Rose in Bloom (Black Clover Elegance TF/TG)

In another place and time, Asta's journey to become Wizard King takes a very different turn: Asta isn't taken in by the Black Bulls, but instead by the Blue Rose Knights, after one of their members assures the captain that she can make a proper Blue Rose out of even him. Asta begins a strange training regimen...

-----

“Woooooah! So cooool!”

A young white haired boy looked every which way. It was a fancier, bigger building than he’d ever seen, that much was clear on his face. From the fountain and perfectly kept hedges on the outside, to the gleaming stone, plush carpet, and fine wood inside, Asta was enamored with the place - the home of the Blue Rose squadron of the Magic Knights.

His squad!

“I can’t believe you took him, sis!” A brown skinned young woman fumed. “Why not some of the girls? We hardly need a pack mule, and I doubt he’d be good for anything else.”

“Stop calling me sis.” The blonde beauty replied. Charlotte Roselei looked over at Asta doubtfully. She hadn’t planned to take him, initially. Even by the standards of men, he’d put on a poor performance at the Magic Knight exam. It was like he had no magic at all - he couldn’t make a broomstick float a centimeter from the ground, or any other display of magical talent. He’d put on an impressive display in the fight, slicing through another mage’s defenses in a single stroke - maybe enough to consider coming back in future years, but more likely the man had simply not been trying very hard as a result of Asta’s earlier lacklustre displays.

Normally she wouldn’t have given him a second thought. Another peasant who might have been tough in his home village but went nowhere when he tried to leave the pond - sad, but not uncommon, and she ran a team of heroes, not a charity. The cool calculation would normally have had her leave her hand down.

But that day she’d been accompanied by two of her mages. One of them was Sol Marron - the girl who so adamantly argued against inducting a man, a friend and reliable subordinate, if overzealous. The other… was a more recent addition, but one who had quickly proven herself important and wise counsel.

Maya Chey - a pretty blonde youth swathed in a blue cloak when she wasn’t in fine gowns - was a bit of a mystery, a touch reclusive and quiet towards the other members of the Blue Rose Knights. She had confidently advised Charlotte to take Asta, assuring her that she would be able to make a fine Blue Rose from even such a pitiful seed. “My… he’s certainly enthusiastic.” she said, watching him gush over just about anything tangentially Magic Knight related he came across.

“I hope you don’t make me regret this decision, Maya.” Charlotte said coolly. Really, she’d only agreed because a significant portion of her focus had been taken up in not losing her cool from sitting next to Captain Yami. That man got to her like nobody else… she forced the thought and the oncoming blush away. “Sol, would you go make sure the ladies are keeping up with their training?”

“Sure thing, sis!” Sol said, bounding away (with a parting glare at Asta).

Maya nodded at the captain’s remarks. “I won’t. I can assure you.” Maya said cheerfully, taking out her grimoire. It flipped open to a page, and a soft blue mist floated from it’s pages to her lips, and then to Charlotte’s. The effect dissipated before Asta turned back to look at them.

“Stop running about like a headless chicken! You’re a Magic Knight now, aren’t you?” Charlotte commanded.

Asta stopped in his tracks with an attempt at a salute. “Sir- er, Ma’am, yes, Ma’am!” he responded. He had gotten this chance by the skin of his teeth and he wasn’t going to mess it up now! “I’ll make sure you don’t regret taking me!”

Charlotte tried not to sigh too loudly. This one would be a trial, but at least his heart was in the right place. She looked over to Maya, before back to Asta. “I might have taken you on, but you’re clearly going to need a lot more training before you can even approach a level where you won’t drag the rest of the Squad down. You won a fight, but that’s not on it’s own enough to make a Magic Knight. Miss Maya Chey has generously offered to handle your training. Respect her commands like you’d respect mine.”

Asta swiveled to face Maya, not shifting pose at all. “Of course! I’ll be in your care, senpai!” he shouted. The two women winced. Did he ever not shout? Did he have volume controls, or was this his equivalent of a conversational tone?

As they spoke - as they commanded him - a blue haze hovered around his head, visible only to Maya. She smiled. “I look forward to working with you as a true Blue Rose, one day.”

“Same to you, senpai! I can start training whenever you want!” Asta shouted.

