A week later, Kael went to the Eastern Forest training grounds to watch the Fairy Tail guild members in action, paying special attention to Erza and Mirajane's training plans for the others.
Their regimen was far harsher than anything Kael had devised himself. Lisanna and Elfman's combat abilities had grown to levels far beyond what Kael had initially imagined.
Thanks to their consistently outstanding mission completion rates, Erza and Mirajane had earned the nicknames "Fairy Queen" and "Demoness" among the guild members. As their reputations spread, these titles reached across the entire kingdom.
Kael had been so focused on his magical research that he hadn't noticed these developments until now, leaving him genuinely astonished.
On a quiet evening, Kael returned home from the library. Kana had just come back herself, only a day earlier.
"Ah… what am I even worrying about?" Kael muttered, resting his chin on the dining table and staring blankly at the patterned tablecloth.
"What's the matter? Still lost in thought? Come eat—your favorite braised pork ribs are ready." Kana set the dinner on the table, gently tapping Kael's head to snap him out of his daze.
Kael reached for a rib, placing it on Kana's plate before taking a bite himself. "It's just… seeing Lisanna punch that boulder like it's nothing—it shocked me a little."
"Haha, Lisanna does have talent. She's always been diligent with her training, but credit goes to you too. Now eat, don't overthink it." Kana laughed, though she could understand why Kael was stunned.
Lisanna had once been a cute, playful girl, mostly practicing with adorable magical animals. Over the past two years, without much attention, she had trained with beasts, mastering the precise force of her punches to launch giant stones across the training field. The stark contrast was almost hard for Kael to process.
"Kana, your cooking keeps getting better and better."
"See? I've been learning for this. How's that? Not bad, right?"
"Mm, it's delicious. I'm really so happy."
"I am too."
After dinner, Kana tidied up the luggage she had brought back. Kael washed the dishes, arranged his clothes, and then knocked on her door. When Kana opened it, he suddenly presented the gift he had prepared.
"I saw this dress in a shop and thought it would suit you perfectly. I got it for you—see if you like it."
"Ah, let me see… this is the one I saw last time! It was so expensive, but it really is beautiful. Thank you, Kael!" Kana exclaimed, recognizing the dress she had loved but hadn't dared to buy. She hadn't expected Kael to remember and bring it back for her.
Kana grabbed the dress and excitedly ran into her room. After changing, she stepped out shyly, the room lights highlighting every curve and line of the dress. Her flushed cheeks made her look like a princess.
"So… Kael, how do I look?"
"Beautiful." Kael stared, completely captivated, unable to hide the warmth and admiration in his gaze.
Kana, feeling Kael's intense stare, mustered the courage to plant a quick kiss on him before dashing back into her room. "Thanks… go rest early, it's late."
Kael, touching his lips, finally snapped out of his daze and went to his room.
Even after living together for years, the smallest gesture—a single kiss—still carried a shy charm. Their deeper intimacy, however, was reserved for after marriage.
"Alright, this mission will do—the Beast King Subjugation. Elfman should be perfect for this," Mirajane said, scanning the second-floor mission board. She had spotted this S-Class task, recently posted, and knew it would be a great challenge for Lisanna and Elfman.
"Elfman, Lisanna, let's take this mission together. It's already registered," Mirajane said, waving the slip in front of Elfman, who had been training nearby.
"An S-Class mission? Really, Nee-chan?" Elfman's eyes widened. He had long begged his sister to let him take on S-Class tasks, and now she had finally agreed.
"Lisanna, you should go find Natsu—he's probably at the park," Mirajane added.
In the park, Natsu and Happy were arguing over fish again, with Lisanna trying to mediate.
"Fighting again?"
"Oh, Lisanna, you're back."
"All because Natsu ate my fish!" Happy stood and protested against Natsu's mischief.
"Hey, Lisanna, we should get going—it's an S-Class mission. We need to help Nee-chan complete it!" Elfman and Mirajane approached from a distance, cheerful and eager.
"Wow! Really? What mission is it?" Natsu asked, excited and envious.
"It's to subjugate The Beast. Natsu, you should come too—it'll be great experience," Mirajane said sincerely, inviting him along.
Just as Elfman was about to protest, wanting to go alone to protect his family, a voice came from behind.
"Sure, Natsu can join too. It'll be a valuable experience."
"Kael? What are you doing here? I thought you were out shopping with Kana?" Mirajane looked puzzled.
"Well… let's not worry about that. Focus on your mission," Kael replied.
Kael had been shopping with Kana earlier, but he sensed the magical energy from Mirajane and the others in the park, recalling a scene from before the Beast King mission. Acting quickly, he told Kana there was an emergency, then teleported here. He overheard the conversation and even brought Natsu along to prevent potential danger.
The guild members were strong now, and while Kael wasn't overly worried about the mission, he still wanted to be cautious.
"Lisanna, here's a defensive magic card. If you get into danger, it will automatically activate and teleport you to the nearest safe location." Kael handed the card to Lisanna.
"Thanks, Kael!"
"Thanks, Kael. You're even more thoughtful than I am! Let's get going," Mirajane said, her eyes full of gratitude.
"Don't mention it. I wish you a safe mission."
"Yay! My first S-Class mission! Gray's going to be so jealous!" Natsu jumped for joy, with Happy cheering alongside him.
Elfman, still caught up in his ideas of heroism, was reluctantly dragged away by Natsu, leaving Kael to quietly take to the sky. Using the reflection of the sunlight to obscure himself, he followed the group from above.
He intended to observe firsthand the Ultra-Dimensional Magic—Armani, and discover what it truly was.