"Clack"
Camille's pupils shifted to the side to see who was entering the room. It was a girl—a blue-haired girl with black eyes. She carried herself with confidence, making it clear that something remarkable had happened to her.
Camille watched as she walked toward him, finally stopping in front of him and extending her right hand. He remained seated.
—Hi! My name is Are-la. Seems like we're going to be in the same section. Nice to meet you! —she said with a bright smile. Her high-pitched voice resonated in the empty room as she greeted Camille.
—...Hi. —Camille replied coldly, without even meeting her eyes.
Despite his indifference, she kept smiling and sat beside him. Minutes passed in silence until Are-la decided to break the awkwardness.
—I saw your fight... It was awesome. You're really strong, and I suppose you didn't even use magic. Mind if I ask how that's possible?
*"I don't even know her. Why would I tell her my things? Why is she even asking?"* Camille's face remained indifferent, betraying none of his thoughts.
—Yes, I mind. —he answered.
The cold response revived the awkwardness, but Are-la wasn't about to give up.
*"This is my chance to make a new friend. Of course I'll take it! Plus, we're in the same section. Even if not the same subunit, we're teammates!"* she thought. Unlike Camille, her expressions revealed her thoughts, making it obvious to him.
*"She probably wants to get to know me... Ugh. She's already thinking of what to ask next. This won't be easy."* Camille thought.
—Hey, u—
—How many captain options did you choose? —Camille interrupted, embarrassed.
Her smile returned, brighter than before. *"Yes! He wants to talk too!"* she thought.
—Well, um... General Yuno, Heisen, and Zhenya. I chose General Zhenya—pretty obvious.
—W-what made you choose her? —he asked, curious.
—Oh, well... It's not like I had a favorite general. I chose Zhenya because you chose her. —she admitted, embarrassed.— I didn't want to wait alone in a room. Plus, it'd be boring. What made you choose her?
—Oh, well... I don't know. It just felt right. —he said, thinking, *"There's something about her. That general is special. My intuition never fails."*
—Oh...
Time passed, and surprisingly for Camille, they kept talking. No one else entered, so they realized General Zhenya had chosen only them. After an hour of waiting—
"Clack"
General Zhenya entered. Camille's heart raced; he knew it was time. She walked toward them, her short curly hair and red eyes glowing against her uniform.
—Congratulations to you both! You are now members of Section Z. Prove to me that I made the right choice in selecting only you two. Always aim for the top—for the sake of the country and the honor of our team. When I speak, you shall respond with "Yes, ma'am!" Is that clear?
—Yes, ma'am!
—Yes, miss gurl— I mean, MA'AM! —Are-la blurted out, her heart skipping a beat. She thought her life was over.
But General Zhenya burst out laughing. Are-la sighed in relief, while Camille looked confused. *"Why was I worried about her...? Phew."* he thought.
—Hah, whatever. Follow me. There's a carriage waiting outside. I'll explain everything there.
During the ride, General Zhenya explained: Section Z had the fewest members—48 magic soldiers divided into ten subunits. Each subunit had fighters and healers. Camille and Are-la would join Subunit C, raising Section Z's total to 50 members. That night, there would be a celebration in their honor.
Suddenly, the carriage stopped.
—Are we there already? Why did we stop so suddenly? —Zhenya asked the rider.
No answer. She called his name twice, then stepped outside—only to find him beheaded. She gasped, eyes wide, covering her mouth before composing herself and drawing her magic sword. Feeling a presence behind her, she activated her time magic, turning in a fraction of a second to slash her opponent.
The man fell, wounded. She ordered Camille and Are-la to stay inside. Closing her eyes, she expanded her mana to sense hidden enemies. Indeed, dozens lurked in the surrounding forests. She smirked. *"They're waiting for the right time to attack... Hah! Little do they know—there won't be any time at all."*
Her eyes glowed red. *"Time Magic: Mana Domain—Expand. Instant Death."* In a blink, her domain aged the enemies to dust.
Camille and Are-la trembled inside the carriage.
—Is everything okay, miss gurl— I mean, MA'AM?
—Sigh... You really have a problem. Who calls their superior "gurl"? —she said, opening the door.— We were ambushed. I'll drop you at headquarters myself. Hold my hand... and please don't vomit.
They obeyed. She flew them upward, locating the headquarters. In seconds, they landed on empty ground.
—Sheesh! It was only two seconds, yet you screamed like your lives depended on it! Anyway, we're here.
They were both trying to hold their vomits in.
—But I don't see anything. Is it invisible? —Camille asked, shaken.
—No, young man. IT'S UNDERGROUND!
An elevator rose from the earth, its doors opening.
**Chapter 3: END**