Maya did her level best not to shift her expression - although she wasn’t sure if she wanted to glare at him for his overactivity or laugh for how easily he submitted. Either way, she’d have some fun, for the next couple of months…

-----

Asta put his all into the training, like he did pretty much anything else. He was a real man, or at least tried to be, and by his own definition that meant he would put his whole being into anything and everything he did! No half-assing things just because they were boring or he didn’t see the point, maximum effort on every task!

Even so, the first several weeks of “training” were… disappointing. He was basically just doing whatever Senpai Maya (or any other Blue Rose Knight) told him to do, lifting this or that, carrying stuff around, all that. He just had to follow orders, simple stuff, and they said it was to train him in “discipline”. But he was pretty sure they were just using him as a pack mule!

“This is hardly training!” Asta complained to Maya. “It’s super easy! I can do harder stuff, I can help!” he said - it wasn’t that he didn’t want to train, but he could hardly grow from lifting boxes and bags!

Maya raised an eyebrow at the outburst. It was a nice day, and he’d come to her room at the start of the day to get his assignments like usual - Charlotte was fairly comfortable handing him off to her, as she was the one who said she could make him worth having. At the start he’d taken his tasks enthusiastically, but there was a bit less zest to his shouted affirmations over time. Now, was this.

The mage smiled serenely. “I’m quite sorry, it’s just you’re at the bottom of the ladder here. Don’t be discouraged, everyone takes their turn down there. That being said…”

Asta’s eyes shined as the phrase signaled she might possibly be changing her mind - could he at last have some real training? Maybe with his sword?

“Just because you’re at the bottom doesn’t mean you can look so slovenly. A Blue Rose Knight has to look presentable, after all - we are the essence of grace and class. Before we can go anywhere, we have to help you look the part.” Maya said confidently.

Asta deflated for a moment. No real training? Still? But as he processed it, he wondered. Did that mean it was his time for one of those capes? The official Magic-Knight cape? He straightened and saluted. “Of course! I’d be honored! Please, help me out, senpai!”

Maya blinked. Was it really that easy? But if he was going to let her do what she wanted, she’d be happy to oblige. “Well… alright then. Come.” she said, standing and leading Asta to a private room elsewhere in the building.

Asta was excited. Did this mean he would finally become a real Magic Knight? He’d been “training” for a while even if he didn’t really think of it as training, were they finally giving him his shot?

The senior Blue Rose fussed around in the closet for a few moments, hemming and hawing over her decision… what to pick out, what to pick out? Asta was a short boy, so they didn’t have much that would… there it was. She pulled out a garment, and spun to show Asta.

“Woooah- wait, huh?”

It wasn’t a Magic Knight cape, at least not unless the Blue Roses had some really weird ones! It was a dress, a navy blue dress! Asta wasn’t even the slightest bit fashion conscious but it looked fancy to him, too.

“I think this one will look nice! A bit flat and boring, admittedly, but it seems good to start with.” Maya said, oblivious to Asta’s bafflement.

“Did you take out the wrong outfit, Senpai?” Asta asked, of course that must be it, she wouldn’t expect him to-

“Of course not.” Maya said. “I’d never make a mistake where fashion is concerned.”

Asta blinked a few times. “What? You can’t really expect me to wear a dress, Senpai!”

“I can. You’re under my direction, aren’t you?” Maya said with a sly grin. “I have to help you fit in with everyone else, don’t I?”

“But nobody else is wearing a dress!” It was true - they all had the normal Magic Knight uniforms, which while fancy, certainly wasn’t this.

“Because everyone else is on-duty. Please, do you think our lovely ladies don’t go in style whenever they have a day off? Most of us are nobles, and even the commoners are a cut above. I suppose, if you think that your peasant background makes you unfit to wear something like this. I could tell Charlotte…”

“OF COURSE NOT!” Asta snapped, snatching the dress out of Maya’s hand. “I can do anything a noble would! Because I’m going to be the Wizard King!” He would! He’d do whatever he had to! It definitely wasn’t because he had a hard time thinking to refuse her, or the Captain.

Maya clapped her hands together gleefully. “Oh, good, I was worried for a second. Now, let me help you with this…”

It was a few minutes of embarrassing sounds and shocked noises as Asta went through the trials of putting on a dress for the first time. When he was done, Maya put a contemplative hand to her chin while examining him. It didn’t work one bit. As expected, really. But she’d fix that. “Well, it’s a start.” she said. “Sit down now.”

