Chapter Text
The day began just like any other day—well, not exactly like any other day because he awoke to a new environment.
Asta gleefully stood from his bed. He laughed as barren walls stared back at him; he couldn’t believe he was at his squad’s hideout.
Not wanting to waste any more time, he hastily fixed his bed. Most people would consider making their bed a chore, but Asta saw it more as a ritual he completed before his day started—a brand new day as an official Magic Knight.
Once he had changed into his day clothes, he exited his room. Before the door to his room could fully shut, Asta screamed at the top of his lungs, “GOOD MORNING!!” The young mage was ready to start his first day as one of the newest members of the Black Bulls. He was a bundle of nerves and excitement.
Asta vividly remembers the day he was accepted into the Black Bulls, and no, it wasn’t because it was the previous night but because he proudly wore his new robe. Although it took him longer to fall asleep, he appeared full of energy, as if he had slept for ages.
He turned to look at the door to his room one last time—his own room. Asta’s eyes gleamed in pure excitement. It didn’t matter that he had a small room because it was his small room. He didn’t mind the small room nor the fact that his squad was considered the worst of the worst squads because it was now his new home.
He loved every bit of it.
Asta’s energy steadily increased even after Magna took him around the base, introduced him to Captain Yami’s beasts, and his unique meeting with the other new rookie, Noelle Silva.
As soon as Asta met eyes with her, he realized who she was, a royal, and within minutes, he knew that she wasn’t happy to be on their squad. She didn’t see it as Asta did, and he didn’t know what to do with that. She might have had her reasons, but disrespecting the squad was uncalled for.
After Noelle left, he wandered around the base, wanting to familiarize himself with it. But, the base confused him. It moved around, causing Asta to get lost frequently.
Eventually, he found his way outside the base and stumbled upon Noelle. He wanted to greet her. Asta hoped he would find an opportunity to approach her and ask about her hesitance from their previous encounter. They were now squadmates, so if he could help, he wanted them to be on good terms.
Before he could, he noticed her struggle to control her magic.
One second, Asta attempted to greet her, and the next, he was thrown miles away. Luckily, Captain Yami caught him before he could get hurt.
His sigh of relief was interrupted when his Captain, his supposed savior, threw him back toward the location of the spell as he was told to surpass his limits.
Right here, right now.
Having learned that his sword cancels spells, Asta swung his weapon without harming Noelle and saved them. He offered his hand to his new squad mate, complimenting her on her potential. He couldn’t help but gush about how amazing she was. As the squad teased her, Asta helped her stand. A smile graced her previously upset features.
She has a nice smile , he thought to himself.
Asta had held hands with his siblings countless times, but their hands were not as soft and delicate as hers. He instinctively squeezed her hand, which he often did to reassure his siblings that he was there to support them.
What he didn’t expect was to see her blush to deepen. His stomach felt funny, but he ignored it to smile at her.
After that encounter, the duo was often seen together. While Noelle was slightly kinder to him in her own way, she was not unhelpful regarding their chores. Eventually, he had her shadow him to teach her basic tasks like completing the laundry or washing dishes. He knew her hands were spotless and delicate when he held them, so he attempted to teach her.
Asta explained his method of feeding the beasts but got distracted when they tried to eat him.
Not knowing what to do, Noelle panicked, which caused Asta to chuckle. “It’s okay, Noelle,” he said, removing himself from their mouths. They’re just overly excited. That’s how they say hello. " He remained calm so she wouldn’t be afraid.
Asta didn’t want his comrade to feel unsafe in the base. While she had accepted her robe once more, he felt like she would run at any moment. Her reaction to how restrooms were cleaned indicated that she was unaware of how poor the squad was.
“I have enough money to hire a mage to clean those for us.” The royal grimaced, “I cannot see how any of you expect me to clean that without magic.”
“You rich people throw your money at any inconvenience, huh?” Asta bawled. “We can clean it, Noelle! You should see it as you becoming an independent woman.”
She scoffed, “Why when I can use my wage to pay for it? It’s not like it’s a big deal to me.”
“No! That should be used for other things we can’t do ourselves or fun stuff,” he urged.
“Ugh, fine. But I’m not cleaning those disgusting things,” she walked away, leaving Asta behind.
“We’re supposed to share the chores!”
Noelle abruptly stopped, turning to face her shorter teammate. She peered at the restroom before facing him. “If you want me to wash those, all you’ll get is me casting a spell on it and calling it a day.”
“B-but you use it too!”
She blinked at the accusation. “I have my own restroom. I don’t use that one, but I’ll consider cleaning it if you give me enough time to mentally prepare.”
Asta grinned at her, “Deal!”
She smiled back, leaving him to walk more confidently. We’re getting some, he thought to himself.
While Noelle wasn’t very helpful and oftentimes made a bigger mess than the original state of the situation, Asta enjoyed their time together. The small tasks they could have accomplished separately became tasks they completed together. Every morning, they ate breakfast after he finished his training, and they began their list.
