OoOoOoOo

Part VI

Hunched over her knees, Mary Sue panted, struggling to take in a breath that lasted more than two seconds. Beads of sweat raced down her flushed face, but she was more focused on breathing than wiping away her sweat.

As she wrestled for control over her overworked lungs, she couldn't help but reflect on the degree of difficulty Yami kicked up her training to.

Unlike Kent, Yami didn't coddle her as he so brazenly declared before this training session even begun. Apparently, her training before with Kent was akin to "coasting" it. The bare minimum. She lowered the bar of what was to be expected of new recruits in Yami's eyes. The eyes of a devil she liked to compare them to, ironically forgetting that devils were real in this world.

This is how the training session went so far in her eyes.

Strike one: Her miss your target spell failed to work against Yami's close range attacks he led with his katana. Without magic. Because Mary Sue had yet to prove herself to be worthy of fending off his magic.

Strike two: Her defense god spell was a bust at present. Mary Sue still had the bead in her possession around her neck, but no magic conjured when she called upon her token of luck to summon a defense shield.

Strike three: She couldn't attack for shit. No spells and subpar body strength to execute anything of measure to count as an attack.

Finally having control over her breathing, Mary Sue picked her head up to face Yami. He had been waiting for her since she asked for this momentary break…about 23 minutes into the session.

Mary Sue shrank back as Yami measured her with his gaze. She put forth effort and had tried. Or so she told herself.

"We may as well lump you in with other inept magic users because you have shit to show for yourself." Yami's brow furrowed before scratching his scalp. "What does Julius see? What am I missing?"

"I thought this was supposed to be your bread and butter," Mary Sue mumbled under her breath. She recalled how in the future Yami's Black Bulls squad would be composed of misfit magic users he saw more in. Even magicless Asta. But in her he found nothing of value. Aside from being slightly insulted, she was curious if Yami's viewpoint on a magic user changed in the future or if he honestly just saw nothing in her. And yet Julius had? Perhaps Yami had a point. Julius was indeed crazy…

"Whatever you mumbled, I don't give two shits. Now shut up while I think." Yami replied, his lips deepening into a frown. "What use is luck magic if it adds nothing of value to any battle?" Yami pondered this while strapping his katana back around his waist.

"How did you first meet Julius?" Yami asked, not thoughtful but not overly annoyed. Mary Sue figured his question was an attempt to solve the mystery of when Julius abandoned his sanity concerning her.

"When I was 15. I had just received my grimoire and he was checking up on me after some others at the ceremony were not enthusiastic about me receiving a four-leaf grimoire."

Yami nodded, waiting for her to continue. "That was pretty much it. I mean he didn't know what my magic was. He didn't find out until the last Star Festival where he came up to my tent."

"Tent?"

"Where I provided fortunes…" Mary Sue admitted, attempting to diminish her shame on the topic. It was something she had been proud of before becoming a magic knight. As a knight, she knew her use of fortune magic would be viewed as foolish to them.

"And after he found out he pestered you relentlessly until he got his way, and you joined the magic knights," Yami concluded for her.

"Pretty much." Yami bellowed a deep sigh before retrieving his katana. He gripped the handle with both hands and tipped the point of the katana at Mary Sue. Dark magic cloaked his katana and she instinctively gulped.

Then without warning, he rushed forward for his attack.

Panic throttled in Mary Sue's chest, she had no counterattack and no acceptable defense for a physical based attack. Time slowed as it clicked in her brain how she was able to summon something more for someone else that needed help rather than herself, as if her life had no merit or value. She deemed herself worthless but could find it in herself to give it her all to save someone else. It was a sad and lonely realization brought upon how much she had removed herself from this life and everyone in it. She walled herself off to never get hurt again, perhaps putting too much blame on her luck, but in doing so she cut herself off from feelings that were needed in life. In what made her human. Gave her value. She was alive and that in itself was an intrinsic value that should have motivated her to save herself. Be her own hero. Because damn it she deserved more.

The right side of her hip jostled as her grimoire rattled and glowed. In that moment, her eyes caught Yami's hesitation in his advance towards her.