Asta did as he was told, still fuming over the implication that his peasant background had anything to do with his chances at success too much to really question it. Maya took off his hairband, letting his hair fall down - it was longer than it looked when it wasn’t tied up in that ridiculous style, and they hadn’t been letting him cut it. Having it down already improved the overall look, with the locks falling just above his shoulders. “Your hair is nice, honestly. A unique color. You should take better care of it.” she said, starting to brush his hair down.

“What? You told me not to cut- ow-”

“It only hurts because it’s dirty and you’re not used to a brush. Have you ever heard of shampoo?” she chided him, as she brushed out his hair to get it mostly straight.

“What- gah! It doesn’t really matter does it?”

The hair started to curl again on it’s own, but now that it was down around his shoulders it gave a kinda nice effect. “From now on you’re going to use shampoo when you bathe, got it?” Maya said pointedly. “You need to keep your hair healthy if you don’t want to lose it!”

Asta wanted to retort, but he couldn’t. He knew he’d do what he was told, because he wanted to be a real Magic Knight. “Fine- hey, what are you grabbing now?”

She’d pulled on a drawer and rummaged through it for a bit before producing a small box and placing it on the table. “Finishing touches.”

Asta was only vaguely aware of the concept of makeup. He was pretty sure Sister Lily back home had some? But she didn’t need it to look pretty so he wasn’t sure what it was for. He got a crash course as, with surprisingly deft aim considering how much Asta was struggling against it, Maya thoroughly and skillfully applied it. There wasn’t a mirror in the room, but Maya didn’t care much whether Asta saw himself or not - she got to see the show.

As it turned out, it wasn’t hard to make a pretty girl out of him. He was hardly an ugly man, and once his hair was down and a bit of makeup highlighting some features and hiding others, he could pass for a handsome woman. Maya couldn’t help but mentally pat herself on the back for that. “Now, Asta, from now on your morning routine’s going to have to include getting dressed like this. You also have to remember what I did with the makeup and learn to do it yourself, got that?”

“What!? What does this have to do with being a Magic Knight!?” Asta shouted.

“It has everything to do with being a Blue Rose, at the least.” Maya said pointedly. But she wasn’t worried about him disobeying - he wouldn’t find it in himself, after she had so much time with him.

-----

It was lucky that Asta wasn’t particularly easy to embarrass. He decided that this must be either some newbie hazing, or else a trial to see how committed he was to becoming a Magic Knight. Whichever was the case, that reframing meant he would give his all for whatever it was they asked of him like he did everything else! If that meant wearing a dress and figuring out how to put on makeup, then so be it! A future Wizard King could hardly be deterred by such obstacles if they were worthy of the title!

While it was a trial to be sure, he did get to a point where he could put on makeup on his own without needing to get it touched up by Maya. He shouldn’t have felt as proud of that as he did, but it was what it was - he wasn’t the sort to dwell on things, more about moving forward.

Bizarrely, once he started to wear the dress, the other Blue Rose Knights seemed to begin to acknowledge his presence; it wasn’t much, an occasional greeting as they passed in halls or a thank you if he offered assistance, but it was more than he’d been getting before. It seemed to confirm his theory - they were seeing his commitment and expecting him to pull through, of course!

The training shifted again just as he was getting into a routine. Asta was pulled aside by the Captain and Maya to look at his progress. Charlotte seemed shocked to see him - obviously she’d not expected him to put so much effort into it, and he was glad to impress! It must have been something to her, since she usually never showed that much emotion.

What surprised him though was when Maya made a show of looking over his body, feeling his arms and legs and rubbing a hand down his gut. “Pretty cool right?” he said proudly. “I’ve trained a long time! I’m in perfect shape! A future Wizard King can’t neglect his body!”

Maya raised an eyebrow at him. “I’m sure you have. Maybe a bit too hard.”

“What?” Asta said blankly. Was there such a thing as training too hard?

“Well, Captain, why don’t you say it?” Maya suggested.

Charlotte coughed. She hadn’t expected Maya to take this route with Asta… he didn’t look half bad in that outfit, to be honest, although there was something incongruous. She cleared her throat again. “The image of the Blue Rose Knights is one of refinement and elegance. While your prodigious strength may serve in a fight…” how should she put this… “You seem to have been neglecting other parts of training your body.”

