Unexpected Guest

Magnolia Town, Fairy Tail Guild

"To celebrate Fairy Tail producing an S-Class Mage again after so many years, today... we're having a party!"

"Oh! A toast to Fairy Tail's new strongest mage—Feng Lan!"

Without a doubt, Fairy Tail held an afternoon-long celebration to commemorate Feng Lan successfully becoming an S-Class Mage and Fairy Tail's strongest mage.

By evening, the party was already drawing to a close.

"Feng Lan... I can still drink! I admit I can't beat you in a fight, but I can't even outdrink you!?" Laxus, red-faced and slurring his words, threw an arm around Feng Lan.

Feng Lan stared speechlessly at the washbasin he had placed by Laxus's feet. "Brother, was this really necessary? You dodged nearly a whole basin's worth of drinks and still got this drunk... And your drink-dodging skills aren't even as good as Natsu's."

Feng Lan picked up the washbasin by Laxus's feet, unwilling to waste it, but Laxus snatched it away. "This is... the booze I dodged myself. Self-produced, self-sold... bottoms up!"

"Hey, hey! No need to go that far!" Feng Lan had just tried to stop Laxus when he saw him drain nearly an entire basin of baijiu in one gulp. The moment he finished, his eyes rolled back and he passed out.

Feng Lan hoisted Laxus up and settled him somewhere quiet.

Lisanna had also taken a few drinks. Maybe she was too young, or maybe she simply lacked the talent for it, but after only two or three sips, she was completely out of it. Somehow, she had learned this trick: after taking on White Cat Soul, she lay on Natsu's lap and acted cute. Natsu couldn't move at all—if he did, she would cry—while she muttered, "When Lisanna grows up, she's going to be Natsu's bride~ Natsu... you're not allowed to leave Lisanna all alone..."

What drove Natsu craziest was Gray. After getting drunk, Gray stood behind Natsu, making a hammer one moment and a sword the next, then unleashing a wild barrage on Natsu's head. With Lisanna on his lap keeping him from moving, Natsu was utterly miserable.

Out of the dozens of people in the guild, only Makarov, Gildarts, Feng Lan, and Natsu were still clear-headed. Natsu had some resistance to alcohol thanks to Feng Lan's magic, though it was mostly because Feng Lan had force-fed him so much alcohol. Other than them, only Macao and Wakaba retained relatively clear self-awareness.

At that moment, Erza and Mira stood up and started arguing, though both of them were merely drunkenly making a scene.

Erza punched Mira in the head with her armored fist, and everyone held their breath as they watched Mira.

Under everyone's baffled gazes, Mira walked straight toward Feng Lan, her eyes incomparably sharp. "Feng Lan..." But the next second, she buried her head in Feng Lan's chest and began crying pitifully. "Waaah... Feng Lan, Erza bullied me! Waaah, I want hugs!" Feng Lan was completely caught off guard.

The rest of the guild looked at Feng Lan and Natsu with intensely gossip-hungry eyes.

Gildarts said with a wicked grin, "That's my brother for you. You went and picked off Fairy Tail's sister beauties together. That's downright criminal!"

Feng Lan and Natsu both blushed furiously. "It's not like that!"

Makarov looked at Feng Lan and Natsu with ill intent. "Hand over the hush money."

Feng Lan and Natsu looked at each other. "We're broke!"

Makarov put on a villainous expression. "Let me think... Feng Lan and Natsu took advantage of everyone being drunk at the party, got Mira and Lisanna drunk, then carried them home..."

Feng Lan hurriedly stopped him. "Alright, alright! Here, take it. Thirty thousand J, split it among yourselves... Natsu can pay his own share."

Natsu looked at Feng Lan pitifully. "Ehh~ That's my food money..."

Macao and Wakaba eagerly chimed in from the side. "Feng Lan, we're eyewitnesses too, you know~"

Feng Lan wore a mischievous grin. "A few days ago, when you two were flirting with girls, I was an eyewitness too~"

"Pfft!" The two spat out their drinks. "How did you see that!?"

Feng Lan smiled again like he was up to no good. "Fifteen thousand each for hush money, or I'll tell your wives."

