A dimly lit, strangely decorated little room.
"Does this... really work?" Juvia eyed the peculiar-looking—almost sinister—bottle in her hand with skepticism.
"Of course," said the mysterious mage seated across from her, flashing a confident smile. "Just a few drops will make the person look at you with nothing but fiery passion. Though it is rather expensive—60,000J."
Juvia hesitated for a moment.
The shop seemed reliable enough; it had plenty of magical tools, all highly practical. Compared to 'Jehfrit's' store, this place was far superior—after all, his shop rarely sold potions with special effects.
"I'll take it!" Juvia declared firmly.
Gray-sama, stop looking at Jehfrit and look at Juvia instead!
"Haa—" Lucy let out a long sigh and slumped onto the table, her voice lazy. "I'm so bored."
"Why don't you go on a job then?" Mira suggested with a laugh as she wiped down some plates.
"But Jehfrit dragged Natsu and Gray off fishing again," Lucy complained.
Neither she nor Juvia were particularly interested in fishing. Even Ikuto preferred to stay at Jehfrit's shop these days, reading novels while teaching Emily some sword techniques—after all, Jehfrit's swordsmanship couldn't compare to Ikuto's, so he left that part of the training to him.
"Ever since Jehfrit caught a three-pound fish the other day, he's been overly excited about it," Mira said with a hint of exasperation.
"But lately, according to Natsu, his catches have been slim. He spends the whole day fishing and only gets one or two tiny fish, barely bigger than your palm," Lucy added.
"Mmm..." Mira chuckled softly. "That's because Jehfrit isn't exactly gifted when it comes to fishing. Maybe that's why he enjoys it so much—it's one of the few things that actually pose a challenge for him."
"Aaah—" Lucy sighed again.
Mira set the plate aside and walked over. "Why doesn't Lucy just take a solo mission? There are plenty of requests that she can handle by herself."
"But leaving them behind... feels wrong somehow," Lucy admitted.
"Oh ho~" Mira giggled knowingly. "Lucy, do you plan to team up with Natsu forever?"
"Huh?" Lucy froze for a second before realizing what Mira meant. Her face turned bright red. "N-no way! Mira-san, don't say such strange things!"
"Strange?" Mira tilted her head slightly. "So, does Lucy intend to change partners someday?"
"Eh..." Lucy faltered, unsure how to respond.
"What about Gray?" Mira pressed.
"NO!!!" Juvia suddenly burst into the conversation, shouting loudly.
"...No, don't worry, I won't," Lucy assured her awkwardly.
"How about Elfman?" Mira tried next.
"...No." Lucy glanced toward the request board where Elfman and Evergreen were discussing which task to choose. They stood close together, their silhouettes looking oddly compatible. Shaking her head, she replied, "Not him either."
"What about Laxus?"
"Not a chance!" Lucy blurted out immediately after Mira even finished speaking.
"So…" Mira smiled slyly. "It seems there's only Natsu left."
"...What?" Lucy froze.
"Isn't there someone else?" Juvia interjected, glancing at Mira. "Jehfrit."
Mira gave a faint smile.
"I refuse!" Lucy shot back instantly.
"Ah," Mira laughed lightly. "Rejected by Lucy, huh, Jehfrit?"
"Well, not exactly... But going on missions with him would be too dangerous," Lucy explained. Having been part of the guild for a while now, she understood Jehfrit's personality well enough—just as Mira had pointed out: dependable during dangerous times, but otherwise, he *was* the danger.
She couldn't control him—not even Erza could. No one in the guild probably could.
"That's true," Mira said gently. "But who knows what Natsu might think?"
"..." Lucy fell silent, lost in thought.
Seeing Lucy deep in contemplation, Mira's smile widened. "Want to confirm it?"
"N-no need," Lucy stammered, waving her hands nervously. What if Natsu said something unexpected?
"I believe in you both," Mira reassured her warmly. "Whatever Natsu says, I'm sure it'll satisfy Lucy."
"This..." Lucy hesitated.
"Should I ask Gray for Juvia?" Mira teased, turning to Juvia.
