Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
----------
When the host invites, the guest should comply.
What's more, Noah had come with a purpose.
Passing through the doorway, a space of about eighty square meters appeared before him.
Within this space created by magic, piles of books were haphazardly placed, occupying most of the area and compressing the living space into a small corner.
It was clear that Anna had dedicated all her energy to studying magic.
Noah's gaze swept over the room, and he noticed that these books were mostly about spatial magic and notes, their sheer number astonishing. Two of the books had even been lost long before this era, which further confirmed his suspicions.
In one corner of the space, a wooden bed, a chair, and a small table with a half-meter diameter constituted Anna's usual resting place, which was sufficient for her alone.
But today, there was a guest.
Anna felt a bit awkward. She wished she had prepared an extra chair.
Noah, however, didn't mind. He wasn't one for grand displays, so he simply found a few thick books, stacked them, and sat down.
The teapot, driven by Magic Power, automatically filled two cups of clear tea, and only then did Anna speak. "I still don't know what to call you?"
"My name is Noah, Miss Anna."
Noah smiled. His magic perception told him that the magical space they were in had existed for over five years, indicating it was quite stable.
Anna looked to be in her early twenties. Regardless of whether she came from four hundred years ago, her mastery of magic was that of an absolute genius.
Seeing Noah's calm demeanor, Anna knew that since he was willing to seek her out, he must be interested in the magic exchange she proposed. Without beating around the bush, she went straight to the point.
"I want to exchange for your Space Teleportation magic. You can name your terms for the exchange—I will do my best to fulfill them."
"No need for such trouble."
Noah's tone was dismissive. "I hope Miss Anna can answer three questions for me, and that will be the condition for the exchange."
"Three questions?"
Anna was very surprised.
The spatial magic that could teleport a large group of people with powerful Magic Power was extremely valuable. She had already prepared for Noah to demand an exorbitant price.
If she couldn't offer something satisfactory in exchange, she was even prepared to risk asking her old friends for two "magic achievements."
She hadn't expected Noah to propose three questions as the condition.
"Yes, three questions."
Seeing Anna's puzzled expression, Noah continued. "After these three questions, regardless of whether I get the answers I want, I will give you the ancestral magic 'Anima.'"
With that said, Anna had nothing more to be confused about.
Answering a few questions wouldn't take much time, and time was what she needed most.
Noah held up one finger. "First question."
"Miss Anna, you are from the Heartfilia family, aren't you?"
Nodding in confirmation, Anna was not surprised that Noah had exposed her identity. After all, without disguise, her golden hair and her status as a Celestial Spirit Mage were impossible to hide.
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Noah smiled slightly. "Second question, Miss Anna, what is your relationship with Natsu?"
How could he know!
Anna's expression froze, her shock churning inside her like a stormy sea.
Noah didn't wait, but continued. "It seems Miss Anna is a bit troubled. Then I'll rephrase the question: Gajeel, Wendy, Rogue, Sting—what is your relationship with them?"
The five names Noah mentioned consecutively each struck a chord in Anna's tense nerves.
Taking a deep breath, Anna tried to avoid revealing too much information. "I once served as a teacher for these five children for a period of time."
"Oh, so you were their teacher."
Noah nodded slightly. "I was wondering how five little brats could have traveled from four hundred years ago to this era. It makes sense with an adult accompanying them."
A light remark, yet it exploded in Anna's ears like a thunderous roar. Unable to sit still, she stood up, staring at Noah with a serious expression. "Why do you know about this?"
"Of course, from the Dragons inside them."
"What!"
Anna's shock burst out, but she immediately regained her composure. If those five Dragons had revealed it to Noah, then his knowledge of these matters was indeed plausible.
Noah shrugged, but in reality, it wasn't as he said.
He couldn't tell Anna that he had discovered Gajeel was not from this era through the Iron Dragon's lair and the Mage Blacksmith clan in Iron Furnace Ridge.
And from that, he had followed the clues to realize something was amiss with Natsu.
The same applied to the three little ones who followed: Wendy, Sting, and Rogue.
Originally, Noah had wanted to find out something from the Dragons residing within them, but now it seemed unnecessary. Anna's expression told Noah that she knew the truth of it all.
Holding up a third finger, Noah continued. "Then for the third question, Miss Anna from four hundred years ago, I want to know the purpose of your journey to this present era."
Anna looked at Noah with a puzzled expression. "Didn't Igneel and the others tell you about these things? That shouldn't be the case. You already know about Natsu and the others... Wait!"
Her eyes widened, and Anna finally understood.
Noah had no idea of their purpose. He had merely discovered the unusual nature of the five of them, Natsu included, through some means.
Damn it, I've been tricked!
Noah narrowed his eyes, a triumphant smile playing on his lips. As expected of Lucy's ancestor—this innocence was indeed hereditary.
Since he had already tricked it out of her, Noah stopped pretending.
A heavy pressure surged forward, an unknown force Anna had never encountered, like shackles, fixing her firmly in place, unable to move.
Such terrifying power!
Cold sweat trickled down Anna's face. Noah's sudden attack left her utterly unable to resist, for she was a Celestial Spirit Mage, and without her Celestial Spirit Keys, her combat power plummeted.
If she had known she would fall into such a passive situation, she wouldn't have been interested in "Anima." Anna was now filled with regret. She hadn't expected Noah to be so despicable.
To deceive and trick information out of a naive girl in her twenties... Noah didn't know that Anna's inner monologue was as rich as Lucy's, otherwise he would have definitely retorted with a comment about an old rogue and a young rogue.
"Natsu and the others are my companions, and Wendy is a sister I've adopted. I don't want them to bear any overly dangerous burdens."
"So, spill it, Miss Anna."
"Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to subdue you and find someone to read your mind. You wouldn't want your family's descendants to see you in such a sorry state, would you?"
Picking up the teacup and draining it in one gulp, the smile on Noah's face gradually became twisted, making Anna's heart pound with fear and further solidifying her resolve.
Cunning villain!
I, Anna, would rather die, jump from here and die outside, than reveal a single detail of the plan!
"Let me go. I'll tell you everything."
Anna looked at Noah with a death-defying gaze, speaking the softest words in the firmest voice.