It had been two weeks since Team Natsu returned from their mission against Dark Souls and now the Fairy Tail mages were getting ready to meet a millionaire fan of theirs. They gathered early at the guild, waiting for the carriages that would take them to his mansion. It was a long journey, they would only arrive at night, according to Makarov's calculations.

Ryker hadn't arrived yet and everyone was waiting for him, however, before long he was seen arriving in the distance.

"Where were you?", Erza asked him impatiently. "We are waiting for you", she looked at him irritated, due to his lateness.

"Relax redhead," he replied nonchalantly. "I just went to the forest to get some stuff."

"And what would that be?", Erza asked again, hands on her hips.

"It's for Wendy and her labyrinthitis companions," Ryker said vaguely.

"Would it be that medicine?", Gajeel jumped from one of the carriages and ran towards them.

"What did Wendy take when we went on our last mission?" Erza asked.

"That's right. A set of medicinal herbs that help with motion sickness. It's not as efficient, but it's better than nothing," Ryker explained.

Natsu and Wendy, overhearing the conversation, got out of their seats and ran towards them.

"Medicine against seasickness!", Natsu spoke with stars in his eyes.

"Exactly, I made it for Wendy and for you. I don't want anyone throwing up on my feet. And not because I'm nice," he said with a serious look. "I don't want anyone bothering me about getting sick while traveling, accusing me of having favorites," he grumbled.

"Ah!... Of course not!", Erza looked at him knowingly.

"Take it easy, Erza!" he snapped.

Ryker handed over three vials, one for each Dragon Slayer, containing a mossy green liquid that looked more like demon vomit than anything else. They took it and drank some of it. With all the strength of a dragon to swallow, they did before leaving.

"I don't know which is worse. This medicine or the sickness", complained Natsu.

"You're not getting sick, so don't complain," Lucy scolded him and was thoughtful for a moment. "I'm always amazed at his abilities. Just when we think we've seen it all, he shows something new," Lucy said enthusiastically, admiring her companion's skills.

Wendy already knew the remedy, so it was no problem for her. "He's had survival training, he knows a lot how to get by," Wendy explained.

Lucy looked at the little Dragon Slayer staring at her, being surprised at how much Wendy knew about Ryker. "You've gotten really close lately, haven't you, Wendy?" the blonde asked.

Wendy looked down and blushed shyly. "Yea. We ended up becoming great friends, even more so. I see him as a big brother." Lucy smiled at her.

"Wendy has been sleeping over at his house sometimes," Erza commented, much to Wendy's dismay who blushed violently. "They watch movies or something and she ends up spending the night there."

"Erza-san!", the little girl screamed desperately, vigorously waving her arms.

Lucy laughed with the little bluenett mage. She was happy to hear that Ryker was finding family in Fairy Tail and to imagine him and Wendy as brothers, even though it was weird in her opinion, they would end up making an interesting duo. She saw how he looked after Wendy and even went on two missions with the little one. They would make a nice pair of brothers, she thought.

"I don't know why Wendy can't come in this carriage," Ryker snarled. He, Mira and her brothers were going in a different one than the Natsu team was.

"She wanted to go with her team. You don't have to be jealous."

"Shut up, Lisy! I'm not jealous," he glared at the youngest of the Strauss.

"The guild members were divided by their teams and greatest affinities," Mira explained. "That's why you came with us." Mira laid her head on his shoulder, who was sitting next to her.

"Could be," he said sullenly and resignedly. "But why the hell did Gajeel come with us!?"

"That wasn't my first choice either!" shouted the Dragon Slayer, veins pulsing on his forehead.

Mira and Levy laughed at their boyfriends, and wrapped them in a hug to calm them down.

The trip to the Lord's mansion was smooth and without any mishap. Although long and time consuming, it was a pleasant journey, stopping a few times to rest and eat something along the way. In the early evening they finally arrived.

It was a gigantic property, in the middle of an open field and full of hills. The house was huge with a large, flowery, well-kept garden with a fountain in the middle. The front door was huge and double, made of fine wood and richly carved.

Makarov got ahead of the guild mages and knocked on the door, waiting for her to be answered. Seconds later it started to be opened and a tall, slender and very handsome man appeared in an impeccable butler's uniform.

