"So, did the Magic Council ever find out who the dark wizards were… um… the ones who raided your village?" Astro asked while looking at Nina's back as they walked.
"No. It was a dark guild named Black Scorpions. We reported it properly, but the Council just said they'd look into it," Nina replied with a shrug. "After that… nothing. There hasn't been any answer at all."
She hesitated for a moment before speaking again, her voice dropping slightly. "And… sorry about earlier. My grandma is really nice, actually. She… she just doesn't take wizards very well anymore. Today was the first time in a long while that I've seen her use magic."
"That's fine. I don't mind," Astro said honestly. He really didn't. From the start, he could already tell that the old woman was a wizard, but she wasn't particularly strong. Even if she tried to hurt him, she wouldn't be able to. And even if she somehow did try seriously, Astro could just stop her without hurting her.
"So where did you meet Lumina and—" Astro was about to continue when his eye suddenly flared a bright purple. He turned his head sharply to the left, a faint purple trail following his gaze.
A greatsword came crashing toward him. Astro raised his left hand and caught the blade barehanded just before it could strike; his feet dug into the ground slightly as he tried to push it back.
"Requip."
The sword vanished instantly, throwing Astro's balance off. In the same moment, a fist shot toward his face, rapidly enlarging as it closed the distance. At the last second, Astro sidestepped, narrowly dodging the blow while swinging into a round kick aimed at the attacker's midsection.
The attacker jumped back, barely avoiding the kick before it could connect.
"Wait, don't fight here! Lumina is still here!" Nina shouted.
The boy's raised fist froze in midair. Astro also stopped, lowering his guard as he studied the attacker more carefully. The kid looked younger than him, probably around sixteen.
What stood out the most was his teal-colored hair, spiky yet oddly fluffy at the same time, reminding Astro a little of Natsu.
"What are you doing here? And how did you find us?" the boy asked cautiously, still holding his fighting stance.
"You must be Zenith. I'm here to check Lumina's injury. I can heal her…if you let me," Astro replied calmly.
"But you attacked her at the gala. If I hadn't—" Zenith began to protest.
"I think it's pretty obvious that I didn't harm her," Astro interrupted evenly. "Your portal was misplaced, so I pushed her through it using my magic. She wasn't harmed by my attack, was she?"
Astro looked down at Zenith casually. From Astro's height, Zenith was noticeably shorter, probably only a few inches taller than Natsu.
"What did you—" Zenith locked eyes with him, his gaze sharpening.
"I said I am not your enemy."
Astro's expression grew a bit more serious as well. Nina, on the side, kept glancing between the two of them.
'No… are they really going to fight? What am I supposed to do? Is the house going to be destroyed? No… I need to help Lumina escape first… but I am not strong enough to carry her… I have to stop them…no, wait, how do I stop these two boys?'
As Nina's body kept getting tense—
"Oh. You are right. That was my bad back then," Zenith said suddenly, his tension dissolving. "I was rushing the portal and messed up the placement. Thanks for helping her out, bro."
He scratched the back of his head awkwardly as he straightened up.
"It's fine. Your reflexes are pretty good, though," Astro replied with a small smile. "Not many people can keep up with my speed."
"Haha, is that so? You are also good. You managed to block my attack with just a hand. That was so cool." Zenith laughed brightly in return.
A sudden thud echoed beside them. They both turned to see Nina collapsed face-first on the floor.
"What are you doing, nya?" Zenith asked, seeing her face down on the floor.
"My name is Nina," she muttered as she slowly pushed herself back up. "Anyway, what was that just now? You two looked like you were about to fight to the death."
"That was just a greeting," Zenith said casually, slipping his hands into his pockets. "I wanted to see if he was strong. Plus, it's not every day you get to exchange greetings with a prince."
"Hm? A prince? You?" Nina's eyes widened as she looked at Astro.
In Ishgar, royal families were considered the most noble and wealthy existences. The only ones who could rival a royal family's influence were usually only the other royal families from different kingdoms.
Astro blinked a few times before finally answering. "Actually… It's just a nickname people gave me. You know, how exaggerated those names get."
"No, I meant—mmph!"
Astro casually hooked an arm around Zenith's shoulder and covered his mouth.
"It's kind of an embarrassing nickname anyway," Astro said with a smile. "So… where's Lumina?"
Nina stared at the two boys. Just moments ago, they looked like they were about to kill each other—at least from her perspective—but now they seemed like close friends. Boys were really strange creatures.
"She's behind that door," Nina sighed, exhaustion creeping into her voice as she walked toward it. "Follow me."
She waved at Astro. Astro glanced at Zenith, who was already starting to go a little pale, and let him go.
