"Ahaha. Ahahaha…"
Lucy's smile froze as soon as she heard Chase's introduction and instantly darkened inside.
"That guy?" "Unreasonably weak?" Who even introduces their friend like that?
And to top it off, "acts stupidly?"
How could anyone say that with a straight face?!
Even worse… she had no way to refute it.
Brother Chess, I get that you were trying to lighten the mood, but do you have to sound so smug while doing it?!
While silently grumbling, Lucy watched as the Dark Magician slowly lowered his arms and took a few steps forward.
He stopped a few feet from her and offered a curt, polite nod.
"Hello, I'm the Dark Mage."
"Ah hello, I'm Lucy."
Lucy's lips twitched, forcing a stiff smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
So short… That was so short!
It instantly became clear this was not someone she was going to be able to deal with easily.
Still, she tried to keep her composure.
"I just heard from my master," the Dark Magician said, his voice calm and analytical, "that the magic you use allows you to summon celestial spirits from another world, correct?"
Lucy blinked in surprise, then nodded slowly.
"For summoning magic systems, it's not much different from the master's," he continued. "The user's magic capacity is the most vital foundation. But aside from that, several other factors also come into play your physical endurance, the speed at which you open the gate, your combat cooperation with the summoned spirit... they all directly affect your ability to control the battlefield."
As he spoke, the Dark Magician thoughtfully placed a hand under his chin.
Then he looked directly into Lucy's eyes, his gaze intense and unwavering.
"Would you allow me to see your Celestial Spirit Magic in action?"
"Huh?!"
Lucy froze in place, completely caught off guard.
So sudden…?!
Just moments ago, she'd been mentally preparing some light conversation to ease that overwhelming sense of distance between them. But as it turns out…
There is no such thing as "distance" when it comes to this guy!
All her overthinking had been completely unnecessary!
"Y-Yes! Mr. Dark Magician!"
She nodded with a determined expression, her voice firm.
The sheer weight of the atmosphere made Lucy unconsciously straighten her back, and before she knew it, she'd already used an honorific when addressing the Dark Magician.
But when she lowered her gaze to the ring of keys at her waist, her brows furrowed in hesitation.
Who should I summon...?
Barusu? No, bad idea. The moment he sees the staff in the Dark Magician's hand, he'll definitely say something wildly inappropriate.
Taurus?
Absolutely not. That shameless cow would only embarrass her further with his "muscles" and flirtation.
Plue?
As cute as he is… he was more of a mascot than a show of power. If she summoned him now, they'd think she was joking.
Aquarius?
A vivid image of the water spirit's terrifying glare flashed through Lucy's mind like someone going through a magical version of menopause.
Yeah, no. That's definitely not a good idea either.
Lucy crumpled the mental image of each one like tearing paper, tossing them all away.
Then suddenly ding! Her eyes lit up. She knew exactly who to summon.
"Open, Gate of the Clock Constellation Horologium!"
The silver key twirled expertly between her fingers, and a glowing magic circle formed beneath her.
With a shimmer of light, the tall, boxy figure of a clock-like man emerged with a distinct ding-dong chime.
He had long black limbs, a towering clock face for a body, and a formal, calm air about him.
Horologium? Chase raised an eyebrow with curiosity.
Although a silver key, Horologium had always been ranked among the most useful Celestial Spirits thanks to his unusual ability total damage immunity while his summoner hid inside him.
But Chase guessed that Lucy hadn't chosen him for his defensive power.
Rather, it was probably because Horologium was a veteran spirit, known for his encyclopedic knowledge and calm demeanor.
In short, someone who wouldn't embarrass her in front of the Dark Magician.
"Miss Lucy, it is now 8:36 PM," Horologium reported in a deep voice, his clock hands swaying gently as he delivered the time.
"Horologium, I didn't summon you just to announce the time."
Lucy flailed her hands in front of her chest, signaling for the overly serious clock spirit to read the room.
"Oh, apologies. In the Kiltina Continent, it is now 7:00 PM~" Horologium added helpfully.