His features were perfect and his eyes were bright and enveloping. His presence was charming, and his nonchalant manner gave him an air of distinction. Despite the clothes, the athletic build and a muscular, defined and firm structure were clear. All the women in the guild were helpless in the face of that presence, blushing the moment they laid eyes on him. We can say that hardly any male member of the guild came close to him in beauty. So refinement...

"Who should I announce?", he asked in his calm, deep voice and very sexy, in the girls' opinion.

"My name is Makarov Dreyar. We are from the Fairy Tail guild, we are guests of Mr Valentin."

The butler looked at the little old man in front of him and everyone behind him. "It is clear. My lord, you warned me you would come. My name is Adam, I am the butler and I am at your service," he bowed, greeting them. "Please follow me", he entered the house allowing the wizards to follow him.

The mansion was a spectacle, even bigger, inside. It was large and decorated with paintings, statues, vases of flowers, all very expensive and richly detailed, fitting perfectly with the surroundings. The windows were large, providing a beautiful view of the outside of the house and the immense, perfectly manicured yard. They were decorated with thin, delicate drapes.

Wizards walked the halls, with Adam leading them through the house. The girls in the guild couldn't take their eyes off the butler and his mysterious air, with his perfectly straight black hair and deep, charming red eyes. Almost as if they were hypnotized.

"What's so interesting that you don't take your eyes off him, Juvia!?", Gray asked with a frown on his face.

The water mage looked at him and blushed. "N... it's nothing, Gray," she said, forgetting the honorific.

"What!?" the ice mage yelled in surprise and deeply annoyed.

"Oh! I mean, Gray-san... no! Gray-sama!", she said awkwardly and desperately.

He glared at her and huffed, walking away from her. "I think you'd better keep your new 'whatever-sama'", he said walking away.

"Gray… Gray-sama, wait! Don't be mad at Juvia", she ran after him with comical tears in her eyes.

At another point Natsu was sulking and glaring at Adam at the front of the group.

"Why are you all red in the face, Luce?" he asked, looking at her sideways.

"What!?", she looked at him confused.

"Your smell is different too, I don't know exactly what it is, but ever since that idiot showed up, you look weird. More than usual."

"Shut up!" Lucy yelled. "Stop seeing things." She was flushed, but now it was more from anger than anything else. Natsu smiled victoriously.

Ryker was looking around for escape points, places to ambush and blind spots, as he always did when he entered an unknown location. He paid no mind to Mira looking and blushing at the butler leading the group.

She was listening to the arguments of other couples, and potential couples, but she realized that her boyfriend thought little of it. She looked at him annoyed at his lack of concern and pouted indignantly.

"Ryker, what are you looking at?", she knew what he was doing, but even if she never felt anything for Adam, in a deeper way, a little jealousy on his part wouldn't hurt.

"Marking the spot. Why?" he replied dryly.

"You're welcome," she turned forward in annoyance, showing it in the expression on her face.

He looked at her and saw her paying attention to the butler, it annoyed him, but he wasn't the type of person to show his jealousy or worries. He would rather keep it to himself.

"Skinny idiot!" he thought, glaring at the butler with hatred. Adam glanced at him quickly, taking Ryker by surprise. "Did he notice!?" he thought. Ryker frowned. "He's not an ordinary person."

Adam led them into a large hall, where two men were standing talking. One young guy with shoulder-length brown hair, he was tall and well-built, the other a middle-aged guy, thin and with little hair.

"My lord," Adam bowed as he entered the room. "The Fairy Tail mages have arrived," he announced.

That tall man turned around and smiled happily. He said goodbye to whoever he was talking to and walked towards the group.

"Good night," he bowed in greeting. "I am Valentine. At your orders," he smiled. He was another handsome man, even more so than Adam, to the guild girls' delight and the men's nightmare.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Valentin, but I thought you were older," Makarov said, surprised at the host's youth.

"Ah yes. Forgive me for that. I think you must have thought of my father, but unfortunately he lost his life in the war. So I took over the family business, we're still working it out and there may have been this little mistake. And please just call me Valentin."

