Backstory
15 years ago
Devils are born in The Underworld. After Devils are born, they receive a ranking and this ranking is unchangeable. A devil born without mana has the lowest ranking. The Underworld is incredibly boring for the Devils, so the Higher Ranking Devils pick on the Lower Ranking Devils. The lowest ranking, Devil, bled every day since he was born. Every day, he was tormented by the higher ranking devils. All devils wish to go to the human world and acquire their own physical body. But only one devil has ever made it through. So now the devils find entertainment by tormenting those lower ranked than themselves. One day, he was thrown at The Gate of the Underworld by a Higher Ranking Devil.
“This is it my life’s over,” the Devil thought as he flew towards the gate, waiting to smash into pieces. But...pain never came, his eyes opened, and he nearly fell over from shock. It was because he had no mana that he passed through the gate.
He was no longer in the Underworld anymore. There were blue skies above him, lush green grass underneath him, and trees towering over him. He had somehow passed through The Gate and ended up in the human realm. He was a Devil, so he should feel great joy by being here and having the ability to toy with humans all he wanted. However, the Devil felt nothing, no joy at the thought of toying with humans. He didn’t care about humans at all. What’s the point if you don’t even have a reason to live in the first place?
He wandered into a human town, he was bloody and beaten, but the humans were fearful and hateful of him.
“It’s a Devil!” One human screamed,
“A Devil!” Screamed another,
“We’ll be cursed!” Shouted another,
“Call the Magic Knights!” A human man shouted.
He listened to their shouts, confused. Why are humans talking about him? Why are they scared of him? He wasn’t hurting them and what were Magic Knights?
When more humans came his confusion grew. Who are these people? Why are they here? These new humans started firing spells at him. Different spells hit him from every direction and a strong force of wind knocked him off his feet. More of the humans that had arrived soon joined in using their magic to attack him. Scared, he started running for his life. He was so confused about why humans fired their spells at him. The Devil didn’t understand at first, he didn’t know why these humans were attacking him. As he was chased out of the human village, it dawned on him. The humans feared him, even though he wasn’t hurting anybody. The humans feared him simply because he was a Devil.
The Devil lay on the ground, bleeding, burnt, and dirty. The humans had chased him into the forest. Where he had collapsed, weak, injured, tired and the humans left him here to die.
No more Devils, no more Humans, no more pain. His eyes grew heavy; he was so very tired. He smiled weakly, as his eyes closed and his vision faded to black.
He opened his eyes. Where was he? He felt a throbbing pain in his head. Even so, he forced himself up.
“Hey! You’re awake? Great!”
Came someone’s voice, he looked in the direction of the voice. He saw a woman with long, light-colored hair which faded into black at the tip, standing near him.
“I’m Mikaela! Nice to meet you! You’re at my house. I found you outside in the forest when I was collecting some firewood.”
She then produced a board of light in front of him. The firewood laid on comfortably on top.
Mikaela then put down the firewood and picked up a dusty book that was covered with grime. Facing the young Devil, she bends over and held the book in her hands for the Devil to see.
“I found a Grimoire with a five-leaf clover the other day...and then I actually met a Devil! How crazy is that, huh?! Is that fifth leaf superstition true?” Mikaela exclaims full of energy.
The young Devil was silent for a moment a little confused. After a moment of silence, he asks,
“You’re not afraid of me?”
Mikaela laughs at this and exclaim,
“Who’d be scared of an injured little kid?! Besides, you don’t have magic and you’re all frail!”
The young Devil jumped back a bit, maybe it was because Mikaela knew he was mana less or her casual demeanour around him even though he was a Devil.
“And anyway, if we’re talking about being loathed, I can give you a run for your money.”
Mikaela said confidently, which slightly confused the Devil.
The young Devil flinched at this scared and confused at what just happened. Mikaela however did not seem bothered in the slightest.
“You see, I’m an outsider/traveller and I’ve attracted some unwanted attention. I only came to this village for a holiday, but they don’t like me since my mana attracts in many monsters. So that’s why I live alone right now.”
Mikaela exclaimed, a hint of loneliness in her eyes
“But! You’ve got no magic and maybe because you’re a Devil...you’re not afraid of me…?”
Mikaela was sort of uncertain about how the devil would react to her next sentence
“So listen...c’mon stay here and be my kid! Doesn’t this feel like fate?!”
Mikaela explained quickly and nervously while looking very hopeful.
The Devil's eyes were wide and his jaw was slack all he uttered was,
“Huh?”
But then the young Devil looked at the hopeful smile on Mikaela’s face and the sparkles in her eyes. He smiled,
“Alright.”
Mikaela jumped up in joy, she was obviously extremely happy that he agreed. Mikaela then realized something and asked him,
“What’s your name?”
“I don’t have one,” came the young Devil’s simple reply.
“Huh?! You don’t have one?! Maybe I’ll give you one then! Ummm...got it! Liebe! Starting today, you’re Liebe!” Mikaela said the excitement filling her voice.
