"R-Really, as expected of Chase. An SS-Class job, and he just casually took it..."
Lucy, lying on the counter, softly sighed. Deep in her beautiful eyes was pure envy.
In just a few sentences, the job was decided. Mira-nee had even gone to the second floor to register it!
That was the legendary SS-Class!
In the few months since joining the guild, the highest-level job Lucy had encountered was S-Class — on Galuna Island — but she had deeply understood its danger level.
With her current experience, she couldn't imagine how hard even higher-level jobs would be. Nor could she imagine how huge the rewards would be!
"So interested? Want to team up? I'll take you to see the world." Chase suddenly asked.
At first, Lucy thought she had misheard. Then, meeting Chase's direct gaze, she pointed at herself and gasped. "Huh? Watashi?!"
"Yeah. Is there anyone else here?"
"That's not the point! Where did I show that much interest?!"
Startled by the affirmative answer, Lucy's golden hair stood on end. She pointed at the job sheet in Chase's hand, emphasizing, "This is SS-Class! SS-CLASS!!"
"Jobs are jobs. Who cares?"
Chase folded and put away the job sheet. A self-satisfied smile appeared on his lips. "Then it's happily decided~!"
Judging by the plot development, the Magic Council should soon issue a mission to the four major guilds to defeat Oración Seis.
Since he still had time, he wanted to give Lucy some good training.
The ideal outcome, of course, was to have her skilled in using the Star Dresses of the Zodiac spirits!
As for the dangers they might encounter...
Chase, currently at least mid-tier among the Ten Wizard Saints, was confident enough to handle the situation. Keeping Lucy safe would be no problem!
"Don't just make decisions that sound unpleasant!" Lucy sprayed fragrant spit everywhere.
She did want a job to help with rent. And teaming up with close Chase would avoid the awkwardness she had mentioned to Mira about not asking others. But—
This was an SS-Class job, where she could die at any moment!!
"Huh? That's a shame."
Chase, used to it, wiped the girly saliva from his face and sighed regretfully. "I was thinking, if you were interested, we could split the 18 million Jewels reward."
"H-How much?!" Lucy's already large eyes grew even rounder.
"18 million Jewels..."
Hearing that, Lucy immediately changed her attitude. Shamelessly sidling up to Chase, she said, "Chase~ When are we leaving? How about now?"
Who cares if it's dangerous? Getting 9 million Jewels would be worth dying for!
"Hey, Lucy. I see the stench of money in your eyes~"
Happy's comment hit the nail on the head, and it was vivid.
Not just him — many nearby guild members had heard their conversation.
"Hey, Chase! Lucy can't go with you. I want to meet her tonight!" Natsu said directly.
"A real man! So Natsu, the person you've been wanting to see is Lucy?"
"Ha! You do like Lucy! But isn't that a bit overbearing way to say it?"
"Having a leg (rolled R)~"
Seeing a chance to tease, the members immediately crowded around. Macus even played Happy's role cheekily.
Before Lucy could even process Natsu's words, the teasing came one after another.
Remembering Mira's earlier analysis, the girl's face instantly went beet red. Flustered, she retreated nervously.
Tonight? Meet me? A c-c-c-confession?!
Wait, no! I-I-I'm not ready yet!
"Then we'll leave tomorrow. Gives us time to prepare." Chase smiled.
He was the only one who knew Natsu's true purpose for meeting Lucy. Listening to her heart racing from her random thoughts, he couldn't help but want to laugh.
"Oh, okay." Natsu agreed very readily.
"Hey, you two! Before making an agreement, could you ask me, the person concerned, for my opinion?!" Lucy was losing it.
She felt like some kind of super cheap commodity.
"So, Lucy. You have to come tonight!" Natsu wasn't one to read the room.
Lucy: "..."
Time flew by.
Soon, night fell. The moon was bright, the stars sparse.
At Magnolia's southern square park, under the century-old tree.
Despite saying things like "I don't want to" and "Even if we're comrades, I have to firmly refuse," Lucy had inexplicably had Cancer style her hair in a beautiful style usually reserved for formal occasions. She had also changed into an elegant, noble black dress.
She said it was to take Natsu's confession seriously. But even she probably didn't know what she actually meant!
Truly a heroine who could frustrate original viewers to death...
"Yo, Lucy. You came?"
Natsu, waiting under the tree, held a shovel. He looked strangely at the dressed-up Lucy. "Why are you dressed so strangely?"
"B-Because this is a very important occasion!"
Lucy glanced disparagingly at Natsu, who hadn't even changed clothes.
Showing up like this to confess to a girl? How terrible!
"Ahaha! Whatever. Hurry up and call out the gorilla maid!" Natsu said expectantly.
Lucy, who had been wondering how to tactfully refuse him: "What did you say?"
"The spirit good at digging. Um... what was her name? Oh, right! 'Ballet song'!"
"Her name is Virgo! And didn't you have something very important to tell me?!"
"Hehe. This is the important thing."
Natsu tapped the hard ground with his shovel. He smiled brightly. "I heard the old man secretly buried embarrassing childhood photos of everyone here. With Virgo's help, digging won't be such a pain!"
Lucy: ???
"Hurry up and call her out! If Gray and the others beat us to it, that'd be bad!"
"What's bad about that?! Go DIE!!"
SLAP~!
The crisp sound of a slap echoed through the quiet park.
Finally realizing she had been overthinking, Lucy was so embarrassed she ran away on the spot, wanting to die.
After the regret of failing to meet the glasses-wearing handsome man, the girl seeking sweet romance was again filled with regret.
Natsu, clutching his cheek with a handprint on it, blinked in confusion. He stood there a bit bewildered.
In a sense, he was pretty regretful too.
Meanwhile, at Chase's house.
Chase and Dark Magician Girl, who had snuck out, sat on the living room sofa, enjoying a slightly yellowed photo album before them.
That's right. The embarrassing childhood photos of guild comrades that Natsu had been longing for — this old man had intercepted them!
***
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