Here is the seventh conversation Noelle has to have and the first one with someone who isn't a rival since realizing that she was in love with Asta. Someone did correctly guess who this would be with, out of 3 guesses, and it is one I feel like Noelle would have out of a sense of duty regardless of her plans. For those of you curious, this is set sometime around the second half of episode 150 and there are a few spoilers of sorts for the anime arc prior to the episode so y'all have been warned. There was a question about will I allow OCs into this fic in a PM and to answer that I will not allow OCs. I have a strict policy on OCs to begin with but as this is not a flowing story but a series of oneshots that are roughly connected, there is no room or place for an OC so I will not be having any. If I do ever do a proper Black Clover story, which is unlikely given my other projects though I have an idea in mind, I may consider an OC if it fits my rigid rules but not for this collection. Anyway, that is all I have for now which means that it is time to sit back and enjoy Noelle's latest conversation.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Black Clover franchise.

Summary - Noelle has confronted all her rivals, be they real, potential, or messing with her, but she is not done with her conversations. She still has a few that she has to have and she needs to have them before she goes to the Heart Kingdom so she may as well start with telling her eldest brother her plans. Whatever Nozel has to say, Noelle will still pursue her feelings but for the sake of their mending relationship he needs to know. What could go wrong?

Big Brother's Blessing

Noelle had just finished trying to help Grey be more confident in being herself around people and while there had been some success thanks to Gordon of all people, the woman was still a mess. She had potential but she was no where Noelle's level of confidence and knew it, so she had sought out Gauche to continue helping her. Of course, Noelle didn't let on that there was one thing she wasn't confident about, being honest about her feelings for Asta, to said dork's face at least.

Even after Noelle had finally gotten over her deep denial thanks to Captain Charlotte Roselei a few months back and admitted to herself that she loved Asta, she couldn't tell him, she wasn't ready yet. Every time she even thought about it in his presence she became a blushing, insecure, mess, which was often given how basically everything Asta did set her off now that she was aware of her love for him. It was both the joy and curse of being in love.

However, while Noelle couldn't be confident around Asta, she could be around her rivals for him. She'd always had a jealousy problem around any girl who made a move on Asta or who otherwise showed herself as a threat to Noelle being the one who ended up with him. For the longest time she was in denial about why she was jealous or wanted Asta all to herself but once she accepted the truth she knew she had to deal with it. Not her jealousy, that was still rampant and uncontrollable, but the rivals themselves, she could deal with them.

Noelle had hoped that it wouldn't come to it though because dealing with a rival meant talking to them and admitted to them that she loved Asta, but she had to do it when the opportunities came so that the other girls knew who was going to win. One rival, her teammate Nero, was unavoidable however so Noelle had dealt with her first.

That had been the most frustrating of all of them as Nero herself didn't know if she liked Asta that way or not, though she was loyal to him on the same level as Noelle, possibly more so much to Noelle's chagrin, so Noelle couldn't rule her out. She just had to deal with her jealousy around Nero whenever the girl showed how close she and Asta were and hope the girl's ultimate decision fell on the side of platonic and not romantic.

After Nero though, Noelle had hoped that she wouldn't have to deal with a rival for a while. She knew she'd have to deal with her cousin Mimosa at some point, she was coming with them to the Heart Kingdom when they went there in a few weeks so Noelle would be with her for months while Asta was also with them, but the others Noelle had hoped to avoid. Alas fate had said no to her and made her run the gamut of her rivals instead of allowing her to avoid them.

It had started with Mimosa herself after Mereoleona Vermillion had kidnapped Asta and Noelle for the second time in two days for an event at the Vermillion Residence. That had provided the opportunity to confront Mimosa in a nice and relaxed way that went well for both girls but also kickstarted Noelle's exhausting run on rivals.

After Mimosa, Noelle had been forced to go undercover as a waitress to spy on Asta at a mixer that had been Finral's idea, for the second time! At said mixer, Asta had invited Rebecca, a girl Noelle knew had a crush on Asta but who Asta was oblivious to because of course he would do so. That said, it was a last-minute thing and Rebecca was the only woman in Nean who liked the Black Bulls enough to help out, but it was still the principle of the thing that had angered Noelle.

