This will be a Julius will be a tad OOC. This is pre-Black Clover timeline, during Julius's gray deer days. There will be some humor in the fact Mary Sue likes to rebel against her very nature she is self-aware of. Yami might factor in later in this story as time skips on. This will be drama/romance/comedy/action. I am newer to the black clover universe (on episode 105 of the anime) so I am open to corrections in references I make. Luck magic is not real, so please read about it with an open mind and humor. We won't see the more powerful side of this magic until later. Also, her former life won't be revealed towards much later. Well, if you give this a chance, I hope you enjoy Psssst, also expect this to be four or five parts.
Mary Sue's Guide to Luck Magic
OoOoOoOo
Part I
In the Clover Kingdom, the leaves of a clover are said to each contain one thing. Integrity, hope and love belong to the first three leaves. The fourth leaf of the clover is given over to good luck. It was rare for grimoires to be engraved with this insignia.
More rare, more special was the elusive luck magic yet to be blessed to a magic user.
But on an ordinary day in this Kingdom, an extraordinary thing happened. Clara Wood's soul was reincarnated in this world, inhabiting the body of orphan Mary Susan Eytch. A little girl left to die amongst her fellow orphans after an attack on the village's orphanage.
Fortune took pity on this dying girl and allowed something magical to occur, it bestowed her broken body with new life.
And luck.
Because fortune favors the pure hearted and pitiful.
Thus, the Clover Kingdom was bestowed with their first Mary Sue. A woman blessed by luck and destined to collide with most powerful man in the world. Because…a Mary Sue has such a fate.
OoOoOoOo
10 years later.
"Mary Sue!"
Mary Sue ran like hell. She broke left from the crowd, slipping between a narrow space between two stacks of wood pallets. She leaned back as a swirling cloud of magic surged by her. Her eyes picked out traces of fire, wind, fog, and glass magic. Its path traversing where she would have headed down if she had not followed her instincts to turn left.
She stood motionless, her gaze fixed on the pocket of space exposing her to the open town square. When she counted off five boys running after the magic trail, she released a breath she had not realized she had been holding. She smiled sardonically to herself, willing to wait the five more minutes that she knew she should before abandoning this hiding spot.
To draw attention away from herself, she flipped up the black hood of her cloak. She stepped in the middle of the crowded street, effortlessly blending back in with the townsfolk. Her steps kept an even pace on the cobblestone road, a modest stroll to illicit no unwanted attention. Her hands flexed at her sides, fighting her chaotic thoughts toiling in her mind.
Mary Sue maintained a neutral expression to any passerby that cared to look under her hood. Once she walked past the gates and evaded the public eye, she did a double take of the surrounding area before breaking into a sprint. Her pent-up energy finally allowed to disperse.
Her legs wobbled when enough distance was put between her and that town. She herself was shocked at the outcome of the Grimoire Acceptance Ceremony. She had suspected she had some magic. But it was a mystery to her since it had never manifested in any form. Boy had she been wrong. Apparently, the numerous times she had seemed to have been lucky were not random. It was her magic. She had received the four-leaf clover grimoire, covering luck magic.
It was laughable. Insane. And as Mary Sue confirmed she was completely alone in the rolling hills of green and wildflowers, she allowed herself to lose her shit.
"I mean…I knew something was up, but this is too much. Really!" She leaned over, clutching her waist as her body trembled. She burst into a fit of giggles as her disbelief lingered.
"What a fucking sick and twisted joke? I mean I took on the name Mary Sue as a fopaux given my ridiculous good luck. But it being a power? I can't even!"
Mary Sue let herself fall backwards onto a bed of wildflowers. "Too easy. My whole life has been. No challenges, no conflicts, no turmoil is boring. Mundane. No one wants everything to go their way," she scoffed before tumbling down the hillside. When she stopped, she sat up and plucked out her grimoire from the leather satchel strapped around her waist. She flipped through the pages. The beginning pages were already covered in spells. The book was pre-populated. Wasn't she supposed to earn them? Mary Sue groaned, frustrated at the lack of a challenge. The groaning exaggerated on as she began to skim through the spells. Each one she read created a new worry line on her freckled forehead. The luck spells were cringe worthy. A true testament to the book belonging to a 'Mary Sue'. The luck spells already inscribed on the pages detailed favorability of becoming popular, making money, finding love, finding what you lost, sleeping well, and other superficial bullshit.