Their current task required them to feed the beasts. The duo stood, watching the beasts eat, when Yami and Magna entered, nude. Without having time to process the situation, the new rookies were forced to follow their Captain’s orders to go on a mission with their rebel senpai.
“Yes, sir!” The young mages exclaimed. Noelle’s voice hinted at her anxiousness, her voice betraying her.
Meanwhile, Asta’s heart beat like a drum. He was thrilled at the prospect of fulfilling his role as a magic knight. It hadn’t been long since he joined the team; he was ready to start his first mission.
There were numerous times when he attempted to converse with his squadmate on their way to Magna’s village, but every time he fixed his grip on her waist, Noelle turned red and screamed at him.
As her feet touched the soft dirt, Noelle could kiss the ground because she would have passed out if she had to stay on that broom with Asta’s hands around her waist.
It seemed like Asta had a vendetta against her, but he was actually concerned about her health. She blushed a lot and was too red. Could she have gotten a fever?
To ease his worries, he touched her warm forehead. He only wanted to see if she was sick, but he was greeted by her incoherent screeching. She was a difficult person to understand; he only meant well.
“Bakasta, don’t just touch people like that! I’m royalty. You have to ask to touch me! Wait, no, I meant-“
Asta’s heart was unsettled, but he pushed the feeling down once he realized she was embarrassed and not angry with him. “Sorry, Noelle, I only wanted to make sure that you weren’t sick.”
Magna interrupted their moment, a boar had come to their area. Seeing how ferocious the beast was, the younger Black Bulls became serious, ready to complete their first mission.
As they completed their mission, the trio got to know each other better. Magna and Asta were more talkative, while Noelle would chime in here and there. Asta just hoped that with time, Noelle would trust him like a friend.
With their combined effort, they caught the wild animals. However, their victory was short-lived, as they realized the odd fog was created by magic, signifying their mission was not done yet.
Magna’s hometown was attacked, and as their duty as Magic Knights was to defend the citizens, the trio went to protect them.
Noelle was shaken. She could feel the dread in her heart freeze her in place. Her magic wasn’t hitting who it was meant to hit, making her feel like a nuisance. As she contemplated running away to find help, a tearful little girl firmly held her hand, begging for help.
The fear behind those eyes, eyes that should only be filled with wonder and innocence, reminded her of her own childhood. The little girl made Noelle’s body surge with determination to stay and defend the villagers. Due to the circumstances and desire to protect, unlocked a new spell which ultimately saved them from falling icicles.
The aftermath of the fight brought them anger, sadness, and joy. Asta wanted to congratulate Noelle again.
She played with the little girl who hadn’t left her side since the fight ended. Asta smiled as he watched them, which made him want to join.
He was proud of Noelle; he really was. Although she was a royal who hated to get dirty, she had crouched on the filthy ground to play with the little girl and her stuffed bunny.
“Hey, Noelle. Thanks again for helping us out. Your spell was so cool and amazing! You have such cool looking magic. I’m so jealous!”
Noelle blushed, “Well, I am royalty. And don’t get ahead of yourself. I didn’t do it to help you . I did it to help the villagers!”
Noelle relaxed as she looked up at Asta, “Not only am I a member of the Black Bulls, but I am a magic knight, and we swore to protect the people.” She looked at the little girl, “And that’s what I did,” she softly patted the girl’s head with a fond smile.
Those must be her honest feelings.
He watched her again, noticing her kind smile.
One bright morning, Asta and Noelle joined Vanessa on her trip to the black market. They had a day off, and the Captain had demanded they rest or face his wrath. At first, the rookie duo wasn’t sure what to do, but as soon as Vanessa heard that they had never been to the market, she made it their mission to go.
Although they had been Magic Knights for some time now, Noelle and Asta could not fly, so Vanessa took on the responsibility. She thought the rookies were adorable, so she liked to dote on them from time to time.
As they landed, Vanessa asked them what they enjoyed about being Black Bulls. Having been raised by Sister Lily and Father Orsi had taught him to be honest, so Asta wasn’t one to hold back when questioned. “Um, the base, our squad, I get to try new delicious food, my room, Noelle. The beasts, even though they try to eat me, th-”
At first, Noelle thought she misheard him and nodded along with his answers, but at the mention of her name, Vanessa giggled. The royal turned to Asta, who continued as if he hadn’t just mentioned her name.
The pink-haired woman chuckled, “Sorry, could you repeat that?”
The young boy stopped walking down the path to glance at his squad mates. “Captain Yami’s beasts try to eat me, but I still like them.”
“No, before that.”
Like his senior squadmate, the sun blared down on their forms mercilessly. “Oh, I’ve never had one of those before, so I’m happy to finally have one!”
Noelle shrieked, wanting to disappear. Does he have any idea what he said?! It’s so improper!
Vanessa loudly snorted. His comment was obviously regarding his room, but Noelle’s reaction made it difficult to clear the misunderstanding. “Oh? And what’s your favorite part of it?”
“The size is small and a bit cold at night, but when it’s time to sleep, I just snuggle it in bed!”