"Luck Magic: Inverse Guard," she cried out, her voice trembling in excitement. A ball of rainbow light appeared in front of her eyes and the light bent and stretched to form a sword, mirroring the form of Yami's weapon. She grabbed the handle, a sense of familiarity spreading through her fingers as she pointed the sword forward.

Yami's dark brows flicked up in intrigue and he offered Mary Sue a half smile before continuing his attack.

Despite her excitement, Mary Sue didn't know the first thing about handling a sword. So she decided to do her only option, despite its stupidity, and swing it forward and hope for the best.

Before she could move it even a fraction of an inch, Yami's katana slashed forward at her. Mary Sue closed her eyes and braced her body for the impact of his harsh blow. The clash of metal rung in the air, but her body had not budged. Mary Sue hesitantly opened her eyes and found Yami inspecting her sword, glowing like a rainbow but now incased with a metal body, the carbon copy of Yami's katana.

"You neutralized my attack," he grunted while running his fingers over the tip of her sword.

Mary Sue cleared her throat. "Yes, that spell can copy the physical magic form of an attack."

"And neutralize it," Yami reminded her.

"Apparently."

"Good. I can work with this." He took a few steps back and slashed his katana in the air in an elaborate gesture. "Let's start with some basics with how to handle a sword."

Mary Sue bit her lip. "But my opponent won't always have a sword. The spell will take on whatever their weapon is."

Yami gave Mary Sue a 'Does it look like I give a shit?' expression. She sighed and supposed some form of training was better than nothing she still felt the need to point out, "it's only a defense spell. I can't attack with it."

"You better work on that then. Get an attack spell. Got it?" He ordered like she had a choice in how her spells were discovered.

Still, she nodded in agreement.

oOoOoOoOo

Her bones and muscles ached and groaned when she forced herself out of bed this morning, but she would not even dare to be late for training with Yami. Not unless she had a death wish. Given how her body was feeling though, she could lean towards that wish any day now.

Mary Sue finished chewing her porridge, thankful she had a moment of peace at breakfast this morning to ready her mind before more body grueling exercises. She stood up and stretched, fighting a yawn.

Mary Sue began to clear her dishes from the table when her eyes caught sight of someone walking into the dining room. Startled, she stumbled a step backwards, her blood running cold. That traitor, William Vangeance, strode to her. She fought to keep composed as a vile surge of hatred coursed through her veins. His duplicitous personality made her want to vomit. Here he was, offering her a polite smile before gesturing to the seat next to her. She returned a tight smile and nodded in false approval.

Her luck had granted her reprieve from his presence ever since she had joined the Grey Deer. It seemed luck had a twisted sense of humor allowing William to cross her path. He was supposed to be off on an assignment still.

"Mary Sue, I am glad to finally officially meet you."

Mary Sue somehow still maintained that tight smile and murmured her agreement.

"Would you like me to work with you today instead of Yami?" He asked her while pointedly staring at the empty seat next to him.

"No!" She replied all too quickly before sitting down. "I mean, I don't think I am worthy of anyone else to train me until I prove myself to Yami."

"Haven't you only been training with him for a few days now?" William asked, skepticism in his voice. Perhaps unintentionally he reached for the gold elaborate mask hiding his scars. Mary Sue cringed, inferring William assumed she was refusing his help due to his appearance. How could it be when facing a monster whose treachery would result in the death of many she felt like the monster?

"I am at a pathetic stage of my magic use still," she admitted reluctantly to remove the burden of guilt. But she was getting better. Or at least she thought so!

"You know I was there too. When you received your new spell. With that magic item," he angled his head towards the bead dangling from her neck by a silver chain. One that Julius gifted to her after her last one snapped. "I once doubted myself as well. But when I embraced who I was and what I could do, I found another side to my magic."

Mary Sue bit her lip. She knew that all too well.

"Julius was the catalyst that pushed me to be where I am today. Including all the others on our squad. Including you. He saw something in you. It's your choice to embrace it or reject it."

Her nose scrunched. He was singing Julius's praises, yet he would be the one that lead to Julius's death. Mary Sue could not make sense of it. Why couldn't William take his own advice in the end?