Through a series of increasingly surprising events that somehow included Charlotte Roselei at the center of them because why not, Noelle ended up getting her chance to confront Rebecca at last and admit that she did like Asta and now saw Rebecca as a rival for him. Thankfully that girl was the least of Noelle's worries as she wouldn't have to worry about her in the Heart Kingdom the way she had to about Mimosa and Nero who was also joining them.

Thankfully, fate had decided to throw a kind curveball into the gamut that Noelle was on as a few days after the mixer disaster, Noelle had ended up at the beach for training. While there she ended up having to help her friend Kahono who live in the nearby Underwater Temple and who Noelle was certain liked Asta as well based off her past actions at the Star Awards Festival.

After helping Kahono with an actual underwater problem, Noelle had gotten the chance to confront her friend only to learn that Kahono didn't have feelings for Asta but rather fully supported Noelle's for him. She'd strangled the songstress for what she'd put Noelle through but in the end it was nice to have a supportive friend and not a rival and they'd spent the night making plans to help Noelle. It had all been fantasy as Noelle's insecurities and love shyness prevented her from acting on her feelings at the moment, but it had been nice to at least imagine what it would be like to land Asta for a night.

Alas, while Kahono was a welcome break, that could not be said about the last of the rivals Noelle had had to deal with, who happened to be the one she'd least wanted to see and the one she'd messed up. Noelle had been jealous of the psycho scientist of the Midnight Sun ever since she saw how friendly she got with Asta and instantly suspected her of having feelings for Asta based on her interactions with him.

However, with Sally in prison Noelle had hoped to never see the chick again. Alas, that wasn't to be the case as Sally had been tasked with making a mana enhancing item for the coming war with the Spade Kingdom as part of her atonement and the Black Bulls were selected to be her test subjects while under strict supervision.

Naturally, anything with Sally was never easy and she went off on her own to test on half the squad as Asta and Noelle tried to stop her. They didn't manage to but learned that she had actually taken Asta's words not to harm to heart and wasn't actually hurting anyone, though she had caused those she experimented on a fair amount of distress due to her actions.

Of course, that had made Asta be Asta and support her while Noelle blasted Asta away to get in Sally's face and let her know what the situation was. Sally assured her that she didn't like Asta that way but something in Noelle's words must have triggered something in Sally and by the time Sally returned to the capital she had declared Noelle a rival for Asta, complete with a scalpel for emphasis, so Noelle's actions had backfired there.

Noelle was still kicking herself for the Sally thing and knowing Asta she was going to have to see that psycho again, so she wasn't rid of her just yet. However, she was the last of the rivals that Noelle had to deal with, and she could resume training with Asta before they went to the Heart Kingdom. It was during that training that Noelle had begun planning 3 trips that she had to take before she went back to the Heart Kingdom as there were 3 people she still needed to speak to in private about her feelings for Asta.

They weren't rivals, at least she hoped not, but they needed to know, and some might give her advice to get through his thick skull and make him see her as more than a friend. Well, the first two were people who needed to know, the third was dependent on the second as to what exactly Noelle needed to talk to that person about as she wasn't sure how her second conversation would go. That was also the one she was most dreading for a different reason, so she was leaving it for last.

Noelle would have already made the trips had it not been for that Devil Believers sage she'd recently had to deal with. It was a long story that she didn't want to dwell on, mainly because of the hypocrisy of Damnatio Kira being allowed to prove his innocence with Mushroom Head's mind magic spell thing but not letting Asta do the same at his trial, so she had pushed it behind her as they'd won in the end. Still, she had gotten a third princess carry from Asta out of it so that had been a plus to everything.

There had been another plus to it, Noelle's eldest sibling Nozel had been part of the rescue mission for Nero and there at the end of the incident as well. It had been a good sign to Noelle as it meant that he might be more receptive to what Noelle had to say to him about her plans for Asta.

That's right, Noelle's next conversation was with her eldest brother. She had to speak to him before she went to the Heart Kingdom and tell him that she fully intended to be Asta's woman and that there was nothing he could do about it. She just felt that he had a right to know in advance so that he wasn't shocked if Noelle actually succeeded in winning Asta's heart.

