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At that moment, Asta was the happiest boy in the world. He had won a lottery open to the entire Forsaken Realm, earning a spot at a coveted summer camp where children between the ages of eight and ten could learn and develop their magic at an exponential rate.
Despite lacking mana, Asta was determined to go to that place and finally show his magical prowess.
However, as the days passed, the boy showed no signs of possessing magical powers. At least he had a good time and made friends, all of whom were commoners.
The camp was very expensive. Many of the commoner children had spent all their savings just to attend. This increased their chances of being chosen in a few years to become a Magic Knight.
Nevertheless, most of the children attending the camp were nobles or royalty, like Noelle. Her family forced her to participate in the program to learn how to control her magic, although deep down, Noelle knew they just wanted her out of the way for a week.
Why did she know that? Because it wasn't the first time she'd heard her siblings say, "Let's see if this finally teaches her how to control her stupid magic. Though, given how useless she is, I doubt it," after signing her up for other camps.
But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that they sent her with her cousin, Mimosa. As if it weren't bad enough that people compared them every time they were together, now they were going to compare them every single day. "The Vermillion girl is way more talented than the Silva girl, huh?" Who would've thought? The Silvas aren’t what they used to be." "Noelle Silva? Isn’t she the one who can’t throw a water ball accurately? Mimosa Vermillion will be much better. Mark my words.” "Her water magic is so weak. She hasn't even inherited her mother's magic. On the other hand, the little Vermillion has incredible skill with plant healing magic.”
Noelle wanted to leave that place. Luckily, she had survived the previous six days, and now only one remained. After that, she would return to her home, a place she had already grown accustomed to, which was hell on earth.
"Kids! Come on over! We're going to organize and explain today's final activity. Pay attention!” a camp counselor shouted, getting the children's attention.
The entire camp gathered in the small square and listened to the adults.
"Today is the last day, so we're going to do a special, fun activity. It involves using this magic camera to take a picture of a blue toad with yellow spirals. It's not dangerous in principle, but be careful—it's still a magical creature. They live in the forest right behind you. The first group to show us a photo of the toads will win a prize! But it’s a secret, so you’ll only find out if you win,” another camp counselor explained. With every word he spoke, the children got more and more excited.
"Blue Toads?! How cool!" "A secret prize? I want to know what it is right now!" "Magical creatures..." "That's so easy! I'm sure I'll win." "I want the prize! I want the prize!"
"Quiet, kids!" The children fell silent and continued listening to their instructor.
"You will be split into groups of three. We've already formed the groups to avoid any problems. I'll call out the groups now. When I call your name, go with your group to the table over there and grab a camera. You can't start searching until I say 'go.'”
Next, the instructor listed all the groups that had been formed. As she spoke, more and more children grabbed their cameras and started planning with their groups.
"Finally, Asta, Mimosa, and Noelle!" One of you grab a camera and get ready for the search. Remember, no one goes into the forest until I say so,” the instructor announced.
The three kids got up and walked together to the camera table. There was only one camera left, and there were no spares.
Great! I got paired with Mimosa. Out of all the people at camp, I ended up with my wonderful cousin! Who's the other person? I don't sense any magic from him. How strange. Oh well, he’s just a commoner, so I won't pay him much attention anyway. Noelle thought as she took the lead and grabbed the camera herself.
"All right, kids. Now that we've reviewed the rules, you can head into the woods. You have three hours to find the toad. Go!" As soon as the camp counselor shouted the last word, a large group of children ran off into the forest.
Meanwhile, the last group hadn't had time to discuss their strategy yet, so they stayed there for a few minutes.
"Hi! I'm Asta from Hage. Who are you guys?" asked the only boy in the group with a toothy grin.
"I'm Mimosa Vermillion from the House of Vermillion," said a green-eyed girl shyly. “Hage? Isn't that a town in the Forsaken Realm? You know, where the Demon's Skull and the Statue of the First Wizard King are?” she asked, raising her voice slightly so the boy could hear her clearly.