"Agh… agh… I thought I was going to die…" Zenith gasped.
"Sorry. Sorry, I will go see Lumina first. We can talk later." Astro said with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of Zenith's head as he followed Nina.
Zenith froze for a moment before trying to follow, but—
Nina turned around after letting Astro inside and stared at Zenith.
"You're not allowed in."
She slammed the door shut right in front of him.
Zenith stood there, pointing at himself and blinking stupidly.
"What's wrong with me?"
"Wait… seriously, why am I forbidden?" Zenith muttered as he remained standing helplessly in front of the closed door.
Astro ignored Zenith outside for the time being and turned his attention to the figure lying on the bed. From Lumina's breathing alone, he could tell her condition was stable. Her entire upper body below the neck was wrapped tightly in bandages, layered carefully but unevenly, as if done in a hurry.
"She was unconscious for a long time," Nina said quietly. "Sorry… I had to remove her upper clothes because of the injuries. My grandma did the dressing, but none of us really know how to treat wounds like this properly, so it's… a bit sloppy."
"That's fine," Astro replied as he stepped closer. He raised a hand and held it just above Lumina's abdomen, trying to sense the damage beneath the layers. A soft purple glow spread across his palm as his magic flowed outward.
Nina didn't disturb Astro. She didn't fully trust him yet, but her grandmother's judgment carried weight with her, and she chose not to stop him.
After a moment, Astro's hand stopped glowing.
"Her condition is stable," he said calmly. "Do you have more bandages? I need to see the wounds to heal her. I'll remove these and start healing her. She should be fine in a while."
"Yeah, I'll get them," Nina replied quickly and left the room, taking a glance at Zenith, who was fidgeting with his fingers on the floor beside the door.
As soon as the door closed, Astro raised a finger, its tip glowing faintly purple. With precise movements, he cut the bandages around Lumina's abdomen. The moment the wound was exposed, it was clear how serious it had been—the chain had pierced straight through her back and exited through her stomach. Before any more blood could seep out, Astro placed his hand over the injury, his magic intensifying as it knit flesh, muscle, and internal damage back together.
Once the wound stabilized, he moved on to her shoulder. That injury was just as severe, the path of the attack trailing through her back and down to the back of her hand. Astro carefully removed the bandages along her arm and repeated the process, his glowing hands moving steadily, methodically, until the damage faded and her body settled.
When Nina returned, she froze for a moment. Most of Lumina's wounds were already gone, the skin intact as if the injuries had never existed.
"Give me the bandages," Astro said, holding out his hand. He didn't think they were strictly necessary anymore, but covering the treated areas was safer in case the wounds reopened.
"She's going to be fine, right?" Nina asked as she watched him skillfully wrap fresh bandages around Lumina.
"Hm? Yeah, she should be," Astro replied. "She lost a lot of blood, but wizards have strong vitality. And, she seems to have some degree of self-healing ability, too. It's slow, but it was enough to keep her alive."
Astro already knew that. That was why Astro hadn't been overly worried. Even back then, he could feel her own magic instinctively wrapping around her wounds. There had also been far less blood in the snow than expected, which confirmed she had some form of self-sustaining ability. Still, he wanted to find her personally and make sure they had escaped safely.
As he finished securing the final bandage, Lumina stirred.
"Mm… hn…" she groaned softly, her eyelids trembling as she began to wake.
"You can bring Zenith in," Astro said calmly, glancing toward the door.
"What? But she—" Nina started to protest, remembering Lumina wasn't properly dressed.
Before she could finish, Astro had already removed his windbreaker and gently put it on Lumina, pulling the zipper up to cover her properly. He then looked at Nina as if asking if it was okay now?
"…Okay. I'll get him," Nina said after a brief pause.
"Thanks," Astro replied with a small smile as he sat down on the chair beside the bed.
Outside the city, deep within the snowy forest,
A woman wrapped in winter clothes and a blue cloak stood calmly beneath the trees. Snow clung to the branches above her as she lifted her gaze upward.
"So," she said casually, "are you coming down, or do I need to go up there myself?"
Mystogan snapped out of his daze instantly. His first instinct was escape. Before her eyes, his figure blurred and began to fade, dissolving into the air as illusion magic swallowed his presence.
"Oh?" Aurora smiled faintly. "Illusion magic. Interesting."
Her eyes glowed a vivid green as she raised one hand to the side. The sharp sound of something cutting through the air rushed toward her—then stopped abruptly. Aurora slowly turned her head toward where her hand was pointing.
"It seems Edolas is more similar to Earthland than I expected," she said lightly. "But, I have to say… It does make me very happy that my son would be good at this…."
