Roubaul's magic dissipated, and with it, the entire village of Cait Shelter vanished.
Just minutes ago, the lively and bustling village now stood eerily silent, almost unsettling in its emptiness.
Erza glanced at Jehfrit again, her gaze conveying an unspoken order for him to handle the situation.
After all, this was about deception.
Jehfrit sighed. Just because he was a master of deception didn't mean he could untangle the emotional knots left behind by others' lies.
As he often said, "The moment you realize you've been deceived is often when you trust the deceiver the most."
At this moment, Wendy would rather have been deceived forever than face the truth.
What could he possibly say to comfort her?
This was something she had to overcome on her own.
Erza shot him another look.
The third glance carried a clear threat.
"…" With no choice, Jehfrit stepped forward and knelt beside Wendy. "Wendy, is there nothing else you feel besides sadness?"
"Mr. Jehfrit…" Wendy looked up at him, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
"Shouldn't you also feel gratitude?" Jehfrit placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "An old man who should have passed away four hundred years ago created an entire warm and welcoming village for a lonely little girl, giving her a beautiful childhood."
"But people must grow up eventually. A fledgling bird must learn to fly on its own."
"Everything the guild master did for you—shouldn't that move you? Now that you've grown up, shouldn't you do something in return? Something that will let him rest in peace?"
"What should I do?" Wendy asked through choked sobs.
"Life is a journey," Jehfrit began. "You meet new things, but those things eventually resolve themselves. You make new friends, but they eventually leave. You see new places, but you must eventually move on. You might even spend a lot of money on a house, thinking it's your home—but that house can still collapse, be abandoned, or taken away."
He paused, his tone firm. "There's only one thing that never leaves—like the sun, like the moon, like the blanket that warms you on a cold night."
Jehfrit met her gaze seriously. "Carry forward Master Roubaul's will and join us at Fairy Tail. We'll become your lifelong family. No matter how the outside world changes, your family will always be your safe haven, your path home."
"Mr. Jehfrit!" Wendy threw herself into his arms, tears streaming down her face as she cried out, "Please let me join Fairy Tail!"
"Welcome," Jehfrit said with a smile.
"That's right, we'll share your pain together," Erza added, kneeling down to place a reassuring hand on Wendy's shoulder.
"Fairy Tail is a place where everyone sticks together. No matter what happens, no one gets left behind," Lucy chimed in, her voice filled with conviction.
"Welcome, Wendy," Natsu grinned.
"Master Roubaul, please rest assured. We'll take good care of Wendy and Carla," Gray said solemnly.
"Carla, I'll grow stronger so I can protect you," Happy reassured Carla earnestly.
For once, Carla wasn't in the mood to act tsundere. Unconsciously, she leaned against Happy's shoulder.
Happy froze, his face a mix of excitement and disbelief, afraid to move even a muscle, as though fearing the delicate bird perched on his shoulder might suddenly fly away.
---
After having breakfast at Cait Shelter, everyone bid farewell and began their journey back.
Lucy held three Zodiac Keys, her expression brimming with joy.
The three keys once belonging to Angel were now hers. During their earlier battle, the spirits had seen how much Lucy cherished them and willingly agreed to form a contract with her.
After crying their hearts out, Wendy and Carla were soon cheered up by Jehfrit's impromptu magic tricks. They remained resilient throughout the trip back, proving themselves to be mature and strong girls who refused to dwell on sadness for long.
"We're back!"
Natsu and Gray kicked open the guild doors simultaneously, one on each side.
The previously quiet guild erupted into chaos.
"Natsu, hahaha, why are you wrapped head to toe in bandages? Did someone beat you up real bad?" The guild members teased.
"No way!" Natsu retorted indignantly, charging into the fray.
A massive brawl broke out, unsurprisingly.
*Boom Boom Boom*
The guild descended into chaos, with Gray joining the fight shortly after.
"Sigh—" Erza exhaled sharply, drawing her sword and shield before slamming them together with a resounding clang.
*Clang!*
The deafening sound stopped everyone in their tracks.
"E-Erza…" Everyone gulped nervously, fear evident on their faces as they saw her stern expression.
"There are newcomers here. Don't scare them off," Erza warned.
Only then did the others notice the shy little girl hiding behind Erza.
"Huh?"
