"Ohhhhh! That was amazing!"
"This is the most entertaining stage play I've ever seen! The interaction was incredible!!"
After only a brief moment of confusion, the audience standing among the rubble burst into cheers, clapping wildly. In its own way, the play had been thrilling beyond expectation.
Fairy Tail's strongest team, however, stood frozen in shock. Meanwhile, the theater director peeked out from the corner with stars in his eyes, the unmistakable grin of a profiteer spreading across his face.
"This is… a completely unexpected development "
Chase dusted himself off, dismissing the protective barrier he had cast around his surroundings.
In the original story, the audience members buried under rubble never suffered serious injury. But this was the real world, so he had taken the precaution of shielding them just in case.
"I underestimated Natsu and the others," Chase admitted.
"I thought this commission wouldn't cause any real damage…" Mira said, her voice tinged with guilt.
"Don't worry. No matter what, the audience's reaction doesn't lie," Makarov chuckled.
"This… this is Lucy's job? Outrageous!" Jude Heartfilia was fuming, beard bristling as he glared.
To him, Lucy had always been a dignified, well-mannered lady of the Heartfilia family.
How could she end up in such a ridiculous mess?
Even though his heart had changed, Jude still struggled to accept what he'd seen. With a stern expression, he stepped slowly toward Lucy.
Lucy, sensing it, pulled Erza's prince cloak tighter around herself and looked up timidly.
She had already suspected during the performance, and when their eyes met, her intuition was confirmed.
Her father who should have been tied up with business in another city had come here, to this theater, to watch her performance!
It should have been cause for joy, but Lucy's heart was a storm of emotions: happiness, confusion, worry, fear, panic. She lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze.
Though father and daughter had reconciled, the barrier built over more than ten years couldn't be erased so easily.
At last, Jude's footsteps halted. He stood before her.
"Lucy."
His voice was serious.
"Father, I'm sorry, I "
Lucy had just opened her mouth when her vision dimmed. Warmth spread across her shoulders. Jude had removed his own cloak and draped it over her.
"It was a fine performance," he said in a deep voice. "You looked admirable up there, Lucy."
For the daughter of Heartfilia, this kind of play was unbecoming. But Lucy was no longer just a noble's child she was a free wizard.
For a moment, Jude's mind slipped into the past. In Lucy's determined expression, he saw the shadow of Layla.
He remembered the first time they met at the Commercial Guild. Layla had been just like this serious, radiant, throwing her whole heart into her work.
That was what had captured him back then.
Without thinking, Jude reached out his arms, but hesitation froze him. His hands hovered awkwardly in the air, unsure where to go.
When was the last time he had embraced his daughter? After Layla's death? Years before that? Perhaps not since the day she was born…
While he struggled, a sudden weight pressed against his chest.
Lucy had already thrown herself into his arms, burying her face, tears shining in her eyes.
"Thank you. Thank you for coming to see me, Dad!"
"Lucy "
Jude, usually so meticulous and restrained, froze in shock. But then his composure cracked. Tears welled up in his old eyes, and he held his daughter close.
Jude held Lucy tightly. His arms trembled at first, tentative, but gradually his grip grew firm.
Only in that moment did he finally understand how foolish he had been how close he had come to losing the most precious gift Layla had left him.
The greatest wealth.
The sight of father and daughter embracing left the audience in utter confusion.
"…Wait, is this another scene?!"
Natsu, Gray, Makarov, and the others who knew the true circumstances watched with gentle smiles.
"Ohhh! After the prince defeats the dragon and rescues the princess, she reconciles with the king? What a perfect happy ending!"
A card-playing spectator shouted enthusiastically.
"The King? Ohhh, so that blond guy is supposed to be the princess's evil father?"
"Ah, no wonder he was waving his cheering stick around like crazy turns out he's part of the act!"
"Wow, wow, wow! Totally worth the ticket price! When's the next show?!"
The crowd went wild again, showering cheers and applause on the "King" and "Princess" who had reconciled atop the ruins.
Truly, once you give bystanders the smallest hint, they'll weave the rest into their own beautiful story.
"You really went and stirred things up again, Chase," Mira teased, leaning in with a playful wink.
