Everyone retreated from the vicinity of Nirvana.
The members of Oración Seis, Jellal, and the other dark mages were also bound and taken away.
Once the Magic Crystals were destroyed, Nirvana would collapse without its magical energy supply.
Midway through their journey, Natsu and Gray woke up and insisted on walking on their own—they couldn't bear to let the girls carry them any longer.
"By the way, where is Miss Tiffany?" Erza asked curiously.
With Tiffany's strength, she shouldn't have been injured so badly that she couldn't reunite with the group. And since Jehfrit wasn't injured, it was unlikely he'd leave her in a state where she couldn't take care of herself—even if their relationship was strained.
"She has another mission and has already departed," Jehfrit replied.
In truth, dealing with Oración Seis was just a side task. Tiffany's main objective had been to investigate the organization aiding them, so she had already set off to follow the leads.
A nod of understanding passed over Erza's face. "I see."
*Snap*
Jehfrit clicked his fingers.
*Boom Boom Boom*
In the distance, Nirvana began to crumble.
Everyone watched as the mighty magical construct collapsed into ruins, each person lost in their own thoughts. For the members of Oración Seis, emotions ran deep and conflicted.
Amidst the rising dust and debris, the once-great Nirvana was reduced to rubble, forever beyond anyone's reach or exploitation.
*Clomp Clomp Clomp*
From afar, an army approached.
At its head stood a young man wearing glasses, his expression cold but exuding arrogance. He carried himself with the air of someone who believed they belonged to an elite organization far above others.
His voice left no room for argument.
"For your safety, please remain where you are. I would prefer not to resort to forceful measures."
"Who are you?" Happy asked.
"I am Lahar, captain of the Fourth Enforcement Unit of the newly reformed Magic Council. We exist to uphold justice and ensure no evil goes unpunished," Lahar declared.
"The new Magic Council, huh?" Everyone understood now.
Lahar continued, "We're here to take custody of Oración Seis and all associated dark mages."
No one objected. Silently, they stepped aside.
Those who had committed crimes deserved to face punishment.
Even Hoteye had made grave mistakes in the past.
The soldiers took Oración Seis and the other mages away.
Finally, Lahar turned to Simon and Jellal. "You two must come with us as well."
"Of course. Neither Jellal nor I intend to evade responsibility," Simon said firmly.
He led Jellal to Erza, meeting her gaze directly. "Sorry, we have to leave again so soon after reuniting."
Erza's expression was complex; she remained silent.
"Our sins are heavy. There's a good chance we'll be sentenced to death," Simon admitted frankly.
But then hesitation flickered across his face.
"I…"
With resolve, Simon clenched his teeth and spoke. "My feelings for you haven't changed. But if Jellal and I truly leave this world forever, I hope you can move past the shadows of the past and embrace your happiness!"
"Erza…" Lucy stepped forward, gently embracing her.
Jehfrit adjusted his glasses.
This version of Erza was different from the one he remembered in his previous life. Perhaps this was the butterfly effect of his presence.
At least
She wasn't someone who would break down like this—Erza in the original anime cried only when alone, but now, unable to hold back, Jehfrit intervened to shield her while Natsu and Gray picked up on what was happening.
But.
What was wrong with being vulnerable?
Jehfrit didn't believe in hiding weakness, especially not from family.
And it wasn't just Erza—Natsu, Gray, and even Laxus showed less pride and more vulnerability compared to their anime counterparts. Laxus, who used to be 99% arrogant, now had at least 10% softness in him.
"Thank you for your cooperation."
Lahar left with his team.
Jehfrit pulled out a cloak and draped it over Erza. "It's chilly at night. Don't catch a cold."
Then he pulled up her hood, fully concealing her tear-streaked face.
"Mr. Jehfrit, everyone…" Wendy spoke up. "Our guild isn't far from here. Would you like to rest there?"
"We'd be grateful for your hospitality."
Everyone nodded.
Upon reaching Cait Shelter, exhaustion overwhelmed them all. After greeting the guild master, they were shown to vacant rooms in the village to rest.
Jehfrit had barely lain down when—
"Hiss—"
Pain surged through his body. Now that he'd relaxed, every muscle screamed in agony.
