Under the hopeful gaze of the Dark Magician Girl, Mira activated the magic communication lacrima and got in touch with the editorial team at Magic Weekly.
"Wait, did I hear that right? Miss Mirajane, are you saying the Dark Magician Girl wants to shoot a photo album with you, and you actually agreed?!"
The editor's voice crackled with disbelief, overflowing with barely contained excitement.
"Well," Mira said with a soft smile, tilting her head, "would that be alright?"
"Alright?! This is a dream come true!!"
There was an audible squeal of joy on the other end, followed by an ecstatic flurry of words: "A cheerful, magical cutie paired with the sultry, silver-haired goddess of Fairy Tail just imagining that combo makes my blood boil!!"
He quickly composed himself enough to continue. "Can you two make it to Hargeon today? We've prepared a location an ancient ruin off the coast, once used by a demonic cult. A special magic ferry is ready to take you to the island."
Mira paused, then let out a soft, knowing laugh. "That sounds rather intense. In that case… shouldn't the commission fee go up just a little?"
"…I suppose that's fair."
"How does 500,000 J sound?"
"…"
At the Magic Weekly headquarters in the capital of Fiore, the editor his hair styled in a sharp, conical point was stunned into silence.You call that a little bit?!
Mira, meanwhile, tapped her chin thoughtfully, then added with a soft, teasing tone, "Now that I think about it… I believe a few other weekly magazines also sent invitation letters for the Dark Magician Girl."
She casually glanced at the Dark Magician Girl and gave her a subtle wink, signaling her not to spill anything more.
Despite her usual graceful and gentle demeanor in the guild, Mira wasn't above playing dirty when needed. She could be cunning dangerously so.
If not for the events of the past that changed her, Mira today might've been even more terrifying than someone like… Nazgre.
"…Fine!" came the editor's voice through the lacrima, laced with frustration. "I'll put in a special application to raise the budget. Don't waste time dealing with those no-name magazines!"
He gritted his teeth, but his tone betrayed his desperation this was a golden opportunity, and he wasn't about to lose it.
Mira smiled gently and reached out to smooth the Dark Magician Girl's hat.
"But in the future," she added, "if you want to work in this world, you'll need to learn how to protect yourself not just in battle, but in negotiations too."
"Mm!" The Dark Magician Girl nodded earnestly, her expression filled with admiration and determination.
Ches watched the two from the side, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Even though they came from completely different worlds, in this guild, they were like real sisters. And in that moment, with the commission finalized and the mood light again, he felt a rare, peaceful warmth settle in.
"Alright," Mira clapped her hands lightly. "Let's get ready. We'll leave for Hargeon soon."
"Got it!" the Dark Magician Girl chirped, twirling her wand joyfully.
As they walked off to pack, Ches muttered to himself, "700,000 J… I'm starting to wonder if I'm the weakest negotiator in this guild."
Mira's face gleamed with pride as she gently patted the Dark Magician Girl on the head. "If you earn more rewards, you can treat yourself to some beautiful new clothes."
She gave a subtle glance toward Ches and added teasingly, "It must be exhausting traveling with a guy like him. You deserve a little indulgence now and then."
Though her tone was soft and sisterly, the meaning behind her words was clear. Mira hadn't negotiated with Magic Weekly for her own benefit it was all for the Dark Magician Girl.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa what's with the passive-aggressive jab at me?" Ches protested, jumping up like he'd been hit with a stray spell. "I'm pretty sure I just got slandered by proxy!"
"Oops. Did you hear that?" Mira tilted her head, an elegant smile playing on her lips. Her tone was innocent, but her eyes sparkled with wicked amusement.
This woman is way too dangerous!
…
When Loki finally returned from his humiliating retreat, Mira was waiting for him, calm and composed.
She briefed him on the tasks he'd be taking over while she and the Dark Magician Girl were away everything from guild paperwork to complaint resolution and minor mission approvals.
To his credit, Loki managed to keep a straight face through most of it… until he noticed Ches and Elfman still lurking nearby, looking suspiciously helpful.
"Just so we're clear," he muttered, eyes narrowing, "those two aren't part of the deal, right?"
"Of course not," Mira said sweetly.
Ches grinned. Elfman gave a thumbs-up.
Loki groaned.
He had a feeling this was going to be the longest week of his life.
After confirming the arrangements with Magic Weekly, Mira packed lightly and departed the guild alongside the Dark Magician Girl. Together, they made their way to Magnolia Train Station and boarded a steam train bound for Hargeon.
"Ches, Elfman, I'm leaving the date in your hands," Mira said sweetly before leaving. "Be sure to get along with Loki."
Those parting words, delivered with a radiant smile, hit both men like a fatal spell.
I don't want this kind of responsibility at all, Sister Mira…
Elfman collapsed dramatically beside Laxus, squatting in a corner of the guild with his face buried in his hands. "This is so not manly…" he whimpered, shoulders trembling.
The other "victim" of this arrangement wasn't Ches, surprisingly it was Loki, who was still diligently processing paperwork. As for Ches?
He was thick-skinned enough to treat the whole thing as a minor inconvenience. At the moment, he was already lounging at a table with Cana, as if nothing had happened.
