Fairy Queen
After that whole Virgo incident—which I jokingly referred to as "Gorilla Gate"—Lucy sent the celestial beast back to her realm, and we had breakfast. Once our stomachs were full, we flew back to the guild, spending our day lounging around the Guildhall without a care in the world.
We were millionaires, after all. Though, knowing us, that money would vanish in a month if we weren't careful. The thought of our fortune slipping through our fingers was already gnawing at me.
"Seriously, why do I have to waste my time like this?" Natsu whined, a magical quill clutched in his hand. He stared at the papers on the table with a look of utter despair, like they were some ancient, cursed artifacts.
Meanwhile, Cana, Gray, and a few others were practically rolling on the floor, laughing at Natsu's misery. Apparently, Natsu was the only one still struggling with basic literacy. When he first joined, he didn't know how to read or write, and math might as well have been dark magic to him.
It was only thanks to Erza's strict teachings that he could read simple things at all. But math? That beast still refused to be tamed, as evidenced by Natsu furiously scratching his head, looking like he wanted to set the papers on fire with his dragon slayer magic.
This scene was all too familiar. Sure, there was a school in Magnolia, but a lot of people—especially mages—didn't see the point in a formal education when their lives could be in danger every day. Education wasn't mandatory, just another path one could take, like becoming a mage, a soldier, or a healer.
Those who didn't go to school weren't illiterate, though. They learned to read and write from their parents, friends, or even traveling scholars who taught basic education in churches or town halls. So, seeing Natsu struggle wasn't exactly shocking.
"Come on, Natsu," I said, leaning back in my chair with a smirk. "You're gonna let a few numbers kick your ass?"
Natsu glared at me, his face flushing with frustration. "Shut up! These numbers don't make any sense!"
"Maybe if you paid attention when Erza was teaching you, you wouldn't be in this mess," Gray chimed in, barely containing his laughter.
Natsu growled, flames flickering in his eyes. "I'll show you! Just you wait!"
"Yeah, yeah," Cana said, taking a swig from her flask. "You keep telling yourself that, fire boy."
As the teasing continued, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Natsu. He might be a powerhouse in a fight, but in moments like this, he seemed so... human. And for a guy who could take on dragons, that was kind of endearing.
"But I don't need this stuff in real life," Natsu whined, his voice dripping with frustration.
"You do!" the entire guild shouted in unison. I joined in, glaring at the Dragonslayer. "Especially now that you're a millionaire. You need to understand this stuff to manage your finances unless you want to get scammed or blow through your money recklessly."
Happy, perched beside Natsu and sporting his professional glasses, nodded seriously. It was still weird seeing a cat wear glasses, but it somehow suited him. How embarrassing would it be if the cat was smarter than Natsu? Happy was more knowledgeable about facts, common sense, and norms, and he was exceptionally good at calculations.
So, Happy and I teamed up to teach Natsu. To be honest, it was Happy who secretly asked me to help. He didn't want to make Natsu feel down or betrayed, knowing that Natsu always shut down Happy's offers to teach him. Happy didn't have it in him to force the issue with his best friend.
But I did.
And I had no reason to refuse. Happy was a good senpai, all things considered.
"Listen, Natsu," I said, leaning forward. "Happy's right. You've got to get a handle on this. If you don't, you'll end up broke or worse."
Natsu groaned, slumping over the table. "I don't get it. How can numbers be so hard?"
"It's not the numbers," I explained patiently. "It's understanding how they work together. Just like in a fight, you need to know your strengths and weaknesses. Think of this as another kind of training."
"Training, huh?" Natsu perked up slightly, a spark of interest in his eyes. "Like learning a new move?"
"Exactly," Happy chimed in, his glasses slipping down his nose. "Think of it as a move to protect your treasure."
Natsu sat up straighter, a determined look crossing his face. "Alright. I'll give it another shot. But if I burn these papers, it's not my fault."
