The next day wasn't kind to Will.
He shut himself in his room, barely moving from bed, plagued by visions of an apocalyptic event he couldn't remember living through.
Hellfire rained down on the academy in such magnitude, you would have thought the Fated Day had arrived.
But that wasn't all.
He saw flickers of time spent in the dungeon with his master—scenes that should've been familiar but felt foreign and out of place.
Faces blurred.
Voices distorted.
They were censored like a bad dream, yet they pulsed with such familiarity, it made his skin crawl.
And then there were the whispers.
Elfaria's voice.
His foster father's too.
"I've restored as much of his memory as I could with my magic. This should help Will remember you."
"Really?!"
"Yes. But his memories haven't fully returned. The magic I used is a form of suggestion. I've implanted the idea, based on my own memories, of what happened. It's like a form of hypnosis."
Will clutched his head.
What are you talking about? What memories? What did you do to me?!
The conversation that haunted him most wasn't even aimed at him directly—it was something he'd overheard… somehow, something not meant for his ears.
"Elfaria, I've told you before—you have incredible talent," his father had said. "If we set aside Will for a moment... as someone who can use magic, I want you to go to Rigarden."
"You too?! Even you're saying that, Father?!" she'd shouted.
"There's something else I've been debating whether or not to tell you..." His voice lowered, serious. "In Rigarden, there are many rare and forbidden magics stored away. It's possible that among them, there's a secret art that could restore Will's memory."
"...!!"
"And if anyone can find it—it's you, Elfaria. With your talent, you're the only one who might have a chance."
Will remembered his stomach twisting.
He had barely made it to the bathroom before vomiting.
Elfie… went to Rigarden and got taken by the tower?
For me?
She got herself dragged into that place for me?!
He leaned over the basin, trembling, bile stinging his throat.
He felt nauseous.
Sick.
Devastated.
Heartbroken.
But above all else—he felt rage.
Not at them. Not at himself.
At someone named Evan.
Why?
He didn't know.
But just hearing the name made his blood boil.
And that scared him more than anything.
Colette's confession from last night only made things worse.
How was he supposed to respond to feelings he couldn't even remember causing?
How could something so monumental—so life-changing—slip from his mind like it never happened?
He paced in place, fingers twitching.
Why do I remember bits and pieces… but not the important parts?
Why do some memories feel stitched together—like they're someone else's, not mine?
The world around him began to blur.
He didn't feel human anymore.
He felt like a puppet, a golem, built out of magic and lies.
Something constructed to act and feel a certain way.
His stomach churned.
He dropped to his knees.
Kiki… he thought, but didn't call out.
He hadn't spoken to her all morning.
Not even a glance her way.
She purred softly from the corner of the room, tail flicking, but he didn't respond.
He couldn't.
He felt too sick.
Too… wrong.
Sleep was impossible.
Food sat untouched.
He curled up in bed, head gripped tight between his palms, breath hitching.
Then came the shaking.
The shivering.
The sudden cries and the screams that filled the night.
He barely registered when Workner-sensei kicked the door open.
"Oi! What the hell's gotten into you?!"
Will didn't answer.
He couldn't hear him.
The pain drowned out everything.
A cold rag.
A warm hand on his back.
Words, but distant—like they were underwater.
The next morning, he groggily opened one eye.
There was a note left on his nightstand in that unmistakable elegant handwriting:
"Rest. Eat. Then go out and breathe when you're ready. You're not made of glass, Will. — Workner."
He stared at it for a moment.
Then crumpled it.
Kiki hopped up and landed beside him.
He didn't speak Carbuncle yet he understood her words clearly.
"You're not okay yet…" she mewed quietly. "Stay in bed a bit longer, please? Just a bit?"
But he ignored her too.
His limbs protested as he forced himself upright.
He grabbed his glasses, dragged himself to the door, and stepped into the morning light.
He needed answers.
He needed clarity—or at least someone who could make sense of the mess in his head.
There were only two people who appeared over and over in those hazy visions.
The two always stood at the core of his fragmented memories.
One of them he couldn't meet for another few days, so he would seek out the other.
His Shishō.
Today, he would find him.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Rap.
Rap.
Rap.
Creak.
After a short series of knocks, the door to his master's home swung open.
Asta stood there in nothing but a plain white shirt and shorts, blinking in the sunlight.
