"Ares?"
Lucy and the others gathered around, staring at Lucien, who was bound tightly by golden pillars. Their eyes were filled with confusion and disbelief.
"He is the culprit."
Ares spoke with absolute certainty, his gaze sharp and cold.
At that moment, Lucien was cursing endlessly in his mind. After traveling through so many worlds, this was the first time he had been exposed so quickly.
He could not figure out where he had made a mistake.
The Demon Body altered his physique at the cellular level, far beyond simple disguise techniques. His acting, even if not perfect, had always been convincing enough.
He had played countless roles before. When had he ever been caught like this?
This was too fast.
Lucien could not accept it.
Still, now was not the time to dwell on that. Should he resist?
He knew nothing about Ares's full capabilities or his so-called cheat ability. Acting recklessly might get him killed on the spot.
This time, he had truly been careless.
"I know him. What was his name again?"
Natsu Dragneel scratched his head, trying to remember.
"His name is Silas. He's been in Fairy Tail for four or five years."
Gray Fullbuster crossed his arms, clearly struggling to believe it.
"He joined even earlier than I did."
Lucy Heartfilia muttered softly.
"Let's wait for the Master to return. It could be another guild targeting us."
Mirajane Strauss also recognized him. He had been around for years, even if he stayed on the fringe.
The hall fell into a tense silence.
"Then... how did you know, Ares?"
Lucy circled Lucien once while holding Happy, then looked at Ares with wide, curious eyes.
"They told me."
Ares pointed toward the tables, chairs, and even the cloth covering the kitchen entrance. In fact, he was referring to the entire guild building.
Lucy and the others stared blankly at the surroundings.
"In my eyes, everything in this world is alive."
His explanation was brief.
"Why can't I feel anything?"
Natsu grabbed a bench and examined it awkwardly.
"All things have their own breath and voice."
"You might not understand now. Once the Master returns with the poisoned wine, everything will become clear."
Ares's cold gaze never left Lucien.
Inside, Lucien felt like his thoughts were in chaos.
If this was not the Voice of All Things, he would have thought it was some absurd joke.
Haoshoku Haki, the Voice of All Things, and what appeared to be the power of the Gold-Gold Fruit. This man clearly carried abilities from the world of pirates.
That meant things like Armament Haki and the Six Powers could also be within his grasp.
This was the fastest failure he had ever experienced.
It was like being crushed before he could even begin.
The wait did not last long. About ten minutes later, Makarov Dreyar returned with a heavy expression.
"What happened here?"
He paused as soon as he entered, noticing the golden floor.
"Ares said Silas is the culprit."
Happy raised his paw eagerly.
"Master, what did you find?"
Ares looked directly at Makarov.
"It is indeed poisoned. Porlyusica is still analyzing the exact type, but it has already been confirmed to be life-threatening."
Makarov's voice was grave. The entire guild had almost been wiped out.
Lucien's mood darkened further.
He had thought the enhanced laxative was nothing but a useless gimmick, colorless and odorless but ineffective.
It was supposed to affect even demons, yet it had not worked as expected.
What a joke.
"It's really poisoned..."
Lucy shivered, goosebumps rising across her skin.
She had nearly died without realizing it.
Her gaze toward Ares changed. From now on, she intended to stay close to him whenever possible.
"So..."
With the poison confirmed, Ares's judgment was proven correct.
That meant the culprit...
Everyone turned to Lucien.
"Wake him up."
"I'll do it."
Natsu stepped forward, his right fist igniting with flames.
Without hesitation, he punched Lucien across the face, knocking out teeth and drawing blood.
Lucien knew he could not keep pretending forever, but he still did not act.
His performance remained flawless.
"Ma... Master... it hurts..."
He groaned weakly, his expression dazed before shifting into confusion as he noticed the restraints.
"Master, why am I tied up?"
His swollen cheek made his voice sound slurred.
"Speak. Who ordered you?"
Makarov's tone was heavy.
"W-What do you mean?"
Lucien's eyes flickered nervously.
"Why did you poison the wine?"
Natsu grabbed his collar, fury burning in his eyes.
"I... I didn't."
Lucien stammered, looking exactly like someone caught red-handed.
"Still denying it?"
Without waiting, Natsu struck him again, making both sides of his face swell evenly.
"Talk, or you die. Three seconds."
Ares's voice was cold.
A golden spike rose from the ground and formed in his hand, its sharp tip aimed directly at Lucien's heart.
"3."
"2."
"Wait, I'll talk!"
Lucien's face twisted in fear, playing his role perfectly.
"It was Phantom Lord! They forced me! They said it would only make you lose your magic temporarily. If I refused, they would kill me. I didn't want to die!"
"I was wrong, don't kill me!"
"Master, I never meant to harm anyone. I thought it was harmless. I didn't know it was poison."
Tears, blood, and mucus mixed together as they dripped down his face, making him look utterly miserable.
"Master..."
Mirajane and the others turned to Makarov.
Only he could decide Lucien's fate.
"You are expelled from Fairy Tail."
Makarov spoke firmly, stripping him of his identity as a guild member.
"Ares, release him."
Ares frowned slightly but complied. The golden restraints dissolved, and Lucien dropped to the floor.
"Thank you, Master."
Lucien scrambled up and rushed toward the exit without looking back.
"Phantom Lord... those bastards."
Natsu and Gray were seething with anger, completely ignoring Lucien as he fled.
Makarov, however, had shown mercy.
Expelling him was, in a way, protecting him. Without ties to Fairy Tail, Phantom Lord might lose interest in him.
Even so, what he had done was unforgivable. Escaping with his life was already a stroke of luck.
In any other guild, he would have been executed without hesitation.
"Natsu, where are you going?"
Makarov stopped Natsu with a single hand.
"I'm going to beat up Phantom Lord!"
Natsu struggled, shouting angrily.
"Settle down. We need to investigate this properly."
Makarov sighed. Jose Porla had gone too far this time.
"Ares, where are you going?"
Mirajane noticed Ares heading toward the door.
"I have something to confirm."
With that, Ares walked out and disappeared from sight.