"You have a point," she answered halfheartedly.

"Good. I am glad you can see it that way. Yami left shortly ago on Julius's orders. So, you will be training with me today."

Dread pitted in her stomach. "What?" She croaked.

He laughed. Too carefree. "I just wanted to make sure you would be willing to be trained by me before revealing the truth."

Gold eyes glimmered in the slits of the mask. It was a smidge difficult to take his future villain status seriously when fluffy red and white feathers strutted out from his mask.

"Okay…" she relented, doubting she had any other choice at this point. Granted she could always quit. But oddly, the thought of letting Julius down without giving it her all pushed her forward.

"Life isn't made for the weak hearted," she said as she rose from her seat at the table.

"Hmmm?"

"Life can be, no scratch that, does suck. It's hard. It's difficult. Bad things happen to good people. But it doesn't have to define that person if they look for the good in this world. Try to put a positive spin on it."

"Interesting outlook," he murmured.

"Perhaps." And that's all she would ever say on the matter. Because her luck would not, could not, change the tides in the future to come. Despite the terrible outcome.

And for that reason, guilt gnawed at her. Julius. She tucked the emerging painful thoughts into a deep pocket in the back of her mind.

oOoOoOoOo

Over the next six months Mary Sue was trained by all members of the Grey Deer. The regime of training was set on expanding her range of adapting her Inverse Guard spell. She was cross trained to fight with a variety of weapons from different magical disciplines. In this time, she had not gained any attack spells. But once Mary Sue learned booster spells to enhance another's magic, she was invited on missions to support her squad. She could defend herself decently and help improve her squads attack capabilities. She turned out to be a hidden gem most squad mates had agreed, and their faith in their captain's ability to see potential in other magic users was increased. As was Yami's own viewpoint.

oOoOoOoOo

Mary Sue's seventh mission for the Grey Deer was different than usual. No guns ablazing attack or mysterious place to explore for magic items. They were just observing and acquiring information in the Capital. It was simple, but she was certain there was danger looming with the right information gained to spark Julius's brain into a plan of action of recent unrest in the Clover Kingdom.

While Mary Sue found herself to be a discrete observer (despite the uniform), Yami stuck out a like a sore thumb in the crowd and had an abrasive aura him to boot. So was it really surprising when she found him in some altercation after returning from greeting her Aunt and Uncle across the square? She didn't hear it all, but she heard enough as she approached the squatty nobleman telling off Yami for some reason.

Normally she would not intervene, but she found herself stepping forward from the crowd, cutting off Yami before he could interject anything from his colorful vocabulary.

"Yami has more honor and worth in his right little pinky toe than you do in your entire body," she interrupted, her eyes blazing with annoyance. Yami did more for their Kingdom then this worthless noble ever would. She should know as she too once enjoyed that life of comfort and ease, taking for granted the peace kept by the magic knights.

The nobleman's mouth curled back as reviewed Mary Sue's appearance with distaste. "Your nobility is of the lowest tier. Do you think you can talk to me that way?" he accused, as if Mary Sue would care about the difference in their nobility ranks.

Mary Sue smirked as she plucked her grimoire from her satchel slung around her hip. Her opponent's eyes grew as wide as saucers as she began to cast her spell.

"Luck magic: fortune favors kindness."

The noblemen laughed. "Is that-"

"Daddy?" A little girl called while running up the nobleman. He jerked his head in the direction she came from, opening his arms wide to greet his daughter. "One second, pumpkin, I have trash to take care of."

"Oh, can I watch?" The little girl crooned, excitement shining in her little grey eyes that surveyed the crowd. The nobleman picked up his daughter to face Yami and Mary Sue. Before he opened his mouth, his daughter wiggled out of his arms and ran towards the crowd.

"Hey mister!" She turned around and waved her father over. "This is the man who saved me during the kidnapping! Remember daddy how I told you a magic knight saved me?! It's this man!"

She hugged Yami's leg and Mary Sue stifled a laugh.

"Hhh-him?" The nobleman stuttered, losing his composure. "You are sure?"

"Oh yes! I could never forget him!" She squealed in delight.