He gave Will a once-over.
Then frowned.
"You look like shit."
Will let out a tired groan. "I feel like shi—"
"Language!"
A sharp hiss cut through the air like a whip.
Both flinched.
Will turned his head toward the interior of the house. "Was that…?"
Asta sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. She's home right now."
The two exchanged a look—part fear, part resignation.
Then Asta stepped aside and waved him in. "Alright, Kid. Get in here."
Will nodded silently and stepped past him… but stopped short when he saw Asta pointing at his own head.
The gesture was subtle, but loaded with meaning.
Will blinked, then reached up and ran a hand through his hair.
His fingers brushed against something dry and coarse—wrong.
He plucked at it gently.
Just a small cluster.
Yank!
No hesitation.
He pulled it out with a wince.
The strands in his hand were grey. Every last one of them.
He stared at them.
Then turned to his master.
"Shishō… I'm here for some answers."
Asta's expression shifted.
The playful edge in his eyes dulled into something heavier, more solemn.
"Dining room," he said.
That was all.
Will nodded again and followed, feet quiet against the floorboards as they disappeared down the hall.
When Will reached the dining table, he froze.
There sat a familiar figure—silver hair tied neatly into a topknot, a cooking apron over her blouse, and a baby nestled calmly in her lap.
Noelle looked up at him, already seated, and gave a small nod with a gentle smile.
"Lunch can wait," she said quietly. "I'm sure you wouldn't want any distractions."
Will blinked, then slowly took the seat across from her.
He dipped his head.
"Thank you… Missus Silva," he rasped, throat dry.
Without a word, she slid a glass of water across the table.
He took it without hesitation and sipped.
Shishō sure knows how to pick a wife, he thought briefly, placing the glass down with a quiet thump.
Asta sat down beside her, arms crossed, eyes steady.
Both husband and wife turned to Will, nodding in unison.
"What do you want to know first?" Asta asked.
Will hesitated, then bit his lip.
"W-why does my hair turn white…? What is this power of mine?"
Asta leaned back and scratched his chin.
"Honestly? We don't know much. Just that when your hair starts greying, it means you're tapping into the source of that power… whatever it actually is."
Will furrowed his brow. "So—what, it's like a meter?"
"No," Asta said, shaking his head. "More like a warning sign."
"If you want real answers," Noelle added, "you'll have to speak with someone who's more aware. Either the dwarf… or Caldron."
Will blinked.
"T-the Headmistress?"
Noelle nodded.
"She knows more than she lets on."
Asta gave a low hum. "From what we've pieced together… this power of yours isn't free. It comes at a steep cost. Or at least it used to."
Will's gaze narrowed.
"Because it's tied to your feelings, making it quite… let's say elusive" Noelle continued, "you had no way to control it at first. No trigger. So the only way your body could access it… was by burning the place those feelings come from."
Her voice softened.
"Your—"
"My memories," Will said through clenched teeth, cutting her off.
Silence hung over the room.
The couple nodded again, this time more solemnly.
Noelle looked down.
Asta shut his eyes.
They didn't look surprised.
Only sorry.
Will ground his teeth.
"B-before the Terminalia… just how many times did I use this power?"
Asta didn't say anything at first.
Then, silently, he raised three fingers.
"According to our intel," he said flatly, "this many times."
Will sucked in a breath—sharp, cold.
His gut twisted.
T-three times?
T-then that means I've lost my memories… at least three separate times?!
When?!
One was definitely before I came to Rigarden… I was nine or ten back then—maybe even a little younger. That lines up with what Father and Elfie were talking about.
That explains why so much of my early childhood feels fake—like it wasn't mine. But the other two…?
He took another slow sip of water.
Still baffling how clean and sweet it tasted here.
It almost grounded him.
He looked up again, forcing his voice low and calm.
Nigel sat wide-eyed in Noelle's lap, clearly listening, and the last thing Will wanted was to scare him.
He met the couple's eyes.
"W-what does the Headmistress have to do with all this?"
Asta didn't answer him right away.
Instead, he asked, "Will, do you remember how I stopped bringing you down to the dungeon two years ago?"
Will hesitated, then gave a slow nod.
"Y-yeah? What about it?"
Asta pointed at him.
"It wasn't just because Noelle and I got married," he said. "That was part of it—but not the whole story."
His voice dropped.
