Riyao called the Council's troops, and it was our old acquaintance, Lahar, again.
Lahar hurried over with a squad of men. Seeing Riyao and the others standing on the shore, his footsteps paused slightly, and his temples throbbed twice.
Riyao went up to meet him with a smile and patted Lahar on the shoulder.
"Yo, Lahar, it's you again. We really are fated."
Lahar got a headache whenever he saw people from Fairy Tail; he really wanted to turn around and leave.
The scene of Riyao clinging to his leg and wailing in Magnolia was still vivid in his mind; seeing him again made his head hurt even more.
"Lord Riyao, what's the situation this time?"
Riyao thought for a moment and summarized the whole thing in the simplest way possible.
"Basically, Jellal had ill intentions toward our guild's Titania, so we went to rescue her. It's as simple as that."
Lahar pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. The Council headquarters had just suffered an incident, and now the culprit had been caught here.
Jellal, one of the Ten Wizard Saints and the Council Member Siegrain, was actually the mastermind behind building the Tower of Paradise.
If this news got out, the entire magical world would be shaken.
"Understood, leave Jellal to us. Please ask Master Makarov to come over once the turmoil here at the Council has settled down."
Riyao nodded: "No problem."
The Council's people came and went in a hurry, taking away Jellal, who was sealed in Magic Crystal, and bringing an end to this eight-year nightmare.
...
After a day of recuperation, Riyao's condition had improved significantly.
However, the consumption of the Azure Dragon Form was simply too great. Since it was his first time using it, his body hadn't fully adapted, and now his entire body ached as if he had been struck everywhere with a hammer.
He lay on the bed in Riyao Manor, wrapped tightly in bandages by Mirajane like a mummy, with only his face and hands exposed.
Mirajane happily tied a bow on Riyao's bandages, right on his forehead, making him look incredibly ridiculous.
Then she took out Riyao's camera and snapped several photos of him.
Holding the camera, Mirajane smiled like a kitten that had stolen a fish.
"Hahaha, it's the first time Darling has needed to recover from injuries, so I must record this well."
Riyao lay helplessly on the bed, unable to move, and could only protest Mirajane's misdeeds with his eyes.
"Mira, at least untie the bow on my forehead."
"No, it looks great." Mirajane took another photo.
Lucy pushed the door open and entered. Seeing Riyao tied up like a mummy, she burst out laughing and then had a sudden inspiration.
"Let's take a group photo!"
Happy flew in through the window, his small wings fluttering: "Aye!"
Everyone gathered around, and Riyao's bedside was instantly crowded.
Mirajane sat by the bed, her face close to Riyao's, wearing a sweet smile.
Lucy stood at the foot of the bed, making a peace sign.
Happy lay on Riyao's head, his little paws clutching the pink bow.
Natsu and Gray were bumping heads as they fought for a spot, neither willing to give in.
"I was here first! Move over!" Natsu bared his teeth.
"I was clearly standing here first! You move!" Gray was not to be outdone.
Erza walked over, grabbed both of their shoulders, easily pulled them apart, and then stood in the middle herself.
Natsu and Gray winced from the grip, but they didn't dare resist.
Juvia stood behind Gray. Seeing Natsu and Gray so close, her gaze was like a knife, as if she wanted to glare two holes through Natsu.
Sho sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, arms around his knees, looking awkward but with the corners of his mouth slightly upturned.
Wally pulled his hat down, showing his square profile, trying hard to strike a cool pose.
Millianna grabbed Happy and rubbed against him frantically, muttering, "So soft, so soft, meow."
Simon stood on the far edge, looking at Erza with eyes full of affection, as tender as if he were looking at the whole world.
Click.
The sound of the shutter rang out, and this moment was forever frozen in the photograph.
A group of eccentric people surrounding a Riyao tied up like a mummy with a bow on his head, all smiling like a bunch of fools.
When night fell, Simon and the others quietly packed their things, preparing to leave without saying goodbye.
All four of them went to the shore and moved their luggage onto a small boat. Their movements were very light, for fear of being discovered.
Sho urged, "Hurry up, it won't be easy to leave if Big Sister finds out."
Millianna held her cat-ear headband, her eyes red: "Meow, I still can't bear to leave Erza-chan."
Wally adjusted his hat, his tone feigning casualness: "As a gentleman, I can't stay by her side and cause her trouble. Our current status is too awkward."
Simon took one last look toward the hotel and whispered, "There will be a chance to meet again in the future."
Just as they were about to board the boat, a voice came from behind them.
"You guys!"
The group was startled and looked toward the source of the voice in unison.
Erza stepped out from the shadows on the shore. The moonlight spilled over her; her expression was serious but not angry.
Sho lowered his head, his voice low and bitter.
"We've lived in the tower all our lives; we want to see the outside world with our own eyes. Like Riyao said, we are also beneficiaries, and we want to go help those victims from the past."
Erza looked at them, her gaze softening, and she nodded with gratification.
"As long as you have such strong will, you can do anything. I'm relieved now."
She took a deep breath, and with a flash of light, she changed into her silver-white armor, the Farewell Armor.
The moonlight reflected off the armor with a soft silver glow. She stood on the shore, her posture upright, her voice solemn.
"However, those who leave Fairy Tail must abide by three things. Listen carefully."
"First: the four of you must never spread information detrimental to Fairy Tail for the rest of your lives."
"Second: you must not contact past clients at will for your own personal gain."
Erza's voice trembled slightly, but it remained firm and powerful.
"Third: even if our paths differ, you must live on strongly! You must never look down on your own life! Or even underestimate your own life!"
Her voice echoed in the night wind, carrying an undeniable power and a deep blessing.
"And you must never forget your beloved friends for as long as you live!!!"
"Fairy Tail Farewell Party, begin!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Natsu spat a fireball from his mouth that exploded in the air. Orange fireworks blossomed in the night sky like a blooming fire lotus.
Gray stood in the courtyard, condensing ice bullets in his hands and shooting them into the sky. Ice-blue fireworks exploded in the night sky, complementing the crimson ones.
Lucy stood on the corridor, simply condensing golden Celestial Spirit Magic and letting it explode into golden fireworks, warm and bright.
Mirajane waved her hands, and continuous purple fireworks exploded in the sky, one after another, like a sea of purple flowers.
Riyao lay at Mirajane's feet, blinking his eyes as he looked at Happy. His gaze seemed to ask: "Why aren't you performing?"
Happy tilted his head and scratched his face with a small paw.
"I don't know how to set off fireworks."
Riyao rolled his eyes speechlessly.
Crimson, ice-blue, gold, and purple—the four colors of fireworks intertwined and blossomed in the night sky, illuminating the entire coastline and the four tear-streaked faces on the small boat.
The boat slowly sailed away from the shore. Simon and the others were crying uncontrollably on the boat, even blowing snot bubbles, completely disregarding their image.
Sho wiped his tears and shouted something, but his voice was scattered by the sea breeze.
Wally's square face was covered in tears, and his hat was crooked.
Millianna hugged her knees, crying like a child.
Simon stood at the stern, looking at the fireworks on the shore and Erza's figure. His lips trembled, but he couldn't say goodbye.
On the shore, Erza stood under the moonlight, watching the boat get farther and smaller until it finally disappeared into the night.
She wiped the tears from her face.
"Bon voyage."
The fireworks were still blossoming in the sky, illuminating everyone's faces and the bond in their hearts that would never disappear.