The weight of the reveal hung in the air. Ur rubbed her temples, trying to process the fact that her daughter's "Master" was a seven-year-old girl with power that rivaled her own.
"Okay... look, I'm sorry for accusing you earlier," Ur said, her voice sounding tired but sincere. "It's just... I didn't know what to think. My daughter, who I thought was dead, suddenly reappears as a maid for someone I don't know."
Lucy chuckled awkwardly, scratching her cheek. "Well, a lot happened. It's a long story..."
"But if she's your maid," Ur continued, her eyes narrowing slightly, "doesn't that mean you're from a noble family? Or at least a very wealthy one?"
Lucy froze.
Oh no! I can't just blurt out 'My name is Lucy Heartfilia'! she screamed internally. The Heartfilia name is way too famous. If word gets out that the heiress is wandering around northern Isvan fighting demons, my father will have the Magic Council hunting me down in a heartbeat!
Ur watched the young girl's face go through a dozen different expressions of panic in five seconds. She sighed, raising a hand. "If you don't want to reveal your background, it's fine. Honestly, bringing my daughter back to me alive and well is more than enough. I don't need to know your lineage."
Ur looked down at her hands, her shoulders slumping. "I really failed as a parent, didn't I...?"
"No, Mom! Don't say that!" Ultear stepped forward, grabbing her mother's hand. "It wasn't your fault! It was the Bureau of Magical Development. They're the ones who stole our lives and fed us those lies!"
The Bureau... Lucy thought. Come to think of it, I haven't heard a peep about them since I broke Ultear out. Well, not my problem Anyway.
A Suggestion for the Future
"Anyway," Lucy said, breaking the somber mood. "If you don't have anywhere to go after this, I know a place that can take you in. A guild called Fairy Tail."
Ur's eyes widened. "Fairy Tail? You're a wizard of Fairy Tail, Lucy?"
"Master, what's Fairy Tail?" Gray asked, looking confused.
"It's a wizard guild in the Kingdom of Fiore, based in Magnolia," Ur explained, her voice tinged with respect. "They're known for being... well, boisterous, but they are easily one of the strongest guilds in the world."
Lyon's eyes lit up. "So there are lots of strong people there? Stronger than Master?"
"I can guarantee that," Ur nodded.
"I'm not a member yet," Lucy clarified, crossing her arms with a determined look. "But I plan on joining them in the future."
Ur looked at Lucy with newfound shock. "Wait... so you mean to tell me you're a free mage? You aren't even part of a guild yet and you're this powerful?" She let out a dry laugh. "Once again, I'm reminded of how wide the world really is."
"Aha... ha... something like that," Lucy replied with a sheepish grin.
Ur turned toward the horizon. "I'll reconsider your option, Lucy. But first, I think I need to find a permanent place for us to settle down. No more running away."
"Master..." Gray whispered, seeing a look of peace on Ur's face he hadn't seen in years.
"Actually, before you go, I have a proposal," Lucy said.
She reached into the air, her hand disappearing into a small ripple of space. Using a localized version of Aqua Aera, she reached into her "storage" (her room back home) and pulled out a thick stack of papers.
Ur flinched slightly at the magic signature. That magic... it's spatial, but the density is terrifying. This child's talent is beyond anything I've ever seen.
"What are those?" Ur asked.
"These are documents I 'borrowed' from the Bureau of Magical Development when I was rescuing Ultear," Lucy said, her expression turning cold. "The mages there were so busy yelling at each other that they didn't notice me copying their files."
She handed the stack to Ur. "This is evidence. It lists their illegal experiments on children, their financial fraud, and proof that their 'development' programs are just a facade for human experimentation. They've crossed the line, legal or not."
Ur flipped through the pages, her face pale. She saw names, dates, and descriptions of what they had done to children—children like her Ultear. Her grip tightened on the paper until it crinkled.
"With this, we can blow their cover and shut them down for good," Lucy explained. "But, as you can see, I'm just a kid. I can't exactly walk into the Magic Council and file a formal report without getting kidnapped or questioned by the government."
Lucy looked Ur in the eye. "So, let's make a deal. If you want to thank me for saving you, take these documents to the Magic Council. Handle the legal procedure in your name. That way, the Bureau is destroyed, and my involvement stays a secret. We'll be even. How about it?"
Ur looked at the documents, then at her daughter, and finally at Lucy. A fierce, protective fire ignited in her eyes. "Understood. I'll make sure these people never hurt another family again."
Lucy smiled, then turned to Ultear. "Once the mess with the Bureau is swept away and things settle down... you'll have to make a choice, Ultear. Whether you want to stay with your mom or keep being my 'maid'."
Ultear looked at her mother, then back at the small girl who had given her a new life. "I understand, Master."