"Hey squirt," Yami greeted her, shaking the leg she was wrapped around.

The girl giggled. "Mister, daddy has someone to punish and then I will come back to see you again."

The nobleman appeared conflicted.

"I will let you off this one time for your insolence," he sneered. "Consider us even." His eyes locked with Yami. "Come, Mary Bella."

"But father," she whined.

"I won't say it twice," he warned. The young girl waved at Yami before following her father into the crowd.

"Well, wasn't that something. You sure got a mouth on you," Yami commented, not taking his eyes off the part of the crowd where the nobleman and his daughter just departed.

"You're welcome, Yami. I know that's the closest you'll get to saying thank you," Mary Sue replied, slapping his shoulder.

"Shouldn't you be the one to thank me?" Sure, he had saved the little girl in the first place.

"Without me, who knows if or when she would have showed up." She threw Yami a wide, cocky grin.

"You're either getting cocky, arrogant or confident in your abilities."

"Just confident," she assured him. "I have no right to be cocky or arrogant when I can't land any real attacks on someone." But the other use of her magic she was slowly coming to terms with beginning to be damn proud of. Bit by bit loosening up her blame and distaste on luck when it came to her magic.

"Not yet," Morgen corrected her, as he joined the two.

Mary Sue raised a brow. "Sure," she agreed non-committedly. "Not yet." She tilted her around, expecting Dreggo to be popping up as well. They were a pair on this mission, just like her and Yami. Pairing her up with Yami had been on Julius's part. Yami was an egotistical oaf who cared too much about alcohol, gambling and his bowel movements. He was good company at times, but also could be a big thorn in her side.

Still, no one held a candle next to dear Dreggo who tore apart her abilities every public chance offered to him. To be honest, it pleased her to watch his tirades. She needed his hate to remind her of something she could never forget. Luck favored her and that included her relationships with others. Their affinity for her was not genuine. Sometimes she would slip up and momentarily forget this. Dreggo could break through that spell at least and Yami too. She was noticing a strange pattern where Dreggo's words held a little less contempt and disgust over time. Which wasn't good.

She wanted to be like the Emperor from Star Wars and tell him, "Good, good. Let the hate flow through you." She smirked as she conjured up this image in her mind. Her bushy hair was shrouded in a dark cloak and her thin arms were outstretched in Dreggo's direction as she provoked his fury. She soon doubled over in laughter at the outrageous image.

"Hey. Weirdo." A sharp jab in her ribs brought her back to reality. She caught the tan finger in her hand as it went for a second poke. "You are causing a scene."

Mary Sue snorted after releasing Yami's finger. "Like you are one to talk, Yami," she mock chastised. She altered her voice, speaking in an awkward low baritone. "I am Yami. I like to gamble and announce in a grand way when I need to pinch a loaf, no matter the presence of who is in front of me. I am an ill-mannered oaf," she mocked while widening her stance and lumbering around him. Something odd struck her as she detailed her mockery out loud. Yami didn't smoke. When in the anime did the audience not see him smoking to his heart's content? Was she not in the same Black Clover she had watched on TV?

Yami laughed. He laughed a deep, throaty laugh before slapping his hand on her shoulder. "You got guts, kid." Then he smiled at her. A real, genuine smile with no hints of teasing in his dark eyes. Like he…liked her. She was his friend. With that thought her heart tensed. But then in a flash his eyes morphed into black pits as they narrowed on her. The grip on her shoulder tightened. "Do that again, and I will kill you. I don't care if Julius sees you as his pet project. Got it?"

Mary Sue swallowed before returning to her normal posture of squared shoulders and legs touching one another. "Yes sir, Yami, sir," she replied too quickly.

…

Off in the distance, Julius remained in his disguise, blending with the crowd still dispersing.

Yami could fight his own battles. As captain and of noble class, Julius had to carefully craft how he handled any public political stances he made. He understood his path to becoming the Wizard King could not be won just by his magic use. He also had to appeal to the people.

Mary Sue stood up for Yami. Acting like it was no big deal the waves she was making in a still water pond. For once, he didn't see her for just her unique magic. She was not a puppet whose strings he pulled. She was something else.

