After casually adjusting Chris's sleeping position and tucking her in, Darwin jumped off the bed.
He obviously couldn't relieve his bladder here, and Darwin was too embarrassed to wake up the adults in the guild for such a small matter. So, he mustered his courage and walked alone toward the depths of the forest.
Rustle, rustle, rustle—
The mountain woods at night weren't as lively as during the day; the slight sound of his own footsteps made the surroundings feel even more silent.
This quiet atmosphere made Darwin feel an involuntary shiver. When a cold wind blew past, his hair stood on end and he broke out in goosebumps.
"So cold..."
"I'll just finish draining the tank and head back to sleep."
"Right, maybe when I get back, I'll quietly swap positions for Chris and Erza!"
"Hehehe..."
Amidst his silly laughter, a sudden gust of eerie wind blew from ahead.
The chill pierced through his heart and seeped into his bones, making Darwin shake from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
He hurriedly looked around, searching for a suitable spot to leave his mark.
"Hmm?"
"Looks like there's a patch of rather barren land ahead that needs irrigation!"
Under the moonlight, at the edge of his vision, was a patch of withered, deathly silence that felt jarringly prominent amidst the lush green mountains.
Driven by curiosity, Darwin stepped forward to investigate.
As he drew closer, he was surprised to find that this desolate land was much larger than he had initially anticipated.
And it wasn't just the soil; even the weeds on the ground and the surrounding trees looked as if they had been stripped of life—withered and decayed—turning this small corner of the world into a black and gray space filled with the scent of death.
"This... what is this...??"
"The trees and grass are all withered, and even the earth has been robbed of its vitality?!"
"This isn't something that simple soil erosion or a lightning strike could cause!"
Darwin froze in place, a chill running down his spine.
Magic!
It had to be magic!
This was caused by extremely evil Black Magic!
Could it be that there's a fugitive Black Wizard in these mountains, or is this actually a stronghold for some Black Magic organization?
"Hmm... a stronghold is unlikely."
The second thought was dismissed by Darwin as soon as it appeared.
This place was only half a day's journey from Magnolia. With the reputation of Fairy Tail preceding it, what short-sighted Black Magic organization would dare open a base here?
Impossible!
Then is it a Black Wizard fleeing through here?
If not, then fine, but if it really is the case, isn't it dangerous for everyone in the guild who is currently here for the examination?
"I have to get back and notify everyone!"
Just as Darwin prepared to turn and leave, he suddenly noticed someone lying on the ground!
A black-haired man wearing ancient-styled clothing, looking to be about twenty years old, was lying quietly with his eyes closed in this small world stripped of its life.
"There's someone?!"
Darwin's heart leaped into his throat. He took a few quick steps toward the man, scrutinized his face carefully, and then secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Good, good, it's not someone from the guild!
But who is this guy? Why is he here? Is he related to this place becoming like this? Could he be the fugitive Black Wizard he suspected?
A swarm of questions flooded Darwin's mind uncontrollably.
"Wait, wait..."
"In this situation, shouldn't I check his vital signs first?"
Thinking of this, Darwin reached out toward the man.
His body temperature was warm, he was breathing, and his heart was still beating.
He's alive!
"Hey, big brother, wake up!"
Slap!! Slap!!
Darwin decisively gave the man on the ground two slaps.
Two red handprints immediately surfaced on the man's face.
After hitting him, Darwin himself was stunned, staring blankly at his own reddened palm. He felt both a sense of excitement and a strange confusion.
He wasn't naturally a violent person, and tonight should have been his first time meeting this man. Furthermore, the man looked quite handsome. So why did he feel such a strong urge to punch him the moment he saw his face?
"Papa said before that my intuition about people is very accurate. It must be my subconscious analyzing that this guy is a bad person, which is why I acted!"
After convincing himself with this logic, Darwin felt much better inside.
Just then, a muffled groan came from the man's nose as he slowly opened his eyes, making eye contact with the leaning Darwin.
What kind of eyes were these?
Black as ink, deep as a canyon, and as melancholic as if his whole family had died.
They were clearly eyes filled with stories!
Darwin: "..."
Zeref: "..."
Is something not quite right here?
According to the classic tropes in fairy tales, shouldn't the person waking up in this situation be a delicate and beautiful princess?
The one in front of him...
He looked delicate enough, but he had nothing to do with being a "princess"!
"Princess... ah, no, Big Brother, are you okay?"
Hearing the address "Big Brother," Zeref's expression stiffened. His memory instantly traversed time and space, returning to the past hundreds of years ago, landing on a certain pink-haired little boy.
Since then, how had others addressed him?
The academy's child prodigy, the genius of the magical path, the monster who touched the boundary of life and death, the monstrosity suffering from God's punishment, the evil Black Wizard, the sinner of the magic world, the Creator, Father, the Wanderer, His Majesty the Emperor...
It seemed there were all sorts of titles, but no one called him "Brother."
But immediately following that, Zeref realized the abnormality of his own emotions.
His eyes suddenly widened. He sat up abruptly and shoved Darwin away.
"Get away!!"
"Don't come near me!!"
Darwin was startled by Zeref's violent reaction. After being dazed for two seconds, his face instantly flushed red with anger.
"Hey! What kind of person do you take me for?!"
"Reacting like that, you make it seem like I was going to do something unspeakable to you."
"Listen up!"
"I, Darwin Lagrange, am a genuine man! I like fragrant and soft girls!!"
"If I were to give artificial respiration, the other party would have to be a princess who is 'black as ink, white as snow, and red as blood'—or at least a young and beautiful girl!"
"If it's a man or an ugly old lady, even if they died right in front of me the next second, I wouldn't open my mouth!!"
"If you dare misunderstand me, I'll beat you until you can't even hold your poop in!!"
Zeref: "..."
What on earth is this kid rambling about?!