Here is the eleventh conversation since Noelle realized that she loved Asta though this one is a little different for her as Noelle isn't the only one who loves Asta present, nor is she the instigator of it. This is the third and final conversation that is within an episode and follows the canon to some extent but has been changed and expanded upon since Noelle's realization and some of her prior conversations as well. This chapter is set within the conversation that Noelle, Mimosa, and Nero had with Undine and Loropechika in episode 159 and does contain some spoilers from prior episodes, as well as some that tease a small revelation that will come in episode 162 and/or 163 so y'all have been warned if you haven't read the manga or are like me and only watch the dub and not the sub as the dub is only up to episode 160. 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 - After the first skirmish and victory in the war with the Spade Kingdom devils, it is time for Noelle, Mimosa, and Nero to kick back and relax. What better way than to do so with Queen Loropechika and the Water Spirit Undine in the Queen's private spring as nothing says relaxation more than a soak with friends. Of course, there is a burning question the Undine has for the 3 Clover Kingdom girls, one of utmost importance. Which of them is dating Asta?
Who's Dating Asta?
Noelle sighed in relief as she stepped into the Queen's private spring in the Heart Kingdom Palace. The water was perfect. It wasn't like a hot spring. No, this water was cool but refreshing and filled with some of the purest mana Noelle had ever felt so perfect for her after the day she'd had. She could use a bath.
It had been 6 months since Noelle, along with Asta, Nero, Luck, Finral, Mimosa, Charlotte, Rill, Leo, and Magna had come to the Heart Kingdom to train for the war with Spade. Charmy had snuck along with them for the food and Magna hadn't lasted a day before returning due to a lack of power, but the others had stayed and gotten stronger together. All of that was thanks Queen Loropechika, Undine the Water Spirit who had contracted with the Queen of the Heart Kingdom for generations, and the 5 Spirit Guardians of the kingdom's efforts in training them.
Over that time, they had all grown in strength and power as they mastered the Heart Kingdom techniques and prepared for the invasion of the Spade Kingdom but none of them had grown as much as Asta had. He had exceeded all expectations of him and was now a true force to be reckoned with. Noelle had always known he was one since seeing his power in Saussy Village but after the training here he had pushed past all his limits to become the best of them. Noelle's love for him had only grown and deepened over that time.
All that had come to a head today when the war official began. Loropechika, through her vast water magic, had seen the first invasion force of the Spade Kingdom coming their way in a mobile fortress that used the mana and then life force of the citizen of that kingdom to power it. It was an evil, twisted thing and Asta had acted before anyone else to fly off on his Demon-Slayer sword because he could do that now to intercept it without a plan.
Of course, that turned out to be the right thing, not that Noelle would ever admit to it him as she wished he'd taken her with him at least rather than leave her to transport Mimosa and Finral in a water bubble while wearing her Valkyrie armor, as Asta had easily defeated the fortress. He beat the captain there and freed the captives who were then returned to their homes on the southern border of the Spade Kingdom after Leo and Luck freed it by the time the royals and Finral had arrived. To help protect them Undine left a clone of hers there so they could return. With that act, the war had official begun.
Naturally, as soon as they got back Asta wanted to spar with Gaja to keep his training up rather than relax because he was a total meathead. However, before he could Charmy, who had become a true glutton and banded a bunch of animals together in her quest to eat all the food in the Heart Kingdom, had been spotted in a forest eating everything in sight again. Asta had headed off to deal with it while Luck and Leo went back to training with the guardian in his stead.
Noelle and the other girls were not in the mood for anything like that though. They knew the need for a rest and relaxation after the battle and stayed back. Even Nero didn't bother to follow Asta this time though that might be because of the offer from Loropechika to use the Queen's private spring as something like that was one of the few things that could separate the girl from Asta.
As such, Noelle, Mimosa, and Nero all joined the Queen and Undine in the spring. Only Charlotte wasn't present having recently returned to the Clover Kingdom to join in the preparations there, Rill too would return soon but he was held up dealing with Charmy and moping after some girl that beat him into falling for her.
They could all do their own things though, for now Noelle was going to enjoy the amazing water that she was in and the honor of the sharing it with the Queen. As soon as Loropechika had said that it would revitalize them and leave her skin soft and supple she'd stripped and jumped in. The others soon followed her and were all enjoying the cold, refreshing water. Nero had even dropped down all the way to her chin to enjoy the cold water having stayed in her human form for this as a beaver swam around them for some reason.