Liebe was surprised at Mikaela’s ability to come up with a name for him in seconds, but he didn’t show any sign of it. He just gave Mikaela a wide smile and his voice had more joy in it.
“Thank you, Mikaela!”
For the first time in his life, Liebe was happy.
From that moment on, Liebe's life was filled with happiness. Mikaela and Liebe did everything together, they go fishing together and explored various meadows together. As the season changed to Autumn/Fall and the was painted in beautiful shades of oranges and red they would play in the leaves as they fell from the trees. When the winter came and the world become coated in white they build a snowman and on cold winter nights they would snuggle up together in bed. Spring came around and Mikaela took Liebe outside to look at flowers once and laughed when a dragonfly landed on his tail. Every morning, afternoon and night, Liebe would devour the meals Mikaela would make him.
Everything was Perfect
Until He Ruined it.
On a bright, sunny day, Mikaela and Liebe had taken a walk out into the meadows.
Licita had taken Liebe to a grassy field in the sun.
“Just because somebody’s a Devil doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a bad guy!” Licita said warmth and love filling her voice.
Then she pointed to Liebe smiled and said,
“After all...you aren’t a bad guy!”
Liebe smiled at these words and opened his mouth to say something, but Licita continued talking,
“Being on my own hurts. You rescued me from loneliness. Thank you Liebe!”
This made Liebe feel happy, it’s because of Mikaela that he was happy. Because of Mikaela, he had something to love.
Her.
“I…” This was all Liebe got to say in response before,
A sharp pain surged through Liebe’s body, he couldn’t move. His head was aching; his vision was blurry. He fell to his knees. Mikaela jumped back in shock and worry shot through her. What was wrong with Liebe? Liebe was on his knees and screaming in pain all of a sudden.
“Liebe! What’s wrong?” Mikaela asked her voice filled with panic and worry.
“I...am,” Liebe said his voice hoarse,
“Lucifero!” Another voice came from Liebe, one sinister and confident.
“Who’d believe there would be a Devil in the human world without making a contract with a human...I’m glad I’d killed time by looking for him!” The voice continued in a mocking tone.
‘One of the highest- ranking Devils?!’ Liebe thought as he lost more control of his body
‘My body isn’t listening to me…’
“What a find! I’ll use him to find a way to manifest my own body in the human wo-”
The voice of Lucifero continued but was cut off when Mikaela grabbed him and screamed,
“Get out! Get away from Liebe! Who do you think you are?!”
“No..d..don’t,” said Liebe's voice, but it was growing weaker.
“Insolent wrench.” Lucifero’s voiced growled, but then Lucifero noticed something.
‘She’s… on par with my magic?’ Lucifero thought,
“Foolish human. Even if I’m nearly powerless here, a nobody like you could never beat a Devil!” Lucifero’s voice said confidently.
“Even if that’s’ the case, This time!...” Mikaela screamed, and for a moment, she was back in room, chaos roaring outside, giving a basket to a maid. The last she would ever see her precious baby boy.
Asta…
“I will not let go! This boy is not yours!!" Mikaela screamed at Lucifero once more.
Lucifero took control of Liebe’s right arm and drove it through Mikaela’s stomach, but it was too late. She had successfully driven Lucifero from Liebe’s body.
“Impossible! To be driven out by a mere human? But I can interfere with a lowly Devil from anywhere. I will be back…” Lucifero’s voice said before he faded away.
Liebe ran into Mikaela’s arms, tears streaming down his face,
“Mi-Mikaela!” Was all Liebe could say through his tears,
“I’m sorry... I’m...so dumb... This is the only way I can think of...to protect you from that guy. I’ll use my magic to seal you into this Grimoire!” She began to cough out blood, the crimson seeping into the dirt.
Mikaela was holding that dirty, dusty, and grime covered Grimoire with five-leaves.
“By the time you emerge... I’m sure...you’ll have grown up big and strong!”
Mikaela reached for Liebe, her hand shaking and cupped his cheek with tears streaming down her cheeks, Mikaela said,
“Live... Liebe! My Dear Son!”
“Mom-”
This Was the last thing Liebe said before he was sealed into the five-leaf Grimoire.
Liebe’s happiness was gone. Now he only saw darkness. He missed Mikaela, he wanted her to hug him and tell him it was okay, that it was only a dream. But most of all he wanted to avenge Mikaela’s death. In those years he had been sealed within the grimoire, his rage and hate had developed his magic. Anti-Magic, the opposite of Magic, which absorbs all mana. No matter who he made to hurt, human or Devil. It didn’t matter if he hurt the Devils because all Devils are scum.
Little did he know that Mikaela had survived from that attack.
Author’s Note
I used @girlwolf103 work from AO3 called ‘Before The Grimoire’ as a template for this backstory. Their story was a written version of what had happened in the manga (Chapter 272 I think). I got a little lazy since it was the holidays, but changed a few things from the original with Liebe and Licita. Next chapter will be back on track.
- Marvelmyst