"So cute!"
"New member?"
Gasps of surprise rippled through the crowd.
"And that cat looks just like Happy!"
"Don't compare me to that tomcat!" Carla protested loudly.
"It talks too?!" The guild members were even more astonished.
"Wendy, go ahead and introduce yourself," Erza and Lucy encouraged with warm smiles.
Taking a deep breath, Wendy stepped out from behind Erza. Though shy, she tried her best to stay composed.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Wendy Marvell. This is Carla."
"Aww, so cute!!!" The guild erupted into delighted squeals.
Wendy sighed in relief. It seemed she'd been accepted.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Wendy," a gentle voice called out. A beautiful white-haired woman approached Wendy with a warm smile.
"It's Miss Mira!" Wendy exclaimed excitedly. "Carla, look! She's even prettier in person than in pictures!"
"Oh my, thank you," Mira giggled. "But Miss Wendy is adorable too. I'm sure you'll grow up to be a stunning beauty."
She turned her attention to Jehfrit, scrutinizing him briefly before dismissing any signs of injury. Looking back at Wendy and Carla, she remarked, "Carla seems similar to Happy. Are they the same species?"
"Y-yeah!" Happy eagerly raised his paw.
"Though I hate to admit it…" Carla trailed off grumpily.
"What kind of magic do you use, Miss Wendy?" Mira asked curiously.
"I'm a Sky Dragon Slayer," Wendy replied honestly.
"What?!" The guild buzzed with excitement.
"That's just like Natsu, Gajeel, and Laxus!"
"If that's the case, our guild now has four Dragon Slayers!"
"This is amazing!"
Wendy blushed under the praise.
---
On the second floor.
To the left.
Gajeel glanced at Natsu, then at Wendy.
Finally, his gaze settled on their cats.
Sweat poured down his forehead as he clenched his teeth, muttering quietly, "They both… have cats."
He couldn't wrap his head around it. Natsu, maybe—he was a special case.
But why did Wendy have a cat too?!
As fellow Dragon Slayers… why didn't *he* have a cat?!
Meanwhile, on the right side of the second floor.
Laxus leaned casually against the railing, arms crossed. After glancing briefly at Carla and Happy, he turned and walked away, leaving behind only two words: "So boring."
---
Wendy and Carla became the center of attention, surrounded by admiring guild members.
Mira approached Jehfrit.
She leaned slightly closer.
"What is it?" Jehfrit asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh dear…" Mira dramatically feigned sorrow, covering her eyes with slender fingers and pretending to cry. "Mr. Jehfrit didn't even notice. It's heartbreaking."
"Notice what?" Jehfrit looked utterly confused.
"…" Mira lifted her gaze, brushing her hair behind her ears to reveal her flawless face. Smiling, she said, "I'm punishing you to come help me at my house tomorrow."
"Oh?" Jehfrit tilted his head slightly, considering her words. "If it's manual labor, I refuse. Ask Elfman instead."
"Punishment… cannot be refused," Mira declared, flipping her hair before walking away.
"Idiot Jehfrit," Lucy muttered exasperatedly.
"What?" Jehfrit turned to her.
"Miss Mira was wearing expensive perfume. Didn't you notice?" Lucy asked.
"Yeah, she always smells nice. What's strange about that?" Jehfrit shrugged.
"You really shouldn't teach Happy how to court Carla," Lucy deadpanned. "Miss Mira used very expensive perfume, and you didn't even distinguish between perfume and natural scent."
"Is there a difference? Wait… why would she randomly wear perfume in the first place?!" Jehfrit suddenly quickened his pace, catching up to Mira and grabbing her wrist. He pulled her roughly into a corner.
"What is it?" Mira asked, puzzled.
"Why are you wearing perfume for no reason? Do you even need it?" Jehfrit questioned, his mind involuntarily recalling scenes from shoujo manga where heroines prepared meticulously before meeting their love interests.
"Well…" Mira smiled sweetly. "I wear it occasionally."
"For what? You don't need it. Look at Cana, Erza, and Lucy—they don't use perfume."
"What does that have to do with you, Mr. Jehfrit?" Mira tilted her head coyly.
"Uh… I guess it doesn't," Jehfrit realized belatedly. He released her wrist and turned to leave.
