Archive of Our Own ^beta

Asta’s eyes opened. The lamps in the hideout were almost all burnt out, but the flames that remained cast a dim light across the great hall. The ceiling stretched high above him. His squadmates spread out across the hall, all resting with their eyes closed or open while Finral kept watch. Nero roosted on Asta’s chest. Noelle and Liebe slept on either side of him on the floor as it vibrated as Henry guided them towards the Clover Kingdom. Some of Charmy’s cotton cushioned them. Asta let out a shaky sigh.

There was no more Tree of Qliphoth. All the devils associated with the event went back to wherever they lived or wherever devils went when they died. The Dark Triad also went there as vessels of their devils or perhaps as punishment from the divine. Their bodies, at least, no longer existed in this world. It seemed in some ways too kind. Yami and Vangeance did not die so peacefully. Asta’s throat caught and tears threatened all over again. Spade was free from their long nightmare and the other kingdoms no longer under threat, but it still felt like a loss especially with all the Black Bulls together again after Yami’s burial.

The hideout abruptly stopped vibrating. It was still dark outside. There was no way that they were at the Agrippa home yet. Asta eased Nero off his chest and set her on the cotton. He got to his feet and peered out the window. There was no color to the horizon yet, but the sky was a dark blue that allowed him to see the shadow of a familiar skull in the distance. “Hage…” he breathed.

“You should go while Henry rests,” a voice said beside Asta.

Asta startled and shrieked. Adrenaline coursed through his body. He gripped the windowsill so tightly it almost broke. “Vanessa-neesan!” When did she get there?! How?! Wasn’t she asleep on the sofa?! His heart continued to race. He could not calm it.

Vanessa slowly morphed into Grey. “A – Asta! Sorry! Sometimes I use my magic in my sleep.” She sighed and pulled her cloak closer to her.

Asta’s gaze returned to the skull. “We can’t waste time on my account.”

“It’s not wasting time,” Grey said softly. “We talked about it when you fell asleep and everyone agreed that you should go.”

Asta glanced back towards the great hall. When they assumed that the battle would only be in Spade, a giant devil appeared in Clover Kingdom. Could that happen again? Could he really be so selfish as to leave everyone even if it was for a few hours?

Finral approached quietly. His eyes were red and his shoulders sagged. He managed a very weak smile. “It’s all right, Asta. You want to see them, don’t you? I’ll pick you up later or if something happens.”

Asta’s gaze returned to the skull. He could almost see faint light from the church near it. Father Orsi was likely awake before the sun as always. Asta breathed in deeply. “Thanks! I’ll meet you here later!” He rushed deeper into the great hall and kicked Liebe’s foot gently with his own with short, rapid kicks. “Wake up. Wake up.”

“You’re so loud. I’m already awake,” Liebe murmured. Since they chose a union of equals, Liebe was free to take his humanoid form whenever he wished if he did not want to be inside the grimoire. In battle, he would shrink down into his tiny form to help conserve and transfer demonic energy.

Asta threw his bolero on over his shirt and flew out the door with Liebe following at a more casual but quick pace. Asta rushed towards the top of the hill just as the sunlight began to transform the horizon behind him from a deep blue to a pale orange. Frost crunched under foot and their breath condensed in the air. Slowly Hage emerged as sunlight spread across the valley. Asta glanced to his right. Liebe continued to survey Hage, his lips in a thin line and brow furrowed. He glanced to his left where Yuno should be and blinked. “YUNO!” his voice echoed through the valley.

Yuno wore his vice captain outfit. His eyes were bloodshot and the skin underneath his eyes dark. He frowned. “I’m right beside you.”

“Y…yeah…” Asta’s voice trailed. Even though he saw Yuno immediately after the final battle and at the burials, there was no time to say anything to each other. There was too much to do in absence of their captains.

“Langris brought me here after a vote,” Yuno sighed and his breath billowed into the air. “I can’t stay long.” He looked past Asta at Liebe and tensed. He did not call his magic or take a stance, but his mind moved behind his eyes rapidly.

Asta kept his shoulders relaxed. “Ah. I almost forgot. Yuno, this is Liebe. He used to live in my grimoire, but we did this ritual and now we’re partners. He’s one of the good demons.”

“I’m an exception, not a rule,” Liebe said. His gaze did not leave Yuno.

Yuno sighed silently and and his shoulders sagged. His eyes only seemed more tired as his gaze moved to the right sleeve of Asta’s bolero pinned up to keep it from blowing off his shoulder or catching on objects.