“Huuuh!?” Asta shouted. Maya would have to teach him to quiet down… “What could I miss? I train every day, whenever I get some time!”

Maya nodded in agreement with Charlotte. “You do train constantly, that much is true. But isn’t it all strength training and endurance training?” she said. “You’re definitely missing something - you have absolutely no grace! Your agility leaves a lot to be desired, and it’s not something you can ignore. How do you expect to get close enough to swing that brutish sword of yours if the terrain is treacherous, or the enemy tries indirect means of attack? You’ll be a liability if you let yourself have such a critical weakness.”

Asta wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but even he could see the logic in their arguments. He didn’t want to fail his fellow Knights when he took the field, so he would have to renew his training. “Alright! What do I have to do!?” he shouted.

Charlotte inclined her head to Maya; she’d passed off the training to her, so she would be in charge of it. Maya nodded back, and turned to Asta. “First off! Until I say so, you can’t lift anything heavier than half your own weight, got it?”

The white-haired swordsman blinked. “Eh?”

“The problem is you are neglecting a crucial part of your training, right? We can’t let you keep doing that - if you start training your strength again you might forget all about this. So you can keep helping out, but you are not allowed to lift anything heavy.” Maya said, as if it was the most natural condition in the world.

That was ridiculous! Asta couldn’t stop his strength training could he? But… he’d been told to do it… and he had agreed so… well, he just had to do it, didn't he? “Fine…” he said.

“Secondly! We’re going to be giving you some dancing lessons!” Maya said, eyes gleaming mischievously.

“What does dancing have to do with anything!?” Asta asked.

“Is there any discipline that demands more agility?” Maya asked innocently. “Is there any skill more suited to training grace and dexterity? I think not. Many of our Knights practice dancing for exactly that reason! It teaches you to be quick on your feet and aware of where your whole body is at all times! Besides, if you do a lot of it, it’s endurance training too”

“Wooooah!” Asta gasped. He’d never considered that! Was this some secret ultimate training technique of the Blue Rose Knights he was learning?

With this justification firmly in hand, Asta was dragged off by Maya towards another room of the expansive Blue Rose base - this one something of a ballroom where the Blue Rose Knights would occasionally host nobles and other notables. Asta was given a pair of shoes to dance in - or rather, a pair of heels, which he grumbled about but managed to squeeze his feet into all the same. “Why would I wear heels in a fight?” he demanded.

“Generally, you wouldn’t - but how better to train your balance?” Maya replied.

“Oooooh…” Asta nodded, seeing the logic, before making sure the shoes were secure. “For the sake of my training, I’ll be the best dancer in the Magic Knights!” he declared dramatically. Maybe he could charm Sister Lily with a fancy dance when he visited home… he stepped towards Maya, and promptly tripped, completely unused to walking in heels.

Maya caught him. “Easy there. I’m not expecting you to get it perfectly in one day.” she said. “We’ll start simple - just taking single steps, one after another.”

The first step of the “agility training” was evidently just figuring out how to even walk in those shoes. High heels, as it turned out, were not a skill that Asta took to easily. But Maya helped out, first with physical support of his body and then by giving some advice. The first day of the training was just that - learning not to trip over himself in those heels.

The second time he put on the heels, they came on much easier; he wasn’t really the type to pay much attention to how his feet looked, or he might have noticed they looked thinner and more dainty than the previous morning, easily sliding into the heels. His balance still wasn’t right, but it came easier.

That second day was a matter of learning the steps of a beginner’s dance. Maya again guided him, leading him on step by step and beat by beat. Her hands on his hip and shoulder stabilized and directed his movement, and it wasn’t long before he felt like he had it down.

It repeated day after day, until Asta noticed something weird. “Hey, Maya-senpai?” he asked at the beginning of training one day.

“Yes?” Maya asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Is it just me or does my body look a bit weird to you?”

The senior mage grinned. “What do you mean?”

