain." Your voice snaps Nozel out of an apparent trance. "Did you get the item we need?" You ask, eyes on the beast that was rising up.
"It's inside the beast." His grim voice answers your question. You click your tongue at that.
Guess we have to do it. You say to your powers in your mind. And in a blink of an eye, you are transformed into your armored mana skin.
And the fight with your magic natural opponent begins with a roar of rage from the beast.
× × ×
You sigh deeply as you eye the shiny item in your palm.
The fight was long but successful. You managed to defeat the mana beast, protect Nozel and the others, retrieve the item, and come out of the dungeon in one piece.
"Here." You extend your hand to your captain with the item in your palm. "I'll call for backup." You take out the magical communication item to call a team of magic knight healers and support to get you back to the headquarters.
When a spacial magic knight helped transport all of you to the safe walls of the Silver Eagle headquarters, you head straight to your room where you want nothing but to shower and sleep.
And you do just that.
× × ×
During the next morning, you get into your usual uniform, wincing a bit at the ache that numbly attacks your muscles.
Yesterday was great. You ignore the words of the power and you prepare to leave your room.
However, a sudden surprise awaits behind your door as Nozel stands behind it. You stare at each other with parted lips, his cheeks painted with faint shades of pink while yours is angry red.
"C-Captain! I'm sorry I didn't know you were here behind my door!" You stutter, your heart hammering against your ribcage.
"I-It's not you fault... I was about to knock." It is the first time you hear Nozel stutter, but you brush it away. You close your eyes and take a deep breath.
"Is there something I can do for you, sir?" You ask with a found smile after you have regained your composer.
"I only wanted to..." Nozel's voice trails away as his eyes drift to the side, as if avoiding to look at you while the shades of faint pink darken. "Check on you and to tell you... Thank you for saving us yesterday. If it hadn't been for you or your power to show up, I... We would have been dead in that dungeon."
You stare wide-eyed at the man in front of you.
Did he just acknowledge me?
You come back to reality when Nozel clears his throat. "Of course, sir! It's my job as a magic knight!"
"Then, have a good day." He leaves before you could say something or hear anything from him.
"Wait!" You quickly tug his sleeve, which you quickly let go, fearing any bad consequences.
"You have never acknowledged my powers before, why did you let me join that mission?" You ask timidly, your eyes finding the floor to be more interesting than the intense gaze your captain gave you. There is a long moment of silence before you get to hear the words from your captain.
"Because I wanted you to prove me wrong." Your eyes move back quickly towards Nozel, but he is already gone before you could say anything to him. Gone while tugging the sleeve you touched as if to feel the touch of your fingers against his skin instead.
Later that day, Nebra and Solid approach you to apologise for their behaviour and thank you for saving their ass back in the dungeon.
Even Rob comes to you to vaguely thank you through his words of the duty of a magic knight.
And for the rest of the days, instead of hearing bad talk behind your back.
You hear about the almost magicless girl who saved her team and charmed her captain.
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I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. Please do vote and leave a comment if you have!
See ya!