Mira looked at her demon-corrupted arm. In the end, Blanc's promise that it "could be restored" had tempted her. Recalling the astonishing scene she had witnessed yesterday, she felt certain he was no villain. She took a deep breath and said, "My little brother and sister are in this town too. I want to take them with me."
So Lisanna and Elfman were in this town too. That made sense. It was the closest town, after all. Mira must have settled them here before heading out alone.
Before long, they reunited.
At a cheap inn in town.
The wooden door of the shabby inn near the town entrance creaked open, and a tiny girl rushed out first. Her head barely reached Mira's waist, and her delicate little face was full of worry.
Elfman followed close behind her, his face anxious and his rough fingers clutching the hem of his clothes. His awkwardness made him lag half a step behind his sister. Both children's eyes were red, and the moment they met, questions came flying like machine-gun fire.
"Honestly! Mira, how could you do that? You hid it from us and went off to do something dangerous all by yourself!" Lisanna's voice trembled with tears.
"Yeah, sis! What would we do if something happened to you?" Elfman sounded just as desperate.
Their heartfelt concern brought a sting to Mira's nose. She averted her eyes guiltily. "I'm sorry... but I'd finally found the people responsible. I couldn't just pretend I hadn't seen them."
She waited uneasily for her siblings to scold her, but no reproaches came. Lisanna and Elfman threw themselves into her arms from either side, clinging tightly to her as they sobbed in silence.
Blanc quietly watched the warm, bittersweet scene.
He pieced together the general situation in his head. After leaving the village, Mira had refused to let things go and begun investigating where the Church Demon had come from. Then she had learned of a group that traveled around summoning demons and had harmed quite a few villages.
Convinced that these people had summoned the demon that hurt her, Mira had followed their trail and happened to catch Marduk fleeing.
This was probably the butterfly effect. If Jura had come instead of Blanc, someone like Marduk would likely have fled immediately, and Mira would have missed her chance to take revenge with her own hands.
"Blanc, thank you for saving Mira." Though Lisanna was tiny, she acted like a little grown-up as she walked properly up to Blanc and bowed politely in thanks.
"You're welcome. Mira helped me too." Blanc smiled easily, crouching to meet her eyes and gently ruffling her hair.
Beside them, Elfman struggled for a long time before finally stepping forward. His voice was quiet, carrying a barely perceptible trace of nervousness and a tremor.
"Blanc, is there really a way to restore my sister's arm?"
Mira had just told them she would be going to Fairy Tail with Blanc to find a way to restore her arm.
The two children were delighted, of course, but even more than that, they feared having their hopes dashed. Though Elfman was shy, he couldn't help wanting a definite answer.
"Of course." Blanc stood up with a confident smile. "Actually, I'm good at Take Over Magic too, and I learned it from the Guild Master himself. There are absolutely no side effects. Watch this-"
"Take Over-Mahoraga!"
With that, Blanc demonstrated his Take Over Magic.
His smooth black hair began losing its color from the roots, turning a dazzling white. The strands lengthened explosively like a raging gale, and a sacred golden wheel materialized above his head. An indescribably mysterious aura spread around him.
Both children gaped in shock, and even Mira's expression shifted slightly.
"Ooh! So this is Take Over Magic? That's amazing!" Lisanna's eyes sparkled.
Blanc smiled faintly and instantly released the transformation, returning to his usual handsome appearance. "What I just showed you is what normal Take Over Magic looks like. Mira's condition probably happened because she suddenly awakened her magic and forcibly took over an enemy."
"But don't worry. It's only a partial transformation, so our Guild Master will definitely know what to do. Here's a little secret: our Guild Master Makarov is one of the Ten Wizard Saints, one of the ten mages at the very pinnacle of the entire continent. A little Take Over abnormality definitely won't stump him."
Hearing the name "Ten Wizard Saints," Lisanna and Elfman finally relaxed, their eyes shining brightly with hope.