If Noelle had stopped thinking, even for a moment, she would have realized that he was describing his room. But, Noelle Silva, who stopped fully listening, could only think about what she heard, “small, cold, and snuggling.”
But before she could act on her distress and utter embarrassment, Vanessa stepped in to give the poor girl a break.“Magna always complained about that room. He claimed it was too small and cold in the winter, so much that he would have to use his magic to stay warm sometimes.”
Noelle stopped mid-thought, peering over at her peer and then at the pink-haired witch. Vanessa winked at her. Was he talking about his room?
Having the sun shine on them felt nice. Asta looked around. The streets were bustling with people, kids played around a fountain, and old couples ate dessert while watching a mage cast spells. One day, I’ll bring you to witness this, Sister!
While her heart began to settle, Noelle remained silent. She was brought up to be a prim and proper princess, and now that she was a Magic Knight, she wouldn’t be caught acting like a child, especially out in public.
Vanessa continued to guide her junior members, acting as if she didn’t notice Noelle’s embarrassment. I’ll tease her about this later.
On the other hand, Asta noticed Noelle hadn’t said anything in a while. Was it because I said that I liked Noelle? Other than Yuno, I’ve never had a friend my age.
These feelings unsettled him. He found something he wanted to buy from the market and waved it around his squad mates when a bandit decided to steal from a little old lady.
With the help from Ba-ha! Asta brought down the criminal and returned the woman’s earnings to her. Everyone was fine, yet the feeling he would have normally ignored made itself home, heavy in his gut.
Noelle occasionally made quips but overall, stayed quiet when she wasn’t berating Ba-ha. He was ready to ask her what was wrong when she beat him to it.
“Why’re you so quiet? I thought you loved that thing.”
‘That thing’ was the alien contraption he bought at the market.
“I do,” he smiled at her. Despite her embarrassment, she smiled back.
All was well and good.
Before he knew it, time passed, and Asta soon learned that the Wizard King chose him to go on a critical mission: exploring a dungeon. He was thrilled. He’s never seen one of those before!
Asta and Noelle fell into traps throughout the dungeon exploration because of their lack of mana detection skills. The former couldn’t even sense mana. If it hadn’t been for Yuno, a carnivorous plant would have eaten them.
The foster brothers briefly spoke after being apart. Asta could hear Noelle’s displeasure when she spoke to his brother’s teammate. He wondered why she seemed upset, but the duo soon moved on after learning about an enemy’s presence. They had to find Luck, their squadmate who had left them.
Asta watched Noelle change before him once more.
She was scared of the mana she sensed, but she strengthened her resolve with a bit of encouragement.
She’s stronger than she gives herself credit.
Lotus ran away. The Black Bulls trio considered it a professional failure, but because they managed to become closer to their closed-off teammate. Luck opened up to them.
The trio made their way to their next location with the help of the lightning mage. Asta couldn’t sense anything, so he wasn’t sure what to feel as Luck and Noelle mentioned how the mana near Yuno felt.
Asta became protective when he saw his brother’s wounds. Yuno was in the middle of fighting and losing to a creepy Diamond mage. It took some time for Asta to defeat Mars, but having done so, allowed the group to enter the treasure room and find all sorts of amazing things, including a mirror Nero kept pecking for him to walk over to.
One moment, Asta ignored Nero’s insistent pecking; the next, he heard screaming. He quickly turned, watching Noelle get brutalized by a strong offensive spell.
Noelle was his comrade and friend. He couldn’t stand seeing her harmed, especially when he could not defend her. Fury burned his veins. He wasn’t an angry person, but he couldn’t stand and do nothing as people he cared about got hurt.
Asta and Yuno managed to defeat the mage through sheer willpower. The mage was unconscious. They were forced to leave him behind as the cave tumbled. Asta wished they could have saved him, but their safety was more important.
Mimosa healed Noelle, but Asta was still enraged. His squad mate wasn’t weak by any means. She supported him by providing her magic during their fight against Mars, but he was still angry because she had been heavily injured. She had bled a lot from her injury.
Noelle was embarrassed by her state of undress, but that didn’t stop the duo from becoming closer, somehow. Asta liked that. He liked that a lot.
In the evening, Asta found Noelle in the common area. Vanessa was brewing her tea.
Asta’s face contorted as he saw her bandages despite wearing clothes that covered her injury.
“Bakasta, stop with your worrying. You saw Mimosa heal me, and I feel fine. I’m only a bit sore since her magic doesn’t heal physical damage, so I’ll need to take it easy.”
“But-“
“No buts,” she scowled before softening her features. “We’re okay.”
“Okay, goodnight, Noelle.” He softly smiled before heading to sleep. He had pushed far past his limits; his body reminded him.
“Goodnight.” Noelle waved him off.
Asta chose to get stronger. He wouldn’t let his friends get hurt, while he just stood there doing nothing.
That’s what I said after defeating the creepy diamond guy, and yet here I am, watching my friends get ridiculed by these nobles.
One of Noelle’s siblings, Asta had forgotten their names, had thrown water at her. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. How could he treat his family like that?!
