The next day, in Fairy Tail's guild hall.
Blanc was a little surprised to find Laxus still in the guild.
He had thought that, after yesterday's incident, someone as fiercely proud as Laxus would head out and lie low for a while.
Feeling a mischievous urge, Blanc carried a drink in one hand and a Magic Book in the other. He walked upstairs and calmly sat down across from Laxus.
Clink.
He set his drink on the table and leisurely leafed through the Magic Book, secretly watching Laxus out of the corner of his eye for a reaction.
Laxus's expression visibly darkened, and a vein twitched at his temple. Still, he gritted his teeth and said nothing, treating Blanc as though he were thin air.
For a moment, an eerie harmony settled over them. Laxus really did have nerves of steel. Even after the embarrassment of having his bluff exposed yesterday, he remained composed in front of the very person involved.
A burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence.
Mira, who had been sorting the requests upstairs, suddenly went pale. She rushed down the stairs in a panic and cried out to the Guild Master at the counter:
"Guild Master, something terrible has happened! One of the requests upstairs is missing!"
The Guild Master, who had been leisurely drinking, jolted and sprayed out the mouthful he had only half swallowed.
Without even stopping to wipe himself off, he hurriedly asked,
"What happened?"
A commotion immediately swept through the guild.
While everyone was still exchanging anxious, bewildered looks, Laxus suddenly leaned back in his chair across from Blanc.
He cast an arrogant sidelong glance at the people below, curled his lips, and spoke in a thoroughly provocative tone:
"Ah, that? I saw it. A little cat sneaked in last night, took