“Are you really okay with this?” Sylph whispered as she kept one eye on Liebe.

Yuno let out a low tone that did not sound like a yes or a no.

The group fell into step along a path that led down the hill to the village. Smoke wafted up from every chimney they passed. The sun continued to rise and the frost began to evaporate. Asta stifled a yawn. Yuno kept checking the perimeter, but there were no threats. Liebe studied the houses they passed, shoulders tense and fingers curled. When they reached the churchyard, Asta and Yuno entered, but Liebe remained outside the fence.

The door to the church flew open. “Asta! Yuno!” Father Orsi rushed forward at the same moment Asta and Yuno rushed forward. They met in the center of the churchyard and Father Orsi wrapped his arms around both of them simultaneously. Asta wrapped his arm around Yuno and Yuno wrapped an arm around Father Orsi and Asta. They stayed that way for a long moment. Asta bit his lip. Yuno inhaled shakily. Father Orsi swallowed and spoke in a quiet, firm voice. “So many things happened. You must have faced incredible odds.”

Asta opened his mouth and closed it. He slowly let go at the same time Father Orsi and Yuno let go. He breathed in the cold air several times and tried to settle his soul. He glanced back at Liebe. “Oi! You don’t have to stay out there!”

“It’s holy ground. I’m a devil,” Liebe answered.

Father Orsi approached Liebe, stopping a meter away, keeping his hands visible. “You’re Liebe, aren’t you?”

Liebe’s eyes narrowed.

“You used to live with Licita on the outskirts of the village,” Father Orsi said. “She thought of you as her son.”

“How would you know?” Liebe asked.

Father Orsi smiled slightly. “This is a small village. All one has to do is listen and observe. Licita was a fine young woman and very caring.” His gaze flickered back towards Asta briefly and then returned to Liebe. “I saw the two of you together many times. It was the happiest I ever saw her. I know you will do us no harm.” He considered his words. “Holy ground is ground that the Lord has touched. It is a place so holy that one must remove their shoes to enter. The Lord might shine on us here, but He has never once set foot here. Please join us.”

Liebe continued to eye Father Orsi a long moment. He stretched a finger slowly across the boundary marked by the fence. There was no lightning or flame. The wind did not pick up and nothing fell from the sky. The sun continued to rise and the frost continued to evaporate. Liebe slowly entered through the gate and again, the world continued without consequence or complaint. He joined Asta and Yuno in the middle of the yard.

“Many things happened recently,” Father Orsi said. “The other day a devil appeared between Hage and our closest neighbor. The Magic Knights were too busy with a much larger threat at the capitol and could not come to our aid. Everyone who was able worked together to defeat it. That’s why the others in the church are still asleep right now.” He opened the church door. “I’ve already begun preparing breakfast. I’m sure they will wake when the food is ready.”

Yuno followed Father Orsi through the door. Asta paused at the threshold and looked to Liebe. “If it makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to, but if Father says you can enter, you’ll be fine.”

Liebe’s eyes remained narrowed. He touched the threshold with the tip of his finger and again received no punishment or pain. Liebe slowly followed them into the church, shrinking away from the sanctuary.

When they arrived at the kitchen, Sister Lily stood at the fire, stirring a large pot over the flame. “Good morning, Father. Sorry I overslept.” She looked to the doorway and then brightened when she saw all of them. “Asta! Yuno! You’re here. We were really worried. Please sit. Breakfast will be ready soon. The children are already awake.” She paused and her eyes remained on Liebe standing partially behind Asta.

Asta followed her gaze and then smiled. “Sister Lily, this is Liebe. He used to live in my grimoire, but we work together now. I trust him completely. Without him, we wouldn’t have been able to seal the enemy.”

Liebe’s jaw tensed. His tail twitched.

Sister Lily looked to Father Orsi and then back to Asta and Liebe. She smiled. “Then he is more than welcome.”

Father Orsi helped Sister Lily finish preparing the food. Asta sat between Yuno and Liebe at the table. The children arrived in rapid succession and Asta repeated introductions. Recca eyed Liebe as she took her seat on the other side of the table Aruru hugged Asta and Yuno tight before settling across from Yuno. Nash arrived with his arm in a sling from battle. He quietly sat across from Asta. Hollo was last to arrive. He studied Liebe after his introduction for a long moment. “He’s tiny like Asta, that’s why he’s good,” Hollo said. “The bad one was huge.”

“I’m not tiny,” Asta murmured.

“Yes you are,” Recca, Nash, Aruru, and Hollo said simultaneously.