The guild erupted in laughter, and for a moment, the tension lifted. Natsu might be clueless when it came to academics, but his spirit was unbeatable. And with Happy and the rest of us supporting him, I had no doubt he'd eventually get the hang of it.
"Just try not to set anything on fire," I said, smirking. "We've got enough problems as it is."
"But it's so borrrrring," Natsu whined again, driving me up the wall. How was he struggling with something I aced as a kid? Was I just a terrible teacher? Or was Lucy some kind of prodigy in the art of teaching? If that was the case, maybe I should let her handle this.
"Of course it's boring," I agreed, earning surprised looks from Natsu and the rest of the guild. They were clearly enjoying the show, watching Natsu suffer through math problems as if it were as entertaining as a brawl.
"And I know you're bored, the same way I get bored brushing my teeth or wiping my ass," I continued. "Learning, maintaining, and cleaning aren't exactly adventures. There's no danger of dying if you mess up—it's just basic stuff everyone needs to know how to do."
Natsu stared at me, then looked down at the paper with newfound focus. The whole guild fell silent, stunned by my outburst. What? What did I say?
"That's surprisingly deep coming from a kid like you," Wakaba said, putting down his cigar with a thoughtful expression.
"I'm not serious. You guys are just too chill," I said, huffing with amusement. This earned a few chuckles around the guild.
Thankfully, Natsu didn't complain as much after that and actually listened to what I was teaching him. Within the next fifteen minutes, he solved the problem, finally understanding the formulas and numbers for multiplication and division.
"See? Not so bad," I said, giving him an encouraging pat on the back. "You're getting it."
Natsu grinned, his earlier frustration replaced with a sense of accomplishment. "Yeah, thanks. I guess it's not the end of the world."
"Definitely not," I replied. "And who knows? Maybe one day you'll be the one teaching me something new."
Natsu laughed, a sound that lifted the mood in the guild. "Don't count on it. But if you ever need help burning something down, I'm your guy."
The guild erupted in laughter, and I couldn't help but smile.
Suddenly, our relaxed atmosphere shattered into a million pieces as the main door of our Guildhall snapped open with a bang. Loke, the dude with sunglasses and orange hair—our ring mage who'd been avoiding both me and Lucy like we had the plague—burst into the room, looking absolutely terrified.
"Guys, it's bad news!" he shouted, grabbing everyone's attention as we all turned toward him.
"It's Erza. She's on her way here," he said gravely, as if announcing the arrival of the Grim Reaper. Everyone screamed in unison.
"Is there something wrong with you guys?" Lucy asked, sitting beside Mira with a bewildered expression. "Normally, seeing an S-Class Wizard—your own guildmate, no less—should be a happy moment, right?"
"Well, she is the strongest female wizard we've got, so it's more than a little intimidating," Mira admitted easily, a smile on her face. Huh, she didn't even want to deny it. She really had given up fighting, hadn't she?
"So? That's not a reason to fear her," I said, scowling at the cowering adults with disappointed eyes. "She's your friend. Heck, you guys call each other family in this guild, right? So what's so scary about that? From the pictures I've seen, she looks nothing but a hot babe."
Everyone just stared at me like I was some sort of alien or I had suddenly grown a second head.
"Ah, our condolences for your brother, Lucy," Loke said, only to receive a punch that nearly knocked him out, combined with Lucy's lethal glare. Don't even joke about my death near my sister, dude. She's way too overprotective.
"It's really her," Natsu and Gray whispered in sync, as loud footsteps echoed through the hall. The clanking of armor and the sound of some heavy object being dragged on the cobblestone road outside resonated through the room as the door suddenly opened once again, and she stepped in.
Erza Scarlet, the Titania of Fairy Tail, stood in the doorway, her presence almost overwhelming. Her scarlet hair flowed like a river of fire, and her armor glinted ominously in the light. She dragged a massive cart behind her, piled high with who-knows-what. Her eyes scanned the room, and everyone fell silent, their earlier bravado evaporating like mist.