"That same year, when we took a dive down to floor 39… your power awakened."
"F-FLOOR 39?!"
Will nearly shot to his feet.
"I-I've been to the thirty-ninth floor?!"
Nigel flinched at the sudden outburst, eyes going even wider—but to Will's relief, he didn't cry.
Still, Will sat back down, visibly tense, and offered the family an apologetic bow of the head.
"S-sorry," he muttered.
Noelle gave him a soft smile and gently rubbed Nigel's back.
The baby blinked, then quietly clutched at her apron.
Asta just shook his head.
"No. I'm the one who should apologize."
His gaze fell to the table, voice low.
"Because of my arrogance that day… thinking I could teach you by stepping back—by letting you struggle alone—your power awakened. Or maybe… it reawakened. A survival reflex."
He looked Will in the eyes.
"And the cost was another piece of you."
"...Then what happened?" Will asked, his voice barely audible.
"You went on to clear the rest of the floor by yourself," Noelle answered softly, speaking in her husband's place. "But you burned through your entire sense of self doing it. By the time Asta brought you back home… you weren't really you anymore."
Will turned to her slowly, eyes searching.
She continued, voice steady but filled with memory.
"We were helpless. We didn't know what to do—or even who to turn to. You were unresponsive. Blank. And then…"
She trailed off.
Will leaned in.
"...Headmistress Caldron?"
Noelle nodded.
"She came knocking at our door out of nowhere. Used some kind of spell—two, actually. One to restore you to the state you were in when you first entered the academy… and another that let us fill in your memories with what we knew about you from our four years together."
Will's jaw clenched.
Just like what Father Ashley told Elfie…? That secret magic—was this what he meant?
But something didn't sit right.
He shook his head.
"B-but that doesn't make sense. I've got other memories too—not just with you two. I remember all kinds of things from my time at the academy—"
"But most of those are fuzzy, unclear, and fragmented… right?" Asta cut in.
Will winced, then pressed a hand to the side of his head.
He gave a slow, pained nod.
"Y-yeah…"
Asta sighed and leaned back.
"Will. You keep a diary, don't you? One you update every day?"
Will gave a small, wry tilt of his head.
"I mean… that's kind of the point of a diary."
"Then why do you have one?" Asta asked, voice sharper now.
He leaned forward, gaze piercing.
"Do you remember who told you to start keeping it?"
Will's breath caught.
His eyes went wide.
Magenta irises trembled with realization… and quiet dread.
He whispered, "T-the Headmistress…"
Noelle let out a quiet sigh.
"Yes," she said. "She used that diary to cast a kind of hypnosis—something subtle. It allowed her to insert other memories into your mind, making them feel natural."
She glanced toward Asta, then back to Will.
"It was meant to help you remember basic things: who your classmates are, your teachers, your relationships with them… even general knowledge you picked up over the years."
She paused, then added, "The last part was actually the easiest. Since your understanding had been lost, she filled it in with her own scholarly expertise."
Will tensed, his breath catching.
Then why do I remember some things… and not others?
Why do I remember saving Colette, but only vaguely?
Did I not write it in my diary for some reason?
Did the Headmistress miss it? Or… did she purposely leave it out?
Why? Why would she do that?!
Another flash hit him—screams, and fire raining from the sky in chunks of burning stone.
Am I not supposed to remember something about it?
He bit his lip, eyes unfocused.
He was grateful to the Headmistress.
He truly was.
She let him stay at the academy, despite being magicless.
She gave him his dream back.
She was probably still watching over him in secret, even now.
Maybe… maybe the reason I'm so good at learning is also somewhat because of her.
Maybe she added something… a small boost to my intelligence, to make up for everything I lost.
Maybe that's why studying comes so naturally now.
Maybe she added some extra layer of hypnosis to help me fully immerse and focus in class.
Maybe.
But even so…
That moment—whatever it was—meant something to Colette.
It was important to her.
So it's important to me.
And I want it back.
I want all of it back.
Everything I've forgotten—I want it all!
Will drifted back to the present and slumped into his seat, shoulders heavy.
"I'm guessing… the dungeon was the third time," he muttered. "Since it's the most recent. So… do you know when the second time was? The second time I lost my memories?"
Asta shook his head slowly.
"No. Caldron only told us it was around six years ago. So probably a month or two before we first met you."