"It's a rare occasion. A little extra liveliness doesn't hurt," Chase replied with a grin.
"That's true."
While they chatted, Juvia suddenly popped up from beneath the rubble. "Ahhh… Juvia wants to be Gray-sama's dog too~"
Well, calling it "acting" was definitely a stretch.
The theater director, on the other hand, was overjoyed. To him, this chaotic spectacle was gold. He immediately raised the commission's value and begged Fairy Tail's strongest team to extend their "tour" another week.
After bidding farewell to Natsu's team, Chase and the others retraced their steps. Bob, Goldmine, and Yajima returned to their own cities, while Jude accompanied Makarov back to Magnolia.
For Jude, watching Lucy's play wasn't his only purpose here. He had something far more important to discuss.
That was the formation of a comprehensive partnership an alliance between Fairy Tail and the Heartfilia family.
After Layla's death, Jude had long since realized that in the magical world, true power spoke louder than money. Yet he had always regarded guild mages as reckless maniacs useful tools at best, but never worthy of trust or friendship.
Entrusting Phantom Lord to retrieve Lucy, overrelying on Earthland's Magic Guilds all of it had backfired, nearly destroying the business empire he had built.
But now, with his relationship with Lucy restored, and having witnessed firsthand the bonds and fiery spirit of Fairy Tail (even as their target), Jude's perspective shifted. His hesitation was gone.
And of course, Makarov had no reason to refuse such an opportunity. He welcomed it eagerly.
Still, an alliance meant more than words. Business required concrete terms, and both sides needed to protect their interests.
So, once they returned to Magnolia, Jude and Makarov immediately entered long negotiations, a tug-of-war over details that stretched until nightfall.
Makarov had wanted Chase to join, but Chase had no interest in such tedious matters. Instead, he summoned a Stand to keep an eye on things and asked Mira, far more familiar with guild operations, to take his place.
By night's end, the basic framework was finalized.
The very next day, at a Heartfilia Group internal meeting, Jude formally announced the decision.
News spread like wildfire across Fiore: the kingdom's strongest guild and its wealthiest consortium had forged an alliance. The shockwaves rattled the entire magical world.
Forces that had once schemed against the Heartfilia Group suddenly pulled back, canceling their plans. Some even scrambled to strengthen cooperation.
Because a tiger with teeth and one without teeth are not the same creature.
In the past, no one would have panicked so easily.
But recent intelligence whispered that Fairy Tail's reputation with the Magic Council had been climbing. Not only neutrals, but even members of the opposition faction were beginning to soften.
No one knew exactly why the shift had happened but one thing was clear.
Fairy Tail had become a guild the magical world could no longer afford to provoke.
And unless the royal family itself chose to move against them, the Heartfilia Group would only grow stronger.
For Fairy Tail, the benefits of the alliance were immediate and obvious.
With the Heartfilia family's immense wealth backing them, Makarov's constant financial headaches vanished overnight. Even his long-worried pension was safe at last.
The guild's commission board expanded with new requests straight from Heartfilia enterprises: caravan escorts, bridge demolition and reconstruction, land reclamation, road building.
Now, guild members had more options than ever, no longer fretting about a lack of suitable work.
Of course, all jobs were filtered through the proper channels and posted to Fairy Tail by the Magic Council.
After all, the Council supervised every legal guild. If Makarov didn't send a little "kickback" their way now and then, it would only invite trouble.
As veterans of the magical world, both Makarov and Jude knew exactly how such things worked.
Still, S-Class commissions remained out of reach.
Compared to his guildmates, who were throwing themselves into jobs with renewed energy, Chase lived more leisurely. Most days, he either loitered at the new house's construction site or ate and drank for free at the guild's temporary quarters. On occasion, he helped Mira with guild paperwork when she was too busy to handle it herself.
Ten days passed in peace.
The scaffolding had come down, the outer walls tiled, the interiors decorated. Even the surrounding facilities like the swimming pool and commercial street were beginning to take shape.
During that time, the strongest team finally staggered home, exhausted from their "torturous" drama tour. After barely half a day of rest, they immediately accepted a commission to suppress a Dark Guild.
Early this morning, in the temporary bar and work area of the new guild
"Chase, don't you think the weather's gotten colder recently?"
