When celebration reaches its peak, it eventually returns to tranquility.
Fairy Tail was as rowdy as ever, with tables flying and drinks spilling, but compared to last night's city-wide Magic Parade, it felt considerably quieter.
The energy was more "daily brawl" than "festival fever."
Before the festive atmosphere had completely faded, the guild members had already thrown themselves back into the mundane routine of work and recovery.
"Gah—"
Early in the morning, a sharp shriek echoed through the guild hall, startling the pigeons outside.
Lucy looked on the verge of tears as she stared at the newly posted beauty contest rankings on the bulletin board.
First Place: Erza Scarlet. (Votes: Overwhelming)
Second Place: Lucy Heartfilia. (Votes: Very High)
Third Place: Juvia Lockser. (Votes: High)
"Seven months' worth of rent!! I was so close!"
Lucy slumped face-down on the table, pounding it tearfully.
"Why is Erza so popular?! She wears armor!"
Ankh pushed Natsu's wheelchair over to the table.
Natsu was still wrapped in bandages like a mummy, drooling slightly.
Ankh asked puzzledly, "Then go take a job. Don't you still have a few days before rent is due? Just work."
Lucy gazed sorrowfully at her partner.
Natsu was still completely limp from the Dragon Gem side effects, with only his mouth retaining its usual stubbornness.
"Look at him!" Lucy wailed. "How can we work when our main firepower is like that?"
Having invested too much energy into the beauty contest hoping for the prize money, earning enough money in just a few days through her own abilities without Natsu felt nearly impossible.
Ankh didn't hesitate to mock her while sipping his coffee.
"Who told you to spend money so recklessly on clothes? You only remember to panic when rent day approaches. Typical."
Lucy awkwardly poked her fingers together. "But... fashion..."
Natsu remained optimistic.
He grinned through the bandages. "Don't worry, Lucy! I'll be back on my feet and working soon! I can feel my toes!"
Vrrrrm!
Gajeel came zooming over in his own wheelchair, piloted by Levy.
He pulled up right beside Natsu to taunt him face-to-face.
"Oh? A weakling like you still wants to work? You can't even wipe your own nose, Salamander," Gajeel scoffed.
Natsu's veins bulged!
He leaned forward and headbutted Gajeel without hesitation.
Bonk!
"Shut up, rusty nail!"
"You wanna go, ash-brain?!"
'No... I feel like neither of you is in any better shape,' Lucy thought, sweatdropping.
Watching the two Dragon Slayers resume their headbutting contest since their arms didn't work, Lucy couldn't help but silently complain about her life choices.
Ignoring the two idiots who had started playing bumper cars with their wheelchairs, Ankh chose to comfort the broke blonde.
"Our team can pick a job together in a couple of days," Ankh suggested. "Gray and Erza haven't worked in a while either. We can carry Natsu."
"Yay! Long live Ankh!"
Hearing this, Lucy instantly perked up, clapping her hands.
Though she soon thought of something. "But why wait two days? My landlord is scary!"
Ankh explained, "The Magic Parade excitement hasn't faded yet today. Everyone's gathered at the guild because Sorcerer Weekly reporters are coming to interview us later this afternoon."
"Sorcerer Weekly?!" Lucy exclaimed in surprise.
Her eyes turned into hearts!
That was the most famous fashion and entertainment magazine in the Magic world!
The magazine covered everything—rankings of handsome men and beautiful women in the Magic community, recommendations for magical fashion, and all kinds of celebrity gossip flying around.
It was the bible for young wizards.
Sorcerer Weekly was an entertainment-focused publication with little political or combat-related content, which contributed to its widespread circulation.
That's why when Lucy first met Ankh, her immediate thought was of his potential modeling career rather than his more famous status as one of the Ten Wizard Saints.
Watching Lucy seemingly drift off into another one of her famous daydreams about fame and fortune, Ankh shook his head helplessly.
'She really was easily distracted.'
"I'm so bored lately... I really want to find a boyfriend..." Cana Alberona lamented while drinking a tankard of ale, slumped over the table beside Lucy.
Lucy snapped out of it. "Why suddenly say something like that?"
Cana looked at her with bleary eyes. "What's with that? Why is your face suddenly red? Thinking about boys?"
"I-It's not..."
Cana teased in a playful tone, leaning in. "Oh~ How many people have you dated so far, Lucy? Tell big sister Cana."
Steam practically rose from Lucy's head as she stammered, "Haha... probably two... or three..."
"Seems like it's actually zero," Ankh interjected dryly from the side.
"Shut up!" Lucy nearly buried her face in her chest.