Only Mira felt conflicted as she watched her siblings rejoice. A long-forgotten flicker of anticipation rose within her, but the sight of her abnormal arm stirred an indescribable sense of guilt and inferiority. She couldn't help clenching the hand hidden beneath her cloak.
"Blanc, what kind of guild is Fairy Tail?" Lisanna asked eagerly.
"The guild, huh..." Blanc rested both hands behind his head and gazed at the distant sky, a warm smile curling his lips. "How should I put it? It's a warm place."
As the sun set, the group finally left the backwater town, heading toward Magnolia beneath the evening glow.
Along the way, lively little Lisanna chattered endlessly like a lark, while the shy Elfman occasionally offered a simple, earnest reply. Mira walked silently at the outer edge of the group. A breeze lifted a corner of her loose cloak, briefly revealing a hideous, scaled claw before she hurriedly pressed it back down with practiced hands...
A few days later, Blanc finally brought Mira and her siblings to Magnolia, stopping before the plain doors of the Fairy Tail guild hall.
"We're here. This is Fairy Tail!"
Blanc smiled faintly and pushed open the guild doors as the three siblings watched with anticipation and awe.
However, the instant the doors swung open, what greeted them was neither a balmy spring breeze nor a gentle welcome.
"Die, you droopy-eyed exhibitionist! Today, I'll show you how powerful Dragon Slayer Magic is!"
A roof-shaking roar rang out, and a mass of savage, scorching flames erupted like a beast unleashed from its cage. A pink-haired boy, veins bulging across his face, charged forward with overwhelming force, his right fist wreathed in violently blazing fire.
In the aisle directly opposite the entrance, a black-haired boy wearing nothing but boxer shorts stood braced to meet him. As the flaming fist approached, he slipped sideways with the ease of long practice.
Howling wind and searing waves of flame swept past his afterimage.
Having lost his target, Natsu had no time to stop. His Fire Dragon's Iron Fist, packed with scorching heat and every ounce of his strength, hurtled straight toward the face of Blanc, who had just opened the doors!
Watching that wildly swinging, flaming fist grow rapidly in his vision, Blanc felt delight rather than alarm. His grin even widened uncontrollably.
He might not enjoy fighting, but Natsu's sneak attack a few days ago had really pissed him off. How could he pass up a perfectly legitimate chance to hit him now?!
"Take Over-Mahoraga!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Blanc sneered inwardly. His magic power erupted, and he transformed at once.
When Natsu's fist was only three centimeters from his straight nose, Blanc shifted slightly aside like a phantom. The flaming fist narrowly brushed past his white hair.
At the same time, his right arm shot forward. His heavy fist tore through the air and slammed squarely into Natsu's stomach! A lesson in keeping arrogance and impatience in check!
"Urgh-!!"
The punch delivered the maximum in raw physical force. Before Natsu could even finish his scream, his body folded like a shrimp, his eyes bulged, and then rolled back in his head.
Blanc dusted off his hands, feeling every pore in his body relax. He couldn't have felt more satisfied.
Behind him, Mira and her siblings stood with their expressions completely frozen.
The lingering heat of the flames still hung in the air. It certainly was... "warm."
But looking at the pink-haired boy on the floor, his eyes rolled back and the corner of his mouth twitching, then at Blanc's sunny, friendly, yet somehow chilling smile, the three siblings' brains promptly stopped working.
What shattered their worldview even further was that not a single guild member stepped forward to restore order after this violent assault. Instead, a deafening chorus of cheers and jeers erupted, nearly lifting the ceiling!
"Whoa! Got your revenge, huh, Blanc?"
"Hahahaha! That idiot Natsu really doesn't have what it takes! Blanc took him out in one hit!"
"Aw, that was too fast. We didn't even have time to start betting."
"Hmph. Blanc took you out in one hit? I lasted two back then. You're pathetic, Natsu."
Watching the guild members guzzle alcohol and enjoy the spectacle, Mira and her siblings exchanged glances. Every trace of anticipation in their eyes had vanished.