The next morning, Rowan returned the five-leaf grimoire to Asta before heading into the capital to collect Lumi and Secre from their inn.
The mont the three of them arrived outside the Black Bulls’ base, Rowan stopped.
Above the castle floated a massive sphere of water, suspended like a second sky.
"Her magic’s spiraling out of control," Lumi said quietly, already reading the flow of mana.
Inside the water sphere, a silver-haired girl struggled for air.
Royal lineage was obvious. Silver hair, silver brows, silver lashes. A Silva.
Before Rowan could move, Captain Yami grabbed Asta by the collar and hurled him straight upward.
Asta drew the Demon-Slayer Sword mid-flight. One swing cleaved through the water construct, nullifying its magic. The sphere collapsed, and he caught the girl before she hit the ground.
Rowan turned to Magna. "What happened?"
Magna scratched his head and explained.
The girl was Noelle Silva, youngest daughter of House Silva. Her mother had died giving birth to her. Unlike the rest of her family, Noelle struggled to control her enormous magic power. She’d been ridiculed, sidelined, and denied entry into the Silver Eagles. Yami had picked her up instead.
Today was her first day.
Overwheld, she’d lost control and trapped herself inside her own spell.
Finral opened a spatial portal just in ti to bring Asta and Noelle safely down.
The Bulls gathered around her, offering encouragent in their own chaotic way. Rough words, loud voices, but sincere.
Rowan observed quietly.
Yami had a type. Every recruit was strange. Flawed. Socially off-center.
But at their core, they were decent people.
Well. Almost all of them.
Rowan himself had joined under more complicated circumstances.
Once Noelle cald down, Yami noticed the two unfamiliar faces standing behind Rowan.
"And who’re these?"
Rowan didn’t hesitate. "Friends I t on the road. Lumi and Secre. They missed the entrance exam. Heard I joined the Bulls and wanted to try their luck."
Lumi stepped forward with an easy smile.
"Captain Yami, sir. We’ve always believed the Black Bulls are the strongest squad in the kingdom. A team led by a man who looks reckless but acts with conviction. When we heard Rowan joined, we couldn’t sit still. We’re ready for any test."
Rowan almost laughed.
Lumi delivered the lines flawlessly. Sincere eyes. Relaxed posture. Just enough admiration to land without sounding desperate.
If Rowan hadn’t known better, he would have believed him.
Light mages really did co with built-in goodwill.
Yami, dark magic swirling lazily around him, grinned. "You’ve got guts, kid. Fine. You two fight Magna. Beat him, and you’re in."
It wasn’t entirely serious. Yami valued spirit over results. Still, Magna wasn’t weak. Against typical applicants, he could handle several at once.
Magna slung an arm around Lumi’s shoulders. "Don’t worry, man. Since you’ve got good taste, I’ll go easy."
Secre’s eye twitched.
Lumi casually returned the gesture. "I’ll be in your care."
Rowan stroked his chin.
Even standing still, Lumi drew people in. No spell. No trick. Just presence. The kind that made others lean forward when he spoke.
Rowan had never bothered cultivating that sort of charm.
There were... other thods.
On the training field, Magna swung his bat.
"Fla Magic: Exploding Scattershot!"
Fireballs streaked forward like blazing cots.
Lumi summoned arrows of light, intercepting them with apparent difficulty. Sweat beaded at his temple. His footing staggered just enough to look real.
It was masterful restraint.
Rowan could see it clearly. No one else could.
Lumi wasn’t here to shine. He was here to recover quietly and investigate the Word Devil without drawing attention.
"Hang in there, Lumi!" Asta shouted.
Just as Magna pressed forward, Secre slipped behind him.
"Sealing Magic."
A quiet pulse.
Magna froze mid-swing, magic cut off for a heartbeat.
Lumi dropped to one knee, breathing hard. "We got lucky. If Magna had gone all out from the start, we wouldn’t have lasted."
Ten seconds later, the seal broke.
Magna burst out laughing. "Not bad! Catching off guard like that takes skill."
Rowan suppressed a smile.
If they wanted to, either of them could have ended the match instantly.
Yami tossed them Black Bulls cloaks. "You pass. I’m taking a dump, then a nap. Don’t bother unless the building’s on fire."
With that, he walked off.
The Bulls gathered in the hall afterward, drinking and trading stories. They explained what kind of missions to expect and, more importantly, why they’d joined.
Vanessa admitted she liked the pay and eting handso nobles.
Luck wanted endless fights without legal consequences.
Gauche wanted to impress his sister.
Finral hoped for attention from won.
Charmy was there for the food.
Not one of them claid lofty ideals about justice.
Yet sohow, that honesty felt more reliable.
Half a month passed.
Rowan and Lumi spent most evenings discussing magic theory. Lumi’s knowledge was vast, spanning royal archives and ancient lore. Talking with him was like browsing a living library.
But Rowan’s perspectives ca from beyond this world.
Each conversation sparked sothing new in Lumi’s grimoire. Pages filled. Spells ford.
After only two weeks, his mana had recovered to roughly a third of its forr state. Yet his understanding had deepened so much that his overall ability rivaled his pri.
"You see magic from angles I’ve never considered," Lumi admitted one evening as they walked toward dinner. "It’s humbling."
"I learn just as much from you," Rowan replied.
That was true.
Lumi absorbed theory like sunlight and converted it into innovation effortlessly.
They stepped into the hall.
Asta waved wildly from across the room.
"Rowan! Lumi! We finally got our first mission!"
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