Chapter 11 Why are you here?
Late, late at night, Millie is sleeping on her branch outside a silent black bull's hideout. She is sleeping soundly in the night summer air until she is startled awake and looks around herself before letting out a big, heavy yawn.
She scratches her face and looks at the moon... (Huh, two and a half hours tonight. I usually only get two,) she thinks to herself and stretches, then transforms into her human form and jumps down from the tree.
Meanwhile, Liebe is lying on the pillow next to Asta's face while Asta tosses in his sleep, and his hand lands on top of Liebe. "Ngh," he lets out a tired groan.
Liebe gets out from under the arm and flies to the windowsill just above the bed. "Sometimes you are a really messy sleeper," he utters to himself, looking at Asta silently sleeping before he looks out the window and witnesses Millie leave her tree and go into the forest.
(Where is she going?) Liebe's curiosity peaks, and he hears Asta mumble in his sleep. (He won't wake up,) he thinks to himself and sneaks out, flying through the forest in his normal form.
(Where did she even go? I was certain she went this way,) he wonders, wandering through the forest while the night's gentle glow shines over the land.
After a while, he walks and stops as he sees a small lake. He ducks underneath a branch and walks toward the glimmering glow on the water's surface as the moonlight plays in the small lake. Walking by a tree, he catches a glimpse of her and hides in the bushes.
She stands on the water, on top of a flat shield that she has placed just beneath the surface, so it looks like she is standing on water. (Huh, she has her eyes closed.)
She stands there silently, and the world grow completely quiet. She lets out a deep breath, and a breeze comes from her person as she releases a subtle amount of mana in every direction. She forms several shields dotted into the water that she lifts up using her magic, her eyes closed the entire time.
Liebe looks at the bubbles made from her shield magic as they are filled halfway with water, and others are filled one-third of the way. Then, using her mana within each bubble, she makes the water move to the center of the spheres, making the water take the same shape as their orbed containers. They neatly float upwards while more and more bubbles come up from the lake.
(What is even the purpose of that?) Liebe wonders as more and more bubbles are made.
The bubbles begin to glow and are filled with tiny words going along the shield's surface, and the bubbles start to move on their own.
(Good, my mana control is still on point, and the mana method plus forming magic circles are still good as well,) she thinks to herself, still having her eyes closed. She touches her bell, and her clothes change into her tank top and skirt, and her hair is pulled up into a bun with the red ribbon and feather.
She then brings out a black ribbon that she ties around her head, covering her eyes.
"Now," she whispers, and the letters running around the shield's surfaces change all at once, and they, begins to spin around and hover about at rapid speeds.
As she releases a little more mana, the bubbles go towards her. She touches her bell, and a purple, long spear emerges. The mana bubbles begin to attack her all at once. She senses them and starts dodging them one by one, cutting them in half while avoiding the others.
(The way she moves so swiftly and lightly, and yet every strike is so powerful.) A bubble manages to land a hit, but she allows herself to be pulled along a bit and brings out a blade from her bell. It forms just above the bubble and falls through it, destroying it.
(A bubble I created managed to land a hit. Either I am duller, or my mana method is improving?) she thinks to herself as she slices through more and more of them.
Liebe observes her movements and takes note of the blade, as it appears rather unique even from afar. (That is not the blade she used in the cave.) He leans forward to get a better look and accidentally startles a bird that flies in his face. He dodges and exclaims, "Woah!" louder than intended. Millie spins towards him and scans her surroundings.
"Shoot," she utters, and before she manages to cut it down, she is hit by an orb. She brings out her magic and says, "Life Shield Magic Shielded Shard Bullets." She destroys every single orb in a mere moment.
She removes her blindfold and changes into her usual tights and long-sleeved V-neck shirt.
She sees him emerge from the bushes and step into the clearing. "May I help you, sir?" she asks softly, walking over to the grass clearing between Liebe and the lake's edge.
"What are you doing way out here?" he asks. "Just doing some sensitivity training, sir," she replies.
Liebe narrows his eyes at her. "Oh, and what kind of blade did you use? It didn't look normal from here," he asks.
"You mean my moon blade, sir?" "Most likely," he replies. She touches her bell, and the sword emerges. He sees its silver-looking blade with a light blue color near the handle, engraved with many different symbols and markings along the blade's edge.