"I'm sorry about that, young man," the guildmaster consoled him.

"It's been a while, I'm fine with it," Valentin assured him of his health and mental well being. "Anyway, it's an honor to have the famous Fairy Tail guild on my property. We're just finishing up some details. I'll ask Adam to take them to their rooms. Rest, in an hour or two we will serve dinner in this place", Valentin greeted them again and left to solve some problems.

"This way gentlemen", Adam said leading them to their rooms. "Mr Valentin said there were couples among you. There will be singles and doubles rooms, I'll take them to them," he said as they walked through the halls of the mansion.

"It's a beautiful room," Ryker said, lying on the giant bed and looking around. "Bigger than my apartment," he commented.

It was a large room, with large windows that let in natural light, illuminating the entire environment. The room was decorated with noble tiles and delicately decorated walls, the color was a light shade of blue. The bed was huge and four-poster, very comfortable, which was located in the middle of the room against the wall. On the other side was a door to the bathroom, luxuriously decorated and spacious in a delicate pearl white. The curtains that decorated the windows danced with the breeze that entered.

"Your apartment is small and this is a huge house. Understandable rooms are this size", Mirajane explained taking some clothes from her suitcase and getting ready to take a nice shower.

Ryker looked at her and shrugged. "This is more like a castle than a big house," he commented, Mirajane glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him. Ryker looked away from her gaze and sighed lightly. "You don't have to stay here. You know you can stay with your brothers. Valentin was really nice to have them in the same room."

"I live with them, silly. A few days away won't kill me," she looked at him fondly.

"Tsh!" he grumbled. "Maybe she prefers to stay with the butler, or maybe the owner of this whole house. Any one of them would be better than me anyway", he thought deprecatingly.

"If that's what you want… Now better get dressed, they'll be picking us up for dinner soon," Ryker said dryly.

Mira looked at him worriedly, she knew there was something wrong with him for a few days. She sighed and headed towards the bathroom. "Don't you want to come?", she tried to persuade him in a sexy way, she knew he loved that side of her and he always ended up doing what she wanted.

Ryker looked at her and swallowed, but he hadn't been in the mood for anything these past few days. "I am not well. After you I'll go," he rolled onto his side on the bed. "I'm going to get some rest in the meantime."

Now Mirajane was terribly worried, there was no time at the moment, but after dinner she would get to the bottom of it all. She turned and walked into the bathroom worriedly, thinking about what could have happened to Ryker in the last few days. She let the hot water relax her statuesque body and wash away her worries. After she left, Ryker took her place and showered.

They got ready and were waiting for the time and someone from the mansion to come pick them up for dinner in the great hall. There was an uncomfortable silence between them, and neither of them could tell why no one spoke. Mira, tired of that climate, decided to start a conversation.

"This is a beautiful house, isn't it?" she began.

"Apparently," Ryker replied without much interest.

"Must need a lot of people to fix all this," she commented.

"Probably," he agreed. Mira bristled, if he didn't want to cooperate then she would appeal.

"Adam seems like a good person," she said, gaining Ryker's attention, who turned his face slightly toward her.

She knew him well, she knew he was annoyed when she received praise from other men for her modeling background. Or when other guys just looked at her for being, perhaps, the most beautiful mage in the world.

"He's quite handsome too, don't you think?" he glared at her. Mira stopped and put her index finger to her lip thoughtfully. "Although Valentin is much prettier, he has a defined body and his green eyes are charming," she said contemplatively.

Ryker was looking at her increasingly annoyed and frustrated. "If you find them so interesting, why don't you go talk to them?" Mira smiled victoriously, she managed to get his attention.

"Maybe I will..." she said thoughtfully. "They must have a more interesting conversation than the one we're having," she looked at him seriously and a little annoyed.

Ryker looked at her and laughed. "So that's it... Just a tantrum because we're not talking."

Mira stood up and stood in front of him with a dark, menacing aura. "It's not a tantrum!" she said irritably. "You've been weird lately and I'm worried. Don't belittle it!", she had glared at him, to the point that he recoiled and broke into a cold sweat.