"Woops, I forgot to take my glasses off." Loropechika said as she sank down to her neck and stuck out her tongue at her foolishness. "Silly me."
"You're hopeless." Undine said from behind her with a sigh but love in her voice as she bent down and took off Loropechika's glasses before looking up at the girls with a smile. "Now then, there's something I've been meaning to ask you girls for a while now. Which one of you is dating Asta?"
The reaction was exactly as Noelle would expect from such a bold question being asked of them. Mimosa let out a squeal of shock and blushed bright red while Noelle buried her face in the water in her instinctive denial of her feelings. She hadn't told Loropechika or Undine the truth of her feelings for Asta as they hadn't asked and she'd been too busy training with them to tell them, not that she wouldn't as Loropechika was her friend so she could know, but her instincts had already kicked in. Only Nero was unphased by it in her usual apathetic way as she looked over at the other two knowing their truths.
"Oh, relationship talk, I'm dying to hear the answer." Loropechika said excitedly. "I've been wondering this as well. Who's with him?"
"None of us are dating him." Noelle said going bright red, but it was the truth no matter how much she wanted to be the one dating him, she didn't even know if Mereoleona had been successful as all she'd said was that her job was done when she returned Asta and left to return to the wilderness.
"Right, Asta is very kind not to mention reliable and an absolute gentlemen but now isn't the time." Mimosa said still blushing, but her feelings clear in her voice, she'd always been more comfortable being honest about them compared to Noelle.
"What about when the battle with the Spade Kingdom is over then." Loropechika said getting excited as she got up close to Mimosa and standing up in the water without covering herself as she interrogated her fellow royal.
"Well, um." Mimosa said going redder.
"Oh my, something tells me you might like that." Undine said understanding how Mimosa felt and not pushing her before looking at the third girl who hadn't reacted at all. "All though, Nero spends more time with him than anyone else."
"Oh yes why is that." Loropechika said going over to get in Nero's face as she tried to move away from the excited Queen. "Is it because you're secretly dating him?"
Instantly that got Noelle and Mimosa's attention and they turned to stare at Nero who just wanted the other girls to put their claws away. It couldn't be, could it? Would Nero have decided how she felt, told Asta, and started a relationship with him in secret without telling them? It was possible, the girl was with Asta more than even Noelle was, and she wasn't the most talkative or expressive person so she could keep a secret like that from them if she wanted to. Of all of them, Nero had the most mystery about her so Noelle wouldn't put something like this past the Arcane Stage Mage.
"It's because his head makes a nice perch." Nero said simply causing Noelle and Mimosa to sigh in relief at the straightforward and innocent remark as they knew how much Nero enjoyed sitting on heads when she was in her bird form.
"No other reason?" Undine asked surprised.
"No, that's it." Nero responded.
"So, you're interested in the top of his head and that is it?" Loropechika asked a little let down by the answer to which Nero just nodded.
"That's good I guess." Mimosa said with a sigh of relief, but Noelle knew more and was constantly afraid of the closeness between those two changing their relationship as they continued to be that way and if she was going to have to address this now then so was Nero.
"So, no change then Nero." Noelle said looking at her rival.
"No, I still don't know." Nero said looking at Noelle a little irritated that the other Clover royal was joining in, but she could get her revenge in a moment, Noelle couldn't escape her own feelings. "I said as much when we talked, and my reservations still stand."
"What?" Loropechika asked suddenly interested. "So do you have feelings for him or not?"
"Asta has everything I look for in a man as he is just like my prince." Nero said honestly as this was the best way to move on from her. "But I never told his highness that I loved him before I lost him, so I am hesitant to let myself feel that way for Asta lest the same thing happen again to me. I am loyal to Asta, I will be by his side until the end, I believe in him with all my heart, and I know that he will be the next Wizard King, but I don't know if I am ready to love him like that or not. If you want to know about who actually does love him like that then just ask Noelle. Of all of us, she's the one who loves him the most."
"What!" Noelle squawked as Nero through her right in front of the now enthusiastic Loropechika who switched targets to Noelle and bore down on her in extreme excitement. "Nero."
"You called me out." Nero said simply with a small smile at the silver haired girl's clear discomfort. "Now it's your turn to be grilled. Besides, both Mimosa and I have had our chats with you, we know the truth of how you feel so don't hide it here where Asta isn't."