At the blade's guard, there are two silver wings holding a circular plate with several symbols and a crescent moon. The handle is wrapped in metal scales, and at the end is a blue orb. at the tip of the blade is a diamond shaped gem.
(Just by looking at it, one can tell it is powerful,) he thinks to himself and looks at her.
His mind fills with memories of the elves reaction to the Demon Slayer Blade, the Demon Dweller Sword, and lastly, the Demon Destroyer Sword. When the Elves' leader, Licht, used it, the blade clearly displayed great power, reflecting their powerful leader. According to the elves, to handle a blade with such power, one must also be truly powerful. However, just by sensing her, she doesn't seem to have much power at all.
He looks at the belt around her belly and then back to her face.
'There seems to be something on your mind, sir?'
'You still haven't answered what you are doing on this continent,' he tells her.
(Once again, he is persistent, to say the least) she thinks to herself.
They both turn their heads to the sound of a branch breaking. 'There you two are, what are you guys doing way out here?' Asta asks, walking into the clearing.
'What are you doing up?' he asks. 'Well, I rolled out of bed and woke up, and I saw you were gone, so I had to go and look for you,' he says, walking up to the two. 'So what are you two doing out here, anyways?' he asks.
'Millie, we were just about to tell me the story of what drove her to this continent,' Liebe says with a smile and looks at her. 'Really?' Asta asks curiously.
She opens her mouth and thinks it over for a moment. 'I came after sensing a disturbance of negative energy, enough for it to reach the land of the sun over two months ago. I would have come sooner if the elders of my kind had allowed it,' she explains to them, and the boys share a glance.
'So around the time when the gates to the underworld were opening,' Asta mutters. 'Something big like that would do it,' she thinks out loud. 'But it is clearly dealt with, and after seeing that for yourself, what are you still doing here?' he asks. 'Uh, Liebe, I, uh, you know a question like that is kind of rude.'
'I cannot go back after I left, and the other reason is, well... I' Asta sees her hesitation. 'Hey, you can tell us, whatever it is. I am certain we can figure it out together,' he reassures her, and she looks at him and Liebe. Her mind carefully thinks through the last few days.
'Master Asta, I do realize that I am in no position to ask for anything from you,' she says gently, putting her hands together and resting them in front of her.
'What is it?'
'If it comes to it and I have to fight, I will need to do it on my own,' she explains.
'Fight? Fight what?' he asks, growing curious.
'Give me your word that you will not interfere, and I will tell you.'
(Based on her Ki, this means a lot to her, but should I give her my word on this? I mean, if it is more than she can handle, I can't just... . I wonder if this is the big thing she is hiding that Liebe mentioned a month ago, and if so, it could be really bad) Asta thinks to himself.
… 'Well, I am not really sure about this,' he utters.
'If you let me, I will aid you in your endeavor to become the Wizard King. Nothing will be held back,' she tells him with certainty, her voice firm yet still gentle.
Asta looks into her eyes, filled with resolve about whatever this is. 'Master, I will aid you,' she reassures, and his eyes cannot help but soften along with her soothing voice.
"...'Fine on one condition: that if something goes wrong and you seem to be losing, I will step in with no arguments,' he tells her.
(Why does he sound so genuinely concerned about me? Stop it, Millie. He is probably just worried about the people of Clover if things get out of hand.)
'Agreed, Master Asta,' she replies with a respectful nod.
'Then it is a promise,' he says and extends his arm to her, signaling that he is ready for a fist bump.
'A promise,' she repeats and looks at his fist, his emerald eyes full of trust, and his friendly smile.
'Uh, you look confused. What is wrong? Don't tell me you have never done a fist bump before?' he asks.
'I uh, right' She extends her fist to meet his. 'Then it is a deal,' he says with a bright smile.
...'And what will you be facing?' Liebe asks, growing impatient.
'Right, I might be facing someone named Devea,' she neatly replies.
'Who is that?' he asks.
'Someone I had the displeasure of facing a long time ago.'
Asta and Liebe look at each other.
'Uh, someone you faced a long time ago? How long ago is that?' Asta asks.
'Well, I...' Millie turns her head. 'Huh, what is it?' Asta questions.
'I hear something,' she tells him.
And he looks in the same direction as spectral wolves emerge from the woods.
'What the... those things again,' Asta says and goes for his satchel. 'Oh no, my grimoire, it's still in my bedroom back at the base!'
'How can you leave behind something that important?' Liebe scolds.
