Eisenwald, Part One

In the Fairy Tail guild hall, the afternoon sun slanted through the high windows, spreading a warm golden hue across the wooden floor.

Behind the bar, Mirajane wore a white apron, her long white hair tied in a neat low ponytail at the back of her head.

She held a gleaming glass in one hand and used a rag in the other to wipe the rim of the glass in a circular motion, her movements fluid and graceful, with her signature gentle smile on her face.

Lisanna stood beside her sister, her short white hair tucked behind her ears.

She was standing on tiptoe, stacking the washed wine glasses onto the shelf, tilting her head to make sure they were straight after each one, humming an unknown tune.

Directly in front of the bar, Lucy lay sprawled on the counter like a lump of melted butter, her cheek pressed against the cool wooden surface.

She listlessly fiddled with the empty purse in front of her with her fingertips, flipping the coins over and over again—just two coins, not even enough to buy a glass of milk.

"Rent... how am I going to pay the rent...?"

Lucy mumbled something, her voice muffled and indistinct on the table, her eyes staring blankly at the two lonely coins in her wallet.

It's as if looking at them a few more times will make them reproduce on their own.

She rested her chin on her hands, looking at Lisanna and Mirajane, her blonde hair falling through her fingers, her eyes darting around, her mind already automatically playing out fantasy scenes.

Dressed in a glamorous signboard girl outfit, she stood behind the bar, sweetly collecting money...

The scene shifts, and she's now striking poses and trying to sell something to a customer, who walks away without looking back, leaving her bewildered in the wind.

If Riyao knew what Lucy was thinking, he would definitely complain.

"Think about the boss who gave you a 1000J discount, and then think about that perverted duke—his seduction tactics have zero success rate."

Mirajane bent down and leaned closer, smiling as she tilted her head to look at her.

"Lucy, would you like another drink? Or perhaps I could help you find a part-time job?"

"No need! That part-time job you introduced me to last time almost cost me my life!"

Lucy quickly waved her hand and shrank back.

Lisanna covered her mouth and chuckled, then whispered something in her sister's ear. Mirajane burst out laughing, her shoulders trembling slightly.

"Take this punch! Ice shard!"

"You're the one with the ice shards! The fire idiot!"

Gray, shirtless, with clearly defined upper body muscles, clashed fists with Natsu.

The two men stood forehead to forehead, veins bulging, their feet leaving spiderweb-like cracks in the wooden floor beneath their feet, neither willing to back down an inch.

Happy sat on the crossbeam next to him, swinging his short legs, happily munching on a fish.

Bang--!

The guild gate was violently kicked open, the door slamming against the wall with a deafening crash, and dust rained down.

A guild member, drenched in sweat, leaned against the doorframe, shouting breathlessly.

Erza is back!!

The air seemed to have been paused.

The previously noisy commotion in the hall vanished in a mere 0.3 seconds.

Dozens of guild members froze simultaneously, their wine glasses hovering at their lips, their chopsticks suspended in mid-air, and some who were about to smash a chair into the ground were frozen into a statue.

Gray and Natsu's reactions were the most interesting. Just moments ago they were choking each other, but now their arms loosened at a visible speed. They straightened their collars (although Gray didn't have a collar to straighten), and then casually put their arms around each other's shoulders, their faces instantly switching to bright smiles.

"Natsu, we're still best buddies today."

Gray put his arm around Natsu's shoulder, smiling sincerely, but the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

"Aye! Gray and I are best buddies!"

Natsu wrapped his arms around Gray's waist, gave him a thumbs-up, his teeth grinding together, and a bead of cold sweat slid down his cheek.

The two stood stiffly side by side, like conjoined twins glued together, their smiles so perfect they looked etched on.

Lucy stared in disbelief at the dramatic change of expression, her jaw nearly dropping to the table.

She turned to look at the bar and asked Mirajane with an incredulous expression.

"What's wrong with them? They were fighting to the death just a moment ago, and now they're all brothers... Is Erza really that scary?"

Lisanna held up her index finger and waved it in front of her, explaining like a little teacher.

"Erza is like the disciplinary committee member in the guild, and she's also S-Class Mage. Everyone calls her the Titania!"

"That's someone even Natsu and Gray wouldn't dare mess with."

She lowered her voice and leaned closer to Lucy, feigning mystery.

"Last time Natsu stole Erza's strawberry cake, he got chased for three whole blocks!"

"Okay, just kidding. Natsu couldn't escape at all; he was hung on the guild roof and beaten for a whole day."

Lucy swallowed.

Mirajane put down her cup, a slight smile curving her lips, a hint of pride and mischief flashing in her eyes, as she casually brushed a stray hair behind her ear.

Erza is only slightly weaker than me.

Lucy's eyes widened suddenly, and she almost jumped up from her chair.

"Huh?! Mirajane, you're S-Class Mage too?!"

Bang--!

The guild gate let out a mournful wail, and the sound of metal twisting came from the hinges, as if it were protesting: I've had enough of this job, I'm retiring.

Erza strode into the guild, her long, bright red hair billowing behind her, her armor reflecting a cold, metallic sheen in the light.

She carried a huge bull horn on her left shoulder, the curve of which almost touched the ceiling.

He was holding a large pile of luggage in his right hand, not just one piece, but a small mountain of over a dozen suitcases and packages strung together with rope, making a constant jingling sound as he walked.