Cana took a deep swig from a full wine barrel, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and gave Ches a curious side glance.
"So, how are you keeping card magic running for so long… and at that kind of range?" she asked, nodding toward the doorway, clearly referring to the Dark Magician Girl now off on assignment with Mira.
Her brows were furrowed in genuine curiosity.
Ches casually leaned back in his seat and smirked.
"Oh? Interested in magic theory now, Cana? Or are you just looking for a way to summon a wine spirit that'll never run dry?"
Cana raised an eyebrow, then grinned. "If that's possible, you'd better teach me."
They both laughed, the mood light but the mystery lingering in the air.
As a wizard specializing in card magic, most of Cana's cards were centered around elemental attacks fire, lightning, that sort of thing.
She had a few methods for summoning creatures, sure but their durations were short, and their range? Nowhere near capable of crossing towns.
And yet... the Dark Magician Girl had just left with Mira. Still active. Still summoned.
If I can just learn Ches's method... maybe I'll finally pass the S-Class Mage Trial this year!
That goal had driven her for years. It was the very reason she joined Fairy Tail in the first place.
"Cana," Ches said, setting down his empty beer mug, his tone turning serious as he looked into her determined eyes. "I've already told you our magic comes from different roots. My training won't help you."
But Cana slammed her empty barrel down, her voice sharp with frustration. "Please! If it can make me stronger, I'll do whatever you ask!"
"Oi, don't say stuff like that so casually," Ches replied, rubbing his temples. "If Lucy overhears, she's gonna spin it into something weird."
Seeing that Cana still wouldn't let it go, Ches could only shrug with a helpless sigh. "It's been over a year since we last saw each other, and you're still stuck on this S-Class thing..."
Back during the last Fairy Tail S-Class Wizard Trials, Cana had lost to him and missed her shot at that coveted title.
"I'm not like you or Erza," Cana muttered, her voice soft and shaky. "If I don't become S-Class, I... I can't stay in the guild."
Her eyes dimmed as she spoke. The weight in her chest threatened to crush her. There were only six months left until this year's trial and she'd already made her decision in secret.
If I fail again... I'll leave Fairy Tail. I'll stop chasing the dream of being worthy to stand before Gildarts as his daughter.
"Hey now," Ches said gently, trying to lighten the mood. "Even the old-timers like Macao didn't make S-Class, and they're still living just fine."
He motioned with his thumb toward Macao, who was a few tables away, sharing a smoke with Wakaba.
As if sensing he was the subject of conversation, Macao glanced over with a sour face.
That damn Ches is badmouthing me again, isn't he?!
"Ches, there's no way a guy like you could ever understand how I feel."
Cana shook her head, disappointed. She reached for another barrel of wine and yanked the lid off with practiced ease.
"That's not necessarily true." Ches raised a finger, a knowing smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He leaned in slightly and lowered his voice. "If I had to guess... this has something to do with a certain man in the guild. A long-lost father, maybe?"
Cana froze.
"…What did you just say?"
Her expression changed in an instant. She kicked up one foot onto the table, launched herself forward, and slammed her forehead directly into Ches's face.
Bang!
"You how do you know that?!"
Her voice trembled with a mix of fury and panic.
Cana was certain absolutely certain that no one in the guild knew about her connection to Gildarts. Even in her worst drunken stupors, she had never let that secret slip.
So how did Ches know?
Where did he find out?
The heavy scent of alcohol hit Ches in the face, making his nose twitch uncomfortably.
He gently pressed on Cana's shoulders, easing her back to a more reasonable distance. As his fingers moved, a faint glimmer of light sparked at his fingertips, and a card materialized between them with a soft shimmer.
"Don't forget," he said with a calm smile, "I'm a card wizard too and pretty good at divination."
That was a bluff. Complete nonsense.
But Cana didn't question it. She sat back down heavily, her eyes dull with defeat.
Even someone like her, who barely scraped by, could read bits and pieces from her cards. So someone like Ches who fought like a monster must be capable of much more.
"…Can you keep it a secret?" she asked quietly.
"Of course," Ches replied. "I'm not the kind of guy who sticks his nose where it doesn't belong."
With that, he flipped the glowing card in his hand and slid it across the table toward her.
Cana caught it, puzzled.
"This is…?"
Kana stared at the card in her hand, eyes narrowing at the arcane symbol of an open spellbook etched on its surface.
"The Book of Magic Card Secrets," Ches explained, leaning back in his seat. "I picked it up during a mission on the Kiltina Continent. It temporarily boosts a wizard's magic power limit when activated."
He gave her a look of quiet encouragement.
"It's not a permanent change," he continued, "but getting a glimpse of your power at its peak can help you understand your potential. Sometimes, that's all you need to push forward."
Technically speaking, Ches's deck was unique to him gifted by the strange system tied to his transmigration. By design, no one else should have been able to use it.
But Kana was different.
She was a card mage too. With her ability to lock individuals and spells into independent card dimensions, she could interface with his deck if, and only if, Ches allowed it.
As the glow from the card reflected in her eyes, Kana's breath caught.
"This kind of card… boosts my magic power?" she whispered in disbelief. "There's no way I can accept somehing this rare!"
She shook her head and pushed the card back toward him, hands trembling.
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