In a small wooden pavilion covered with thick leafy branches, not far from the village guest rooms...
"By the way, Brother Chase," Lucy asked, curling up on a stool and shrinking into her coat to avoid the purple moonlight shining overhead, "you're way faster than us, right? So why are you only arriving now?"
Ever since hearing the villagers' story, Lucy had been terrified of being cursed and turned into a demon, so she was doing everything she could to avoid direct contact with the moonlight.
In contrast, Chase who already understood the real cause behind the curse sat lazily on the edge of the pavilion, letting the eerie moonlight wash over him without a care in the world.
"Well... it's kind of a long story," he said casually. "On the way here, I happened to run into some pirates. So, I took a little detour to do a good deed."
"Eh? Really?" Lucy blinked. "It's not that I doubt your character, Chess-kun! It's just…"
She paused, then squinted at him suspiciously. "We took the same route, right? Same starting point, same destination. So how come we didn't see any pirates or even a single merchant ship?"
"Lucy."
Chase suddenly looked up and locked eyes with her, his expression uncharacteristically serious.
"W-What? What is it?" Lucy stammered, growing nervous under his intense gaze.
"The moonlight is beautiful tonight," he said solemnly.
"I knew you were just trying to change the subject! And what's beautiful about this creepy, cursed-looking moonlight anyway?!"
The Dark Magician Girl sitting beside him couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle at her master's antics.
After venting her frustration, Lucy glanced over at Chase and the Dark Magician Girl, both of whom were still casually basking in the purple moonlight. Her expression shifted to worry.
"Brother Chase, seriously, come sit inside! If you keep sitting there, you might get cursed!"
"I've already spoken to the village chief about it," Chase said with a light smile. "If my guess is right, the moonlight shouldn't affect us."
He put a little emphasis on the word us.
To be safe, before arriving at the village, he had visited the Moon Temple at the island's center and secretly observed the Moon Drop ritual preparations.
From Emperor Zero's former disciple Leon, Gray's senior brother he learned that the Moon Drop ritual would be completed tomorrow.
So there was no need to rush.
"It's way too risky to just make assumptions like that!"
Lucy, missing the subtle clue in his words, puffed up angrily.
"Lucy, don't underestimate the judgment of an S-Class wizard," the Dark Magician Girl said, crossing her arms with a confident little smirk.
The Dark Magician Girl was even bolder than Chase. She stepped out into the open clearing just beyond the pavilion, tilted her head up, and opened her large, sparkling eyes to gaze at the violet moon hanging in the night sky.
"Isn't the moon just beautiful~?" she said sweetly.
"W-Wait! Even you're doing this now?!" Lucy exclaimed in panic. "No matter how you look at it, this is way too dangerous!"
Just as she tried to stop them, Chase smoothly changed the subject with a smile. "By the way, Lucy, what are you, Natsu, Gray, and the others planning to do tomorrow?"
"Oh, we're going to head to another part of the islan wait! No! I can't tell you that!"
Halfway through her sentence, Lucy suddenly clamped her hands over her mouth, realizing she was about to spill the plan.
Chase let out an exaggerated sigh. "Ah... my adorable little sister has already teamed up with those two blockheads so quickly."
"That's because !"
Lucy raised her head abruptly, then dropped her gaze again. She grasped the sides of her skirt with both hands, her voice turning small and unsure.
"Because I want to try... to see if I can complete the commission myself."
"On the way to Karuna Island, I couldn't stop thinking about it..."
Of course, deep down she knew that the mission was beyond what she could handle. But things had come this far, and all she could do now was press forward.
Not just Brother Chase, or Erza, or Mira every single member of Fairy Tail was strong in their own way.
And when surrounded by such powerful companions, it was only natural that even a rookie like her would want to grow stronger too.
"I get it."
Chase looked at her and smiled, giving her a big thumbs-up. "Then go all out!"
