Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
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The guild's main door was rudely kicked open.
Normally, when a guild encounters such a situation, the first thought would be that someone had come to challenge them, but not a single mage in the hall behind the door paid any attention.
Because this was Fairy Tail's unique way of opening the door.
Natsu, who had kicked open the door, stood with his hands on his hips and shouted spiritedly, "Everyone! I'm back...!"
Bang!
An armored fist abruptly appeared, accurately striking the pink-haired youth's face with such force that it sent Natsu flying.
Erza retracted her fist, coldly scanning everyone inside and outside the door. "How many times have I told you—you must cherish guild property."
Looking at Natsu, who was face-down outside the door, the lively atmosphere instantly dropped to freezing point, and no one dared to speak, especially when Erza was lecturing with a stern face.
Only one person ignored Erza's authority. Noah approached with a relaxed expression, placing his hand on the red-haired girl's armored shoulder. "As expected of Erza—one sentence makes these troublemakers obedient. If we were electing a new Guild Master, I'd definitely cast my vote for you."
"Laxus? Not familiar with him."
Erza impatiently brushed off Noah's hand from her shoulder. "If Laxus heard you say that, he'd definitely want to fight you."
"Tch, mere Laxus."
Noah wasn't worried about Laxus coming to cause trouble.
He still had that embarrassing video of the guy begging him. If Laxus really didn't know what was good for him, then Noah wouldn't mind making a hundred copies of the video for all guild members to enjoy.
Entering the guild hall, everyone went about their business.
At the bar, Mira took back her job from the acting hostess, Cana, and also checked how much alcohol this drunkard had pilfered using her position during the two days she was away.
She'd barely started counting the liquor inventory when Mira felt like throttling Cana. She now somewhat understood how Makarov must have felt back then.
Gray hadn't even warmed his seat before he was accosted by a water-obsessed admirer. Natsu went straight to fight Gajeel—they'd been itching to brawl for a while—but before they could even start, they were suppressed by Erza.
Wendy and Minerva rejoined the children's group. The adventure on Galuna Island was well worth sharing.
Lucy spotted her father, Jude, chatting animatedly with Macao and Wakaba in a corner of the guild.
Sitting down at the table with the three middle-aged men, Lucy was somewhat surprised by Jude's presence. "Dad, why have you come to the guild?"
Jude had, of course, come to visit his daughter, since Lucy hadn't returned home once after joining Fairy Tail.
However, before Jude could explain, Lucy interrupted him and told him what Aquarius knew.
When he learned about Grammi from Lucy, Jude sighed with regret. "So that's how Grammi died... The killer was Zoldeo. I should have guessed it earlier."
Looking at the eleven Golden Keys Lucy had placed on the table, Jude's expression became serious. "Lucy, don't expose all your Celestial Spirit Keys, and... be extremely careful of Zoldeo."
Jude's words made no sense to Lucy.
The Zoldeo she knew from Aquarius was a person loyal to her mother. Although his actions were extreme, he shouldn't go so far as to harm her.
However, Jude's subsequent words overturned her impression of that so-called "loyal" butler, presenting a Zoldeo completely opposite to Aquarius's impression.
"Zoldeo was once a person who would do anything for power, but his ambition was crushed by Layla, and he was awed by her strength, which is why he willingly became a servant."
"Aquarius thought he was loyal because she's a Celestial Spirit and didn't interact much with Zoldeo. She was merely deceived by his facade."
"With Layla's death, his crushed ambition has probably rekindled. Zoldeo killing Grammi was absolutely not just an act of anger—I suspect his true purpose was to seize the Aquarius Key for power."
"However, Grammi's blood awakened his last bit of conscience, making him choose to flee instead of going after the Cancer Key..."
At this point, Jude closed his mouth, taking a deep puff from the cigar Wakaba had given him earlier. Fortunately, Zoldeo escaped that year—otherwise, he and young Lucy might have suffered a terrible fate.
Looking at her father's slightly fearful face, Lucy's mind was in turmoil, and she remained silent.
Noah quietly slipped away from behind Lucy. Having overheard the entire conversation, though he hadn't experienced it firsthand, he deeply understood the last lesson his late father taught him before he came to this world.
Human hearts are unpredictable.
Fortunately, he'd gained Malice Perception from Cheese's wish, so Noah didn't have to worry about being backstabbed—and with his strength, no one could backstab him anyway.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly sensing something, Noah turned his head to look outside, only to see a small "angel" landing on a tree branch outside the guild. After dropping off a letter, it vanished.
Angel Magic—it was Sorano.
Noah moved with the wind, instantly appearing under the tree to catch the letter, but he couldn't sense Sorano's presence.
She'd rather send a letter with magic than meet Yukino, huh.
Until Sorano's sins were cleansed, these unfortunate sisters would find it hard to reunite.
Noah shook his head slightly and opened the envelope. Less than a day had passed since they parted on Galuna Island. For Roubaul to be so eager to send Sorano with a message, it must be something important.
The letter contained only one paragraph, but on the back of the paper was a hand-drawn portrait of a creature.
Reading the contents of the letter, Noah frowned. He instantly appeared behind Lucy again. "Lucy, call Loke out."
Though she didn't understand, Lucy complied.
With a chiming sound, Loke appeared, still in his dashing suit and sunglasses.
Before he could even greet them, Loke had a piece of paper slapped onto his face by Noah. "Stop posing. Is the creature drawn on this letter a Celestial Spirit?"
Taking down the letter, Loke looked down in confusion. The goat-man in sunglasses and a suit drawn on the back of the letter—he couldn't say he was overly familiar with him, but he knew him well enough.
"Oh, is this Capricorn? Who drew this? Not bad."
He hadn't expected to see the long-missing Capricorn Celestial Spirit again as a drawing on a letter. Loke subconsciously flipped the letter over, but the words within instantly enraged him.
"What did that bastard do to Capricorn?!"
Lucy looked at the letter Loke slammed on the table with confusion:
(Grimoire Heart, one of the Seven Kin of Purgatory under its command, Zoldeo, suspected Celestial Spirit, uses the Lost Magic Human Subordination. Currently in Sun Village attempting to enslave a giant as a puppet...)
Zoldeo, the Capricorn Celestial Spirit, Capricorn.
The Dark Guild Grimoire Heart, Human Subordination, enslavement.
Several key terms connected in her mind. Lucy swallowed hard—what Capricorn had suffered during these years was self-evident.
Unable to bear seeing a Celestial Spirit suffer, Lucy cast a pleading gaze at the white-haired youth. "Um, Noah..."
"Two million."
Noah raised his hand to interrupt Lucy's speech. "Without two million Jewels, don't even think about me going..."
Before he could finish, Noah's head smashed through the table and heavily struck the ground, several cracks extending across the floor.
The female knight retracted her fist, glaring unhappily at Noah, who was sprawled on the ground. Mira had just been boasting about something to Erza.
She was very angry right now.