Deep down Noelle knew why she was going to talk to Nozel. She wanted to get his blessing to romantically pursue a commoner with no magic despite her being a royal. While she would still do so without it, she owed him enough to let him know as they had finally begun to repair their relationship in the wake of the elf incident. Noelle knew the truth now as to why Nozel had been a dick to her growing up and he had apologized, this was her way of helping the relationship from her end by letting him know her plans with Asta.

Well, that and one of the reasons why she'd been so deep in denial had been the reaction of her family to her feelings for Asta. She had thought that they would never approve of her loving a commoner, let alone one like Asta, and that rejection of her feelings by them, as well as their likely attempts to stop her from pursuing them and kicking her out even more than she had already been, had been driving forces in her denying that she was falling in love with Asta.

Now, though, she was over her denial, and she no longer cared what her family thought. She'd long accepted the Black Bulls as her actual family as they loved her for who she was and while she was glad that Nozel and her were getting along better, she still had a long way to go before forgiving her family for how they'd treated her. With her lack of care came the confidence to be open with Nozel about Asta, that and Charlotte had pointed out that Nozel might be more accepting than she thought.

All this was going through Noelle's mind as she entered the Silva Residence in the capital and made her way towards Nozel's chambers. She knew that he was here because there was a Captain's meeting coming up soon so he would be in the capital for it, which meant that this was her chance to talk to him. She'd been delayed by the Devil Believers and then again by Grey but now was her time to finally talk to Nozel. She was so ready in fact that she didn't hesitate when she reached his door and knocked right away.

"Come in." Her eldest brother's voice came from inside and Noelle opened the door.

The room was just the antechamber to Nozel's bedroom and private bathroom and served as his study while he was in the capital. It was as a royal's study should be with lavish furnishings, expensive artwork, and all the other trappings of his status. The only odd thing was a special desk in a corner with a large mirror that Noelle was certain Nozel used to do that stupid braid he favored but she'd never ask him about it as it was a touchy subject with her brother due to all the teasing he got for it.

"Noelle, this is a surprise." Nozel said in his usual tone looking up from his desk at her as she closed the door. "I wasn't expecting you to be here. Shouldn't you be with the other Black Bulls getting ready for the invasion of the Spade Kingdom?"

"Yes but we have open training until those of us being sent to the Heart Kingdom leave." Noelle said. "And there is something I need to tell you before I go there so I came here as soon as I could after the recent incident to discuss this with you before I leave the kingdom for a while."

"Very well, what do you wish to discuss?" Nozel asked cautiously. "You have spoken to Dorothy; you know I can't talk about that with you here."

"I know and I won't, I have my plans for that, and I will deal with them in the Heart Kingdom." Noelle said knowing that Nozel was referring to the devil Megicula who had killed their mother but who's curse prevented those who knew the truth from saying it in the real world lest they too die from it. "But what I do have to tell you is something that you won't like and likely won't approve of but that you need to be aware of. However, I'm going to try and do it regardless of what you have to say. You can't stop me or change my mind but in the spirit of our mending relationship you deserve to know."

"Ah I see what it is." Nozel said with a nod as he hid his surprise, he hadn't expected Noelle to realize this herself, hell he'd only suspected it himself, but he was certain he knew what she was going to say and as her eldest brother he was going to mess with her a bit for it before giving his own opinion on the matter to her. "You are here to tell me that you're in love with your teammate Asta and that you are going to pursue your feelings for him regardless of what I have to say on the matter of a Silva falling in love with a magicless commoner."

"You know!" Noelle spluttered out. "How?"

"You just confirmed it." Nozel said causing Noelle to huff at her accidental outburst at his guess that confirmed all his suspicions about his sister's feelings towards the anti-magic boy. "But I have long suspected that you felt something for Asta that was more than friendship but that you couldn't admit it to yourself, let alone others."

"You did?" Noelle asked confused, apparently everyone other than Asta it seemed were at least suspicious of her feelings for him, Asta was completely oblivious but that was to be expected from him. "I thought I hid it well with my denial."

"I am your brother; I can tell when you aren't yourself even if we weren't close growing up." Nozel said as he avoided showing his shame at how he'd treated Noelle back then. "I first noticed it by the way you looked at Asta when he stood up for you at the War Merits Ceremony and not only took on both Solid and Nebra but brought Solid to a knee to defend your honor and make a statement. Even for a commoner with magic that should have been impossible, but he managed it. Of course, I had to punish him for that."

