Master, do you know where Mystogan went?
Leaving aside the commotion stirred up by Wendy, Erza walked straight to Makarov, who was slumped at a table drinking gloomily, and asked directly.
It wasn't that she was especially concerned about Mystogan himself. After the battle with the Oración Seis, Erza had reunited with Jellal. Their relationship was developing in much the same way as it had in the original story.
But because of that reunion, she was now able to clearly separate Jellal from Mystogan. The reason she was asking about Mystogan's whereabouts now was actually for Wendy's sake.
Jellal had spent all of his childhood inside the Tower of Heaven, and once he gained control of it, he had basically gone mad. Judging by the time frame Wendy described, it was impossible that she had encountered a gentle, kind Jellal during that period.
That left one very likely possibility: the Jellal she met was actually "Mystogan."
Since he and Jellal looked exactly alike, he might well be an Edolas version. And given the strange one-to-one correspondences between the two worlds, Mystogan's real name might have been also Jellal.
But all of this was just speculation. To know for sure, they'd need to confirm it directly with the man himself.
"I don't know. He suddenly rushed off, saying he needed to find the old man. But then something happened…"
Glug, glug—
Bang!
Makarov slammed his cup down after gulping another mouthful, his face flushed with drunkenness, his expression growing even heavier.
"The old man… hic… suddenly… hic… couldn't be reached anymore. And then… hic… Mystogan left." His hiccups made the explanation incoherent.
"He went to find the old man? I remember Natsu said he was looking for him, too. The old man is missing?" Erza gasped, her voice tight with alarm.
"Mmm, it's not… hic… not really such a big… big deal. Just that we can't… hic… reach him for now. Happens… hic… all the time."
But the vague, evasive answer and the sorrow hidden beneath Makarov's drunken stupor made Erza frown. Something isn't right.
Before she could press him further, the guild master was already face down on the table, snoring. Mirajane quietly hauled him away.
Turning back to the noisy crowd, Erza sighed, then began pushing forward. "Excuse me. Make way."
At first, someone turned with irritation, ready to snap at whoever dared shove them. The moment they saw it was Erza; however, their whole demeanor changed. Meekly, they stepped aside, not daring to utter another word.
And when they saw the next unfortunate victim meet the same fate, they even grinned, secretly relishing another's misfortune.
Unknowingly, the rowdy guild fell quiet, all eyes fixing on the two middle-aged men at the center of attention.
"Wendy-chan, you're so adorable. How about coming to Uncle's house? I've got a kid about your age."
"That's right! Who knows, maybe you could even become his bride someday!"
Wendy's cheeks instantly flushed scarlet, steam practically rising from her head. Her entire mind was overwhelmed by a single word—
Bride?
Her vision swirled, the world spinning into dizzy spirals.
The two middle-aged uncles leaned closer together, squealing in unison:
"So cute!! Loli Supreme!!"
"Macao!"
"Wakaba!"
The sudden icy voice made both men freeze as though struck by lightning. Slowly, their stiff necks turned to find Erza standing a short distance away, face shadowed, dark aura seething around her. Above her head, one could almost see the words forming—
How would you like to die?
"W-wait, Erza, let us explain!" Macao flailed his arms, backing away frantically, as if that might ward her off.
"That's right, that's right! It was just a joke! And it wasn't just the two of us—others were involved too!" Wakaba quickly added, pointing at the crowd.
But their so-called comrades scattered like frightened birds. Some suddenly found themselves very busy "studying" magic. Others whistled innocently, eyes carefully averted. Still others bent low, pretending to look for something on the floor.
"You bastards! Look me in the eyes and say you didn't take part in this!" Macao roared, purple flames bursting from his hands in rage.
For a moment, the hall was silent. Then—
"Well, no, your rune design here is incorrect. You should etch it like this."
"Amazing, amazing! By the way, did you hear something just now?"
"Did I? Must've been a hallucination from overwork. Happens when you study too hard!"
Hearing the earnest sincerity in his friend's eyes, guilt pricked at the speaker. I'm not working hard enough!
"That's right, that's right. By the way, have you seen a magic crystal about the size of a grain of rice? It was a token from my girlfriend. If I lose it, she'll kill me."
"Oh! That's way more important. Let's all help him find it!"
"Yes, yes, let's search together."
The group nodded in unison, and in the blink of an eye, they were gone—far, far away.
Macao and Wakaba stood frozen, white streams dripping from their noses, utterly betrayed. How foolish of them to expect this shameless, unprincipled bunch—who found joy in teasing little girls—to share the blame.
"Heh heh… anything else you'd like to say?"
Crack, crack—
Erza clenched her fists, the sound of knuckles popping filling the air.
"Wait! Give us five seconds, we've still got things to say!" Macao and Wakaba practically clung to each other, trembling as Erza advanced.
"Tell it to the gods in heaven!"
BOOM!
With a sickening crash, two meteors blasted through the guild's roof, soaring into the distance.
"Phew, that was close."
The crowd, wide-eyed at Macao and Wakaba's fate, sighed in relief—too soon.
For Erza's gaze had already turned toward them, cold and merciless. A shudder ran through the hall.
"Uh… well, I just remembered something. I'll be leaving now." One man raised a shaking hand, edging toward the door.
"Yeah, and that crystal… maybe it's at a shop somewhere. I'd better go look."
"Me too. I've got things to do."
"No need to worry. I'll escort you all there myself." Erza's fists cracked again, her smile terrifying.
Smash! Boom! Crash!
In seconds, countless more meteors erupted from the Fairy Tail guildhall, streaking across the sky.
"Wendy, I'm sorry. Looks like you'll have to wait a little longer—Mystogan had urgent business." Erza finally approached Wendy, bending down to speak gently. She was about to say more when—
"Jellal!!"
"Eh?" Erza turned at Wendy's sudden cry.
There, not far away, stood a blue-haired youth wrapped in a black cloak, his face hidden in shadow. Beside him was a black Exceed swathed in bandages, and a young girl with a childish face.
Wendy's eyes lit up.
Mystogan!
He, too, stared in shock. Wendy?! He never imagined they would meet again here.