After more than a day, Sora piloted the small airship to a landing in La Rochelle, Tolistine's port city. Spending some gold coins to have the port secure the vessel, the four bought horses and rode toward the royal capital.
Once awake, Verus learned from Sora of the king and Gelfin's resolve, falling quiet thereafter. Sora did notice Verus practicing wind magic alone.
A day and a half later, they reached the Magic Academy in the afternoon. Louise and Fukai shared a room; Verus bunked with Sora for the night. After resting, Sora tasked Fukai with taking charge of the fake magicians in the capital, handing over most of his gold coins. Her orders: scout and gather intel on threats to him. Fukai dove in eagerly, planting a kiss on Sora's cheek under Louise's sour glare before rushing off.
Sora, Louise, and Verus rode to the capital, arriving that afternoon. Dismounting at the palace, Louise stepped forward to secure an audience with Anrietta. Guards eyed cloaked Verus warily, but Louise's repeated assurances gained entry. The three met Anrietta in a side hall; she wore her purple gown, face shadowed gloomy.
Spotting Louise, she rose smiling, hurrying close. "Ah, Louise—thank goodness you're safe. I've worried sick these days." "Sorry to fret you, Your Highness. I missed you always, Princess." "Louise." "Anrietta."
As the women ignored the men, faces inching nearer. "Ahem." Sora cleared his throat pointedly, breaking it up.
"Ah, Sora—forgot. Is that Varut?" Anrietta eyed Verus.
"Long time, Anrietta." Verus shed his cloak, smiling gentle.
"Ah, ah—not a dream? Verus!" Anrietta beamed thrilled, reaching to touch his face. "Wonderful—real Cousin Verus. I've fretted over you. Rebels spotting you? They'd never let go."
"Verus, stay with me—I won't surrender you to those scum," Anrietta vowed firm.
"Anrietta, your heart warms me. But Aunt would block it, and your ministers? They'd bypass you, trade me to rebels for gain." Verus shook his head.
"Damn them—is this my kingdom? Since old king's death, they've stalled my crown, nearly house-arrested me—only Queen Mother's kin held them off." Anrietta's gaze iced, disgust plain for the ministers.
"Anrietta, have Verus rename, enroll at Magic Academy as my distant cousin. Safer there—I can guard him," Sora suggested.
"This..." Anrietta pondered, then nodded. "Wiser. Verus—to Tolistine Academy."
"Yes—Tolistine Academy's renowned. I'd sharpen my magic there," Verus agreed.
"Perfect."
"By the way, where's Varut? Not with you?" Anrietta pressed.
"Varut... got news." Louise recounted his princess-betrayal, Restoration Alliance ties, Verus assassination bid, and their killing him.
Sora and Verus nodded confirmation.
"How?!" Anrietta disbelieved. "Varut—a traitor?"
"Truth, Anrietta," Sora said cold.
"Sigh—" Anrietta deflated weak. Fragile woman, future queen, bullied by ministers. Trusted Magic Knights captain turned traitor—powerless wave hit her.
"Anrietta, trust me? I'll lead the Griffin squad," Sora offered.
All three turned. Sora steady calm.
"Sora, knight captain needs triangle-rank minimum. You?" Louise doubted.
"Truly—help me? Sora." Anrietta surprised.
Verus shifted uneasy, glancing between Anrietta and Sora.
"I trust Louise. If Sora vouches, believe him." Anrietta eased.
"I'll proclaim Varut's betrayal-death, name you Griffin captain. Squad won't take outsider easy—trouble likely."
"No issue. Varut's dead; rest no match," Sora confident.
"Done—I trust." Anrietta.
"Aniyas preps Verus's ID and academy app; I'll brief Osman. Palace rooms tonight—rest, all."
"Ah."
"Princess's grace."
That afternoon, city gate notice blared: ex-Griffin captain Viscount Varut slain for treason—uproar. Varut-fangirls denied; Griffin squad rallied palace-front protest. Anrietta explained full saga—Restoration Alliance, Albion rebels.
Griffins doubted but bowed to fact.
Next day, Sora fronted Griffin squad with Anrietta and Aniyas.