Macao was the first to object. "That's not right! You have secrets, and we have secrets. They cancel each other out, so why should we pay you hush money?"

Wakaba immediately agreed. "Exactly! At worst, we hurt each other!"

Feng Lan said indifferently, "Mine is just normal first love during puberty. But if your wives find out about yours..."

Macao and Wakaba couldn't argue with Feng Lan. With tears streaming down their faces, they handed over the hush money. Feng Lan happily accepted it, carried Mira over to a nearby sofa, and left after seeing that she had fallen asleep. As for Natsu... he was still sealed in place by Lisanna.

Feng Lan walked alone through the midnight streets, his nose twitching unconsciously. "Wait... this scent."

Feng Lan stopped and hurriedly sniffed the air around him again. He said in shock, "No mistake, this smell is... a dragon! Where is it!?"

Feng Lan heightened his senses and followed the dragon's direction, but halfway through the pursuit, both the dragon's scent and presence disappeared. They had vanished without warning.

Feng Lan stood frozen in place, unable to recover for a long time. "This scent is like a dragon's, but also like a human's... Anyway, it wasn't Slokard or the others. Are you friend or foe...?"

After coming back to his senses, Feng Lan hurried home instead of foolishly searching for the dragon.

Early the next morning, Feng Lan arrived at the guild and found that not a single person was awake. Naturally, he wouldn't stand for that. "Water Make—Sound Cannon!"

Bang! The Sound Cannon Feng Lan made from water exploded with a loud boom, instantly blasting the guild members awake.

When Makarov saw Feng Lan, he mumbled groggily, "Feng Lan, don't worry! I didn't tell anyone about Mira clinging to you and asking for hugs last night."

The moment he said that, everyone in the guild instantly sobered up. Blushing furiously, Mira ran into a corner of the guild.

Feng Lan looked at Natsu and grinned brightly. "Then, Guild Master, did you tell them about Lisanna lying on Natsu's lap like a kitten and acting cute last night?"

Natsu's smile instantly froze. Lisanna recalled that she really had seemed to fall asleep on Natsu's lap, and immediately blushed scarlet as she ran off to Mira.

Everyone's gossiping instincts were instantly ignited as they looked at Feng Lan and Natsu, demanding to see the surveillance footage from last night.

Feng Lan ignored them and walked straight to Natsu. In a serious voice loud enough for everyone in the guild to hear, he said, "Natsu, last night... I sensed a dragon's presence."

Upon hearing that, the guild members stopped making noise and listened carefully to Feng Lan.

Natsu hurriedly asked, "What about it? Did he know where Igneel and the others are?"

Feng Lan shook his head. "No. I didn't find him."

Natsu said disappointedly, "I see... Then what are you trying to tell us?"

Feng Lan asked Natsu, "Tell me, under normal circumstances, could a dragon appear in a town where people live?"

Everyone shook their heads. "Impossible. No dragons have been discovered for a hundred years."

Feng Lan nodded. "Exactly. So I suspect... something has caused the Dragon race to become active again."

Lisanna said excitedly from the side, "Isn't that good news? I've always wanted to see a dragon."

Feng Lan's expression turned grave. "Dragons can be good or bad. If the ones becoming active are dragons friendly to humans, then a society where dragons and humans live in harmony would certainly be nice...

"But if the active ones are dragons that hate humans and treat them as food, then the Kingdom of Fiore may not last much longer."

Mira asked in confusion, "Even if bad dragons come, don't we have Dragon Slayer Mages like you and Natsu?"

Feng Lan shook his head helplessly. "No. There are already fewer Dragon Slayer Mages than dragons, and those truly capable of slaying dragons are even rarer... It would be difficult to hold them off. Even if I went all out, I would only have the combat power of a Dragon King. At best, I could make sure our guild members lived a few more years."

After hearing Feng Lan's words, everyone settled down. Feng Lan went upstairs and took an S-Class Mission. "I'm heading out on an S-Class Mission. Anyone coming?" With that, he walked out of the guild.

"Wait for me!" Natsu and Mira's little group of three hurried after Feng Lan. After all, anyone who wasn't an S-Class Mage could only tag along if they wanted to take on an S-Class Mission.