"No, you didn't." Noelle said sternly taking Nozel aback a bit with her vehemence. "Asta was the most noble of all of us that day and you know it. He stood up for me regardless of his status when Solid and Nebra publicly humiliated me in an undignified manner and proved even back then that he could match a noble. Now I doubt there are many of us who can best Asta in battle."

"Yes, well, I still held my prejudices back then." Nozel said surprising Noelle a bit with that statement, she hadn't known Nozel to acknowledge that he'd been wrong in that way before. "Thanks to the Wizard Kings sending me on a mission and the efforts of people like Asta and Yuno I know that I need to do better when it comes to my judgement of those of lower social status. If I am superior to the common folk then I should use that to help them, not look down on them like most royals and nobles do."

"We all should, that is something that Asta has taught me." Noelle said still surprised at her brother's change, albeit a slight one but it was a good one, nonetheless. "But we both have a long ways to go. The Vermillions, other than Kirsch, have us beat on that front though we are better than the Kiras."

"It's hard not to be better than the Kiras given the natures of the two most prominent members of that family." Nozel said darkly and Noelle couldn't disagree with that. "But you are right, we lag behind most of the Vermillions in that regard and that might cost us when the time comes. They have always understood that power should be respected no matter who wields it and that it should be used to help not subjugate people. Fuegoleon understood that more on our mission recently and there is a lot I still have to learn from my rival in that regard."

"And I have a lot to learn from Asta, but he has always made me better by just supporting me." Noelle said. "And while I was in denial for a long time, and a large part of that was due to the arrogance of my royal status and the expectations placed upon us, I am no longer blind to my love for him. That is why I intend to be the one who wins Asta's heart."

"You have grown up a lot Noelle." Nozel said in a measured tone but deep down he was proud of Noelle for standing up for what she wanted and her determination in getting it just like a royal should behave on such a matter. "And I know I cannot stop you, even if I wanted to. Your stubbornness is second to none in our family and when you have your mind set on something there is nothing that will change it. I know you would proceed without it, but you also came here today to tell me this for a reason and you have it. You have my blessing to seek a relationship with Asta."

"Look I know you…wait, what?" Noelle began before she fully understood what Nozel had said to her and her eyes went wide at that as it was not what she'd expected to hear, though she had wanted to hear it. "I do? You aren't going to disapprove of me wanting to be with a commoner, especially one who is an orphan from the forsaken realm with no magic? You aren't going to stop me from wanting to one day marry Asta?"

"I'll admit that had you come to me with this last year I would have flat out refused and probably done something about Asta to prevent it." Nozel said making Noelle shudder involuntarily with fear at the brief coldness in Nozel's words. "But things have changed. I didn't act back then because while I was suspicious about your feelings, more so after you tried to save Hage with Asta and Yuno when you were needed here after the elves awakened, I knew that your royal pride would hold you back."

"Yeah it did hold me back." Noelle said though she wished it hadn't, things may have been at least smoother had she accepted her feelings from the beginning. "And you are right that I wanted to help Asta in Hage because of my feelings but you were the calm and rational one that night. You knew where I was needed most, and I am grateful for your decision to keep me with you to protect our house and the capital while trusting Asta and Yuno to handle Hage. That was when I first knew you were starting to see me as an equal, and it helped me unlock my Valkyrie armor that night."

"You showed yourself a true Silva that day and that all my fears of losing you were unfounded." Nozel said simply. "Sending you to the Black Bulls was because of their status and your failure to control your magic but they were probably the only squad who could have brought the real you out."

"I have said so before and I will again, you made the right choice for me with the Black Bulls." Noelle said. "They, and Asta in particular, made me what I am today. Asta was the first to complement my power and give me the courage to get better."

"I didn't know that." Nozel said. "Though it doesn't surprise me given his personality."

"It was a shock to me as well, especially after how bitchy I was to him when we first met." Noelle said. "And it was thanks to him that I first used a successful defensive spell. Then it was Vanessa who helped me find my wand to help with my control. Kahono may not be a Black Bull, but she helped me realize my limitations and it was the whole squad who was there to help me gain control and trust my magic before we went to the Underwater Temple. It was protecting them there that allowed me to unlock an attack spell. All that played into the end when I became who I am today protecting you, Nebra and Solid."

