"What's with that weirdo."
Lucy muttered quietly, watching Éclair's retreating figure.
"I'm sorry. Éclair has some bad prejudices against wizards." An apologetic voice came.
A fluffy yellow bird plushie fluttered its wings and jumped onto the table. Its round eyes looked adorably silly.
"A stuffed bird that talks?!" Lucy was startled.
"Hello. My name is Momo. I'm Éclair's partner." Momo friendly raised a claw to introduce itself.
"Hello. I'm Lucy." Lucy smiled back.
Remembering her own guild's sharp-tongued blue cat Happy, and Bickslow's repeater dolls, she quickly accepted the setting of a talking yellow bird.
After greeting Momo, Chase looked up at the old chief across from him. "That girl, Éclair is she from your village?"
"Though she didn't grow up in the village, Éclair is still considered a member."
The old chief nodded slightly. His cloudy eyes showed reminiscence. He sighed softly. "About four years ago, we found her unconscious outside the village."
"That child seemed to have suffered some kind of shock. She had forgotten her past, couldn't even remember why she came to Bondari Forest. Her mental state was a bit unstable."
This village had been founded by explorers lost in the forest. Even now, the villagers still maintained that tradition: they would take in anyone who came to this place, was homeless, and willing to stay.
This was the main reason the remote village had survived to this day. New residents joined from time to time.
So, even though Éclair's arrival coincided with the village's anomalies, the old chief and others hadn't suspected Éclair.
But Chase, who knew Éclair's true origin, wasn't so sure.
After hearing the old chief's description, his eyes sharpened. He was even more convinced the "magic egg" was likely connected to Éclair and the Phoenix Stone!
"I see..." Lucy said softly, her expression dimming.
She suddenly felt Éclair was pitiful. She no longer felt annoyed by the girl's rude behavior.
She couldn't imagine how painful it would be to forget Natsu, forget Chase, forget her guild comrades, and even her father, Jude.
"Please be tolerant of that child. She is kind at heart, and more than any of us, she wants the village to return to normal." The old chief's voice was apologetic.
"Don't worry about such little things." Dark Magician Girl waved her hand casually.
Chase hadn't mentioned Éclair or the Phoenix Stone to her before this. She was just naturally like this.
"So, Leader Lucy, should we go to the village now, or rest tonight and leave tomorrow?" Chase looked at Lucy with a smile.
Lucy really couldn't hold back at the strange title. But she quickly grasped Chase's intention, and had to play along:
"Ah, ha. Let's rest. I'm a bit tired from the day's travel, you know~"
"For rest, we have spare rooms specially set aside for wizards who come for jobs."
The old chief had been listening. "They're a bit shabby, put up temporarily. I hope you don't mind."
"No problem! Having a place to stay is great!" Lucy said she could totally accept.
Then, the scene changes.
Inside the empty wooden house.
Looking at the single wooden bed in the room, Lucy's pretty face was full of despair.
Though staying in the same room as the damn card addict Chase made her feel safe, what was with the room's stench of sweat and alcohol?!
They could afford an 18 million reward, but couldn't manage basic upkeep?
Wage earners deserve basic treatment, okay!
On this point, she was actually misunderstanding the villagers.
Quartet Cerberus had barely left before they arrived. There hadn't been time to clean.
"Didn't you say having a place to stay is great?"
Chase stretched and yawned, walking toward the wooden bed. "Lucy, I'll let you have the floor. I'll take the dirty bed."
"Hey, wait! Doesn't Chase know about 'ladies first'?!"
Seeing Chase about to lie on the bed, Lucy panicked. She ran over and pulled him back.
Glancing at the dusty floor, the somewhat decent wooden bed suddenly seemed less unappealing.
"Do I look like the kind of gentleman who cares about that sort of thing?" Chase smiled.
"Not at all!" Lucy answered without thinking.
Her eyes darted around. She immediately thought of a new argument. "I-I am Chase's little sister, you know! Yes! It's only natural for a brother to give in to his sister, right?"
"I can't argue with that." Chase sighed helplessly.
He really couldn't refuse that reason.
Seeing him give in and step aside, Lucy's face lit up. "Hehe, Chase is the best~"
Then, the next second, a magic circle's light illuminated the entire wooden house.
Moving to the spot he had vacated, Chase waved his arm. Using card magic, he produced a finely crafted single bed.
Just like the camping blanket and food he had "conjured" while pursuing the Three Crows, having traveled extensively, he kept many daily necessities in his cards, usable anytime, anywhere.
Even through the unfolded magic barrier, the fresh smell of the whole bed was noticeable. The clean, soft sheets and comfortable latex pillow left Lucy staring in amazement. She wanted to immediately strip and jump on it.
Having such good stuff, why not bring it out sooner?! This bastard, damn card addict, definitely did this on purpose!!
Even though a little figure inside her was constantly cursing Chase, Lucy quickly ran to his side, shamelessly hugging his arm and shaking it.
"Chase~"
Her lips curved into a sweet smile, demonstrating the art of changing her face instantly.
"What? Didn't you want the wooden bed instead of the floor?" Chase asked with a mischievous, confused expression.
It had to be said, teasing Lucy and watching her humble, pitiful reactions was quite fun.
No wonder Happy did it so often.
In the end, Chase didn't actually kick Lucy to the hard, dirty wooden bed. He had Dark Magician Girl take her to a room in the card space.
If he wanted, he could go into the card space too. But he was worried the chief might come by in the morning and find them gone that would scare an old man.
So, after a simple wash, Chase passed through the magic barrier he had set up to isolate odor and slept on the comfortable single bed.
