Dark Magician Girl leaned in next to Chase, her big eyes scanning the unfolded request slip.
She didn't reply immediately. After a brief moment of thought, she turned to look at Mirajane standing beside her.
"Seems pretty good. Mira-nee, can you come with me? I want to take nice photos with you."
Besides her own outstanding advantages, the reason Dark Magician Girl had become such a sought-after magazine model was thanks to Mirajane—her "senior"—introducing and recommending her.
She'd always wanted to appear in the magazine together with gentle Mira-nee in a joint photoshoot. But various reasons had delayed it before.
And then Chase took that Ten-Year Quest, leaving the guild with his deck for the journey to Guiltina.
Dark Magician Girl's little wish naturally got on hold.
Now, with such a good opportunity right in front of her, she definitely didn't want to let it slip away.
"Huh?"
Mirajane tilted her head in surprise, her delicate brow slightly furrowing as she looked troubled. "But there's quite a lot going on at the guild lately, and I haven't received any request from Weekly Sorcerer yet either..."
"What does that matter? The guild has Master, right? Nothing too trouble will come up!"
Dark Magician Girl took the request slip from Chase's hand as she spoke. "As for Weekly Sorcerer—if they won't agree to it, then I won't go either!"
"It's precisely because Chase came back that things have gotten more numerous..." Mirajane shot Chase a resentful glance.
She really wanted to take a request and shoot photos with Dark Magician Girl, but...
Not to mention the trouble of helping the chairman deal with Chase destroying half a city, there were also many old cases that had been dropped when Chase left—those needed early handle to avoid letting the Magic Council find any openings.
Plus handling complaint letters that occasionally arrived at the guild, and so on.
Exchanging a glance with Mirajane, Chase immediately felt a wave of guilty conscience and turned away, pretending not to hear.
"Oh dear..."
Dark Magician Girl didn't know what to say for a moment. She stood there bewildered, even the light in her eyes dimming considerably.
Others could be declined, but the culprit was her stupid Master—this left her feeling deeply helpless.
"If we squeeze it in, it's not impossible!"
Seeing Dark Magician Girl pouting like she was about to cry, Mirajane's heart immediately softened. She hurried over and took her hand.
"Really?" Dark Magician Girl's clouds cleared.
"Mm!" Mirajane nodded firmly.
Her sister's happiness was most important. Worst case, she could pull an all-nighter catching up when she got back!
Chase immediately understood Mirajane's thoughts. He sighed softly and stepped between the two beauties.
In his view, handling paperwork was even more troublesome than facing Ignia head-on.
But as a man, and the culprit—if he didn't step up now, that would be inexcusable!
After a brief moment of emotional preparation, Chase ran his hands over his head, slicking his messy short hair into a stylish hairstyle, and said confidently, "Mira, go ahead without worry. In the meantime, I'll handle your work for you."
Mirajane was somewhat surprised. She carefully appraised him from head to toe.
"I'm not reassured."
Her expression was extremely firm and certain.
The probability of Chase properly handling all those trivial tasks for her was about the same as Natsu not getting motion sickness...
Zero.
PFFT...
Chase, ready to take on the world, felt like an arrow had pierced his knee. He dropped to the floor, hands on him, utterly devastated.
"Manly! This is the moment for me to step up!"
A rough and powerful shout rang out as Elfman slowly walked over in his wooden clogs.
He raised both arms high, exuding strong masculine energy. "Mira-nee! Leave all the work to me!"
"In a certain sense, Elfman, you're no different from Chase at all." Mirajane said softly.
PFFT...
Elfman was struck as if by lightning. He consciously dropped to the floor, hands supporting him, lining up beside Chase.
"I seem to hear that two pretty, cute young ladies are in trouble."
Following Elfman, another figure appeared.
Leo constellation Celestial Spirit Loki arrived with his own sparkling special effects, standing before Mirajane and Dark Magician Girl. In a showman, he raised his index finger to adjust the glasses on his nose.
