Charles sat in his chair, staring at the resort hotel invitation vouchers laid out on the table.
They were a gift from Loki, a token of gratitude for Charles's role as his life mentor. Word was, it was a luxurious seaside resort offering all kinds of beachside activities, along with a full-service casino and restaurant inside the hotel.
Charles remembered that in the original timeline, these vouchers had been given to Lucy by Loki. Erza, Natsu, Happy, and Gray had tagged along and gone with her to that very hotel.
And it was there that Erza had reunited with a childhood companion, triggering the entire Tower of Heaven incident.
This time, however, the vouchers had fallen into Charles's hands, serving as a stark reminder: Jellal was most likely already making moves.
According to the timeline, the Tower of Heaven should already be complete. Jellal's plan was still missing two key components: a staggering 2.7 billion Edeas worth of magical power, and a sacrificial vessel to resurrect Zeref.
Charles, of course, knew that the Tower of Heaven represented the darkest shadow in Erza's heart, her greatest vulnerability.
So what he had been pondering wasn't how to use these vouchers, but rather how he could influence what was to come.
Erza had been chosen by Jellal as the sacrifice. Even if she didn't go to the hotel, Jellal might still find other ways to get her there.
Besides, running away was never the answer. If Erza didn't confront this, that shadow would haunt her forever.
No matter how strong her magic grew, she would never become the Fairy Queen capable of overcoming every enemy.
Sure, even without his interference, Erza might still conquer her inner demons just as she did in the original story.
But Charles also remembered that someone had died saving her during the Tower of Heaven arc.
That man was Simon, a childhood companion of Erza's who had always harbored special feelings for her. He was the only one among them who never believed Jellal's lies and continued to trust Erza.
Though Simon had been little more than a footnote in the story, his death impacted the fates of many—not just Jellal and Erza, but also his sister, who would appear later during the Grand Magic Games arc.
To be honest, based on the original story, Charles didn't think too highly of him.
Simon believed in Erza, yet he never tried to convince the others. Maybe he feared that doing so would draw Jellal's attention, or perhaps—just perhaps—he wanted to be the "only one" who trusted her.
Thinking darker, maybe his sacrifice had been deliberate—so that his death would place an unbridgeable rift between Erza and Jellal.
So that even if those two were in love, guilt would keep them from ever truly being together. So that Erza would always remember him, the one who gave his life for her.
Simon had surely known that Erza loved Jellal. And even though Jellal had fallen into darkness, he never stood a chance of taking his place. Having such thoughts wasn't far-fetched.
Then again, maybe Charles was just overthinking it. Either way, he had decided—he was going to save Simon.
If Simon truly had those selfish thoughts, then saving him would foil his plan. And if he had been a genuinely good person, then saving his life would be a win for everyone.
Suddenly, a sound came from Charles's luggage.
He reached in and pulled out a crystal ball. Injecting it with magic, a bright and charming young woman's face appeared within.
"Long time no see—you're even more beautiful now, Ultear."
Yes, it was Ultear's face that had appeared in the crystal.
After the Galuna Island mission, Charles had discovered the enchanted crystal ball stashed in his belongings.
There was no mystery as to who had placed it there. But since then, this was Ultear's first time initiating contact.
Her surroundings gave no hint of her location, but she looked to be in good spirits.
"I didn't go through all the trouble of contacting you just to hear your flattery," Ultear said, lifting her chin.
Charles thought to himself how obviously pleased she looked but replied aloud, "Then what's so urgent that you had to get in touch?"
Ultear cleared her throat. "I'm calling to remind you—keep an eye on that Fairy Queen in your guild. Certain people have already started moving against her."
Charles rubbed his forehead. "Of course. The trouble just never stops."
Then, frowning, he continued, "But don't you think you're largely responsible for this? Shouldn't you be doing more than just giving me a heads-up?"
After all, it had been Ultear who first corrupted Jellal. She'd disguised herself as Zeref's vengeful spirit, and when Jellal had been tortured to the brink of collapse by a dark cult, she had offered him a false purpose to cling to.
That was how Jellal had descended into madness and become the cold, ruthless man he was now.
If you traced the events back, Ultear was the one who had set it all in motion.
At Charles's words, a smile crept onto Ultear's face. "As expected—you really do know far more than anyone should."
Only Ultear herself, and the Balam Alliance that orchestrated the plot, knew about her manipulation of Jellal. Not even Jellal himself was aware of it.
She had no idea how Charles had come by such information. The more she learned about him, the more mysterious—and fascinating—he became.
Charles cut in, "Enough. This isn't the time for that. At the very least, take some responsibility this time."
Ultear wagged a finger. "Sorry to disappoint you. As much as I'd like to help, there's someone far more dangerous than Jellal that I have to stay undercover to deal with."
Charles narrowed his eyes. He had a good guess as to who she meant.
Ultear's guild, Grimoire Heart, possessed knowledge that Zeref was still alive. They knew that Jellal's dreams were nothing more than delusion.
And compared to the puppet they were manipulating—Jellal—the true danger was their guild master.
That man was none other than Precht, Fairy Tail's second master and the mentor who had trained the current master, Makarov.
Over forty years ago, Precht had entrusted the guild to Makarov and set out to wander the continent in search of "The Origin of Magic."
At some point, his mind had twisted. He came to believe that darkness was the true source of magic and that Zeref was the ultimate destination.
Just like certain "great" mages from neighboring franchises, he wanted to "peer into the abyss of magic." One had knelt before a skeletal overlord; the other had become Zeref's bootlicker.
In the end, they'd reached the same conclusion—humans were too limited to comprehend the depths of magic. So, both had abandoned their humanity.
Precht's goal was to crown Zeref as king of the world and usher in a grand magical age.
It all sounded very ominous. But Charles knew it was little more than fantasy.
If Zeref had ever wanted to rule the world, he could've done it centuries ago.
Even if Precht's dreams were never going to come true, his actions were still extremely dangerous.
In the original story, Precht had attacked Tenrou Island while Fairy Tail's elite mages were taking their S-Class exam.
Charles didn't understand what wiping out Fairy Tail had to do with crowning Zeref king of the world, but Precht had acted without mercy—that much was certain.
Charles, deep in thought, finally said to Ultear, "Then be careful. I'm sure we'll see each other again soon. Thanks for the warning."
Ultear rolled her eyes. "You already know something again, don't you? Ugh, this was probably a waste of effort. I'll contact you again later!"
The image on the crystal ball vanished. Charles tucked it back into his luggage.
"Dealing with Precht can wait. Jellal's already moving—I need to act quickly too. Time to contact the guild and find out where Natsu and the others are."
Charles stood, decisively beginning his next move.
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