"Mr. Jehfrit?" A small voice timidly called from the doorway.
"Wendy?" Jehfrit asked in a normal tone, puzzled.
"Shh—" Wendy quickly placed a finger over her lips, looking guilty. "I snuck out without Carla knowing. Is it okay if I come in?"
"Of course. What is it?" Jehfrit nodded.
Wendy entered and knelt by his blanket. "I didn't notice earlier, but Miss Erza said your gait and movements seemed off after coming down from Nirvana. Thinking about how you fought today, she guessed you might have strained your muscles. She asked me to treat you."
"Thank you," Jehfrit said gratefully.
"Please lie down," Wendy instructed.
"Alright."
As Jehfrit lay back, Wendy's gentle magical energy flowed into him, easing the pain.
"Wendy!!!" A loud shout came from the doorway. Carla stormed in, fuming.
"A-ah, Carla, you're awake…" Wendy flinched, embarrassed.
Carla had warned Wendy about Jehfrit, calling him a playboy who looked like he could easily deceive girls' feelings. She'd seen glimpses of him holding Wendy, which made her extremely wary.
Wendy thought Carla was overreacting. Even if being held by Mr. Jehfrit made her blush, it didn't mean anything.
She could tell that Jehfrit's relationship with Miss Tiffany was complicated. Compared to her, Wendy was still far too immature.
"Thanks to the tomcat," Carla said icily.
"Eh…" Happy awkwardly explained from the doorway, "I just wanted to invite Carla fishing."
"After fighting all day, you ask a girl to go fishing at night? Really, Cat-Dragon Lord," Jehfrit shook his head in disbelief. No wonder Happy couldn't get anywhere with her—he'd learned nothing these years!
Though Jehfrit hadn't dated before, his theoretical knowledge was top-notch. If he wanted to, getting a girlfriend would be effortless!
Happy spent his days laughing at others' failures, but when it came to practice, he was utterly hopeless!
"I'm just treating Mr. Jehfrit, Carla. Don't look at me like that—it's rude," Wendy protested.
"Treat him. I'll wait here," Carla crossed her arms.
"Carla, why don't you eat some fish while you wait?" Happy suggested.
"No thanks," Carla flatly refused.
"…" Happy glanced at Jehfrit.
"Happy, come here," Jehfrit gestured. Happy immediately perked up, excited to learn something!
"Sleep," Jehfrit said simply. Instantly, Happy curled up and started snoring.
Jehfrit tucked Happy under the covers and settled in to receive treatment.
Soon, the treatment ended. Carla promptly dragged Wendy away. Outside, her scolding could be heard: "Sneaking into a boy's room late at night—how bold!"
"But Mr. Jehfrit isn't a bad person…" Wendy argued, clearly unconvinced.
"Carla…" Jehfrit glanced at Pillow-Snoring-Happy. "Such tsundere behavior feels tricky to deal with."
"But…"
Jehfrit adjusted Happy's blanket and muttered, "Sometimes, straightforwardness can counteract tsundere tendencies."
---
The next morning, Jehfrit was still lounging in bed.
"Jehfrit, how long are you going to sleep? We're leaving soon!"
"Hurry up! You're the last one awake!"
Natsu and Gray burst into the room, dragging Jehfrit out of bed.
After a full night's rest, the two were bursting with energy.
"Mmm…" Jehfrit rubbed his eyes. "Out. I need to change."
With that, he tossed Happy to Natsu.
"Hurry up," Natsu said, carrying Happy as he and Gray exited.
"Haa—" Jehfrit stretched lazily.
"Good morning, Jehfrit. Breakfast is ready, so I didn't prepare anything for you," Miko said nearby.
"Mm," Jehfrit yawned repeatedly, still groggy from lack of proper rest.
He pulled out a card, transforming it into a set of clothes.
Standing up, Miko bent slightly to help him dress carefully.
Once dressed, Jehfrit felt much more alert.
He went outside to wash his face and brush his teeth.
"Hurry up, Jehfrit! Wendy's guild master and everyone else are waiting to thank us. They're already gathered in the square," Natsu called out.
"Okay, okay."
