The Night of the Second Day of the Grand Magic Games
Noel and Ed were slowly walking toward the hotel.
The faint moonlight bathed them, coating their figures with a layer of silvery glow.
"Noel-nii, don't you think something feels strange?" Ed, walking behind Noel, frowned slightly and asked.
"What do you mean, Ed?" Noel stopped in his tracks and spoke softly.
"I'm not sure if I'm just being overly sensitive..." Ed hesitated for a moment before continuing, "But I keep feeling that there's something odd about the Flau Arena. It's as if there's an extremely unpleasant presence there. And not just that—I also have this vague sense that my magic has become strange, almost... sluggish."
"Your perception is sharp, Ed," Noel turned around and looked into Ed's emerald-green eyes, his expression somewhat serious.
"I only noticed it during the battle between Saber Tooth and Mermaid Heel. We... No, not just us. Everyone inside Flau at that time—all the wizards participating in this Grand Magic Games—our magic is being gradually devoured by an unknown dark substance. The fluctuation is very subtle, so aside from those of us who use Light Magic and are highly sensitive to dark energy, no one else should have noticed it."
"...Who did this?" Ed muttered in confusion.
Then, as if a thought had suddenly struck him, he spoke a certain name.
"Wait, the anomaly started during the battle between Mermaid Heel and Saber Tooth. Could it be... Saber Tooth?"
"I'm not sure." Noel shook his head.
"Honestly, in my opinion, the most suspicious party should be the Fiore royal family. But we have no way to investigate that. As for what you said about Saber Tooth... that makes sense too. The way that guild rose to power is indeed too strange, making it hard not to be suspicious of them."
"Hmm... In that case, I'll go and probe them a little." Ed considered for a moment before speaking to Noel.
"That works... but be careful," Noel nodded, agreeing with the plan.
Among all people, he understood Ed's abilities the most.
He believed that even if Ed were discovered by Saber Tooth, he had the strength to escape safely.
"Got it, leave it to me." Ed smiled slightly, and in an instant, his body dissolved into fragments of light and vanished from sight.
..........
Beneath a Bridge in Crocus
Underneath a bridge in Crocus, Jellal and Erza stood facing each other, both shrouded in silence.
"Did you sense any magic?" Erza was the first to break the stillness.
"Yes... That dark magic we sense every year—it hasn't appeared this time." Jellal shook his head.
Erza frowned. "What's going on?"
"After thinking it through, I've come up with a few possibilities. If the necessary condition is a specific person, then perhaps he hasn't come this time. Or, while he may be in Crocus, he hasn't used magic yet."
"In other words, he could be one of the tournament participants who hasn't made an appearance yet?"
"If the magic's activation depends on a certain device or a specific location, then maybe the device hasn't been triggered yet, or there's a barrier in place to prevent magic leakage." Jellal shared his speculation.
Erza rubbed her forehead in frustration. "Either way, if we can't sense that dangerous magic, everything is just speculation."
"That's true. Starting tomorrow, I'll investigate the tournament organizers to see what I can find." Jellal nodded, then hesitated before adding, "...I'm curious—why didn't you tell Noel Rutherford about this? With his abilities, if he joined the investigation, tracking down this mysterious magic would be much easier."
Erza remained silent for a few seconds before letting out a soft sigh.
"Him... He's already so exhausted... He never says anything, but we... we all know that he cares the most. The matter of the Demon God's Soul has already left him physically and mentally drained. I don't want to add any more burden on him. Call it selfishness, call it arrogance... We just want to handle this on our own, to lighten his load... even if it's just a little..."
Her voice grew softer and softer until Jellal could no longer make out her words.
But from the sorrowful yet resolute expression on her face, he understood her feelings.
"...I see. Good night, Erza." Jellal fell silent for a moment, then pulled up his hood and slowly walked away.
Erza nodded but did not respond further.
............
"It's already late. The banquet should be over by now."
Walking along the road leading to the hotel, Erza glanced at the time and muttered to herself.
"Finally found you."
A voice from above made Erza pause for a moment.
She looked up and saw a small, cloaked figure standing atop the arched bridge.
Judging by the voice, it was undoubtedly a woman.
"Who are you?" Erza frowned and voiced her question.
The figure above her smiled slightly but did not answer directly.
Instead, she softly said, "Full of energy?"
Erza was momentarily stunned, then as she gazed at the figure above, a warm smile gradually appeared on her face.
"Erza-chan, long time no see."
The figure lifted her hood, revealing a cute and familiar face that Erza had deeply missed.
"Millianna!"
Like a cat, Millianna leaped down from the bridge and threw herself into Erza's arms, hugging her tightly as she playfully whined, "I missed you so much~~"
"Ahaha, Millianna!" Erza called out happily. "Did you join a guild?"
"Yeah, Mermaid Heel." Millianna nodded with a bright smile.
"Did Shu, Wally, and Simon join that guild too?"
"What are you saying? Mermaid Heel is a guild that only allows women to join." Millianna laughed as she explained.
"Those three are still traveling. We keep in touch from time to time."
"I see." Hearing this, Erza showed a relieved smile.
Then, she hugged Millianna's small frame tightly.
"It's so wonderful to see you again, Millianna."
"Me too, Erza-chan." Millianna responded warmly.
"I'm so glad to see you doing well..." Erza's voice choked with emotion.
"Erza-chan, don't cry!"
"You're the one crying."
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