The quiet inside the room lingered for a few seconds after Nova whispered those words into Celise's ear. Her breath trembled softly as she stepped back, still trying to regain the calm she usually wore like armor. Even then, faint warmth clung to her cheeks and the shape of her lips, betraying everything she had just felt.
Nova exhaled once, steadying himself as well. The taste of her kiss still lingered faintly on his lips, and the lingering heat between them hadn't faded yet. For a moment, the world outside seemed completely irrelevant.
Then Nova waved his hand and the door opened.
Asta stumbled in like a hurricane with legs.
"NOVAAAAA!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE—OH—OH WAIT—YOU ARE HERE!!"
Celise snapped upright, composure dropping into place so fast it was almost impressive. Nova simply blinked, mentally switching gears as Asta practically launched himself across the room with sheer enthusiasm.
Right behind him, Yuno walked in at a reasonable pace, eyes scanning the room with far more awareness than Asta ever displayed.
He noticed the atmosphere instantly. His gaze flicked between Nova, Celise, and the very subtle redness on her cheeks. His eyebrow rose, just slightly, but he said nothing.
Asta, naturally, noticed absolutely none of this.
He marched up to Nova with the excitement of a child seeing fireworks for the first time.
"THAT ARMOR YOU USED—IT WAS SO COOL! IT WAS SO STRONG! AND THE WAY YOU MOVED—YOU WERE LIKE—FWOOSH—AND THEN—KAPOW—AND THEN—BOOM—!!"
He demonstrated each "sound effect" with dramatic punches and kicks, narrowly missing a chair, the wall, and Yuno's face.
Celise pressed her fingers lightly to her temple.
Nova just stared for a second before letting out a short, amused sigh.
Before Nova could respond, Asta's expression shifted dramatically—like he had just remembered the most important question in the entire universe. His hands gripped Nova's shoulders tightly with sudden desperation.
"NOVA!! WHEN CAN MY VEN-DRIVE DO THAT!?"
Celise blinked. Yuno's eyebrows lifted slightly.
Nova simply tilted his head. "…Your Ven-Drive?"
"YES!! THE ONE YOU GAVE ME!! THE ONE THAT YOU TRADED WITH THAT SWORD!! YOU SAID IT COULD EVOLVE, RIGHT!? SO WHEN DO I GET A SUPER ARMOR MODE LIKE THAT!?"
He began gesturing wildly again, shaping imaginary armor in the air with his hands.
Nova opened his mouth, but Yuno spoke first—his tone calm, though edged with something thoughtful.
"Asta, think about what you're saying."
He crossed his arms slowly. "If your Ven-Drive ever becomes as powerful as Nova's… we might have a problem."
Asta blinked, confused. "Huh? Why?"
Yuno met his eyes directly, expression unreadable.
"Because you already break walls just by turning around too fast. If you get armor that multiplies your physical strength…"
He paused slightly, letting the words sink in.
"…you might accidentally flatten the entire base."
Celise pressed her hand gently over her lips to stifle a laugh.
Nova looked at the shattered wooden chair near the corner—the one Asta had somehow broken earlier even though he hadn't touched it—and slowly nodded.
"He's not wrong."
Asta puffed his cheeks, indignant. "HEY!! I CAN CONTROL MYSELF!!"
Yuno raised an eyebrow, and Nova glanced once more at the chair. Asta followed their gaze… and deflated.
"…Okay maybe a little."
Celise finally spoke, her voice warm and soft despite her lingering embarrassment. "Asta, even if your Ven-Drive evolves, it will do so in its own time. Forcing it won't help."
Her tone was kind—and Asta immediately softened under it.
But then—
His eyes widened abruptly, sparkling with mischief and excitement.
"OH RIGHT!! NOVA—YOU'RE GONNA MARRY A PRINCESS!! A REAL, ACTUAL PRINCESS!!"
Celise gave Nova a look that clearly said: You deal with him.
Nova exhaled slowly and Yuno pinched the bridge of his nose.
Asta threw his arms into the air with the intensity of someone delivering a war cry.
"YOU'RE GONNA BE A PRIIIIINCE—!!"
Yuno elbowed him—hard. "Calm down."
"I AM CALM!! I'M JUST CALMLY SHOUTING!!"
He turned back to Nova, bouncing slightly on his feet.
"SOOOO—ARE WE INVITED TO THE WEDDING!? WE ARE, RIGHT!? CAN WE HELP PLAN IT!?"
Nova answered with ease. "Yes."
Celise, at the exact same moment, answered sharply. "No."
The two stared at each other.
Celise's blush returned in full force, her gaze darting away as she fussed silently with the sleeve of her dress.
Asta clapped his hands together with enough enthusiasm to make the air shake.
"YESSS!! WE'RE HELPING WITH A ROYAL WEDDING—!!"
"No, you're not," Yuno said immediately, completely deadpan.
Asta pretended not to hear a thing.
He turned back to Nova, practically glowing with explosive determination.
" NOW GO KICK THE NEXT GUY'S BUTT TOO!! WHAT WAS HIS NAME AGAIN—L-LUTHORN? LUTHOR? LOOTH-DOOR?"
"Luthor," Yuno corrected.
"THAT'S WHAT I SAID!!"
"No. It wasn't."
Celise cleared her throat gently. "Lord Nova still needs a few minutes to prepare."
Asta immediately saluted her. "YES MA'AM—SORRY MA'AM—I'LL STOP YELLING—wait… can I ask one more thing?"
