Clover Town — the place where the Guild Council held its regular meetings.
Kael and Master Makarov were the last to arrive.
The reason? The great Guild Master had overslept.
Kael had originally intended to use teleportation magic to arrive instantly, but he decided to let the old man do things his way. Along the road, Makarov had insisted there were "many beautiful sights to see" and scolded Kael for being "too impatient."
"Youngsters like you rush through life," Makarov had said, wagging a finger. "Don't miss the beauty along the road."
Kael had paused at that. Since arriving in the world of Fairy Tail, he realized he had been rushing. His eyes softened as he looked at the old man still chatting endlessly about philosophy—until Makarov started demanding beer from the innkeeper.
In the early morning.
Kael sighed, realizing he had overestimated the master's "wisdom."
Just as Makarov lifted the mug for his first gulp, Kael snatched it from his hand, paid the bill, and dragged him out of the inn.
The vehicle roared down the road, Kael driving at full speed to barely arrive in time for the start of the meeting.
When the two stepped into the grand chamber, every Guild Master's gaze swept past Makarov… and fixed directly on Kael.
They stared at him as if he were some rare treasure. Kael shifted uneasily under the attention, while Makarov strutted proudly ahead, chest puffed like he owned the place.
"Ahh~ so this is the youngest Saint Wizard, Kael? My, my, such a handsome one! Makarov, you lucky old man~"
The speaker was Bob, the flamboyant bald-headed master of Blue Pegasus, wearing a pink camisole dress, his hands pressed dramatically to his cheeks.
"Hahaha, that's right!" Makarov laughed, jumping onto the table as if to perform. "I was there during his S-Class trial! The battle was fierce—Kael defeated the examiner with a single strike! Truly magnificent!"
Makarov's pride knew no bounds.
"Still boasting, Makarov?" came a low voice. "You should be careful. Many in the Council aren't happy with Fairy Tail's growing reputation. You've got enemies watching."
The speaker was Goldmine, the master of the Quatro Cerberus Guild, recognizable by his tall magician's hat and the spiked collar around his neck. Despite his rough exterior, his tone carried genuine concern.
"Oh? Have you heard something specific?" Makarov's grin faded, and his tone turned serious.
Kael's expression hardened as well. Both of them shared the same instinct: anyone who dared threaten Fairy Tail would be dealt with—thoroughly.
Kael's mind raced. Could it be Jellal? Bora? Or someone else moving behind the scenes?
Goldmine shrugged. "Just rumors my members overheard during missions—talk that doesn't sound good for your guild. I don't have details, but… stay alert."
Before Makarov could respond, a bright-blue magic bird swooped in, carrying a letter.
"Message for Master Makarov and Kael! From Cana!"
The tension in the room broke immediately.
"Thank you," Kael said with a small smile, as Makarov accepted the letter. The other Guild Masters crowded around, curious.
As the magic activated, Cana's image appeared, her familiar playful grin lighting up the air.
"Moshi moshi~ Master! Hope the meeting's going well! Just wanted to let you know—Erza, Natsu, and Gray have teamed up for a mission! Sounds like a really important one, so I thought you'd want to hear about it~"
Her cheerful tone filled the room.
At first, Makarov smiled fondly… but by the time she mentioned Erza, Natsu, and Gray working together, his face froze. He could already picture the chaos.
He turned pale, eyes rolling back slightly.
Though Erza was the guild's disciplinarian, when it came to missions, she had her own definition of "rules."
"What—how could they—" Makarov stammered, unable to process it.
"Oh! Right," Cana continued, "Kael, if you're there—come back soon! Mira and Laxus sent word they're on their way back too. Apparently, they've got something important to discuss!"
THUD.
Makarov collapsed face-first onto the table.
"Oh my~ looks like he's got even more urgent matters to handle," Bob said, resting his cheek in his palm with a teasing smile, though his eyes carried concern.
"Master," Kael said calmly, "I'll go check on them."
"Yes! You're here—thank goodness!" Makarov suddenly sprang up as if revived from death, clutching at Kael's sleeve like a drowning man. "Quickly—go! Make sure they don't destroy half the kingdom!"
"Yes, Master," Kael replied with a respectful nod.
A golden magic circle flared beneath his feet. Extending his Observation Haki, Kael sensed Erza and the others pursuing a train aboard a magic vehicle.
But what caught him off guard was another presence—a very familiar one.
A faint smirk crossed his lips before he vanished from the hall in a flash of light.
Goldmine whistled, impressed. "Teleportation magic, huh? That's one convenient ability."
"Erza…"
A blue-haired young man stood on a high cliff, his gaze locked on the distant vehicle carrying her away.
As it vanished from sight, he stepped forward to follow—but before he could move, a brilliant laser beam sliced down from the sky, striking the ground in front of him.
A figure appeared in the lingering glow—Kael—his expression calm but eyes sharp with amusement.
"Jellal," Kael said evenly. "Shouldn't you be attending Council business? What brings you here?"
"Oh, nothing much," Jellal replied with a disarming smile. "Just sightseeing."
"Sightseeing, hmm? That's fine," Kael said lightly—then his tone turned cold. "But if your 'sightseeing' involves any ill intentions… then it becomes my business."
His magic flared like rising light, pressure radiating outward.
Jellal's easy smile froze. The air around them thickened as Kael's aura bore down, but after a tense silence, Jellal chuckled softly.
"Hahaha… Lord Kael, you're overthinking. Nothing's happening here. So, if you'll excuse me…"
He turned to leave—only for a beam of light to pierce through his chest.
His form flickered.
"Tch… as I thought. A projection," Kael muttered, lowering his hand as smoke curled from his fingertips. "The Council's gotten sloppy again. Otherwise, the Cursed Flute would never have been stolen."
His voice hardened. "If this leads to trouble for the Guild Masters, some of your Council members may lose more than just their seats."
Jellal's fading image looked back, his smile returning—gentle, but laced with meaning.
"Kael… you truly are impressive," he said, the compliment carrying double edges.
"Who knows?" Kael replied coolly.
"Until next time, Lord Kael."
And with that, Jellal's illusion dissolved into the wind.
Kael stood silently for a moment, extending his awareness once more. Finding nothing unusual, he vanished into the ether—light swallowing his form.