Chapter 291: So This Is the Real Erza
"Is she the type who chokes on the big stage?" Natsu stared at the stiffly moving Erza in disbelief. He couldn't imagine Erza failing at anything.
"Aye," Happy agreed.
"Stop joking around! Do something!" Lucy hissed urgently at Noah.
On stage, Erza's legs were shaking, her face flushed red. She stood frozen for several agonizing seconds before finally stammering out her line. "M-M-M-M-M-My name is F-Fre-Fre-Frederick...!"
Her voice stuttered, her limbs were rigid, and cold sweat poured down her face.
Following the plan, Noah cast a light spell on her, making her glow brilliantly to enhance her "heroic" aura.
"What is that?! Her acting is so stiff!" A heckler shouted from the audience.
But a fan immediately retorted, "No! She's just portraying the tension written in the script!"
"I... I... will..."
Erza jerkily drew the sword at her waist, lifting it in staccato motions as she continued to butcher her lines.
"Wrong! Wrong! You're saying that line way too early!" Lucy checked the script frantically, panicking.
"She's so nervous she hasn't taken a breath," Happy observed.
"Yeah. She forgot to breathe. Not good!" Noah agreed, concerned.
On stage, Erza's eyes were spinning, sweat dripping like rain.
"Ten... Swords..."
A magic circle appeared in front of her. Ten long-handled weapons emerged.
Among the various swords, Noah spotted a broom and even a toilet plunger.
The weapons turned and shot straight toward the audience.
Noah reacted instantly, casting light magic on the projectiles. They glowed brightly, trailing ribbons of light. He manipulated the light to steer the weapons, making them curve sharply just before hitting the audience and fly harmlessly toward the empty ceiling.
The audience gasped as the glowing weapons rushed at them, then cheered in relief and excitement as they veered away. Most had never experienced such a thrill.
"Whoa..."
"Oh my..."
Master Goldmine and Master Bob smiled.
"Watching a play is risking your life these days," Yajima commented dryly.
Makarov sat slack-jawed, stunned by the chaos.
"Wow!" Wendy and the girls covered their mouths, gasping.
"This is fun."
"I knew this would happen!"
Mirajane and Sorano commented, Sorano looking particularly excited. She had been looking forward to this ever since Mirajane told her about it, and the spectacle didn't disappoint.
"Erza is broken!" Happy cried, terrified by Erza's behavior.
"What do we do?" Gray asked Noah.
"I'll try something."
Noah cast a calming spell on Erza.
She relaxed for a split second, then immediately tensed up again, freezing back into a statue.
"No good. She's too nervous. A spell weak enough not to put her to sleep can't overcome her anxiety."
"W-We just have to improvise with what we have!" Lucy clenched her fists, determined to save the show.
"Is it my turn yet?" Natsu asked eagerly.
"Go away!" Lucy snapped at him.
Soon, Noah and the others were ready.
Erza was still frozen on stage. From above, Lucy descended, dressed in a princess gown with her hands tied behind her back, suspended in mid-air.
Spotlights and Noah's magic illuminated her, making her shine.
"Ahhh! Please save me, Prince Frederick! I have been captured by that dastardly Seinhart!"
Lucy delivered her lines with emotion, but the audience was confused.
"Um... who is that?"
"Who's Seinhart?"
"Our daughter is doing great!" Layla smiled at Jude, who nodded vigorously. Their daughter was definitely the best.
Then, Gray strode onto the stage, dressed in a blue tunic, white pants, and a red cape—a stark contrast to Erza's yellow tunic and green cape.
"My name is Julius! If you want the princess back, you'll have to defeat me!"
Gray stopped in front of Erza and shouted his challenge.
Noah added sparkling light effects around Gray to enhance his entrance.
"And who are you supposed to be?"
"What happened to Seinhart?"
"I don't get it at all."
The audience murmured in confusion.
"Du... Duel... Duel..."
Erza turned her head robotically, sweat pouring down her face, which was turning blue.
"Crap! She's at her limit!" Gray whispered frantically.
"Leave it to me."
Lucy whispered back. With her hands still tied behind her back, she managed to pull out a silver key. "Open, Gate of the Clock! Horologium!"
A puff of smoke, and Erza was suddenly inside the grandfather clock spirit, protected from the world.
"Duel, duel, duel, she says," Horologium narrated Erza's words from inside.
The audience was speechless.
"What are you doing, Lucy?" Gray hissed.
"But if Frederick collapses here, the story can't continue!" Lucy argued back.
"Perfect timing, Giant Clock! Let Prince Frederick rest for a moment!" Lucy shouted her improvised line.
Having rested inside Horologium for a moment, Erza finally caught her breath. She pushed open the glass door and stepped out, looking refreshed.
"Oxygen deprivation cured! Revival!" Erza declared loudly.
"OOOOHHH!"
Her fans in the audience cheered.
Seizing the opportunity, Noah cast a stronger stabilization spell on Erza, hoping it would help her last longer.
"Take this! Ice Blade!"
Gray clapped his hands to his side, creating an ice sword.
"Whoa!"
"Amazing!"
"How did he do that?"
The audience cheered again.
"That's nothing... I... I... h-have... have... ten... of them!"
Erza started strong, but the moment she glanced at the audience, her anxiety returned. Her face turned red, her voice hitched, and her movements became stiff again.
She raised her right hand mechanically, pointing her sword at Gray.
A magic circle appeared behind her, and nine identical swords floated into existence.
The ten swords shot toward Gray, embedding themselves in the floor all around him.
"Yikes! Help!"
Gray turned and fled backstage in a panic.
"I don't get the plot, but that guy is weak!"
"Don't run away!"
The audience booed and jeered.
Next, Erza stiffly cut the rope suspending Lucy, lowering her to the ground.
Seeing Erza moving a bit better, Noah sighed in relief. The spell and some acclimatization seemed to be helping.
But his relief was short-lived.
"Prince Frederick! Thank you so much for saving me!"
Freed, Lucy thanked Erza emotionally and curtsied.
Erza listened, then suddenly dropped to one knee before Lucy. She placed her left hand over her heart and extended her right hand toward the princess.
"Princess... Y-Yanderica... Let's have lots of babies! Thirty or so!"
Hearing the line, Noah facepalmed. He couldn't watch.
"Too fast!"
"And I still don't understand the plot!"
The audience shouted.
"This play is certainly... interesting," Yajima chuckled from the VIP seats.
"I just hope nothing else goes wrong," Makarov smiled bitterly. He enjoyed the comedy, but he dreaded the potential for disaster.
"So that's what Erza was thinking. Thirty kids," Mirajane giggled.
"Impossible. There's no way she can have thirty kids. Does she think she's a pig?" Sorano shook her head vigorously. Ultear nodded in agreement.
Wendy and the younger girls shrank into their seats, blushing furiously and staying silent.
"This brief peace ends now-de-gozaru!"
Gray marched back onto the stage.
"Julius is back!"
"What's with the 'de-gozaru'?"
The audience didn't hold back their tsukkomis.
"It's too early to celebrate! Come forth! My faithful dragon servant!"
Gray waved his arm dramatically.
The background scenery shook and parted. Natsu, wearing a fluffy dragon mascot costume, floated out, suspended by Happy flying above him.
"Finally! My turn!"
Natsu, hanging in the air, spewed fire from his mouth, sweeping the flames back and forth.
Backstage, Noah synchronized with Natsu, releasing a wave of his magic pressure.
An intense, heavy atmosphere instantly filled the theater, pressing down on the audience.
~~~
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