In a secluded seaside villa belonging to Ultear, the air was thick with the scent of bath salts and steam.
Ultear reclined in her bath, reporting to Hades—the Guild Master of Grimoire Heart—via a Communication Lacrima crystal.
"...And that's the situation. The fallout from the incident was too massive for the Council members to handle. For now, the Council has been thrown into turmoil; there's even talk of them being completely disbanded and replaced."
"Well done, Ultear," Hades' voice resonated through the crystal. "And what of Jellal?"
"I heard he was handed over to the Rune Knights by 'unidentified individuals' and is now imprisoned by the Magic Council. It was likely Fairy Tail's doing. Truly a pathetic man," Ultear sneered. "He never even realized I was using him. For eight years, he believed that Zeref's ghost was whispering to him, never suspecting it was me in disguise. The brainwashing was absolute. Everything went according to plan, from the turmoil in the Council to the firing of Etherion."
She paused, a flicker of genuine surprise crossing her face. "However, the fact that Etherion was actually transferred away... that was a shock. According to Siegrain's—no, Jellal's—final moments of lucidity, it was Kael's doing. Truly remarkable."
After all, Etherion was the Magic Council's ultimate weapon. To move such a massive amount of energy was a feat that should have been impossible. As expected of a monster with so many titles, she thought.
Magnolia Town
"Is... Is this it?!"
"Whoa!"
"No way!"
"It's finished already?!"
"The new Fairy Tail guild!!"
The group stood before the brand-new headquarters, their eyes wide with wonder. The new building was several times larger than the old one. Gone was the dilapidated, drafty tavern; in its place stood a magnificent structure with sturdy walls and a grand gate. It felt far more imposing and prestigious than before.
"Yo! Welcome back!"
"Surprised? This is our new home!"
Members standing near the entrance waved at Kael and the others as they approached.
"This is amazing!" Kael's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected the construction to be finished so quickly.
"Look, there's an open-air cafe!"
"And a souvenir shop right at the entrance?!"
"Welcome! It's you guys!" Max greeted them from behind a counter.
Happy blinked in surprise. "Wow! Max, you opened a shop?"
"You bet! Come take a look," Max said proudly. "We've got official Fairy Tail T-shirts, wristbands, mugs, towels, and custom Lacrima crystals. But our bestsellers are the mage figures—3,000 Jewels each!"
Erza looked a bit skeptical. "You're actually selling merchandise of us...?"
Mira's eyes sparkled as if she'd found a new toy. "Oh? Is that a Kael figure?!"
Lucy leaned in, shocked. "There are so many of them!"
On the shelf were several variations of Kael: his Ulquiorra form, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, Toji Fushiguro, and even Ace and Whitebeard. The Whitebeard figure was massive, towering over all the others.
"Kael's figures are our #1 sellers!" Max exclaimed, holding up the Whitebeard version. "Especially this one—10,000 Jewels, and it's already selling out nationwide!"
Ever since Kael's battle with Jose of Phantom Lord was reported, his fame had skyrocketed throughout the Kingdom of Fiore. In the latest issue of Sorcerer Magazine, Kael had swept the charts: #1 in the Mage Popularity Rank, #1 in Strength, and #1 in the "Mages I'd Want as a Boyfriend" list. He'd held the top spot for weeks.
Kael, who occasionally read the magazine when he was bored, couldn't help but feel a bit smug. Vanity was a common trait among the young, after all.
"I'll take one of those, one of these, and that one too!" Kael said, waving his hand. He bought a set of his own figures and several of Mira's. He'd always had a soft spot for collectibles in his past life.
"Thanks for your patronage!" Max grinned, moving quickly to pack the items.
"Lucy, look! There's one of you too!" Happy pointed out.
"Ehhhh?! No way!" Lucy flushed. "Don't just make merchandise of me without asking! This is so embarrassing..."
Curious, Happy began fiddling with the figure. Suddenly, the plastic clothes clicked and split open, revealing the figure in nothing but underwear.
"Oh yeah," Max added casually. "The clothes on that model are 'cast-off' style."
"I HATE THIS!!" Lucy screamed, frantically trying to snap the clothes back on.
Kael glanced at it. "Huh... actually, give me a Lucy one too."
The smile on Mira's face didn't falter, but her hand found Kael's waist and gave it a sharp, agonizing pinch.
Kael winced, his face contorting in pain. "On second thought... I'm good. No Lucy for me!"
Cana, standing near the main doors, waved them over. "You guys coming in or what? Stop dawdling!"
The group stepped inside and let out a collective gasp.
"So beautiful!"
The interior had been completely renovated. It was grander, with high ceilings and a much more organized layout.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail!"
Waitresses in cute mini-skirts with the guild's emblem greeted them.
"The uniforms changed too?"
"They're actually quite cute!"
Lucy sighed, shaking her head. "This has the Master's fingerprints all over it..."
Kael's gaze lingered for a moment. You can question the old man's morals, he thought, but you can't deny his taste.
"The layout isn't the only change," Cana explained, leading them toward the back. She showed them the new swimming pool behind the guild and the basement, which had been converted into a game room and playground.
"But the biggest change is the second floor! Now, no one below S-Class is allowed up there. Of course, if you want to take an S-Class request, you still need to be an S-Class Mage."
Lucy's eyes turned into Jewel symbols. "So I can't go to the second floor... but I can still tag along with Kael on S-Class missions, right?!"
She had seen how much Kael made on those jobs. One successful run with him and she wouldn't have to worry about rent for a year. Natsu, Happy, and Gray were equally fired up—partly for the money, but mostly for the challenge.
"Not a chance," Kael said, shooting them down instantly. He didn't mind the company, but with Mira right there, he knew better than to invite more chaos into his missions.
"Stingy!" Lucy pouted.
At that moment, a familiar, short figure approached them.
"You're back, you troublesome brats," Makarov said, a fond smile hidden beneath his grumpy exterior.
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