As Asta wore a rare expression of deep contemplation, Yuuki continued speaking in a calm, measured tone.
"Don't think of ki as merely a perception ability," he said.
"Treat it as a form of energy—something akin to magic itself."
"You need to find a way to control this ki, to make it circulate within you. Use it as a guide—only then can you draw out the true power sleeping inside your body."
Yuuki explained patiently and in detail.
In truth, Asta's anti-magic had already been awakened by the Witch Queen's blood magic. What he lacked now was only the final push—the last step before the door fully opened.
Asta nodded vigorously. After Yuuki's explanation, everything finally began to connect in his mind.
"Thanks, Yuuki," Asta said, scratching his head a little awkwardly.
"There's no need for thanks," Yuuki replied with a casual wave of his hand. His gaze shifted back to Asta, the corner of his lips lifting slightly.
"As rivals, if you're too weak, I'll be disappointed."
"Tch—what a cocky bastard," Asta muttered, clicking his tongue. Yet the grin on his face betrayed how pleased he really was.
Behind them, the three girls walked together.
From the corner of her eye, Noelle kept glancing toward Yuuki at the front, then back to Rebecca, who was speaking gently with Kahono.
For some reason, Noelle felt that Rebecca had changed—quite noticeably.
Her skin looked paler, her red hair somehow more vivid than before. The faint exhaustion that once lingered between her brows had completely vanished.
She seemed… more beautiful.
What struck Noelle most was the shift in Rebecca's demeanor.
In the past, whenever they spoke, Rebecca always carried a trace of caution—an instinctive fear that came from a commoner standing before royalty.
But this time, while Rebecca remained polite, that nervous wariness was gone.
"Is it because of Yuuki?" Noelle wondered silently.
"What is it, Lady Noelle?" Rebecca asked, noticing her gaze.
"Oh—nothing," Noelle replied hastily, smiling awkwardly as she waved it off. Then, as if recalling something, she asked curiously,
"Why haven't I seen Marco, Luca, or the others?"
At the mention of her younger siblings, a hint of longing appeared in Rebecca's eyes—followed immediately by a flicker of guarded caution.
"You know the situation at the tavern right now," Rebecca said quietly, her expression unchanged.
"It wouldn't be safe for them to stay there. I sent them to the church ahead of time. I'll bring them back after things settle down."
Considering what had happened in Leon Town, Noelle nodded in understanding.
"What are you two talking about?" Kahono asked curiously, tilting her head.
As someone from the Underwater Temple—and someone who had fought the Eye of the Midnight Sun—Noelle didn't hide the truth. She briefly explained what had happened.
Kahono's eyes widened in shock as she listened, then she instinctively looked up toward Yuuki's figure ahead—his expression calm and gentle.
"Yuuki is a good person," Rebecca said suddenly, her tone firm and sincere.
Kahono looked back at Rebecca, then nodded just as seriously, smiling.
"I think so too."
The three girls laughed softly together.
Suddenly—
The sound of a child crying echoed from the street ahead, drawing everyone's attention.
It was a little girl, no more than five or six years old, standing in the middle of the street in worn, shabby clothes. She was crying helplessly, clearly lost.
Yuuki stopped walking. Asta halted beside him.
"Are her parents not around?" Asta asked, scanning the area.
"She's probably lost," Yuuki said quietly, as Rebecca and the others came over.
More pedestrians began to gather, forming a loose circle around the child.
"That clothing… so ragged."
"A migrant commoner's kid, probably."
"No wonder. How filthy."
"Crying on a beautiful festival day—what a mood killer. No upbringing at all."
"Commoners should stop ruining the atmosphere. Honestly."
One disdainful remark after another rang out from the crowd. Faces filled with irritation and disgust surrounded the small girl.
Yuuki glanced sideways at Asta, whose fists were clenched tightly, his expression rigid and silent. Yuuki shook his head almost imperceptibly.
Royalty, nobles, commoners, and the lowest class—peasants.
This was the structure of the world.
Yuuki knew Asta dreamed of becoming Wizard King and creating a world where everyone was equal.
But some things could not be changed by effort alone.
Every Wizard King in Clover's history had been born into royalty or nobility. Even the lowest among them were fallen nobles.
For someone born a peasant to become Wizard King—
The difficulty was self-evident.
The last time Yuuki remembered a commoner rising to supreme leadership was the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze… and he hadn't lived very long.
"Peasant…"
As the word echoed among the crowd, Yuuki's expression grew calmer instead of angrier.
Then—
Noelle stepped forward expressionlessly. She crouched before the little girl and tried to comfort her, but the child only cried harder.
Seeing this, Asta quickly grabbed a few juggling balls from a nearby performer and began to put on a show, finally stopping the girl's tears.
Using her sound magic, Kahono soon located the girl's mother.
Only then did Asta and Noelle realize—
Yuuki and Rebecca were gone.
On another bustling street.
Yuuki continued eating snacks, looking completely relaxed. He knew full well that before long, the entire Clover Kingdom would be plunged into chaos once again.
Naturally, he intended to enjoy the festival while it lasted.
"Yuuki, we just left without telling them," Rebecca said helplessly in a low voice.
"Asta won't mind," Yuuki replied with a light chuckle.
"And staying with them makes it too easy to run into Magic Knights. I'm not looking for trouble."
He handed a skewer of grilled fish to Rebecca, smiling.
"Rebecca?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think a peasant could become Wizard King?"
Rebecca's eyes widened in shock as she stared at him.
Seeing her reaction, Yuuki laughed.
"A peasant Wizard King…" he said softly.
"That would be incredibly interesting."
(End of Chapter)
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