Swimming Competition?

Wakaba passed away peacefully, Macao passed away calmly; the two floated quietly on the lake, face down.

Hughes casually picked up the two men upside down, treating them like ingredients, scrubbing the foam from their mouths as if he were washing a hot pot, before throwing Wakaba and Macao onto the shore.

The loser is out!

Those who dare to provoke everyone without any real strength will end up like this.

"Too much rigidity leads to breakage!" Gildarts straightened his body and sighed.

Hughes didn't know if Wakaba's "braking system" had broken, but he certainly did seem to enjoy the way the two of them were getting beaten up.

The sunlight was angled, and the heat in the air eased slightly.

Without Wakaba and Macao causing trouble, the lake was briefly calm, and everyone was relaxing in the water, either playing or resting, enjoying this moment of comfort.

The three major guilds have also dispersed.

Hughes leaned against the lake shore, his hands resting on the bank, his eyes slightly narrowed. The cool lake water enveloped his body, dispelling the heat and making him drowsy.

Mira, dressed in a swimsuit, sat beside Hughes, her fair feet dipping into the lake water, occasionally swaying back and forth, creating ripples.

"Mira, don't you want to come down for a soak? It's very relaxing!" Hughes asked softly.

Mira gently shook her head. This was fine as it was. She sat on the shore watching, Hughes soaked in the water, and Lisanna and Elfman laughed and played not far away.

Unbeknownst to her, a slight smile appeared on Mira's lips, and her jade-like little feet in the water moved a little faster, splashing water onto Hughes's face from time to time.

Hughes opened his eyes and glanced at the girl helplessly. Wasn't this just disturbing his rest?

Mira, her hands behind her back, gazed at the distant sky. "Hughes, if only everyone could always be free and unrestrained!"

Hughes's gaze grew increasingly strange. Erza was just as the guild leader he remembered, Natsu was still a volatile maniac, and Gray was still an exhibitionist.

Mira, however, was completely different from the Mira he remembered. According to the plot, she should be a delinquent now, constantly clashing with Erza.

But now, this tone of sighing and reminiscing about life sounds more like that of an old man like Makarov, who has experienced a lot in life.

Hughes looked up and glanced at Mira again, scratching his head. Mira still looked like little Mira; she hadn't suddenly transformed into the gentle older sister she would be six years later.

Could it be...?

"Mira, odd changes, even remains the same?" Hughes asked cautiously.

Mira, not understanding what Hughes meant, looked at him in confusion.

Seeing this, Hughes breathed a slight sigh of relief, relieved that he hadn't been possessed by an unknown transmigrator.

"Mira, tell me honestly, did you travel from the future?"

In the lake, Mira sighed helplessly, swinging her fair legs even more vigorously, splashing water even more vigorously than before.

She reached out her little hand and touched Hughes's forehead, then touched her own. "I'm not having an episode! Why am I always talking nonsense!"

"Hughes, how about I go with you to see Granny Porlyusica?"

Mira's tone was very gentle, but Hughes's forehead seemed to be covered with black lines. He raised his big hand, grabbed Mira's little foot, and dragged her into the water amidst Mira's scream.

"Thump!"

The water splashed large, the ripples spreading, just like the comfort Hughes felt at that moment.

"Since you have no problems whatsoever, don't stay up there like an old man lamenting about life!"

With that, Hughes slapped the lake surface with his large hand, splashing water all over Mira.

Cough! Cough!

Mira coughed several times before she could clear the water from her mouth and nose.

The lake water soaked her clothes, which clung to her body along the slight curves of her skin, revealing her figure. Mira quickly crossed her arms over her chest, lowered her head, and blushed.

Hughes sighed, rubbing his forehead. Mira's shy demeanor made anyone unaware of the situation think he had trampled the laws of the Kingdom of Fiore underfoot.

He's a law-abiding citizen, a model citizen!

Hughes got up, walked over to Mira, and pushed her back to her previous spot. "It's so hot, isn't soaking in the water much more comfortable than sitting there lamenting about life!"

Mira sat in the water, head bowed, silent, her heart pounding slightly. She glanced at her smooth shoulder, where the warmth of Hughes's palm still lingered.

Hughes turned around and sat down on the lakeshore a meter or two away from Mira, continuing to close his eyes and enjoy the coolness of the sweltering weather.

I, Hughes, am completely innocent!

The center of the lake was bustling with activity, while the shoreline was rather quiet.

Time passed second by second. Mira glanced up at Hughes a few times, her tense body slowly relaxing, but the blush on her cheeks did not fade in the slightest.

It seems like she and Hughes are taking a bath together right now.

"Hughes, Hughes, come quick!"

A familiar voice reached his ears, Hughes slightly opened his eyes to look. Sure enough, it was that little brat Lisanna trying to "summon his soul"!

So, Hughes closed his eyes with a clear conscience.

He can't possibly move; that little brat Lisanna, she's definitely up to no good if she calls him over for no reason.

A moment later, wrapped in a swimming ring and looking like a clumsy penguin, Lisanna thrashed her limbs and finally managed to paddle to Hughes' side with great effort.

"Don't bother me unless it's important!" Hughes said irritably, his eyes closed.

Lisanna grabbed Hughes's arm and shook it vigorously, grinning, "Hughes, I'm so bored! Any fun, exciting water games?"

Hearing this, Hughes opened his eyes, tilted his head, and thought seriously, "Water games, fun, exciting, swimsuits..."

Seeing that Hughes's thoughts were becoming increasingly lewd, Mira had come over out of curiosity, quickly covered his mouth.

"Pah!" Mira, with her frank personality, showed no restraint in her disdain.

"Hughes, how could you have such an evil thought? There are so many children here!" Mira said seriously.

Hughes slapped Mira's hand away, rolled his eyes at her, and thought to himself, "What are these Strauss family members thinking? They're all so precocious."

"Swimming, I mean we're having a swimming competition, you kids in one group, and we adults in another."

Magic is still prohibited, but various disruptive actions are not forbidden; coincidentally, there are many "arch-rivals" in the guild, so playing this kind of competitive game is both exciting and intense, and can also mobilize everyone's enthusiasm.

After hearing Hughes ' explanation, Lisanna's big eyes seemed to light up, and she flapped her limbs like a little turtle as she swam towards Natsu, Erza, and the others.

Natsu will definitely be happy to hear this great idea.

"Pah! You've forgotten about your brother now that you have a new husband, not even a thank you. I wonder what you'll do in six years!" Hughes said indignantly to Lisanna's departing figure.

"Pfft!" Mira chuckled softly!

Hughes glanced at her sideways. "Laugh, all you do is laugh. In four years, you'll be crying!"

Mira quickly pursed her lips, not daring to make another sound.

Hughes continued to glance at her sideways, muttering, "How much longer are you going to straddle me? The younger one is precocious, and the older one isn't exactly innocent either; there should be some distance between men and women, especially at your age."