Day turned into night.
Sugisawa Yuuto felt refreshed, content, and utterly at ease. The beautiful woman resting in his arms—soft and warm—curled up like a sleeping cat.
Though she was known across Wano as the nation's number-one courtesan, Kozuki Hiyori had, in truth, never been touched.
For years, Denjiro—the loyal samurai of the Red Scabbards—had watched over her in secret. As Lord Oden's vassal, he would never allow his master's daughter to truly live as a prostitute. Not even Orochi, the shogun who had ruled Wano in cruelty, had managed to claim her. Whenever danger came too close, Denjiro arranged for Hiyori—disguised as the oiran Komurasaki—to fake her own death and escape.
Because of Denjiro's protection, until last night… Hiyori had remained untouched.
But what Denjiro could defend against were only external threats. He could not stop the princess from making her own choice.
Years spent in the Flower Capital's entertainment district had taught Hiyori that nothing in life came without a price.
For Wano, now freed from its hellish darkness, light had finally returned. That alone was a blessing greater than gold. Even if Fairy Tail asked for no reward, she couldn't let their kindness go unacknowledged.
Until now, all she had been able to do was rob the rich to feed the poor—a gesture that soothed pain but never healed the wound.
So this time, Kozuki Hiyori decided to wager everything she had—herself.
Partly, it was gratitude to Fairy Tail for saving her homeland.
Partly, it was hope—to secure their support for Wano's fragile rebirth.
And partly, perhaps, it was the simplest reason of all: for the handsome hero who had risked his life to save her people, what woman wouldn't want to stand beside him?
"Master Yuuto is so amazing… Hiyori's so happy…"
She murmured softly in her sleep, her delicate face glowing with joy.
A faint smile curved Yuuto's lips as his hand absently traced the line of her back.
At that moment, a familiar chime echoed in his mind—the interface of his mysterious System appeared before his eyes.
[Fairy Tail Guild — Level 20]
Before the Wano quest, the guild had been at Level 18. The Dressrosa campaign and Rebecca's recruitment had pushed them close to 19, but not beyond.
Now, after defeating Kaido and liberating Wano, the guild's progress bar had skyrocketed—jumping two full levels at once.
The reward wasn't new magic this time, but something even better:
New Companions × 2 from the Fairy Tail World
Two new allies were now somewhere in this world. Yuuto's heart stirred in anticipation.
Just then—
"President~"
A sweet, teasing voice called from outside the room.
The sliding door opened, and Mirajane, Fairy Tail's ever-smiling steward, stepped in—only to freeze mid-stride. Her eyes swept over the scattered clothes, the disheveled futon… and the sleeping princess in Yuuto's arms.
Her smile twitched.
"Ah. I see."
Yesterday, she had guarded against Juvia and Nami sneaking in to bother the recovering president, but she had overlooked the possibility of this.
She had assumed that Princess Hiyori, once she'd offered her thanks, would leave. Clearly, she'd underestimated Wano's oiran.
"Mira, you came at the perfect time," Yuuto said lightly, stretching. "From now on, I'm leaving Hiyori in your care."
Mirajane's expression soured. She planted her hands on her hips, cheeks puffed out. "President! You promised you'd rest!"
"I told you already—my injuries are healed. If you don't believe me, Mira, you can check for yourself."
Yuuto's tone was so serious it made her blush. "N-no way!" she squeaked, spinning around. Her heart was pounding far too fast for comfort.
He always knew how to tease her.
Still, she had to stay professional—after all, she was the one who'd forbidden Juvia and Nami from misbehaving yesterday. She couldn't go breaking her own rules.
With a huff, she scooped up the slumbering Hiyori to tend to her elsewhere, leaving Yuuto to get dressed.
Downstairs, sunlight streamed into the courtyard.
There, pacing back and forth with restless energy, was a long-legged girl with sharp eyes and teal hair—Runti.
"Run," Yuuto called out, frowning slightly. "What's the matter with you?"
The girl spun around, her gaze brightening before she clenched her fists nervously.
"President…" she began hesitantly. "I… I remember everything now."
Yuuto raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Go on."
"I used to be a cadre of the Beasts Pirates," she said quietly. "And Xiaopei—uh, Page One—is my little brother. That day… Jack and I tried to steal something from you…"
Despite her guilt, she forced herself to meet his eyes.
Yuuto crossed his arms. "Your memory's back, huh? So what will you do now? If you want to leave, I won't stop you. You can even take your brother with you."
At that, Runti's eyes reddened.
"No, President! I don't want to leave! I like Fairy Tail—you, and everyone here. I… I want to become an official member!"
Yuuto studied her for a moment, then nodded. "All right. Go find Mira later—she'll give you the guild mark. As for your brother… let him stay here in Wano for now. He can serve as the captain of the Redemption Squad."
He'd withheld the guild mark before precisely because he'd been unsure what she'd choose once her memory returned.
Now that she'd made her decision, there was no reason to hold back.
"R-really?" Runti blinked, stunned. Then her entire face lit up.
"Yay! I love you, President!"
With a squeal, she leapt onto him, wrapping her legs around his waist like a child hugging a tree.
"R-Runti-chan! You cheater!"
"President, me too!"
"I want a hug!"
"And me, and me!"
One by one, Fairy Tail's girls rushed over, laughing, tumbling into a playful heap that sent Yuuto sprawling beneath them all.
The courtyard filled with laughter.
Elsewhere — The New World
In a dimly lit pirate bar, the air reeked of rum and gunpowder.
"Hey, gorgeous," a drunken pirate slurred, leering at the woman beside him. "You heading to Hive Island too? Heard there's a massive bounty for anyone who helps take down Fairy Tail. We're teaming up with Captain Ochoku. How about joining us?"
His greasy hand reached toward her.
He never made contact.
A larger hand caught his wrist, twisting it back with a crack.
The pirate yelped. "What the hell, old man?!"
"Don't lay your filthy hands on my daughter," the middle-aged man said coldly.
Boom!
A flash of light—and the drunk was sent flying through the wall.
Moments later, the man and the young woman stepped out of the wrecked tavern together.
"So, the dark world wants to hunt Fairy Tail," the woman said softly. "We can't ignore that, can we, Kildas?"
Kildas Clive—the legendary S-Class mage—grinned and patted her head.
"Of course not, Cana. Let's pay Hive Island a visit."
...
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