Asta Silva - Childhood and travel

Chapter 23

<Mikuno>

I sighed once again that morning. It has been a few weeks since Asta and Liebe dissappeared and I couldn't help but worry. Why did I let them go for that ice cream? Asta is a magnet for trouble.

Two days after the incident other villagers put up missing posters in nearby villages, but to no avail.I flinched and cringed when I accidentally hit my finger with a hammer. Years of experience made me immune to such small injuries, but it has been happening too much recently. Mainly when I thought about Asta.

I don't know when, but I began seeing him as a son. Especially after learning about his past. I'm scared for him. He went through so much... I don't want him in harms way. I hope we find him soon...

<Liebe>

"Let me go!" I screamed, trying to get out of Daichi's grasp.

"Liebe, please, calm down" he tried to soothe me.

"No! Because of that bitch Asta ran away!" I shouted, pointing at the pink-haired girl. "You're lucky I'm out of power, because you would be long gone!" I got out of the boys hand.

"Leave me alone! You're as crazy as your master!"I'll kill her. I swear to everything I'm going to kill her.

I felt a little relief when Kouchi — who was sitting and looking at the ground since Asta escaped — got up and punched her in the face. Everyone looked at him in shock.

"Kouchi...!" Daichi started, but paused when Kouchi turned to us, and his face was full of bloodlust. Oh shit.

Even I flinched under that gaze. I didn't think he could be so terrifying. Especially since he was like a teddy bear with Asta around.

The boy grabbed the hysteric by her hair and yanked it up. Aki wanted to intervene, but almost got burned when he blasted a fireball at her.

"Listen to me" He started, deadly serious. "Asta kept saving us since we met him. He did everything in his power to grant us security. Did he make dumb decisions? Yes. Did he let us know about that? Sometimes. Did he regret it? Probably no. But if you so much as mutter another bad word about him, I'll skin you on the spot. Do you understand?"

I think we awakened a beast.

<Asta>

I think I awakened the dragon. Well. I definitely woke him up. The human, or rather the dragon, dragon-man? I don't know. He looks like a human for now, so that's what I'll call him. The man, after a few days of me jumping on him non-stop — with breaks for food and sleep, I didn't want Liebe to get mad, when I finally find him, that I neglected myself — finally woke up! He glared at me, and I smiled widely.

"Hello mister dragon!" I greeted cheerfully. "I'm Asta! And you?"

"Get out, kid. I won't kill you if you escape right this second" he warned, but I honestly didn't care. I was too curious. You don't meet a mythical creature everyday! I have to learn about his magic! If someday I return to Clover, uncle Julius would be extatic to hear about it!

"What's your name, mister?" I asked again, coming closer.

"Get lost!" he barked, dusting off his robes.

"Alright Mister Get Lost. Are you a half human, half dragon? Or a human that learned how to turn into a dragon? Or a dragon that learned how to turn into a human? What are your powers? Does it hurt when you shapeshift?"

Mister Get Lost looked at me with empty eyes, and I came closer, tugging at his clothes, demanding answers and asking more questions.

"Do your bones break when changing, to adapt to your current body shape? Or do they shrink? Do they change shape? Are they elastic? Can you bend yourself very far? Do people hunt you? How old are you? How do dragon years even work?"