บท 7: Grimoire Acceptance Ceremony I
It was finally nearing Asta, Yuno, and Light's grimoire acceptance ceremony.
"I'll become Wizard King someday!!!" Asta's voice echoed throughout the chapel church, heard not only within its walls but throughout the whole village.
The farmers in the fields turned their attention to the source of the voice. "Oh! It's the loud kid from the church," one of them remarked.
"And I swear that I'll make you happy!!!" Asta kneeled before Sister Lily and added, "So would you please marry me—"
"Sorry, Asta. It's not allowed. I'm everyone's sister!" Sister Lily smiled helplessly as she replied.
"I will not give up!!! I'm not finished yet!!!" Asta shouted defiantly as he approached closer to Sister Lily.
"What?" Sister Lily said helplessly, "I'll still not agree."
"I will not give up!!!" Asta roared at the top of his lungs.
"The answer is still no."
"You're not getting rid of me so easily!"
"My answer will not change..."
Light watched this familiar scene quietly. This was a scene that always played out when he was still a child.
This Asta was truly persistent and determined. He had the will of D. in One Piece.
Sometimes, Light wondered if he could devour Asta's soul through Death Flame and subject him to his will, but it was useless. Asta was magicless, a peculiar existence even in this fantasy magic world.
Not to mention that Light had grown fond of Asta. So he wouldn't really harm him. Besides, if Asta was subjected to his will, Asta's will would be extinguished forever, leaving less interesting people in this world. Light didn't feel bored when Asta was around; that's why he found him interesting. But sometimes, he couldn't help but be irritated by his loud voice. Luckily, he had a True Death Magic spell that stealthily covered his eardrums and allowed him to lower the volume of what he heard.
"Just leave me alone already!!!" Sister Lily finally couldn't take it anymore and used magic from her grimoire to stun Asta with aqua magic.
"Oh!!! I'll not— blergh!!!" Asta was hit hard and pressed against the ground.
But Asta was Asta, and Light couldn't help but chuckle when Asta stood up seemingly unaffected, roaring, "The game is still on!!!"
"Kyahhh!" Sister Lily cast a magic spell again and sent Asta flying through the air. She looked at Light for help, knowing that Asta would not give up, but Light just shrugged.
"Oops. That might hurt," Light chuckled as he shook his head. But he wasn't too worried. Asta was Asta.
A sudden wind seemingly blew Asta away, but it actually helped him land with less impact.
A handsome young man in black clothes with long sleeves approached, wearing an exquisite necklace. Beside him were a child named Nash and a slightly shorter girl named Recca.
"Asta, are you annoying the sister again?" the handsome young man asked.
"You really won't give up, will you? How many times has she rejected you?" Nash scratched his head helplessly.
"Shut your damn mouth, shrimp! And also, why are you getting in my way, Yuno!?" Asta pointed at Nash in anger before accusing Yuno.
"Why?" Yuno brought his hands to his chin. "Because you're short, annoying, you can't relax, you're narrow-minded, and, on top of that, you have no luck with women."
Asta, who heard all of that, suffered from emotional damage. (Insert meme here.)
"Nwoo!!! Is that something you want to say to someone who grew up alongside you for 15 years, pretty boy!?" Asta shouted in anger.
"Let me help you out, sister." Yuno ignored Asta and said to Sister Lily.
"Thank you, Yuno." Sister Lily appreciated it.
"Don't ignore me!!!"
"Asta, she's part of the clergy, she can't get married, and you're only 15 too."
"I didn't ask for your opinion, Yuno!!!"
Light shook his head. "You two are at it again."
Asta and Yuno stopped their argument and turned to Light.
"Asta, Yuno is right. Just be a good boy and inherit the church from Father Orsi and become a priest," Light added with a chuckle and a teasing tone.
"Even you, Light, saying such words to me!? You also want to stop me from marrying Sister Lily, Light!? Even if you are helping me sometimes, you can't stop me! You want to get in my way!? You can fight me—" Asta pointed an accusatory finger at Light.
"Idiot. No one is stopping you. Besides, Light, unlike you, is powerful," Yuno shook his head. Even he might not be able to defeat Light, let alone Asta.
"Don't call me an idiot!!!" Asta shouted loudly at Yuno.
Yuno snorted, and Asta felt annoyed.
"I challenge you!!! Fight me!!!" Asta pointed at Yuno with determination.
"No."
"Why!?"
"Because it's a waste of time."
"Try saying that again, punk!!!"
Yuno shook his head.