Asta let out a loud, scandalized noise. He held up a finger at Recca and Nash. “Just because you’re taller than me now doesn’t make me tiny!”

The food arrived on the table before the children could tease him further. There was oatmeal, leftover ham, potato pancakes, and the last of the previous harvest’s preserves. They gave thanks for the food before eating. The conversation stayed away from the horrors of the last few days. Harvest already began and it was as promising as last year thanks to the money Asta and Yuno sent. The children continued to work hard at school and Nash continued to work hard with his training. Asta told stories from the Heart Kingdom about the beauty of the land and the friendliness of its people and creatures. He told them about Loropechika tending to the land with her water magic and the unique magic all of the guardians held. Yuno remained silent, but as Asta spoke, Yuno’s shoulders relaxed and his lips almost curved upwards at times.

When breakfast ended, Father Orsi pulled Asta aside, leading him towards the residence area of the church. “I have something to give you,” Father Orsi said. He opened the door to his private quarters and headed towards the desk. The room was still spartan and clean. The furniture was old and the bed mounted to the wall. “I planned to give this to you when you decided to leave the church, but I never had the opportunity after you joined the Magic Knights. Now that you’ve met Liebe, it’s long overdue.”

Asta remained in the doorway. “Why would Liebe affect it?”

“Well, he’s – here it is.” Father Orsi closed a desk drawer and returned to Asta. He placed a dark brass key gently in Asta’s hand. “This is a key to your mother’s cottage. It’s along the outskirts of the village past the fishing spot. I believe children call it ‘the witch’s hut.’”

Asta stared at the key a long moment. It was a simple skeleton key with a decorative bow that looked like an outline of an aster flower. He knew the witches hut well. Everyone did. It was always clean even though no one seemed to live there.

“Your mother’s name was Licita. She grew up in Hage,” Father Orsi continued. “Her magic gave her the ability to absorb the mana around her and the stronger it grew, the more dangerous it became to stand near her, so she moved to the cottage when she was still quite young. Sometimes I would see her when I went fishing, but she always tried to keep her distance in case her magic might hurt me.” He sighed. “You have the same smile and disposition. I always suspected that your lack of mana was because of her magic, or perhaps it was something you always had which allowed you to thrive despite her magic.”

Asta turned the key in his hand. He almost dropped it but managed to catch it before it fell. “I’ve heard that name before.” His mind was too full to remember where or when.

“She died when you were still very, very young,” Father Orsi said. “I chose to give her clothes to you as you grew and upkept her cottage while waiting for the day I could give you this key. I don’t know anything about who your father might be. No one has ever tried to claim the cottage as their own either. Now it is yours to do with what you wish.”

Asta gripped the key tight and then put it a secure pocket inside his grimoire pouch. He swallowed. It was hard to know how to feel. He looked up at Father Orsi “Thank you.”

Father Orsi squeezed Asta’s left shoulder. They returned to the others. Nash already left for training. Yuno sat at the kitchen table helping Recca, Aruru, and Hollo with some schoolwork questions while Sister Lily washed the dishes and Liebe dried them.

Asta watched Liebe add each item he dried to the growing stack at a free corner of the table. “I didn’t know you could do the dishes.”

“I’m not a bump on a log,” Liebe said. “My mom taught me.”

“I didn’t know devils had mothers,” Hollo said.

“Devils don’t, but I did.” Liebe set another bowl on top of its stack.

Soon the dishes were clean and put away. Clouds obscured the sun and snow flurries began to spit from the sky. Everyone lingered at the kitchen table. The fire kept the room much warmer than the sanctuary would be. Asta could not help the children with their schoolwork and as he listened to the discussion, his mind returned to the key in his pouch. He spent more time in his youth more curious about the witch living in the cottage than his own biological mother. He watched so many villagers reject his lack of mana and helped with so many funerals that there was not much mystery when it came to biological parents. He could not remember the last time he thought about them at all. He felt eyes on him and glanced at Liebe and then Yuno. Neither of them said anything, but Liebe’s eyes narrowed and Yuno’s lips seemed to press into an even thinner line. Conversation continued around them as questions about schoolwork turned to other subjects.

When it was time to prepare lunch, Asta stood. He was not sure when Finral would return and he wanted to see the cottage before he left Hage. “I hate to say this, but I should go. Is that okay, Liebe?”

“That’s up to you. This is your family,” Liebe said. A small string bow clung to the hair at the top of his head. One of the children must have put it there but Asta did not remember it happening.

