After helping everyone unlock their Second Origins, Ultear and her two companions politely declined Chase's offer to treat them to a meal. They turned and left in the chilly wind, soon disappearing deep into the dense forest.
As still-wanted fugitives of the Magic Council, staying in Magnolia for too long would only bring unnecessary trouble to Fairy Tail. They also needed to scout ahead in Crocus, Fiore's royal capital.
Erza did exchange a few words with Future Jellal, expressing her happiness that he had found his way back onto the right path.
And that was that.
"What are you thinking about?" Chase walked over slowly, a stack of cards in his hand.
There were simply too many people who couldn't move, so he had packed them all up and would carry them back to the guild together.
It had to be said—this spatial-type Card Magic, which wasn't particularly difficult to learn, was incredibly useful at times!
"Nothing."
Erza withdrew her gaze from the distant view of Magnolia and raised a hand to tidy her crimson hair, slightly tousled by the wind.
"I just suddenly thought of Simon and Millianna and the others. I wonder how they're doing now."
Seeing Jellal had brought back memories of her old comrades from the Tower of Paradise, especially after learning that this world's Simon had already passed away.
"Don't worry. With their abilities, they won't be doing too badly," Chase said with a reassuring smile. "Who knows—you might even run into them by chance."
In this world, Sho and Wally were likely still traveling, but Millianna, who had joined Mermaid Heel, would appear within the next few days.
"That's true."
Erza's furrowed brow slowly relaxed. She turned back, her beautiful eyes fixed tenderly on Chase. "Thank you, Chase. Truly."
They were all very important comrades. She was grateful that she could still look forward to meeting Simon again someday.
"Instead of thanks, I think right now you need a boyfriend's hug."
"A b-b-b-boyfriend's h-h-hug?!"
Erza's face instantly flushed crimson. But before she could react, her vision went dark.
Chase knew her personality all too well—so what he had just said was a statement, not a request.
"When Erza isn't wearing her armor, her body isn't all that different from an ordinary girl's. Soft and delicate," Chase remarked as he held her back.
Through their pressed chests, he could clearly feel her racing heartbeat and the waves of heat emanating from somewhere.
Though the battle-hardened Fairy Queen was certainly no weakling, compared to his own defined musculature, she could indeed be called "delicate."
Just how did these "close-range battle mages" of Fairy Tail manage to maintain themselves like this?
Erza had initially been flustered and at a loss, but upon hearing his words, she suddenly grew quiet.
"If... if Chase likes it... I'll try wearing some prettier clothes!"
She closed her eyes and rested her head on Chase's shoulder, savoring that sense of security.
The inner vulnerability and timidity she had once hidden behind her armor had now vanished completely.
The always-strong Fairy Queen felt it was a blessing to be able to rely on someone so completely—someone who was her boyfriend now, and would definitely be her husband in the future.
"Prettier clothes, hmm... something like the Seduction Armor?" Mira's voice came out of nowhere.
Erza was once again thrown into utter panic.
"H-H-How is that possible! Even if he is my boyfriend, that armor has its place! I'm not Lucy!!"
Both Lucys, pressing their ears against the inside of the cards to eavesdrop and peek: "Hey! What do you mean by 'I'm not Lucy'?!" x2
If their vocabulary had been up to it, they would have certainly quipped that prejudice in people's hearts was like a mountain.
"The Seduction Armor, huh. I am rather curious," Chase said with a smile.
The mischievous Mira chimed in from the side: "It's definitely the kind of armor Chase won't be able to forget after just one look! Go on, Erza, change into it!"
Rather than feeling jealous, she seemed far more amused by seeing her rival and love rival squirm in embarrassment.
"You two—fine! I'm not afraid of you! If you want to see, then see!"
Blushing furiously, Erza's competitive streak inexplicably kicked in. She acted on it with remarkable efficiency, her body glowing with magical light.
"Oh my? She's serious?" Mira was startled—she hadn't expected Erza to be so bold.
Chase immediately blocked Lucy and the others' perception of the outside world.
"Requip! Seduction Armor!!"
Erza had no idea how she eventually made it back to the guild.
Mira and her future counterpart sat at the bar, chattering away with glee, their smiles never fading.
As for the Card Nerd—he was thoroughly satisfied.
The others were sprawled all over the guild in various states of exhaustion, the aftereffects of unlocking their Second Origins leaving them without even the strength to speak.
"Honestly! Chase is way too stingy!"
Future Lucy was sulking because she hadn't gotten to witness that highly entertaining scene.
Having heard so much about Chase from Lucy, she had naturally started calling him "big brother" as well.
"Aye~ Lucy, I think you should be thanking Chase," Happy said, flying over with an unusually serious expression. "If you had actually seen Erza like that, you might just drop dead one day—by her sword~"
Hearing this, Future Lucy instinctively pictured the scene. In an instant, her expression changed completely. She shot to her feet and bowed ninety degrees in Chase's direction, filled with gratitude.
Over there, Chase was drinking with Gildarts.
"I see. So that's why you all suddenly disappeared," Gildarts said, letting out a sigh of relief as he averted his gaze from his two daughters, who were clearly in pain.
"Sorry about that, Uncle Gildarts. I completely forgot about you," Chase said apologetically.
When he had taken everyone to see Ultear earlier, Gildarts had been out wandering in the mountains and hadn't returned yet.
"Ahaha, I don't mind at all. As long as Cana and the others get stronger, that's what matters," Gildarts waved his hand casually.
"That's true. After all, you're getting on in years—who knows if you even have a Second Origin left," Chase teased.
Though it was mostly a joke, it wasn't entirely impossible. Future Ultear had said that the core of the Second Origin was unlocking the power hidden within the body. And tracking her down again now wasn't really an option. Besides, Gildarts was already strong enough, and he had the "Heart" ultra-magic on top of that—there was no rush.
He could deal with it after the Grand Magic Games, or wait until they returned to their original world and ask Ultear for help—they already had all the theoretical knowledge about the Second Origin anyway.
"You little brat! I knew there was a catch when you suddenly got so polite!" Gildarts' lip twitched, feeling deeply offended.
"Getting on in years"—he was still a long way from being some shriveled old man like the Master!
At that very moment, the two Makarovs, huddled in the office critiquing the figures of gravure models, both sneezed at the same time.
***
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