The Dark Magician Girl leaned in close to Ches and peeked at the unfolded commission sheet, her big eyes widening with curiosity.
She didn't respond right away. Instead, after a moment of thought, she turned to Mira, who was standing beside her.
"This one sounds fun! Sister Mira, will you come with me? I want to take pretty pictures with you"
In addition to her own charm, part of the reason she had become such a popular Magic Weekly model was thanks to Mira the original "superstar" who introduced her.
She had always dreamed of doing a photoshoot alongside sweet, gentle Mira. But for one reason or another, that dream kept getting pushed back.
Then Ches took on a ten-year mission, packed up his card deck, and disappeared to the distant continent of Kiltina.
Naturally, the Dark Magician Girl's little wish was forgotten in the shuffle.
But now, with such a perfect opportunity in front of her, she wasn't about to let it slip by.
"Huh?"
Mira tilted her head slightly, a hint of hesitation in her gentle gaze. Her brows drew together just a little as she said softly, "The guild's been a bit busy lately… and I haven't received any modeling requests from Magic Weekly yet."
"That's fine!" the Dark Magician Girl chirped, taking the commission sheet from Ches and holding it proudly. "The guild has a master, doesn't it? Everything will be okay!"
She puffed out her chest with confidence. "And if Magic Weekly says no to having Mira, then I'm not going either!"
Mira blinked, clearly caught off guard by her earnestness.
"It's all because Chase came back…" she muttered, giving Ches a sidelong glare full of exasperation.
Truthfully, she did want to go on a modeling shoot with the Dark Magician Girl. It was something they had talked about for ages.
But right now? Between helping Master Makarov manage the chaos caused by Ches blowing up half a kingdom, digging through old unresolved messes left in his wake, and constantly responding to the Council's complaint letters piling up like snowdrifts... she could barely breathe.
Seeing her so burdened, Ches instinctively looked away, guilt creeping across his face. He turned his head and scratched his cheek, pretending he hadn't heard a word.
"Ah, well…" he muttered sheepishly.
The Dark Magician Girl didn't know how to respond. She stood frozen, the corners of her lips trembling slightly as disappointment settled in her eyes. Even the usual sparkle in her gaze had faded.
It wasn't just any excuse this time others might shrug it off, but the one responsible for the mess… was her own idiot master. That made it feel even more hopeless.
"…It's not impossible if we squeeze it in!"
Mira couldn't bear the sight of her downcast face. The moment she saw those watery eyes and trembling lashes, her heart softened like snow under sunlight. She rushed over and gently took the Dark Magician Girl's hand in her own.
"Really?" Her eyes lit up instantly, like a gloomy sky breaking into warm sunshine.
"Yes!" Mira nodded firmly, her voice filled with conviction.
The most important thing is making my little sister happy. Even if it meant staying up all night to finish paperwork or braving the wrath of the Magic Council… so be it.
Watching quietly from the side, Ches saw right through Mira's resolve. With a quiet sigh, he stepped forward, positioning himself between the two girls like a shield against reality.
Even if it meant a mountain of trouble… even if it was more exhausting than fighting Ignia head-on…
"I'll help too," he said, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "Let's make this shoot happen no matter what."
But as a man and the main culprit it would be completely unreasonable for him not to step up at a time like this!
After gathering his emotions, Ches swept his hands through his hair, slicked back the messy strands into something halfway presentable, and declared confidently, "Mira, just leave it to me. I'll handle your duties while you're away!"
Mira blinked in surprise and gave him a long, thorough once-over.
"I'm worried," she said flatly.
Her expression left no room for argument.
The odds of Ches managing those tedious administrative tasks properly were about the same as the odds of Natsu riding a train without getting motion sick
Absolutely zero.
Pfft
Ches, who had been filled with heroic resolve just moments ago, dropped to the floor on both knees as if an arrow had pierced straight through him.
"A man steps up when it counts most!"
With a loud and rugged shout, Elfman marched over in his wooden clogs, the sound echoing with exaggerated confidence.
He raised his muscular arms dramatically, practically radiating testosterone. "Sister Mira, leave the work to me!"
"In a way, Elfman… you're not much different from Ches," Mira replied gently, but her words were sharp as ever.
Pfft
Struck by the verbal blow, Elfman dropped to his knees beside Ches, propping himself up with his hands as if he'd just taken a critical hit. The two of them now formed a perfectly synchronized line of defeat.
"I believe I heard something about two beautiful, troubled young ladies in need of assistance."
A smooth, elegant voice followed Elfman's fall and yet another figure stepped onto the scene.
Loke, the Leo Celestial Spirit, strolled up to Mira and the Dark Magician Girl with a confident swagger. With a coy smile, he pushed up his glasses with a single finger and flashed a suave grin.
"You can't seriously leave tedious, mind-numbing paperwork to those two blockheads," he said, shooting a smug glance at Ches and Elfman, who were still slumped in defeat. "Mira, let me take over your duties."
He struck a gallant pose. "All I ask in return… is a dinner date with both of you."
Totally shameless.
If Lucy were present, she would have screamed in frustration, "You're just taking advantage of the situation!" at the top of her lungs.
But Mira was not Lucy.
Just as she opened her mouth to kindly decline, a thunderous crash echoed from outside the guild.
Bang!