As she spoke, Mystogan's form abruptly reappeared, suspended just above the snow where her unseen grip held him in place. He struggled, but his body wouldn't move.
"But still, you still have a long way to go," Aurora continued calmly. "Siegrain… no—Astro told me your name was Jellal. Funny, because that was the name I originally wanted to give it to you, but my sister liked the name Siegrain more."
At the mention of Astro, Mystogan froze. One of the staves strapped to his back tore free on its own, spinning sharply through the air before landing firmly in his right hand.
"Hm?" Aurora tilted her head, clearly curious about what he wanted to do.
The staff flared with blue light. A magic circle formed overhead as Mystogan slammed its tip downward. At the same time, a violent whirlwind erupted beneath Aurora's feet, snow spiraling wildly as the ground vanished under the storm. In an instant, her figure was swallowed by the churning white vortex.
Mystogan dropped to the snow as the invisible pressure holding him weakened. He immediately sprang backward—
Snap.
The sound came from behind him.
Mystogan's eyes widened. The moment his feet touched the ground, he twisted around, only to see Aurora leaning lazily against a tree trunk, her cloak barely disturbed.
"If you want to defeat me," she said evenly, "you can't attack half-heartedly like that, Jellal."
He barely had time to process it before the snowstorm behind him dispersed completely—and Aurora was standing there as well, speaking to him from where the vortex had vanished.
Mystogan looked around again.
Then again.
More Auroras stepped out of the falling snow, surrounding him from every direction. Each one left clear footprints behind as they walked slowly closer to Mystogan.
The remaining staves on Mystogan's back came loose and floated above him, responding to his rising tension. But before he could launch another spell, a gentle touch pressed against his cheek, over the bandana.
Another Aurora suddenly manifested directly in front of him.
"You're very untrusting," she whispered as she looked straight at his eyes. "It's alright. I won't hurt you. I am never going to hurt you."
Mystogan tried to resist, but the familiarity of her voice—one he hadn't heard in far too long—made his grip falter.
"The only thing I know about Edolas," Aurora continued quietly in a low voice as she maintained eye contact, "is that the people there are different versions of us. I can tell you're afraid I'll be the opposite of her… that I'll hate you, or hurt you. Afraid of seeing your mother's face looking at you with nothing but resentment or fear….or disappointment."
She reached up and removed his bandana slowly as she spoke.
Mystogan's fingers loosened. The staff slipped from his hand and sank into the snow. One by one, the others fell as well, scattering around him.
"I'm sorry," Aurora murmured. "It must have been hard, walking through a world that feels so familiar, yet isn't."
"It's not your fault," Mystogan said hoarsely.
"You're… not my mother."
He looked away, staring down at the snow, but he didn't pull back from her touch.
Aurora chuckled softly. "Being a parent is complicated, Jellal. No matter how small someone's heart is, there's always room in it for their child. No matter which world they come from."
Mystogan opened his mouth, but she spoke first again.
"I could never replace your mother," she said gently. "I wouldn't even try. But how about this—let me listen to your story at least. I'm a very good listener, trust me."
"That sounds… stupid," Mystogan muttered as he pulled away and turned his back on her. The staves snapped back into place behind him automatically.
"As I said, I am not your son."
He took a few steps.
Then he heard sobbing.
Mystogan stopped and glanced back. Aurora stood there, wiping her eyes.
"Are… you okay?" he asked slowly.
"I'm fine," she said in a low voice.
"…Okay."
Uncomfortable, Mystogan turned and walked again.
The sobbing grew louder.
He turned back. "Are you…?"
"I said I'm fine," Aurora replied, her voice trembling a bit… but the second he turned around again,
The crying intensified behind him, a lot louder.
Mystogan hesitated, then turned fully around.
Aurora crouched in the snow, burying her face in her arms. "My husband is gone. My youngest son doesn't call me 'mom' anymore. And now my other-world eldest son is leaving me alone in the snow. I don't even know how to get back. Is there a more pathetic mother than me… waaa—"
"Um—" Mystogan panicked, looking around frantically, only to remember that there was no one else in the forest.
Aurora looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, as if he left her alone here, she would cry here all night.
"I'm lea…," Mystogan tried to say—but the look on her face made his chest tighten.
"F-fine," he sighed. "Let's talk."
In an instant, Aurora stopped crying. She leapt up and hugged him tightly, forcing him back a step.
"I knew my son wouldn't be heartless! No matter which world he is from," she laughed brightly.
"I just said that I'm not your—" Mystogan started.
"Hm?" she tilted her head.
"…Nothing," he muttered, giving up.
"Hehe. Let's go eat something," Aurora said cheerfully as she grabbed his arm and began pulling him along. "I'm hungry. We can talk after dinner."
