Elefseria froze for a moment, then fell silent.
For no particular reason, Selene lowered her gaze to the steaming cup of black tea in front of her and spoke calmly.
"Then are you willing to tell us, Elefseria? Even if only to give meaning to everything you've carried for the past hundred years..."
Elefseria took a sip of tea before slowly beginning his story.
More than a century ago in Guiltina, Elefseria founded the world's first Mage guild and gathered his friends together.
Even then, his hair and beard had already turned white, but his heart was still filled with ambition.
At the time, the Law Dragon had said this to his fellow Mages:
"We are not merely a disorderly group gathered in one place. Unless we turn this organization into something that truly functions, society will never recognize us as part of it."
"Part of society?"
"We've always been persecuted, and now you want us to...?" his companions protested.
"People simply have yet to understand what the power called Magic truly means. This power was not given to curse others, nor was it given to harm them. It is a power granted so that we may help the weak!"
"If we do not use this power for others, then we have no future!"
As he spoke, Elefseria took out a stack of papers and showed them to the guild members.
"A young girl from the town of Sanfu has sent us a request!"
That stack of papers describing the girl's plea could be considered the world's very first guild request.
"She wants us to solve her problem with Magic. Naturally, the reward is quite generous as well."
His companions immediately grew excited.
"She wants us to use Magic? She isn't afraid of us?"
"There's a reward?!"
That incident—or rather, that request—became the foundation of the Mage guild system.
From there, Magia Dragon gradually grew larger and more prosperous.
Then one day, the flourishing guild was attacked by a dragon.
The Magic they had been so proud of was useless against it, and many guild members died at the dragon's hands.
Elefseria eventually learned of the existence of an ancient form of Magic—Dragon Slayer Magic—and of the Mages capable of using it, Dragon Slayers.
The members of Magia Dragon, Elefseria included, spent a great deal of time searching for Dragon Slayer Magic before finally managing to learn it.
Irene looked at the Law Dragon with genuine admiration.
"You taught yourself Dragon Slayer Magic without relying on Enchantment... Impressive."
Elefseria showed no pleasure at the praise.
He continued recalling the past.
"And just when we had finally gained the power to face dragons directly, the Six Dragon Gods appeared."
"In addition to those two, there were Ignia, the Fire Dragon God; Aldoron, the Wood Dragon God; Viernes, the Gold Dragon God; and Dogramag, the Earth Dragon God."
"Hundreds upon hundreds of Mages lost their... lives. I eventually managed to defeat Dogramag, but as the price, he devoured my heart."
"Having lost the strength to continue fighting, I entrusted the defeat of the remaining Five Dragon Gods to the future."
"Ten years passed. Then twenty. Fifty. Eventually, a full century passed, and the request became known as the 100 Years Quest."
"And now, two of those Dragon Gods are sitting before me."
...
Selene maintained her usual dignified posture and elegantly crossed one leg over the other.
"There is one thing you have misunderstood. I like humans."
Elefseria went completely rigid.
"What did you say?"
Selene explained calmly.
"It is true that I have killed many humans, but I did not kill them because they were human. I killed them because they were enemies who sought my life."
"Whether the one trying to kill me was a human, a dragon, or a demon made no difference to me."
"Humans, cats, dragons—every living creature will do what it must to survive."
"I once believed humans were foolish creatures. You are always fighting, always trying to stand above one another. You hate each other and kill each other, wasting the short lives you are given."
"And yet humanity has flourished since ancient times. Within those small, fragile bodies lies extraordinary vitality. Humans may be foolish, but they also love one another, share their joy, and look forward to the future."
"Dragons are the same."
"That is why I eventually made my decision. In this world where the age of dragons has already ended, I want to live as a human."
At that point, a fierce look entered Selene's eyes.
"However, to create such a world, Ignia, Aldoron, and Viernes stood in my way. They do not understand humans at all. That was why I once sought that weapon."
Elefseria and Mercphobia both looked puzzled.
"Once?"
Selene turned her gaze toward Raizel, Irene, and the others.
"I have since found a better method—or rather, better people."
"Fairy Tail."
A faint smile touched Irene's lips.
"I once lived in a country where humans and dragons shared their lives together. I understood very well how Belserion viewed humanity."
"He devoted his entire life to creating a world where humans and dragons could coexist in harmony. He was even willing to sacrifice his life for that dream."
"From the bottom of my heart, I hope Belserion's wish can finally be fulfilled."
"Igneel and Grandeeney, who raised Natsu and Wendy. Selene and Mercphobia, who stand before us now. Kurnugi, who still lives in Ishgar. Many dragons have already proven that humans and dragons can live together in peace."
Silence settled over Magia Dragon for a long time.
Elefseria stared directly into Selene and Mercphobia's eyes.
"So you are saying that the Moon Dragon God Selene and the Water Dragon God Mercphobia will no longer kill humans?"
Mercphobia shook his head and gave a brief answer.
"I will not."
The words were short, but utterly certain. Elefseria could feel his sincerity.
Karameel immediately added,
"Lord Water Dragon doesn't kill people. He saves them!"
Selene nodded.
"In the past, I would have answered that if humans tried to kill me, I would still kill them in return."
"But now... Raizel has taught me that not every problem must be solved through force or violence. I will handle such situations properly."
Elefseria lowered his head.
His fists clenched tightly against the table, and his entire body began to tremble.
'So the person I used to be... was that ridiculous?'
Then he suddenly raised his head and roared at Selene and Mercphobia with all the fury in his voice.
"APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE YOU HAVE KILLED!!!"
"To my friends! To my precious companions!"
Wendy, Lucy, and the others flinched in shock.
Raizel and Irene did not interrupt him.
The Law Dragon needed to release this pain. He had kept it buried for far too long.
Tears gathered in Elefseria's eyes.
He slammed both fists against the table again and gritted his teeth.
"I KNOW!"
"I know better than anyone that demanding such a thing is completely meaningless!!!"
Erza pressed her lips together. After thinking for a moment, she still chose to speak.
"Selene also did those things... because she wanted to survive. Just as we kill animals so that we can continue living..."
"I KNOW! OF COURSE I KNOW DAMN IT!!!"
Selene and Mercphobia both lowered their heads, their expressions turning thoughtful.