Lies and a Mother's Embrace

Queen Shagotte's poignant confession struck the heart of every Exceed like a heavy hammer blow.

It turns out that the "divine judgment" they revered was just a lie.

It turns out that their great queen has been carrying such a heavy secret all along.

The entire Exceed race fell into a long silence, as shock, confusion, guilt... a complex mix of emotions spread among the cats.

However, in the midst of this contemplation, a sharp and angry voice broke the silence.

"Then why!"

Carla stepped forward and, with all her might, questioned the Queen.

"If everything is for our protection, then why give us a mission and send us to this world to eliminate Dragon Slayer?!"

This question is also the biggest doubt in the minds of all those Exceed.

Shagotte looked at the stubborn white kitten before her, her eyes filled with endless tenderness and sorrow.

She gently shook her head.

"Child, from beginning to end, there was absolutely no mission to kill or capture any Dragon Slayer."

The Queen's voice once again revealed a deeper truth.

"My precognitive abilities tell me that in the near future, our home, the floating island of Extalia, will collapse and be destroyed due to the depletion of magic."

This prophecy sent chills down the spines of all those Exceed.

"To preserve the life of our race, I have to make a difficult decision." The Queen's voice became hoarse.

"I selected one hundred unborn children and sent their eggs to the magically rich Earth-land for refuge."

"However, I can't tell everyone the truth directly; that would only cause greater panic. So..."

A deep sense of self-reproach appeared on her face.

"I can only use the lie of 'sending a hundred warriors to hunt down Dragon Slayer's to stabilize the morale of the clan and make everyone believe that this is a glorious and sacred mission."

It turns out that the so-called "mission" was, from the very beginning, a well-intentioned deception aimed at perpetuating the race.

The Queen's gaze finally fell on Carla, who was trembling all over.

"There is only one exception among all of you."

"That's you, Carla. You were born with a faint precognitive magic, and even when you were still an egg, you captured those fragmented images about the future."

"That's why you've taken this lie I fabricated to appease people and accepted it as your destined and inescapable mission."

The truth has come out.

Carla stood frozen in place. The "mission" she had always been so proud of and tormented by turned out to be nothing but a huge misunderstanding.

Just as she was at a loss, Queen Shagotte slowly walked towards her.

That lone wing looked rather frail in the wind.

"Your name is Carla, right?" The Queen's voice was incredibly gentle, tinged with a hint of cautious pleading.

Can I... hug you?

Carla wasn't stupid to begin with.

Looking at the queen before her, who also possessed precognitive abilities, was also dressed in white, and was now gazing at her with incredibly loving eyes, a thought exploded in her mind.

Mother...

She is my own mother!

This realization left Carla's mind blank for a moment.

She didn't know what to do—should she rush over and weep, or angrily question her about why she had abandoned her?

Her stubborn personality made her simply clench her small fists tightly, stand still, and remain silent.

"Carla..."

Wendy, who was standing nearby, noticed her hesitation, gently patted her back, and looked at her with encouraging eyes.

"Go ahead, she's been waiting for you."

Wendy's words became the final straw that broke the camel's back in Carla's heart.

She could no longer hold back her tears, and with small steps, she buried her face in that warm yet unfamiliar embrace.

"Mother..."

The Queen held her daughter, whom she had lost and then found, tightly, tears streaming silently down her face.

Meanwhile, on the other side, outside the noisy crowd.

A male Exceed with pure white fur and a female Exceed with blue fur that was almost exactly the same color as Happy were quietly watching the small blue figure jumping around not far away.

"Darling..." Marl 'Exceed voice trembled slightly as she touched her partner beside her.

"Look at that blue cat, isn't it... isn't it ours...?"

The male Exceed Lucky, fought back tears, straightened his back as if to appear strong, and, in Happy's signature tone, choked out:

"Hey! That kid... he's grown up healthy and strong too."

"Hmm!" Marl looked at Happy with Natsu, Lucy, and so many caring companions around him, and a heartfelt, gratified smile appeared on her face.