"Don't worry, I specifically did a tarot reading for you," Cana said mysteriously, drawing one card from her deck with a flourish.
"The results show that today is your fated day for a romantic encounter."
"Really?!"
Lucy's face turned bright red as she short-circuited again, her mind undoubtedly conjuring up some fantasy about a prince charming.
Ankh waved his hand in front of Lucy's glazed eyes and remarked, "Hey hey hey, where do you get all these fantasies from all day long? You're drooling."
"No time to waste! I need to look my best!"
With those words, Lucy suddenly remembered she needed to change clothes and dashed out of the guild like a hurricane.
Cana drank while laughing like a mischievous old rogue.
"Aiya~ Lucy really is so innocent... I made that up."
"Compared to you, the queen of alcohol, Lucy is indeed a pure maiden," Ankh shook his head, casually flipping through the other cards remaining in front of Cana.
Then, Ankh frowned as he looked closer.
"Cana... the results of all these tarot readings seem to be exactly the same."
He had learned basic tarot reading from Cana years ago, so he could understand the spread.
Every single card pointed to "Love" and "Destiny."
Cana choked on her drink.
Cough! Cough!
She hurriedly flipped through the cards herself, her eyes widening.
She exclaimed in disbelief, "You've got to be kidding me! Does this mean every day is Lucy's fated romantic encounter?! Just how many love affairs does she have waiting, dammit?!"
'Well,' Ankh thought, 'the innocent girl has become a harem protagonist now, apparently. But why does Cana's tone sound somewhat jealous?'
As Cana anxiously checked whether her cards had made some mistake or were broken, Ankh thoughtfully glanced toward the other side of the room.
He watched Natsu still playing his "violent wheelchair" game with Gajeel, laughing loudly.
Ankh seemed to understand something.
'Perhaps because they were together every day... every day was special. So every meeting could be considered a fated encounter?'
'God damn 'Nalu' is terrifyingly consistent,' Ankh mused.
No longer bothering with when Nalu became such a historical mystery, Ankh pushed Natsu's wheelchair over to Erza and Gray to discuss their upcoming mission.
Erza, dressed in formal attire with light makeup, remained full of motivation for any activity—she didn't plan to slack off even for interviews.
Gray brought over several mission requests.
After reviewing them, the group selected one worth 500,000 Jewels—to capture an escaped Vulcan murderer in a neighboring city.
Excluding Natsu who likely couldn't go (but would insist on coming), each would receive a share, leaving them with surplus funds after saving Miss Lucy from her rent troubles.
"Speaking of which, Natsu, Gajeel," Ankh asked the two who were butting heads again. "What are your plans for the rest of the day?"
Natsu pushed Gajeel aside with his shoulder as he replied, "Aside from some recovery training with Happy, i got nothing else to do."
Gajeel stretched his gradually strengthening arms nearby and said, "Aside from waiting for that not-so-important interview with the reporter, i got nothing."
"Then after the interview ends, come to my place tonight. Both of you," Ankh said seriously. "I have something to tell you about the Gems."
Natsu agreed, and Gajeel didn't refuse either.
After setting the meeting time, they all went their separate ways and continued playing their wheelchair races.
Erza continued dressing up, preparing for the interview, while Gray idly chatted with Juvia.
Watching everyone occupied with their own tasks, Ankh couldn't help but scratch his head.
'Days without work or fighting felt strangely unsettling in their leisure.'
'I need a break from the noise,' Ankh decided.
After some thought, Ankh decided to visit the local bookstore in town to gather information about special life forms or races for his research.
This might give him some inspiration for developing his Life God abilities further.
He strolled leisurely to the town's bookstore, enjoying the peace.
But the moment he pushed the door open...
Ding-dong.
He froze in surprise.
'Why was Lucy here again?'
Lucy was standing near the counter.
And who was that bespectacled man she was talking to?
Could Lucy have mistaken him for her destined encounter?
To be fair, this refined and scholarly-looking man might indeed be Lucy's type from an outsider's perspective.
He looked like an author.
Hiding stealthily behind a bookshelf, Ankh was thoroughly enjoying observing their awkward interactions, ready to tease her later.
"Um... excuse me..."
A soft, timid voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Could you please move aside? You're blocking the history section."
Ankh turned to look.
He saw a cute young girl with sky-blue hair reaching down to her waist.
Her face were delicate, her voice gentle, her figure slender, and she looked utterly pitiable and shy.
But these weren't the main points.
Ankh was astonished.
Wasn't this Wendy?
Why did she suddenly appear here in Magnolia?!