[HIATUS] BLACK CLOVER: The Whisperer - Yuno Grinberryall

CHAPTER XXVII. A Dream, so Out of Reach

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"We are what now?"

"... Come again?"

Rhein and Xierra blinked simultaneously at Leopold before looking at each other and narrowing their eyes in suspicion. Excluding the fact that Leopold had barged into the library the next morning and dragged Rhein by the collar, the news he brought was somewhat expected, in the least.

Today is going unexplainably great, she heard him think sarcastically. Or maybe not.

It was yet another day, spent idly and without anything else to do other than read and train. Then repeat the cycle over and over again.

Xierra spent the rest of yesterday cooped in the library and drowning herself in a sea of books. She was up with the help of some specially-mixed coffee Randall brought in as they worked on their separate desks. It was entertaining to watch Randall sort his papers and mission logs out. While the man was out to get more coffee for both him and Xierra, Leopold banged the large wooden doors open without a care in the world and threw Rhein into the mix.

They sweated at how loud Leopold was laughing—cackling, even. He put both hands in front of his chest and grinned from ear to ear. The sound of his laughter bounced from one pillar to the other, filling the silent library.

"You heard me loud and clear, little ones! Your actions back at Saussy Village were acknowledged by the wizard king himself! You should rejoice more!" Xierra winced at the sound of Leopold's hand, harshly patting Rhein who was struggling to stay awake.

Loud as he was, Leopold ceased his laughter and softened his grin, putting both his hands on their shoulders. To say that he wasn't proud, he would be lying. "As expected of my rivals!" he gushed again.

"Leo. We're only a year apart. Don't call us 'little'," Rhein scowled, winding his arm back after feeling the burning tinge of pain surging through his muscles. "And damn, you hit hard. What do they feed you here? Rocks?"

"What do you mean? They feed us regular me—"

"Argh, forget about that!" Rhein snapped again, not wanting Leopold to answer his inner queries. "So, you're saying?"

"Oh! We received a star from that!" he said between laughter. "That's one more to add to our achievements! Good work, you two!"

Xierra could only flash a small smile, enjoying the shift of mood. There wasn't a day of peace in her life. She didn't expect that Leopold would be the one to replace the loud and annoying Asta, but at least, her days weren't all so quiet and boring. She enjoyed the cheerful energy emanating from the boy. It's like it's seeping out just to give herself a boost of motivation.

Rhein grunted and slouched back, falling into the velvet seat where Inari slept on and stroking the fox's back. Man, I wanna sleep more, she heard him grumble to himself. Look at Inari, having his most peaceful beauty sleep.

Chuckling, Xierra shook her head and watched as Leopold wandered over to the next aisle, eyes wide over books that he had probably read before. Now that she thought about it, she never had this mind-reading ability before she got her grimoire. Everything weird started happening after she got her grimoire, and she realized it too late. Sighing in defeat, she shrugged. Well, looks like now I'll just have to deal with them.

She sat by Rhein and continued where she left off with her book, flipping to a new page after a quick scan of its content.

"You sure read quick," Rhein commented, eyeing her from the sideline with a lazy grin. He fiddled with one of the books in her few towering stacks and hummed. "They're difficult topics, too. Most of them."