Asta had a warm upbringing. Sure, his family back in Hage sometimes teased him, but they would never treat him the way Noelle’s siblings treated her. Without thinking, Asta sprung into action and grabbed Noelle, preventing her from fleeing the room.
Standing on the table and screaming with all his might, Asta swore he would become Wizard King.
The young mage wasn’t surprised when the nobles and royals attacked him. He had offended them, but that didn’t stop him from defending himself. He was rightfully angry and was prepared to protect his squad, his dream, and Noelle.
Having defeated all the mages that attacked Asta, he thought he would finally catch a break when the red-haired captain stepped in to hold Noelle’s older brother back.
He was wrong.
An attendant of the castle yelled, "The capital is under attack!" Asta again sprung into action.
Halfway through the fight, Noelle seemed to be back to her usual self, so Asta decided to tell her that. Ignoring her flushed cheeks. Asta thought it must be from the heat and turned his attention to defeat the man behind the attack.
They didn’t fight together, but being on the same battlefield was inspiring. No matter how little they interacted, Asta knew their bond was strong.
Asta didn’t mean to, but he got kidnapped. Before his hearing was blocked, he heard Noelle’s frantic scream. I’ll be okay, Noelle . He wanted to reassure her even though he wasn’t sure if he would be okay.
Upon returning from being kidnapped by the Eye of the Midnight Sun, Asta visited Noelle to ensure she was doing okay. She slammed the door in his face, screaming about royal traditions or something like “improper for royalty.” Asta had no clue what she was talking about, so he told her through the door that he appreciated their comradeship and was glad they could trust each other during battle.
Noelle stuttered as she asked to be left alone, or she would unleash her magic. Asta laughed it off and returned to his room, choosing sleep over distressing Noelle.
It became a common occurrence in the Black Bulls base to see Asta compliment Noelle, with her becoming flustered, silent, then yelling.,
Her actions didn’t upset him, and he didn't feel like she was mean. In fact, they reminded him of his younger brother, Nash. They said one thing, but it meant something completely different.
In a way, it reminded him of the Blue Rose captain . She said some harsh things to Captain Yami while we were in the cave.
Captain Yami wasn’t even hurt by what she said. Instead, he relentlessly teased her.
Both captains have a lot of respect for each other. Maybe Noelle and I can have a similar relationship?
It wasn’t until after he learned about Ki that he could read Noelle’s emotions more clearly. He hadn’t mastered it yet, but he would get there and understand her true feelings. It didn’t matter that she couldn’t express her honest feelings or that she would call him names. What mattered was that Asta knew that Noelle cared for him as a squad mate.
Even when they went to the beach, and Noelle struggled to perfect the spell that would take their squad to the Underwater Temple, Asta could tell she appreciated his support. He encouraged her to keep going and not give up.
Luckily, a girl their age, Kahono, joined their training, and Noelle slowly warmed up to her, which made Asta happy. Not once did he ask her about her potential friends or anything from her past because it always caused Noelle to frown, and he didn’t like that. So he welcomed the thought of gaining a new friend, but he was especially excited for her.
Asta found himself walking down the familiar route, looking for his friend. “Hey, Noelle!”
The water mage was practicing her spell when his greeting surprised her. “Oh, no,” she sighed when her spell popped.
“Sorry about that,” Asta sheepishly apologized.
Noelle gave a quick nod, “It’s okay. I should be taking a break anyway. What were you up to?” She sat on a boulder, waiting for him to join her.
“Sand training. I can already feel my legs getting stronger!! You never know when you’ll need it.” Asta laughed, “But I also wanted to check on you since I knew you would be down here.”
Noelle smiled in return, her stomach filled with butterflies. She was nervous because of her timed task and Asta's kindness. “Do you want to train together?”
“Yeah!” The two continued to spend time together, basking in each other’s warmth.
During the last day of their training, Asta caught Noelle when she fell due to exhaustion from constant training. When setting her down, he realized how light she was and how he could probably lift her and use her in his training sessions. He knew not to propose that to Noelle since swinging her around like weights is not ladylike, but he thought it would be fun to do together.
Once the squad was ready, Asta couldn't help but praise Noelle until she became flustered. Luckily, it did not affect her concentration, and Captain Yami decided not to kill him for overwhelming his fellow rookie.
Asta couldn’t help it. Noelle was just amazing in everything she did!
Vetto defeated all their squad mates and mages of the Underwater Temple, but Noelle didn’t give up. Instead, she unlocked a new spell, tearing out a part of Vetto’s body.
Asta patted her head as a reward for trying her best and not giving up. He praised her; she deserved it for being awe-inspiring.
Unfortunately, their luck was short-lived, as Vetto proved to be stronger than any of them could imagine. Asta couldn’t use his arms, which was stressful, but he wasn’t one to give up. The squad received help from their Captain, who quickly won the fight.
Dr. Owens had told Asta that he wouldn’t be able to cure his broken arms. That wouldn’t stop Asta, no way!
