The investigation into Karen's killer ultimately came down to "doing one's best and leaving the rest to fate"—none of the clever shortcuts worked.
The members of Blue Pegasus mobilized in full force, yet returned empty-handed in the end.
Finding a killer without any leads was truly difficult.
As for Loke, he ultimately chose not to attend Karen's funeral.
Only several days after the ceremony did he quietly visit alone, standing silently before her grave.
"Ah..."
After a long sigh, Loke placed the flowers in his hand down, then turned and left, returning directly to Magnolia.
"I suggest you move into Fairy Home. Living alone outside is far too lonely—Fairy Home is much livelier."
In the guild hall of Fairy Tail, Marco spoke to Loke, who had just returned.
At this point, Loke seemed much more normal than in previous days—at the very least, his expression had regained its smile, no longer carrying that bitter, resentful look.
He had also begun talking and interacting with his guildmates, making quite a few new friends.
"Fairy Home?" Loke pondered for a moment.
Of course, he had some impression of the place—it was the location of the previous S-Class trials.
However, Loke hadn't participated in the S-Class exams, so he'd never actually been inside.
He wasn't entirely sure what Fairy Home was like, only that it was quite spacious.
"But isn't Loke short on money? He just joined the guild and has no savings. Is he really going to take out a full loan to move into Fairy Home right away?" Gray, standing nearby, asked curiously.
He was quite concerned about this new comrade.
Though Gray was an ice-wielding Mage, his personality was warm and straightforward—far from the cold, aloof type.
Whenever new members joined the guild, Gray would enthusiastically engage with them, helping them integrate into Fairy Tail.
"What's there to worry about? The guild's loans don't come with aggressive debt collection. You'll pay it back eventually." Marco waved it off.
The guild's loan system was quite generous—if you wanted to, you could take out a loan to build a house.
"But what if I can't pay it back? Or if I die, or lose the ability to take on jobs—what then?"
After learning the details of Fairy Home's housing loans, Loke asked.
His words made Gray glance at him sideways.
Loke was thinking through the details quite thoroughly—but wasn't he being a bit too pessimistic?
Why did he sound like he might drop dead at any moment?
Gray didn't understand.
Was Loke just naturally pessimistic, always considering the worst-case scenarios?
Living with that kind of mindset had to be exhausting.
"That's not something you need to worry about. The guild will handle everything." Marco answered with a smile.
Even if the borrower died right after taking the loan, or lost the ability to repay, there was no need for concern.
In such cases, the house would still be built.
Death didn't affect the property's usability, and if someone became incapable, they could still live there—consider it the guild's compensation.
"Sounds pretty good, actually."
When Marco said this, Loke was genuinely tempted.
There was no helping it—this housing loan was simply too good a deal.
After understanding the specifics, it was hard not to be swayed.
"Think about it?" Marco felt Loke wouldn't refuse.
It would save a lot on rent, and the amenities available at "Fairy Home" were incomparable to anything a rental could offer.
"Then I'll take the loan."
Sure enough, Loke ultimately chose to move into "Fairy Home."
The terms were just too favorable—there was no reason not to take it.
"No problem. Here's the contract."
Marco immediately pulled out a loan agreement and handed it over, acting like a seasoned real estate agent.
This was indeed his responsibility, and countless guildmates had already signed similar contracts.
"..."
Loke was speechless, feeling a creeping suspicion that he was about to be scammed.
Marco's preparations were too thorough—it was hard not to be wary.
So, Loke picked up the contract and scrutinized it carefully, afraid of missing any hidden traps.
He examined every detail meticulously.
Loke wasn't entirely wrong.
Marco did intend to use this contract to bind him—but not through underhanded tricks. It was an open scheme.
The contract's contents were flawless because the contract itself was the trap.
Once signed, Loke would be irrevocably tied to Fairy Tail.
After all, Loke had an unshakable sense of contractual obligation.
If he could endure even Karen, this contract would be no exception.
There was no need to worry about him breaking it.
"Looks fine. I'll sign."
True to form, Loke spent a long time poring over the terms but found nothing amiss.
Reluctantly, he signed.
"You can go ahead and hire a construction team to design and build your house. Pick any spot you like—these locations are all decent and close to the center."
Marco took the signed contract and handed Loke a map of "Fairy Home," where he could choose a plot for his future house.
After studying the map, Loke opted for a corner plot—still empty, reserved for future expansion.
"That works too."
Marco nodded at Loke's choice without further comment.
As long as it was within "Fairy Home," the distance wasn't an issue.
"Newbie, leave your house to us."
No sooner had the contract been signed than the towering Reinhardt approached with a massive hammer in hand, exuding an intimidating presence.
Loke's face stiffened.
He glanced at Marco, increasingly convinced he'd been set up.
This was a seamless, no-escape arrangement!
"Don't worry. Reinhardt and his crew are professionals. They've built many of the houses in Fairy Home."
Marco flashed Loke a reassuring smile—though to Loke, it seemed laden with hidden malice.
Shaking his head, Loke dismissed these thoughts.
He was just projecting his "devil filter" onto Marco too strongly.
"My house was also built by Reinhardt and his team. Their craftsmanship is excellent—they even fixed some of my flawed designs."
At this moment, Gray chimed in from the side.
Everything he said was true—he wasn't a plant, though it did seem like he was in cahoots with Marco and Reinhardt, all aiming to swindle the freshly indebted Loke clean.
"..."
Loke nodded, giving it serious thought.
He found Gray's words quite credible.
The boy was very enthusiastic and had even introduced people to him earlier.
Loke and Gray got along well, hitting it off from their first meeting, and their relationship quickly grew close.
"Alright, then I'll leave it to you."
Looking at Reinhardt's eager expression, Loke agreed to hand the project over to them.
It really would save him a lot of trouble.
Besides, they were all Mages from Fairy Tail, which made it somewhat more trustworthy.
Outsiders would require constant supervision.
"Alright! Brothers! Let's get to work!"
With the new project secured, Reinhardt let out an excited shout, and his construction crew comrades rallied in response.
"..."
Loke was startled.
Even though he'd been a member for a few days now, he still wasn't quite used to it.
The people of Fairy Tail always seemed to be loud and boisterous, keeping the guild lively.
'Actually, the Celestial Spirit World is pretty lively too.'
Witnessing the scene before him, Loke couldn't help but think this.
His expression stiffened—it was just a shame he could never go back.