Knight Order (Part 2)

The next day, June's weather was hot and clear.

In a mountain range, booming explosions rang out without cease. The noise drew the attention of an adventuring party passing nearby, a group of more than twenty people.

The adventuring party itself was nothing remarkable. The only notable thing was that its captain was not a warrior, but a woman around twenty years old. She wore a silver-gray cloak over a mage's robe and held a staff in her hand.

At her feet followed an animal that looked like a Blink Dog. It appeared to be her magical pet.

"Fireball after Fireball, fired in rapid succession... Incredible. Could there be a master over there?" the female mage murmured.

"Captain Meixifei, are there any other mages in adventuring parties besides you? And a master at that?" someone behind her stepped forward, glanced into the distance, and asked, "But Captain, aren't you about to become a master yourself?"

Meixifei shot the man a glance and snorted. "I'm currently Fourth Level. I'm still one level short of Fifth Level. The one over there must be a master. Don't go looking for trouble."

After saying that, Meixifei pondered aloud, "But if they're already Fifth Level, do they still need to fight like this?"

"Maybe they want to become a mage noble like you—both a mage and someone with a title and Feudal Benefice!" the man said after thinking it over.

"Maybe. Hmph. In this world, mages are a powerful force, but nobles are an even more powerful force. Mages cannot pass their status down through inheritance, but nobles can. I want to become a mage noble! Other mages may think I'm a heretic among mages, but so what?" Captain Meixifei tapped her chin with a finger and spoke as though it were only natural.

"Yes,