---
The garden had grown quiet.
The morning light had faded into the soft gold of afternoon, and the fountain's burble seemed louder now, filling the silence between them. Giovanni and Elizabeth sat across from each other on the stone path—one solid, one translucent—the remnants of their embrace still lingering in the air.
Elizabeth was the first to break the silence.
*"So, little star,"* she said, her voice carrying that familiar mischievous tone. *"You're a noble, right?"*
Giovanni had a bad feeling about the way she asked the question.
"Unfortunately," he said flatly, "I am a peasant."
Elizabeth blinked.
*"What?"*
"I am a peasant," Giovanni repeated. "That is what you are, is it not? A peasant girl from another world. And I am stuck with you. Therefore, by association, I am a peasant."
Elizabeth stared at him for a moment. Then she burst out laughing.
*"Oh my god,"* she wheezed. *"That's the stupidest logic I've ever heard. You're literally heir to one of the most powerful noble houses in the Diamond Kingdom."*
"Unfortunately," Giovanni said again.
Elizabeth wiped a tear from her eye—or tried to, anyway. Her translucent fingers passed through her cheek.
*"Okay, okay,"* she said, still giggling. *"But seriously. You're a noble. That means you're going to have many wives, right?"*
Giovanni's expression flickered. Something in her tone—a particular lilt, a hint of something predatory—made his instincts scream.
He turned to look at her.
Elizabeth was grinning. Not her usual mischievous grin. This was something else entirely. Something *lecherous*. Her sunken eyes had taken on a gleam that made Giovanni deeply uncomfortable.
"I do not know what will happen in the future," he said carefully. "But I do know one thing."
*"Oh?"*
"If I marry," Giovanni said, "I will have to keep my wives safe from *you*."
Elizabeth sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
*"What do you mean by that?"*
Giovanni gave her a flat look.
"Come now. I already know you are homosexual. Heck, I will make it easy for you to understand." He paused. "You are *lesbian*. In the terminology of your world."
Elizabeth's mouth fell open. Then, slowly, a proud grin spread across her face.
*"You're right,"* she said. *"I am."*
She struck a pose—or tried to. It was meant to be seductive, but given that she was a translucent ghost floating in midair, it came across more like a confused flamingo.
*"But if it's little star young master,"* she said, *"I don't mind."*
A furious blush spread across her pale cheeks.
Giovanni's forehead throbbed. A vein pulsed visibly at his temple.
*Cut the crap,* he roared in his mind. *You obviously have designs on my wives!*
*"Sharing is caring,"* Elizabeth said, recovering quickly. *"And our lives are intertwined anyway. What's yours is mine, right?"*
Giovanni stared at her.
"I am unconvinced."
Elizabeth huffed in annoyance.
*"You're four years old,"* she said. *"You don't even have a fiancée, let alone a wife."*
"Future wives," Giovanni corrected.
Elizabeth's smirk returned.
*"So our little star is a player, huh?"*
Giovanni did not like where this conversation was going. Not one bit.
"Let us talk about important matters," he said, steering the conversation with all the dignity a four-year-old could muster. "Why are you talking about something so pointless?"
*"I wanted to make sure you didn't end up alone,"* Elizabeth said, crossing her arms. *"So of course I had to take matters into my own hands."*
Giovanni's eyes narrowed.
"You are planning to poach talent from the Clover Kingdom."
Elizabeth's grin widened.
*"You're right! As expected, you know me best."*
Giovanni rubbed his temples.
"What does that have to do with my harem?"
*"Many female characters need to be saved,"* Elizabeth said, her voice taking on a dreamy quality. *"And I am willing to shoulder such responsibilities."*
Giovanni stared at her.
"Did you ask for my opinion?"
Elizabeth stuck out her tongue foolishly.
*"Okay, okay. Let's make a plan."* She clapped her hands together. *"We are going to take every female from Black Clover who is not nobility or royalty."*
Giovanni nodded slowly.
"Uh huh. And then?"
Elizabeth paused.
*"...I didn't think that far yet."*
Giovanni rubbed his forehead with increasing vigor.
"If I go bald," he muttered, "I will blame you."
*"You're four! You can't go bald!"*
"I can stress. Stress causes baldness. You are causing stress."
Elizabeth waved a dismissive hand.
*"Fine, fine. You make the plan then, Mr. Genius."*
Giovanni took a deep breath. He closed his eyes, organizing his thoughts. When he opened them again, there was something sharp in his turquoise gaze—something calculating.
"Master Fanzell has connections to the Witches' Forest," he said slowly. "It is just a rumor though. We can use that. Plan and poach Dorothy and Vanessa in to the Diamond Kingdom."
Elizabeth tilted her head.
*"Dorothy? The pink-haired one from the Coral Peacocks? The one who's always sleeping?"*
"Yes. Her Dream Magic has potential. And Grey too..." Giovanni paused. "She is from the Black Bulls. In your story, she escaped from her abusive family. She was abused in her hometown. I doubt she cares much for her stepmother and stepsisters."
