The communication Lacrima flickered in Ultear's pale palm.
She lowered her eyes, her gaze lingering briefly on the words that appeared.
"It's confirmed—the city Grimoire Heart is about to attack."
"That really is a coincidence…" Shane's brows unconsciously drew together.
Deliora had only just died, and now Grimoire Heart had immediately finalized the city they intended to massacre.
The timing of these two events was too close together. It was hard not to make some unpleasant connections.
"Hey, what are you two whispering about behind everyone's backs? Why so serious?"
At some point, Gray had already leaned in, his face full of curiosity.
"This has nothing to do with you. Your task right now is to go find that troublesome senior disciple of yours."
Everyone had their own appropriate role. Shane pressed a hand against Gray's shoulder and directly pushed him toward the yard gate.
Considering that strange coincidence just now, Lyon might even be connected to Grimoire Heart.
With that thought in mind, Shane still felt uneasy and reminded him,
"Don't forget. Go to the guild first and bring Natsu with you. Also, Wendy's healing magic is very strong, so you'd better ask her for help too."
"Hey, hey, don't just order me around!"
Although Gray complained with his mouth, his body was very honest.
He called out to Ur, then followed Shane's push and walked out of the yard.
After sending off that impatient guy, Shane turned his gaze toward the white-haired girl still standing there in a huff.
Mira was leaning against the wall by the gate with her arms crossed, her eyes clearly saying, I'm very unhappy.
"You should go with them too," Shane said.
"Hah?"
Mira raised her pretty brows, planted both hands on her waist, and made her resistance perfectly clear.
"Why? Where I want to stay is my freedom!"
It was bad enough that he had sidelined her while discussing serious matters. Now he was actually trying to chase her away so he could be alone with that expressionless woman?
She glared at Shane without backing down, her eyes full of accusation.
Fortunately, Shane was already highly skilled at smoothing down this young lady's fur. He softened his tone.
"If Gray and Natsu get together, they'll definitely make a mess of things. You need to watch them. With Erza away, you're the only one I feel safe leaving this to."
"Mm…"
After being flattered so thoroughly, Mira's anger visibly vanished, and an easily understood pleased smile appeared on her face.
Although she knew perfectly well that Shane was probably trying to send her away in a roundabout way, the thought that she could replace Erza and "suppress" those two guild troublemakers still made her feel a little smug.
She bit her glistening lower lip, her gaze slicing across Ultear's calm face like a knife. Only then did she give a reluctant little snort.
"…Fine, I get it!"
Before leaving, she deliberately leaned close to Shane's ear, grinding her little canine tooth as she warned in a low voice,
"I'll settle accounts with you when I get back!"
With that, she flicked her silver-white high ponytail and chased after the others without looking back.
Watching her disappear, Shane finally let out a long breath.
"Finally quiet."
After coaxing away the awkward girl, he turned his gaze back toward the freshly turned flowerbed in the corner.
Among the green leaves, several plump flower buds that had absorbed both magic and curse were trembling faintly, shining with a dim, brilliant glow.
They were truly just a little bit away.
Perhaps with only a few more hours, these flowers would fully bloom.
Looking at those buds, a trace of hesitation flashed in Shane's eyes.
He really did want to wait a little longer, pocket this round of trial rewards safely, and then set out.
After all, he had already saved up quite a few permissions, and he was just waiting for this trial to settle so he could do a big draw.
But when he thought of Grimoire Heart possibly arriving at the city at any moment and beginning their slaughter, tragedy might be caused by the delay of just these few hours.
"Forget it. The flowerbed is right here. Nothing should happen to it."
Shane closed his eyes briefly and quickly suppressed that little bit of reluctance.
The flowers were here. They couldn't run away. He still knew how to prioritize.
"Are you worried about these flowers?"
A faint, elegant fragrance approached. At some point, Ultear had come to stand beside him.
"Not exactly worried."
Shane gave a light sigh.
"I just feel that if I could wait until they bloomed before leaving, this job might go a lot more smoothly."
"I see…"
Ultear nodded thoughtfully.
Pushing away his thoughts, Shane stopped lingering and turned to call Ultear to set out.
But he had barely taken half a step when a faint surge of magic brushed past his ear.
He turned back in surprise and saw Ultear raise her right hand, pale purple magical light gathering in her palm.
As she elegantly moved her fingertips, the flower buds that had been on the verge of blooming seemed to be pushed forward by an invisible hand of time, visibly swelling at great speed.
"Arc of Time?"
Shane smacked his forehead.
Perhaps because this flowerbed's growth speed had already been astonishingly fast, he had actually forgotten Ultear's specialty.
This Lost Magic might not have strong destructive power, but when used to ripen plants, it was practically dimensional suppression.
He hurried forward and poured in the remaining "existence" of the curse inside him, mixed with magic, all at once.
Under the catalysis of several forces, the flower buds were like flames being ignited. They bloomed instantly, in total defiance of the season.
Layer after layer of petals unfurled, bursting open in a season-defying display.
The tender goose-yellow of the carnations and the blazing crimson of the bougainvillea intertwined before their eyes, forming a dreamlike, dazzling scene.
Shane crouched beside the flowerbed, staring blankly at the sight.
As his gaze moved, it unintentionally swept across Ultear's focused side profile.
The faint purple light outlined her cool, delicate features, and that quiet beauty made him murmur before he realized it,
"It really is beautiful…"
At that exact moment, the hum of surging magic abruptly grew louder, perfectly covering that whisper.
Ultear's brows moved slightly. As if she hadn't heard, she deliberately tilted her head a little in faint confusion, as though asking whether he had just said something.
Before Shane could figure out how to respond, an unusual sound suddenly came.
Plop.
Strands of ancient aura that transcended the boundary between life and death rose from the soil like a cold spring.
One petal detached itself, spun through the air, and finally landed gently in Shane's open palm.
It was a color difficult to describe in words. It shimmered with transparent flowing light, yet at a glance looked unusually black.
Held in his hand, it was lighter than nothing, without any weight, carrying a coldness and solemnity that struck straight into the soul.
This was the crystal that carried the concept of the goddess of the underworld—Ereshkigal.
An anchor through which he could call her again in the future.
Shane unconsciously closed his fingers, trying to hold tight to this heavy kindness from a god.
But before he could properly savor that bone-deep chill, the Book of Heroic Spirits deep in his mind began flipping its pages wildly beyond his control.
[Trial: Innocence]
[Description: The god's malice clings like a sickness to the bone. Sever the unreasonable bond between life and death. Wash away old afflictions, cleanse the leaden weight, and return this heavy body to its original clarity.]
[Completed: Perfect]
Pale golden words washed over Shane's consciousness like a waterfall, bringing a trembling surge of joy.
[Reward Granted: Depth Permission ×2]
[Reward Granted: Selection Permission ×2]