Year X780 — Early Summer
Location: Magnolia Town → East Road
Age: Ren (15) | Lucy (13)
---
Ren chose the job because it looked boring.
That alone should have warned him.
The request slip was plain parchment, neatly written, stamped with an A-rank seal.
Escort Request
Client: L. Heartfilia
Destination: Magnolia outskirts
Notes: Discretion requested.
No monster warnings.
No dark guild signs.
No ominous phrasing like "urgent" or "high risk."
Ren took it down, stretching slightly.
"…An escort," he murmured. "I could use quiet."
> Great Sage, he thought casually. Thoughts?
[Great Sage: Advisory — Probability of complication: 68%.]
Ren paused.
"…You say that about everything."
> [Great Sage: Correction — This probability is unusually high.]
He sighed. "Of course it is."
Still, he signed the slip.
---
The Client
The meeting point was a café near Magnolia's eastern gate—quiet, expensive-looking, the kind of place Ren normally avoided because the chairs were too stiff and the tea cost too much.
He spotted her immediately.
Blonde hair tied in a loose ribbon. Blue eyes scanning the room nervously. A travel bag at her feet that looked far too nice for an escort job.
She wore a cloak—but it didn't quite hide the quality of the dress beneath.
> Rich, Ren noted instantly.
And trying not to look it.
He approached calmly. "Lucy Heartfilia?"
She flinched—then straightened, chin lifting with practiced grace. "…Yes. You're the mage?"
"…Ren. Fairy Tail."
Her eyes widened. "…Fairy Tail?"
"…That's usually the reaction," he said mildly.
She stared at him for a moment longer—then frowned. "…You're younger than I expected."
"…You're ruder than I expected."
She gasped. "I am not—!"
Ren smiled faintly. "…Relax. I'm joking."
She blinked—then huffed, cheeks puffing slightly. "…I don't like you already."
"…We'll get along great."
---
Terms and Truths
They sat across from each other. Lucy wrapped both hands around her teacup, fingers trembling just a little.
"…So," Ren said gently, "where exactly are we escorting you?"
"…Away," she replied instantly.
"…Specific."
"…Anywhere that isn't my house."
Ren studied her quietly.
No visible injuries.
Mana present—but untrained, unfocused.
Emotional state: turbulent.
> Running, he thought. Not chased.
"…You're not being hunted," he said. "Are you?"
She shook her head quickly. "No! Nothing like that."
"…Then why the A-rank?"
Lucy hesitated—then sighed, shoulders slumping. "…Because if my father sends people after me, they won't be… gentle."
That did it.
Ren leaned back slightly.
"…Heartfilia," he repeated. "As in that Heartfilia."
She looked away.
"…I don't want to go back."
Silence stretched between them.
> Rich runaway, Ren summarized.
Stubborn. Lonely. Brave enough to ask for help.
"…Alright," he said finally. "New plan."
She looked up. "…Plan?"
"…Yes. Before we go anywhere—" He stood. "—we're going to do something important."
Lucy frowned. "…What?"
Ren smiled.
"…Have fun."
---
Magnolia, Properly Experienced
Lucy stared at him as if he'd lost his mind.
"…Fun?"
"You're running away," he said. "Not being kidnapped. If you're going to start a new chapter, you don't do it hungry and miserable."
"…This is an escort mission."
"…Exactly," Ren replied. "I'm escorting you to a better mood."
Before she could protest, he took her bag easily, slinging it over his shoulder.
"…Hey! That's—!"
"Light," he observed. "You packed like someone who expects to come back."
She went quiet.
The market was alive with color and noise. Vendors shouted cheerfully. Magic flared harmlessly in demonstrations. Music drifted from somewhere unseen.
Lucy's eyes widened as she took it all in.
"…It's so loud," she murmured.
"…That's Magnolia," Ren said. "If it's quiet, something's wrong."
They ate first—Ren insisted.
He bought street skewers dripping with sauce, sweet bread dusted with sugar, and fizzy drinks Lucy had never tried before.
She protested exactly once.
"…This is unnecessary."
"…You're smiling."
She froze—then looked down, realizing he was right.
"…I am not."
"…Uh-huh."
By the third stall, she was laughing.
Actually laughing.
"…You're terrible," she said between bites. "You didn't even ask what I liked."
"…Didn't need to," Ren replied. "Food tastes better when you're not overthinking."
She eyed him curiously. "…You sound like you've done this before."
"…With myself," he said honestly.
---
Magic and Dreams
Later, they sat by the riverbank, feet dangling over the edge.
Lucy pulled a set of keys from her pocket—golden, ornate.
Ren noticed immediately.
"…Celestial keys," he said.
Her eyes widened. "…You know about them?"
"…A little," he admitted. "Rare. Expensive. Dangerous to collect."
"…My family wanted me to treat them like investments," she said bitterly. "But they're not things. They're… contracts. Bonds."
Ren nodded. "…You understand that already. That's good."
She looked at him. "…Do you really think I could become a mage? A real one?"
He didn't answer right away.
> Great Sage, he thought. Assessment.
[Great Sage: Evaluation — Subject Lucy Heartfilia possesses high compatibility with Spirit-based magic. Latent growth potential: Exceptional.]
Ren smiled.
"…Yeah," he said. "I do."
Her breath caught.
"…You didn't hesitate."
"…Neither did you," he replied. "When you ran."
She laughed softly. "…You're strange."
"…I get that a lot."
---
Nightfall and Choice
They camped just outside town, a small fire crackling gently.
Lucy lay on her back, staring at the stars. "…If I go back," she whispered, "…everything stays the same."
Ren poked the fire, sparks lifting skyward. "…And if you don't?"
"…Everything changes."
He glanced at her. "…Change isn't the enemy."
She rolled onto her side, studying him. "…You're not telling me what to do."
"…Because it's not my life."
She nodded slowly.
For the first time that day, she looked calm.
> Escort mission, Ren thought.
Not to a place—
but to a decision.
The fire burned low.
Somewhere in Magnolia, Fairy Tail laughed.
And beside Ren, a runaway girl dreamed of stars that answered back.
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End of Chapter 54 🌟🛍️