"Yeah! I'll do my best!" Lucy's eyes lit up with energy. The gloom that had clouded her expression was swept away, and a bright smile bloomed on her face as she nodded enthusiastically.
"But first, you need to rest and recover," Chase added, rising to his feet and giving a stretch. "After traveling all day, even I'm starting to feel a bit sleepy."
He called out to the Dark Magician Girl and the two of them turned and began walking toward the guest room arranged for them.
Lucy also stood up and took one step then froze mid-motion as a terrible realization struck her.
Wait a second. There's only one guest room… which means...
After the exhibitionist... and the fire-breathing lunatic... now there's another one coming to crash here?!
Forget sleeping tonight!!!
Lucy's mind went blank as her knees buckled and she collapsed in a dramatic daze.
"Hey, Lucy? You need anything else?" Chase's voice drifted casually back.
The Dark Magician Girl, walking just behind Chase, suddenly turned and gave Lucy a puzzled look.
Oh at least the Dark Magician Girl is here! She can keep me company!
I'm not alone after all!
Like a dead tree springing back to life, Lucy's eyes lit up with hope again.
"No, no, hey, Dark Magician Girl, why don't we sleep together tonight?" she asked eagerly.
Hearing this, the Dark Magician Girl tilted her head, frowning in confusion.
"I mean, I'd love to sleep next to Lucy… but staying in the real world would drain Master's magic energy for no reason."
Lucy: "…"
Snap! The light in her eyes went out again.
"Lucy," Chase said seriously, pointing at the guest room, "a girl should know how to be more reserved. How could you possibly sleep in the same room with two perverted monsters?"
"Do you think this is what I wanted?!" Lucy exploded, her voice rising in outrage. "And for the record, it's not two anymore it's three!"
"If we're counting Happy… I'm not sure he qualifies," Chase replied thoughtfully.
"It's YOU I'm talking about!!"
"…I didn't expect you to think of me that way," Chase replied, half-sighing. "I was just considering whether I should use a card's effect to summon a private room for you."
Lucy's eyes instantly lit up again. Her expression flipped in an instant as she ran over and clung to Chase's arm with exaggerated affection.
"Brother Chase, you're the best~" she cooed shamelessly.
Chase chuckled and shook his head, helpless but indulgent. With a flick of his fingers, a magic card formed at his fingertips, and a glowing summoning circle lit up on the ground.
Under Lucy's eager gaze, beams of white light twisted and wove together, forming a luxurious structure made of rare enchanted wood, adorned with hexagonal gems
A coffin.
"This is the Black Demon Clan's resurrection coffin," Chase said proudly. "It's actually quite comfortable inside. Lying in it restores a bit of magic power too."
Lucy: "…I shouldn't have had any expectations for you, Chess-kun."
After two and a half seconds of stunned silence, she pointed dramatically at the coffin and shouted, "What the heck is this supposed to be?!"
"I might as well summon Horologium myself!!"
The good news? Even though her last spark of hope had flickered out, Chase was kind enough to include a light inside the coffin.
The bad news? The light… wasn't nearly enough.
As Lucy stared at the ominous coffin, which looked even creepier under the glow of the purple moon, she suddenly realized...
Sleeping in the same room as a bunch of monsters... might not be so bad after all.
"Haha, that's the reaction I was expecting," Chase laughed.
This time, however, the Dark Magician Girl didn't take his side. Puffing out her cheeks in disapproval, she marched over, pulled Lucy to her side, placed her hands on her hips, and scolded him.
"Master, stop teasing Lucy already!"
"Just put her in the deck!"
Even though staying in the real world drained Chase's magic power, Lucy could be safely stored inside a card just like how Chase had previously imprisoned the pirate Clooney using card magic.
"Huh? In Chase's deck?" Lucy blinked in surprise.
"Ahem, well… what the Dark Magician Girl said is technically correct," Chase replied, clearing his throat. The smile vanished from his face as he pulled out a blank card.
"So, what do you say, Lucy? Want to come in?"
