Layla naturally did not object to Soludio's request, so he was the first to leave the Heartfilia estate.
Spite, who had been living at the Heartfilia home serving Layla, formally ended her contract with Cancer in the early morning and returned the key to Layla.
Grame also terminated her contract with Aquarius and handed the key back to Layla.
When Brandish learned from her mother that she would be separated from Aquarius, she burst into tears, crying uncontrollably.
She truly did not want to part from Aquarius. Back home on the Western Continent, she was often alone with her mother. There were no other children her age, and Aquarius had been her only playmate. The time she spent with her made her feel happy and fulfilled.
Clinging to her mother's legs, Brandish sobbed loudly.
"I don't want to be separated from Aquarius. I want to keep playing with Aquarius!"
Noah, standing nearby, wore a conflicted expression at those words.
He had once stumbled upon Brandish and Aquarius interacting together and had been left speechless at the nature of their relationship.
Seeing how heartbroken Brandish was, Layla discussed the matter with Grame and together they devised a solution that left everyone satisfied.
With funding and supplies from the Heartfilia family, Grame opened a shop on the Western Continent. She would sell safe, profitable goods such as potions, though she refused to handle dangerous items.
Because she owned the shop herself, Grame could arrange her time freely, allowing her to bring her daughter back to the Heartfilia estate several times each year.
This would let Brandish reunite with Aquarius from time to time, and also give Lucy the chance to play with Brandish.
It was a decision born of Layla's love as a mother. She wanted Lucy to have more good friends of her own age. Naturally, Grame was very pleased with the arrangement.
After the two mothers reached an agreement, Grame packed her belongings and prepared to leave with her daughter.
Once again, Jude arranged for escorts to accompany the pair on their journey home, ensuring no accidents would befall them.
Although Grame was still strong enough to protect herself, she accepted Jude's offer. She did not want to risk her daughter being harmed.
Long ago, Grame had resolved to return Aquarius's key to Layla once Lucy began her path as a mage.
But without Aquarius, she was left without any other keys, and her ability to use Celestial Spirit Magic was crippled.
Since she often traveled, she needed strength to protect herself. That meant she had to learn a new form of magic.
After hearing Grame's concerns, Layla explained the situation to Noah. Grame then approached Noah directly, hoping for advice.
After listening carefully, Noah suggested she learn Take Over magic the same type her daughter had awakened.
Because Grame could not remain at the Heartfilia estate long-term and Noah could not personally teach her consistently, learning the same magic as her daughter meant that the two could study and train together.
Since Brandish's Take Over magic had awakened naturally, she could instinctively use it, making her a good reference for Grame.
However, because Brandish's magic had manifested on its own, she knew little of its theory or structure.
By studying the theory in depth, Grame could teach her daughter in turn, allowing them to support and improve alongside each other.
Grame found Noah's suggestion sound and decided to follow it, beginning her studies in Take Over magic.
Noah, having only recently researched this magic himself, wrote down everything he had compiled and gave the notes to Grame, instructing her to study them first and consult him if she had questions.
From that point on, Grame devoted herself to mastering Take Over magic. Whenever Noah visited the Heartfilia estate to guide Lucy and Brandish, Grame would also come to ask him about the parts she didn't understand.
Nearly a year later, Grame's Take Over magic had matured to the point of being formidable in its own right.
And because her mother had now learned the same magic, Brandish could no longer slack off. She was constantly pulled into study and training by Grame.
As a result, whenever Brandish saw Noah, she would glare at him with resentment, silently blaming him for her mother's relentless lessons.When Noah saw Brandish glaring at him like that, he would simply say:
"You need to study harder. I've already prepared plenty of lessons for you. Keep up the good work."
Every time Brandish looked at him with resentment, Noah's calm encouragement only made her more furious. She would leap up in anger, wanting to hit him, but Grame focused on her own studies always held her back firmly.
Brandish was naturally lazy and disliked troublesome things. Though she understood that studying was good for her, she had no inner drive. Most of the time, she studied only to get by.
Now that she had to study magic alongside her mother, she had no room to slack off. Even when she wanted to be lazy, Grame's voice would ring out, urging her to work hard with Noah and behave herself. It only made Brandish more frustrated.
At those moments, Lucy would often step in, gently persuading Brandish to calm down and stop getting angry.
The two girls, already close, grew even closer during this time. They became inseparable, often spending their days together.
So when the time for Brandish's departure finally came, neither girl could bear the thought of being apart. They clung to each other tightly, tears streaming down their cheeks.
Lucy clutched her friend and cried out:
"Remember to come visit me often. Don't forget!"
Brandish nodded again and again, her eyes brimming with tears. Seeing her cry only made Lucy sob harder.
Layla and Grame, too, felt the weight of parting, though not as deeply as their daughters. Having already experienced separation once before, they knew this time it was not farewell forever. They would see each other again.
After crying until their emotions were spent, Lucy and Brandish finally quieted. Grame placed a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder. Brandish reluctantly let go of Lucy and stepped back to her mother's side.
Still teary-eyed, Lucy looked at her and said:
"You must come back often, promise me!"
Through her own tears, Brandish nodded once more. After saying farewell to Layla, Jude, and Noah, she left the Heartfilia estate with Grame and the escorts Jude had provided.
Lucy stood watching until her friend's figure grew smaller and smaller. At last, she threw herself into her mother's arms and cried bitterly. Nearly a year together had made Brandish more than a friend she had become family.
Layla said nothing. She only stroked her daughter's back gently, letting Lucy pour out her feelings. The pain of parting could only be eased by time.
After crying for a long while, Lucy finally tired herself out and fell asleep in her mother's embrace.