The next day, at the Fairy Tail Guild!
"Kenichi, when are we setting off?"
Erza, clad in silver-white armor, approached Kenichi accompanied by Wendy and asked.
Although Erza didn't say much, Kenichi knew she was asking about when they would undertake the 100 Years Quest.
"This mission might take a long time. Let's rest for a few days before setting off."
Kenichi picked up the glass of wine Mirajane had brought over, took a sip, and answered Erza.
Although Erza didn't know the specifics of the quest, since it was called the 100 Years Quest, it definitely wouldn't be easy to complete.
Furthermore, Gildarts had spent three years on this quest and ultimately returned in failure.
Just these two points allowed Erza to imagine the difficulty of this quest.
So she could understand Kenichi's decision.
"Mira, get me one too!"
Erza sat down beside Kenichi and called out to Mirajane.
"Starting to drink already?"
Hearing Erza, Wendy commented.
As Kenichi and Erza clinked glasses, a voice suddenly came from behind.
"Kenichi, Erza, you have visitors!"
Hearing this, Kenichi, Erza, Wendy, and the others turned to look.
They saw a graceful woman holding a long sword and a cat girl standing at the guild entrance.
These two women were none other than Kagura and Millianna from Mermaid Heel.
"Yo, hello!"
Seeing Kenichi, Erza, and the others look over, Millianna greeted first.
Kagura looked at Kenichi somewhat unnaturally.
"Kagura, Millianna, long time no see!"
Seeing it was Kagura and Millianna, whom they had worked with before, Wendy greeted with a smile.
Then, Kenichi, Erza, and Wendy went to meet them.
"Erza! It's so good to see you! When we heard the news about your accident yesterday, I was so scared!"
Before Erza could get close, Millianna pounced on her.
"Kagura, we meet again."
Kenichi greeted Kagura, who stood at the door looking somewhat awkward.
"We meet again."
Hearing Kenichi, Kagura glanced at him and said somewhat nervously.
Then Kenichi and Erza welcomed Kagura and Millianna inside.
"Mira, two more drinks!"
"Okay!"
After Mirajane brought the drinks, Kenichi remembered that Kagura was only 16 and asked: "Can you drink alcohol?"
"O-Of course!"
Kagura responded, then picked up her glass and drank heartily.
But soon, a blush appeared on Kagura's fair, pretty face.
The originally aloof expression on Kagura's face, with this added touch of drunken blush, had a unique charm.
"See, I can drink!"
"Uh..."
Hearing the change in Kagura's tone of voice, Kenichi could clearly tell she couldn't handle alcohol at all and was just being stubborn.
Seeing this, Kenichi smiled and shook his head.
Wendy beside him looked at Kagura with admiration.
In Wendy's eyes, Kagura was only three or four years older than her but seemed so mature.
"Millianna, what brings you here this time?"
While Wendy was looking at Kagura, Erza asked Millianna.
"Do you even need to ask? Of course, we came to see you!"
"After we parted last time, Kagura and I were looking forward to working with you again!"
"When we heard about the Tenrou Island incident yesterday, we were very worried. We only learned about your return this morning, so we came right over!"
Millianna said with a lingering fear expression.
"Sorry for making you worry."
Hearing Millianna's words, Erza said apologetically.
"I-I was not worried about you!"
At that moment, Kagura, her face flushed, looked at Kenichi and said.
Erza looked at Kagura and sighed: "She's completely drunk!"
"Kagura-chan looks so cute when drunk, hehe!"
Millianna also looked at Kagura, as if she had discovered a new continent, her face full of excitement.
Then she shifted her gaze from Kagura to Kenichi and said: "Kenichi, I'll have to ask you to help take Kagura back later!"
"Eh? Me?"
…
When Kagura slowly woke up, she felt a headache. She rubbed her temples and muttered to herself: "What happened to me?!"
At that moment, Millianna came over and said: "You got drunk. Kenichi carried you back."
'Kenichi... carried?!'
Hearing Millianna's words, Kagura's fair, pretty face instantly turned bright red, and she looked flustered and panicked!
Seeing Kagura show this girlish demeanor, Millianna had a victorious expression on her face.