Lucy hesitated at first, then looked at the adorable Dark Magician Girl beside her. Her heart settled, and she nodded eagerly.
Despite all her complaints, Lucy trusted Brother Chase 100%.
"Goodnight, then, Lucy."
"Goodnight, Chase."
With those parting words, a warm light flared from the magic circle, and Lucy stepped into it alongside the Dark Magician Girl, vanishing into the deck.
"Alright, time to get some rest myself."
Chase dusted off his hands and walked into the temporary guest room. After glancing at the already-snoring Natsu and Gray, he lay down comfortably right in the center on the spot Lucy had originally been using.
"Strange. Something feels... off."
He looked around the room, thinking for a moment, then reached over and yanked Happy curled up in the corner and used him as a pillow.
"Yeah, this feels right."
At the same time…
Lucy, now inside the deck's card space, no longer felt sleepy. She stood in awe, curiously examining the magical realm where the Dark Magician Girl "lived."
The room was spacious and beautifully decorated in soft pink tones with a distinct girlish charm. Plush toys were piled up in every corner, nearly all of them themed after card monsters.
There were Winged Kuribohs, Fluffals, Dragonmaid Lorpar, and more.
But the most eye-catching thing in the entire space was the towering bookshelf taller than two people stacked on top of each other. Each shelf was lined with thick, mysterious magic tomes, neatly arranged in rows.
"These symbols… I can't understand a single one. They all look so complicated..." Lucy murmured, overwhelmed.
"Those are just the basics," the Dark Magician Girl said proudly. "The books at Master's place are ten times more advanced than these!"
The Dark Magician Girl casually picked up a magic book and flipped it open. Immediately, rows upon rows of densely packed, mysterious runes shimmered on the pages.
"Mr. Dark Magician and the others really are incredible," Lucy murmured, stunned.
"Of course~ Only by becoming stronger can we serve our Master better!" the Dark Magician Girl chimed with a cheerful wink.
Lucy: "…"
Watching someone as strong and elegant as the Dark Magician Girl studying so diligently made Lucy feel like a total slacker by comparison.
"Anyway, let's not talk about this now," the Dark Magician Girl said, setting the book aside. "If you don't get some sleep, you won't have any energy for tomorrow!"
Since they were both girls, the Dark Magician Girl had no reservations. Without hesitation, she removed her magical robe and equipment right in front of Lucy.
Lucy instantly flushed red. What a figure!
And so, the two blonde girls laid down side-by-side on the large pink bed in that dreamy card space, chatting about everything from magic to funny guild moments until they both drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
The next morning.
"Oh no! Something terrible has happened!!"
"Wake up! Gray, wake up right now!"
Natsu was shaking Gray violently, his voice full of panic.
"Fireball, you idiot what the hell are you screaming about this early?" Gray grumbled, rubbing his eyes groggily.
As he came to, he noticed something strange and sat up.
Natsu didn't argue like usual. Instead, he held his head in his hands, looking completely horrified.
"Lucy... Lucy got cursed by the moon! She's turned into a full-on demon!!"
Gray, still half-asleep, raised a hand to wipe the crust from his eyes, and looked toward the floor where Chase was sleeping soundly.
"Oh. It was just a dream."
Thump.
He fell back onto the pillow.
Two seconds later, his eyes shot wide open as he sat bolt upright. "Wait a second how did Lucy become Chase?!"
"It's the curse!" Natsu shouted with full confidence. "There's no other explanation! It's the curse on this island!!"
"Ugh~ Why does my back feel sore after that nap?"
Happy floated lazily in midair, yawning and stretching his little limbs.
Chase, meanwhile, was stirred awake by the commotion. He rubbed his eyes and gave them a relaxed smile.
"Morning, Nazgre. Morning, Happy."
He sounded just like Lucy.
Not just the voice even his tone and expressions were exactly the same!
Natsu and Gray locked eyes.