Asta had begun to undergo some… changes, since the training had begun. While still muscle-bound as befit his long hours of training beforehand, other traits had shifted - his waist was thinner, his hips wider, and his legs seemed smooth and shapely. His shoulders had slimmed down as well. And of course, most noticeably, there were twin bumps on his chest. Not much - but noticeable. His figure was getting there…

“I don’t know. Do you think I got hurt somewhere? I think my chest has been swelling a bit around my pecs…” Asta said, poking at the ‘bumps’. They felt weirdly sensitive, kinda like bug bites? But he didn’t know any bugs that left such big stings on the body.

“No, it’s fine, really.” Maya insisted. “It’s just some new muscles - you’ve been doing this new training constantly, so it only makes sense you’d start developing fast, right?” she said.

Asta frowned. Muscles didn’t grow that fast, did they? And they certainly didn’t feel like muscles. “Are you sure…?” he muttered.

“Positive. Let’s see how good you are at that dance now to prove it, hm?”

As the day’s training went on, Asta found that he had indeed improved - quite a bit actually, he was able to keep up with Maya reasonably well even as she sped up, when he’d spent the first couple days being more or less dragged along. Maybe she was right - he should listen to his superiors. “This training is working great!” he said confidently. “I feel like I’ve never had better balance than this!”

“Of course, of course.” Maya said. “Just like it’s supposed to.”

-----

The dancing lessons continued until Asta could go through a full ballroom dance - in fact a good few of the popular ones with the nobility, playing either part as needed. As it did, his body developed further. The bumps had formed into full on breasts, and not small ones at that, and that was to say nothing of an hourglass figure and a delightful bottom. He had brought it up to Maya a few times, but she insisted everything was normal and he found he couldn’t deny her.  Now, between his longer hair (which he still hadn’t been allowed to cut - it went down a good bit below the shoulders, ending in natural curls), pretty dresses and makeup, and feminine figure, he could easily be mistaken for a woman! He occasionally questioned what he was doing, but in the name of his dream, he’d put up with anything! He would be a great Magic Knight whatever it took!

One day, Maya declared the dancing lessons over. It was time for a new lesson. “You have to know how to remain calm under pressure.” she said.

“I know that!” Asta said. “I can stay calm under any pressure!” he shouted proudly.

“You say that, but we haven’t really tried to put you into situations where it matters, have we?” she said with a smile. “Besides… shouting like that, isn’t all that calm.”

“Well, fine then! I’ll complete this training like all the ones before it!” Asta declared proudly.

“Good to hear.” The senior mage nodded. “Make sure your makeup’s right. We’re going out.”

Asta wondered where they could be going. He hadn’t left the Blue Rose headquarters since joining, which was probably the main reason he’d not been mistaken for a woman yet. While nobody accosted them on their way, it was clear to see some of the men checking them out. Asta didn’t pay much attention to that though, far more intrigued by the noble district around him.

He hardly noticed when they’d arrived at their destination and Maya led him in. Walking through the door felt like walking through a magic portal, as he was hit with a wave of humid, hot air. “Wooaaah, that felt weird, what is this place Maya-senpai?”

“A nice bathhouse. It’s a high class establishment, often frequented by nobles.” she said.

“Is this a reward for doing so well? I’ve always wanted to see a bathhouse.” He hadn’t even really considered that they were a thing, but now he was sure he had always wanted it. He wondered if Sister Lily had ever been in one…

“We’re here for your training.” Maya said, smirking. “Come with me.”

Asta followed dutifully… at least until he saw the sign and stopped in his tracks. “Uh… senpai, is this-”

“Don’t worry about it.” Maya insisted, dragging Asta into the woman’s side of the bathhouse.

“I shouldn’t be here!” Asta said as Maya helped him disrobe, “It’s against the rules isn’t it?”

Maya rolled her eyes. “Quiet down. It’s for your training - I’m putting you in a perilous situation, and you’ll only make it through it if you remain calm. A trial by fire.”

Asta hesitated for a second, then nodded. A trial by fire. He would face this trial head on! After Maya helped him figure out how to get a towel around his chest properly, the pair walked confidently into the woman’s side of the baths.

The feminine-looking young man wasn’t really the kind to think untoward thoughts about women - he was saving himself for Sister Lily! - but when you waltz into a room full of naked women like a pervert, it’s difficult not to at least blush a bit. The room was full of relaxing noblewomen (and the odd commoner that had saved up for a day out) who paid the two new arrivals little mind; most didn’t even notice their entrance, and those that did saw nothing odd.