Jehfrit followed Natsu and Gray to the square.
A crowd had gathered there.
Nirvana had been a curse for Cait Shelter—or rather, for the current guild master and Roubaul, the leader of the Neerbit tribe four hundred years ago. Though their physical bodies had long since departed, their spirits remained, guarding Nirvana to prevent its misuse.
Now that Nirvana was destroyed, their four-hundred-year-old wish was finally fulfilled, and they could find peace.
Jehfrit had discovered the truth as soon as he approached the village the night before.
Not a single villager responded to his magic.
They were all constructs of magical energy.
Even the guild master standing before them wasn't real.
But Jehfrit kept quiet.
The guild master and villagers expressed their gratitude to everyone.
Excited, Ichiya and Blue Pegasus broke into dance, and soon Natsu, Lucy, and the others joined in.
Even shy Wendy couldn't resist joining for a moment before stopping, her face flushed red.
Guild Master Roubaul and the villagers remained solemn.
The atmosphere shifted, growing tense and unsettling.
"There's something we need to tell you all," Roubaul began.
Everyone turned to him.
Wendy and Carla, still innocent and unaware, had no idea what was coming.
"In truth..." Roubaul hesitated. "We aren't descendants of the Neerbit tribe. We *are* the Neerbit tribe from four hundred years ago."
"What?!" Gasps of shock rippled through the crowd.
"Didn't they die four hundred years ago?" Lucy started to say, abruptly covering her mouth.
"You're correct, Miss Lucy," Roubaul nodded gravely. "I'm ashamed to admit it, but I created Nirvana four centuries ago."
"!!!!" The revelation stunned everyone.
Even as mages, they found the situation surreal!
Jehfrit adjusted his glasses. He wondered how strong this old man had been at his peak.
Everyone listened silently as Roubaul recounted the story of Nirvana—
Four hundred years ago, to stop war and create a better world, Roubaul and his people built Nirvana, a device meant to reverse good and evil.
But no magic was perfect. Even the strongest mages could only approach truth, never achieve it entirely.
Nirvana developed an unexpected bug—the Neerbits turned outsiders' villains into saints, but their own good-hearted villagers became villains instead, sparking a devastating civil war.
The conflict annihilated their nation.
Overwhelmed with regret, Roubaul sealed Nirvana away.
"In fact..." Roubaul looked at Wendy and Carla. "I died four hundred years ago. What stands before you now is merely a manifestation of my lingering will."
"For four hundred years, I've waited for the day Nirvana would be destroyed. Yesterday, our wish was fulfilled. Thank you all..."
Roubaul glanced at Jehfrit, saying nothing but bowing deeply.
*Whoosh*
Suddenly, one villager's figure vanished.
Then two, three, five, eight—all disappearing.
"What's happening?" Everyone stared in shock.
"Where are you all going?!" Wendy and Carla cried out, reaching out desperately to stop them.
*Thud*
They collapsed to the ground.
"Don't disappear!!"
Wendy screamed in despair.
"Wendy... I'm sorry for deceiving you," Roubaul said softly. "Everyone in the guild… was an illusion I created."
He explained.
Before Wendy arrived, he had been the sole guardian here.
Seven years ago, Mystogan brought Wendy to him.
He could see that the boy had a mission of his own.
So he took Wendy in.
But when Wendy woke up, she cried for Jellal, saying he'd promised to bring her into a mage guild.
To comfort her, Roubaul expended vast amounts of magic to create an entire village and guild members.
"So…" Lucy covered her mouth. "The whole guild…"
"Yes, it was all a fabricated illusion for Wendy's sake," Roubaul admitted.
"No, I won't accept this! Why can't you keep lying to me forever?!" Wendy sobbed uncontrollably.
"Wendy…" Everyone watched as Wendy and Carla broke down, unsure how to console them.
Empathetic Lucy wept uncontrollably.
"…" Erza looked at Jehfrit, signaling—it was his turn to step in.
"…" Jehfrit adjusted his glasses. This kind of situation? Not easy.
"Wendy," Roubaul said. "You have true companions now. You no longer need false ones."
He turned to the group. "Everyone… please take care of Wendy and Carla."