At night, the city's river shimmered under the soft light of the stars and moon.
Lucy walked home alone, having left the noisy guild behind. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of the water.
On the stone fence lining the riverside, Pruze tiptoed along with shaky, wobbly steps that looked like he might tumble off at any second. But in reality, he was steady as ever just had a flair for the dramatic.
"Hey, lovely lady! Walk safe out there!" one of the fishermen, packing up after a long day by the river, called out cheerfully.
Lucy smiled back at him and waved, then lowered her head and continued walking, her mind tangled in today's events.
"Laxus is just impossible to get close to… He's even more intimidating than Natsu and Gray," she muttered to herself.
"And the strongest female wizard that Natsu kept mentioning… she's a terrifying monster who can smash two mountains with a single swing of her arm. Just thinking about it gives me chills."
"Even Mira, who's always so kind and gentle… she has that demon form. That was way too scary…"
"The S-Class wizards in this guild are seriously insane…"
She sighed, but then paused.
"Wait. When I think about it… isn't Chase kind of the better type?!"
She stopped walking for a moment, eyes blinking in surprise at her own thought.
Compared to Laxus's lightning-charged rage or Erza's overwhelming aura, Chase despite his reputation as the 'guild destroyer' suddenly didn't seem quite so bad.
He's actually…
"Relatively approachable…?"
She thought back on everything.
"Sure, he says stuff that stings a little… okay, a lot. And when he explodes, his power's so intense it feels like your soul might get vaporized. And he loves stirring up trouble like it's a hobby…"
Lucy's pace slowed as she sighed again only this time, with a smile on her face.
"But he's still nicer than I thought."
She remembered how he stood up for her against Laxus, not backing down an inch. And how he helped repay that debt to Ina without batting an eye.
Maybe, just maybe… Chase wasn't as dangerous as he looked. Or at least, his danger came with a strange kind of reliability.
"Good evening, Lucy."
"Waaahh!!"
Startled by the sudden voice behind her, Lucy jumped into the air like a frightened cat and spun around only to find Chase standing there under a lamppost, hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face.
She clutched her chest. "You scared me half to death! Don't just sneak up on people like that!"
Chase raised an eyebrow. "I called out to you twice. You were just too deep in thought."
Lucy blushed. "Th-that's because I was thinking about"
She caught herself just in time.
"No, wait! Why are you here? Don't tell me you were following me?"
Chase shrugged. "Relax. Mira asked me to walk you back since it's late. Said something about 'protecting our cute newcomer from Magnolia's night creeps.' I didn't want to argue."
Lucy tilted her head. "So you're… my escort for the night?"
"Think of it as a temporary bodyguard service. Free of charge."
The two walked in silence for a bit. The wind gently rustled the trees, and the streetlamps cast a warm glow over the path.
"…Thanks for earlier," Lucy finally said.
Chase glanced at her. "For what?"
"For standing up to Laxus… for paying Ina back… for being surprisingly reliable, I guess."
He didn't respond immediately. Then he grinned.
"Don't go spreading that around. I've got a dangerous image to maintain."
Lucy giggled. "Too late. You already seem a little less scary now."
The wind blew again, and under the starlit sky, the two continued walking side by side.
Even in a guild as wild as Fairy Tail… some nights were just quietly, wonderfully peaceful.
Lucy stared at Chase's back, remembering the moment he stepped in front of her to face Laxus.
"…But Brother Chase really is gentle after all."
She said it softly, mostly to herself, but the warmth in her voice was unmistakable.
As a girl who had grown up in a cold and lonely mansion, she had never experienced the feeling of being protected not like this. For the first time, she felt that unshakable sense of safety, of someone standing between her and danger without hesitation.
That was exactly why she had been drawn to Fairy Tail in the first place.
When she was younger, it was a bunny-eared girl with the Fairy Tail mark on the back of her hand who pulled her out of the path of a runaway carriage. That moment so brief, yet so full of light had changed everything.
She'd never forgotten it.
And now, it was happening again.
"The landlady was right," Lucy murmured, smiling as she looked up at the stars. "When you're in trouble, being with Brother Chase really is the safest place to be."
