"Then I'll go first!"
With lightning crackling around him, Luck Voltia bolted off like a living thunderbolt.
Asta let out a long sigh and stretched out on the soft grass. "Things are really going well lately…" he murmured, folding his arms behind his head as he looked up at the sky. "I bet this place looks amazing at sunset."
"What's going well?"
Noelle jumped a bit, startled to find herself alone with Asta. Her cheeks turned red as she realized the others had already left.
Asta smiled teasingly. "When I came here with Finral, he said the sunset here is beautiful. Said it's the perfect place for a date."
Noelle's face turned bright red. "Wha—what are you talking about, you idiot?!"
Asta leaned in slightly, eyes glinting warmly with their usual amber hue. "Come on, Noelle. Let's lie down and watch the sky. There aren't many quiet moments like this."
Noelle hesitated, glancing at the inviting grass. She did want to relax—but lying beside Asta felt… scandalous somehow. Her noble upbringing whispered against such impropriety, yet something in her heart urged her to accept.
As if sensing her inner conflict, Asta spoke again, his tone softer. "Do you believe that life can change in an instant, Noelle? One moment everything's fine, and the next... it's gone."
His words weren't dramatic—just thoughtful.
"There was a place I once read about in a history book—a powerful magical kingdom, thought to be invincible. But it fell in a single night when war came. Everything—its riches, the bonds between people, their hopes and dreams—reduced to ruins. Just like the Shadow Palace…"
Noelle's chest tightened.
"…That's why I want to make the most of peaceful moments," Asta added.
"You really know how to ruin a mood," Noelle sniffed and, with a huff, lay down beside him. Their shoulders touched. Her blush deepened. "Just lying down… don't read into it!"
Asta chuckled but didn't say more.
"Pillow on my arm?" he offered, extending his right arm.
Surprisingly, Noelle obeyed, resting her head there, close enough that they could hear each other breathe. The breeze carried the scent of grass, and above them, the clouds lazily drifted by.
After a long silence, Noelle whispered, "Was that story… real?"
Asta didn't answer right away, watching her closely. Tears were forming in her violet eyes.
"If good things disappear so easily," she choked, "then I… I want to hold onto them tightly. I don't want to lose them, ever again…"
She thought of her mother—Acier Silva, the unreachable ideal—and the fragmented bonds with her siblings. And Asta, who always stood just out of reach.
Asta smiled gently. "I only made that up to get you to lie down with me."
"You jerk!"
Noelle shot upright, furious and flustered. "Water Creation Magic: Water Bomb!"
Asta went flying.
"Even the mages of the Diamond Kingdom couldn't land a hit on me, and here I am, soaked!" he coughed, crawling back. "You're scary when you lose it!"
"You deserved it!" Noelle crossed her arms, but a laugh bubbled up before she could suppress it.
Just then, a spatial ripple opened beside them. Finral stepped out, smirking. "Well, well… am I interrupting a date?"
"Date?!" Noelle nearly exploded again.
"Little Noelle, Asta, come back!" Vanessa's voice called through the portal. "We were worried about you!"
"I heard what happened from Luck. You did great out there," Yami added gruffly.
"Let's go!" Asta stood, then reached down and gently took Noelle's hand. His smile was sincere, his eyes steady. She didn't resist.
Her heartbeat quickened. Why does holding his hand feel like flying...?
"As seniors, we're proud of you!" Magna gave a thumbs-up.
"I made you two some congratulatory cakes!" Charmy bounced over with two fluffy treats.
"Thanks, Charmy!" Asta grinned and took his with exaggerated care—his fingers brushing hers just enough to make her face go crimson.
"P-pervert…" Charmy muttered, eyes wide.
Noelle frowned. "What kind of lowlife flirts with one girl while holding hands with another? Scumbag leader!"
She angrily chomped into her cake. "…Hmph. Still delicious."
Just then, Yami wandered in, yawning and puffing on a cigarette. "Nice job out there, kids. We reported it to the Wizard King. He wants a full report in seven days."
"Wait, we have to go to the Magic Knights Headquarters?" Noelle paled.
"I'll pass," Asta said immediately. "Sounds like a pain."
Noelle blinked at him with awe. He's... protecting me again?