Will let out a soft sigh.
Then went quiet again.
Across the table, Asta and Noelle exchanged a look.
Meanwhile, little Nigel had begun to squirm out of his mother's lap.
Noelle gently lifted him, and he crawled over to Asta, nestling against his chest.
Will's voice returned, but distant—absentminded.
"So… what am I supposed to do now?"
He glanced at them, but didn't seem to be asking anyone in particular.
"Neither Mr. Finn nor Headmistress Caldron seem like the type to give me straight answers."
Asta adjusted Nigel slightly and clicked his tongue.
"Sorry, Kid… but you shouldn't worry too much."
Will blinked.
His gaze sharpened a bit.
"Why not?"
Asta grinned faintly.
"Because in three days, you're entering the most prestigious magic institution on the continent."
He leaned forward.
"You'll have access to records, history, and people that we don't. You can do your own digging—get your own answers. Don't ask how I know, but I've got a feeling the higher-ups already know something about you."
He gave a pointed look.
"And the more you climb the tower, the closer you'll come to that truth."
Will's pale expression began to brighten.
Hope sparked behind his eyes.
"Not to mention…" he said quickly, "Mr. Finn is clearly related to Masterias Noah. If he's in the tower—then I can find him. And even if he won't tell me everything, he'll have to explain something."
He clenched his fists.
"Especially if he wants something from me. He has to earn my favor, right?!"
There was a beat of silence.
Then Asta and Noelle both smiled at him—warm, but clearly forced.
"Yes," they said together.
Their smiles held, but behind them… a faint shadow lingered.
Will beamed, not thinking much of the weight behind the moment.
"Thank you. Really… for everything."
Asta chuckled. "Don't mention it. Just treat it as your graduation gift… money is tight."
He leaned back with a mock sigh.
"Now, unless there's anything else you wanna talk about…"
His tone shifted into something playfully stern.
"...I'm sending you straight home and into bed. You look like garbage."
He glanced at Noelle, who rolled her eyes but nodded in agreement.
"Yes. I'll drop by later with a proper meal for you," she added.
Will flushed slightly and ducked his head. "T-thanks…"
He paused.
Then frowned.
"Actually… there is one more thing."
His expression darkened—less sickly, more conflicted.
Asta straightened, the room shifting with his seriousness.
"What is it?"
Will scratched the back of his neck, avoiding both their eyes.
"I… I got a confession," he muttered. "From Colette. Two nights ago."
Asta froze.
Noelle raised an eyebrow.
"Isn't that a good thing?" she asked gently. "You don't look happy."
Asta nodded beside her. "Yeah, what's the problem? Not your type or something?"
Will turned bright red.
"N-No! I-it's not that—maybe—I-I don't know?!"
He waved his hands in protest, flustered and panicked.
Noelle gave Asta a light slap on the shoulder.
"Stop teasing," she said. "Then what is it?"
Will slumped again, all the tension draining back into his spine.
"I-it's just… I can't remember the event that made her fall in love with me."
He bit his lip.
"I think it's real. But I can't tell. It's not in my head—or if it is, it's buried so deep I don't know where to start."
He sighed, hands resting in his lap.
"I don't know if reading my diary would help… if I could even find it."
He looked up, gaze clouded.
"So I have no clue how to respond to her feelings sincerely. Not without knowing why she fell for me in the first place…"
Asta and Noelle went quiet.
Then, in unison, they frowned.
"...Oh."
Will chewed his lip, hesitating.
"Any ideas…?"
Noelle tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear, eyes steady.
"I'm guessing you don't want Colette to know you've forgotten that moment… do you?"
Will shook his head firmly.
"No. That'd surely be humiliating for her. Embarrassing too."
Asta rubbed his forehead with a tired groan.
"Then asking Caldron to patch that memory in through her is a total no-go."
Will nodded again, tight-lipped.
Noelle tapped her lips thoughtfully.
"Tell me, Will… is there any other reason you haven't responded to Colette's feelings? Besides being, you know, clueless?"
Asta patted Nigel's back, gently rocking him.
"Yeah. I get that it's a bit soon, but is there anything else holding you back from giving her an answer?"
Will opened his mouth, then immediately turned beet red.
He dropped his gaze to the table and spoke in a small voice.
"I-I tried to respond… but when I looked at her… all I could see was Elfie's face. And so…"
Noelle leaned forward slightly, watching him closely.