"I'm with Nero on this." Mimosa said with a nod, if they had to be grilled by Loropechika then Noelle had to as well. "I'm comfortable sharing my feelings for Asta with you lot and after 6 months with him I am certain that I am in love with him now just as you are. You're the one who has problems being honest."
"I had problems." Noelle admitted as Loropechika was now almost bouncing in her face which Noelle did not appreciate as the Queen was a little too close. "But I got over them and can admit to most people but Asta the truth."
"And that is?" Loropechika asked unable to contain her excitement anymore. "Are you the one dating him but don't want to admit it because of some stupid status thing that the Clover Kingdom has."
"No, I don't care for his status, I got past that when I accepted my feelings." Noelle said as she realized that she would have to admit to it now but Loropechika was her friend and was treating her to this amazing private spring so she could be honest with her. "I am not dating Asta. That said, they are right, I am deeply in love with him and have been for a long time, so I wish I was dating him but as Mimosa said, now isn't the time."
"That's so romantic." Loropechika said with a smile. "You were both rookies with the Black Bulls at the same time, right?"
"Correct." Noelle confirmed with a nod. "We started on the same day."
"Even more so then." Loropechika said happily. "You two would have worked together and in that time you fell in love with him despite your status and abilities because of who he is. That is so adorable."
"I'm a royal too you know, and I fell for Asta shortly after Noelle did." Mimosa pointed out with a slight pout at Loropechika taking Noelle's side more, she needed her supporters as well. "And I never deny my feelings around him, I just can't say them to his face yet."
"Yes but since knowing you two I've realized that you are more open if shy around him." Loropechika said. "Whereas Noelle struggles to show her true feelings to Asta which makes it more interesting."
"She's not wrong." Nero said helpfully. "I've seen almost all of it myself, other than the confrontation that forced Noelle to accept the truth. She used to be unable to accept her feelings but couldn't stop herself acting on them."
"Confrontation?" Loropechika asked. "Someone managed to get you to admit it? I mean, I guess that makes sense given how you're now open with some people at least."
"More she trapped me in a briar cocoon and ensure I pushed past my limits to realize that I loved him." Noelle muttered. "But yes, Charlotte did do that after she deduced my feelings ironically thanks to Asta."
"Oh, that explains why you two would occasionally chat in private." Undine said recalling the times Charlotte and Noelle would occasionally be chatting quietly about something and blushing furiously. "She was the one who got to the truth with you."
"Correct though it was also some payback as I know who she likes." Noelle said causing the others to peak a bit in interest at that, but she shook her head. "Not telling that, that's her secret not mine and I only found out by chance. However, it is because of her similar personality to mine, that is a cold exterior to hide her interior feelings that she struggles with, that she was able to get through to me when we had tea. Our only major difference was that she acknowledged who she loved but couldn't tell him so was cold because of that and her general view of men while I was in a deep denial about mine."
"I feel like there should be a term for that." Loropechika said with a thought. "Seems like it could be quite common in teenage girls."
"Well, whatever the case I can now acknowledge that I love Asta with all my heart, just not to his face yet." Noelle said. "And I used that new knowledge to confront my rivals and talk with a few other people who needed to know."
"Oh, like Nero and Mimosa here." Loropechika said looking at the other two. "You spoke with both of them I take it."
"I was first because we are on the same team making me the easiest." Nero said. "I told Noelle what I told you lot earlier. These two should consider me a rival as if I do decide to open my heart to Asta in that way then I won't hesitate to tell him, I'm not making that mistake again, but for now I am undecided."
"And I was second apparently." Mimosa said. "In a bath by the way, that somehow made it more awkward for me, but it did confirm my fears that Noelle liked Asta as well."
"I had to catch you at your weakest." Noelle said though the real reason was simple convenience as that was the best moment to confront Mimosa. "You are my biggest threat Mimosa, so I had to get the upper hand at the start. Rebecca may be similar to Asta but she's not around often enough and Sally…"
"Was entirely your own fault." Nero said. "I watched that from a nearby tree branch, your inability to control your jealousy caused that Noelle."
"Woah back up." Loropechika said really excited by all this girl gossip she was getting with her friends; she'd never had this before and couldn't get enough of it. "Who are Rebecca and Sally? Other girl who are interested in Asta?"
