The Mage of Light [ Black Clover Fanfiction ]

Chapter 8 - To Protect You

Patri had to admit that he was disheartened to learn that Sel didn't remember anything. He felt her soul, he knew her more than she did. At the same time, they became somewhat strangers.

'I just need her to be safe and sound,' Patri talked to himself. The fact that she was alive, standing before him was the most precious gift. Yet, he still held out a false hope that he can make her remember by telling her his stories, their stories.

Pointless though...

Even though she was taking on the appearance of a human, the magic power he sensed was that of an elf. Since she wasn't at the ceremony that day, she might not die – nor the reincarnation spell was cast on her.

Once Patri wondered, between the elf and human, which she would choose.

Would she choose the race that had betrayed her faith and massacred her family? – No.

'She made the same decision as her brother,' Patri assumed. 'She also used a forbidden spell to be reborn, to wind back her time, transforming her into a newborn human?'

He thought of reviving elves by the incomplete reincarnation spell, and revenge. Now he was not alone, there's Sel being with him... but she was still a little kid.

The image of her carefree and innocent smile made him hesitate, and then he concluded that he couldn't drag her into this revenge thing yet. Not yet.

He left the church early in the morning. Sel should stay here, for now, to grow up normally. It was contradictory of him to decide so. He resented the human – but never did he want his beloved to be filled with hatred, for he loved the way she smiled and laughed.

When everything is over, he would tell her later.

oOo

Patri received his own four-leaf clover grimoire as he finalized his plan on revenge.

Occasionally, he would visit Sel, gazing at her from a far distance. There were always two other boys playing with her. They... did everything together.

Patri only stayed for a short moment before leaving. Whenever he awoke, the first thing that came to his mind was about Sel. Is she doing well? What is she doing? Does the human there treat her badly?

« Has she remembered anything? »

If possible, he wanted to take her along; yet, for she has not regained her memory, she would consider the thing as kidnapping.

'She's stubborn, of course.'

Another day, Patri visited the village, only to catch a glimpse of her and then left. That was his intention though. That day... Sel was nowhere to be found.

The two boys were searching for their friend, calling out her name. And that caught his attention.

"Sel!! Where are you?"

"Please answer us!"

His eyes widened as his heart began to accelerate, hands becoming twitchy. Every part of him went on pause while his thoughts hardly caught up.

"She's... gone missing?"

Even his breathing sound was harsh. He tried to navigate the surroundings. Many small magic signatures, but he couldn't sense hers.

No, it's still here; yet faint. The signature came from the forest. Something happened to her...?

He rushed to the place, turned it upside down. The signature became vaguer before totally disappearing.

That's when the feeling of her existence crept over Patri. It's near, no... it's right here!

He looked up, sighting Sel standing on a branch of a tree, looking down on him, hands holding on a rope.

"Sel-!"

She didn't let him finish but jump down, aiming at the young boy. The sudden attack left Patri in surprise as the girl gained effective control of him.

"Hah, wh-!?"

"Finally caught you..." She murmured in her mouth before yelling, "You stalker!!"

Huh?

'... How come I've become a stalker!!??'

oOo

Patri stared at Sel.

Sel stared at him, who was claimed to be a stalker, hanging upside down on a tree. He was a tall and slender adolescent. Red crescent tattoos with three buds framing the sides of his eyes, and two red dots above his eyes. Sel would, of course, recognized him.

"So... what are you planning by stalking me?"

"... Do I look like a stalker?"

"Yes." She nodded firmly, "I have sensed someone following me for the past few weeks before coming up with this trick. "The rat" got caught more easily than I had expected though."

... 'The rat', huh?

The silence fell over them. He could not explain, nor could he tell her the truths. 'The reason I am doing this is to protect you. You are an elf, and the human will harm you.'? He wished he could say that, cutting this long story short for good.

No, Sel would not believe such an excuse, for he knew her better than she did.

"I –"

"Why are you always looking so sad?" Sel cut him mid-sentence, making him unable to defend himself. Patri raised his head to meet the girl's gaze, which was a reflection of his own. "... My apology. Honestly, since the first time I met you, I can't tell if it was sadness or madness."

"..." He remained silent,

"My mother-, ah no, someone once told me that being sad and being mad are kinds of the same... So, I wonder if you are feeling that way."

Patri started to laugh satirically with the criticism pointing at him. He thought he knew Sel better than anyone else, but forgot that, vice versa, Sel was also the one understanding him more than he understands himself.

"I can never lie to you, can I?" He said, chuckling, "Fine... I will tell you."

I will tell you about our story.

"I will tell you the remaining part of that story."

This time, I promise I will protect you.