“Stay quiet, Asta.” Maya whispered in his ear. “They won’t think anything’s weird just looking at you, but your voice will give you away…”

Asta kind of wondered why he hadn’t already been called out - maybe Maya had used some illusion magic? She’d never actually told him what her magic was. But he nodded fervently, almost shouted his acknowledgement, and clapped a hand over his own mouth at the last second. Maya smirked, and led him on.

Soon they were sitting down in one of the baths in the back of the building. It was a fairly sizable one, so even if there were a couple other women inside, they were mostly alone. Asta wasn’t sure if the heat was the bath or the situation, looking around at so many casually nude women.

It didn’t help when Maya started pressing up against him, her breasts squeezing against his arm. “How’s it feel, hm? I bet it’s nice. The bath, I mean.” she said.

“I-” Asta started, before shutting his mouth. Keep cool, don’t give yourself away. He recited it like a mantra in his mind.

“You’re doing well so far,” Maya continued, her hand drifting below the water, “But I think I could make this a bit more… intense. It’s too easy right now, isn’t it?” she teased.

Asta wasn’t sure what she was talking about - they were already in the belly of the beast, so to speak, so how could she make it more intense than it already was? He couldn’t ask, of course, so he had to wait until Maya made her move.

And make a move she did. Suddenly she turned him around until they were face to face, and pressed in. Their breasts met in the middle, pressing together in a way that sent shudders of sensation across Asta’s body - w-what was she doing!?

He opened his mouth to talk, but a glare from Maya shut him up. No speaking. “Don’t worry. We won’t get too many weird looks. Just girls being good friends, isn’t it~? Besides, like I said - your task is to stay calm.”

The orders were iron-clad. Asta did his best not to make a noise as Maya’s hands began to roam. They touched just about every part of his body, stroking down his legs and arms and his abs. He couldn’t tell, because he was too distracted, that whenever she touched the bulging musculature seemed to fade, the skin seemed to smooth. Her touch made his body even more delicate and feminine than it already looked, as he tried his best not to make a sound - it was especially hard when she gave his chest a grope or two.

He would stay calm - he would remain cool and collected no matter what she did. He would stay strong-! “A-Ah-” he gasped, before covering his mouth again - he’d almost cried out as her hand started rubbing down around his crotch. “W-We can’t-” he stammered, unable to stop himself, but he kept it quiet.

“Oh, that won’t do - can’t stay focused when that’s under attack, can you?” Maya said with her trademark smirk. “Is it the fact there’s so many people here? They don’t matter, you know. You have to stop worrying about them. All that matters is the Magic Knights - us, the highest of the high. And the Blue Rose Knights especially.”

“What-” Asta started.

“Stop worrying. Just keep your cool, and focus on me and the other Blue Roses. I can help with that…”

He couldn’t begin to imagine what it was she was doing until she was doing it - her lips met his as she made dang sure he wouldn’t be making a sound as she worked on his crotch. That was so wrong - he was saving himself, he couldn’t kiss her! But he also couldn’t deny her, without losing his cool and failing the test. His frantic thoughts ran at high speed in every direction except for what was happening to his body - and especially not how his manhood was shrinking away…

When Maya withdrew, Asta was a visibly changed person. Besides the fact that he’d lost a lot of the visible muscle on his body, when Maya pulled back she’d left his face feminized as well; now it wasn’t just expertly applied makeup that made him look like a woman, but his actual face - and he was a pretty one at that. Although the most dramatic change was of course the fact that ‘he’ could not be called that any more - down below was all woman.

“You can speak now.” Maya said with a grin. “Good job not freaking out during that.”

“I-I did it? Alright!” Asta declared - not noticing how her voice had become just as feminine as the rest of her. From head to toe, Asta was every inch a woman.

“It was a bit unorthodox training, honestly - making out in a bathhouse isn’t what we usually do with our recruits, but with how rowdy you are, I had to really make sure you could keep calm under pressure.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine…” Asta said. She frowned a bit. Wasn’t the test supposed to be something else? Some other factor beyond just making out in a public place?

She couldn’t remember, and she didn’t want to seem silly to her senpai - she shook her head and focused. Soon, she’d be a full Blue Rose! The first true step on her path to being the Wizard King!