"Everyone—this Sora, my knight. I appoint him new Griffin captain," Anrietta declared.
"What!" "Impossible." "What qualifies him? Captain Varut's ours."
Knights buzzed.
"Quiet." Sora stepped forward, icy gaze sweeping.
Griffins hushed gradual.
"Knight captain minimum: triangle-rank mage. Doubt me? Send challenger—I'll prove," Sora cold.
"Arrogant punk."
"Vice-captain—show him!"
"We back you, Vice!"
Griffin rep, vice-captain William—tall, hooked nose, sour face, triangle-rank fire mage—stood.
"I'll oppose."
Sora drew waist sword: "Good—come."
Crowd cleared space; Anrietta backed off; Aniyas at her side.
William gripped wand, loosed fireball first. Head-sized orange globe arced air, smashed at Sora.
Sora slashed mid-air; fireball struck, blade gleamed faint, slurped it.
"Magic-absorbing sword?!" William spotted sharp-eyed.
"Half-right." Sora flicked at William; fireball spat from blade, nailed him.
William paled, dodged side.
Fireball cratered ground deep.
Sora dragged sword back-low, charged.
William retreated chanting.
"Yah Faile Gryffindor." [Fireball Barrage]
Fist-sized orange orbs condensed wand-top, peppered Sora.
Sora swung absorbing on-run, but blasts' force stuttered him repeated.
William gapped ten meters, eyes shut, chanted loud.
"Yah, Faile, Faile, Faile, Albrook." [Fire Explosion]!!
Fireball's tier-three: pooled fire magic parched turf.
Griffins, Anrietta, Aniyas—all faces shifted.
Sky bloomed five-meter crimson fireball, heat-wave pulsing slow down on Sora.
Sora gripped sword tight, murmured soft.
"Haxiu Wendy Wendy Lie." [Great Wind Blade].
Cyan flash—absorbed into Delphlink.
"Come on, partner," Delphlink urged.
"Right vibe." Sora surged up into descending blaze, stomped ground, vaulted high.
Heat rolled; Sora swung.
Big wind blade sword-compressed, sliced fire explosion precise mid—split two.
"Suck it, Delph."
Blade blazed, guzzled encircling flames.
Severed fireball's top detached, air-burst.
Fiery red wave swept wide; watchers retreated farther.
Lower half shrank slow, sword-swallowed.
Just time to drain that chunk.
William aimed wand at sword-wielding Sora.
"Yah Fell Albrook." [Fireball]
Head-sized red fireball straight-lined him.
Delphlink mid-explosion-absorb, no spare for it.
Sora eyed incoming, lips shaped silent chant complete.
"Imo Walter Haye." [Water Bomb]
Matching water orb countered straight opposite.
"Boom"—fireball-water bomb clashed; steam bloomed, fogged William's view.
Anrietta's crew saw clear.
Post-explosion-absorb, Sora wove steam, blitzed William.
William fixed on vapor ball, tensed. Left? Right?
Sora burst facing side, straight-thrust sword.
William reflex-blocked wand front.
"Clang"—crisp ring.
Sword halted before William.
"Crack!" Wand-half clattered ground.
"Decided," Sora light.
Staring blade, William grumbled reluctant: "Lost."
"From now, your vice-captain too." Sora raised sword, upward slash.
"Boom..." Red flame-sword glow erupted, arced twenty meters, air-dissolved.
Explosion-absorbed, Delphlink remade to flame sword-light.
Power palpable. Griffins bowed heads silent.
Sora sheathed, returned Anrietta-side.
"No objections, seems."
Anrietta turned solemn to Sora.
"My knight Sora—willing be my shield, my sword, fight my will?"
"Yes—willing, Princess Anrietta." Sora half-kneeled, took her hand gentle, kissed fingertips.
Anrietta flushed pink, withdrew; took wand from Aniyas.
"Then I, Anrietta, Tolistine Princess, enoble you Royal Viscount, appoint Royal Magic Knights Griffin captain. Accept?"
Anrietta tapped wand light on Sora's left-right shoulders, forehead; inverted it to him.
"Yes—accept." Sora two-handed wand, rose, belted beside sword.
From then, Sora held Royal Viscount rank and Griffin captaincy.