Delinquent Girl

Maglonia, Fairy Tail guild.

The afternoon sun spilled in through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, the air thick with the aroma of ale and the clamor of boisterous laughter.

Lu Chongwei sat in the most prominent spot at the bar, cradling his signature cup of hot milk with a look of pure contentment.

Ever since becoming an S-Class Mage, his life had only grown more comfortable. Although the difficulty of his missions had increased, the rewards had multiplied several times over, leaving him with plenty of time to spend leisurely at the guild.

"Bang!"

A deafening crash shattered the tranquility.

The guild doors were kicked open, and a fiery red figure charged in like a whirlwind.

"Old man! Where's the old man?!"

Natsu held a massive egg in his arms; it stood half as tall as a person, its surface covered in strange blue patterns that resembled some kind of ancient totem.

He barreled through the room, knocking over two tables before slamming on the brakes in front of Makarov, his face flushed red and his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Look! It's a Dragon Egg! I found a Dragon Egg!"

Natsu plopped the egg onto the bar, shaking Lu Chongwei's milk so hard it nearly spilled.

"This is a clue Igneel left behind! As long as it hatches, I'll definitely be able to find Igneel!"

Natsu grabbed Makarov by the collar and shook him violently.

"Old man, hurry up and use your magic to hatch it! Hurry, hurry!"

Makarov was rattled like a bobblehead, his eyes rolling back as he struggled to break free from Natsu's clutches.

"You idiot!"

Makarov leaped up and delivered a sharp knuckle-rap to Natsu's head.

"This is an egg! It's a life! Life cannot be forced to mature with magic!"

The old master stood with his hands behind his back, speaking with earnest gravity:

"Life must be born from love. Only when you pour your love into it will it respond to your expectations."

"Love?"

Natsu tilted his head, looking blank, as if he had just heard some profound philosophy.

"That's right, love."

A cold, dignified voice rang out.

Erza approached, clad in silver armor with her scarlet hair draped over her shoulders. She crossed her arms, staring at the egg with a stern gaze, as if inspecting a soldier about to head to the battlefield.

"Natsu, since you were the one who found it, you must take responsibility."

Erza nodded, her tone brooking no argument.

"Hatching it requires your own effort, not reliance on magic. This is not only a sign of respect for life, but also a test of your resolve."

Natsu nodded as if he understood, though he hadn't quite grasped the meaning; still, if Erza said so, it had to be right.

Just then.

"Tch, what a boring lecture."

A cold, provocative snort drifted down from the second floor.

Immediately after, a figure slid down the staircase railing and landed lightly on the floor.

The air in the guild grew quiet for a moment.

Lu Chongwei turned his head, his eyebrows arching slightly.

It was Mirajane.

But she was no longer the timid girl from a year ago who wore simple dresses and hid behind others to cry at the slightest provocation.

She had undergone a complete, earth-shattering transformation.

Her long, silver-white hair was tied into a high ponytail, revealing a smooth, broad forehead and delicate features.

She wore a tight, deep-red crop top that exposed a large expanse of fair, delicate skin, outlining the proud curves she had begun to develop.

Below, she wore a pair of extremely short hot pants, her long, straight legs showing off her youthful vitality without reservation.

A skull necklace hung around her neck, and studded leather straps were wrapped around her wrists; she radiated the distinct aura of a "delinquent girl."

Ever since Lu Chongwei helped her resolve her inner turmoil during that mission and she learned to control "Satan Soul," Mirajane's personality had rebounded, fully unleashing her true nature.

Now, she was the guild's notorious "The Demon" and one of the most troublesome "big sisters" around.

Mirajane stood with her hands on her hips, her eyes sweeping over Erza with disdain.

"I'm just saying, this is a guild, not a knight's barracks."

Mirajane whistled, her tone dripping with mockery.

"Aren't you tired of constantly harping on about 'responsibility' and 'resolve'? You stiff, armor-clad woman."

"What did you say?!"

A vein instantly bulged on Erza's forehead.

She turned, her gaze sharp as a blade, fixing on Mirajane.

"Mirajane, watch your words. I am teaching Natsu proper values."

"Ha? Values?"

Mirajane laughed exaggeratedly and walked up to Erza.

They were similar in height, and their auras clashed like point against point.

Mirajane puffed out her chest and retorted, not backing down.

"I think you're just jealous that Natsu has an egg to incubate, while you can only sleep with your cold, lifeless swords, right?"

"Who are you calling jealous?!"

Erza's hand instantly went to her sword hilt, and a fierce magic erupted from her body.

"Want to fight? You delinquent!"

"Bring it on! Scared of you? You dried-up hag!"

Mirajane's arm instantly transformed, covered in black scales, with sharp claws glinting. An evil, berserk aura swept through the hall.

"Bang!"

Their foreheads slammed together, and sparks seemed to crackle and explode where their gazes met.

The surrounding guild members, long accustomed to this, skillfully raised their drinks and retreated, clearing the battlefield.

"Here we go again..."

"How many times has this happened today?"

"As long as these two are around, the guild's roof will eventually need replacing."

Lu Chongwei sighed and quietly held his milk, trying to shrink into the shadows of the bar.

He just wanted a quiet afternoon tea and didn't want to get involved in these two women's war.

However, Murphy's Law dictated that the more you feared something, the more likely it was to happen.

"Lu Chongwei!"

Two voices called out simultaneously.

Lu Chongwei stiffened. Before he could run, two hands, one on each side, grabbed his shoulders.

"You be the judge!"

Mirajane leaned towards Lu Chongwei's left, her delicate but menacing face almost touching his nose.

"Someone who's always got a straight face and no femininity at all, isn't she annoying?"

"Lu Chongwei!"

Erza leaned towards his right, her eyes sharp, carrying an undeniable pressure.

"Someone who dresses provocatively, behaves rudely, and has no discipline at all, isn't she a disgrace to the guild?"

Lu Chongwei was caught in the middle, with the devil's whisper on his left and the knight's judgment on his right.

The magic of two S-Class candidates churned around him, causing the milk in his hand to ripple wildly.

"Uh..."

A drop of cold sweat slid down Lu Chongwei's forehead.

This was a death trap question.

No matter who he sided with, he would offend the other.

"Well..."

Lu Chongwei gave a dry laugh, trying to smooth things over.

"We're all comrades, we should love each other... and Natsu's egg is still over there..."

"Enough nonsense!"

Mirajane grabbed Lu Chongwei by his collar and pulled him towards her.

"You have to make it clear today! Which side are you on?"

"That's right."

Erza also grabbed Lu Chongwei's arm and pulled him back.

"Lu Chongwei, as an S-Class Mage, you should have the ability to distinguish right from wrong. Tell her who is correct!"

Lu Chongwei felt like a rag doll, being pulled back and forth by two violent women.

He glanced around.

Makarov was pretending to be dead and drinking, Wakaba and Macao were watching the show, and Natsu was staring blankly at the egg.

No one was going to save him.

Lu Chongwei let out a silent wail in his heart.

God, if I have sinned, please let the law punish me, not let these two women torment me!

He looked at the two faces before him, so close, so different in style, yet equally stunning and equally dangerous.

Lu Chongwei silently closed his eyes.

This milk, he wouldn't be able to drink it peacefully today.