[M/N][L/N] P.O.V
"Why did you all leave me to starve... I'll become a good cook so I won't steal bread anymore"
_
Waking up on the couch, I went to my room to get ready. It seems Luck hasn't woken up yet. I changed quickly while he wasn't awake before going downstairs and preparing the food and heating up the stew. Everyone soon came down to the kitchen and ate.
When it was before noon, I rushed out with the container of stew and rice towards the place from last time. Panting slightly, I settled down at the tree and Zora was there hiding in the tree. I called him down and he grumbled something. He took the container and started digging in. I kept quiet as I observed him. I had his shirt that was now clean with me too that I would give back to him.
"I was going to scare you by jumping from the tree. Too bad"
"Sorry, I'm good at mana sensing."
Zora leaned onto me as I stiffened from the contact. He kept eating and soon he started talking about his mask. It was bits and pieces but I could piece them together. Those people that killed his father were scummy. He left after that and the next few days I brought him different dishes but his favourite was always stew. He was easy to talk to once I got to know him, a prankster but that wasn't always a bad thing.
"You're not too bad at cooking (M/N), but could you pass the salt?"
"Sure meanie"
"Why'd you pass me yourself?"
"I'm salty"
"Your jokes suck"
Zora nudged my shoulder playfully as I laughed at my own jokes. He rolled his eyes as he told me better ones which made me laugh even harder. My body was lying on the forest floor as my body had a lot of laughs. Zora stopped at some point and I finally calmed down. His eyes trailed over to the scenery around us as I slowly gave him a questioning look.
"Nature can be beautiful once in a while"
"To me it always is"
"Why are you so in touch with Nature?"
Slowly, I sat up with my knees to my chest. I wrapped my arms around my legs as my face rested on my knees. I gave a small smile of fondness to him before. Zora kept quiet as I laughed lightly remembering some of my good childhood memories. There were small cricket sounds that could be heard in the air as I started blooming flowers from my hands. I remembered the time she taught me how to make an all natural tree house.
"Nature protects me..."
"I feel like there's more to this"
"No, not really. I would let you meet her but a lot of people find her scary"
"I thought Nature would have a kind look"
"Looks can be deceiving"
_
Now, I sat in the mess hall with Luck's head on my lap as Vanessa talked to Asta about his injuries and how he was upset he didn't get to fight Yuno. Vanessa tried to urge me to drink some booze but I refused. I pulled Asta to my side and let him lean on my shoulder to comfort him. Magna and Noelle were sure they would get in but Magna seemed nervous. Luck was teasing him for it from my lap, pointing at him while Magna just gritted his teeth. Then, there was a knock at the door.
"Anybody home?!"
Magna went to answer it but the door got blown away and in stepped Mereoleon. Luck went to his side to help. He punched Asta in the face when he didn't immediately answer where Yami was. I told him that Yami was coming right now from the mana I could feel. Sure enough, he did come. He seemed mildly impressed about my mana sensing but said nothing. He tried to hand Yami a bottle of Sake but Yami thought it was poison. Vanessa took it and I smiled. Deciding that I wasn't needed since I wouldn't likely be chosen, I went to find Zora while they argued.
"Zora! There you are...woah you're wearing the Black Bulls robes!"
"I've been a member for a while now, how did you find me?"
"Mana"
"From this far? You're really freaky but that's not bad. It's good for the enemy. Let's go." Zora stated walking off as I stared at his figure for a few seconds. He looked back over to me as if he was indicating me to follow him which I stumbled before running to catch up to him. Changing my pace to a lighter one more fitting for walking, I walked beside Zora as I asked him where we were going.
"Didn't you get the news? We were both chosen to be Royal Magic Knights. I'm going to get there late to make fun of the leader"
"Really?! I was?" I asked excitedly, jumping up and down. He ruffled my hair as he pushed back the hair from my face nodding. He called me annoying as he told me to find Mereoleon's mana. I did and we started going in the direction of the place. I did most of the talking as he just teased me occasionally. We arrived but he grabbed me before moving over his shoulder telling me we should make a dramatic entrance.
Moving quickly, I wiggled out of his grasp before swirling around his body and lowering myself to the ground. I swung one leg under his feet effectively knocking him off his feet. I told him he'd have to do better to pick me up in a teasing way. I'm so glad I learned this incase Yami tried to pick me up again. He got red from embarrassment and brushed himself off as he stood back up. He grumbled before stepping to the edge and jumping down.
Mereoleon attacked him but he countered with his trap magic. I jumped down, landing quietly as I stood next to Asta. Zora reintroduced himself to everyone properly. Asta screamed at him in confusion. I chuckled as Mereoleon yelled for everyone to line up to get our cloaks that were highly resistant to magic attacks. I lined up second behind Yuno to take my cloak. I put mine on and it looked cool.
Everyone got ready and I got paired with Mereoleon along with Asta and Zora. Zora tried to prank Mereoleon but he failed. Mereoleon instructed us that we could enter however we want with whatever tactic we desired as long as we don't lose. Nozel was also part of the fight though on a different team. I could see how proudly he looked at his sister before his eyes went back to being dull until he saw me and they brightened for a bit.
Using my vines, I made a way for Asta, Zora and I to get in as Mereoleon blasted his way in with his flames. Mereoleon took a lot of them on head first but I joined in too with my vines swinging them around. We were blasting them but I suddenly felt something behind us. I turned around and saw two Astas. I swung my vines at the one on the right because Asta doesn't have mana but Mereoleon just blasted them both.
"My it seems you brought the cutie with the prize to us. Makes my job easier"
The Asta on the left was fine, but the other burned or so it seemed. That fake transformed into Liar. He healed himself as he introduced himself to Mereoleon. Liar brought out a sword using Yami's magic. He sent a wave of the magic our way but Mereoleon burnt it as he yelled at me not to get involved. Nodding, I watched in fascination as they fought. Mereoleon's body was beyond superb with the way it harnessed the mana around him and changed direction mid-air. However, suddenly a portal opened below me. It was too fast even for me to detect but I used my vines to move away only into another portal. I did this two more times before he caught me.
"Sorry I knew you'd be jumping away so I came prepared, bye bye cutie~"
A/N: Thanks for reading and commenting!