"Go to the Council? Arrested?"
"It's understandable for Natsu, but why Erza and Rhodes...?"
"Hey, what do you mean 'understandable for Natsu'? Though I kind of agree."
The guild buzzed with confusion, yet nobody made any rash moves. Facing the Council's enforcement team, Fairy Tail's members naturally felt a pang of guilt, after all, their record was far from spotless.
Natsu was first to burst, "What are you saying?! We took down—"
"Natsu!" Erza sharply interrupted him, aware that mentioning demons openly would only worsen their predicament.
Rhodes considered the frog-like messenger's words carefully; the official sounded firm, yet strangely not hostile.
Mira glanced anxiously between Rhodes and Makarov. "Master...?"
The frog messenger watched Makarov hop off the counter, asking respectfully, "Master Makarov, do you object?"
"No objection, but..." Makarov smiled reassuringly. "They acted under my orders. I'll go with them."
"Master...?" Erza, Natsu, and Rhodes were deeply touched.
Rhodes especially felt guilty, aware of the burden placed upon the old guild master.
"This..." the frog messenger hesitated. "We aren't authorized to arrest one of the Ten Wizard Saints."
"Then consider it my personal desire to visit the Council." Makarov led confidently toward the door. "Let's get going."
"Master..." Mira voiced her concern.
"Don't worry, I'll bring everyone back safely," Makarov assured warmly. "I'm leaving the guild in your hands. Try to keep them out of trouble."
Rhodes felt comforted by Makarov's confident tone. "If Master says it's alright, then we'll be fine." He waved reassuringly at Mira and followed closely behind.
Happy loyally fluttered along.
The frog messenger lingered a moment, uneasy beneath the guild members' skeptical gazes before signaling the enforcement team to follow.
A brief silence fell upon the guild, quickly giving way to worried murmurs.
Levy looked particularly concerned. Jet suggested following but was quickly stopped by Droy.
Cana and Gray approached Mira immediately, seeking explanations, but Mira quietly shook her head, signaling the matter couldn't be discussed openly.
"Sis!" Elfman, primarily concerned with Mira's anxiety, declared, "I'll go check things out!"
"You're not going anywhere," Mira replied firmly.
"But Rhodes and even the Master..." Elfman argued weakly.
Mira stared him down gently yet sternly, "I said, you're staying right here."
"Yes." Elfman's determination immediately deflated.
The Council's transportation turned out disappointingly ordinary, a simple carriage, nothing magical or exciting.
Inside, Natsu tried to maintain dignity, only to collapse miserably after mere seconds. "Rhodes... can we ride the crab...?"
"Behave," Rhodes sighed. "We're suspects right now. Be thankful we're not restrained with Magic-Sealing Stones."
"Ugh... Happy, fly me?" Natsu pleaded desperately.
"Aye, wing magic counts too! We can't look like we're fleeing!" Happy warned seriously.
Erza asked kindly, "Do you need help, Natsu?"
He shook his head miserably.
"Hang in there," Makarov encouraged gently, "We'll arrive soon."
The Council's Fiore branch stood isolated in a barren field, probably to signify authority. The group paused beneath the imposing structure before entering.
Rhodes curiously observed the peculiar, possibly magic-powered architecture, briefly wondering about the Council's financial backing.
Led through vast halls, up magical lifts, and along lengthy corridors, Natsu groaned quietly, "This thing's making me dizzy too."
"Mind your manners! This is disrespectful to the Council!" the nervous frog official scolded.
Rhodes steadied Natsu, silently finding the frog-man unusually jittery.
"The courtroom is just ahead, maintain decorum!" warned the frog.
Approaching, they saw a blue-haired youth casually leaning by the door.
"Lord Siegrain!" the frog instantly knelt respectfully.
Rhodes frowned. Since when was the Council so hierarchical that even young-looking men held great authority?
"Who's he?" Natsu whispered.
"Don't act rashly," Makarov cautioned seriously. "That's Councilor Siegrain."
"Even Master Makarov came along," Siegrain greeted politely. "The councilors' thought projections await you inside."
He subtly signaled Erza to remain quiet and vanished like a fading illusion, a thought projection himself.
Erza remained guarded.
"Their real bodies are at ERA headquarters," the frog official clarified nervously. "Still, please show proper respect."
He opened the courtroom doors. "Please enter."
The group approached the witness stand together. Facing them, twelve councilors sat on tiered platforms: one above, nine in the middle, and two frog officials recording below.
Rhodes examined the councilors curiously, men, women, young, old, tall, short, even one with three eyes, his gaze resembling someone admiring rare creatures.
The frog-man wanted to scold Rhodes but restrained himself.
Makarov remained calm, Erza tense but controlled unless facing Siegrain, while Natsu and Happy squirmed uneasily.
The awkward silence stretched for minutes.
Makarov yawned eventually, "Are we starting yet?"
"Patience," Yajima advised gently, "we're waiting for another suspect."
Moments later, another frog-man appeared, escorting a familiar blue-haired girl and a little white cat.
"Wendy? Carla?" Rhodes, Erza, and Natsu exclaimed simultaneously.
"Mr. Rhodes! Mr. Natsu! Miss Erza! Happy, Master Makarov!" Wendy's anxious expression shifted to delighted relief upon seeing familiar faces.
Rhodes moved quickly, sensing trouble. Wendy ran forward excitedly but stumbled. Instantly, Rhodes caught her gently by her collar, holding her up like a playful kitten to keep her from falling.
Bonus Chapter @400 💎💎