Mira rested her chin on her hand, watching him eat breakfast. "I was planning on going with Elfman, but he doesn't seem free these days."
With a soft smile, she drew two slips of paper from her pocket and held them out.
"Since there isn't much to do today, how about we take a trip together? The hot spring town. A nice long soak."
The words had barely left her lips when Elfman, who was standing in front of the request board arguing with Nab about who looked more like an NPC, immediately spun around.
"Sis! I don't think I've found a suitable commission after all!"
"Really?" Mira tilted her head, amusement sparkling in her eyes. "Didn't you say yesterday you were taking the Heartfilia railway construction escort job?"
"Eh? Did I say that?" Elfman scratched his head in confusion.
How come I don't remember?
"Yes." Mira's smile suddenly turned sweet and dangerous.
"Oh oh yes, yes! I did say that!"
Finally realizing the situation, Elfman ripped the commission off the board and bolted for the door. "Man! I'm going to take that job, Sister Mira!"
"I'll register you. Please be careful," Mira said, waving at his retreating back.
That was way too obvious, Chase thought, biting back the urge to complain aloud.
Then, without hesitation, he snatched the tickets from Mira's hand. "Guess I won't be polite."
Mira's cheeks flushed pink, but her smile was radiant.
Meanwhile, Fairy Tail's strongest team had wrapped up their mission. Fortunately, the Dark Guild's hideout had been tucked away in a remote forest. So even when Natsu and Erza flattened the entire base, there was no need to pay compensation.
Lucy, relieved to finally receive a full reward, suggested they all go relax at the hot springs. The idea was instantly approved.
By coincidence, both groups Chase and Mira, and Team Natsu arrived that evening in Impatiens Village, a famous hot spring town west of Magnolia. Its oriental-style inns and winding bamboo-lined paths made it a favorite destination for bathers from Magnolia and beyond.
Later that night, after soaking in the baths, Lucy wandered aimlessly down a lantern-lit path in the bamboo grove with Canis Minor, Plue, toddling beside her.
"It was terrifying… I was stupid enough to think I could have a pillow fight with those monsters," Lucy groaned, rubbing her sore forehead.
Earlier, she had enthusiastically joined in Natsu's proposed pillow fight. Predictably, she had been KO'd almost instantly.
"Pfft, you're lucky you're not dead, master~" Plue suddenly said.
"Huh? Huuuh?! Y-you can talk?!"
Lucy stiffened, every muscle locking in shock.
"Pfft, I might look like a dog, but I'm still a Celestial Spirit~" Plue continued.
Something was definitely wrong. That tone, that silly delivery… Lucy's eyes narrowed. She yanked aside some bamboo to reveal the culprit hiding behind it.
Sure enough Happy.
"I knew it was you, you damn cat!" Lucy roared. "Trying to trick me like that?!"
"Eh? Lucy got smart all of a sudden? I thought I could fool you for at least a week." Happy frowned in disappointment.
"…Sorry it didn't go the way you expected!!" Lucy snapped, teeth bared in cartoon fury as she nearly drowned the Exceed in spit.
Her shouting drew unwanted attention.
"Ohh? Didn't expect to run into such a cute girl while leaving the baths. Lucky us."
"Hey, little miss, it's dangerous to be out this late with just a cat and a dog. Heh, let us take care of you."
Two men swaggered out of the shadows, smirking. Clearly habitual troublemakers, they reached for Lucy without hesitation.
Lucy frowned, hand flying to her Celestial Spirit Keys.
Meanwhile, Happy floated away, totally unconcerned. "Don't look at me! I'm not a pet cat, I'm a wizard!"
He had already noticed they were just ordinary thugs with no magic at all. They weren't really dangerous so, of course, the priority was to protect his fish stash.
Lucy clenched her teeth. This unreliable cat…!
"Open Gate of the Golden !"
Boom!
Before the key could shine, an impact shook the ground.
"You dare to lay hands on my lovely sister? Then you'd better be ready to fight."
Chase stepped through the smoke, flexing his knuckles.
"Brother Chase!" Lucy gasped in surprise.
The two would-be assailants were already sprawled unconscious on the ground, groaning in pain.
Lucy sighed, exasperated. "These guys can't fight anymore!"
....
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