"Rebecca is a commoner who has multiple siblings that met Asta at a mixer thanks to Finral." Noelle explained. "She was Asta's date, and it looked bad at the start but then once Asta learned of her siblings they hit it off and he ended up saving her from a drunk asshole. That's when she fell for him, and it deepened when he went back to Nean to play with her siblings and two got kidnapped that night. He saved them and fought the Eye of the Midnight Sun's leader, along with their top three members, while I stayed behind with Rebecca."
"How do you know all that?" Undine asked curiously.
"I followed him both times." Noelle said as if it was obvious. "And then got disguises to spy on him to make sure he wasn't falling for anyone. The first time as a waitress, the second as a customer at the restaurant that Rebecca worked at. At the time I don't know why I did what I did, I just did it. Now I know and don't regret it, especially the second time as I was able to contact HQ and get help just in time to save Asta's life, twice."
"Not what I'd call healthy, but love does make humans do strange things." Undine said. "I've learned never to question it."
"I think its romantic." Loropechika gushed. "Just like in some of the stories I've read."
"I wouldn't say romantic, more creepy stalker, but I don't disagree with Noelle's decision." Mimosa said still shocked by the lengths her cousin had gone to in the past to spy on Asta and still maintain her denial that she was in love with him. "I can't say I wouldn't have tried something like that myself if I was in Noelle's shoes at the time."
"It was all good in the end, even if Rebecca kissed Asta in front of me the second time." Noelle said causing Loropechika to gasp at that. "On the cheek at least but it was still a declaration of war on me. He's seen her once more since at another Finral mixer that I spied on, as did Nero."
"Oh, and why was that?" Loropechika asked turning her inquisitive, blurry, gaze towards Nero. "I thought you didn't know how you felt about Asta."
"I don't, I just felt like it." Nero said with a shrug. "Plus, it was obvious that Noelle would do it the moment Finral asked Asta for help overcoming his sleazy ways, so someone had to be there to actually do the job while Noelle tried not to destroy the building with her jealousy."
"I can't see Noelle being good at waitressing." Mimosa said with a chuckle. "Though I would have loved to see the sight of a Silva pretending to be a serving girl in a tavern."
"I was fine, as a royal I should be expected to do such a job effectively and without fail." Noelle said haughtily. "That loudmouth could get his own beer and the ha-ha guy was annoying."
"I have to agree with Noelle on the latter, he is very annoying to listen to and even makes Asta bearable which is saying something." Nero said. "Though not on her outing me at the end of the night."
"Rebecca outed me, and we needed a 6th girl." Noelle said dismissively. "And you weren't getting away with it if I wasn't. I wasn't going to be the only one stuck being humiliated like that in front of half the squad, all men by the way."
"I know, still not ideal." Nero said with a sigh. "Thankfully, those guys redefine what it means to be clueless, so they didn't sus out the reason why Noelle was there."
"I am still fuzzy on your reason." Noelle muttered. "But it at least ensured I could have an important chat."
"Does that meant that confronted this Rebecca then?" Loropechika asked turning her full attention back to Noelle.
"I did and she was glad I could admit my feelings to myself and accepted my challenge." Noelle said with a nod. "She's more forward and confident with her feelings for Asta than the rest of us so she's a problem but nothing compared to the problems posed by Sally."
"Is she bad?" Loropechika asked. "You mentioned her before, but we got distracted by Rebecca."
"She's one of the 3 human members of the Midnight Sun who survived due to being close to and with the Wraith Mage of theirs when they died." Noelle said. "So, he was able to save himself, Sally, and a Spatial Mage using his magic. She's an unhinged girl who is fascinated by unique magic and as such took a shine to Asta seeing as he's the most unique. However, it was just because of his anti-magic at first, until she was reincarnated and sought the Black Bulls out. Asta made a deal with her to let her experiment on him so long as she didn't harm anyone in exchange for her help, and she did just that."
"She honored her word?" Mimosa asked startled. "Also, I am still curious as to how you knew she was wearing Asta's clothes that night."
"I'm as surprised as you but she was true to it." Noelle said with a nod and ignoring the second part because she was not going to say how she knew what Asta's underclothes looked like. "And Asta praised her for it and let her continue so long as it helped people which seemed to trigger something in her. I then got in her face and told her that Asta was mine and that pushed her over the edge. She realized she liked him like we did and declared me a rival with a scalpel for emphasis as she was heading back to the capital. Course she is still atoning for her crimes there, so she isn't much of a threat at the moment."