"So you're in love with Albis Vina?"
Will swallowed hard.
"Y-yeah… I think so…"
Noelle raised a brow, unimpressed.
"You think?"
Will shook his head quickly, his face glowing red.
"N-no! I know! I love Elfie…! I love her that way!"
Noelle's gaze sharpened.
"And if you did regain that memory… do you think things might change?"
Will froze.
His heart gave a hard thump in his chest.
Colette's face flashed through his mind—
Her expression that night…
The way she looked at him.
And the feel of her soft lips on his.
He bit down on his lower lip.
He wanted to say no.
That his feelings were unwavering.
That his heart belonged to Elfaria, and always would.
But…
"I'll always be in love with Elfie," he said quietly. "That'll never change."
His voice wavered.
"It's just… if I do remember… I can't say for certain I won't start feeling something for Colette, too. And my feelings for Elfie might…"
He swallowed.
"…they might dilute in the process."
As soon as the words left him, his stomach turned.
Bile clawed at the back of his throat.
Even after everything Elfie's done… even if she really did sacrifice herself for me…
I can't even promise I'll give her all of me in return?
The thought made his skin crawl.
He felt dirty.
All kinds of dirty.
Noelle let out a long breath and leaned back in her seat, eyes lifting to the wooden ceiling above.
"…That is a problem."
Asta looked at Will, then to his wife.
Something complicated flickered in his eyes—a mix of memory and regret.
He frowned slightly, then clenched his jaw and turned back to Will.
"Actually, Kid… I can empathize with you. A little."
Noelle stiffened.
Will tilted his head, puzzled.
"Really…? How?"
Asta held his gaze.
"I was in a similar situation once. Two girls… both pining after me—"
"Actually!" Noelle shot to her feet so suddenly that Will flinched.
"I just remembered—I need to restock on spices and veggies!"
She reached down, scooped Nigel from Asta's lap with startling speed, and clutched the baby to her chest.
"Y-you guys carry on without me! We'll be back in a few hours!"
Nigel blinked as he was whisked away, then gave one pudgy wave over Noelle's shoulder.
"Bwy Babah!"
Asta gave a weak smile and returned the wave.
"Bye, Nigel…"
Bang!
The front door slammed shut a moment later.
Will blinked at the suddenness of it all, then turned to his master with wide, confused eyes.
"Um… what was that about?"
Asta sighed, rubbing his temple before offering a crooked smile.
"One of the girls was, of course… Noelle."
He paused.
"The other was her cousin."
Will froze.
"Oh…"
Yeah.
He could definitely see how that would be… awkward.
Asta nodded slowly, his expression somewhere between bitter and embarrassed.
"Yeah."
A moment later, Asta let out a long sigh.
"From what you've told me… Colette sounds a bit like her. Orange hair. Kind. Supportive… Beautiful."
Will glanced at him, slightly bashful.
"What was her name?"
Asta gave a faint smile.
"Mimosa. Mimosa Vermillion."
Will paused.
Then he visibly shivered.
"V-Vermillion…? A-as in related to that beast?" he whispered, recalling a deeply scarring encounter at his master's wedding.
Asta chuckled lightly.
"Yeah. Her cousin. On their fathers' sides."
Will gulped.
Right…
He suddenly felt very glad his master had chosen Noelle instead.
He couldn't imagine anyone related to that woman being remotely pleasant—let alone loveable.
Still, he tried to stay polite.
"Did she not come to your wedding because… she lost you?"
Asta shook his head, gaze falling toward the table.
"No. She didn't come because she's gone."
Will blinked, confused.
"Gone? Where'd she go?"
Asta looked back up, eyes heavy.
"No. I mean she's… gone."
Will froze.
His heart sank, and he lowered his head.
"I—I see… I'm sorry. I didn't know… I didn't mean to—"
"It's fine, Will," Asta cut in gently.
"You couldn't have known."
Will took a deep breath, then gritted his teeth.
"Shishō… why'd you bring up Ms. Mimosa? What are you trying to tell me?"
Asta looked him over quietly, then let out a slow sigh.
"Will… the way you currently feel about Colette—do you think you've ever felt that way about her before that moment?"
Will hesitated.
Then slowly shook his head.
"N-no… I've always known she was pretty, and sweet… but until she actually told me how she felt—"
He trailed off, eyes distant.