"I thought you didn't know the way back," Mystogan said flatly.
"When did I ever say that?" Aurora replied, glancing back with a smile.
"..."
"Forget it."
"Hehe."
"So, do you have a girlfriend?"
"No."
"Do you have a crush then?"
"No."
As she dragged him through the snow and chattered endlessly, a memory surfaced in Mystogan's mind—his younger self, being pulled through a crowded street by his mother's hand, her smile bright as she looked back at him.
The same smile.
The same warmth.
Inside the Royal Castle
"Haha… Gildarts is still single?" Arthur laughed as he casually drew another card from the deck, sliding it into his hand without even looking rushed. "He used to show off a new girlfriend every week back then, but now he's alone. No wife, no children… haha. Looks like I still won. I really should just find him and brag right to his face. I wonder what expression he will have?"
Laxus picked up a card as well, flipping it once between his fingers before adding it to his hand. "Well, at least he's trying to complete the hundred-year quest now," he said calmly.
Although he really wanted to punch this man in front of him for committing so many crimes. Like, looking like Astro, being more annoying than Astro, and… making him feel powerless, obviously unlike Astro. Anyway, since Laxus couldn't beat him, and Arthur didn't want to fight either, because of the weird stalemate, they were now enjoying a game of poker outside on the balcony.
Arthur paused mid-motion, finally glancing at his cards. "Hm? The hundred-year quest? He's actually doing it?" he asked, sounding genuinely surprised.
"Yeah," Laxus said as he drew again, stacking his cards neatly. "He left last year. We didn't hear from him anymore since then." His voice didn't carry much concern.
Arthur leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing as he considered that, then took another card. "That quest is dangerous… and secretive. I heard nobody ever came back alive after taking it."
Laxus was about to say it was Gildart's own choice, but Arthur laughed again, louder and more carelessly, "Haha, at least he didn't lose his spirit for adventure. Still, it's a pity then. I can't brag about my wife and children to him anymore."
Laxus frowned faintly as he checked his hand. "Even if the mission is dangerous, that old man isn't weak… if somebody besides me can do that quest, it would be him."
"Hm? I'm not talking about him," Arthur said with a small smile, not caring about Laxus's bragging. He looked up toward the cloudy sky beyond the window, snow drifting down slowly. He couldn't see any stars through this dark cloud, unfortunately.
He drew another card, then rested his cheek against his right hand, eyes returning to Laxus. "Laxus, can you promise me something?"
"What?" Laxus asked, watching him closely as he adjusted his own cards.
"Tomorrow, when things get dangerous, take Astro and run away," Arthur said plainly, his expression serious for the first time.
Laxus's eyes narrowed at the fact that he said when instead of if. "You're asking me to run away from a battle. You should know—"
Arthur smiled and picked up one final card, tapping it against the table before sliding it into place. "I know you two are strong. Stronger than most of your peers. But not every battle is meant to be fair, Laxus. As a S-class wizard, you should know it better than anyone."
Laxus held his gaze, but Arthur only kept smiling.
"How about this?" Arthur continued. "If you escape with Astro, I'll have someone find Ivan for you. The Sin Kingdom has very good spies. Trust me."
Laxus didn't respond immediately. He looked down at his cards, then at Arthur again. The offer was tempting, but doubt lingered. "From your tone, you sound ready to die tomorrow. How would I know you'd keep your word?"
Arthur calmly straightened his cards. He didn't deny Laxus's first comment. It was true anyway. "If Aurora and I don't make it after tomorrow, Astro becomes the next king of the Sin Kingdom, in the absence of our other son. That means you'd have an ally who rules a kingdom. Forget finding Ivan. You could even become the next guild master of Fairy Tail without resistance. With Astro as king, Fairy Tail could reach new heights."
Laxus paused, then let out a short breath and smiled. "You're a pretty smooth talker, old man."
Arthur chuckled softly. "How else would a thief marry a queen? Looks, strength, even a good 'weapon' aren't enough on their own."
He leaned forward slightly and set his cards face-down on the table. "So what do you say? You lose nothing. Except… maybe a bit of dignity. And trust me…in war, dignity is just a cosmetic thing. Completely useless"
Arthur turned his cards over calmly, revealing a royal flush laid out cleanly on the table.
Laxus's eyes shifted from Arthur's hand to his own. A straight flush. Strong, but not enough.
Arthur smiled wider as he took all of the money placed on the table. "Unfortunately for you, I never lost at poker. So what's your answer?"
Laxus clicked his tongue, then placed his cards down as well. "I think it's obvious, isn't it?"
A grin spread across Laxus's face. "My answer would be… "