"That's great! He's not alone; he has so many friends. That's wonderful!"

As they watched their child living such a happy and joyful life in another world, all their worries and longings turned into contentment at that moment.

Recognizing each other no longer seems so important.

As long as he's doing well, that's enough.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the decision in each other's eyes.

They don't intend to disturb Happy's current life.

However, just as they were about to leave quietly, a figure suddenly appeared in front of them.

It's Jiang Bai.

He crossed his arms, a slight smile on his face, and just watched them quietly.

"Gentlemen, aren't you going to say hello to your sons?"

The sudden sound startled Lucky and Marl.

Lucky warily shielded Marl behind him.

"Don't be nervous." Jiang Bai waved his hand.

"I was just a helpful bystander."

He pointed to Happy not far away.

Are you really just going to stand by and watch? Don't you want to go up and hug him?

Jiang Bai's words were like a key, unlocking the last gate in Marl's heart.

She could no longer hold back, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"I... of course I want to! I dream about it!"

Looking at his suffering wife and then at his son not far away, Lucky finally sighed and gave Jiang Bai a bitter smile.

"I don't know how you figured it out, but thank you for your kindness, young man... We can't do that."

"Why?"

"We've already abandoned him once," Lucky's voice was filled with remorse.

"He's doing so well now, with so many friends who love him... what right do we have to disturb his life?"

They were afraid—afraid that their presence would put Happy in a dilemma.

They were also afraid that Happy would resent their "abandonment" back then.

"Are you done talking?" Jiang Bai yawned.

"If you're done talking, come with me."

He didn't give the two a chance to refuse. He activated his Psychokinesis, directly grabbing the two bewildered cats and appearing in front of Natsu and Happy in a flash.

"Natsu, Happy."

"Hey? Jiang Bai, what's up... Huh? Who are these two cats?"

Natsu and Happy looked curiously at Lucky and Marl, who had been brought by Jiang Bai.

For some reason, Happy felt a sudden surge of inexplicable affection as he looked at the two cats in front of him.

It's like I've seen it somewhere before.

Jiang Bai pointed to Lucky and Marl, and said bluntly, "They have something to say to you."

After saying this, he left the stage to the family and stepped aside, keeping his achievements hidden.

Although Natsu was completely confused, seeing the complex and affectionate look in the eyes of the two cats, he wisely took Happy off his head and put him on the ground.

Marl looked at her son, who was so close to her, her lips trembling for a long time, but she couldn't utter a single word.

Finally, she mustered her courage and, in an almost choked voice, cautiously asked:

"Child... how have you been all these years?"

Faced with this question, Happy almost without hesitation flashed a big smile.

He puffed out his small chest and answered loudly in his signature energetic tone:

"We're having a lot of fun! Natsu and I go fishing and eat fish all the time!"

The words "We're having a great time" brought tears to Marl and Lucky's eyes, and they could no longer hold back their tears.

They said nothing more, nor did they identify themselves.

Marl simply stepped forward, stretched out her trembling hands, and gently yet incredibly tightly embraced Happy.

It was a mother's embrace that came far too late, yet was filled with endless longing and love.

Happy was a little stunned by the sudden hug, but he didn't struggle.

Because this embrace is warm and reassuring.

After exchanging a few more trivial words, Lucky and Marl finally wiped away their tears and took their leave.

Goodbye, child.

They bowed deeply to Happy and Natsu, then turned and joined the rest of the departing Exceeds.

They want to find a new home in this completely new world together with their fellow countrymen.

Happy watched their departing figures, tilted his head, and felt a little empty inside, yet also a little warm.

"Strange cat," he muttered to himself.

"Well, as long as he doesn't seem like a bad guy, that's fine!"

Natsu casually patted Happy's head, then gently placed him back on his own head.

"Let's go, Happy! Let's go home! Let's celebrate defeating the king of another world!"

"Ai!"