The soldiers stepped away from the door, leaving only Yukino, who had been waiting at the entrance.
"Lord Rhodes, Mira-nee... My Lady," Yukino greeted them, then quickly corrected herself, remembering that this was official business hours. "And, you must be Mr. Jude. The Princess is waiting for you in the reception room."
With that, she turned and led the way.
Mira temporarily set aside the matter of formalities and began chatting with Yukino instead, asking whether her workload had been heavy lately, if she had been getting enough rest, and whether she was eating properly.
Yukino answered each question earnestly.
Rhodes listened quietly and soon drew his own conclusions.
Yukino was clearly very busy, splitting her attention between the Grand Magic Games and her duties at the palace. Although she didn't specify the details, her serious demeanor made it obvious that her work was important.
Most likely, the Eclipse Project.
Rhodes glanced at Mira and couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
Her concern for Yukino was genuine, but her questions were also subtly probing.
Had years of guild gossip sharpened her ability to gather information this well?
As they spoke, they arrived at the reception room.
Yukino ushered the three inside. Princess Hisui rose from her seat to greet them.
Tea and light refreshments had already been prepared. Everyone took a seat, except Yukino, who remained standing.
After a brief exchange of courtesies, Princess Hisui turned to Jude.
"I heard about the Hartfilia Group's situation earlier," she said softly. "Both my father and I were very worried. However, due to various constraints, we were unable to visit in person. For that, I offer my sincere apologies."
Jude inclined his head politely.
"Governing a nation naturally leaves one busy day and night. I appreciate His Majesty's and Her Highness's concern. Fortunately, all of that is now in the past. My life is very good at present."
Princess Hisui asked after Jude's health and work, then praised Lucy's performance in the competition.
From there, the conversation naturally shifted to Fairy Tail's two teams.
"It's truly a shame that Miss Mira had to withdraw," Princess Hisui said regretfully. "But after hearing the reason, I must congratulate you both on becoming parents soon."
Mira smiled gently. "Thank you."
Rhodes, however, spoke up calmly.
"At the same time, it has also brought us, quite a bit of trouble."
"Trouble?" Princess Hisui asked, surprised.
Rhodes lowered his gaze slightly.
"Yes. The most difficult issue is that some people do not wish for this child to be born."
Princess Hisui frowned, then suddenly looked startled.
"Such a thing…? Could it be that you've come today because there is something my father and I can help with?"
Rhodes met her eyes and said evenly:
"I recently heard of a magic called Eclipse."
Princess Hisui's pupils contracted sharply.
This was a top-secret project, one that should never have reached the ears of outsiders.
Yukino also stiffened in surprise.
Princess Hisui forced a composed smile.
"I'm not sure what you mean by that."
Rhodes tilted his head slightly.
"Is this a suitable place to discuss such a matter?"
She froze.
From his tone alone, Princess Hisui realized he wasn't fishing blindly.He knew something, and quite a lot of it.
"Yukino," she said after a brief pause, her voice firm. "Please go outside and stand guard. Do not allow anyone to approach."
"Yes." Yukino answered immediately.
She glanced at Rhodes, as if wanting to say something, then held herself back and stepped outside to guard the door.
Once they were alone, Princess Hisui's expression turned serious.
"Mr. Rhodes, how much do you know about this matter?"
Rhodes skipped any long explanations and instead listed a few simple words:
"Gate. Celestial Spirits. Massive magic power. The past. Zeref."
As he spoke, he pointed downward, indicating that he even knew the approximate location of the gate.
Princess Hisui inhaled sharply.
This meant he understood almost everything: the goal, the method, and even the conditions required.
She asked quietly, "Then, what is your stance on this plan?"
Rhodes answered without hesitation.
"Foolish. Cruel. And irresponsible."
Princess Hisui opened her mouth, then felt an invisible pressure settle on her shoulders.
After a moment, she gave a strained smile.
"I didn't expect your opinion to be the same as Minister Danton's."
Minister Danton, the Fiore Kingdom's Minister of State, had opposed the Eclipse Plan from the very beginning.
However, with the King, the Princess, and the Knight Captain all supporting it, his objections had been overridden, and the Eclipse Project had continued to advance in silence.
Rhodes replied with a trace of unpolished sarcasm,
"So it seems not everyone responsible for governing this country is an idiot."
Princess Hisui didn't take offense.
Compared to Minister Danton, Rhodes' words were practically gentle. When Danton lost his temper, his criticism was far harsher, yet neither the King nor the Princess had ever punished him, because they both understood that his anger stemmed from genuine concern for the nation.
After a moment of thought, Princess Hisui asked quietly,
"You're familiar with Acnologia, aren't you? I heard Fairy Tail was attacked by him seven years ago."
Rhodes nodded.
So it was about that Black Dragon.
Princess Hisui continued, her tone measured but grave.
"According to our research into the underground ruins and the ancient records passed down through the royal family, the Black Dragon did not emerge in modern times. He has existed for four hundred years."
"At first, his power was not as overwhelming as it is now, nor did he actively target humans."
"But as his strength grew, so did his inclination toward destruction. Historical records of entire nations being annihilated by the Black Dragon began to appear with increasing frequency."
"Based on this trajectory, we believe that one day, he will completely lose all reason, and when that happens, the destruction of the entire world will be inevitable."
She looked directly at Rhodes.
"Fairy Tail has faced Acnologia head-on. I believe you understand better than anyone how utterly despairing his power is."
Mira recalled that day instinctively, her expression tightening.
"Then, could it be that the Eclipse Plan isn't just meant to eliminate Zeref, but also to erase the Black Dragon?"
Princess Hisui shook her head.
"Not exactly. According to our research, Acnologia himself is the result of Zeref's Black Magic experiments."
"In other words, if we return to the past, before Zeref became immortal, and eliminate him at that point, then there will be no Black Wizard."
"And without Zeref, there will be no Acnologia."
She clasped her hands lightly.
"In that case, the two greatest threats to this world would disappear at once. Countless tragedies could be prevented before they ever occur."
Her gaze grew earnest, almost pleading, as she looked at Rhodes.
"For the sake of a better world, I hope you will support me in completing the Eclipse Plan."
Rhodes couldn't help but think that the royal family must have specialized training in public speaking.
Princess Hisui's delivery, her tone, posture, word choice, was undeniably compelling. It was the kind of speech that could easily move people's hearts.
Unfortunately, no matter how inspiring the rhetoric, it couldn't change the nature of the plan itself.
No matter how noble the goal sounded, it couldn't conceal the recklessness beneath it.
Rhodes asked calmly,
"Let's set aside the origins of this magic, and even its success rate."
"Have you ever seriously considered what worse outcomes might arise from altering history?"
"Or have you never heard of the time paradox?"
Princess Hisui nodded solemnly.
"Of course we have. As for time paradoxes, no matter how much we discuss them, they remain theoretical. Without attempting it, we can never know whether they truly exist."
Rhodes was taken aback.
She understood the concept of testing truth through practice, but how could something like this be treated as an experiment?
Princess Hisui continued, her voice unwavering.
"And as for the consequences of changing history, we have debated that countless times."
"But tell me, Mr. Rhodes…"
"Is there any outcome truly worse than the world being destroyed by the Black Dragon, or by the Black Wizard?"