"Yes! Right there!" Asta exclaimed, happy that someone important recognized his home. He wasn't sure what "Vermillion House" meant, but it sounded prestigious, so he was even more excited.
"Hey, what about you? You haven't introduced yourself yet, and you have the camera," he pointed out to the silver-haired girl.
She immediately lifted her chin and squinted, trying to project an air of pride and self-confidence. "Excuse me?" I’m Noelle Silva. I’m royalty,” she said, clearing her throat. “I don’t need your help. I’ll find that toad myself.” Goodbye,” she said, and dashed off into the woods.
"Hey! The camera! We don't have a plan yet!" the little boy yelled, too late, as Noelle was already too far away to hear him.
"Noelle... She's my cousin. She's usually like that, but she's not a bad person. I think she's having problems at home. Whenever she talks down to me, I don't hold it against her. She's helped me more than once," the redhead explained, looking at the floor. It was the first time she had been alone with a boy her age.
“Besides—”
"Miss Mimosa, they're coming to pick you up early!"
Mimosa was eager to comment further on her cousin, but her attempt to do so was abruptly halted.
Both Asta and Mimosa turned around at the same time. Just what I needed. The girl with the camera is leaving, and now I’m going to be alone. Ugh! Whatever! I’ll find a way out of this situation. I’m going to win that prize. I'm sure it's the first step toward becoming the Wizard King!
“What's going on?” the girl wondered.
"Her brother just got named a knight, and they're celebrating. I've come at the specific request of her parents, Miss Mimosa. I'm sorry if this is sudden, but orders are orders," the Vermillion family butler explained, bowing deeply.
"Got it. I'll go get my things. It won't take more than five minutes," she told the butler. "Sorry, Asta! I have to go. Good luck with the competition, ” she said to the young orphan before running off to her room.
Hmmm. This situation won't stop me from winning the contest. Come on, Asta! Think!
Noelle didn't realize how far she had run until she stopped. Her legs and feet ached. Running in sandals on uneven ground might not have been the best idea.
"Where am I?" she wondered as she looked around. The forest was dense and thick. Visibility was limited to a two-meter radius. The rest was obscured by the underbrush.
Whatever. It's better to be here than with those two. I'll take a picture of that toad to prove that I'm not a useless idiot! She tossed her ponytail over her shoulder. Okay, let's start the search.
Noelle set off. Luckily, her small body could squeeze through the narrow gaps between the dense bushes.
She had been walking for a while. Several sharp twigs had left her with a few scratches, but they were nothing to worry about. Noelle Silva, the youngest daughter of the House of Silva, had to prove that she could stand on her own two feet, even at such an early age.
She wandered a bit farther until she reached a much rockier area. She wasn't sure if she was still in the forest, but she decided to keep going. Time was running out, and she was determined to find that toad.
Suddenly, Noelle heard a very loud noise. The sound of a fierce growl and the earth rumbling reached her ears. She spun around and saw a herd of furious fire boars. The poor girl didn’t know what she had done wrong, but it seemed she had stepped on their den.
Terrified, Noelle closed her eyes tightly and ran as fast as she could. She had never run so fast before, and she had the adrenaline to thank for it.
I shouldn't have run away by myself! Damn it! I'm useless at this, too.
She ran the entire length of the rugged path without looking back until she inevitably tripped over a large rock in her way.
Due to her speed, she rolled a few meters until she came to rest in a area surrounded by tall, dense grass thickets. No one could see her there. They probably couldn't hear her from there, either.
Noelle made an attempt to sit up, but she was overwhelmed by a burning sensation in her legs and arms.
"Ugh, it stings so much," she said, looking down at her body. Her limbs were covered with small cuts from the rough rocks and dirt. Tears welled up in her eyes, unbidden, yet she held them back as best she could. Even though no one was watching her, she held onto her pride.