"No way!" Juvia shook her head furiously. She knew better than anyone else that Gray would likely pick Jehfrit as his partner—and she didn't want to hear that answer!
---
Evening fell.
Lucy walked along the riverbank, heading home.
Would Natsu choose her as his permanent partner?
She didn't know the answer—or even what kind of answer she should hope for.
If Natsu refused, how would she deal with her current turmoil?
And if he agreed—what did that mean?
She recalled Mira's words and thought about Bisca and Evergreen's examples.
If they kept being partners forever… perhaps it would lead to *that* outcome—
'Ding ding'
The sound of wedding bells rang through her mind. In her imagination, she wore a beautiful white dress, holding onto Natsu's arm.
"Ah—!"
She shouted aloud, breaking herself out of the fantasy.
"Miss Lucy, is everything okay?" A passing boatman asked kindly.
"Y-yes, everything's fine," Lucy replied hastily.
"She must be troubled over love stuff," the boatman whispered to his companion.
Hearing this, Lucy flushed red and ran away.
"Hahaha—" Laughter echoed behind her.
Lucy sprinted all the way home. As soon as she opened the door, she saw the lights were already on.
"Yo, Lucy!" Natsu and Happy called out simultaneously, raising their hands from the couch.
"Ahh..." Lucy wasn't surprised anymore. "You guys caught a lot of fish today, huh?"
"Yeah," Natsu nodded. "I caught twenty-three!"
"And I caught thirty-seven!" Happy chimed in proudly.
"What about Jehfrit?" Lucy asked curiously.
"HAHAHA—" Happy burst into laughter.
"He's such an idiot!" Natsu joined in, laughing hard. "When a fish bit the hook while he was eating chips, he hesitated about whether to grab the rod with his greasy hands. By the time he decided, the fish had already swum off with the rod! HAHAHA, what a fool!"
"Ehh..." Lucy muttered under her breath. While somewhat surprising, it still felt oddly fitting.
These people in the guild truly acted like idiots sometimes.
"Zzzz—"
Snoring filled the air. Lucy looked over to see Natsu and Happy already fast asleep on the couch.
"They fall asleep so quickly!" Lucy muttered, though it was typical for them. Their ability to sleep anywhere was almost enviable.
She grabbed a blanket and covered them gently. Just as she was about to leave, Natsu grabbed her wrist in his sleep.
"Lucy..." he mumbled. "...Let's go on a mission together!"
Lucy froze.
---
Meanwhile, Jehfrit trudged home dejectedly.
"Jehfrit," Mira called out, stopping him.
"Hmm? Miss Mira, good afternoon," Jehfrit greeted her without a trace of his usual cheerfulness.
"The thing you asked me to do last time? It's finally done," Mira announced.
"What thing?" Jehfrit blinked in confusion.
"Something resembling alcohol but isn't," Mira hinted.
"Really?!" At those words, Jehfrit perked up instantly, grabbing Mira's wrist eagerly. "Where is it?!"
"It's at my house, come along," Mira replied calmly.
"Alright."
As they walked, Mira explained further. "The process was similar, although I used a bit of magic potion to remove most traces of actual alcohol. There might still be a tiny bit left. Try it first—if it works, then consider my task complete."
"Don't finish yet!" Jehfrit exclaimed immediately.
He pulled out a contract. "After I try it, if everything checks out, sign this contract!"
Mira took the contract and scanned it carefully. With a small smile, she turned to him. "Long-term business?"
"Exactly!" Jehfrit confirmed.
"How long exactly?" Mira inquired.
"Well..." Jehfrit thought for a moment. "Until I can't drink water anymore, I guess."
"That means for life," Mira said with a soft chuckle.
"...Oh," Jehfrit paused, realization dawning.
"We're here," Mira stopped in front of her gate. Opening it, she welcomed him warmly. "Mr. Jehfrit, welcome."
"Thank you for having me," Jehfrit stepped inside.
"The goods are in the cellar."
Mira led him downstairs into the basement. The moment they entered, the rich aroma of wine hit them.
Jehfrit took a deep breath, his expression blissful.