"How could tedious clerical work be left to two idiots? Mira, I'll take over your job."
Loki said with a straight face. "Just go on a date with me and Dark Magician Girl afterward. That's all."
You're totally taking advantage of the situation!!
If Lucy were present, she'd definitely scream out such complaints with all her might.
But Mirajane wasn't Lucy. Just as she was about to politely decline Loki, a sudden BOOM came from outside the door.
Immediately after, a kicked-in door panel traced a beautiful parabola through the air, hitting Loki square in the head.
Suffering this misfortune, Loki spat out a mouthful of blood, flew back several meters, and crashed heavily into the counter.
"Bastard Chase here?!"
Natsu strode into the guild aggressively, walking with a complete disregard for anyone.
Behind him, Happy poked his head out, a bird's nest perched on top of it.
Why was there a bird's nest on his head?
Because the sent flying by Chase last night had spent the night in the forest outside town...
"Damn it! Sneak attacking me in front of two beauties?! Natsu, you'd better be prepared for the consequences!"
Loki abruptly stood up from the demolished counter. The moment he recognized Natsu, he immediately reached for the ring on his finger.
BOOM.
A magic circle lit up, firing a beam of golden light at Natsu.
Natsu reacted quite quickly. Just as the light was about to hit him, he swung his arm.
BOOM!
The redirected magic shot off and landed squarely on the wine barrel Cana was holding above her head.
The barrel shattered on impact, drenching Cana in spilled wine.
"NATSU!"
Cana didn't indulge him at all. Grabbing the nearest stool, she hurled it at Natsu.
Natsu countered with a Fire Dragon Iron Fist, blasting the wooden stool to smithereens. Wood chips scattered everywhere, giving the entire hall a rain of petals.
This completely blew up. Guild members caught in the crossfire slammed their tables and rose, shouting and brawling.
The atmosphere—predictably—heated up.
"These damn brats! Not a moment of peace!"
Finally, Makarov upstairs couldn't take it anymore. He came down and taught everyone one by one, finally putting an end to the chaotic scene.
From Mirajane, he learned the whole story.
"I see. That's simple enough."
Makarov stood on the shattered counter, his gaze sweeping over the battered and bruised crowd, finally resting on Loki, who had a massive lump on his forehead.
"Loki, while Mirajane and Dark Magician Girl are out on their request, you'll cover her work!"
Though Dark Magician Girl was Chase's card monster, in his eyes, she was no different from his own children. Naturally, he wanted to fulfill her little wish.
Loki's face was full of grievance.
Just as he was about to say something, the stern-faced Makarov suddenly grinned mischievously.
"Wasn't your condition to date Mirajane and Dark Magician Girl?"
"They're busy with their Weekly Sorcerer shoot, so Mira's brother and Dark Magician Girl's master will substitute."
"Huh?!"
Loki's eyes widened in disbelief at his ears.
A date with these two—Chase and Elfman?!
Before he could retort, two muscular arms suddenly wrapped around him from left and right, firmly trapping him.
Elfman, following his manly principles, was merely sacrificing his beauty for his sister's sake.
Chase was different.
He was even saucy-er. He leaned right up to Loki's ear and breathed warm air.
"Saa! Let's start the date, Loki-san~"
"What kind of international joke is this?! Who the hell wants to date a monster like you?!"
Loki, trapped between two men, collapsed on the spot, goosebumps covering his entire body.
After desperately struggling free from those damn muscle arms, he scrambled away, fleeing for his life.
"Don't forget what you promised, Loki-san~" Chase added mischievously.
Loki fled even faster.
His desire to return to the Celestial Spirit World had never been stronger!
"Hahahaha!"
The guild, which had been so heated moments ago, was now filled with joyful atmosphere inside and out.
The little episode of the Weekly Sorcerer request thus came to an end.