"I just cannot with this life," Mary Sue griped before slamming her grimoire shut. "I don't need a life of ease! I just need a life to live. Fuck this Mary Sue lifestyle. Can't I just…run out of luck?"
But even as she wished it, Mary Sue knew she did not mean it. Luck was a blessing. Her curse was not being able to appreciate it. If she could not remember her previous life or the fact she was living in the anime World of Black Clover, she could most likely succumb to being a willing participant.
"You know what, why do I even bother to fight this shit? If this is my destiny, I'll rise to the calling. I'll be this world's Mary Sue. I'll use this magic for a life of ease. Asta and Yuno will take care of the real stuff. You win, alright?"
"What did I win?" A curious voice beckoned.
Mary Sue stood up, dusting off her skirt before looking up to the stranger approaching. Her eyes focused on the gray cloak tapering over his shoulders. It was a shortened cloak. Similar to the style the magic knights sported. Was this luck? Mary Sue resisted an eye roll before sizing up the magic knight. His short blonde hair and purple eyes intrigued her. It was an interesting combination. She was unsure if she found him attractive or not. He certainly was older than her.
"Sorry, all out of prizes. Why is a magic Knight out in the middle of nowhere?"
"I was following up on a report of group of boys ganging up on a girl fitting your description." Mary Sue reached her right hand up to clutch her hood but realized it was pulled back and her curly auburn hair was on display.
"Hmmmmm," she mused. "Seems like she is fine. Sorry you wasted your efforts."
The magic knight shook his head, disagreeing. "I don't think it's a waste meeting you. I heard about your grimoire. What type of magic do you use? Can I see it?"
Mary Sue flushed. "It's not worthy to show a magic knight."
"That's disappointing to hear. It seems a lot of people from the ceremony are vested in discovering your magic type as well."
"I am sure it won't stay hidden for long," she mumbled.
"I can't even have a little peak?" the man begged, his purple eyes sparkling with heightened interest.
"Not yet. I need…to refine it. Another day," she falsely promised to the stranger.
"I look forward to it." The stranger flashed her a confident smile before taking a step forward. "I'm Julius of the Gray Deer Magic Knights. Maybe you'll reveal it at the Magic Knights Entrance Exam. We need more talent."
Mary Sue scowled. "How can you recruit me when you don't even know what I can do? What if my magic is making mini dirt mounds from the ground?"
The stranger choked while stifling a laugh. He cleared his throat before replying, "just a hunch. But even small dirt mounds can grow into larger ones with the right training and dedication."
Mary Sue would have cracked a joke if she had not heard the passion and conviction in his words.
"I suppose so. But I don't think my magic can grow in that regard. It just is what it is."
"And that would be?" Julius prodded, his eyes not leaving her face.
Mary Sue couldn't help but think his curiosity and fascination was incorrigible. His name sounded familiar too…
She pondered on this while Julius seemed to concentrate his focus on something in the far distance behind her. Her pondering was soon rewarded when her brain sifted through the right memory.
Julius Novachrono.
The future wizard king.
What the fucking Mary Sue type of shit this was.
Her resigned decision, freshly made, for a life of ease could not be entwined with this magic obsessed, overly powerful man.
So she lied.
"It's just dirt mounds, sir knight. If I can work harder to make them bigger, maybe I'll see you in the future."
"Sure," he agreed, his voice flat. He knew she was lying. She knew it. But as luck would have it, being on her side and all, he let it slide and disappeared without saying goodbye.
"Alright easy street, here comes Mary Sue!" She announced to the world, grimoire raised in the air with both hands.
OoOoOoOo
3 years later.
Easy street was boring. Admirers? Wealth? Popularity? She didn't even have to cast spells for her natural luck. She was the epitome of a Mary Sue.
Every now and then for a break from living the good life, Mary Sue would set-up a pop-up tent at festivals around Clover Kingdom to 'read' fortunes. She cast her luck spells on those deserving in her readings. It gave her some purpose from her carefree monotony.
She resided in the heart of the Clover Kingdom. A Nobel had 'claimed' to be a distant relative two short days after receiving her grimoire. She was adopted into a life of ease to replace the former heir who died from a rare illness. Her 'cousin' so to speak. She had everything at her fingertips or the snap of a finger. It was all thanks to the spell she cast to fall into fortune. When she cast it, she truly believed she would stumble upon a sack of gold coins some nobleman had lost when passing through her village. The outcome was an oversite on understanding her Mary Sue destiny.