"Not once has she made my heart beat like that… like…"
"Like her?" Asta cut in. "Like Albis Vina?"
Will flushed deep red and gave a sheepish nod.
"Y-yeah. Even though I didn't really get what I was feeling at the time… and I didn't understand that what Elfie felt for me was that kind of love…"
He lowered his gaze.
"Unconsciously, I always thought it was something like that. Her looks… her smile… her kindness… they all tugged at my chest in a way Colette never did. Not until that night."
Asta leaned back in his seat, stretching a little as he crossed one leg over the other.
"Then I think you have your answer."
Will tensed, hands tightening in his lap.
"Shishō… respectfully, I don't think it's that simple—"
"When I was young," Asta interrupted, "I had a stupid little crush on the woman who raised me at the orphanage."
Will blinked.
"…Huh?"
Asta raised one hand and shook his head.
"Just listen."
Will fell silent as Asta began.
"It took a while… and let's just say, several painful events I would've rather skipped. But eventually, I grew out of that phase."
He exhaled slowly.
"And then there was Noelle. Apparently, she had a crush on me a few years before I even realized what that meant. I was only starting to understand it back then…"
He paused.
"But once I did, once I saw her—everything changed. My heart started beating for her in a way it never had for that woman from the orphanage."
His voice softened.
"We didn't call it love yet. But the looks we shared… the quiet nights we sat together under the stars… eating side by side, or brushing hands now and then…"
He closed his eyes for a moment.
"It meant something. It held a promise. A promise that, one day, we'd understand these feelings… and express them."
Will straightened in his seat, drawn in.
"And…? What happened then?"
Asta rubbed a hand down his face.
"Mimosa… had feelings for me, too. Nearly as long as Noelle did. She just never said anything."
He frowned bitterly.
"She respected what Noelle and I had. Chose to stay silent. Chose not to get in the way."
Will held his breath.
"But…"
Asta's voice grew heavy.
"Then came the day she died. It wasn't peaceful. She was bleeding out in my arms."
Will's whole body went tense.
So it wasn't a natural death…
Asta kept going.
"And in those last moments… she finally told me."
His voice dropped.
"She confessed everything. Her feelings. Her regrets. And I…"
He hesitated, his jaw tightening.
"I doubted. I froze. In that instant, I saw a whole life with her. And I felt… dirty."
He looked down at his hands.
"Too dirty to face Noelle afterward. Like I'd cheated. Like I'd broken her trust. Like I wasn't worthy of her anymore."
There was a long pause.
Asta let out a breath.
"…I met you not long after that."
Will's pupils contracted behind his glasses.
He remembered that first meeting with his master—
A man who looked haunted.
Like someone running from ghosts… like someone who'd lost everything.
Is that why Shishō looked like that?!
For the first time, Will felt like he was getting real answers.
Not just about the past… but about him.
Asta, ignoring the ki rolling off his student, forced himself to meet his eyes.
"The reason we spent so much time down in that dungeon, those four years," he said quietly, "wasn't just for your training."
He exhaled slowly.
"It was because I couldn't face Noelle."
Will blinked.
"I avoided her. Shut her out of my life. We crossed paths a few times while you were around… and I guess we played it off pretty well. But otherwise—"
He shook his head.
"We went from best friends—something just short of lovers—to complete strangers."
Will swallowed.
"…So? What changed?"
Asta looked at him gently.
"The day I almost lost you."
Will stilled.
"You were unconscious. Fading fast. And the only person I could think of to help was her. So I brought you here… to her home."
His gaze grew distant.
"After Caldron left with you… it was just the two of us. And I realized I couldn't avoid her anymore."
"I broke down. Got on my knees. I wept and begged for forgiveness. I told her everything. All of it."
He gave a small, almost fond smile.
"And after she slapped me—twice across the face—she did the same."
Will leaned in slightly, stunned.
"And then?"
"The rest is history," Asta said simply.
"We closed the gap between strangers and lovers in one night. Got married not long after. Had Nigel sixteen months later. And we've been happy ever since."
His voice deepened.
"And now… I know. The only one who was ever meant for me was Noelle."
"Mimosa… she only stirred my heart in that one moment. Out of guilt. Out of grief. Because I couldn't save her."
He looked Will in the eyes.