Celise raised an eyebrow. "If it's about the Ven-Drive, the answer is no."
Asta deflated again. "Darn…"
Asta sighed dramatically, shoulders drooping until he looked like a deflated balloon in human form. But the effect lasted barely three seconds before his energy flared right back up—as if disappointment physically couldn't cling to him for longer than a breath. Yuno sighed as if aging ten years on the spot.
"Still," Asta muttered, fists clenched in excitement, "I'M A MAGIC KNIGHT!! And you guys saw it happen!! THIS IS AMAZING—!!"
Yuno deadpanned, "Asta… we were all there. We stood right next to you."
"YES, BUT IT FEELS MORE REAL WHEN I SHOUT IT!!"
He puffed his chest proudly, then suddenly shuddered.
"Uhh… but that captain… the one who picked me…"
Asta leaned closer, whispering loudly enough for the whole kingdom to hear.
"He seems DANGEROUS… and MEAN… and SCARY… and—AND LIKE HE'D THROW ME INTO A VOLCANO FOR FUN!"
Yuno sighed, "You mean Captain Yami."
"YES!! HIM!!"
Nova turned his head slightly, glancing over Asta's shoulder with a casual calm.
"Yo," Nova murmured, "Captain Yami."
Asta's soul left his body.
Asta spun so fast his shoes nearly squeaked off the ground. His entire body stiffened, every muscle locked in terror as he stared at the empty corner of the room where he thought Captain Yami was standing.
For a solid two seconds, he didn't breathe.
Then very, very slowly, Asta turned back toward Nova, his face twisted with the pure betrayal of a child discovering Santa wasn't real.
"Nova…" he whispered, voice hollow, trembling. "You… YOU TRICKED ME."
Nova didn't bother to hide his smirk. "You make it easy."
Asta's jaw dropped. He slapped both hands onto his thighs to stabilize himself.
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO ME?! I— I THINK MY LEGS STARTED RUNNING WITHOUT ME!!"
He pointed dramatically to the door. "THEY WERE ABOUT TO ESCAPE THE ROOM ON THEIR OWN!! LEGS BETRAYING ME LIKE THAT—CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!?"
Yuno sighed long and slow, like someone who had suffered Asta for far too many years.
"Asta… your legs aren't sentient."
"THEY ALMOST WERE!" Asta insisted, stomping one foot as if proving he still had control over it. "Just one more second and they were GONE. I'd be hopping around here like some kind of bald, screaming rabbit!"
Celise's hand flew to her mouth, shoulders trembling as she tried — and failed — to contain her laughter.
Nova raised an eyebrow. "Calm down."
"How can I calm down?!" Asta shouted, pointing wildly in every direction. "CAPTAIN YAMI IS THE SCARIEST PERSON I'VE EVER MET! IF HE HEARD ME CALL HIM MEAN— OR DANGEROUS— OR VOLCANO-SACRIFICING— I'D BE DEAD! HE'D—HE'D FOLD ME LIKE LAUNDRY!!"
Yuno glanced at Nova with the dead-eyed look of someone used to this level of chaos. "This is normal for him. Just let it pass."
But Asta wasn't done panicking yet.
"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME?!" he whined at Nova. "I ALMOST APOLOGIZED TO THE WALL! DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW EMBARRASSING THAT IS!?"
Nova crossed his arms, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Relax. If the real Captain Yami was here, you wouldn't be talking."
Asta froze again, horror slowly creeping onto his face, "…Would I be dead?"
"Probably not," Nova replied calmly. "But you'd at least be unconscious."
Asta let out a muffled scream and collapsed against Yuno's shoulder. "YUNOOO HELP MEEEEE—"
Yuno shoved him off without ceremony. "Don't cling to me. You're sweaty."
"I AM NOT SWEATY! I'M STRESSED!" Asta shouted, simultaneously sweating and stressed.
Nova's lips twitched. A small laugh slipped out—just enough to make Asta glare, but not enough for him to actually argue.
Celise finally stepped closer, gently placing a hand on Asta's arm, "Asta… Lord Nova was only teasing you. Calm down."
Her voice was soft, reassuring, and magically effective.
Asta straightened immediately, clearing his throat. "Ah—right… right. I was calm the whole time."
He puffed up again, pretending nothing happened.
"For the record," he added stubbornly, "I wasn't scared. I was… uh… prepared. Mentally. For training. Intense training. With the Captain."
Yuno pressed a hand to his forehead. "Just stop talking."
But Asta's enthusiasm didn't dim for long.
He beamed suddenly, throwing his fist in the air again. "ANYWAY!! GOOD LUCK NOVA!! GO SMASH THAT GRAVITY GUY—LUTHOR—LOOTH-DOOR—WHATEVER HIS NAME IS!!"
"Luthor," Nova corrected.
"That's what I said!"
"No," Yuno muttered, "it's not."
Asta ignored him completely as usual.
He rushed toward the door, waving dramatically. "I'LL BE WATCHING FROM THE FRONT ROW—CHEERING SO LOUD THE WHOLE KINGDOM WILL HEAR IT!!"
Yuno followed at a calmer pace, giving Nova a small nod before stepping out.
The door shut behind them, finally leaving Nova and Celise alone again.
But the mood was different now—lighter, warmer, anchored by the lingering excitement from Asta's chaotic storm and the softness in Celise's lingering gaze.
And in just a few minutes, the next battle would begin.
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CHAPTER:- [142 - CATCHING RED HANDED] IS AVAILABLE ON MY P@TREON