Just as dawn began to break, Mirajane, who had slept for an entire day and night, opened her eyes with her head still a little dizzy.
When she realized she was lying in a warm embrace, Mirajane subconsciously turned back and looked.
Sure enough, she saw Ankh's face right beside her, so close she could even feel his breathing.
Mirajane's little face instantly turned bright red, and her mind recalled the madness from the night before last.
The arrogant Mirajane had tried to get the upper hand over Ankh, so both her words and actions had been extremely provocative.
The result was easy to imagine…
Mirajane had even used Satan Soul, only to end up being dealt with even more thoroughly once Ankh got fired up…
Goosebumps rose across her skin on instinct.
Mirajane snuggled closer into Ankh's arms, and her head actually cleared up quite a bit.
'Being smug is dangerous.'
'A man's beauty actually made me lose my senses this badly…'
Starting today, no more temptation!
Ankh slowly woke up.
Sensing the beauty in his arms spacing out, he asked curiously, "What are you thinking about?"
Mirajane shivered all over and hurriedly pressed down on his hand. "I want to go shopping!"
"Sure. I'll go with you."
In the end, he still could not bear to tease her anymore.
After a period of gentle affection, Mirajane spent some time washing up and dressing herself, then happily left the house with her arm wrapped around Ankh's.
As for her work as the guild's poster girl…
Wasn't the master still there? Besides, Laki had also worked as the poster girl during those seven years, so missing Mirajane for a day or two was not a huge problem.
Moreover, as an S-Class mage couple, the two of them were not short on money like most others.
Ankh had one of the top companies in Fiore, and even Ishgar, while Mirajane also had her own little savings accumulated over the years.
As for guild requests, Ankh now only took them when he was leading a team or when the company needed more cash flow.
After getting ready, the two, who were living quite comfortably, left the manor and headed toward Magnolia's liveliest shopping street.
"Oh~ I haven't been here in ages. It's become much more prosperous than before."
Ankh walked along the street, looking around with interest.
"Wendy?"
Mirajane spotted a familiar face and called out in surprise.
Wendy and Carla were standing in front of a clothing shop, choosing something from the swimsuit rack.
When they saw Ankh and Mirajane, they immediately waved back happily.
Mirajane looked at the rather mature-looking swimsuit in Wendy's hands and asked in confusion, "Why are you suddenly buying a swimsuit, Wendy?"
Carla also looked at the swimsuit with a puzzled expression and added, "And that outfit doesn't suit you either."
"It's not for me."
Wendy shook her head, held the swimsuit against herself for comparison, and smiled.
"Sherria said she's going to the beach with Lyon-san, so I wanted to buy her a swimsuit as a gift."
"It's for Sherria…"
Mirajane and Carla simultaneously recalled the little girl who had become friends with Wendy during the Grand Magic Games, then teased in perfect unison, "Then this one suits her pretty well."
Unlike Wendy's petite frame, Sherria was the kind of girl who made certain outfits look surprisingly fitting for her age…
While the girls were chatting, Ankh also saw some familiar faces.
In front of a stall selling steel weapons, Panther Lily was swinging a blade to test its weight, while Gajeel was chewing on an axe, frightening the stall owner so badly his soul nearly left his body. Beside them, Levy could only sigh helplessly.
Then, the moment Gajeel and Levy noticed Ankh walking over, both of their bodies stiffened at the same time.
Even they themselves did not know why they were so nervous.
"Yo!"
Ankh narrowed his eyes and waved at them.
The moment he opened his mouth, he threw out a shocking question.
"When are you getting married?"
Levy's little face turned red like an overheating thermometer.
Gajeel stammered and could not make a sound.
Panther Lily, meanwhile, stared at the two of them with a shocked look that practically said, 'Dude, you didn't even tell me about something this big?'
Steam rose from Levy's head as she tried to struggle. "That day… we just drank too much…"
"What about the night before last?"
Ankh swiftly followed up with another strike, then watched with his own eyes as Levy's face flushed so hard she looked like she was about to explode.
Panther Lily stared at Gajeel in disbelief and murmured, "No wonder you didn't return to the dorm last night!"
That tone, as if saying, 'You have another cat outside now,' frightened Gajeel so badly that he jumped up.
He blocked Levy behind him and pulled Ankh aside, whispering with embarrassed irritation, "When did you find out?"
Ankh calmly replied, "Just now."
Hm?
What are you, a detective?
Do you spend all your brainpower digging up gossip about your own people?!
Looking at his bewildered expression, Ankh laugh.
In truth, he had only heard that when Gajeel was punishing Lucy by making her dress as a bunny girl and dance backup while he sang, Levy had visited the guild once.
No one knew what she had said, but she had left angrily afterward, and Gajeel had chased after her.
Then the two of them disappeared again, only showing up now.
It was the same pattern as the night of the Grand Magic Ball, when the two of them had vanished after getting very close.
How could Ankh not be suspicious?
Ankh patted Gajeel on the shoulder and said earnestly, "I understand that emotions can get out of control, but young people still need restraint. You're an Iron Dragon Slayer, but Levy isn't…"
Gajeel and Levy both lowered their heads in embarrassment and stood obediently together.
Ankh lectured them bitterly like a worried mother, while Panther Lily stood on his shoulder with an expression of deep sorrow.
...
Not far away, in front of a small stall, four suspicious-looking people in black robes were glancing over with wandering eyes.
Naciel poked Galena in the waist and whispered, "They seem to have a pretty good relationship. Why don't we just reveal who we are and ask them for help?"
Before Galena could speak, Garell, who was pretending to admire weapons on the other side, denied it first.
"No. What if it affects the future?"
"Please, have a little faith in their relationship, okay?"
"What do you know? Time travel is a serious matter. One careless move could create a chain reaction!"
"Tch. He's acting mature again," Grinju said disdainfully.
Naciel nodded along and complained, "He always tries to act like his dad~"
"You two bastards!"
Seeing that the three of them were about to fight again, Galena sighed even more tiredly.
"Oh? A fight?"
Before she even finished sighing, an incredibly familiar voice suddenly sounded beside her ear.
Galena's hair practically stood on end as she whipped her head around.
Gajeel was standing there with his arms crossed, watching this group of youths, who looked only around sixteen or seventeen, with great interest.
Ankh, Mirajane, Levy, Wendy, and the others also came over curiously.
After all…
A group of black-robed people causing trouble in the middle of a busy street looked suspicious no matter how anyone looked at it.
As they wrestled with each other, their hoods and hats were pulled off, revealing the youths' real faces.
When they saw Gajeel and the others gathering around them, their movements froze as if time itself had stopped.
Garell looked at the guy standing close by.
His expression was full of awe, and after his throat bobbed once, he instinctively shouted.
"Run!"
At that cry, the four of them scattered by reflex, bursting apart and fleeing in four different directions.
Watching them run off, Gajeel stood frozen for a long while.
Then he suddenly grinned.
"Interesting."
Gajeel locked onto the boy who had clearly been scared of him at first glance and immediately gave chase.
Ankh, meanwhile, watched the fleeing youths thoughtfully.
He had not sensed any hostility from them.
And somehow…
This group of people felt strangely familiar.
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