The warmth in her chest grew until she felt like she might float.
But then, her thoughts turned mischievous.
"I heard so many interesting things today…"
"The dark guild leader who fled into the sea, the legendary Eighteen Evil Gods, Mira and Lisanna's past, and even the master of the Dark Magician Girl…"
As the flood of memories hit her, Lucy's expression brightened. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
"I need to write all of this down!"
She picked up the pace, practically skipping now.
Behind her, Prue was forced to frantically swing his tiny legs to keep up, wobbling along the riverside path like a fuzzy rocket.
When Lucy finally reached her apartment, she pulled out her key and opened the door, humming cheerfully.
"It'll be so nice to take a hot bath… then curl up with my notebook and work on my novel…"
The door creaked open.
Light from the hallway spilled inside, revealing
"…Huh?"
Lucy froze.
Her entire body locked in place.
Her pupils shrank.
Inside the room her room was a crowd.
Poker cards scattered across the floor. A robe draped over her chair. Someone's leg dangling off her bed. Another person snoring on the couch.
Her rented apartment, meant for one person, looked like the site of an afterparty from the Fairy Tail guild.
"Wha…"
Her face twitched. And then
"PFFFFTTT!! WHY ARE THERE SO MANY PEOPLE IN MY ROOM?!!"
Blood shot from her mouth like a geyser. Prue screamed as he ducked for cover. Welcome home, Lucy.
Hearing the outburst, Chase looked up calmly from the coffee table, sipping his tea.
"Yo, Lucy. You're back," he said, as if he lived there.
Across from him, the Dark Magician Girl beamed and waved cheerfully. "Good evening, Lucy!"
"Lucy," Natsu muttered from the floor, crouched in the corner with Happy over a bowl, "you're outta snacks. Next time you shop, remember to buy fuel."
"Love!" Happy chimed in without missing a beat, his face stuffed with fish. "The ones in your fridge were tiny! Not enough for one sitting!"
Lucy stood at the doorway trembling.
"Who the heck buys fuel as a snack?! And that fish that was my dinner, you damn cat!"
She exploded in righteous fury, her voice echoing across the walls.
Then, after a deep breath, she trudged into the room with the weight of resignation clinging to her shoulders.
"…Why are you two here, Chess-kun? And the Dark Magician Girl too?"
Chase, still perfectly composed, offered her a warm smile and a steaming cup of tea. "Here. Freshly brewed."
"…Thank you," Lucy muttered, accepting the cup with both hands.
Then, as she turned her head away to take a sip, two tears silently rolled down her cheeks.
Why do I feel like I'm a guest in my own home?
"Haha, sorry for the intrusion," Chase said casually. "My house is still being repaired. You know door, ceiling, whole thing fell apart. So I figured I'd come chill here until the workers are done."
This is so backwards… Lucy's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
She took a deep breath, set the tea down, and placed her hands firmly on her hips.
With an expression of mock righteousness, she declared, "This is clearly illegal trespassing! I can call the Magic Police and have all of you arrested!"
Granted, if she were being honest, she didn't really mind Chess-kun and the Dark Magician Girl being here. She… actually liked having them around.
But still.
Still!
What kind of guest boils water and brews tea before the host even arrives home?
Lucy suddenly felt that all the warmth and happiness she'd been carrying home poof might've been better left on the street.
Why did I get my hopes up?
"Speaking of breaking and entering..." Chase took another sip of tea, his tone completely unbothered. "Didn't you do exactly that to my house the other night? Pretty sure you smashed my door, caved in my ceiling, and left me homeless."
He let out a sigh as if he were the victim here. "And I didn't even hold a grudge… just quietly came here and imposed on you instead."
Lucy's eyes widened as guilt crept up her spine. Wait… that did happen.
"Oh no oh no! I'm so sorry!!"
In an instant, she dropped to her knees, bowed with both hands on the floor, and shouted, "I'M REALLY SORRY!" like a repentant citizen trying to flag down a taxi.