Julius closed his eyes. Of course, he was fond of her as his only female squad member. All of the magic knights on his team were. Even Dreggo who put up a strong front and rather die than admit he liked his squad mate. She was fun to interact with, as most of his subordinates were. Her features weren't of great beauty, but she wasn't unpleasant to look at. She made the most interesting facial expressions when provoked.

Perhaps he treated her a little more special than the men of the Grey Deer? She was a woman. Wasn't that natural to happen? So he laughed a little more around her? And perhaps touched her shoulders or arms as a natural reaction? And he gravitated towards her, interested to see how her magic would grow. But was it really just that? He sought her out to see what her potential was? Nothing more?

Julius stumbled backwards. Had he seen that correctly? Yami smiled? At Mary Sue? Yami didn't smile or enjoy the company of others. Julius's expression grew cold as he assessed the two further.

He turned away. Julius had a plan. For the kingdom's future. He couldn't lose focus because…whatever this was.

What was it?

Luck Magic: fortune favors love.

That spell hadn't worked. He was sure of it. It was too weak. But yet…why did things change for him after that day? He relentlessly pursued Mary Sue to convince her to join the magic knights. He had been persistent with other recruits. But… not on the same level. He wanted them to join. But with Mary Sue, it was like…he needed her to join. To be on the Grey Deer. With him.

Did he have feelings for her?

This innocent question to himself, he should have never asked. Because Julius realized it had an impossible answer.

It was a fluke. Whatever was bumbling around in his heart, causing him to question himself and feel off kilter.

He couldn't take the risk of whatever this was he was feeling towards her. This…something more that he would not outright attribute a name to. He was not allowed to have such 'feelings'.

Ignoring and pretending they were not there would never do. Julius knew himself better than that. Discovering their presence unleashed their potential to distract him. Such as now.

There was only one sure way to eviscerate these 'feelings'. He must 'confess' them to her. She would reject him, and he could move on knowing nothing could come from it. Problem solved as he knew any form of a love story was not his path to take to become the next Wizard King.

Julius waited until later that day to steal Mary Sue from Yami's side as they continued their mission for seeking more information in town.

OoOoOoO

As soon as she exited the church, Mary Sue was pulled away. She looked to the owner of the hand yanking on her arm. It was Julius.

"Captain?" He did not acknowledge her until they were in seclusion. A narrow space between buildings. The sun was setting, and Mary Sue was confused. Julius finally faced her. He was smiling as he looked down at her. Like she was a breath of fresh air for him.

Then his demeanor had shifted in the blink of an eye. "Mary Sue, I like you," he confessed, his voice soft. His purple eyes didn't twinkle with mischief. There was a raw vulnerability to them. Her heart stuttered. He was being serious.

This was a different side to Julius she had never witnessed before. He was vulnerable. Not silly, scheming or annoyingly positive.

AND this was also not a side of him that should have ever developed.

It was because of her.

She was the instigator.

The problem.

She had to remedy this and push him back on the right course.

Mary Sue groaned. "No, you don't. You're just led to believe that," she corrected.

"How am I led to believe I have feelings for you but in fact don't?" Julius questioned, eyes narrowing.

"Because…" Mary Sue flailed her hands in the air. "I can't explain it well, but you don't. Trust me. It's just the effect of my being here."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"I know." She took a step back from him. "I understand it which is good enough. Look, I'll see if I can transfer squads. Or just quit the magic knights all together."

Mary Sue's fingers fumbled with the top buttons of her cloak wrapped around her neck. Before she could pop free the second button, Julius's hand covered her own.

"Don't take it off."

"It's the only way to fix this." She persisted in unfastening the button and slid the cloak off.

"So, your magic doesn't work then."

Her head flinched back slightly. "Huh?"

Mary Sue lowered her gaze after watching Julius clench his jaw.

"You cast a spell for me to find love."

Mary Sue darted her gaze back to Julius, surprised by his gruff response. Her chest tightened. The all too familiar anxiety reappeared with the desire to share the truth. The burden of this Mary Sue curse. The future Wizard King was not supposed to feel this way toward her. He had other things to worry about. She was naïve when she cast her spell to demonstrate her magic. If anything, she assumed it was an untold storyline. Julius having a backstory of a lover never mentioned in the anime.