"I'll take them!" Luck volunteered, fists clenched in excitement. "There's tons of strong guys there! I'll fight all of them!"
"No. You'd start a war," Yami said bluntly.
"Why seven days later?" Noelle asked.
"Ask the Wizard King. I don't make the schedule." Yami shrugged.
"I bet there'll be amazing food!" Charmy said dreamily. "Captain! I can go instead of Luck!"
"No way. You'd eat the capital dry."
Charmy pouted and walked off muttering about "injustice against foodies."
Gauche stood up dramatically. "Captain, I… have daily letters to write to my angel. I must decline."
"Don't worry," Yami said. "No one was gonna ask you."
"Anyway, Noelle should know the way. She's royalty. She's been to the Royal Capital before."
"Combat mission? I'll go! I'll go!"
Luck Voltia shot up with a crazed grin on his face, his bright blue eyes sparkling with excitement at the mere mention of a fight. Sparks of lightning crackled faintly around him.
"Combat mission? Count me in!"
Asta's eyes lit up with the same fire. He clenched his fists, practically vibrating with energy. He was about to ask Captain Yami if there were any missions coming up, but it seemed fate had delivered one right to him.
Captain Yami Sukehiro leaned against the wall, arms folded across his broad chest, an unlit cigarette in his mouth.
"Tch. You punks are always so damn eager."
"Asta, you sure about this?" Noelle Silva asked, brushing a strand of silver hair from her face. "You don't even know the details yet."
"If it's a mission assigned from the higher-ups, especially the Magic Emperor, it must be important," Asta replied seriously. "And we can't pass up a chance to prove ourselves."
"He's right," Yami muttered. "This one's coming down straight from Julius himself. So yeah, it's the real deal."
"Wait, the Magic Emperor?!" Charolette Charmi perked up immediately from the snack pile she was hiding behind. "If it's that important, there'll be a feast afterward, right? I call dibs on leftovers!"
"Nope, you're not going, Charmi. You'll just sneak into the enemy's pantry and eat everything." Yami swatted her suggestion away like an annoying fly.
"You called me a glutton again?! That's it! I'm eating the entire Black Bull HQ out of spite!" Charmi huffed dramatically and stormed out of the hall, already thinking about bread, meat, and whatever Magna left lying around.
Gauche Adlai glanced around the room, eyes narrowing behind his angled fringe.
"Pfft. Bunch of uncouth idiots. You expect me to go on a mission with them?" He adjusted his collar with exaggerated grace. "Besides, I have to write to Marie every night. I'm far too busy."
Yami stared at him, deadpan.
"Relax, no one's asking you to go."
"…Tch." Gauche turned away, grumbling under his breath.
"If Marie asked me, I'd go…"
Banessa Enoteca was sprawled across the couch with a bottle of wine, while Finral Roulacase was trying—and failing—not to flirt with the new cleaning lady. Magna was arguing with Luck about who had the stronger magic attack, and Gordon… was whispering ominously in the corner as usual, probably talking to his poison potions again.
With most of the team ruled out for various Black Bull-esque reasons, Yami looked at the ones left standing.
"Well, we'll need a solid squad. Asta, Luck, Noelle—you're in. And maybe I'll drag Grey along if we need someone to shape-shift into an enemy commander or something."
"But why do we have to wait seven days?" Noelle asked, folding her arms.
"That's the order from Julius. Apparently, he's coordinating something big across all the squads," Yami explained. "Big enough to send even us misfits into the fray."
"So it's joint-squad action?" Asta gasped. "That means I could team up with Captain Fuegoleon or Captain Nozel again!"
"Or Captain Yuno~" Vanessa teased with a wink.
"He's not a captain! Yet!" Asta grinned, puffing up with pride. "But he will be!"
"Alright," Yami said, lighting his cigarette and turning toward the door. "Rest up, train hard, and don't destroy the hideout while I'm gone. Unless it's a funny explosion."
Noelle looked out the window toward the distant spires of the Royal Capital.
"I know the way to the Magic Knights Headquarters—it's in the Noble Realm, near the Clover Castle."
"Then it's settled." Asta grinned, holding out his fist.
"We'll give it everything we've got!"