Chapter 148

Until Now (これまで) is the 148th Page of Yūki Tabata's Black Clover.

Summary
In the distant past, Licht received a four-leaf clover grimoire containing Sword Magic during a ceremony in a Grimoire Tower. A young elf asked his mother about the symbol, and she explained that it was a sign of good luck. The young elf was enamored with Licht.

Every day after, the young elf would follow Licht, much to Rhya's annoyance, but Licht was happy to see him. The young elf asked Licht about humans and the rumors that they wanted to attack the Elf Tribe. The elf mentioned that even though humans' magic power was weaker than elves', their numbers were growing quickly and they might pose a threat to the elves. Licht replied that humans are afraid like the elves are and that these two different cultures should understand each other since they are bestowed grimoires from the same earth.

Licht then noticed a magical tornado running wild with someone caught inside. Licht leaped toward the tornado while another person approached from the other side of the tornado. Licht and Lemiel destroyed the tornado together, and the young elf marveled at Licht's strength and compared it to the man's. Licht caught Tetia as she fell. As she thanked Licht for saving her, her brother scolded her for slipping out of the castle. From afar, the young elf noticed that Lemiel had a four-leaf clover just like Licht.

Sometime later, Rhya and Vetto noticed that Licht and the two humans had been getting along quite well. Rhya noted that Licht was happy that he had human friends who shared his idea of elves and humans living together in harmony. However, the young elf was worried for Licht.

Lemiel suggested that they could make world a better and safer place if elves would combine their mana power with human magic technology. Later the elves celebrated Licht and Tetia's pregnancy, and Rhya teased the young elf, who told him not to treat him as a kid forever.

Months later during his wedding procession, Licht thanked the young elf and noted that the next day the elf would receive a grimoire. The elf thought that Licht looked very happy and that it had been a long time since he saw Licht in such state, but at the same time he was still quite uncertain whether elves and humans could understand each other. After the ceremony, a barrage of Light Magic rained down on the elves and a barrier prevented the elves from using magic to defend themselves. Watching the slaughter, the young elf vowed never to forgive humans but was struck down before he could finish. The last thing he saw was Licht standing up with his wife in his arms and creating dark magic circles overhead.

The young elf was surprised to wake up and find he was not dead. However, when he looked into a mirror, he saw that he looked like Licht but the mana told him it was a human body. He then realized that Licht must have cast a forbidden Reincarnation Magic spell. He looked out the window and could sense the souls of the other elves, figuring out that he was the only one truly reincarnated. He noticed a grimoire on the bed but he could not use it, so he headed to a Grimoire Tower. He did not know whether it was coincidence or not, but he was the one who reincarnated into Licht's form so he was the only one who could save Licht. In the tower, he received a four-leaf clover grimoire containing light-based magic spells. Patolli vowed that he would revive the elves and destroy the humans.