"That much is good." Mimosa said with a sigh of relief, but she wasn't giving up on finding out how Noelle knew of Asta's underclothes. "I met her once and she was all over Asta while wearing his clothes."
"Wait what?" Loropechika asked excitedly. "She was wearing his clothes? That sounds almost scandalous."
"A t-shirt and shorts which looked like what Asta would sleep in." Mimosa said to add to everything. "Noelle here knew at once."
"You did?" Loropechika asked Noelle with an excited squeal. "And how would you know that?"
"It's not what you think." Noelle said going bright red. "I have never snuck into his room to check what up on him when Nero and he weren't there. I just know because I'm his teammate and apparently Sally's clothes were nearly destroyed when Patry sacrificed her so Asta, being the kind and amazing man he is, lent Sally some of his."
"I see." Loropechika said with a sigh before something Noelle said triggered another excited squeal from the Queen this time directed at Nero. "Wait, what did Noelle mean by you being in Asta's room?"
"When I was stuck as a bird and couldn't talk, I made my nest on Asta's windowsill." Nero said. "I needed to look out for his grimoire and the Magic Stone I took from Saussy Village, that's all. I never watched him change if you're wondering, that would be improper. Since having my seal broken and being able to change at will I have acquired my own room and love it. Asta's snoring is annoying."
"Oh, I see." Loropechika said with a sigh. "So back to Sally, she's interested in Asta too?"
"Yes." Noelle confirmed. "Thanks to me when she came to the hideout to get data from us."
"Did she, you know." Mimosa said blushing. "Like in the capital in front of us."
"Yup, she's still like that." Noelle said with annoyance and envy at Sally's unabashed ability to touch Asta, Noelle could only do that if she was slapping him. "There's not much we can do about it as she does need to get material from Asta, but she has less contact with him than anyone else, so we don't have to worry about her as much."
"She sounds like one of those obsessive girls, another thing that seems to be common and needs a term to easily describe it in one word." Loropechika said thinking on it. "Best to stay clear of her regardless."
"We will." Noelle said with a nod. "And what's worse is that in a fight she's a tricky one as her Gel Magic is quite unique. Not Arcane Stage I'd say as it isn't something that defies classifications like the Wizard King's Time Magic and overall, her power is about a Stage 3 at best I'd say, but her items can power it up and there are few counters to it. Grey's Transformation Magic and Asta's anti-magic work on it though so we have defenses against it."
"Transformation Magic?" Loropechika asked suddenly focused. "That shouldn't be able to work on another magic."
"It shouldn't?" Noelle asked confused. "But Grey's does. She has a spell called magic conversion that allows her to change the properties of a spell from one attribute to another and she can choose what that new attribute is. It's how she countered Sally's Gel Magic."
"Come to think of it." Nero added. "Grey can transform nonliving materials as well. I heard Gauche say as much regarding a battle they had with a Midnight Sun member in the Undersea Temple when we learned of Gray's true form."
"That isn't normal for a Transformation Mage though the attribute conversion is the thing that really intrigues me." Loropechika said thinking seriously on that. "We can discuss this more later but there's a chance that this Grey you mention could be an Arcane Stage if her magic is that unique. It could be like Julius's Time Magic in that it can't be categorized normally. She's a Black Bull I take it?"
"Yeah." Noelle said. "Most of the team have more esoteric magic really. My Water Magic, Luck's Lightning and Magna's Fire are the normal ones. The others have more unique ones like Thread, Ash, and Recombination Magics."
"Do any have the ability to defy the natural order?" Undine asked now as interested as Loropechika was. "That Transformation Magic seems to be able to do it as I've never heard of a Transformation Mage being able to convert inorganic material, let alone transform one magic attribute into another. Dark Magic can interfere with the other world naturally making the exceptionally rare Dark Mages arcane and Asta's anti-magic comes from a devil. Nero is only Arcane because of her use of Forbidden Magic though."
"Defy the natural order." Noelle said as she turned to Nero who looked just as startled as she did at what Undine had asked but nodded as it was important, so she turned back to the Water Spirit and the Queen. "Would being able to determine the outcome of fate itself with a spell that effectively protects those the wielder sees as family count?"
"What!" Loropechika exclaimed her eyes wide. "The Black Bulls have a mage who can affect fate itself?"