Her life had been peaceful and lavish when she could submit to enjoying it. Certain times she would be compelled to rebel against everything her cursed body stood for. In those moments, she made her good fortune worse. It would strike three-folds to appease her.
When she tested her fortune booth after turning 16, she found that her good fortune was stagnant. She just existed like a normal human being not favored by luck while granting deserving customers their hearts desires.
While hosting her fortune booth, she donned a disguise. A wig of thin, dark hair. Opposite of the wild, curly auburn hair she loved to mess up when possible. It usually fell into place around her heart shaped face and each curl rotated in perfect form. Never a hair out of place without effort by her own hands.
Assessing her appearance in her crystal ball, Mary Sue slipped back on glasses with a crooked frame and lenses too large for her face. This disguise in addition to a luck spell to keep her real identity hidden worked like a charm every time.
Today was her favorite day of the year. It was the Star Festival. She had a new luck spell she wanted to try on the right customer. She scooted forward to the edge of her velvet chair, dissatisfied by the lack of customers so far this morning to enter her tent. Her fingers tapped on the crystal ball, a new addition to her act. Apparently, hardly anyone needed luck today. Or they were distracted by other booths. Mary Sue was drawing dangerously close to feeling petty enough to cast a spell to change her booth's favorability.
She grasped her grimoire from underneath the antique table supporting her crystal ball. She began to cast the first words of her spell when the tent flaps pulled back, allowing light to seep into her space. She blinked, adjusting to her interruption- no, customer.
"Hello, dear customer! Wel-" the friendly greeting died on her lips as she recognized her customer by his blond hair and purple eyes.
Julius.
"Ahem," Mary Sue cleared her throat. "Welcome." A tentative smile displayed on her lips as she reviewed Julius take another step forward and release the tent flaps. The darkness reoccupied the space in the tent aside from the five candles offering the intended ambiance.
"Hello, again," Julius said. His eyes crinkled while offering Mary Sue a knowing smile.
"Um, hello, Sir knight. Curious about what your future will hold and if fortune smiles upon you?" She asked, getting back into character.
"Indeed. Lady…" His purple eyes gazed at her expectantly.
"Mary." She knew it wasn't worth lying about her pseudo name given he already saw through her disguise. Now that was bad luck which Mary Sue was NOT accustom too.
"Sue?"
"Huh?"
"Isn't it Mary Sue?" He clarified.
"If you knew my name, why did you bother to ask?" Her tone strained, irritation spiking through her.
Julius laughed, pleased with her reaction. "More like confirming. Please continue." He gestured a hand forward, waving it over her crystal ball as he took the seat across from her. The wooden chair creaked as he rocked back in it.
"200 yul," she demanded.
"Just a flat rate? Are there options of what you can tell me?"
"One flat rate and one version of how it works," she quipped, resisting an eye roll.
His blond brows arched up while his mouth twitched. A second later, a velvet purple bag was tossed on the table. It was tiny, but the clinking from within informed Mary Sue he was overpaying her. She smiled as her good luck returned. She could rechannel impeccable customer service then.
"First off, why have you come? What are you seeking?" She could guess with some customers or choose for them. But since he was being a generous payer, she would allow him to express his desires. She might even fulfill one of them.
"I don't care about my future. I want to know our kingdom's future."
Mary Sue rubbed her chin, fumbling to find the right words to say.
"I hear you have a high accuracy rate. So please, tell me."
Wrinkling her nose, Mary Sue shook her head. She pressed her frames up on the bridge of her nose.
"Think smaller." Mary Sue sighed. "I have no influence over something of that caliber."
"Influence? You have power over your predictions? The future?"
Her mouth slackened as a result of her carelessness. She preceded to speak slowly, stretching out her words to buy time. "What? No. You misunderstood. When I said influence I meant, my fortunes…"
Deny. Deny. Deny. How?
"They are lies. I am just lucky. Statistically more probable for an individual versus a collective."
"Strange. An hour ago when I walked by, I sensed a surge of magic following a woman that exited this booth. She shortly bumped into a man that confessed his love for her. Did you predict she would find love?"
"Nope. She would fall into riches soon," Mary Sue lied, her smile wavering.
"So that wasn't your magic I sensed?"
"Impossible."