Ryker stood up nervously and walked past Mira. "Maybe you'd better choose one of them anyway, maybe even Spark. They're all better than me anyway…" There was a slight tone of sadness and regret in his voice, which made Mirajane's mood change.

"Ryker..." She turned to him, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

He passed Mira and went to answer the door, in it was a beautiful girl dressed as a maid, blushing, who looked at him shyly.

"The... Mr. Valentin asked me... to accompany me to... to the salon," she said, all embarrassed and shy, stuttering.

Ryker looked at her curiously and smiled. "What's your name princess?" he asked affectionately. He knew what he was doing, but getting revenge was part of him.

"Prin... princess!?", she said even redder than Erza's hair.

"Yea. What's your name?", he asked again leaning against the doorjamb.

Mira was infuriated listening to his clear flirtation with that little girl.

"My… my name is Cristina", she was embarrassed and embarrassed.

"It's a beautiful name, Cristina. Mine is..."

"His name is Ryker and I'm Mirajane, his girlfriend", she looked at her menacingly and emphasized the word 'girlfriend'.

Cristina ran scared by Mira's strong presence. Ryker looked at her and she looked back at him, deeply annoyed. That jealousy she had of him, he liked it, and knew he would always feel better around her, even though he didn't think he was the right person for her, that he didn't deserve her.

"Why did you flirt with her?" she asked extremely irritated.

Ryker didn't say anything, he took one of her hands and laced their fingers together. He looked at her passionately, but at the same time with pain, and pulled her through the corridors towards the hall, where dinner would be served. Mira looked at him and was scared, she would definitely have a conversation with him, but for now she accompanied him.

"Makarov, it's a pleasure to have you at my table", Valentin greeted him cordially. "Mirajane Strauss and Erza Scarlet. It's my pleasure." He took each of their hands and kissed them like a gentleman, the greeting making them blush slightly. "Please have a seat," he pulled out chairs for them to sit.

The mages sat in groups, each group at a table that would be served by a group of waiters. At Valentin's table the four of them were chatting happily.

Ryker was sitting with the Strauss and Wendy. He looked at Valentin kissing Mira's hand and being so polite and cordial to her, it made his stomach knot. He knew it wasn't a big deal, just politeness, but he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable, especially with what she'd told him about how handsome he was.

"I thank you, Mr. Valentin. Your hospitality and generosity towards our guild brings me great happiness," Makarov said happily.

"Only Valentine. And it's a pleasure. You saved our country and the world. It's the least I can offer," Valentin said cordially. "Also, I'm a big fan of you and being in the presence of Master Makarov and these two deities is my greatest gift," he smiled gently.

"Aha, aha! Deities!?" Mirajane blushed slightly and smiled fondly at the compliment.

"Well, I…appreciate your kindness. I'm very flattered, thank you", Erza said a little awkwardly.

"Not so. And if I may be a little indiscreet… I know that Miss Mirajane was a model a few years ago", when Valentin said that Mira blushed and smiled awkwardly. "But I'm very surprised that The mighty Titania Erza wasn't either. Especially being so beautiful," he said gently, with a beautiful, sweet smile.

"They are aren't they?" Makarov commented.

"Master!" Mira caught his attention. "Sorry Valentin, but my modeling life is long gone," she smiled.

"I understand perfectly", Valentin held her hand affectionately and did the same with Erza. "You two are heroines and are among the strongest mages. I don't admire you for your beauty, but for the person you are", both Erza and Mirajane looked at him and admired him, blushing deeply and smiling shyly, with the host.

The situation only worsened as dinner progressed and the interaction at Valentin's head table became more friendly and intimate. He could see how everyone was smiling happily and laughing as they talked. Ryker noticed the happy, lighthearted expression on Mira's face and the rosy tinge in her cheeks. The knot in his stomach tightened even more, he didn't know what they were talking about, but it was pleasant. He could read their lips, but he didn't want to invade her privacy, though. It should be better that way, he thought and sighed.

"Does something worry you, Ryker?", Wendy asked worried about the serious expression he had.

"It's nothing", he replied with a fake smile at his 'sister'.

"I think he's jealous since Mira is with Valentin," Lisanna glared at him slyly.

Ryker looked at her for a moment and then looked away without saying anything. Lisanna was surprised, usually he would yell at her, but now nothing. She got worried.