Maya suppressed a laugh as she saw the result on her student’s face - Asta was certainly single minded…

-----

It was nearly time. Asta had become a beautiful woman, more than suitable for the Blue Rose Knights; she maintained her headstrong attitude and enthusiasm, but that was just fine for a Magic Knight, but now it was tempered with a graceful look and a generous figure. The other Knights had gotten used to having her around, and she was beginning to make some friends.

But she felt weird. Really strange, like something had changed and she couldn’t quite say what. So she did what she’d gotten used to doing - approaching Maya with her woes.

“Is it nerves, you think? I know that your formal initiation is coming up…” Maya suggested.

“No, I don’t think so.” Asta sighed. “I just don’t get it! I’m really excited to finally get to go on missions and stuff, so why do I feel so weird?”

“Perhaps it’s having a goal you’ve strived for for so long nearly in reach that’s doing it. You don’t know what will happen next.”

“No, next I become a Magic Knight Captain, and then the Wizard King. That’s easy.” Asta sighed, and Maya rolled her eyes. Even with all the progress she’d made, Asta was still Asta.

“Well, why don’t you come to my room. I can help you get ready for the ceremony, and maybe that will help you relax.” Maya offered.

The pair headed to the senior mage’s room, and Asta found herself sat down at a familiar vanity - although this time, there was a mirror in place. She could see herself clearly in it, and it still made her feel odd. But her senpai was there, and she’d help.

Maya started by brushing out Asta’s long hair, smooth and silky as she’d taken care of it following Maya’s directions. “Don’t worry. You’ve been preparing for this for ages, right? You look every bit like a good Blue Rose Knight, you dance better than half the girls here and have more grace than a ballerina, and you’ve learned to keep yourself cool under any circumstances. You remember all your lessons, right? All the training?”

Asta did remember it all. So why did it feel odd? “Yeah… thank you so much for your help, Maya…” she said. Maya started to style her hair, working it into fancy ringlets - Asta didn’t mind, it was a special occasion after all.

As Maya switched to a touch-up of Asta’s makeup (she was pretty good at it, but Maya was the master), she continued. “You’ve been preparing for this a long time before you got picked, weren’t you?” she asked. “Since you were a kid.”

“That’s right…” Asta nodded. Ever since she’d been a child, she wanted to join the Magic Knights.

“It only makes sense, after all. Nobles like us have a responsibility to use our powers for good.”

“Nobles…?” Asta said, dreamily. Something about that sounded wrong… but Maya never lied to her. So if she said they were nobles, it must be her own memories that were wrong, and not Maya.

“That’s right. We’re high class nobles, don’t you remember?” Maya said. “So very far above the commoners, and even more so those pathetic peasants… we pity them, don’t we? That they couldn’t be born to such strength…”

“Of course… of course I remember…” Asta said. Of course. She had always been a high-class noble. They were better than other people, born higher and with a responsibility to use that power. It was simply the order of the world; hardly her fault she was better than the commoners and peasants. A smug smile played across her features as her mind was slowly rewritten…

“Ah, I remember how worried you were when we got our grimoires - yours seemed so dirty and dark… but it’s a powerful one, isn’t it?” Maya led her along, led her in building a new self. Asta had some surprising strength - that grimoire looked like a rag at a first glance, but closer examination and talking with him had revealed it’s unique anti-magic properties.

It had been lucky that he couldn’t find a way to cut her own magic, even if he had figured out she was using any. Hers was a power that befit a noblewoman; all she had to do was tell people what to do. When someone obeyed her commands, they would become more and more as she wanted them to be. Their minds would shift to her will, their bodies remolding to her desire. And she’d always wanted a sibling...

“That’s exactly right.” Asta nodded. “A magic that trumps all other magic…” Her mind hastily began to rewrite the memory of getting her grimoire - how the black book had floated in out of nowhere, appearing from nothing. How she’d nearly thrown it out from how ratty it looked, before looking at the cover and seeing the five-leaf clover… “A four leaf clover is a sign of a grand destiny…” she remembered someone saying…

“So it only makes sense that someone as important as you gets a five leaf clover, doesn’t it?” Maya finished for her, both in her memory and in reality. “It’s only fitting for a noble…”

Asta nodded. “Ohohoho, isn’t it~?” she laughed. “If a four leaf clover is so important, then a five leaf has to be better. The logic is simple enough even a peasant might grasp it.” That was right. It was a sign of her superiority, backing up her own self image. Once she gave the book a cleaning, it was perfect for her. Perfect for a noblewoman.