Her legs ached from all the running. She couldn't get up, and she couldn't push herself up with her arms, no matter how hard she tried. She was in trouble.
If I'm unable to move, will anyone come for me? I doubt it. I don't think my brothers will look for me. Mimosa certainly won't do it either. She’s probably already befriended that Asta guy with her natural charm. I guess I’ll have to stay here until the pain goes away. The young Silva girl accepted this, trying to keep her composure. However, it wasn’t long before she felt tears rolling down her cheeks. One after another, with increasing frequency and intensity. She was tired of being ignored by everyone. She wanted to prove that she was good for something and that she really wasn’t useless. But that seemed impossible.
Noelle continued to sob for a few minutes. She paused only when she heard a noise coming from the bushes.
"Please, God, don't let it be the wild boar. Please, God, don't let it be the wild boar." The little girl prayed silently.
"Noelle?"
She looked up, her eyes red and teary, and met Asta's gaze. It can't be... Did he really come looking for me? I doubt it. He must have stumbled upon this place by accident.
“Any p-problems?” the girl stammered. She was hiccupping from crying.
"Noelle, it's you!" I've been looking for you for a pretty long time. Mimosa left, and I didn't know what to do, so I figured I'd come find you. After all, you have the camera, plus I was worried,” Asta explained as he slowly approached Noelle.
The silver-haired girl lowered her head. She didn't want to believe the boy. She didn't want to get her hopes up.
"Noelle, are you okay?" Mimosa told me a few things about you. If you want, I can be your friend! I'm always up for making new friends!" the boy offered. He stood up straight with his arms outstretched on either side and his legs slightly apart.
Friends...? I wonder what Mimosa told her. I bet she's laughing at me.
"I don't need friends like you! With or without your permission, I'm leaving!" the girl declared proudly. It was easier for her to hide behind this façade than to show her true self. But when she tried to lift herself up, a sharp pain shot through her legs and she sat back down immediately.
"Ah!" she cried out in pain.
"Noelle!" Asta walked over to her and noticed the scrapes on her arms and legs. He didn't want to ask her what had happened, he could guess. Without hesitation, he took a handkerchief out of his small backpack. He also took out a canteen. He dampened the handkerchief with a little water and gently placed it on her knee.
Noelle was offended. "What do you think you're doing?!" she exclaimed, embarrassed.
Asta's expression grew more serious. "I'm here to help you. You're injured and can't walk. Everything's easier when we work as a team, you know! A lot of times, when my little siblings—"
"I've got it now," she grumbled. Still, she couldn't resist Asta's help. The pain was too much, so her pride took a back seat.
"Well, at least you finally let me help you!" the boy said cheerfully. He continued gently wiping the wounds on her legs with the small cloth. Once he was done with her legs, he moved on to her arms. It wasn't much, but Noelle could feel the stinging slowly fade away.
It didn't take Asta long to wipe the cloth over the girl's wounds. But instead of putting it away, she tied it around the girl's right elbow. The wound there was somewhat deeper than the others.
"All set!" The boy stood upright and held out his hand to Silva. "Let's go!"
The girl hesitated for a few seconds. In the end, she took the boy's hand. It was her only way out.
When Asta pushed, their bodies bumped together and he grabbed her by the shoulder. They didn't pull away right away, which made Noelle's cheeks flush. It was the first time someone had helped her genuinely without expecting anything in return.
Every now and then, the butler would leave sweets on her nightstand, but only if she had practiced magic for at least five hours that day.
She was grateful, albeit unsure of how to show it, so she froze. She stood very still, waiting for Asta to take the lead.
And that's exactly what happened. He stepped back a little, just enough to see her face clearly. “You can't walk very well, can you?” The girl nodded, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground, unable to look him in the eye. “Well, then I'll help you walk back to camp,” he said, flashing a big, warm smile.
"But what about the toad?" the girl asked, mustering enough courage to meet his glance. Only then did she realize how close they were standing. She prayed the boy wouldn't notice how red her cheeks were.