"The Black Bulls are a strange bunch, only they could have accomplished that because of their unorthodox methods." Nozel admitted. "And it was thanks to that masked one that I found the extra strength at the end after you showed that you are our mother's daughter."

"Thank you." Noelle said with a nod remembering the fight well and how Zora had aided them in the end, in his own blunt way. "And of all of them it has been Asta who has given me the most strength of all. It is seeing him for who he is from the very start that made me fall for him and my feelings for him grew as I watched him grow. I was in denial of course so by the time I realized my feelings I was deeply and truly in love with him, and I will not give that up. I will do everything I can to be with him."

"I know and I won't stop you." Nozel said. "You have my blessing and I mean it. You aren't the only one who has seen Asta for what he is here, nor are you the only one who's opinion of him has changed for the better since first meeting him."

"Huh?" Noelle asked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I wouldn't approve of a commoner, let alone one like Asta, unless I knew first hand that he was worthy of you." Nozel said seriously. "And he is worthy of you. As I said, at first I didn't think much of him because of his status and impertinence towards his betters, or at the time I felt like we were, but Asta has proven he a better man than most nobles. I was horrified and insulted that Leopold Vermillion, a royal, would acknowledge Asta as a rival so readily after just one display. That alone put Asta on our level and I couldn't believe it possible for a commoner to equal a royal."

"Asta was already beyond that level, but I know him, he has this ability to make us nobles see our shortcomings." Noelle said. "He did that with me and Sir Spectacles before Leopold as we both reevaluated commoners because of Asta, though Yuno helped with Klaus. Mimosa was already kind and non-judgmental back then, so she readily accepted him from the start. It didn't surprise me that he'd impress someone with his actions to protect me that day, though Leo's declaration of rivalry and later friendship when they fought the invasion together did surprised me."

"Yes well as loathe as I am to admit it, Yami saw something in Asta that we all missed." Nozel said with a slight growl at the bad taste the words left in his mouth. "As did both Leopold and Fuegoleon when they had the chance to fight with him on the battlefield. I had never seen him fight other than that brief showing at the banquet, so I didn't think highly of him. That was until we faced the Third Eye."

"I wish I had been there with him." Noelle said able to admit now what she couldn't back then, she wanted to be by Asta's side during that entire incident and hated not knowing if he was alive or dead while waiting for news back in Nean. "But I had to stay behind to contact HQ."

"And it is thanks to the important role that you played that night that got Yami there in time to face Licht, or Patry as he actually was called." Nozel said with a hint of praise in his voice. "And he held him off long enough for the rest of us to be informed and it was decided that Charlotte, Jack, and myself would go and aid them in bringing in the leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun. We weren't expecting the Third Eye, but we fought them regardless as they were responsible for Fuegoleon's state, so they had to pay."

"That they did." Noelle agreed. "I have heard of the battle you lot had but I wasn't there for it. I do know that Asta played a key role in it."

"He certainly did." Nozel said with a nod. "He wanted to keep fighting when we arrived by a magicless orphan was a hinderance, at least I thought so at the time. That was before, right at the height of the battle, Asta and Yami acted together to attack Patry without coordinating it the way only teammates could."

"Yami trusts us, and we trust Yami." Noelle said simply. "So, when the opening came, and Finral could create a portal, it doesn't surprise me that they took it at the same time."

"Only Yami used the portal." Nozel said. "Somehow that kid did what we all couldn't and made his way through a massive 3 on 3 battle between 6 mages at the Magic Knight Captain level or higher without being able to sense mana or see in the chaos and land a hit on Patry with his anti-magic sword all while being injured in both legs. It was also timed to work with Yami's attack a second later that defeated Patry. That shocked me, it shocked all of us."

"That's Asta for you." Noelle said with a grin. "He defies all expectations and surpasses his limits every time he fights."

"That he does." Nozel admitted surprising Noelle. "He did what none of us could because of his magicless nature and his newfound ability to read ki, which with anyone else wouldn't have been as useful but with him it makes him even to a mage, possibly better because he did it while injured. That was the first time I noticed him and knew that I'd have to remember him from then on."

"I never knew that." Noelle said surprised that that had been the moment Asta had first become more than an insect to Nozel.