Mary Sue opened her mouth. Nothing came out, her words drying up. Because the truth was unexplainable for any sane person to believe. And Julius had a fate she could not interfere with. For the good of the kingdom.

He was the future Wizard King. Mary Sue was wasting his time with her magnetic force for the world around her to bend to her will. She let things get out of hand. She never should have embraced her luck and let herself slide so easily in with the Grey Deer. She was now facing the consequences. And she could not distract the most powerful man in the world from his destiny.

It was not his fault he felt this way. Even if she was the result of the spell she cast.

Mary Sue reclaimed her composure.

"It was wrong for me to do that," she apologized, no inflection to her voice. "I was manipulating you to get what I wanted."

"Which is not me." It was not a question. She just prayed he didn't ask what is what that she wanted.

"Yes." Mary Sue thrusted out her chest before crossing her arms. "I have gained everything I needed. The best move now is leaving."

"Your magic has grown since joining." Mary Sue forced herself not to wince as she heard Julius shift to his captain persona. "There is so much more you are capable of. Don't quit being a knight. Join another squad if you must," he reasoned.

"I don't want to play hero anymore, Captain."

"Oh? You're ready to return to fulfilling self-indulgent wishes?" He mocked.

Mary Sue could not help but flinch.

"Your words, not mine," he reminded her.

"That is the road I was meant to travel," Mary Sue seethed.

"Says who?" She flinched again; Julius never raised his voice at her. "Have you not contributed well to Grey Deer? Saved lives? I have seen it. So have your squad mates." Julius ran a hand through his unruly blond hair. "I don't think luck magic is a blessing. I think it's your curse because you assume only good things come to you because of it."

"Because they do!" Mary Sue threw up her arms in the air. "I earn nothing for myself. It is just given to me, or luck favors me. Your misguided affection for me even stems from it!"

"Your weak magic back then had no effect on me. Your other customers? I am sure it did mostly work. But I chose to care about you."

So, he had lied that her spell has affected him? But why? What did he have to gain by lying?

The future Wizard King, destined to die for his kingdom still believed his feelings were real. Mary Sue felt sorry for him. It was still the Mary Sue curse.

"We go on different paths after today, Julius." She ignored acknowledging his deceit.

"Because you're scared," he taunted.

"Of what?"

"What it means allowing yourself to feel the same way. Don't-" he stopped himself then shook his head. "This is not how I planned for this to go. I shouldn't be this worked up."

The gears were whirling in her head. He was not making sense. "What?"

Mary Sue steeled herself. She should not give him time to formulate a response. She didn't want or need any further explanation from him.

"I will see if another squad wants me." In the end, she did not want to stop her growth in her magic. But it was time to do it away from the main characters of this world. No more interfering.

Julius sighed. "At least you're not quitting the magic knights." He looked away from her. "I should have kept it to myself. I didn't think this would happen."

"No. I am glad you told me. You have a goal of reforming this kingdom. I am a hindrance for your focus."

"You're not," he refuted.

"I am. This is for the better, Captain, and it's my choice. Please respect that."

Mary Sue turned away without looking at his face again.

oOoOoOoOo

Note:

This could use some better editing, I admit. I could use a beta but I am too lazy to ask for one. I write this in my spare time so please forgive my grammar issues/typos or feel free to point out annoying errors in a review/message. I am always open to feedback, positive or negative.

I love some of this. And some I am like I just needed to write it. Yes, time skipped here. This was supposed to be a shorter story when I first developed the concept, so I think I am getting a little lazy and telling and not showing with this writing. Please offer feedback if you didn't like this update. No feedback means it was readable and you are still following this story

I know there are still unanswered questions about her noble family in this world and etc. I think I plan to get to this later. And I have a cool backstory for the tattoo origin. Hopefully I stick to it.

Thanks for reading!

~pixelephant

(SPOILER ALERT for this story, don't read if you don't want to know

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She mentions how Julius is destined to die for his kingdom. She died before seeing the episode where we find out Julius is still alive after the Elf Arc)