At the same time, both of them remembered the terrifying rumors they'd heard yesterday about Karuna Island.
A chill ran down their spines.
The next thing they knew, they were clutching each other in fear.
Compared to turning into some hideous (or debatably handsome) demon
Lucy turning into Chase was a hundred times more terrifying!!
Scene shift.
"I seriously don't know what's going on in your heads. How could I possibly turn into Brother Chase?"
Lucy had exited the card space and was now standing with one hand on her forehead, looking completely done with everything.
"Luuuv~Lucy, I think I slept weird and got a stiff neck. Can you give me a shoulder massage?" Happy floated down and plopped himself onto her shoulder.
"No time."
Lucy rejected him coldly. "We're not here for a vacation. We're supposed to explore the island today!"
Hearing that, Natsu suddenly remembered the commission and more importantly, his personal race with Chase.
"Ahhh! That smug jerk Chase is gonna beat us there!!"
Without a plan or second thought, Natsu bolted out of the room like a rocket and disappeared down the village path in the blink of an eye.
"He's a muscle-headed idiot with the attention span of a toddler," Gray muttered, watching him go. "And no matter how impatient he is, he always insists on stripping first."
Even as he spoke, Gray's shirt hit the ground with a soft flop.
Now down to just a pair of shorts, he dashed after Natsu.
Lucy clutched her head. "The only difference between you and him is that you take the time to strip!"
"If we don't hurry, we really won't be able to find them again," Chase said with a relaxed tone, watching the chaos unfold.
"You're right!" Lucy groaned and sighed deeply.
She had promised herself last night that she would take this commission seriously so there was no turning back now.
With that in mind, she quickly stashed her Celestial Spirit Keys, scooped up the tired Happy, and kicked off the ground at full speed, sprinting after Nazgre and the other half-naked man with all the power she could muster.
And just like that, the noisy little house finally quieted down.
"Well, since I'm free now, I might as well go visit the village chief and ask if he's got any tea," Chase yawned and stretched.
Though he already knew everything about what was happening on Karuna Island, he had no intention of joining the others on their little adventure.
Aside from the fact that they were technically "rivals" in this race, the Moon Drop ritual's magic circle would only activate at night. There was no real benefit to rushing over there during the day.
All he had to do now was wait patiently.
"A renowned Ice Mage from the northern continent… Her power was said to rival the Ten Wizard Saints…"
"Ulu Milkovich…"
Chase murmured softly to himself.
In his mind's eye, he saw a familiar and heart-wrenching memory Ulu standing protectively in front of Gray, giving her life to seal away the demon Deliora.
"I'll seal away the darkness in your heart."
That single line had once moved countless viewers to tears.
And now, the chance to change that regret… was right in front of him.
With that thought, a shadow flickered at his fingertips a cross-shaped magic card glowing faintly before vanishing.
Chase turned and slowly strolled out of the house, heading off to enjoy a relaxed cup of tea with the village chief.
Meanwhile…
Natsu and the others had already left the village and ventured deep into the forest, where strange, unfamiliar plants grew in dense clusters. The terrain was wild, the air heavy with magic.
They had begun their investigation into the origin of the moonlight curse.
Despite a number of minor setbacks and chaotic detours mostly caused by Natsu being Natsu the group eventually made their way, after much effort, to the Moon Temple located in the center of Karuna Island.
But thanks to another one of Natsu's brilliant ideas, they ended up falling into a hidden chamber beneath the temple.
A cold, suffocating darkness enveloped the space.
At the far end of the underground hall stood a massive ice sculpture transparent and crystal clear, exuding an unnatural chill.
"H-Hey... this has to be a joke, right?" Gray's voice trembled. His entire body was shaking as he stared at the frozen figure before him.
His breath caught in his throat. His memories surged like a wave, crashing into him all at once.
The demon Deliora… sealed in ice.
"This demon should still be frozen…"
"Why… why are you here? Why in a place like this?!"
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