Her gaze swept across the hall like a hawk's, precisely locking onto Mirajane at the bar, and she strode over.

The heavy footsteps caused the floor to vibrate slightly, and guild members along the way made way in unison.

Mirajane.

Erza stopped, slammed her bull horns on the ground, and with a loud thud, created a shallow crater in the floor.

"Try asking Riyao not to cast any Enchantment Magic on you again!"

Mirajane leaned forward slightly, her hands resting on the bar, her eyes crinkling with laughter and her dimples deepening, but her tone was clearly smug.

"Then you should find a lover who can support you, hehe--"

She stuck out her tongue and made a face, her silver hair swaying gently with the movement, exuding a smug "I have a lover you don't" kind of swagger.

Erza's eye twitched, she snorted and turned her head away, clearly not wanting to continue the conversation.

She turned to face the hall, her gaze sweeping from left to right over every guild member trying to act nonchalant. Some pretended to read, some pretended to drink, and some pretended to be engrossed in conversation with the person next to them.

Finally, her gaze fell on Natsu and Gray, who were arm in arm.

Erza walked over, each step carrying an air of oppression.

The two instinctively wanted to shrink back, but dared not move, and could only stand stiffly in place, their smiles more painful than tears.

He stopped in front of the two of them, reached out and patted their shoulders with both hands, the force neither too light nor too heavy, but enough to make their knees bend at the same time.

"Great, great, you two are very friendly today too."

Erza smiled gently.

"Aye!"

The two of them, as if manipulated by puppets, raised their hands in unison and waved, their voices perfectly synchronized, their expressions mechanical and stiff.

Lucy's lips twitched, and she slumped back onto the bar, thinking: These two idiots...

Erza withdrew her hand, shifted her gaze upwards, and looked at the second-floor corridor—it was deserted.

Looking again at Mirajane's side, only Lisanna was wiping the cups.

She frowned slightly, then turned to Mirajane and asked the question she wanted to ask.

Is the guild leader in the guild? Where's Riyao?

Mirajane spread his hands, shook his head, and the straps of his apron swayed gently with the movement.

"The president took Riyao to the regular meeting; they left early this morning."

Erza's brows furrowed even more, her lips pressed into a thin line, and her fingers gripping the sword hilt tightened, her knuckles turning slightly white.

Mirajane keenly noticed the change in Erza's expression, his playful demeanor vanished, and he leaned forward slightly, becoming serious.

"Has something happened?"

Erza took a deep breath and looked around.

"On my way back, I heard about the movements of the Eisenwald."

Erza's tone suddenly turned somber.

"They got hold of Lullaby and plan to assassinate all the guild leaders during the regular meeting."

The hall was deathly silent.

Mirajane's fingers hovered on the side of the cup, water droplets sliding down between his fingers.

She touched her chin, her silver eyelashes drooping slightly, as if she were quickly weighing something, before raising her head.

"Riyao is there, and so many guild leaders are around, so it should be fine, right..."

Even so, her fingertips unconsciously tapped lightly on the bar, a beat faster than usual.

Erza gripped the hilt of her sword, her knuckles cracking, and said in a deep voice, "Lullaby can assassinate all creatures within range through her song, including the caster."

These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over someone. Everyone present changed their expressions. That wasn't an ordinary assassination weapon; it was a massacre.

Erza gave no one time to react, decisively waving her hand and giving orders in a strong and clear voice.

"Mirajane, contact the chairman immediately. I'll take men and intercept them on the way!"

Mirajane dropped all his playful expressions, simply replied "Understood," and turned to pull out the communication crystal ball.

Although the two have a love-hate relationship in their daily lives, they are never ambiguous when it comes to serious matters, unlike Natsu, who is an idiot who would send his teammates away during a match.

Erza turned to face the hall, her armor clanging crisply as she turned, her gaze sharp as she began to muster her troops.

"Gray! Natsu!"

"Arrive!"

The two of them instinctively straightened up, their voices booming as if they were in military training.

"Happy!"

"Aye sir!"

Happy flew down from the beam and landed with a thud.

Erza's gaze finally settled on Lucy, who was huddled by the bar, and she narrowed her eyes slightly.

"And then there's the new girl, Lucy."

Lucy was startled, her fingers still clutching her empty purse, and she sat up straight like a schoolchild who had been called on.

"I heard that Riyao gave you the key to Virgo."

Erza walked up to Lucy, looking down at her with a scrutinizing gaze in her reddish-brown eyes, but a slight upturn at the corners of her mouth.

"Let me see a newcomer recognized by Riyao."

Lucy stared wide-eyed in surprise, her fingers gripping the keychain so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Huh? Me? I... can I really do it?"

Her voice trembled with disbelief, but something deep within her eyes was ignited.

The guild hall instantly erupted in excitement.

"This must be the Strongest Team in the guild!"

"Erza, Naz, Gagret, plus a rookie—isn't this the strongest demolition squad?!"

Poor Lucy, she has no idea what she's joined...

"Let us mourn for that land that is about to suffer."

Mirajane had already taken out the crystal ball and was ready to record. She waved excitedly at Lucy, her long silver hair swaying gently with the movement, her face full of joy at the prospect of sharing the fun with Riyao.

Erza picked up the small mountain of luggage again and strode towards the door.

Behind them, Natsu's fist burst into flames, Gray exhaled a cold breath, Happy flapped his wings and flew onto Natsu's head, Lucy trotted after him.