"Because it was an aura of magic I haven't sensed before. It was light and airy. A positive aura to it. It's a shame its owner finds it worth hiding."
"Agreed. So since I can't abide by your request, let me read your fortune as I can tell it."
"Ah, but you said your fortunes are lies. So why bother?"
Mary Sues teeth bit into her bottom lip, struggling to hold her tongue. "Because I want your money," she seethed through pursed lips.
"You can have it. But only half," Julius commented while snatching back her payment. True to his word, he emptied out half of its contents into his free hand before setting it back on the table. He then jiggled the loose coins in his hand before stuffing them into his pants pocket. "Let's see what you have to say."
Mary Sue closed her eyes. Her heart thrummed while instinct took over.
Love is right around the corner for him.
Mary Sue covered her mouth to muffle her laughter. Like she would ever tell this fool that.
"You are a strong fighter. A rare magic knight. You are destined for great things and will make true friends along your journey to better yourself."
Mary Sue swiped the payment off the table before thanking her customer for visiting. She tapped her fingers on the table, waiting for Julius to leave. But he remained sitting across from her, studying her face.
"You can do better than that."
Mary Sue scoffed. Of course she could. But wasn't planning to for him.
"I can't," she insisted. "Sorry." She shrugged up her shoulders.
"You promised when we first met you would show me your magic one day."
Mary Sue gritted her teeth. "Well that day is not today. I am working."
Julius leaned forward, nodding his head towards his payment in her hands. "I offered you enough coins to take up the time of ten customers at least. Make the time." His words were eager and he finished his demand offering her a pleasant smile.
"It's still just small clumps of dirt. Nothing worthy for your eyes."
"I'll be the judge of that." His head to tilted slightly to the side. "And we both know that's not your magic." His voice was soft and gentle. Encouraging.
"You can't know what my magic is or is not." Mary Sue was acting stubborn. She knew this but did not care.
"Weren't you listening earlier? I saw your last customer leave. But you know what I was doing before then? Listening to your session. I speculate that it was not just a coincidence that her fortune came true."
"That's an invasion of privacy," Mary Sue sputtered.
"Perhaps." His purple eyes twinkled, harboring no guilt or remorse.
"I have some theories of what it is. But instead, I would like to see it for myself."
"Why?" She whined, removing her glasses and pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Why not?" He countered, relishing her reaction.
Did it really matter if he knew? She was not sure. What road would it lead her down? Was luck driving this meeting and their first encounter?
"What happens if I show you?" She folded the frames of her glasses before setting them on the table.
"I get to witness new, awesome magic and leave a happy customer."
"That's it?" She scratched her scalp underneath her wig. She would have removed it too, but it was such a pain to put on in the first place.
"That's it," he assured her, and she believed in his honesty despite herself.
"It's luck magic," she mumbled.
"Woah! Luck magic? That's a first. How does it work?"
"My spells increase the probability for simple things. That's how I make fortunes come true. Love. Money. Typical self-indulgent wishes."
"Amazing. Is that it? Can it turn the tide in battles? Boost luck to land a blow? Block an attack? Defeat an enemy?"
Mary Sue fidgeted under his curiosity. Her answer would only disappoint him.
"No. Just superficial things." Her level of embarrassment was unprecedent in front of the future Wizard King.
"Why not?"
"Why not what?"
"Why can't it be used for attacks or defense enhancement?"
"Well…because that's how it is."
"Who sets those limits? You?"
"No! It's just what I was given in my grimoire!"
"You think you were bestowed a four-leaf grimoire and luck magic only to tell assist with petty fortunes? And not more?"
"I don't know!"
"Find out then."
"What? How?"
"Try out for the magic knights."
"I don't have any spells to even have a remote chance to pass the training."
"Show me what you have."
"You'll laugh."
"Come on, what's my real fortune? Or do you choose for me?"
"I can choose for you. But it's more effective if I pay attention to what thread of possibility is most likely or favorable."
"Please show me," he requested nicely.
"You asked for it." Mary Sue sighed before closing her eyes. She listened to her senses and body. The intensity of his fortune still shifted towards love. He asked for it though. So, she wasn't going to hold back.
Her hands hovered over her prop crystal ball, for dramatic effect. Then instead of her other parlor tricks, she revealed her true magic to Julius.
"Luck Magic: fortune favors love." A rainbow swirl of light spilled from her fingertips. A true release of her magic. Always she cloaked spells she cast in invisible light, a spell to protect her magic from prying eyes.