"Yeah, Vanessa's Threat Magic has a spell that allows her to create a cat familiar called Rouge who can pull the threads of fate and ensure that we don't die or even get harmed so long as we are in range and a member of the Black Bulls." Noelle said causing both Undine and Loropechika to gape at her. "She unlocked it when we were in the Forest of Witches and the Witch Queen was controlling Asta because she wanted his anti-magic and was trying to kill us. Rouge saved us and Vanessa has her out whenever we're in battle."
"That, that is certainly Arcane Stage." Loropechika said. "The ability to alter fate itself, that can't be classified anyway else."
"That would be great if we have another Arcane Mage, let alone 2." Noelle said surprised by the fact that the Black Bulls seemed to have 5 Arcane Mages on their team, that seemed unlikely but if there was any squad who could find that it would be them. "Though Grey has extreme social anxiety and Vanessa is a shameless alcoholic, so they have issues but they're still family to me."
"Ok, we will have to discuss this later as those abilities could be extremely useful, even if the Thread Mage sounds limited but with a power over fate like that it would be." Loropechika said before returning to the fun talk they were having; they were in the spring so they couldn't remain serious. "I still want to know about this war for Asta's heart. If none of you are dating him then when will you try?"
"After the actual war." Mimosa said. "We have to focus on what is more important first."
"Yes, that is the best time." Noelle agreed though she knew that with Asta and conflict there was a risk as he was always on the front lines, and she might have to at least make it known first. "Until then we aren't going to try and date him, though confessing is of course always an option. There's no reason to not do that anytime one of us is confident enough to actually do so."
"If Asta understands that is." Nero said to them. "He is extremely dense. He still doesn't know Rebecca likes him and she's been the most forward of all of you."
"True there is that." Noelle said. "But yes that is all the Asta stuff I think."
"What about Sister Lily?" Nero asked. "Did that get sorted?"
"Sister Lily?" Loropechika asked confused. "She sounds like a nun, though we don't have those here. What does she have to do with this."
"She's the one who actually has Asta's heart." Noelle said with annoyance as Mimosa yelped at that, all she knew was that Asta was a clean slate, she didn't know that he had or did like the sweet nun she'd met when she visited Hage. "She's a nun at the church Asta grew up at and is his maternal figure. He wants to marry her, but she is true to her vows and isn't interested in that."
"That sounds complicated." Loropechika said.
"It is." Noelle said. "I spoke with her about it, and she confirmed it. I don't know if he still likes her though, I, um, made a deal with someone to try and get some sense beaten into Asta."
"Wait so that was why Mereoleona sent me a letter telling me that Asta was a clean slate now but to give him 6 months to fully be ready." Mimosa said looking at Noelle. "You made a deal with my insane cousin?"
"I was going to her for advice on dealing with Asta's density regardless but with Sister Lily's help I had a better thing to ask." Noelle said simply. "It cost me a fair bit as it was some intense training, but I survived it and Mereoleona held up her end and took Asta for a few days. He came back looking stronger but didn't speak of it and as this was Mereoleona's training no one questioned him. She told me he was a clean slate and left it at that."
"Huh, well that is good." Mimosa said.
"I'm just annoyed I couldn't watch over him." Nero said as everyone turned to her. "Claws away royals, it wasn't like that, I just wanted him to be safe, but I understand why he had to go."
"Fine." Noelle said though she still couldn't shake her jealousy of Nero's closeness to Asta. "But yes, that is the final thing to say about Asta. He was infatuated with Sister Lily, but it seems like he's moving on and the training here no doubt helped. Once the war is over we can truly compete for him."
"Very well." Loropechika said understanding that their talk on Asta had come to an end, for now. "I want updates though."
"And we will provide them." Mimosa said with a smile. "This is something that won't end soon."
"A shame that none of you are dating him but at least that answers my first question." Undine said. "But I have another question for Nero."
"You do?" Nero asked surprised.
"Yes and it stems from your earlier statement." Undine said looking at her. "Nero isn't your real name, is it."
That got Noelle and Mimosa looking at the horn headed girl. They knew that she wasn't from this time period and Noelle knew that Nero was only called Nero because Luck named her as such over Noelle's much better suggestion, but she'd never thought on why Nero didn't go back to her old name. She knew that she'd heard it before as she'd been there at the end when the first Wizard King finally died, and he'd called her by her real name, but she couldn't remember it. Neither could Mimosa who had been there as well.