"Is this true, Ryker?", Wendy asked, he didn't say anything, muttering something incomprehensible. "Whatever, I don't think it's something you should worry about. Mira-san loves you, she wouldn't trade you for anyone else", she soothed, smiling gracefully.

"I'm not worried about what she does or doesn't do," he said coldly, surprising everyone. "Let's eat, yes," he ended the subject.

The other mages at the table looked at each other, not understanding what had happened. What happened to him? He was cold, dull, face expressionless and tired. That person was not the same person that weeks ago was happy with his relationship with Mirajane. He had become someone else, and not for the better.

"Everyone being treated like heroes. What am I doing here between them? I'm no hero, I'm just a killer," Ryker thought, clenching his fists and teeth in self-hatred.

Ryker looked at all the mages in his guild, how there was a glow in them, how happy they were, how they were heroes who risked their lives for the right reason. Every time he saw them smile he remembered what he had done in that city and to the poor residents, civilians, innocent people, men, old men, women and children He and his subordinates took 40,000 lives that day. If they knew what he'd done, would they be as forgiving as before? No, they wouldn't. Not Mira. They could never find out.

With every moment he spent in that place, with everyone else he hated himself more and more. The memories of him killing all those innocents... The scent of the blood on his hands sickened him, the sounds of the people he'd killed in agony tormented him, and the sight of bodies strewn across the floor bewildered him.

Unable to stand it, he got up suddenly and left the hall without saying anything and without finishing his meal, which he had barely touched.

"Ryker!" Wendy yelled as he got up and left, she started to go after him, but Elfman stopped her.

"Elfman-san!", the little girl looked at him in disbelief and worried about her 'brother'.

"Leave him!" he said seriously.

"What does that mean?", Lisanna asked him looking at the door Ryker ran through.

"Something is troubling you. He doesn't want company at the moment. Going after him now won't help at all. I'll let you rest and think for a while," he said seriously and looked at them.

Wendy and Lisanna looked at the door and at Elfman, resigned. They sighed and sat down.

"He's been like this for some time. I don't know what happened, but he's been getting worse," Lisanna commented.

"Since they went on that mission with that demon. He was fine, radiant, but after a while he got darker. Not manly, if I may comment," Elfman said.

Wendy looked at them and was worried about the 'brother'. "Be well, Ryker," she told herself.

Dinner was ending after a delicious dessert, it was a perfect and pleasant moment. Mira excused herself from her table and walked over to where her brothers were. She didn't realize, until then, that Ryker was long gone.

"Where's Ryker? I thought he'd be with you guys", Mira asked worried about his whereabouts.

"We do not know. He left some time ago and we have no idea where he might have gone," Lisanna said.

"Oh God! Did something happen?" Mira asked worriedly.

"He looked upset, Mira-san," Wendy replied. "Do you know something?", she asked feeling distressed for her 'brother'.

Mira sighed and looked sadly. "It's complicated. I don't know exactly what's going on with him. But I'll find out, don't worry", she smiled gently at the little Dragon Slayer.

"But, nee-san! You have any idea where he might have gone. I mean, this mansion is huge, and I could spend my whole life looking for it and not find it," Elfman reasoned, imagining that Ryker could be anywhere in that gigantic house.

"I could go along and smell him, Mira-san," Wendy offered to help.

Mirajane smiled and looked at them in her usual angelic way. "Thank you, but it won't be necessary. I already have an idea", she said and walked out of their presence, leaving them stunned.

"How could Nee-san know?", Lisanna said impressed.

Wendy looked at the Strauss and smiled. "Mira-san knows Nii-san very well, she knows where to look", the two Strauss looked at her and smiled in agreement with the fact.

"I hope they get it right and he's okay," Lisanna commented quietly, hopefully.

"'Nii-san?!" Elfman asked looking at Wendy. She blushed and smiled in response.

Knowing Ryker well, it didn't take Mira long to discover that he'd probably be outside the mansion, sitting on a bench, breathing in the cool night air.

Mirajane left the house and went to the backyard of the property, it didn't take long for her to find him sitting on a bench looking at nothing. She went to him, she sat beside him.

