The past year had been relatively calm, with only one event that shook the entire Fiore Kingdom—or rather, the entire Ishgar continent—being "The Death of Sherlock Holmes."
Over the years, the fanbase for The Great Detective Sherlock Holmes had grown to astonishing proportions, making it the most popular bestseller.
Marco's output was also quite steady, with roughly one book per year, quickly leading to the release of the fourth and final installment, The Final Problem.
Sherlock Holmes, whose popularity was closely tied to Marco, had become so real in the eyes of readers that his sudden death naturally caused an uproar.
Of course, no one dared to send Marco any personal threats—that would be akin to asking to meet Holmes in person.
However, Fairy Tail had been receiving an increasing number of petition letters, all hoping Marco would change Holmes's fate.
As a devoted fan, Lucy had become the voice of these readers, pestering Marco about it every day.
"Marco-san, can't you bring Sherlock Holmes back to life? He only fell off a cliff—that doesn't necessarily mean he died, right? He's so clever! How could he not have prepared in advance?"
After demonstrating her new ability, Celestial Spirit Dress, Lucy resumed her relentless nagging to Marco.
Her persistence seemed unwavering, as if she would keep at it until Marco changed his mind, driven by a strong sense of responsibility and mission.
"Who gave you this responsibility? Who assigned you this mission?"
Marco found it amusing and lightly tapped Lucy's head.
Her obsession was so intense that she'd even remind him of it if they traveled back in time—truly stubborn.
"I'm the vice-president of the Sherlock Holmes Fan Club of Fiore Kingdom!"
Lucy straightened her back, speaking with unwavering confidence.
She wasn't just representing herself; she was voicing the opinions of countless Holmes fans!
They wanted Marco to know that they weren't ready for Holmes's story to end so soon and so abruptly.
"You're only the vice-president?" Marco's surprise, however, lay elsewhere.
He hadn't expected Lucy to hold a secondary position.
Given her wealth and status, she should have been the president.
Who could possibly compete with her for that role?
"Hisui-senpai is the president."
Lucy pulled Hisui, who had been quietly staying out of the conversation, into the spotlight, much to Hisui's embarrassment.
"Huh? Hisui, you've been hiding this well." Marco's eyes widened in astonishment.
He knew Lucy was an avid fan of his books, but he had no idea Hisui was too—and even served as the fan club president.
This princess certainly knew how to keep secrets.
"Actually, I just enjoy reading Sherlock Holmes's stories. Even if it ends here, I'd only feel a bit regretful. This fan club was something Lucy dragged me into establishing." Hisui answered honestly.
She wasn't a fervent fan; her role in the club was largely nominal, meant to help the club gain a solid footing across the Fiore Kingdom.
This was a genuine "national fan club," not just in name.
"..."
Marco's lips twitched slightly.
With the princess of the Fiore Kingdom personally serving as the honorary head and the heiress of the Heartfilia conglomerate acting as deputy—effectively the operational leader—the prestige of this fan club spoke for itself.
This was undoubtedly the most elite fan organization in the entire Fiore Kingdom.
"The members here are all core fans. Below them, there are layers of smaller fan groups, all of which can be coordinated through this main club."
Lucy spoke with evident pride, clearly pleased with the fan club's success.
She had invested considerable effort into its development.
Of course, Lucy hadn't built this entirely on her own.
Her father had assigned staff to assist with management, allowing her to focus on her training.
The Heartfilia conglomerate's railway network played a significant role in establishing the fan club.
Events and activities naturally featured free travel, emphasizing convenience as a key perk.
"So, wanting Holmes to be revived isn't just my wish—it's the desire of every book fan across the Fiore Kingdom! We've conducted surveys, and 95% of fans hope Holmes will return to continue the story. The remaining 5%, while accepting the current ending, still find it regrettable and would be delighted if the story went on!" Lucy spoke eloquently, conveying the fans' demands.
The girl seemed to treat the fan club as a serious undertaking.
"Let's discuss it later. I need to rest for a while." Marco shook his head.
He genuinely intended to set aside his books, music, and other creative works for now.
With the year X784 drawing nearer, Marco's sense of urgency grew.
He needed to further enhance his strength to prepare for the impending crises.
From Marco's understanding, X784 marked the approximate starting point—or perhaps the ongoing progression—of the original storyline.
After all, the "return to the past" plotline couldn't reasonably occur before the main story began.
That wouldn't make sense.
Thus, X784 surely meant the plot was already unfolding, heralding numerous challenges ahead.
To confront those potential threats, Marco needed to focus.
He carried a psychological burden—what if his presence led to a worse outcome than the original?
Though Marco wasn't entirely clear on the original story's conclusion, he believed a truly good ending required zero casualties.
He couldn't accept any harm coming to his guildmates.
He had to grow stronger—strong enough to shield them from any crisis, to ensure no one could hurt his comrades.
Naturally, he couldn't explain these concerns to others.
So, he simply claimed he needed rest and time to dedicate to training, promising to continue Holmes's story when the opportunity arose.
"So... does that mean the story will actually have a sequel?"
Lucy widened her eyes, hopeful for Marco's response.
She had inferred as much from his earlier words.
"Yes, it will continue. You can tell them that—and take credit for it. Say it was your persuasion that convinced me to keep writing."
Marco smiled and nodded, then offered Lucy some advice.
With this achievement secured, Lucy's position within the fanbase would become unshakable, and she would even be remembered forever as a "hero."
"Th-this... this..."
Lucy's eyes widened, and she froze completely.
She naturally understood what this meant.
Of course, she didn't really care much about things like "status" or being a "hero."
What truly made her happy was that Sherlock's story could genuinely continue.
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