Asta, in anger, pointed at Yuno and Light, "You two can even join together and fight me together!?"
Nash, who was putting timbers and lighting a fire in a stone stove, said, "Asta, stop. We all know you can't beat Yuno or Light... Because..."
"You two! Take this!!!" Asta posed and then, with his opened palm, pushed his two palms in the direction of Yuno and Light.
Nash's words fell, "You can't use magic."
Asta's palms, the magic fire Asta was expecting, didn't come out.
"Nothing happened!!!" Asta cried out in helplessness.
"I still can't believe you can't use magic at your age," Nash said with a hint of mockery towards Asta.
"Tsk... Damnit." Asta fell to his knees and bowed down in despair.
Afterward, Asta stood up. "I'm not giving up!!!" He posed again and tried to use magic, but not even a fart came out.
A small child girl named Aruru laughed with amusement. "Hahaha, that's pretty funny, Asta."
Asta did sit-ups and all kinds of exercises.
Which amused Aruru even more. She laughed, "Asta, you're funny!"
But Asta's performance was quickly overshadowed by Yuno showing off his wind magic. Aruru exclaimed, "Elder Brother Yuno is so cool!!!"
Asta wanted to show off his timber-hewing skills to them, but Light used just a bit of Fire Magic. He gestured at the uncut timbers, and before Asta could show off, the threads of fire encircled the timbers and cut them to pieces effortlessly.
Nash shook his head upon seeing this scene. "You three are all the same age, but the difference is vast."
Asta remembered the past when he, Yuno, and Light ate together, bathed together, and slept together.
Asta couldn't help but grab Light's collar. "Why did this happen!?"
Yuno wanted to reply to Asta's question, but Light spoke.
Light saw Asta crying, and he smiled. "Asta. This is a difference in talent and hard work. Me and Yuno aren't only talented but also working hard."
"Yuno and Light are the hope of our humble church!!!" Father Orsi exclaimed.
The little children also admired Light and Yuno, and Asta was left defeated.
"If you two really work hard, there's a chance for you two to become a Wizard King!!!" Nash exclaimed.
Yuno glanced at the casually composed Light. Although Yuno admired Asta and Asta was the reason he changed, he couldn't shake off the feeling that beside Asta, Light was his feared rival.
Light indeed possessed magic, but he kept his abilities mostly hidden from Asta and Yuno. Unbeknownst to Light, Yuno noticed that when he was doing chores, Light was subtly training his magic.
Despite the cold exterior he often showed to Asta, Yuno believed in Asta more than he did in himself or Light. Light's composure made Yuno uneasy, and he couldn't shake the feeling that Light was always concealing something from them.
Seeing Asta alone, Sister Lily approached him and said, "Asta, don't be discouraged. It's almost time for the Grimoire Acceptance Ceremony. If you manage to acquire a grimoire, you might be able to use magic."
Asta, hearing those words, regained his confidence. "You're absolutely right, Sister Lily!!!"
"I'll get a grimoire greater than anyone else and become a Magic Knight!" Asta looked at the sky with optimism, clenching his fists. "I'll become a Wizard King and come back to rebuild this dirty little church!"
Sister Lily had beads of sweat on her forehead, and Father Orsi flinched by Asta's statement.
"The only ones with the possibility of becoming Wizard King are nobles or royalty with extremely powerful magic," Nash shook his head.
"That possibility is open to everyone!" Asta countered.
"They won't allow low-born orphans to become Wizard King."
"And since you can't even use magic, it's not even considered a dream for you, Asta." Nash stared Asta in the eye. "You do know that everyone in the village is making fun of you, right!?"
"You watch your mouth, dammit!" Asta ran away, shouting those words.
"Is he really older than me?" Nash scratched his head helplessly.
Sister Lily called for Asta to come back, but Yuno reassured her that Asta would return for dinner.
Light observed Nash. Nash was right; the villagers were secretly and sometimes openly making fun of Asta. However, Light didn't want to harm an innocent. While he sought to gain power and absorb power, he refused to be consumed by it. He considered himself the master of his power, not the other way around.
So, he only pursued those who went too far and hurt Asta, like William, who had risen far in the capital to become a vice-captain of the Crimson Lion Magic Squad.
As for Asta, Light wasn't too worried. Over the years, Light had been curious about why Asta lacked magic, which was exceptionally unusual in this world. Secretly, he had used magic to examine Asta's body.
But something always repelled him—something negating.
Light was taken aback to find that Asta's body was brimming with anti-magic.
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