The Witch Queen did, in fact, know the conditions under which a three-leaf clover grimoire might evolve into a four-leaf clover.
Yet that answer brought Yuuki no joy at all.
Luck.
It was an unbearably abstract concept.
The thought flashed through Yuuki's mind, but no matter how he searched, he could not recall any power that truly embodied "luck."
Just as the Witch Queen had said—if such a power truly existed, then its wielder would have been granted a four-leaf clover grimoire from the very beginning.
No wonder the fourth leaf had never manifested.
What he lacked was precisely the most crucial element: luck.
"So logically speaking, a three-leaf clover can't evolve into a four-leaf clover… is that it?"
Yuuki murmured softly to himself. Then he lifted his gaze to the Witch Queen and said calmly,
"Witch Queen, the Witch Forest should have a place where ancient records are preserved. May I take a look?"
Perhaps the Witch Queen was right.
But Yuuki had no intention of giving up so easily.
If the key to evolving into a four-leaf clover was luck, then even if the situation seemed unsolvable at present, that did not mean there were no other paths.
What Yuuki sought was the integration of his own power. If one approach failed, he would try another.
In short—
He had never believed there were absolute impossibilities in this world.
The Witch Queen glanced at Yuuki in mild surprise.
Even knowing something was nearly impossible, he still refused to abandon it. How stubborn.
No—
Her gaze remained cold and detached as she studied his calm expression. Her understanding of Yuuki sharpened: this was a man who would not easily alter his convictions just because of someone else's words.
"Giselle, take him there," the Witch Queen said with a casual wave of her hand.
Her figure dissolved into a flock of black crows and vanished.
Not long after, Giselle appeared before Yuuki, her face pale. She didn't dare raise her head, carefully leading the way ahead of him.
Had it not been for the Witch Queen's recovery magic, she would have died by this human's sword. Fear was only natural.
Yuuki glanced at Giselle's trembling back and found it mildly amusing, though he had no intention of commenting.
The Witch Queen truly was skilled—after surviving such an ordeal, a witch who now wielded Fate Magic would likely revere her even more deeply.
"Still cautious, huh…"
Yuuki's expression remained neutral as the thought passed through his mind.
From beginning to end, the Witch Queen had never once mentioned copying Fate Magic into her own grimoire. Her wariness had never faded.
Black Bulls Headquarters
With a cigarette dangling from his lips, Yami stared in disbelief at Vanessa, who had just finished recounting everything that happened in the Witch Forest and was now gulping down water.
"You sure you're not drunk?" Yami's eyelid twitched violently, his voice rising.
"Captain! It really was Yuuki!" Vanessa exclaimed.
"He saved us—and then went back to the Witch Forest alone! We have to go help him. The Witch Queen is terrifying!"
Before Vanessa could continue, Noelle jumped to her feet, anxiety written all over her face.
"That's right! We need to go back immediately!"
Nearby, Finral—completely drained of mana and slumped over the table—shrank back at the mention of returning to that horrifying place. His reluctance was obvious, but even he knew this wasn't a moment where he could object.
All eyes turned to Yami.
"Youngsters these days are scary," Yami muttered, taking a long drag and exhaling a cloud of smoke.
So, the mysterious man he'd made a deal with… was Yuuki.
Thinking back on everything that had happened recently, even Yami felt a faint sense of having been played.
No wonder Yuuki had refused his invitation at the tavern.
And ki—to master it in such a short time?
More than that, Yuuki's growth was absurd. Barely half a year had passed since the entrance exam, and he'd already reached this level. This wasn't just talent anymore.
That Replication Magic of his clearly wasn't as simple as he'd claimed.
"Captain!" Vanessa pressed again.
Yami snapped back to reality, scanning the battered, mana-drained Vanessa, Noelle, and Finral, then glancing at Asta, who was still unconscious nearby.
Most of the Black Bulls were currently away, searching for a way to heal Asta's arms.
"In your current state, going back to the Witch Forest wouldn't save anyone," Yami said flatly.
"You'd be lucky not to get yourselves captured."
He continued calmly,
"You acted without authorization before, so that's one thing. But if I, as captain, head to a lawless zone like the Witch Forest—especially when a conflict is almost guaranteed—I'd have to report it."
The three froze.
They understood immediately how troublesome the situation was.
Yuuki's position was far too complicated. Once this was officially reported, it would trigger a cascade of problems.
Seeing their conflicted expressions, Yami suddenly laughed.
"That kid's not a reckless idiot like Asta. If he chose to go back, it means he's got some confidence."
He walked over to Asta and examined his arms. The curse was gone—only fractures remained, easily treatable.
Yami's expression softened slightly as he hoisted Asta up.
Only then did everyone notice the dried bloodstain on Asta's back, forming a single word:
"Three days."
"Been a while since something this interesting happened," Yami chuckled.
Then he turned to the others.
"Treat Asta first. No matter what, I'll report this to the Wizard King in three days."
Leon Town Tavern
The tavern was bustling, packed with customers.
Mariella and Neige moved between tables, smiling as they served food and drinks.
After leaving the Witch Forest, they had handed Fana over to Domina at the castle, then returned to the tavern to continue business as usual.
"Lord Yuuki will probably remain in the Witch Forest for a few more days," Mariella thought as she set down a glass of rum.
"Before he returns, we need to observe the movements of both the Magic Knights and the Eye of the Midnight Sun."
After finishing a delivery, Neige jogged back to Mariella, his face bright with excitement.
"When will the Magic Knights show up?" he whispered.
"It's still early. No need to rush," Mariella replied quietly.
"There's a good chance we'll get to fight a Magic Knight Captain."
Based on Lord Yuuki's prediction, the Magic Knights would be the first to move—and a captain was very likely to be dispatched.
If that really happened…
"Go all out. Fight them properly."
Yuuki's calm words echoed in Mariella's mind, and a spark of excitement flickered in her eyes.
A Magic Knight Captain…
She couldn't wait to experience their strength firsthand.
(End of Chapter)
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