The mention of a four-leaf clover triggered a memory - she remembered that dark haired dirty peasant who’d shown up with a four-leaf… that handsome, dashing peasant… he was the only one of such low class she knew, after he’d saved her from ruffians on a childhood trip to the countryside. She blushed fiercely at the memory - normally she’d have taken issue with someone of such low birth having such a powerful grimoire, but him… well, if it was him it was fine. She’d have to save him sometime, so she would stop owing him, and definitely not so he would look at her-

Maya blinked in surprise as she watched her student blushing scarlet. Where the heck had her mind gone from that statement? It didn’t matter much, she supposed… she had better things to focus on. “Mother was so proud, especially when you went to join the Blue Roses right after.”

“Yes, she was…” Asta agreed, shaking her head and pushing the thoughts of Yuno out of her mind. A noblewoman shouldn’t be so preoccupied with a peasant…

“Who wouldn’t be proud of their darling daughters joining the Magic Knights?” Maya said. “I was so happy when my little sister followed after me to the same squadron…”

Sister. Yes… Maya was her sister… her beloved big sister, who had taken care of her since she’d joined… “Of course… how could I not follow my big sister?” Asta said.

Maya produced a deep blue cloak, and wrapped it around the newly minted noblewoman’s neck. “Welcome to the Blue Rose Knights, Lilim Chey~”

Asta, peasant striving to be the Wizard King, closed her eyes with a sudden feeling of tiredness. Lilim Chey, haughty noblewoman and initiate of the Blue Rose Knights, opened them. “Oh, dear sister, that isn’t for you to say~ I appreciate it all the same, though.” she said.

“Of course, of course.” Maya said cheerfully. “Let’s bring you to Charlotte, shall we?”

The two elegant ladies left the room, chattering about this and that. Maya figured she’d have to do the rounds - not many people had known Asta, so it would be fairly easy to make sure everyone knew Lilim.

-----

Charlotte Roselei looked over the hall, her face as icy as ever but feeling good about what she saw. It was a gathering to celebrate the accomplishments of a number of the new crop of Magic Knights, after they showed some heroism. In particular, she was happy to see Lilim Chey mingling with Mimosa and Noelle from the Golden Dawn and Black Bulls, respectively - her newest member seemed to have hit it off with the royals, talking animatedly.

She had felt… hesitant, when she first took Lilim in, she could recall. She’d had her older sister in the ranks already, of course, but Lilim often acted haughty, overbearing - she wasn’t sure if she’d fit with the Blue Rose Knights. But since she’d joined, she’d shown a devotion to the squadron unlike any she’d seen, and a determination to prove that she was worth her privileged position.

The captain decided she should listen to Maya more - she had been so right about her sister, after all.

As she watched, she saw a young man approaching the table to speak to Mimosa - and when Lilim saw him, she flushed bright red. Her loud words were audible even from where Charlotte sat.

“Y-Y-Yuno! I see you’re here as well! I s-suppose even peasants can do well enough to be invited… endeavor to prove you’re worth the resources the Magic Knights have invested!”

“Miss Chey, what are you…?” Yuno looked confused, at the flushed and hyperventilating face of the noblewoman.

“I know you have declared your intent to become the Wizard King - but I will not allow it! Not without a fight! I shall have to become the Wizard King instead!” Lilim declared. “Or… Wizard Queen? That seems better…”

The conversation went on like that, with Lilim rambling and Yuno just seeming polite but confused. Oh, but he was so dense… Charlotte felt bad for her newest subordinate. It must be hard to have a crush on someone like that.

“Yo. Wanted to have a chat about your new lady-” A familiar voice said.

Charlotte spun around instantly, fighting her own blush. “Y-Yami-”

Maya, watching from the sidelines, sighed - it seemed Lilim had taken after the Captain…

She turned away from the two love-struck dolts, grinning. Well, she could live with that. She was proud of how well she’d done with Lilim - a musclebound oaf had been thoroughly replaced with her loving, elegant sister. She’d have to see if she could get close to that peasant with the four-leaf grimoire, as well...