When he awoke the following morning, he couldn’t find his fellow squad members, but he soon found out why. They all had gone to find a cure for his arms. He felt overwhelmed and cried.
Pain shot up through him, not because of his arms, but because he had finally found an accepting family. Asta knew that his family in Hage was accepting and loved him, but this was different. The Black Bulls are the worst of the worst, yet they accept him and are willing to go to dangerous and far places for him —a magicless peasant.
Asta trained to repay his squadmates while waiting for them to return. In the meantime, he hoped they were doing well, but he wasn’t sure when they would return. His days were filled with training, eating, sleeping, and the occasional chore. Captain Yami left him alone, and Asta wondered if he was aware of his squad's whereabouts.
It wasn’t easy healing his arms.
Their first adversary was the gnomes, who prevented the men from entering the forest. With magical tools, they made progress, but not before Fanzell blew their cover. Then, they had a harsh encounter with the Witch Queen, followed by the Diamond Kingdom and Midnight Sun attacking the forest.
The silver lining of the entire ordeal was that Asta saved Vanessa from her mother, and he learned about a new power–the devil inside his grimoire. He became determined to learn how to utilize this power to become Wizard King.
The Black Bulls celebrated Asta’s healed arms just in time for the Star Festival. It was an event held in the Capital, and the entire squad attended. The junior members had asked Finral to retrieve Kahono and Kiato from the Underwater Temple to heal the wounds Vetto had caused.
At some point, Kahono asked Asta how he felt about Noelle, and he didn’t know how to respond. Noelle is kind, even when she mentions her royal status. She is a great team member and doesn't give up. Although she doesn’t know how to do any chores, she still comes with me and does her best, even if she adds more work.
“Hmm, I-” Before Asta could respond, they found a crying child, and Noelle went over to her without missing a beat. The group attempted to calm the child down and even helped her find her mother.
The mother, a peasant, was ridiculed by nobles, which upset Asta and caused him to step forward to stop them. But before he could speak, Noelle stood confidently, defending them from the cruel words of the nobles. She gave a powerful speech about everyone having the right to enjoy the festival regardless of status.
Asta smiled, “Um, I like Noelle quite a bit.” He boldly stated while looking into her eyes, and while he did expect to be thrown by her, he didn’t expect her to use her magic. Did he regret announcing how he felt and seeing her reaction? No, because he did, in fact, like Noelle.
He didn’t imagine how quickly a celebration, the Black Bulls being awarded the second best squad, could turn into an order for his and Yuno’s execution by order of the Clover King. Then, before they could get a moment of respite, the duo found themselves kidnapped by the Uncrowned, Undefeated Lioness, Mereleona Vermillion.
Between the mess, he wanted to congratulate Noelle on the number of stars she received, too, but there was no time when the fiery captain grabbed his squadmates and dragged them along.
The new captain had kidnapped a whole group of Magic Knights from other squads for the Hot Springs training. It caused Asta and Noelle a lot of stress.
Without meaning to, he partially overheard the captain’s comments regarding Noelle’s mother. Using ki, Asta noticed Noelle become motivated to climb, so he cheered her on in his head.
I don’t want to break her concentration. You can do this, Noelle!
The captain also encouraged Asta to tap into his new power, and he was able to do it. Other than the three captains, Asta was one of the first to reach the top of the mountain. He was immensely proud of himself, and when he saw Noelle arrive, he was proud of her, too. “I knew that you could do it, Noelle!”
“Of course. I’m royalty,” she gave him a small smile as she replied playfully. She felt oddly optimistic after hearing Captain Mereoleona’s words. “I shouldn’t be surprised that you somehow beat everyone even though you started last.”
He chuckled, “Thanks for believing me!”
The dup separated due to embarrassment. The Captain of the Crimson Lions explained that everyone would bathe together; their embarrassment was short-lived as Sol used her magic to add a division to separate the men and women.
Somehow, Captain Yami convinced the male knights in the hot springs to peep at the women. Asta loudly declared that the only woman in his heart was Sister Lily and that he wouldn’t dare peep at anyone else. Then he softly added, “Anyway, Noelle is over there, and it wouldn’t be right to invade her privacy or make her uncomfortable.”
Asta had woken up early in the morning because he was so excited to see all the different mages he would see, fight, and work with at the tournament. When he came down to the table, he noticed Charmy and Grey were the only ones present. “Where is everyone?”
Charmy was too busy eating, so Grey turned into her original form and answered his question. “U-uh, Gauche, Gordon, Magna, and Luck were in the other room, and um, Noelle, Vanessa, and the captain haven’t come out yet.”
Asta began to fill his plate as the rest of the squad entered for breakfast. Noelle fidgeted with the ends of her robe. She did this when she felt anxious.
His squadmate looked up and saw her face flush with embarrassment, “Bakasta, I’m fine.” He could tell something was wrong, but he wasn’t one to push her. He would lend his ear to her if she asked.
“Y’know, Noelle, we’re going to make it into the Royal Knights, and we’re going to beat the Eye of the Midnight Sun!” He gave her a reassuring smile, and she seemed to lessen her fidgeting. It was enough, for now.