"Well, I didn't admit it to anyone." Nozel said simply. "As with you, my pride will not allow me to do so unless it is to someone who knows the same thing."

"And I know just how amazing Asta is." Noelle said. "I didn't fall in love with him for nothing."

"True, he is certainly worthy of your love." Nozel said again surprising Noelle. "He continued to prove that when he helped the Wizard King unlock the minds of our two Midnight Sun prisoners so that we could learn the identity of the traitor in our midst. Then he was the only one who could stop Gueldre from fleeing when he was outed as the traitor. He made us all look foolish that day and we were ready to destroy the area so as to not be shown up by Asta."

"Asta does have that effect on people." Noelle said with a smile. "And no matter who you are, he will find a way to match you."

"He can and I do think that had Rill not intervened, Asta likely could have at least held Gueldre off long enough for us to catch him, though these days he could probably beat that traitor in a one-on-one fight." Nozel said. "And that was just the first of Asta's impressive wins. I meant it when I kept an eye on him. I knew of his important role in the defeat of Vetto, someone who fought Jack to a standstill, though that fight was brief and interrupted."

"Asta was the offense, but we all were needed to beat Vetto." Noelle said recalling how it had taken the whole team and then some to defeat the Beast Mage. "Magna and Luck were knocked out while Kahono and Kiato were gravely injured by him in ways that effected their magic, but they did their part to bring him down. Asta was the one who rallied us though. It's thanks to him that I was able to learn Sea Dragon's Roar. Thanks to him that Finral and Vanessa stepped up to help him when he put his trust in them. It was their magic that was key to winning, along with the help of the rest of the team at the end, and only Asta could achieve that."

"I have read the report and had I not seen Asta's abilities myself I wouldn't have believed that the Black Bulls could do that, even working together as a team." Nozel said. "But you managed it and that was just the start. Asta helped in the defense of Kiten and was crucial in catching one of the Diamond Kingdom's Eight Shining Generals. He was the one who defeated another in the Forest of Witches, as well as another member of the Third Eye. Then there was the Royal Knight Selection Exam where he beat two Vice Captains in Kirsch Vermillion and Langris Vaude. Only Yuno's defeat of Rill was bigger that day."

"You have been keeping an eye on Asta." Noelle said shocked by the extend Nozel knew. "I didn't expect that."

"I meant it when I told myself I would." Nozel said. "I heard him tell Leopold that Fuegoleon had deemed him a rival while keeping an eye on him before the raid of the Midnight Sun base. It is also why I told him and Yuno something I have only ever told Fuegoleon when I saved the pair from that dark elf in the Shadow Palace."

"What did you tell them?" Noelle asked curious and a little annoyed that Asta hadn't told her that her brother had said something important to him while ignoring the fact that her brother had been spying on them as she recalled that conversation with Leo.

"I told both Asta and Yuno that they wouldn't be the next Wizard King." Nozel said seriously. "I told them that I will be the next Wizard King."

Noelle's eyes went wide, and her jaw hit the floor at that, it was the last thing she'd expected to hear from Nozel. She had no idea that her brother harbored ambitions for the top of the top, though he was a Magic Knight Captain, so he was in the running for the position, and she knew he was ambitious and driven. Still, he kept it quiet from everyone it seemed, but Asta had somehow earned Nozel's respect enough to learn of it. Then something else that Nozel said hit her.

"Wait if you've only told Fuegoleon that…" Nozel began.

"Then it means that I consider both Asta and Yuno, two orphan commoners, to be my rivals." Nozel said in his most serious tone so that Noelle knew he wasn't joking, not that she ever knew her brother to joke. "And I mean it, they are. I have come to realize the full extent of the duties of the Wizard King thanks to a mission Julius sent me on and that there are areas where I am lacking, areas that Asta and Yuno excel in and in which Fuegoleon at least understands more than I do. They are worthy rivals and should be considered my equal, though I still intend to beat them and Fuegoleon."

"I, I can't believe it." Noelle said shocked at her brother's revelation to her. "I never expected you of all people to acknowledge commoners like that."

"Why not?" Nozel asked. "You have repeatedly said that you know how amazing Asta is, and I know that it is not just your bias for him talking, you genuinely believe it regardless of your love for him. You know of Leopold's rivalry with him, and I know that you know that Fuegoleon also acknowledged Asta as a rival well. Is it really that hard to believe that I too can acknowledge Asta as such, that 3 royals would consider Asta an equal? Well at least 4 including yourself."

