What Kind of Looks Are You Giving Me?
"Hello!"
"My name is Fern. I'm a third-class mage. It's nice to meet you!"
"Are you my teammates?"
"!!"
"Oh my, oh my!"
"So it's Fern! We meet again."
"Ah! It's you."
"That's right! It's me! Surprised?"
"I'm lucky enough to have been assigned to Group Four with you, Fern, but it's such a shame... It would've been even better if I'd been assigned to your teacher, Frieren, or your other two companions."
"Is that so?"
"It really is a shame... Sorry to disappoint you, Übel, but I'd actually much rather team up with Lady Frieren or Lady Annie than with you."
"Hey!"
"Are you angry?"
"Hm?"
"What, you two know each other?"
"Of course!"
"I'm Übel, and she's Fern. We met on the way to Äußerst when I happened to hitch a ride in their carriage."
"She's pretty capable, but she's probably nowhere near as strong as her teacher and the other two companions."
"Oh..."
"Anyway, since you two know each other, that makes things easier!"
"Let's introduce ourselves first!"
"I'm Land, a second-class mage. I'm particularly good at defense, and it's a pleasure to team up with two beautiful ladies!"
"..."
"..."
And so, after the examiners announced the start of the group assignments in the Magic Association's magnificent Great Hall, the place soon grew noisy and chaotic. Apart from Fern and the two others assigned to her group, every team had to find its members and give brief introductions.
The mages taking the exam activated the magical bracelets they'd been given, then followed the numbers and magical shimmer flashing on them to find their temporary teammates. Once they'd found each other, introductions and pleasantries were naturally in order.
And of course, one particularly troublesome little girl was no exception!