The tournament was going well. All the matches were fun and exciting to watch. Noelle and Yuno’s fight was coming up, and Asta was excited to see it, especially since two of his favorite people were fighting together.
It appeared he was wrong. They didn't seem to be getting along anytime soon.
Asta walked towards them in an attempt to calm them down, but instead, he aggravated them further. Luckily and unluckily, they stopped fighting because of Noelle’s annoying brother, who decided to bully her right before the fight.
Noelle strengthened her resolve before handling her brother without support. He was proud of her for staying true to herself. As soon as the match began, he cheered for their team.
Blows were exchanged, a slight advantage to the opposite team, but Noelle defended her team using her Sea Dragon’s Lair, which was taken down with a sand attack. The next thing Asta saw was Yuno saving Noelle.
Asta didn't think much of it until Mimosa commented. “Oh my, they were fighting before the match. I didn’t think they would get close this soon.” She gasped, “Yuno is holding her waist.”
The comment wasn’t malicious; it was a fact.
The Black Bull members who heard the remark laughed because it was funny, but Asta didn't see how. If anything, it caused an unsettling feeling in his stomach, but he chose to ignore it to watch the match instead.
Soon enough, Yuno, the handsome bastard, beat out his opponent incredibly, motivating Asta for his next match. Following Alecdora’s defeat, Noelle did the same with her opponent, also known as her irritating older brother, causing her squadmates to scream out in joy.
Noelle returned to the group, Asta approached her to congratulate her. When she acted like her usual self, that unsettling feeling disappeared entirely.
Asta had not expected his fight against Langris to end in a draw. Yuno’s team fought against Captain Rill’s team in the finale, with his brother’s team coming out as victors. Yuno was leaving Asta behind, again.
Back at the base, Asta was depressed about losing and not making it far into the tournament. Noelle did her best to cheer him back up. When the other members were busy, she would force Asta to join her on a walk so he wouldn't stay inside all day. As they sat together, she spoke about the old fables she knew from childhood while he stared into space.
Noelle wasn’t offended because the purpose of their walks was to encourage Asta to think about other things.
Although Asta didn’t converse much, he still made small gestures, like nodding and humming, to avoid ignoring her. He didn’t want her to feel like she was wasting her time.
It was almost time for their daily walk when they heard screaming and a loud knock coming from the door.
Captain Mereoleona came in unannounced to escort Asta, Noelle, and Luck, who were selected to join the Royal Knights Squad, to the Capital for a meeting debrief.
Arriving at the meeting location, the Black Bulls trio celebrated amongst themselves. A glance around the area revealed who else had been selected.
Now that he was back to normal, Asta decided to do what he should have done since the beginning. “Noelle, thank you for looking out for me. I couldn't ask for a better squad mate.”
It appeared that was the wrong thing to say because her ki seemed to dwindle, almost like she became sad. Unfortunately for Asta, he wouldn't get the chance to explain himself because their new mission began.
The next few hours were filled with information on the base, preparations to infiltrate the enemy’s location, and more. Captain Mereoleona split the squad into groups of four, minus her team, a group of three, including herself.
When Asta approached Noelle, he noticed Captain Nozel narrow his eyes at him. Asta ignored the Captain’s action because he didn’t want the meeting to start without settling the air.
“Noelle, may I speak with you?”
“No!” Luck joked at the same time as Noelle responded. “Not now, Bakasta, but we can talk when this is all over and done with.”
“Sure thing,” he nodded before heading back to his group.
Captain Mereoleona gave her order, allowing all groups to infiltrate the base and fight their enemies. The tide turned in their favor when the Eye of the Midnight Sun members suddenly died, and most of the Clover mages began to glow.
Asta had to “wake” Yuno from the spell cast on him at one point. The duo were forced to fight against the leader of the elves and lost. They were no match for him.
Noelle’s older brother, Nozel, implied they might need to kill the mages under the spell’s influence; otherwise, they would never win. This statement caused the mages to become distressed. Before Asta could reject his plan, Noelle passionately exclaimed that she believed the original souls were still present and that they should not give up on them.
Noelle is amazing. She has a heart of gold.
Yuno and Asta stated they would go to Hage to save their family and friends, and Noelle wanted to follow them to help. Asta tried to thank her and say that any help was appreciated, but Nozel stopped her because she needed to protect their home, the House of Silva.
Nozel’s acknowledgment of his sister’s power made Asta happy. They have always treated her like a nuisance, and they were finally starting to see her as someone capable of being a powerful mage and a Silva.
Asta looked cheerfully at Noelle and said, “Don’t worry about us. We can handle it!” The two mages left to help their home village and save its inhabitants.
The next time he saw her, she looked as impressive as always. It looked like she was wearing some kind of armor made out of water. She always amazed him.
“Whoa, Noelle! What’s with that outfit?! Way cool!!”
Like last time, they couldn’t talk for long.
Asta noticed that Noelle didn't like Sally wearing his clothes. Hmm, maybe she wanted a change of clothes? I should have thought of that.