"5, Mimosa has feelings for him as well and has always seen Asta as an equal since they met in that dungeon." Noelle said. "She's a rival for me, one of a few I have to contend with."

"I am not surprised." Nozel said. "Power like that, combined with his personality, is bound to attract some people."

"Yes well those are for me to deal with." Noelle said. "I am still trying to process this sudden turn of events with you seeing Asta as an equal."

"Our relationship is different from the one I have with Asta despite my limited interactions with him and I will keep them separate for the time being." Nozel said. "But I have acknowledged him, and I do trust his judgement in battle. It was Asta who stopped me from killing Patry when he was a dark elf as he believed he could reach the elf. He succeeded in ending his depression at least and Patry was useful in the final fight, another example of who Asta is as he, Yuno and Yami where the reason we won it. That alone is enough to make me do better. I will not be upstaged by two commoners and a foreigner again."

"This is Asta, you will be." Noelle said with a grin at the idea of her eldest brother being upstaged by Asta for a second time. "I am glad you have seen this Nozel. I knew that you at least weren't negative to him like you were when you first met him after your intervention during his show trial, but this is more than I could have asked for when I came here."

"While I went because I am a royal and a first-born son, I did agree with Julius and as one of the few present when Asta delivered the killing blow and watching him purge all the elves so that they could find peace, I knew we couldn't lose a Magic Knight like him." Nozel said. "Though I did insist on being the one to stop Yami, if anyone is going to get the chance to kill the foreigner I will be that person."

"Of course, you would be." Noelle said with a sigh. "There are some things that will never change I see."

"Besides." Nozel continued ignoring Noelle's comment. "I am now even more glad I acted when I did to help save Asta now that I know you are pursuing him. He is an acceptable choice for my youngest sister."

"Th, thank you." Noelle said and her emotions from all this finally got the better of her at that as she let her tears of happiness fall. "I know I wasn't going to listen if you said no but your blessing does mean a lot to me regardless. Asta is amazing and he's the only choice for me. I love him with all my heart. It took me a long time, and some forced pressure a few months back, to realize that but I know that it's the truth and I won't give up on him."

"I expect no less from a Silva." Nozel said with a nod. "Now go clean yourself up and get back to training, you need to be the best you can be for the invasion. I have a meeting in a few days that I need to be ready for."

"Yes, I will." Noelle said with determination as she dried her eyed and turned to leave. "Thank you for this Nozel, we needed it."

"We did but there is one more thing before you leave Noelle." Nozel said as Noelle put her hand on the doorknob causing her to look over her shoulder at her brother who was now staring intently at her. "Remember, you are a royal and a Silva no less, failure is not an option in anything we do. I expect you to succeed in this endeavor of yours and to one day call Asta my brother-in-law, do not let me down."

"I won't." Noelle said with full conviction in her voice at Nozel's support. "My love for Asta will prevail, you have my word."

With that Noelle turned back to the door, opened it and left the room. She did have to clean up and she was at her family's residence so she may as well do so here before heading back to the hideout that night but as she walked she couldn't help but grin. She had come here uncertain and expecting the worst.

However, what she had gotten was beyond her wildest dreams. She had Nozel's blessing and support. That gave her the confidence she needed to win Asta, and she promised herself that she would win his love. Her next conversation would be key to that and now she was ready for it. It was time to once again visit the village of Hage.

Well, there it is, Noelle's first conversation with someone she didn't at least perceive as a rival since Charlotte made her confront her feelings and it was with her eldest brother. I feel like with Nozel's mending relationship with Noelle, along with his acknowledgement of Asta as a rival, he would be accepting of Noelle's pursuit of her but also expect her to win out of a sake of pride so that is what I went with here. As y'all can tell with my little tease at the end, the next conversation person is pretty obvious who it will be so stay tuned for it. It may be a day late, I have plans tomorrow that may prevent drafting the 9th chapter but I've surprised myself before so who knows. Anyway, that is all I have for now so as always please let me know what you think in your reviews and PMs as I do like hearing from y'all and don't forget to follow and favorite my work.

Stringdog