fire flower; leopold vermillion x oc [Black Clover]

Chapter 20: Companion

The three weeks without him are a dull, aching stretch of time. But I get myself back in shape, I make the daily trips to the Black Market, I go on missions. There's just a backdrop of loneliness to it all. I push through, and three weeks becomes two, then two becomes one, and finally, I stand amongst the crowd of Magic Knights waiting to welcome the mission-takers back home.

Bodies surround me, jostling and chattering as I try to inch my way through the crowd. I'm relatively small in comparison to most of the other squad members, so I manage to squeeze myself up to the front lines. I know I can't be seen with him, but I at least want to see his face. I'll give him a little wave, and then I'll disappear in the crowd. No one will notice, no one will care.

After a few minutes, I sense the presence of mana breaking through the clouds. I look hopefully into the sky, my body thrumming with excitement, and I see the returning squad members soar through the air on their brooms. They fly straight towards us, smiles on their faces, and the crows cheers for them. Screams and whoops fill my ears but everything fades away when I see Leopold. He stands tall on his broom, a smirk on his face as his eyes brush over the crowd. But when he sees me, when we make eye contact, the smirk is replaced with a soft smile. Yet something about his eyes seems sad.

I choose to ignore it, and I give him a little wave. But as I turn to make my way back to my room, I catch a pair of legs dangling from his broom. My eyes widen as I see a feminine wizard sitting behind him, a cat-like smile on her face. It doesn't mean anything. She was probably part of the mission, and maybe she needed a ride back. I'll ask about it later. It's not good to make assumptions. Still, an uneasiness clenches at my chest as I race back to my quarters, weaving through the crowd.

The halls of the squad base are silent, and I can still hear cheering in the distance. I flop onto my bed, hoping I'll feel relaxed because he's back, but instead all I can think about is that girl. She had thick, fair, long hair, put up in a princess style, with everything wavy and curled at the end. A blue cape was clasped around her chest, and she wore a short, pleated white dress with ruffles at the bottom. Definitely a royal, or at least someone from a rich family. The cape could mean she's in the Silver Eagles, but I didn't see an insignia.

I curl up, burying my face into one of my pillows. And just when we'd both agreed to find out what our relationship really was... A sharp knock on the door jolts me out of my thoughts, and I tentatively open it.

Leopold stands before me, and I smile. "Hey. Welcome back," I say.

"Mari, I have to talk to you." His face is utterly serious, and my smile fades. Oh no. "Listen, things happened on the mission. You were going to find this out anyway, but I want to spare you the pain."

"What pain? Leopold, what are you talking about?" I have a bad feeling about this. A sickening, stomach-cramping feeling.

"Mari... I-" He's cut off.

"Leopold! Where are you? We have to get going! Your brother wants you by my side when he gives his announcement at the Grand Hall." A shrill, feminine voice echoes down the hallway.

"It's too late..." Leopold murmurs. "I can't be seen with you," he says bitterly. "Just know that I'm sorry, Mari." I reach out to him, trying to pull him back, but he turns away and walks towards the voice.

My head is still whirling as I sink into my bed, squeezing my pillow. A few minutes later, Captain Fuegoleon's voice crackles over the speaker.

"All squad members, please report to the Grand Hall. I repeat, please report to the Grand Hall." Then a click cuts the message off, and somberly, I trudge towards the Grand Hall.

The air is suffocatingly stuffy, nobles surrounding me on all sides, my frame not tall enough to peer over the crowd. But I manage to get a glimpse of the stage decorated with red drapes and lined with gold embroidery. Captain Fuegoleon steps onto the podium in the center, and a hush falls over everyone. "Thank you, squad members, for gathering here. I have a very important announcement today. As you know, my younger brother Leopold Vermillion is now 16. Our family has decided that he will secure the Vermillion line..." he pauses and waves his hand, motioning at someone to enter.

To my dread, Leopold walks out with the girl from before, and my jaw drops a bit when I see their arms linked together. What is going on? Fuegoleon steps down from the podium and lets them take center stage. Confused but polite applause fills the room, but I am not clapping at all.

"He will be engaged to Seradina Lameose, one of the promising heirs of the Lameose family, which specialize in Magic Knight training." The applause grows louder and louder, cheers growing from the crowd. Yet only dizziness finds my mind, and I feel separate from the crowd, isolated, miserable. Every noise muffles in my ear, and I can only hear one word clearly: engaged.

Engaged engaged engaged engaged. Such a lovely word, such a happy word. And I want to carve it out and burn it. I tremble, staring at the floor, feeling so, so alone. For once I am glad to be a commoner that everyone can turn away from. Hurt buries itself in my chest as I turn and walk out of the room, leaving the glowing lights, the cheering squad members, and Leopold, behind.