“I should go too,” Yuno said and stood. Sylph flew to him from the pincushion she used as a seat. “I promised I would not be gone long.”

Everyone rose from the table. There were hugs and a few tears. Sister Lily gave them some bread and leftover ham to take with them. The flurries continued to drift through the air when Asta, Yuno, and Liebe left the churchyard. Asta waved to everyone while Yuno gave a much smaller wave and Liebe raised his hand casually. Asta led the way along a dirt path that took them away from the village towards the stream where villagers regularly went to fish. He let his breath billow around him and looked up at the gray sky. “Do you want to go to the witch’s hut?”

“The what?” Liebe asked.

“It’s a cottage in the north just outside of the village,” Asta said. “Father gave me the key.”

Liebe eyed him a moment and then looked at the path in front of them as village homes became farmhouses. He frowned a little and his eyes grew distant. He caught a snowflake between his fingers before it could fall into his eye. “I will go, but I won’t enter.”

Yuno said nothing but kept walking with them. They ate as they walked. The path led to the fishing spot and then along the stream until the forest gave way to a large clearing. A cottage sat atop a small grassy plateau. It was small and square with a chimney opposite the door. It was made with local rock and had a set of windows on its sides. A large tree lay on its side beside the cottage, already years into rotting. Liebe settled on the roof and his tail curled around him loosely. His shoulders hunched.

Asta stared at Liebe a long moment and then pulled the key from his pocket. The lock and door handle were made from the same dark brass as the key. He looked at Yuno. “Father told me that the witch who lived here was my mom. He said this place is mine now.” Asta looked at the sturdy wooden door, unlocked it, and led them inside.

The floor was a single slab. There was a bed along one wall near the door and a trunk at its foot. A table and bench seats were across from the bed. The oven was stone and built into the chimney. The pots and pans hung on hooks above it. There was a kettle on another hook closer to the door to use with a tub tucked away into a corner near the stove. Asta’s fingers skimmed along the finished tabletop. Something rose in Asta’s chest, unfamiliar but strangely warm. He looked at Yuno and smiled a little. “I promised you’d be my first guest when I got a house.”

Yuno’s eyes scanned the cottage. “It seems like you. It’s warm and bright.” He smirked ever so slightly. “Also, small and sturdy.”

“You won’t be laughing when I have my next growth spurt!” Asta hollered. Then he snorted and smiled. “Make yourself at home.”

Yuno sat at the table and Asta opened the trunk. There were winter blankets and supplies for sewing, knitting, embroidery, and weaving. Like many homes in Hage, there was nothing impractical or decorative. The blankets were all handmade but simple and undyed. Asta set everything back in the trunk and closed it. He sat beside Yuno. The flurries accumulated on rocks but not the ground and settled into the corners of the windows. It was weird how their lives seemed to move at the same pace, always hitting milestones together, whether it was talking, walking, receiving their grimoires, becoming Magic Knights, or learning about their biological families.

Yuno’s hair curled at the ends from cleaning up after battle. The light from the window brought out the definition in his jaw. Asta could almost imagine a golden crown on Yuno’s head and a scepter in his hand but more subtle and regal looking than the adornments they saw King Kira wear at the capitol. Yuno’s lips were still pale and dark circles gathered under his eyes. He stared off at the snow as if the flurries taunted them after everything that happened in snow-covered Spade.

Asta looked away. The last few days flew through his mind. After uniting with Liebe, he fought the giant devil plaguing the capitol. When he joined the forces at the castle in Spade, the final weg immediately began to open. It took everyone present to seal all the wege and defeat the Dark Triad. Despite their success, the instant that final weg opened, Yami and Vangeance died. Asta could still remember the numbness spreading through him when he finally reached the epicenter of the tree after the battle ended. For a long moment, he could not move and could not tear his eyes from Yami. Dark branches and roots grew from his eyes, ears, mouth, and extremities. Vanessa dispelled the withering branches and roots. Gordon worked as hard as he could with his medicinal magic, but nothing could reverse the moment the final weg opened and the tree absorbed the last of Yami and Vangeance’s mana. The muffled sobs at the burial still echoed in Asta’s ears, the somber mood back at the hideout gripped his heart. He could barely remember flopping down on the floor and shielding his tears with his arm over his eyes as Liebe and Noelle sat beside him. It was warm, but also hollow.

“I failed,” Yuno said almost too quiet to hear. He stared out the window but did not seem to look at anything. “We saved the kingdoms, but I should have saved Captain Vangeance too.”