"Cana gave it to me," Mira explained. "It was part of my reward for a job. She said she didn't need it since she's always covered in alcohol."
Jehfrit paused briefly but continued walking briskly without turning back.
Mira chuckled softly, shaking her head as she returned to the counter.
On the counter lay the latest newspaper—
Headline One: Four Major Guilds' Allied Forces Defeat Oración Seis.
Headline Two: Weekly Horoscopes—Among the text, one sentence stood out: [Virgos this week are more likely to be attracted to novel experiences…]
---
Wendy and Carla naturally joined the girls' dormitory.
As for arrangements, that was none of Jehfrit's concern.
And so, he returned home.
"Mr. Jehfrit!" Ikuto greeted him with delight upon seeing him return.
Jehfrit's eyes widened in surprise.
Ikuto usually wore traditional kimonos, but today, she had changed her attire.
Her outfit was stylish, accentuating her figure perfectly, and her hair was styled elegantly, revealing her graceful neck.
"Ikuto, is that a new dress?" Jehfrit asked.
"Yes," she replied.
Ikuto bent down to change his slippers but blinked in surprise when she realized he'd already done so himself. By the time she straightened up, Jehfrit was already wiping his hands with a warm towel. His cloak and coat were already neatly hung on a nearby rack.
"…" Ikuto sighed in resignation.
Miko watched Ikuto from above, indifferent to whatever these women did for Jehfrit. She didn't care who he ended up with.
However, caring for Jehfrit was part of their contract—and in that regard, no one else was allowed to interfere!
"Emily's practicing kendo in the backyard," Ikuto informed him.
As if on cue, Emily came running over like a gust of wind, drenched in sweat.
The small girl flung herself at Jehfrit, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.
"Master!"
Looking up at him with a sweaty face, Emily beamed. "You're finally back! I missed you so much!"
"Mm, I brought you a gift," Jehfrit smiled.
"What is it?" Emily asked excitedly.
"This…" Jehfrit pulled out several pieces of beautifully woven fabric purchased from Cait Shelter. It was a local specialty.
"It's so pretty!" Emily hugged it tightly, unwilling to let go.
"When you have time, find someone to make a few outfits with it," Jehfrit suggested, glancing at Ikuto.
"Do I get some too?" Ikuto asked with a playful smile.
"Emily picks first," Jehfrit chuckled.
"Oh, boss, you're so unfair," Ikuto teased with mock disappointment.
"All right, I'm going to take a bath. I can't stand feeling sticky anymore," Jehfrit announced.
This time, the physical exertion had been immense!
His body was drenched in sweat, making him feel uncomfortable all over.
---
Jehfrit headed upstairs to soak in the bath.
"Jehfrit," Miko called softly, leaning against the edge of the bathtub.
"What is it?" Jehfrit idly played with her antennae.
"I'm hungry."
"Then go cook something."
"Mm."
Miko got up and went to prepare food.
---
The next morning.
Jehfrit tidied up and prepared to leave.
"Eh? Mr. Jehfrit, you're actually going out today?" Ikuto was astonished.
Usually, after completing a mission, Jehfrit would spend some time recovering before regaining his usual energy. Today, he should have lounged around in bed, groggy and unmotivated.
Why was he being so diligent today?
"Oh, I have something to do. You'll have to handle lunch yourselves," Jehfrit said.
He headed toward Mira's house.
Though he had firmly stated yesterday that he wouldn't help with manual labor, this was a matter of principle! Back home, all physical chores were handled by Miko, not him.
Still, Mira likely hadn't called him over for simple tasks.
And besides, refusing her outright wasn't wise. Mira wasn't someone easily pushed around.
Arriving at her door, he knocked.
"Come in."
Jehfrit entered to find Mira hanging laundry in the yard.
"Did I come at a bad time?" Jehfrit joked.
"On the contrary, you arrived at a perfect moment. Congratulations," Mira responded lightly. She picked up a pair of panties but quickly set them aside, opting instead for a dress to hang.
"Need any help?" Jehfrit moved closer, glancing into the basket.
"No need, 'kind-hearted' Mr. Jehfrit. Why don't you sit down and relax?" Mira stepped sideways to block his view, smiling brightly.
"Fine," Jehfrit sighed.
"What a shame," Mira teased.
"Not at all," Jehfrit turned his head away stubbornly.