After defeating the devil that caused all this pain and anguish, Zagred, Asta stumbled upon Noelle and exclaimed that he was happy to see that she and everyone else were doing okay. Using magic to flee to safety, they said goodbye to the leader of the elves, Licht, and the first Wizard King, Lumiere.
“We did it,” Asta high-fived Noelle.
“Yes!” She cheered with him.
A gesture so insignificant yet significant simultaneously made their palms sweaty as they gazed into each other’s eyes. It was obvious that they were closer now than they had ever been. They had come a long way.
After the informal trial, Asta could return home for the time being. He thanked all the members and his captain for rescuing him, even though it was his fault that he had gotten Nero and himself in that mess. The only missing person was Noelle, and he couldn't find her inside the base.
“Captain Yami, have you seen Noelle?”
The captain took a long puff of his cigarette and shrugged, “If she’s not in here, kid, she must be outside.”
“Thanks, captain!”
Asta went outside to look for his squadmate and saw her sitting where they used to go on their walks. I can't believe I didn't think to look here first.
She played with a couple of flowers. While Nero, in bird form, was peacefully on the water mage’s knees.
She looked like a painting, still and at peace. Asta wasn’t sure if he should interrupt her. I heard that her trip to the Capital made her upset. I haven't asked what happened, but maybe I should tell her that I'm here for her.
“Stop staring at me and sit down,” Noelle said as she continued playing with the flowers. “I can see the steam coming off your head. You must be overthinking again. Spill it. What are you thinking about?”
“You didn't seem like yourself since your meeting with the captain of the Coral Peacocks, so I was worried. But it looks like you're back to your usual self. I guess I just wanted to tell you that you can always rely on me when upset. We've been through so much as squadmates, and I care about you, so I just want to let you know.”
Noelle sighed, “You always have to add ‘squadmates,’ don't you?” She seemed upset, “I'll explain what’s going on as soon as the entire squad is awake. Captain Yami wants everyone present to avoid miscommunication.”
Asta sensed her negative emotions, “Noelle, you know I'm an idiot. Did I say something to make it worse?”
She chuckled, “No, you were pretty clear about your intentions. Don’t worry about me, I'll be fine. I have more important things to think about anyway. What did you come here for?”
“I wanted to thank you for coming to save me at the trial. It meant so much to me seeing how far we've come.”
Nero seemed to have noticed the tension between them, but Asta hadn’t caught on because he was oblivious. She didn't know if she should stay or not. Nero remained to support a tearful Noelle.
Why must I be present at the most inconvenient times?
The little bird decided to fly on Noelle’s head. For some reason, the princess liked it, so, for once, she would sit on her head. Nero isn’t a forward person, but she does look out for her friends’ happiness, especially now that they know who she is and have accepted her into their crew.
“Noelle, I'm sorry. And I'm serious when I say I want to be here for you if you need it, especially since you're the closest person I have in this squad.”
Although it wasn't precisely what Noelle wanted to hear, her Bakasta was trying, and that's all that mattered. They remained silent until they were called over.
The squad’s discussion concluded with a mission to visit the Heart Kingdom to learn more about the devils and exonerate Asta.
The following days were filled with finding ways to enter the Heart Kingdom. Their squad split up to find information about the other kingdoms that could attack the Clover Kingdom when it’s most vulnerable.
Mimosa gave the group passage into the Heart Kingdom, where she had previously gone as a child. Under the guidance of the Wizard King, a team was formed to visit the faraway country.
On their way to the Heart Kingdom, they encountered Gaja, one of its mages. He introduced them to a juice that could be made sweet with magic. Asta, who had no magic, asked Noelle if she could sweeten it for him with her magic. “Please, Noelle?”
This caused her to blush, which worsened when he gave her a smile that rivaled the sun. Honestly, sometimes I feel like he does it on purpose, but then again, he’s too oblivious to notice what he’s doing. He only confuses me.
A series of events, including Asta’s kidnapping, Gaja's attack, and learning about the Queen’s curse and its connection to Noelle's mom’s death, led Asta to conclude that they needed to defeat the Spade Kingdom. Lolopechka, the Heart Queen, told them to train. Otherwise, they would easily lose to the devil hosts from that Kingdom, and so began their six-month training.
Asta only saw Noelle a few more times before he had to leave for the Black Bulls base. As always, seeing her Valkyrie armor looked terrific, he told her that even though she always yelled in embarrassment. She looks beautiful; why wouldn't I tell her?
So much happened between the last time he saw her and the current situation. Nacht and Asta crashed the captain’s meeting. It wasn't until his vice-captain said that they hadn’t heard from the Heart Kingdom that caused him to worry over his fellow squad mate.
She isn’t weak, but they are powerful. I just hope that she’s okay, that they’re all okay.
He hadn’t realized that he always separated her from the rest. Even if he’s referring to the whole squad, he won't include her with them. It seemed almost natural for him to have her separate from the rest. It was always ‘Noelle and the squad,’ not ‘the squad’ with her included in that group.
Worry plagued his mind. Is she alright? Are they alive?
