"Aye! We'll definitely find them!"
Happy nodded earnestly in response.
Of course he wanted to find his parents too—no matter what, they were still his father and mother.
Though Happy felt anticipation and longing toward his parents, there was also some unease in his heart because he couldn't be certain what kind of Exceeds his parents actually were.
While this might sound somewhat abstract, the truth was that "parents" were indeed like "mystery boxes" to Happy now—there was no telling which version he would ultimately get.
"It'd be nice if they were like Carla's."
Watching the distressed Carla and her mother Shagotte, Happy imagined himself in her position and thought that wouldn't be so bad either.
"Not ideal."
Marco shook his head, causing Happy, Erza, and Mirajane to look at him in surprise, waiting for his explanation.
"Carla doesn't have a father." Marco answered quietly.
His words made the two girls and one cat lose their composure—the statement felt rather harsh.
But this was the truth—Carla's father had already passed away.
Marco didn't know whether this was the original outcome or if it had been caused by his arrival.
In any case, Carla's father was indeed deceased, leaving only her mother.
Still, this situation was better than that of most people in the guild.
Happy didn't respond, his expression complicated as he began contemplating what he would do if one of his own parents turned out to have similar issues.
But if there really were problems, there wasn't much he could do.
As long as people were alive, anything could be addressed—Grandma Porlyusica could cure any illness.
However, if someone died, that was the end—no matter how skilled Porlyusica was, she couldn't bring the dead back to life.
Amid Happy's melancholy and under everyone's gaze, Carla and Shagotte completed their reunion, both convinced of each other's identities.
Looking at her mother, Carla had many questions to ask.
Unlike Happy, she had come with her memories intact and with a mission, which was why she had so many confusions—unlike Happy who spent his days content in blissful ignorance.
"Why were we sent to this world?" Carla asked her mother.
"Because our Exceed race... was destined to be destroyed in that world. To preserve our legacy, we had no choice but to send you all away. As queen, I had to set an example to rally everyone..."
Shagotte's face showed guilt.
She knew this method had wronged many people—both the chosen children and the parents forced to send their children away—but she had no alternative, compelled by circumstances.
The future of the "Exceeds" hung like an eternal shadow over the hearts of those who knew the truth.
This "Legacy Project" wasn't something Shagotte had conceived on a whim—it was unanimously voted on by the higher-ups.
To save themselves and ensure the continuation of their race, they had to bear whatever criticism came their way.
"This... this... how could this be..."
Shagotte's explanation left Carla wide-eyed in disbelief, because in her understanding, all "Exceeds" like them had arrived with a mission—to "kill the Dragon Slayer Mages," as it was precisely the emergence of these "Dragon Slayer Mages" that had brought destruction to their "Exceed" race.
When Carla recounted the mission from her memories, Shagotte's expression grew complicated.
With a pained heart, she reached out and gently stroked her daughter's head.
"Those... were actually your prophecies, not your memories. You inherited my ability but didn't know how to control it or distinguish between prophecies and memories."
Shagotte felt deeply distressed.
If Carla had stayed by her side, she would have received guidance and support, avoiding the confusion between reality and prophecy and the torment of those "memories."
However, Shagotte never expected Carla to inherit her ability, though it seemed significantly weaker—unable to grasp the key points.
Shagotte saw clearly that the "Dragon Slayer Mages" weren't the focus, Marco was the true key.
Carla was stunned.
She never imagined the truth was like this—those weren't her memories but prophecies of the future!
This revelation brought Carla both relief and intense shame.
She had always mocked Happy over this, but it turned out she was the abnormal one!
Carla's face flushed bright red, her emotions in turmoil—shame mixed with relief.
She felt grateful she had made the right choice and hadn't harmed Wendy.
Shagotte was thankful that the first person Carla met was Wendy.
Wendy's gentleness and kindness had completely changed her; she no longer cared about any mission, focusing solely on Wendy.
Immediately, Carla pulled Wendy over to her mother Shagotte and earnestly introduced her best friend.
Shagotte respected her child greatly and sincerely thanked Wendy for her constant companionship with Carla.
The mother and daughter's actions made Wendy blush.
The young girl couldn't handle such a scene.
No matter what Shagotte and Carla said, Wendy just nodded with a red face, as if suddenly struck by a strange illness that only allowed her to say "Mm-hmm."
This frustrated Carla, who kept urging Wendy to be more confident, but Wendy's response remained the same—blushing and nodding.
The amusing scene delighted Shagotte.
Her daughter had made a very important, true friend in this world.
And not just one good friend, but also a good guild.
Seeing that her daughter had grown up much better than expected, Shagotte finally felt her heart settle back in place.
"From now on, our Exceed race will settle in Magnolia. If you want to find me, go to the settlement outside the city. I'll always be there, serving the Exceeds."
After chatting for a while, Shagotte announced she was heading back.
Although she had reunited with her daughter, Carla did not intend to interfere too much in her life.
She knew that relationships between people needed to develop gradually, and she had to find a way that would satisfy both of them, rather than abruptly inserting herself into the other's life.
"Alright, Mother. I will visit you often."
Carla did not persist either and agreed to the arrangement.
She understood her mother's perspective—having been queen for so many years, her mother felt she owed the Exceed a great deal.