"I heard you left dinner all of a sudden," Mira said.

Ryker was bent over, resting his forearms on his thighs and staring at the floor. He didn't say anything to her comment, standing in the same position. Mira continued.

"You've been like this for a while, and you don't talk about what's going on," she put her hand on his shoulder. "Tell me what's bothering you," she said affectionately.

Ryker gritted his teeth in anger and self-hatred, his body starting to shake with anxiety, worrying Mira.

"You shouldn't come here," he said coldly.

Mira sighed. "Of course I should, I'm worried about you."

"Why?" he whispered, so low, as if it was just for him to hear, but Mira heard him too.

"You know why," she put her arm around him, bringing him close to her, letting him rest his head on her chest, as she hugged him and stroked his hair, lovingly.

He sighed. "That monster. Balor… he read all my memories and brought it all back, at once." Mira held him tighter. "One, one of them... I remembered things I did...", he began to choke and tremble as he spoke. "I feel so much. I... I..." he couldn't go on.

"Ryker don't blame yourself, you...", he broke away from Mira's embrace, surprising her.

"NO!" he yelled, startling her. "No, Mira! Don't tell me that I'm the victim. This is not true! Sometimes I was the cause of the pain. You do not understand!? Nothing justifies what I did, nothing!" he leaned over, resting his elbows on his knee and holding his head with his hands in sheer desperation.

Mira looked at him scared, she hadn't expected that reaction from him. Mira cautiously approached him again and pulled him into a tight hug. They hugged and he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"I can't say what I did, Mira. You and everyone else will hate me and rightly so. But I want you to know that I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry…" His voice was choked and Mira could feel her skin moisten from the tears he shed on her neck.

"Ryker...", she was surprised. It was the second time she had seen him cry, she could feel all his pain and all the weight of his regret.

She hugged him and stroked his back and head tenderly. "I'm not going to ask you to tell me, Ryker," she said. "If you ever feel free to talk, I'll listen, with an open heart and mind." Ryker held her tighter. "I don't know what you did or who you were. But I know who you are now, which is what matters. You're a good person Ryker, no matter what you think, I know you are. You hurt yourself to save Lucy, remember? Only someone with a pure heart does that and if you look inside, you'll know it's true. What you did for Kátia was also something noble and wonderful."

Ryker was taken by surprise. "How do you know about her?" he asked.

"Wendy told us about your meeting at that diner, it wasn't hard to connect after that," Mira smiled. "What I mean is that even if you don't think you are, you are a person with your heart in the right place."

"But what have I done..."

"What you did in the past, leave it in the past. The fact that you repent already shows who you are. Ryker, I feel like you've always been a good person. If you made such a terrible mistake, it was because of circumstances beyond our control. But you got rid of that part of you and managed to turn to the right side." She could feel him lighten up in her arms.

"However, what you've done and the weight it puts on you is something you'll have to carry with you for the rest of your life. It's your lot," Mira said and Ryker hugged her tighter. "So don't use that weight to belittle yourself, but use it as an incentive to redeem yourself." Ryker pulled away from her and looked her in the eye.

"Redeem me?" he asked confused.

Mira nodded. "Ryker, save more lives than you've taken. Use your past as encouragement for the rest of your life, to be the person I know you are, and who can build more than what you've destroyed. Be the best version of yourself day after day", she looked at him deeply, gently holding his head with her hands.

Ryker looked at her, she had that serious, determined face, tender and gentle, deep blue eyes with an irresistible gleam. He smiled, a real smile, genuine happiness, and hope filling his chest with his soul being saved again.

Mira had always believed in him and he would be forever grateful to her for that, for not giving up on him, for pushing him to be better, for always being by his side, being loyal and loving him, Ryker smiled, feeling relieved and happy, he hugged her.

"Thanks, Mira. For everything", he said and they both hugged each other. "I'm a broken guy, but you always fix me. Will you ever get tired of it?"

Mira laughed and kissed him on the ear, affectionately. "I'll always fix you up," she pulled away from him and they sealed the space with a passionate kiss.

When they parted, she took his hand and they walked together back inside the mansion.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

Mira looked at him slyly and smiled. "To our room."