Lucy's eye twitched. …Why is this so embarrassing?
Eventually, after a few awkward beats, Horologium seemed to grasp the situation. He turned and gave a formal nod toward Chase and the others.
"My greetings. This is our first meeting."
The Dark Magician immediately switched gears, stepping forward with scholarly curiosity. He began asking Horologium about the inner workings of Celestial Magic, delving deep into the mechanics of the summoning system. Lucy was asked to perform a few demonstrations of her magic, which she did with increasing nervousness.
After analyzing the results with a sharp eye, the Dark Magician returned to his seat. Without hesitation, he outlined a personalized training plan, one tailored specifically to Lucy's strengths and weaknesses.
He was concise, efficient, and entirely businesslike.
Magic capacity has always been Lucy's greatest limitation, Chase thought, watching from the side. But if she can improve it even without unlocking her second magic source she might just be able to wield the legendary Celestial Spell: Star Map Chronicle.
And maybe, just maybe… those Star Dresses, which let her channel the power of constellations directly… could appear early in this timeline.
The thought made Chase grin with genuine excitement.
"Ah! There it is again Chess's creepy smile!"
Now that the Dark Magician had finally left, Lucy let her guard down just enough to spot Chase's expression. Alarm bells rang in her head.
I know you two are trying to help me, but why do I feel like I'm being set up for something ridiculous?
"Phew! Finally, Master's gone."
The Dark Magician Girl, who had been sitting upright like a proper lady the entire time, immediately melted into the sofa like a pink puddle. Her graceful aura collapsed, replaced by utter exhaustion.
Lucy couldn't help but be moved by the sight. Her guard lowered again, and this time she didn't even try to resist as she slumped beside her on the couch.
Well… Chess-brother wouldn't actually hurt me. Worst case, he'd just knock me flying during a sparring session~
Despite the chaos, there was something warm and trustworthy about him.
"By the way," Lucy suddenly remembered, eyes widening as she turned to Chase, "the Lalabai we fought back in Kulobala Town wasn't he a demon from the Book of Zeref?"
She paused for a second, then gasped as a wild thought crossed her mind.
"Wait… Could it be that Mr. Dark Magician is also ?!"
"Don't overthink it," Chase said, casually lifting the teacup to his lips. "There's no connection between them. None at all."
Honestly, it wasn't Lucy's fault for jumping to conclusions. Even Chase who had the advantage of being a time traveler found the resemblance uncanny.
Not only were their names and titles eerily similar, but both had lived unnaturally long lives, and each specialized in "black magic," the kind of dangerous sorcery that could claim a person's life in an instant.
Now that I think about it… Chase mused, I wonder if the Dark Magician could break Zeref's immortality curse from the god Ankhseram?
He'd actually posed this question to the Dark Magician once before. But without ever having seen Zeref's curse firsthand, the Dark Magician couldn't offer a definitive answer.
"I was pretty surprised when I first heard that name too," the Dark Magician Girl added, resting her cheek on the coffee table. She lazily spun a teacup between her fingers, her innocent demeanor making her look adorably carefree.
"I see…" Lucy exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders beginning to ease.
But before she could fully relax, Chase suddenly spoke again.
"By the way, Lucy. There's something I've been meaning to ask you ever since we first met."
Lucy's eyes narrowed instantly. "Forget it! I'm not telling you my measurements!"
Chase nearly spat out his tea. "I already told you I'm not interested in that kind of thing."
He set the teacup down with deliberate calm, his expression shifting from playful to serious. Hands open, demeanor focused, he looked Lucy squarely in the eyes.
The change in tone sent a small ripple of nerves through her chest. Chase didn't often act this serious unless something truly important was on his mind.
Sure enough, the next words out of his mouth hit like a bolt of lightning.
"I think I saw you once two years ago. During a commission to protect a corporate event."
His gaze deepened, and his voice dropped.
"You're the eldest daughter of the Heartfilia Konzern… one of the most powerful business families in the entire Fiore Kingdom."
"You're Lucy Heartfilia, aren't you?"
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