The front door exploded inward. A wooden panel spun through the air in a perfect arc before smacking Loke square in the forehead with pinpoint accuracy.
"Ugh!"
Loke spat out a mouthful of blood, flew back several meters, and crash-landed into the bar in a heap.
"WHERE'S THAT BASTARD CHES?!"
Natsu marched into the guild with a fiery glare and a vengeance-filled stride, flames practically dancing in his wake.
Behind Natsu, Happy peeked out cautiously, a twig still stuck in his messy fur.
Why did he have a bird's nest on his head?
Simple because both he and Natsu had been blasted sky-high by Ches the night before and crash-landed in the forest outside the city… where they ended up spending the night as unwilling guests of nature.
"You jerk! Attacking me in front of two beautiful girls like that Natsu, you were clearly waiting for this moment, weren't you?!"
Loke suddenly sprang up from the wreckage of the bar, dust flying as he brushed himself off dramatically. The moment he locked eyes on Natsu, his fury flared.
Without hesitation, he reached for the ornate ring on his finger.
Buzz.
A golden magic circle ignited with a hum, firing a concentrated beam of Celestial light straight at Natsu.
But Natsu wasn't caught off guard.
With a sharp grunt, he twisted to the side, his arm sweeping through the air just as the beam reached him.
BOOM!
The golden light exploded against his counter, sending a shockwave rippling through the guild hall.
The redirected magic veered off course and struck the worst possible target.
With a loud crack, the beam slammed into the wine barrel Kana was lifting above her head.
Splash!
The barrel burst, drenching Kana in a cascade of alcohol.
"Natsu!!"
Kana's voice rang with fury. She glared at him, dripping from head to toe in sweet-smelling booze. Without hesitation, she grabbed the nearest stool and hurled it straight at his head.
Natsu grinned wildly and met the flying stool with a flaming punch.
Fire Dragon Iron Fist!
The stool exploded in mid-air, reduced to flying splinters. Wood chips and debris rained down like confetti across the guild hall.
And that was the final spark.
A chorus of outraged shouts filled the room as guild members leapt from their chairs, slamming fists on tables and joining the brawl without a second thought.
Within seconds, chaos erupted.
Tables overturned. Magic flared. A flying shoe hit someone in the face.
The usual Fairy Tail morning.
From the second floor, a loud voice roared in exasperation.
"These little brats never let me have a moment's peace!"
Makarov stormed down the stairs, veins bulging on his forehead. With a single stomp, he brought the madness to a halt, his towering presence restoring order in an instant.
Once the guild calmed down, Mira quickly explained what had happened.
"I see," Makarov muttered, stroking his beard. "So that's all it was? This is actually quite simple."
Makarov stood atop the shattered bar counter, surveying the scene like a general after a battlefield skirmish. His gaze passed over the bruised, battered guild members sprawled around the hall and finally came to rest on Loki, who sat slumped in a corner with a massive bump swelling on his forehead.
"Loki," Makarov declared, voice sharp as ever, "while Mira and the Dark Magician Girl are away on their commission, you will be taking over their work!"
Loki's jaw dropped in disbelief.
What? Him? Doing actual paperwork?
Although the Dark Magician Girl was technically one of Ches's card summons, Makarov had long since stopped caring about such details. To him, she was one of their own a child of the guild like any other. So naturally, he'd support her wish to appear in Magic Weekly alongside Mira.
Loki, still recovering from the earlier blow to the head, looked utterly aggrieved. Just as he was about to protest, Makarov's expression shifted.
That familiar grin crept across the old man's face mischievous, smug, and far too pleased with himself.
"Oh? Didn't you say your only condition for helping was getting to go on a date with Mira and the Dark Magician Girl?"
Loki froze.
"They're both heading out for a photoshoot," Makarov continued with mock sympathy, "so instead… you get to spend the day with Mira's brother and the master of the Dark Magician Girl."
"Ah?!"
Loki's scream echoed through the hall.
A date… with Ches and Elfman?!
He looked like he'd just been handed a death sentence.
Before Loki could even get a word in, two muscular arms shot out from either side and locked him in a vice grip.
Elfman stood stoic to his left resolute, dutiful, and unwavering in his commitment to "manly" responsibilities. He was, after all, sacrificing his day for the sake of his beloved sister.
Ches, however, was on a whole other level.
With a mischievous glint in his eye, he leaned in close to Loki's ear and exhaled a slow, teasing breath.
"Let's start our date, Loki-san"
"Hell no! Who the hell wants to date a creep like you?!"
Loki exploded in panic. His entire body shivered as goosebumps erupted across his skin. Trapped between two absurdly enthusiastic men, his pride and sanity took a massive hit.
Flailing like a cat tossed in water, he broke free from the two damn muscle heads and bolted toward the door, crawling and scrambling like his life depended on it.
"Don't forget what you promised, Rocky-saaan" Ches called after him, his voice laced with wicked glee.
Loki didn't even turn back. He just ran faster desperate, horrified, and more determined than ever to return to the Celestial Spirit Realm and never come out again.
"Hahahahahaha!!"
Laughter exploded throughout the guild. The once-chaotic hall was now filled with lighthearted joy, the kind only Fairy Tail could summon.
And just like that, the Magic Weekly commission arc came to a close with the usual brand of explosive hilarity.