~Inside one of the classrooms of the Academy~

The class was busy doing their own personal things while waiting for the Knight Instructor. Some were simply chatting while others were sparring and exchanging pointers with each other.

A middle-aged looking man with a Blue Knight badge entered the room without anyone noticing him.

As he looked at this class, he smiled while sighing. Then he suddenly shouted, "DEATH!"

The students inside the room were startled with hairs on their skin standing. This was because the shout contained Arts that gave them the illusion of death.

"Ehemmm!" the instructor coughed.

The students didn't seem to hear the instructor. They were still under the Art, Mind Art Fear.

"Ehemmm!" the instructor coughed again.

"Wah!!! It's Instructor Kent!! Behave Yourselves!" a knight apprentice noticed the instructor and shouted at his fellow classmates.

As they gained back their senses, everyone rumbled back to their seats and settled down.

"Geez, you guys are already Knight Apprentices. Once you pass the Silver Knight Apprentice Test in the future, you'll be only a few steps to reaching your dreams of becoming an official knight. But sadly, just now, you died." Knight Instructor Kent reprimanded.

"But instructor, we weren't ready for that sneak attack…" a knight apprentice said.

"That's why it's a sneak attack… because you weren't ready…" Instructor Kent smirked. "As Knights, you have to be always ready. Death is always at your door. Especially these days as the Agnakarians seem to move sneakily these days. Where is your Class Representative?"

"She's not here Sir Kent." a knight apprentice replied.

"Geez! Having a prodigy and princess in our class is a pain. Always doing what she wants." Instructor Kent sighed. "Erickson, call the Little Miss Genius. The rest of the class, get ready. We will be watching the Entrance Examination today. We will scout students with high potential to join our class so that we will win this year's Combat Exercises!"

"But sir… I don't know where she is…" the knight apprentice Erickson sheepishly said.

"I think she just arrived this morning from Peach Country United Front. She went to visit her Arts Master." a female knight apprentice said.

"Ah… is she just returned, then she's where she's always is… The Hall of Heroes. She loves that place. Her favorite statue is that War Hero Ozweild Espilce… now he is a hero. Do you remember the time I told you about…" As Instructor Kent was swallowed by his own world of storytelling, Erickson left the room to find the Class Representative.

~Hall of Heroes, Heart Kingdom Silver Sword Knight Academy~

A crimson-haired girl was looking at a statue. She felt familiar with the younger version of Ozweild Espilce. Her eyes sparkled as she strengthened her resolve to reach the heights of this Paladin Lord. With the Old Masters Arts Lineage, she will be able to achieve her goals.

"Princess Heart! Princess Heart! There you are… Sir Kent is looking for you." Erickson said as she saw the crimson-haired girl.

"Sir Kent? What is it about? There are still 10 minutes before training starts again." The crimson-haired girl asked.

"Umm… he didn't say anything… but I guess it's about the Knight Apprentice Entrance Examination. It's still ongoing right now." Erickson replied.

"Hmmm… Okay… lets head for the…" as the crimson-haired girl was talking to Erickson, a group of Knight Apprentices from the Special Section approached them.

"Well, well! My day is complete! Because such a lovely flower is present in the hall of stones! Hello Princess Alice…" a knight apprentice with a red badge arrogantly interposed himself as she greeted the crimson-haired girl.

"Hello… Kirk…" Alice replied while trying to be nice.

"Ah… I really don't get you, your highness… You being a prodigy among the apprentices, being one of this branch academy's "Who's who" list with regards to beauty, body, and brains, and is one of the strongest Knight Apprentices… yet you still manage to enjoy the company of this…" he looks at Erickson. "Trash??"

"Hahahahahahaha!" the group from the special section mockingly laughed.

"Well, that's why I never associate with YOU… Special Children…" Alice nonchalantly replied.

"What! How dare you little…" a special section knight apprentice was displeased.

"Stop it! She dares because she can. As she is my precious little flower…" Kirk ordered.

"Mister Millianard… don't forget… "Your" precious little flower has poisonous thorns around her…" Erickson inserted.

"Hmpphhh" Alice chuckled "Nice one Erick!"

"And who might that thorn be? You? You're just a weed!" Kirk retorted.

"Not just him Kirk…" a knight apprentice with a semi-pompadour hair said as a group arrived behind Alice.

"But all of us…" a bulky knight apprentice said as the 5 of them stood in front on Alice. They were her friends and part of her unit.

"You dare oppose us Maggots?!!" someone from the special section roared.

"Stop it… They'll have their day. Farewell, Your Highness. Let's go men." Kirk ordered as the left the Hall of Heroes.

"You guys are the best. Thanks for preventing me from thrashing them." Alice said as she smiled at her friends.

"Hahaha Your highness… Even though we're knights, we are still fragile little ladies. Let's just let the men protect us. You don't have to imitate their violent vulgar ways." a pretty girl named Alyssa said as she wrapped her arms around Alice from the back.

"And who would protect you, my dear beloved sister? I'm sure I won't…" a boy with similar looks to Alyssa interjected.

He is Jefferson, Alyssa's twin brother. Together with him was the bulky knight apprentice named Ivan and Nicky, the silent short boy with 5 swords on his back. The 4 of them together with Erickson are part of Alice's unit. With Alice as the core shieldmaiden, Alyssa the healer, Jefferson as the heavy melee, Nicky as the light melee, Erickson as the heavy lance cavalry and Ivan as the heavy archer. Their team is one of the top-seeded units for the Silver Sword Knight Academy Annual Combat Exercises. They're only missing a combat mage for support.

"Oh really now? Are you sure about that?" Alyssa smiled wickedly.

"Sheesh… having a sister stronger than me is annoying." Jefferson said looking aggrieved.

"Hahahaha" "Big Sis! Big sis!" as everyone laughed, a cute voice sounded from afar.

A petite beautiful girl around the age of 12 with brown hair and round eyes ran towards them calling out to Alice. It was her little junior disciple, Rosemary.

When she and Rosemary enrolled at the academy, they were assigned on different units due to their above excellent performance on the Entrance Test. Alice chose to join the 2nd Class and led the 4th unit while Rosemary was assigned against her will to the Special Section as the 2nd healer.

"Big sis ALICE!!!!! He's here! He's here!" Rosemary cried with obvious excitement shown on her face.

"Who's here?" Alice asked feeling confused with Rosemary's exclamation.

With sparkling eyes and face agitated with excitement, she said. "It's Junior Brother Gin!"