It encircled Julius before striking his heart.
"That tickles," he remarked, humor tinting his voice.
"So, I have observed."
"That's it? Will I suddenly find the love of my life?" He laughed. She had called it.
"Or your next lover." It would be the love of his life. The mana was strong for the calling of this spell that she could only assume it was a true love kind of thing.
"How does it work?"
"The odds of you running into her, or him, soon have heavily increased and it going well from that start. Essentially, I could have shaved off years of you forming this relationship." Mary Sue couldn't help but be smug. She never showed off her magic before. It felt good to be open for once and confident about her abilities. Even for how lame they were. But perhaps not that lame to those who benefitted from the spell.
"But what if I never wanted a relationship? I have a goal of reforming this kingdom. Love doesn't fit in the picture."
"Just because I created this opportunity doesn't mean you have to take it. There is still choice, Julius. I agree. Love doesn't seem like the right path for you. It was just the strongest reading I had on you in the moment."
"So, someone can deny or refuse your magic?"
"Correct for a spell like this. The opportunity should be obvious of when to swerve in the opposite direction of what I gave them."
"But what if I don't give in? I won't see your magic in action."
"True," she crooned, offering a devilish grin. "Guess you have to make your choice."
Julius leaned back in his chair, quirking an eyebrow and smiling. "Can't you grant another fortune?"
"I could but don't feel like it. Now, shouldn't you be out there guarding and stuff?"
"And stuff." He huffed a laugh before standing up. "Well, you did show me as promised. I will go."
And that was it. He left the tent and before Mary Sue could be spared a moment to cast a spell to increase her customers, another interruption occurred.
"What now?!" She bellowed before leaping off her seat and rushing outside the tent to check out the commotion.
Another ugly side of their society was on display. A man dressed in fine clothing gripped the collar of a young boy of a lower class.
"Low born brat," he snubbed. "You got dirt on my shoes-"
Mary Sue turned away, annoyed she had to waste her magic on an unworthy person. "Luck magic: fortune favors peace," she whispered, knowing a cloaking magic would cover her spell as it reached the unfolding scene. This was not how she imagined using this new spell for the first time on someone else. Times like this reminded her the benefits to her Mary Sue bubble.
This moment also demonstrated how much Mary Sue was lacking due to her bubble. Her compassion stripped away slowly as she resigned to let everything go her way, forgetting about those that luck had abandoned. And the good her spell would do.
Within ten seconds, the noblemen's wife approached asking her husband to buy her something. He let the boy go to follow his wife and the child scurried off to find his mother. Peace had resumed and Mary Sue was satisfied.
OoOoOoOo
"Captain Julius!"
Julius turned around to face his subordinate.
"Please let us buy you a drink!"
Julius smiled. "I could use one."
"Captain? What switched your mood?" Kent elbowed Julius in the arm and Julius couldn't help but look back over his shoulder. At her tent. He had watched her diffuse the situation between Sir Braxton and the young child.
She didn't even hesitate. Unlike him. She just did it.
There was more to her powers then she had realized. And it was luck magic. That was unheard of. Just as his time magic was.
He was even more intrigued than their first encounter years ago. He could sense there was something special about her then, but he pitied that she could be stunted in her potential due to her class. But look at her now. Mary Sue luck magic user, of noble class and defender of peace. If she wasn't a woman, she would have an even easier life. But that would not stop Julius from convincing her to become a magic knight. There was more potential with her magic that she herself refused to see. And if she could be the right addition for his vision of a better people for his kingdom.
He liked a challenge, for a new knight recruit.
And.
He could not…should not deny any luck bestowed upon him. Especially with his goal to become the Wizard King.
As for her love spell, it was too weak to take any effect. He could not find it within himself to tell her that. Even on the remote chance it had worked, there was no room for love in his future.
OoOoOoOo
Casual Notes:
Greek Goddess of Fortune & Luck (Roman Fortuna) – TYCHE – which EYTCH is an anagram for
Part II Mary Sue will see some action and we will witness some humorous sides to the luck magic she can cast.
Also there are gaps in this story to be filled in for the other parts. How did julius know her name? Do others know about her luck magic? What's the deal with her current noble family and more. There is not fun in revealing it all at once!
Not sold on my title for this story, I may update it if I feel like it. (shrugs shoulders)