Golden Vitality: 3000

Huh???

Almost everyone froze at that moment.

Including Yuno, who had seemed to have Carl completely figured out just moments ago. Who could have expected Carl to disregard convention entirely and choose two knight squads outright?

Not even a Wizard King had ever done something like this.

All they could say was that Carl's way of thinking was far too ahead of its time.

One after another, everyone's mouths fell open, their expressions even turning somewhat complicated.

They had fought with everything they had just for a chance to stand out before the Magic Knight captains. As long as they were chosen and joined a Magic Knight squad, it would be considered an honor to their family. Entering one of the Clover Kingdom's nine knight squads would bring an enormous leap in both status and standing.

Even ordinary nobles would see their reputation, status, and position rise sharply as long as they joined a knight squad.

That was precisely why everyone took this selection so seriously, even cautiously.

Before the captains of the nine knight squads, they had never worried about whom to choose, but whether they would be chosen at all.

And that was indeed the case.

The captains usually selected only one or two people.

Yet with Carl, a single-choice question had somehow become multiple choice.

Wasn't he afraid of angering both captains and ending up rejected by both sides?

Once rejected, it would become exceedingly difficult to enter a knight squad later. He might even lose that chance for the rest of his life.

Under everyone's complicated and tense gazes, Yami Sukehiro was also briefly stunned.

Then he waved the sword in his hand dismissively and said,

"The Black Bulls don't have that many rules."

"If Charlotte is willing, I don't care."

"As long as you can convince her."

With those words, Yami Sukehiro tossed the problem directly to Charlotte.

After all, the Black Bulls were full of troublesome members.

One more Carl made no difference.

Even if this guy had trouble choosing and directly picked two squads, what did that have to do with him? As long as he could protect his companions in battle and work well with them, he was a good teammate and a good companion.

Did it really matter which squad he belonged to?

Yami Sukehiro rubbed his stomach, suddenly feeling his gut acting up again.

"Tch... what's going on?"

"I only drank a little beer yesterday, didn't I? My stomach hasn't settled down all night."

Yami Sukehiro muttered while rubbing his stomach, clearly already considering whether he should make a desperate trip to the toilet later.

Meanwhile.

Charlotte stood completely frozen in place.

Sol Marron beside her, on the other hand, instantly flushed bright red.

"Carl, don't go too far!"

"It is already an enormous favor that my sister is willing to choose you for the Blue Rose Knights!"

"If you push your luck, I'll smash you to death!"

Sol Marron even gathered earth and stone once more, with signs of Creation Magic beginning to form.

But in the next moment, Charlotte grabbed Sol Marron by the shoulder.

She stepped forward and looked seriously at Carl.

At that moment, her eyes held an indescribable, deeply concealed gratitude, and her expression was especially complicated.

It really was Carl.

He always understood her so well.

The two had not exchanged a single word, yet it was as though they had already communicated through countless exchanged glances.

Carl must have sensed her difficulty, which was why he had spoken this way.

After all, the Blue Rose Knights were almost entirely women.

If she openly recruited Carl just like that, what would the other members think of her as their captain?

But things were different now.

If Carl became a member of both the Black Bulls and the Blue Rose Knights, then the problem would no longer exist. In the end, it was simply because Carl's abilities were too outstanding, and he happened to be appreciated by both captains at once.

Thinking of that, Charlotte cast Carl another approving look.

At that moment, Carl had no idea what was happening.

All he could feel was the system notification ringing frantically in his mind.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host. Charlotte's favorability +20]

[Ding! Congratulations, Host. Charlotte's favorability +25]

[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have received Charlotte's utmost gratitude. Favorability +50]

The string of notifications left Carl completely bewildered.

Wait...

He had merely said it casually, just talking big for a moment.

Why was Charlotte thanking him now?

Choosing to join two knight squads had originally been somewhat of a joke.

In Carl's view, he would most likely still join the Black Bulls in the end.

Who knew Charlotte would develop such intense gratitude toward him instead?

While Carl's head was full of question marks, Charlotte had already spoken directly.

"I agree with Yami."

"Since you have chosen both the Black Bulls and the Blue Rose Knights."

"As long as Yami agrees, so do I."

"From this moment onward, you are a member of the Blue Rose Knights."

As soon as she finished speaking.

Charlotte directly took a Blue Rose Knights cloak from her person.

The blue rose and thorn patterns stood out especially clearly on the cloak.

Without hesitation, she tossed the cloak toward Carl.

Yami Sukehiro snorted and shouted,

"Finral! Open a door for me!"

In the next moment, the space beside Yami Sukehiro suddenly split open, revealing a hole the size of a palm.

Yami Sukehiro reached out and pulled.

From who knew where, he tore out half of a burgundy cloak.

The Black Bulls' insignia was clearly visible on it.

Under everyone's gazes, the two cloaks flew toward Carl at the same time.

Carl lowered his head and looked at the cloaks in his left and right hands, unable to stop a faint smile from appearing.

The two captains were clearly competing in secret, each trying to gain the upper hand.

But that did not matter to him.

The next moment—

Carl acted directly, tearing both cloaks apart before stitching them together and draping them over himself.

Even more shocking was—

The torn cloaks actually began to fuse back together on their own.

Red threads swiftly appeared, rapidly mending the tears.

After the threads wrapped twice around Carl's wrist, they vanished in an instant.

Even Carl himself was somewhat bewildered.

Yet the insignias of both knight squads were now clearly displayed on his cloak.

Carl instantly became the flashiest guy in the entire venue.

[Congratulations, Host. You have completed Short-Term Mission 5: The Unconventional Knight Squad Selection

"The selection process was unexpected. You have received a reward of 3000 golden vitality.]

With 3000 golden vitality secured, Carl immediately smiled. He had taken another step toward summoning Wizard King Princia in her long-legged uniform.

Yuno's brow twitched wildly nearby.

"You can do that?"

"That's way too ridiculous."

Sure enough, there was not a single normal thing to be found around Carl.

Black Bulls headquarters.

Vanessa, the witch who had originally been dead drunk, now wore an awkward expression.

She looked at the empty hall, then lowered her head to look at herself.

Her cloak was somehow missing half of it.

Vanessa froze completely. She set the bottle of red wine on the ground and looked down at the torn marks on her cloak, her face full of confusion.

Who had ripped away half her clothes?

Fortunately, the important parts were barely covered.

Otherwise, if someone came in right now, she would truly be humiliated.

But just then, red threads suddenly emerged from Vanessa's body.

The threads quickly moved about, completely restoring the missing portion of her cloak.

Her Thread Magic seemed to have formed some inexplicable resonance.

The red threads vibrated violently, and one end actually wrapped itself around her wrist.

Vanessa the witch froze on the spot.

"Wait..."

"What is going on now?!"