Chapter 13 Feast

Revchi's motion came to an abrupt halt, and Light eagerly awaited the transformation in Revchi.

This marked his second subordinate.

The first had been William Rozlee.

And the second, gleaned from the Death Flame's grim knowledge, bore the name Revchi Salik.

Once, he had been a Purple Orca Magic Knight before Gueldre Poizot framed him, Gueldre being the current captain of the Purple Orca.

Revchi Salik's white eyes reverted to normal, a sinister gleam lurking within.

Despite his bodily injuries, Revchi knelt, his voice a reverent whisper, "Master... Revchi Salik, under your command."

Light, witnessing this transformation, smiled. His grin grew wider as he observed Revchi's grimoire slowly succumb to the Death Flame's corruption. It darkened, its spells turning eerie and potent. The infusion of the Death Flame's dark element enhanced their power significantly, even though it lacked the pure Death Magic of Light. Such mastery of dark magic was rare, and one such user was the current captain of the Black Bulls, one of the Magic Knights' squads.

This alone hinted at the complexity of Dark Magic.

The Eternal Nightfall spell persisted, rendering Asta and Yuno disoriented, their senses dulled by its effects.

"Damn it! If I could only understand my grimoire better, I wouldn't be so powerless..." Yuno lamented in frustration.

Asta swung his sword around, but it seemed futile until he struck the air, causing a rift in the silent, dark night. However, the spell healed itself faster than Asta could damage it.

Watching this, Light decided to quell the disturbance.

"Very well... The enhanced Death Flame will mend your wounds. Your body should be fine now. Conceal yourself for the time being. I'll summon you later through the Death Flame," Light stated indifferently to Revchi.

"As you wish." Revchi struggled to rise, employing his newfound Dark Magic to transport himself away.

Light, witnessing Revchi's creation magic, couldn't help but feel a twinge of happiness. It appeared he had gained yet another valuable asset.

After Revchi had made his escape, Light swiftly departed the area, deactivating his magic.

Asta and Yuno remained ensnared within the spell, their disoriented senses lingering as the enchantment suddenly dissipated.

Finally, they locked eyes. "Yuno! What on earth just happened!?" Asta inquired, his tone a mix of confusion and concern.

Yuno replied gravely, "I'm not entirely sure... but it seems like sensory manipulation magic." he thoughtfully added, "It doesn't appear to be related to Chain Magic—"

Before Yuno could finish his explanation, Asta interjected, "Ah!!! Yuno!!! The guy with the chains, he's gone!!!"

Yuno, unfazed by Asta's loud outbursts, turned his attention to where Chain Magic Revchi had collapsed.

"How is that even possible!?" Asta rushed to the wall where Revchi had been trapped and fallen.

"Could it be that he was the one behind that sensory manipulation spell!?" Asta recalled the eerie nightfall that had gripped the area, leaving them disheartened.

Yuno shook his head, his golden eyes reflecting his doubt. "No... His magic's elemental nature is vastly different from the spell we experienced."

"Then how did he escape!?" Asta's sense of logic seemed to unravel, and he paced back and forth.

Yuno, accustomed to Asta's frenetic energy, offered a serious insight, "It's possible that someone aided him." He stared at the setting sun with a pensive expression.

Asta halted in his tracks, realizing that Yuno's deduction held merit.

...

Light made his way back to the church, paying little mind to what Asta and Yuno might be pondering regarding recent events.

It didn't truly matter. These two were his childhood companions, and no matter how ruthless he could be, he couldn't bring himself to harm them. He found their ideals and personalities fascinating, like watching a live-action anime in real life.

The same sentiment extended to the people of the church. They were not only innocent but also had cared for him since infancy. He was not some heartless beast that would bite the hand that fed him.

Stepping just outside the chapel church of Hage Village, I noticed that Nash and Recca were already busy preparing for a feast.

Asta and Yuno returned, recounting the earlier events to Sister Lily and Father Orsi, who expressed their concern.

"Oh! Sister Lily, there's no need to worry about me!" Asta exclaimed, clearly delighted by Sister Lily's concern. "As long as you marry me, I'll—"

Asta's words were cut short as Sister Lily interjected, "No way."

Asta's response was immediate and deafening, "Ohhh!!! I won't give up!"

"It's just not possible..." Sister Lily sighed, her helplessness evident once again.

"I've gained the recognition of a grimoire! All that's left is for me to become a Magic Knight and then become the Wizard King, and I'll come back here to marry you!" Asta declared with unwavering determination.

Nash couldn't help but shake his head at Asta's resolve. "As if you'll become the Wizard King..." he remarked before continuing, "Even with a grimoire, becoming a Magic Knight might be a stretch, let alone becoming the Wizard King."

Asta's annoyance flared, and he pointed accusingly at Nash. "Watch your mouth, you punk!!!"

"Don't jest around. You even released a dangerous person... Is that truly the caliber of a Wizard King?" Nash began to voice his doubts but realized he might have gone too far, especially considering Yuno, the person he admired, was involved in the situation.

Sister Lily let out a sigh at Nash's candidness, and Father Orsi echoed the sentiment with a sigh of his own.

Asta and Yuno fell into a heavy silence, their earlier enthusiasm dampened.

"Alright, Nash, let's not dampen the atmosphere! This is a celebration of the three of us being chosen by grimoires. Let's enjoy ourselves!" Light, seeing the somber mood, attempted to lighten it.

Sister Lily was the first to cheer, and Aruru, not fully comprehending, cheered enthusiastically. As for Hollo, he remained a baby in Recca's arms. Father Orsi chimed in, "Light is right. This is a celebration! We should be happy! Look at this feast we've prepared! It's a blessing from the Lord to us!!"

Asta and Yuno, previously downcast, cheered upon seeing the array of dishes. It truly was a feast.

Nash gazed at Light with gratitude. He had almost spoiled what should have been a joyous moment.

Light simply smiled. Nash might be unusually mature for his age, perhaps due to the hardships he'd endured, but sometimes, his bluntness got the best of him.

As for the feast, Light couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. He'd grown accustomed to these dishes, even developing a fondness for potatoes, perhaps because he had enjoyed French fries in his previous life.

While it might be called a feast, it was far from the grand banquets one might imagine. Not a single piece of meat graced the table. Instead, the menu consisted almost entirely of potatoes, prepared in a myriad of ways.

There were stewed potatoes, tato tempura, grilled potatoes, fried tatoes, stir-fried potatoes, Hage-style potatoes, tato juice, and even tato pudding or potato pudding.

An assortment of dishes, each with its unique name and style, all centered around one humble ingredient: potatoes.

"Damn, Sister Lily is quite the culinary innovator," Light thought. "No wonder Asta fell for her."