Ten years had passed since Mordred arrived in the world of Black Clover, and he had spent those years simply enjoying life.
He slept whenever he wanted, played hide-and-seek with the other kids, trained his magic—but still had to attend the church sometimes, since they were taught reading and other basic things there.
Now, Mordred was fixing his clothes, getting ready to leave the church.
"Still wearing those clothes?"
"Hello, Sister Theresa. I like them—they're more comfortable."
Mordred was wearing very loose clothing, since even after all these years, he still hadn't gotten used to being a woman. Loose clothes made it harder for anyone to tell whether he was a boy or a girl.
"You should wear something that actually fits you," said Sister Theresa, picking up another set of Mordred's clothes.
"I prefer these. This way, no one knows what I am," he said, tying his hair into a ponytail.
"A skirt?" Sister Theresa asked.
"Never. I'm not wearing one," Mordred said, annoyed.
"Even as a child, you never liked skirts and always chose those kinds of clothes," said Sister Theresa, shaking her head.
"That's because I can move better in pants. If I wore a skirt, I couldn't train properly, and it would be uncomfortable to move around. If I want to get stronger, I have to be able to move freely first," Mordred said, finishing his hair.
'And also because I'll never wear a skirt,' Mordred thought.
"You remind me of someone… She was just as unfeminine as you, and had almost the same attitude," said Sister Theresa.
Mordred looked at her, unsure if that was supposed to be a compliment or an insult.
"I won't take up more of your time. Hurry, or you'll be late for the grimoire acceptance ceremony," said Sister Theresa as she left the room. "And bring something for the children."
"Yes, Sister Theresa."
He finished getting ready and left the church, holding a magic broom.
"I guess it's time to go."
"Sister!!"
Mordred heard a small girl's voice and turned to see a little girl running toward him, jumping into his arms.
"Marie, do you remember what I told you?" Mordred said.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Sister," Marie said, looking down.
"Don't worry, but remember—no one can know about this. It's our secret," Mordred said, patting her head.
"Yes! It's our secret!" Marie said happily.
"Perfect. But why are you here instead of playing with the others?" Mordred asked.
"Oh, right! I came to wish you good luck so you can get a good grimoire!" Marie said with a bright smile.
"How sweet. Thank you for the good luck," Mordred said, hugging her tightly before setting her down. "Well, I should get going now."
Mordred mounted the magic broom and waved goodbye to Marie as he headed straight for the Grimoire Tower.
--
--
When he arrived, he saw many people entering the Grimoire Tower, so he got off the broom and stepped inside.
"Wow, it's huge."
Everywhere he looked, there were hundreds—no, thousands—of grimoires on shelves reaching all the way up to the ceiling.
"How can there be so many grimoires? And where did they all come from?"
Just like Mordred, who was amazed by the sight, many other commoners were staring in awe at the tower.
"Stupid commoners."
"I bet some of them think they can become Magic Knights."
"Let them dream. Only nobles ever become knights."
While the nobles mocked the commoners, Mordred simply stared at them as if they were the stupid ones.
"Idiots. When will the instructor get here?"
Suddenly, a platform rose from the top of the Grimoire Tower, revealing Vivian.
"Welcome, recipients. From today onward, each of you will begin your own path. May honesty, hope, and love guide you. I am the Guardian of this Grimoire Tower."
As soon as Vivian appeared, everyone grew excited.
"Without further delay, I shall bestow your grimoires."
Grimoires began floating from every corner of the tower, flying toward their rightful owners.
"I finally got my grimoire!"
"With this, I can take the Magic Knights' entrance exam!"
"I wonder what kind of spells I'll have?"
There were all kinds of grimoires—big ones, small ones, some thick, some thin.
Everyone was getting theirs, but Mordred still hadn't received one.
"Hmm… where's mine?"
He looked around until finally, his grimoire floated toward him.
A three-leaf grimoire with a dark crimson cover and white accents, marked with symbols resembling armor.
"I finally have it."
He opened the grimoire to see if it already contained any spells.
"'Crimson Magic'? What kind of magic is that?" Mordred wondered aloud, closing the book.
"Well, as you all know…" Vivian began speaking again, drawing everyone's attention.
"The Magic Knights' entrance exam will be held in six months. Prepare yourselves for that day, and always remember where you came from. May honesty, hope, and love stay with you."
Everyone started leaving the tower, full of excitement for what awaited them.
"Leaving without saying goodbye to me first?" Vivian asked as Mordred was about to go.
"I just wanted to test my magic," Mordred said.
"Come with me somewhere quiet. I don't want any accidents happening," Vivian said.
"That sounds troublesome," Mordred muttered.
"You are troublesome, little one. Such a troublesome little girl—remember when you destroyed that pond? Or when you electrocuted those bullies? Or even yourself?" Vivian said, listing them teasingly.
"Okay, okay! No need to remind me," Mordred said quickly, embarrassed.
"Fufufu, you're so cute," Vivian said with a smile.
Vivian led Mordred to a secluded area where no one else was around.
"This spot is fine. Now, show me your spells."
Mordred got into position and opened the first page of his grimoire.
"Crimson Magic: Crimson Bolt!"
From Mordred's hand, a swift discharge of crimson energy shot out, piercing through several trees and leaving behind a reddish trail.
"Wow," Mordred said, impressed by the spell.
"Yes, wow. A good spell—basic, but good," Vivian said.
"Master, have you ever heard of a magic called Crimson Magic?" Mordred asked.
"Crimson Magic… This is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing. The first time I saw you use magic, I thought it was fire or lightning based on its nature, but it's different," Vivian said, examining the lingering red aura from Mordred's spell.
"What do you mean by 'different'?" Mordred asked curiously.
"Think of it this way—there are different types of mana. Some represent natural forces, while others represent more complex concepts like space, chains, or invisibility. The latter are considered unnatural—mana that doesn't exist in nature but only within people. Your magic seems to fall into that category, since it appears to burn or consume mana itself," Vivian explained.
"Consume mana?" Mordred repeated, confused.
"Yes. See that trail your spell left? If I touch it, I can feel my mana draining away. I must say, it's quite a terrifying magic," Vivian said with a small smile.
"Consumes mana, huh… Then I'll just have to learn how to control it," Mordred said with determination.
"That's the spirit. Now, try dispersing that residual magic. I don't want anyone stumbling upon it and losing their mana by accident," Vivian said.
"Yes, Master."
And so began Mordred's training—six months to prepare for the Magic Knights' entrance exam.