"It's not." Nero said simply. "Nero was the name the Black Bulls gave me when I first showed up as a bird with Asta after getting the Magic Stone from Saussy Village and they all accepted me as I wouldn't leave Asta's head. It was the only acceptable name those idiots came up with."
"I still thing Sylvants Schnauzer was best." Noelle said annoyed. "I am a royal and therefore have the best taste."
"It was too long and annoying." Nero said. "Nero is simple, and I like it."
"But why not revert to your old name now?" Undine asked. "You're back to being a human whenever you want to be one so you can used that again."
"Because I don't want to." Nero said knowing she wasn't getting out of this, so she was going to have to be honest about it so that they didn't ask her again. "That name was the name my prince knew me as and it died with him as far as I am concerned as he was the last to know me by that name. Nero is the name the Black Bulls gave me, and Captain Yami gave me a second chance at a full life when he named me a Black Bull in front of the Magic Parliament showing how the whole squad accepted me, so I decided to keep Nero as my name. It is what the world now knows me as and as this is a new life for me I feel a new name is best."
"I see, that does make sense." Loropechika said with a nod. "Does anyone know your original name?"
"Those two and Asta have heard my true first name but likely forgot it given everything else that was going on at the time." Nero said. "And Julius knows my full name thanks to his research in which he discovered it, but he's agreed to keep it a secret and it will stay like that. Don't ask because I won't tell you my original name, that girl died long ago. I am Nero now and that is it."
"Very well I won't press you." Loropechika said as Noelle and Mimosa just stared at Nero in amazement, but they understood and respected their friend's decision. "Undine and I were just curious as to why you didn't got back to your original name, but I understand and won't press you."
Loropechika stood up and proceeded to slip on the stone beneath her feet. With a wail she began rolling over the surface of the water causing them all to laugh as Nero instinctively turned into a bird and landed on the head of the beaver swimming with them to get clear before reverting back to normal once the Queen had stabilized herself. She may be the Queen and an immensely powerful mage, but she was still a clumsy girl and apparently she could spectacularly trip in water just as she could on dry land.
The rest of soak was spent talking, probing about Loropechika's love life which she denied being interested in Gaja in that sense despite always talking with him, before getting serious for a moment. The Queen had a curse and her death appeared to be imminent unless they managed to break it and as brave as she was looking on the outside it was clear that she was still frightened girl on the inside.
The girls reassured her though that it was ok and that they were here for her because between the 4 of them they knew they could defeat Megicula when the time came as they had a plan. Noelle most of all as she needed to avenge her mother though she couldn't speak about it given the nature of the curse.
Still, she was now fighting not just for her mother but also to save Loropechika. The Queen was her friend, and she was happy to have her as one, as was Mimosa and Nero, and they would do what they could to save her in the coming war.
That was the last thing that Noelle thought about as they soaked. The war had begun with their strike on the mobile fortress and that meant that it was likely that the Spade Kingdom would finally begin their own invasion though of both the Heart and Clover Kingdoms where they'd strike first was a mystery. However, with the war coming, there was one thing on Noelle's mind as she got out, dried and retired to her room. Asta.
She knew that as soon as the fighting began she wouldn't get a chance to tell him how she felt and with Asta's luck there was always a possibility that he ended up in the middle of a major conflict while on a routine errand. It had happened before, and it could happen again.
Noelle was even more worried as Asta was about to go back to the hideout with Finral to say hi and deliver some goodies from the Heart Kingdom to their teammates who'd stayed. Noelle couldn't shake the feeling that he might not return for a while, and she had to focus on defending Loropechika from Megicula so she couldn't follow him.
That meant one thing to Noelle, the time was at hand. Circumstances had forced her hand, but she figured that it was for the best or she might keep delaying it until it was too late, and she'd seen how much Nero regretted her own failure to confess. Noelle didn't want to end up like that.
No, she had to act now and as she returned to her room she made up her mind. The day Asta left for the hideout she would finally tell him. Her confession was now at hand. It was time for her final conversation. It was time to tell Asta that she loved him.
Ah a nice little tease for y'all to enjoy as the final conversation looms. That conversation has been drafted and will be uploaded tonight hopefully as I bring this unexpected collection to a close. There isn't anything more to add here, this was a simple, straightforward, but different conversation that I hope you enjoyed. I will leave it here but 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