Erza stepped forward and pushed open the doors. Before her sat the members of the Magic Council, perched upon their high benches, looking down at her. The weight of their collective gaze made her deeply uncomfortable.
Suddenly, she spotted a familiar figure among them. Her heart leapt with a spark of joy, but it was quickly eclipsed by a surge of irritation. She shot Chen Fan a fierce, warning glare before taking her place in the defendant's dock.
"Yo, Erza! I made it too," Chen Fan said, waving a casual hand at her. Erza simply turned her head away, determined to ignore him.
Bang! Bang!
The sound of a gavel echoed through the hall. A man with a face like a frog struck the wood and called out, "Order! Silence in the court! The Magic Trial is now officially in session. Defendant Erza Scarlet, please step to the witness stand."
He adjusted his papers and continued, "Defendant Erza Scarlet, regarding the Lullaby incident involving Eisenwald the other day you are suspected of the destruction of a portion of Oshibana Station and the sabotage of the Lushika Canyon railway. According to eyewitness testimony, the culprit was a female mage clad in armor..."
"I have something to say," Chen Fan interrupted, raising his hand. The court was stunned; no one knew what kind of game he was playing.
"Wait until the sentencing is finished," the frog-faced official snapped, clearly lacking the tact to know who he was dealing with.
Chen Fan spared him a single, dismissive glance before looking away. He had no interest in wasting his breath on such a minor character.
"Chen Fan, don't get too ahead of yourself! This is the Magic Council, not your Fairy Tail guild hall!" an议员 roared, slamming his hands on the table as he stood.
"You must be new here," Chen Fan said, looking at the man with the sort of pity one might show a complete novice. His gaze made the official squirm with unease.
"So what if I'm new? I am still a member of this Council!" the man replied, his voice rising in an attempt to sound authoritative.
"Is that so?" Chen Fan's tone dropped into a low, clear threat. "Believe it or not, I can have you removed from that seat by tomorrow."
The man jumped, his voice dying in his throat. Chen Fan's influence within the Magic Council was immense, and the threat carried weight.
At that moment, a white-bearded elder spoke up. "Chen Fan, what exactly is it that you wish to say?" His voice was thick with displeasure. Having Chen Fan casually talk about replacing a council member in front of so many people made the veteran members look utterly powerless.
"Oh, it was just a joke. Don't take it so seriously," Chen Fan said, clapping his hands together. His tone was infuriatingly flippant. "We've all been friends for years, haven't we?"
The Council members seethed, their fingers itching to strike, but they forced themselves to endure. This was not the place for a fight. Moreover, they knew Chen Fan's worth.
Long ago, he had been a figure of immense importance in the country; they didn't believe for a second that he hadn't built up his own secret power base over the years.
BOOM!
The wall suddenly exploded, leaving a massive hole. Natsu Dragneel, dressed in a ridiculous, over-the-top outfit, came charging through the dust. Chen Fan's face twitched; he had completely forgotten this part of the original events. His plans were now in shambles.
"I'm the armored female mage! Catch me if you can! I'm Erza! Hey... hurry up and tell me what crimes I've committed!" Natsu yelled, breathing fire and starting a riot in the middle of the courtroom.
"Shut up, you idiot!" Chen Fan and Erza roared in perfect unison.
"Ah! Chen Fan, you're here too? Quick, tell them I'm the armored female mage!" Natsu shouted back.
Ultear Milkovich watched the chaos with a playful, mocking glint in her eyes. "Well, given the situation, Chen Fan, what do you suggest we do?"
Chen Fan ignored her. It wasn't the right time to deal with that woman yet. He turned back to the Council and sighed. "Fine. You've seen it yourselves. This guy did it. Lock him up."
The Council members looked from Natsu to Chen Fan and back again. It was a blatant lie, but they truly couldn't afford to offend Chen Fan further today. "Lock up the... armored female mage," one of them managed to say. "Erza Scarlet is cleared of all charges."
"Wait! It was my mistake! I'll take the responsibility! Lock me up with him!" Erza insisted. She wasn't the type to let someone else take the fall for her, even if that someone was Natsu being a moron.
The Council members looked expectantly at Chen Fan, clearly leaving the final decision to him. This was a minor matter; there was no reason to cross him over it. Secretly, they regretted ever trying to make trouble for Erza. They had wanted to test Chen Fan's stance regarding Fairy Tail, but instead of finding leverage, they had only succeeded in embarrassing themselves.
"Fine, lock them both up," Chen Fan said. Erza blinked, a hint of disappointment crossing her face, but Chen Fan quickly added, "Put Erza in the Special Cell. Natsu can go in a standard one."
At least he has a conscience, Erza thought, a small smile finally tugging at the corners of her mouth.
That night, pale moonlight filtered through the window, casting a greyish glow over the room. Outside, the occasional squeak of a rat broke the silence, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Chen Fan sat in a chair by the window, his back against the rest, eyes closed as if in deep sleep.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes. "You're here."
A shadow stepped out from a dark corner. It was the same council member who had argued with Chen Fan earlier that day.
"Have you established a firm foothold in the Council?" Chen Fan asked in a neutral tone, not bothering to turn around.
"Yes. Today, I successfully entered the inner circle of the Magic Council's power structure," the figure replied, dropping to one knee.
"Does anyone suspect you?"
"Initially, there were doubts. However, our dispute today seems to have lowered their guard. Only Siegrain and Ultear appear to harbor lingering suspicions."
"Don't worry about Siegrain. He's a smart man," Chen Fan said, waving a hand dismissively. "I was the one who helped him into his position, and I can pull him down whenever I like. He understands that. Just keep your distance from him and don't leave any trails. You may go."
"Understood." The figure's form began to fade, vanishing into thin air. At the same time, another presence outside Chen Fan's door disappeared as well.
Though Natsu had disrupted his original plan, the Council's behavior today confirmed Chen Fan's suspicions. It was the Council who had moved against him; only those old fools could be that stupid.
However, the Magic Council was a necessary evil. If it weren't, Chen Fan would have wiped them out long ago. He had never allowed anyone who dared to move against him to live. His fist tightened for a moment, then relaxed.
He stood up and gazed at the blood-red moon hanging in the sky. "Jellal," he whispered, "don't disappoint me."
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