"Ah—this is the scent of true alcohol."
Mira laughed lightly. "It's just a drink that smells like alcohol."
"It *is* alcohol!" Jehfrit corrected her emphatically.
"Sure, sure," Mira placated him with a nod, leading him to a large barrel. She lifted the lid and scooped out a sample. "Try it."
Jehfrit prepared himself mentally, took a cautious sip, and savored the taste. Sweet, like a beverage, but with a subtle kick that brought him a slight sense of euphoria.
"This is what alcohol tastes like..." Jehfrit murmured in awe, completely entranced.
Mira didn't bother correcting him anymore.
Previously, Jehfrit had completed a job for a vineyard owner, helping save both his life and his business. Grateful, the owner gifted him an unpublished recipe for a drink that smelled like wine but was essentially fruit juice.
Thus, he approached Mira—
"Oh dear..." Mira giggled behind her hand. "Are you asking me to kiss me?"
Jehfrit stormed off.
However, repeated teasing eventually pushed him to approach Mira again. Yet each time, she'd reply coyly, "I feel a bit uneasy about it."
Things remained unresolved until Phantom Lord's incident prompted Mira to step forward and agree.
Now—
Mira smiled and asked, "So, Mr. Jehfrit, how do you find it?"
"Perfect—" Jehfrit breathed deeply.
"This round is free, but next time, it'll cost you," Mira reminded him.
"How much?"
"100,000J."
"Cheap!"
Without hesitation, Jehfrit handed over a card.
"There are two additional clauses I'd like to add to the contract," Mira said, holding up the paper.
"What are they?"
"One barrel costs 100,000J—a lucrative deal, especially since it's recurring income. To ensure no one else takes this opportunity, I've added two conditions."
Mira read them aloud seriously:
"Clause One: Mr. Jehfrit de la Vallière shall only conduct transactions with Ms. Mirajane Strauss and no one else."
"You don't need to worry about that," Jehfrit assured her. "Fewer people knowing is better. And you must promise never to tell anyone—no exceptions!"
This vulnerability was Jehfrit's last weakness!
It would become one of his deepest secrets.
"Of course, there's also Clause Two," Mira continued.
"Clause Two: Should Mr. Jehfrit de la Vallière violate the first clause, Ms. Mirajane Strauss will..."
Mira's lips curled into a mischievous grin, sending chills down Jehfrit's spine. Her voice turned icy cold. "...Erase the de la Vallière name entirely!"
Whoosh—
A sudden gust of wind swept past, chilling Jehfrit to the bone. It felt like a ghostly hand brushed against his neck.
"That's too extreme," Jehfrit shivered nervously. "Don't joke around like that."
"Hahaha, of course, I'm joking," Mira laughed.
Jehfrit relaxed slightly—until she added with a playful tone, "Though I could easily put you in a state where you wouldn't be able to drink water ever again."
Silently, Jehfrit wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
"The contract," Mira tilted her head slightly. "Still signing?"
"I feel like I'm making a deal with the devil," Jehfrit muttered.
"So, are you signing?" Mira asked.
After a brief pause, Jehfrit clenched his teeth. "Fine! I'll sign!"
Both signed the document, and magic split the paper into two copies. Each kept one.
"It's getting late," Mira tucked away her copy. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"
"What are you cooking tonight?" Jehfrit asked curiously.
"Mapo tofu, braised pork, minced meat and eggplant..." Mira listed casually.
"Please let me join you for dinner!" Jehfrit insisted enthusiastically.
Those were his favorite dishes!
---
From that day forward, a gourd hung at Jehfrit's waist.
To be honest, it clashed slightly with his usual style. But no one paid attention to this minor discrepancy.
Instead, everyone noticed—
Jehfrit!
And the gourd!
Early morning.
He strode confidently into the guild hall.
Flop!
He plopped down unceremoniously in front of Cana.
"What do you want?" Cana set her glass down.
"Cana, you look exceptionally beautiful today," Jehfrit stated earnestly.
Everyone stared at him, curious about what prank he was planning now.
"Uh, thanks," Cana responded indifferently, waving him off. "Don't get too close."