He didn't fall asleep immediately. Instead, he thought about the various information about the village and Éclair, making plans for the next day's exploration.
At the same time.
At the entrance to the Forest of Bondari, on a dim path under the cold moonlight.
The Quartet Cerberus team, having failed their job, had just left the dangerous forest when they encountered a middle-aged man in solid armor.
"Sorry for the narrow path. Mind moving aside?" The man spoke slowly, his voice low and cold.
"You're kidding! Why don't you move?!" one of the wizards, Rocca, with pincer-shaped twin tails, shouted back.
Already irritable from the failed SS-Class job, they weren't about to give a rude stranger any courtesy.
"Oh, is that so..."
The middle-aged man's lips curled into a cruel smile. He slowly raised his hand.
Seeing this, the Quartet Cerberus wizards were undaunted. They assumed battle stances, ready to fight.
"Everyone, move!" The leader, Bacchus, suddenly shouted.
The team's strongest and most arrogant, he actually moved aside, being the first to give way!
"Lord Bacchus—"
"Shut up and do it!"
As Quartet Cerberus's strongest wizard, Bacchus's words carried weight.
Though not understanding, the others reluctantly gritted their teeth and moved to the sides of the path.
"Heh. Good judgment."
The middle-aged man chuckled, glacing at Bacchus, whose forehead was covered in cold sweat.
His sturdy armor cloak swaying, he lowered his unraised hand and casually walked past them, heading into the dark forest.
Only after the figure completely disappeared from sight did Bacchus's tense nerves gradually relax. He let out a long sigh.
"Lord Bacchus, why did we have to give way to that bastard?!" The Quartet Cerberus wizards gathered around.
"That guy's aura is inhumanly strong."
Bacchus's hands and feet were cold. He was still scared. "If we had fought just now, we might all have died here."
"Damn! Since when did the continent have someone like him?!"
Hearing this, the Quartet Cerberus wizards were petrified, frozen, not knowing what to do.
This was the first time they had seen the fearless Bacchus describe anyone this way.
"I hope that monster isn't here for the SS-Class job."
Bacchus frowned, looking toward the village at the forest's edge.
Remembering the palpitations he had felt when his eyes met the man's, and the chill that had threatened to freeze every cell in his body, his expression was solemn as he sighed:
"Otherwise, Chase and the others are in big trouble..."
The next day.
Chase, unaware of the mysterious man, greeted the old chief, the guard Bereste, and other villagers. Then, with Lucy and Dark Magician Girl, he left the cave to explore the village.
In front of the heavy, cold copper gate, they encountered Éclair and Momo, standing there dazed.
"G-Good morning, Éclair. Momo." Lucy greeted them proactively.
Learning of Éclair's plight, the kind-hearted Lucy wanted to be friends with her.
Still unable to find her lost clothes, and finding the Canis Minor Star Dress too conspicuous, she was currently wearing a pink robe like Dark Magician Girl's.
The two girls, oddly matching in height and build, both with long blonde hair, looked like twin sisters from behind.
(Happy's comment: Since when is that not conspicuous?!)
Hearing the voice, Éclair turned. Seeing the wizards from last night, she turned and walked away coldly.
Lucy's mouth twitched. She really was annoying!
"Um, Éclair, Lucy and the others are guests of the village."
Momo looked at the departing Éclair, then at the embarrassed Lucy, trying to salvage the situation.
Seeing Éclair showed no intention of responding, caught in the middle, Momo quickly bowed to Lucy, then hurried to catch up to Éclair, muttering about not being so rude.
"Chase, should we follow her?" Lucy asked tentatively.
From Guard Bereste, she had learned that Éclair went out every day, searching the forest for the cause of the magic egg's anomaly. She always came back injured.
Despite disliking her cold attitude, Lucy couldn't just ignore her.
"She's been fine for years. Don't worry about it."
"Completing the job is the best help you can give her."
Chase waved his hand and walked toward the closed gate. He wasn't worried about Éclair's safety at all.
To put it bluntly, even if everyone in the village died, she, being immortal, wouldn't be in any danger.
Though concerned about Éclair, Lucy trusted Chase's judgment. Taking a deep breath, she quickly followed.
HUM.
Chase pushed the door open with a little force. A cold air rushed toward them.
The first thing to appear was a dark, eerie black mist.
The mist was thick, blocking most of the light. Only the outlines of houses a few meters ahead were visible.
Beyond that was complete darkness.
Something terrifying seemed to be lurking in the depths. From time to time, hoarse, low growls.
"As expected, this village is scary..."
Lucy had goosebumps. Huddling, she quietly hid behind Chase.
"Don't be so scared, Lucy. Those sounds are probably from ordinary villagers who turned into demons." Dark Magician Girl smiled comfortingly.
Lucy, with her super rich imagination, immediately pictured cruel demons with sharp beaks and claws. "Saying that makes it even scarier!"
"Let's go."
Chase's face was calm. He walked through the open gate and onto the village's main path.
Dark Magician Girl followed closely.
Soon, only Lucy was left alone at the gate.
"W-Wait for me, Chase!" She hurriedly rushed into the thick black mist.
Only after fully entering the village did Chase realize it wasn't as backward as he had imagined.
The path beneath his feet was a concrete road paved with neat bricks. The scattered houses were also built with a mix of durable bricks and wood.
Though far from Magnolia's level, the basic facilities were there. He could glimpse its former prosperity and stability.
If nothing unexpected had happened, following this development, it might have eventually reached the scale of an ordinary town.
Unfortunately...
Now, it was a dead, silent village.
***
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