'Well, I figured this would just be a midnight stroll. I wasn't expecting this,' he says.
'I will take care of them, Master,' she tells him and brings out her long purple spear with a big triangle-like blade at the end of it. She charges towards the wolves that run towards her.
'But I wanted to fight too!' Asta complains, and Millie casts a glance behind her and touches her bell. Out comes an ordinary steel blade that she hovers over to him using her mana.
'Uh?'
'Use one of my blades, sir.'
"Huh, oh sweet, that is so cool," he says and grabs it. "Does that work, Liebe?" he asks. "Sure, it does," he says and encases it with a thin layer of black anti-magic.
"For these creatures, this will be plenty." Asa smiles and goes in after Millie, and they cut the lot of them down and look around.
"Huh! There are so many of them deeper into the woods," Asta tells them. "Why do they keep popping up?" Liebe asks. "No clue, but we better cut them down," Asta replies.
Taking them down is easy enough, but there are so many of them they end up cutting them down until the morning sun stretches her light over the land.
HACK!
"There, that was the last of them," he says and turns to Millie, who has a slight look of concern.
"Something the matter, Millie?" he asks, and she turns her gaze to him as a confused look falls on her face.
Rumble. "I guess I am hungry. Oh no, and I have to start on my morning chores too!" he exclaims and runs for the hideout.
Finral comes into the main hall, stretching his hands wide toward the ceiling and letting out a heavy yawn. "Oh, Finral, you are awake already?" Asta asks. "Yeah, I need to go through some papers I was sent yesterday, and after that, I will be taking Yami to the royal capital, and then I will have a meeting on behalf of the House of Waud," he explains. "Whoa, you are really busy lately," Asta tells him.
"Uh, were you out training this early already?"
"Huh? No, actually, I woke up in the middle of the night and was chatting with Liebe and Millie for a bit when we encountered those spectral beasts."
"What? They came down again? I know our base is close to neutral land and the strong magic region, so I am surprised we haven't seen any of those spectral beasts here before now. You should tell Yami about it when he wakes up since he has a captains meeting today," Finral says and heads into the dining hall.
"Right," he says and starts his chores of mopping the floor, doing the laundry, feeding the captain's magical beasts, and waking up Captain Yami Sukehiro himself.
Knock, knock. "Hey, Captain Yami, sir," he exclaims, looking at the door where a bull's skull hangs on it. "Shut up, or you are dead!" he yells. "Right, sir!" Asta yells, running down the hall. "He is as fickle as ever, right, Liebe?" "Uh-huh," Liebe responds.
Asta does a quick workout, eats breakfast, and sits down in the main hall and with a big yawn he leans back into the couch. 'Man I am beat' he says. 'well if you were up so much last night then ofcorse you are beat' Finral says nd looks over the papers.
it does not take long for the rest to pass through and goes into the dining hall for breakfast as well.
"Good morning, everyone," Vanessa utters, walking into the room with a big yawn. "Meow," the cat on her shoulder adds.
She looks around the room and hears chatting coming from the dining hall. She sees Finral sitting by the bar in the corner, arranging a stack of papers. "There, that should be it," he says.
"Hey Finral," she says. "Oh, good morning Vanessa. Did you sleep well?"
"Actually, yeah. Say, Finral, why is Asta sleeping on the couch over there?" she asks.
"Oh, that? Apparently, he was up all night fighting off some of those spectral beasts that we've seen and heard about lately," he explains.
"I see. Well, no wonder he's asleep. I'll be having breakfast. Yami will be up giving us missions any minute now," she says.
"Right, I better get something to drink as well," Finral says.
Later, Yami comes into the mess hall, and Finral explains the situation to him.
"I see. Well, I'll be talking to the other captains about it at the meeting today," he responds with a yawn and hands everyone their details for their respective missions.
"But what will you do about Asta? He's still asleep?" Noelle asks.
"Huh? Oh, right," Yami says and goes into the main hall. He grabs a piece of paper and writes something down on it.
Then he tapes the note to Asta's face. "There, now I know he'll get the message when he wakes up," Yami says.
"Right, letting him rest after tonight is probably for the best," Vanessa says.
"Right, and holding down the fort is probably the rest he needs right now. Otherwise, he'll end up running himself into the ground," Magna adds.
"Alright, gang, we're out," Yami orders.
"Right, Yami, sir," everyone salutes in the Clover salute.