"It's not over yet."
Marco shook his head.
Liberating the "Kingdom of Edolas" was only the beginning.
The boss hidden behind the scenes had yet to be dealt with, and the "Exceed" looming high in the sky remained a problem.
"Those Exceed are really patient. And they didn't even send a single person to monitor the Kingdom of Edolas?"
Marco found it quite strange.
The Exceed hadn't sent anyone to check on the situation—did they really not care about the Kingdom of Edolas at all?
Even if the Kingdom of Edolas was just a watchdog, they should still be concerned about its safety, right?
"Actually... there is an Exceed in the Kingdom of Edolas, but he isn't here to monitor. He was exiled by the Exceed. From what I understand, being sent down to the Kingdom of Edolas is considered a disgrace in the eyes of the Exceed." Mystogan explained.
He, too, found it a bit odd.
Where was Panther Lily? As the captain of the First Magic War Unit, why wasn't he present during this major battle?
Could he be on a mission?
With this doubt in mind, Mystogan turned his gaze to Erza Knightwalker, the Erza of the "Edolas" world.
She had been captured by Erza and now seemed dazed, her spirit completely broken, as if she had suffered a great blow.
In contrast, Erza from "Earth Land" was radiant and triumphant, her entire demeanor exuding confidence.
Having defeated her counterpart from "Edolas" in a direct confrontation, Erza was genuinely pleased.
It proved that she was right—this alternate version of herself had been walking a completely wrong path.
Throughout their battle, Erza had continuously questioned her "Edolas" self.
She had gradually pieced together the thoughts and motivations of this alternate version and understood the reasons behind her actions.
Erza Knightwalker had done all this out of fear—fear that the magical power of the "Edolas" world would be completely depleted.
This was understandable.
Those who relied on magic to maintain their high positions were naturally the most loyal supporters of King Faust.
After all, without magic and magical tools to sustain them, the status of the Magic War Units would inevitably plummet.
Although Erza Knightwalker was exceptionally strong, she was still just a young woman.
Influenced by the broader environment, it wasn't surprising that she would choose to side with King Faust.
King Faust had managed to unite so many people around him by promising to overthrow the "Exceed" and fulfill his ambition of granting the "Edolas" world an endless supply of magic.
Under this grand banner, he had gathered many, mostly those with vested interests, who collectively deceived the common people.
"Knightwalker, why isn't Panther Lily here?"
Mystogan approached Erza Knightwalker, now a prisoner, and asked the former "Captain of the Second Magic War Unit of the Kingdom of Edolas."
He was deeply concerned about this "exiled" Exceed, as Panther Lily had been exiled by the "Exceed" for saving him when he was a child.
"Lily? He's on a mission."
Mystogan's words snapped Erza Knightwalker back to reality.
The red-haired woman responded weakly, her voice trailing off.
Her gaze towards Mystogan was particularly complex.
This man was clearly the prince of the "Edolas Kingdom," yet he had joined forces with the enemy, relying on these outsiders to storm the royal palace and bring an end to King Faust's dreams and reign.
Thud.
Just as Erza Knightwalker thought of the overthrown King Faust, the old king was unceremoniously tossed beside her.
"..."
Staring at the unconscious old king, Erza Knightwalker opened her mouth but ultimately couldn't utter a word.
She and King Faust weren't the only ones here—Hughes and Sugarboy were also bound and present.
The only missing captain from the Mage Battle Team was Panther lily.
As for the old Chief of Staff, Byro, he had completely perished.
There was no helping it—after transforming into a giant octopus, he had sustained severe injuries.
With no doctor to treat him, he could only await death.
However, Byro's young assistant had been captured by the group.
The pitiful girl was bound, her tamed beast "Regio" already defeated.
This girl possessed few magical tools and was a "Beast Tamer," but she wasn't actually a combatant in the Mage Battle Team—rather, she was a clerical worker responsible for handling documents for Byro.
With Chief of Staff Byro dead, this assistant named Coco became crucial.
Her presence could save Mystogan a great deal of trouble.
After all, having been absent from the "Edolas Kingdom" for six or seven years, it wouldn't be easy for Mystogan to take over the kingdom.
Having a young assistant like her was quite important.
To ensure Mystogan could smoothly take control of the "Edolas Kingdom," Marco had gone to great lengths.
With King Faust defeated and captured, and the Mage Battle Team completely routed, this surprise assault on the "Edolas Kingdom" could be considered officially over.
The members of the "Expedition Force" cleaned up the battlefield before entering the royal palace for a brief rest.
The royal palace had been restored to its normal state, and "Dorma Anim" had been returned to the underground palace.
Although the battle had ended, matters were far from over.
They still needed to ensure Mystogan's legitimate succession to the throne.
"This is simple enough," Marco declared casually. "I'll just manipulate the king into abdicating. I'll have him admit his mistakes while we're at it and reveal the true nature of his past actions. Then Mystogan can succeed him. As for this old king... let him spend the rest of his days in prison. There's no place for him in the outside world."
In the main hall of the royal palace, the members of the "Expedition Force" gathered together, brainstorming how to proceed with the next steps.
Of course, the only ones actually offering suggestions were Marco, the three guild masters and the "S-Class Mages."
Everyone else simply listened while resting.
Marco didn't think the upcoming tasks would be particularly difficult.
With King Faust and the Mage Battle Team now prisoners, they could completely manipulate them as they pleased.
And under these circumstances, it was the perfect time for Marco's [Illusionary Demon Emperor Fist] to shine.
These people were all tied up—there was no way they could avoid his [Illusionary Demon Emperor Fist].
"You're actually going to keep them alive?"
After hearing Marco's words, Laxus expressed his surprise with a questioning tone.
"..."
Upon hearing this, Guild Masters Goldmine and Bob immediately looked at Laxus with complicated expressions, while Makarov sighed helplessly and rubbed his forehead.
"What's wrong? Didn't this king harm many people by using that Anima thing? His crimes are serious enough to warrant the death penalty, right?"
Laxus felt completely baffled by everyone's reactions.
He believed his judgment was sound—why should this guy be allowed to live?
"...Normally, that would be the case. But Mystogan worked hard to stop Anima, running around for so many years and actually saving many people. He has made great contributions."
Seeing the tense atmosphere, Marco stepped in to mediate.
Mystogan was no ordinary "Edolas person"—he was a meritorious "Edolas person."
Most importantly, he was a member of "Fairy Tail," and King Faust was Mystogan's biological father.