"It felt like a debt I owed. But Kid—"
He leaned forward slightly, firm.
"Just because someone likes you… doesn't mean you have to like them back. Even if they've done a lot for you."
He paused.
"Noelle… she was always in my heart. Even before I understood what love was. And now—"
He smiled softly.
"I can't imagine life without her. Not one where I'd be happy. Not one where I'd still be me."
Will clenched his jaw.
"So… are you trying to say my feelings for Colette are just… fleeting? That she's some kind of obstacle between me and Elfie?"
Asta gave a dry, wry chuckle.
"I wouldn't put it that crudely… but yeah."
Will shot to his feet, arms flaring wide in frustration.
"B-but how could she make me feel this way if I don't actually love her?! Why am I even doubting—"
"That's the thing," Asta interrupted, voice firm. "For monsters like us, it's better to never doubt ourselves."
His eyes narrowed.
"Just trust your instinct."
Will stared down at him, stunned speechless.
Asta didn't stop.
"Tell me, Will… could you be happy with Elfaria?"
"Definitely!" Will replied without hesitation, eyes burning.
Asta pointed at him.
"Then what about… without her? Could you be happy in a life with Colette?"
Will froze.
Then slowly lowered his head, gaze shadowed.
"…I'm not sure."
Asta leaned back with a sigh.
"Like I said before—that's your answer."
Will looked like he was about to argue, but Asta shook his head.
"You look like shit. Don't think too hard on this right now. Just go home and rest."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I doubt my wife's in the mood to cook tonight anyway."
The magical swordsman paused, clearly disappointed.
But he bowed his head respectfully.
"Yes, Shishō… Thank you. For everything. I'll see you around."
Asta mumbled something back as Will stepped out the door.
A moment later, he was alone in the dining room.
He stared at the far wall, his eyes growing misty.
Mimosa…
She had been one of the greatest war powers in their ranks.
Even after losing her grimoire, she remained a miracle worker—healing through mana method and runes.
She kept entire squads alive.
Thanks to her, the magic knights had felt near-immortal.
Whenever someone was gravely wounded, Finral or another spatial mage would warp them to her using special arrays.
She'd heal them in moments… and they'd be sent right back to the front lines.
She was their golden girl.
Their light in that endless war.
Until the Heavenly Invaders noticed.
They learned about her.
And so they laid a trap.
They lured the fighters away—just long enough to get to her.
Just long enough to eliminate the miracle.
After that… the war was as good as lost.
The remaining healers—Owen, Lolopechka, Undine, Humito, even Noelle's father—couldn't compare.
Not even working together.
The traps kept coming.
Deadly ones, obvious ones… but they had no choice but to spring them.
Because behind each one was a village.
A family.
A kingdom.
And they were picked off. One by one.
But when Mimosa was still alive—they had hope.
And after her death?
Within a month… they were broken.
Defeated.
And forced to flee their world.
Asta sighed.
If only he could've protected her…
If only he and the others hadn't let themselves be fooled by the Invaders' beast-like appearances.
By their seemingly primitive behavior.
They'd fought devils, for gods' sake.
They knew how deceptive monsters could be.
Yet they let their guard down.
Whether from arrogance… or plain stupidity.
And they paid the price.
No one had truly understood Mimosa's worth until she was gone.
Not during the Spade Campaign.
Not even on Judgment Day.
But the Celestial Host made them understand.
Made sure they understood.
And it was a lesson they all wished they'd never had to learn.
Not like that.
Asta sighed again and slowly rose to his feet.
He headed toward the door.
The easiest thing would be to act natural.
Wait for Noelle to come home on her own terms—after she'd blown off some steam.
But the love of his life meant too much to him.
He couldn't let her suffer like this.
Even if she didn't want to see his face right now, he would find her.
And somehow, he'd make it up to her.
If she wanted to slap him, he'd take it like a champ—until she was satisfied.
If she told him to get lost, he'd pull her into his arms anyway.
Even if she bit him for it.
If she demanded to be spoiled, he'd be at her every call.
Because that was just how much she meant to him.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Author's Notes:
[1] Noelle's father, Sebastian Silva, appears in several of my works. This version is from my 100 Prompt Story, Chapter 34: Heal Him.
[2] If you'd like to chat, discuss the story, or hang out, feel free to join the Discord: https://discord.gg/s3MME8X8ar