"Sorry, but I actually do," Chase said calmly.
Jude's pupils contracted sharply. Looking at the young man's unwavering, placid gaze, he belatedly remembered a crucial piece of information.
He'd heard it at an international banquet—a mage from Fiore had caused quite an uproar on the continent of Guiltina.
And that mage's name was none other than Chase of Fairy Tail.
If the two were indeed the same person, Chase really might be crazy enough to attack the Jeluano family.
He might even tear down this very Heartfilia mansion in minutes!
At that thought, Jude—who had acted superior the entire time—finally showed a hint of panic in his eyes.
People of his stature were most afraid of "madmen" like Chase, who didn't play by the rules.
"It seems you still don't understand the crux of the problem."
Chase let out a soft sigh.
Threats and intimidation might make Jude think twice, perhaps even abandon his plans to target Fairy Tail and force Lucy into marriage. But that wasn't the ultimate goal of Chase's visit.
After this exchange, Chase understood clearly that his "Talk-no-Jutsu" would never convince Jude.
If that was the case, he'd have to resort to more unconventional means.
"Mr. Jude, because you are Lucy's father, I wasn't actually planning to do this."
"W-What are you doing?!"
Seeing a card materialize in Chase's hand, Jude panicked completely, instinctively stepping back.
The only response was Chase's calm words: "Spell Card: Brain Control. Activate."
Hum!
From the magical circle that suddenly lit up, a pair of sinister, terrifying demonic hands emerged.
Jude instinctively raised his arm to block, but the demonic hands passed right through it. In the blink of an eye, they filled his vision and reached directly for his brain!
Suddenly, everything went white.
When he opened his eyes again, the study was empty. Chase had vanished without a trace.
Out in the hallway, servants carrying luggage walked past open doors, their expressions grim and melancholy.
"Stellar! Belle! What do you think you're doing?!" Jude barked, his anger rising.
"Master, even if the Konzern has gone bankrupt, please don't be too heartbroken. Do take care of yourself."
The head maid, Stellar, stopped walking and bowed deeply toward the study. "Thank you so much for all your years of care!"
Me? The Konzern bankrupt?
Jude's eyes widened in disbelief. Before he could understand what was happening, a searing pain erupted from his head. He cried out, clutching his head and curling up in the corner of his desk.
Betrayal by business partners, gradual encroachment by rivals, cold indifference from allies...
Memories that hadn't existed before grew increasingly vivid. Jude's arms fell limply to his sides, his eyes hollow.
Slowly, he accepted the reality: the Heartfilia Konzern was bankrupt.
"No! No! There's still a chance! If I can break into the northern market, there's still a chance!"
"Travel funds... If I can get enough travel funds, I can make a comeback!!"
Penniless, Jude's first thought was of his daughter Lucy, working at Fairy Tail.
What followed was predictable. Unable to get any money, he walked for a very, very long time, witnessing all aspects of life at the bottom of society.
After establishing a foothold in the northern part of the kingdom, he started from scratch on his path to redemption.
During that time, he happened to hear rumors that Fairy Tail had mysteriously disappeared. Every year on Lucy's birthday, he would pour out his regret and longing through letters.
Until finally, consumed by despair, he died alone on a cold, empty bed...
Back in the study…
Sunlight streamed in through the window, bringing warmth and light to the oppressive space.
Jude, slumped in his leather boss's chair, snapped his eyes open, his chest heaving violently.
His lost, bewildered gaze swept the room and finally landed on Chase, who was nearby, legs crossed, calmly sipping tea.
"Mr. Jude, how does it feel to be reborn?" Chase asked with a smile.
He hadn't used Brain Control to forcibly alter Jude's will. He'd merely used it to simulate all the events of the future.
Of course, to avoid unnecessary complications, he hadn't revealed too many details about the future in the simulation—just enough to let Jude experience, ahead of time, the emotional journey of bankruptcy.
Jude remained frozen, unable to answer immediately.
To Chase, everything that had just happened had taken only as long as a cup of tea. But to Jude, he had "truly" experienced years of long, drawn-out time!
The feeling of waking from such a vivid dream, the immense emotional whiplash—it left Jude unable to calm down for a long time.
After a long silence, he moved his dry lips and murmured, "That just now... what was that..."
"Don't worry about it. You just had a dream."
Chase set down his teacup and stood up, brushing off his slightly dusty clothes.
Jude's breath caught in his throat as he stared wide-eyed at Chase.
"If you get the chance, listen to what Lucy actually wants for herself. The tea here is terrible. I'm leaving."
With that, Chase waved his hand and turned to go.
"W-Wait!" Jude called out hastily.
He still had countless questions about that incredibly realistic magic.
To put it simply: was that truly just a "dream"?
"Is there something else?" Chase stopped and glanced back.
But Jude fell silent.
His heart was too complicated, tangled in ways he didn't know how to unravel.
"Who... who exactly are you?"
After a long pause, he asked a strangely vague question.
"I told you from the very beginning."
Chase's lips curled upward. His bright smile, bathed in sunlight, was exceptionally radiant. "I'm Lucy's big brother. That's all."
Staring at that smile, untainted by any other emotion, Jude stood frozen, deeply shaken.
"Oh, and one more thing. Lucy is Lucy, and you are you. We're separate. Let's keep it that way."
Chase's parting words left Jude completely at a loss. Forgetting his image as a financial magnate, he couldn't help but laugh. "You Fairy Tail mages really are something, keeping score like that!"
"But…"
Jude's smile faded. His expression turned serious as he stood up and bowed deeply toward Chase.
"Thank you. For showing me what a father should truly treasure."
When he looked up again, full of gratitude, Chase was already gone.
The scene was exactly as it had been at the beginning of the dream.
But this time, Jude's heart had undergone a complete transformation.
As the unconscious guards and servants slowly stirred back to wakefulness, the Heartfilia mansion returned to its usual calm and tranquility.
That calm, however, didn't last long. It was shattered by a young girl's figure suddenly appearing in the front courtyard.
Lucy had come home.
***
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