Black Star

Page 66: Seraphic Soul

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?"