Elizabeth nodded slowly.
*"Yeah, she's literally a Black Clover Cinderella. Her transformation magic has a lot of potential."* She paused. *"Wait. You want to orchestrate a kidnapping?"*
"Orchestrate a kidnapping and *save* her," Giovanni corrected. "Earn her gratitude. Bring her to the Diamond Kingdom."
Elizabeth stared at him.
*"You're quite the evil little master, aren't you?"*
"I am a saint," Giovanni said flatly.
Elizabeth snorted.
*"Sure you are. Anyway—Charmy can be lured away using food."*
Giovanni nodded.
"Noted."
*"And there's that psychotic researcher girl who wears glasses. She's an irreplaceable talent."* Elizabeth's grin turned predatory. *"It'll be fun to tame her."*
Giovanni gave her a long look.
"Who is the evil one here now?"
*"You,"* Elizabeth said without hesitation. *"Definitely you."*
Giovanni ignored that.
"Did I miss anyone?"
Elizabeth tapped her chin.
*"What about Sol Marron? The earth magic girl from the all-female squad?"*
Giovanni's eyes lit up.
"Yes. We can use the same kidnapping scheme. Frame Clover nobles. Make it a big scandal." He nodded slowly, warming to the idea. "It will make the Diamond Kingdom look righteous. And help the Clover Kingdom clean their trash." He paused, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Truly, I am a saint."
*"Hey!"* Elizabeth protested. *"You're forgetting me!"*
Giovanni glanced at her.
"We are saints," he said.
They both stared at each other for a moment.
Then, simultaneously, they started cackling like villains.
*"Mwahahaha!"*
"Hmhmhmhm."
*"We're so evil!"*
"It is for the greater good."
*"That's what all villains say!"*
Giovanni waved a dismissive hand.
"Details. Now—we should also consider bringing over Yuno, Asta, and Yami."
Elizabeth's laughter stopped abruptly.
*"No,"* she said. *"Absolutely not."*
"Why not?"
*"Asta literally wants to become the Wizard King. He has a five-leaf clover grimoire in the original story. He's the protagonist. You can't just... recruit him."*
Giovanni frowned.
"And Yuno?"
*"Reincarnated elves are a hot potato. You do not want to touch that."*
Giovanni sighed.
"Fine. I will settle for Yami."
Elizabeth let out a sound of disgust.
*"Yuck. I would rather not watch a muscular man other than my little star."*
Giovanni blinked.
"What do you mean by that?"
Elizabeth licked her lips in a predatory manner.
*"Nothing,"* she said. *"Just waiting for you to grow up."*
Giovanni's back was suddenly covered in cold sweat.
"Not only are you lesbian," he said slowly, "but you are a predator as well."
*"I mean,"* Elizabeth said, shrugging, *"you literally have me wrapped around your palm. I can never defy your orders anyway. So I might as well accept my fate."* She paused, her gaze drifting over him—his fair skin, his wavy platinum blond hair, his diamond-like turquoise eyes. *"Waiting for a fruit to mature doesn't feel bad. Especially when the fruit will grow up to be a dazzling gem."*
Giovanni's eye twitched.
"If I grow up," he said, "you might not be able to handle me."
Elizabeth's expression twisted.
*"Ew. Where did you learn such words?"*
Giovanni mentally shouted back.
*You are the one who started it all!*
Elizabeth looked down at herself—her pale skin, her sunken eyes, her translucent form. She wiggled her toes, visible through her ghostly feet.
*"Hey, kid?"* she said quietly. *"Could you make me beautiful? Like make smaller things bigger?"*
Giovanni paused.
"Yes," he said. "But that is not the point. The point is recruiting talent."
Elizabeth pouted.
*"We have an initial plan anyway. Let's eat dinner, go to sleep, and think about talent later."*
Giovanni gave her a flat look.
"You are a ghost. You do not need sleep or food."
*"Overworking ghosts is exploitative behavior,"* Elizabeth said primly.
Giovanni sighed.
"You are impossible."
*"I know."*
He stood, brushing dust from his robes. The sun was already setting, casting long shadows across the garden. Dinner would be served soon. His aunt would be waiting. His uncle would be watching.
And somewhere in the back of his mind, a plan was beginning to take shape.
*Recruit talent. Build power. Change the kingdom.*
He looked at Elizabeth—his strange, annoying, surprisingly loyal partner.
"Come," he said. "We have much to do."
Elizabeth grinned.
*"Lead the way, little star."*
"Stop calling me that."
*"Nope."*
"Elizabeth—"
*"Nope, nope, nope."*
Giovanni sighed and began walking toward the estate.
Behind him, Elizabeth floated along, humming a tune only she and Giovanni could hear.
---
**End of Chapter 9**