"Ur's ice has melted into water and flowed into the sea. Even so, Ur still lives on."
"You should move forward soon and return to the right path. Don't make Ur or me worry anymore."
"Hmph! Who are you to lecture me? You're just the junior!"
Deliora was dead.
Everything had come to an end.
Lyon finally made peace with his past obsessions. Though he remained as stubborn and prideful as ever, he at least recognized his mistakes and reconciled with Gray.
However, resolving Gray's issues didn't mean everything was settled.
"Great! We've completed our S-Class mission!" Natsu cheered, jumping around excitedly.
"Mhm, mhm!" Lucy stood beside him, gazing at him with admiration. She couldn't help but think how incredibly cool that final punch of Natsu's against Deliora had been!
"Hmph, heh." Gray leaned casually against a rock, his expression relaxed and smug.
"Cough, cough." Jehfrit cleared his throat as a subtle reminder.
"What do you want, Jehfrit? Don't ruin the mood!" Natsu complained.
"Jehfrit, your complexion looks terrible. Did you overexert your magic?" Lucy asked in concern.
"..." Gray's previously relaxed smile froze. Compared to Natsu's carefree attitude, Gray—being more level-headed—had already sensed something amiss from Jehfrit's behavior.
"Natsu..." Happy tugged on Natsu's sleeve, signaling him to look toward Erza.
Natsu and Lucy followed his gaze, their confident grins instantly freezing in place.
Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Happy broke into cold sweats.
Jehfrit kept his head down, staying silent. He certainly didn't want to get caught up in this mess.
"That's right! The punishment is still waiting for us!" Lucy exclaimed, her face crumbling in despair. She clutched her cheeks, emitting a silent scream reminiscent of Edvard Munch's famous painting *The Scream*.
Erza's face darkened.
Everyone's bodies and expressions stiffened.
"Before that, there's still something else to take care of," Erza said calmly. "Our mission wasn't just about defeating Deliora."
"Oh, right!" Lucy remembered. "We need to save the villagers who turned into demons!"
"But..." Lucy furrowed her brow in confusion. "Deliora's dead now, so shouldn't the village curse be lifted?"
"Lucy, those two things aren't directly connected," Jehfrit interjected.
"What do you mean...?" Lucy was perplexed.
"I have a rough idea," Erza replied. "Let's go back to the village and verify it."
Though her expression remained stern, she softened slightly. "Are you all still able to move?"
"No problem!" Natsu declared energetically.
"I'm fine," Gray nodded confidently.
"Aye!" Happy responded decisively.
"I'm exhausted, but I'll manage!" Lucy squeezed her calves, feeling the soreness in her muscles.
"Lucy, don't push yourself too hard," Jehfrit advised.
"Eh?" Lucy protested, flustered. "I'm not forcing anything!"
"If you keep walking while fatigued, your legs might bulk up," Jehfrit warned earnestly.
"Eh? Really?!" Lucy gasped, horrified at the thought of thicker legs.
"Or they might become overly muscular, like Natsu's," Jehfrit added teasingly.
"I don't want that!" Lucy blurted out vehemently.
"What's wrong with my legs?!" Natsu frowned, examining his calves. They were built for both power and endurance—what was the issue?
"So..." Jehfrit turned to Natsu, speaking gravely. "The important task of protecting Lucy's beauty and charm falls to you, Natsu!"
"Uh... Okay?" Natsu scratched his head nonchalantly. "Just tell me what you want me to do."
"Carry Lucy on your back," Jehfrit instructed plainly.
"Oh, that? Why didn't you say so earlier? Though Lucy is kinda heavy—"
"Shut up and move! Erza's losing patience!"
Jehfrit cut off Natsu mid-sentence before he could say something tactless.
"Yes, sir!" Natsu yelped, glancing nervously at Erza's icy glare. Without hesitation, he grabbed Lucy and hoisted her onto his back.
"Eh, eh..." Lucy started to protest but caught sight of Erza's forbidding expression and promptly shut her mouth.
Well, this works...
At least she could rest for a bit.
What if her legs really did bulk up or became overly muscular?
"..."
If it happens and Natsu dares to comment, she'll just choke him out with her legs.
"..."
Erza remained expressionless.
Hmm... She hadn't been making any faces earlier because she'd been secretly delighted!
Seeing her clueless little brother finally attract some romantic attention made her happy.
Still...
She couldn't afford to show too much emotion, lest these troublemakers get carried away!
Speaking of troublemakers...
Erza glanced at Jehfrit. The smile she'd almost let slip vanished instantly, as though doused with cold water.
Natsu's and Gray's situations were manageable; Lucy was a good kid.
But the real challenge lay with Jehfrit—the one who appeared to have the highest IQ and EQ among them.
Who on earth could handle someone like him?
"Alright, it's time to head out, Erza," Jehfrit reminded gently.
"Mm." Erza nodded.
The group set off toward the village.
Jehfrit...
Lucy rested limply on Natsu's back, exasperated. "You could've used your magic to take pictures without me noticing. Why did you have to shove the camera in my face like that?"
"By the way..." Gray chimed in curiously. "Jehfrit, why do you love taking photos so much?"
Jehfrit lowered his camera contentedly, a wistful look in his eyes.
"Life only happens once. Every moment may only occur once in front of your eyes."
"The first time holding hands, the first time showing concern, the first time carrying someone, the first princess carry..."
"The emotions sparked by these 'firsts' can never be replicated no matter how many times they happen again."
"And it's not just the firsts. Many moments seem insignificant but are worth cherishing."
"In short, they're precious and beautiful."
"I have to document them."
"I'll compile them into a book and give it to you all at a special time."
A soft warmth filled Erza's gaze. Rarely removing her gauntlets, she reached out to ruffle Jehfrit's hair affectionately. "Is this how you show love?"
"How cheesy, Erza." Jehfrit took two quick steps back, laughing nervously. "Actually, I was just kidding earlier. I just wanted to capture embarrassing moments to mock you guys later. Haha... Ow!"
Before he could finish laughing, Erza landed a solid punch to his stomach.
His laughter stopped abruptly.
"Can't you just accept a compliment properly?" Gray sighed exasperatedly.
"Tch."
Jehfrit twirled his wrist, transforming the camera into a card and slipping it back into his pocket.
---
The group returned to the village.
Erza, being an experienced S-Class mage, wasn't reckless like Natsu or inexperienced like Lucy.
Something about the situation felt... off.