Brother from another mother

Hello again, everyone! I'm back, and I'll do my best to release at least one chapter a day. So, let's get started!

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Asta looked at his grimoire as if he were holding the greatest treasure in the world. He was practically glowing with happiness, clutching it tightly, flipping through its pages with unrestrained excitement. Only four pages—so far. The writing on them looked ancient and completely unreadable. But that didn't bother him at all.

He didn't even notice the number of clover leaves on the cover. Nor did anyone else. The grimoire looked so old, battered, and worn that distinguishing its details was nearly impossible. However, the owner of the grimoire tower noticed something no one else did.

"Five leaves… Could it really be…" he muttered, but he didn't get to finish his thought.

Asta, shining like a Christmas garland, shot toward Yuno and Noelle with the grimoire in hand.

"Look, guys! I have a grimoire too!" he shouted, completely losing any semblance of self-control.

He began rubbing his cheek against the cover of the grimoire as if it were a plush toy. His happiness was so contagious that even Secre, perched on his shoulder, couldn't resist and softly patted his head with her wing, as if to calm him.

Noelle, observing the scene, crossed her arms over her chest and huffed with feigned indifference:

"Hmph! It's not like I'm happy for you or anything, dumb Asta!"

Yuno raised an eyebrow at her:

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Asta, still grinning ear to ear, answered for Noelle:

"It means she's happy for me! Sometimes her words mean the opposite. You can tell when she crosses her arms like this and uses that tone."

Noelle looked as though lightning had struck her. Her face turned so red it seemed like it could melt ice.

"C-could he really be that observant about me?!" she thought, nervously biting her lip.

"Idiot!" she squeaked, lowering her head so no one could see her flushed face.

Yuno looked at her with his usual indifference and commented:

"Weird."

Noelle turned even redder.

"You're the weird one, you emotionless blockhead!" she snapped, grinding her teeth.

To change the subject, she abruptly turned to Asta.

"By the way, Asta, who even is this?"

"Yuno?" Asta froze, as if he hadn't expected the question. He scratched his head, looking thoughtful.

"Hm, who is Yuno to me…"

Several long seconds passed. Then his face lit up as if he'd made the greatest discovery of all time. With enthusiasm, as though announcing an earth-shattering revelation, he exclaimed:

"He's my brother from another mother!"

"Huh?" Noelle and Yuno said in unison, their confusion evident.

Noelle glanced between Asta and Yuno, finding absolutely no similarities between them.

"So… you have the same father?" she asked hesitantly, trying to make sense of his statement.

Asta froze, realizing his mistake, and immediately corrected himself:

"He's my brother from another mother AND father!"

Secre let out a strange noise, very much like a bird's chuckle.

Yuno rolled his eyes and dryly replied:

"In other words, we're not related at all."

Noelle sighed heavily, looked at Asta as though he were a small child, and muttered:

"Logical genius, as always."

Asta, noticing that the conversation was veering off course, hugged his grimoire tightly again.

"Guys, it doesn't matter! The important thing is that now I have a grimoire, and I'm going to become the Wizard King!"

His enthusiasm didn't waver for even a second.

But Yuno quickly corrected him.

"Don't be an idiot. I'm going to become the Wizard King."

"What did you just say?!" Asta shouted, glaring furiously at Yuno, who had already started walking toward the exit.