Asta followed Yuno’s gaze but there were only flurries and the forest in the distance. “I failed too,” he shifted his weight, “but, there are still devils out there. Queen Loropechika doesn’t have her curse anymore, but Henry still does. So, I guess I’ll keep looking for devils and kicking their ass if they deserve it. I’m still banished.”

“Is it really a banishment if they keep letting you return to the kingdom?” Yuno asked.

“I’m not sure,” Asta’s eyebrows furrowed, “but I’m glad I can be here.”

They grew quiet. The flurries stopped and the wind picked up enough to blow through trees. Asta tugged on his bolero so it fit more snugly. “You know, we’ve got the same problems that Spade did, just differently.” He looked at Yuno. “We can prove someone from the forsaken realm can become Wizard King, but if we treat the forsaken realm like Clover always has, then that won’t solve anything. Same for the common realm too. Everyone must be equal, or we’ll create our own version of those strong magic realm transports and our own version of the Dark Triad. I don’t want to live in a kingdom of disposable people. I don’t want this to happen ever again.”

“We can’t be sure it won’t happen again if we’re not in charge, and that won’t be for a while yet,” Yuno said. “What we want is just words until we can make it action,” he held Asta’s gaze, “but, I know once we have that kind of power, it won’t happen no matter which one of us is the Wizard King.”

“It’s still going to be me,” they said at the same time. Asta grinned and Yuno smiled. They pressed their fists together, reaffirming their promise.

“Let’s see how we change things,” Yuno said still smiling.

Asta grinned. “Don’t think you’ve got it sewn up. I’m going to gain all the merit soon!”

Yuno snorted. “If you say so.”

“I know so!” Asta put his hand on his heart.

Yuno’s communicator began to glow. He sighed and engaged it with his mana. “What is it?”

“So curt still,” Langris sighed. “Where are you? Is Asta still with you?”

“Yeah, we’re at his house,” Yuno said.

“His what?!” Finral asked.

“I have a cottage now!” Asta said. “It’s the old witch’s hut!”

“We don’t know what that is,” Langris said. “Can you meet us where we dropped you off?”

Asta and Yuno agreed. They left the cottage and Asta locked the door carefully. He put the key in his grimoire pouch and made sure it rested there safely. He looked up at the cottage for a long moment. Liebe jumped to the ground and stood at his side. Sylph reappeared near Yuno’s shoulder.

The group followed the path along the stream until they came to a bridge that led them to a different path that looped the village towards the east. The wind became colder and the clouds parted enough that the sunset cast vibrant colors and the moon appeared high in the sky. Asta stared up at the moon. It was weird how its face was always the same even though it could clearly move through the sky. He glanced away to Yuno who watched the hills and then to Liebe who watched the path in front of them.

Asta frowned. The more he thought about it, the more he was certain the first time he heard Licita’s name was when Father Orsi spoke to Liebe that morning. Asta had no mana due to his mother’s magic and Liebe said that his mother could absorb mana of the living until they died. The only time people in Hage had the same name was a baby named after an elder. Asta ran his tongue along his teeth. “Hey, Liebe, this cottage is really yours, isn’t it?”

Liebe eyed him.

“Father said that my mother was named Licita, and that’s the woman he said was your mom too, right?” Asta opened his pouch to retrieve the key.

“Yeah. That doesn’t mean the key is mine. Where would I put it?” Liebe’s tail twitched.

“You’re older though,” Asta said, “and you actually lived there.”

“I showed up in this realm after you were born,” Liebe said. “Besides, she would want you to have it. It’d have made her happy.”

“Then it’s both of ours,” Asta said.

The colors began to fade from the sky. Finral and Langris were silhouettes atop the eastern hill. When Asta, Yuno, and Liebe reached the top of the hill, Asta turned back and looked down at Hage. It was hard to make out the buildings now but he could see scattered lights across the valley. He stared at the faint light near the skull and then waved even though no one inside could see him. Yuno stood at his side. The last of the sunlight faded from the sky.

Langris and Finral opened their portals.

“See you later,” Asta said.

“Have a good night,” Finral said.

“Yeah.” Yuno gave a small nod.

“Bye,” Langris said.

Liebe gave a small wave.

The groups parted. Asta stepped through the portal and set his foot down in the great hall of the Black Bulls’ hideout. The floor rumbled under his feet. Charmy’s sheep tended to pots on the stove, filling the hideout with comforting aromas. Asta, Liebe, and Finral joined the others at the table. Magna threw his arm around Asta’s shoulders. It was time to keep moving forward.