From the corner, Natsu leaned toward Happy and whispered (loudly enough for everyone to hear), "Man, Lucy's really easy to fool. You were the one who kicked the door in, and Chase broke the ceiling himself."
Happy chuckled wickedly. "Hey Natsu, we should totally prank her again sometime. It'd be hilarious."
"Love~!"
Lucy slowly lifted her head, her bangs shadowing her eyes. "…I heard everything."
Then she spun around and roared, "Damn cat! Stop digging in the fridge! Your disgusting little claws are scratching the door!"
Happy, now halfway into the fridge like a raccoon, peeked out and replied innocently, "But it looks so tasty in here, Princess. Can I have one too?"
"Huh?"
Lucy froze. That voice wasn't Happy's.
A cold shiver ran down her spine.
She turned to her side and saw hovering next to her, completely unnoticed until now a shadowy figure with a long tongue and a large round eye, grinning from ear to ear.
"B-Baluge?!"
The creepy, ghost-like monster cheerfully wobbled in the air, as if crashing her house was the most natural thing in the world.
Lucy spun around to see a purple-haired maid in a frilly uniform, her wrists bound by chains and cuffs, standing at attention like a soldier awaiting orders except with a strangely eager gleam in her eyes.
And that gleam… it wasn't normal.
"Let's not even talk about how you could tell the refrigerator looks enjoyable..." Lucy snapped, her forehead twitching. "More importantly where did you even come from?!"
Chase, still lazily reclined on the couch, narrowed his eyes slightly at the sudden intruder. His gaze locked onto the maid who called herself Baluge.
He'd been keeping an eye out ever since Lucy mentioned getting the Virgo Key at the guild. According to the original timeline, Happy was supposed to hand it over after a lot more drama.
But now?
Was this another butterfly effect from me transmigrating?
"Hey! Maluge!" Natsu grinned, waving enthusiastically like he was greeting an old drinking buddy.
"It's Baluge," she corrected flatly, her expression deadpan.
The Dark Magician Girl blinked and tilted her head. "Lucy, who's this girl?"
Before Lucy could explain, Baluge stepped forward solemnly, placed a hand on her chest, and introduced herself in a disturbingly formal tone:"Hello. I am the Princess's exclusive… tool… for venting her anger."
The room fell silent for one awkward beat.
Then
"W-Wha....?!" the Dark Magician Girl's eyes shot wide open, and she took a slow step away from Lucy. Her face was a perfect mix of shock and horror, as if she'd just discovered Lucy had a secret dungeon full of whips and manacles.
She stared at Lucy with deep suspicion: I didn't know you were into this kind of thing…
"NO!!" Lucy waved her arms wildly. "It's not what it sounds like!! That's just how she talks!"
Baluge nodded blankly. "I am ready to be punished at any time, Princess."
"Stooop talking like that!!"
"No!!"
Lucy's shriek echoed through the room as she flailed her arms defensively.
Seeing the way the Dark Magician Girl and even Chase were looking at her, she panicked and quickly stepped forward to clarify, "She's not what you think! I just signed a Celestial Spirit contract with her she's Virgo! Her name is Baluge!"
The maid curtsied slightly. "I serve the Princess."
"And this," Lucy pointed with urgency, trying to change the subject fast, "is the Dark Magician Girl, and sitting next to her is the card magician Chase--er, Chess!"
"They're kind of like me and Baluge," she tried to explain. "The Dark Magician Girl is one of Chess's card monsters like how I summon Celestial Spirits."
Baluge raised a thoughtful hand to her chin and nodded solemnly. "I see. So it's a master-and-servant dynamic. Is that magical outfit of hers also a form of… uniform?"
Lucy facepalmed with a sigh. "Are you sure you understand what's going on?"
Her question went unanswered.
The Dark Magician Girl giggled. "Well, Master and I do share a very close relationship."
"Owner!" Baluge's eyes lit up like twin stars. Her voice trembled with glee, and she looked at Lucy with hopeful admiration, almost drooling.
Lucy slumped into the nearest chair, too emotionally drained to keep up. "I give up…"
She plopped down across from Chase and the Dark Magician Girl with all the grace of a worn-out potato sack.
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