"I guess there'll be another time. Helping my friends is more important! I mean, if I want to be the Wise King, I'll have to help them all someday!” Asta reasoned, showing unexpected maturity for his age.
“The Wizard King?” the girl questioned, unable to believe what she had just heard. Had a commoner with no magic really said he wanted to be the Wizard King?
"Yes! My dream is to provide a good life for commoners. Sometimes, we can't make ends meet. It doesn't matter that I don't have magic. I'll do it! My magic is never giving up!" he said proudly, standing up straight.
Noelle was amazed by the boy's determination, which made her feel a little calmer. His strength was contagious.
"Then you're going to have to work hard," she said, smiling slightly and chuckling a little. This was the first time during the entire camp that she had relaxed her efforts to live up to expectations.
The sweet, light sound of her laughter startled Asta. He felt his cheeks grow warm.
"W-well, let's get going. We're going to be late," he said, his voice showing his nervousness.
He put his arm around her back and held her close. Noelle put her arm around his shoulders so she could lean on him.
"Is that better?" Asta asked, putting his embarrassment aside.
"Yes..." The little Silva nodded, her cheeks still pink.
“Great, let's go!”
Asta was too focused on holding onto Noelle to pay attention to his surroundings. However, the young girl was scanning the area, looking for the toad. She felt bad for the boy. He had a good heart and spent the last afternoon of camp helping her and trying to find her. She didn’t know exactly how much the experience cost, but she knew it wasn’t cheap. This made her wonder how the boy had ended up there. She simply assumed he had saved up for a long time or won a raffle.
She glanced around for a while longer until her eyes and body suddenly stopped moving.
"What's going on?" the ash-haired boy asked, sounding worried. When Noelle didn't answer, he looked in the direction she was staring.
"No way! It's the toad!” he exclaimed. He was so excited that he almost dropped the little girl.
Noelle was speechless. Still, she carefully took the camera out of her pocket and aimed it at the creature.
Click!
They had done it. They didn't know if anyone had taken photos beforehand, but after what had happened, they felt like winners.
After walking a little longer, they arrived at the spot where the counselors were waiting. They were alarmed as soon as they saw Noelle's wounds.
"Oh my God! What happened?” a counselor exclaimed as she approached the girl. She looked at Asta and nodded, silently giving him permission to let her go. As soon as he did, the counselor picked her up and carried her to the nurse's office.
"I'm going to take good care of her. We'll talk later. I want to know what went on,” she said before leaving.
Asta nodded. When the instructor left, he looked around. Almost all of the groups of children had arrived more than an hour ago. They had obviously lost. But he didn't mind. The feeling he got from helping someone was better than any material reward.
To him, that was a victory.
EPILOGUE
Six years later. Black Bulls HQ.
Asta and Noelle were still novice Magic Knights who had only passed their exams a couple of months ago.
They were both sitting in the dining room eating breakfast. The other members were doing their own thing. Some had gone out on missions, and others were enjoying their free time by pursuing their favorite hobbies.
"Hey, Noelle. Now that I think about it, your name sounds familiar." Asta wondered, resting his knuckles on his chin and crossing his other arm over his elbow.
Noelle was puzzled. “My name?”
"Yeah, it's not very common, but I have this feeling that I've heard it before. I just don't know where," he sighed. "Argh! This is so frustrating!”
The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes until Asta snapped his fingers.
"I know! The camp!” He widened his eyes and looked at Noelle.
She frowned. "The camp?" she wondered. It didn't take her long to put two and two together. "Of course! You helped me when I got hurt on the last day!” she exclaimed, stunned.
"I knew it! I knew I'd seen you before!" he exclaimed, proud of his discovery.
Noelle softened her expression. "I never got a chance to thank you, so I'm doing it now. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
The young Black Bull was surprised by the girl's sudden honesty. He grinned sincerely.
“You're welcome”