He felt weak. His heart hammered in his ears, almost as if that's where it was. He isn't one to worry because he knows his friends are strong, but something about her causes him to stress more than the rest.
She's not weak. I’m sure she's completely fine. If anything, she would yell at me in anger for doubting her.
Gaja called to update Julius and the rest on the Queen's kidnapping and the elves taking the Clover mages to train.
Asta felt his knees almost give out, a weight lifting off his chest.
What was that all about?
He didn't have much time to think about it because his vice-captain took him to train for the next two days. It took longer than expected, so he couldn’t join the counterattack until later.
It turned out for the better because he protected the Clover Kingdom from the ancient demon that attacked. The remaining Black Bulls who stayed behind and he traveled to to the Spade Kingdom to take back their captain, who gave them a home.
Asta swiftly dealt with the devils that attempted to kill Nacht. He aided the shadow magic user until they stumbled upon Luck, Magna, and Zora.
Nacht, Luck, and Asta entered the room just as Magna beat Dante. Seeing his squadmates made Asta immensely happy. It made him feel like the rest of his friends were safe and sound.
If Luck is here, then that must mean Noelle is here too. I hope she's okay.
Asta didn't have to wait long to find her; he felt enormous ki rising, and when he arrived in the room where she was, he saw the Queen of the Heart Kingdom. Lolopechka looked different, and it felt like she would explode with power.
He heard Noelle screaming that humans were not prone to give up, even when that was the better choice. His comrade was fighting for her life, not giving up, and still fighting this devil who was trying to kill everyone.
Noelle lifted her hand, calling out for her friend, who was turned into a devil. Her hand began to fall as she had been weakened, but not before Asta flew on his sword and gave her a high-five as if to tag in and support her.
She’s not alone. She has me.
Asta stopped Lolopechka from exploding and looked up at Noelle. “We saw each other again just fine!! Right, Noelle?!!”
Noelle laughed in disbelief, “This is completely not ‘just fine,’ dorksta!!”
Liebe told Asta they couldn't beat the devil before them without devil union. Captains Charlotte and Rill joined the fight. “Sorry! At this point, I'm completely useless! The rest is all yours! You’ve got this, Noelle!!”
Asta noticed Noelle’s ki explode. She seemed motivated and happy. Maybe she had realized something important.
Asta witnessed the end of Noelle's fight. With the help of the captains, Luck, Gaja, and even Nozel, they defeated Megicula.
There was a sweet moment between the siblings. Asta felt proud of her for having grown from someone who couldn't speak to her brother to someone who could fight alongside him.
“You did it!!” Asta was her cheerleader.
He didn't know what he said or did, but when he tried coming closer to Noelle, she smacked him and yelled at him, nothing new. I wonder if she knows that it probably hurts her more than me when she hits me.
Some of their fellow mages almost died when the spell went off, but luckily, Mimosa could heal them. Surprisingly, Gaja confessed his love to Lolopechka in front of them.
Asta thought deeply about marriage, of how happy he would be when he married Sister Lily and as the Wizard King. He didn't even notice he was staring at Noelle until he heard someone clear his throat as if to say, ‘Why are you staring at my sister like that? ’
I wasn't even thinking of anything improper, yet I feel like I just got caught looking at my crush.
The group decided to stop the Tree of Qliphoth by saving the two kidnapped captains, so they left to destroy the tree.
Many events occurred right after one another and didn't give anyone enough time to breathe because Lucifero used the low-ranking demons to manifest himself. Thus, everyone fought for their lives.
Asta thought he was going to die. He almost did many times.
After defeating Lucifero, he sat with his brother. While he didn’t know his mother, knowing she loved him gave him peace. Hearing that his mother loved him made him unbelievably happy. He once again stated his goal to become the Wizard King.
“There you are, Bakasta! We were looking for you. We’re getting everything set to eat.”
Asta looked at his comrade. She looked different, more mature. Since he met her, he's always believed she was pretty and had a friendly smile. She may not be smiling now, but she is still lovely.
Liebe poked him to bring him back from his thoughts. He realized she had continued speaking after informing him about supper.
“I’ve told you, you’re not one to think about things. What’re you waiting for? Let’s go eat.” She waited for him to come down from the clock tower.
“I never got a chance to tell you, but I think the ribbons in your hair are pretty. I hope you continue to wear them.” He stood next to her. He touched the ribbon closest to him. “I’m glad you avenged your mom. I’m sure she’s proud of you. I know I am. You’re my precious friend.”
Noelle looked at him, and instead of screaming or running in embarrassment, she smiled. “Thank you. I feel better now. Also, thank you for beating the king of the devils for us while I was helping evacuate the Spade citizens.”
They looked at each other warmly. They trusted one another, and with time, their hearts would only grow closer. The duo walked closely together, bumping into each other and laughing every so often.
Asta didn’t register that the warm feeling he felt for Noelle was different from what he felt for Sister Lily. This feeling was the beginning of something that would change how he viewed love, but for now, all he knew was that Noelle was special to him.
A different kind of special.