"Why does it look like a funeral in here?" Erza asked, her voice calm but carrying an edge that could cut through steel.
Suddenly, the Celestial Grimoire in my soul sprang to life, presenting a choice in my mind. I groaned inwardly.
Rolling...
You rolled: Lucidity [Cultist Simulator]
There's plenty of dangers in the Mansus. It wouldn't do you any good trying to tackle them at anything less than your full capabilities. With this perk, you now possess the uncanny ability to lucid dream, allowing you to remain in control of your actions whether you are asleep or forced into a dreamlike state. More importantly, in this lucid state, it becomes easier for you to manifest your own perks and powers inside dreams or illusions, granting you the same tools you'd have available as if you were physically there.
Cost: 200CP
Roll successful
Purchase the roll?
Yes, fuck it. With lucid dreaming, I could practice all my powers since I can summon perks in my dreams like in the physical world. Now, even in my sleep, I could train mentally, experiment without fearing consequences, and it would probably be helpful against some magic or abilities that mess with dreams.
Total: 400CP
The armored woman walked inside, her presence demanding immediate attention. It wasn't a dangerous vibe, just a sharp aura that commanded focus. It was almost majestic.
Erza Scarlet was exactly what I expected her to be. Her red scarlet hair flowed down her armored chest and back, her blue skirt and shiny silver armor giving her a unique Valkyrie or war-maiden aesthetic.
She stared at all of us with a hardened look that probably seemed like a glare of displeasure to most people. But to those with keen observation and battle instincts, it was clear she was just scanning the room, assessing threats if there were any.
"I have returned," she announced. "Where is Master Makarov?" she asked calmly.
He's probably out there melting those golds or he's already at his meeting with the Wizard Saints. Not that I wanted to answer her. No need to butt in now; let's just enjoy the drama. As expected, Mira answered, saying he had probably reached the meeting at the conference.
"So, what's that thing you've got there?" Max, the poor schmuck—yeah, pretty sure he's the Sand Mage—asked curiously, eyeing the big horn Erza had dropped.
"It's the horn of a monster I fought. The nearby villagers were so happy, they decorated it and gave it to me as a souvenir," she explained before glaring at Max. "You got any problem with that?!"
"No ma'am!" Max wisely stepped back.
"And I heard about what happened on Mt. Hakobe," she said softly, staring right at the older fire mage, Macau, with disappointed eyes that masked her worry. I could tell—after all, I also do this when Lucy does something stupid, as rare as that is.
"I'm so dead, aren't I?" Macau muttered to himself, looking down like he was being scolded by his mother.
"While I was away, I heard a few things. Word is our guild is doing nothing more than causing trouble again. Guildmaster may not care, but I certainly do," she said, her tone not exactly harsh but sharp enough to give a shiver. It was thunderous in its intensity.
"Cana, you need to control your drinking!" The sexy, perpetually drinking girl nearly choked, dropping an empty barrel on the ground. Why wouldn't she drink from a glass or mug like a normal human being?
Is she an Oni? I thought in amusement, enjoying the show.
"Vijeeter, take your dancing outside!" she commanded, clearly annoyed. That guy danced in any situation—brawls, breakfast, or even drinking. Also, is that an Indian name? I thought these parts of the world were inspired by Europe from my Earth.
"Nab! Stop dawdling in front of the board and pick up a job already!" she said, jolting the poor man in fear. Then she looked at Macau, her anger fading into disappointment as she sighed.
"Please just say something!" Macau blurted out before clamming up again.
"She's impressive, isn't she?" Lucy said, discussing something with Mira, her eyes filled with admiration. She had always gushed about Titania, the Fairy Queen, Erza Scarlet, so it was no wonder she was impressed seeing her role model in action.
Me, on the other hand, my lower head was paying attention more subtly, especially to those thighs, and my monkey brain was screaming, fight!
I may be a Sorcerer now (no, I'm just a Mage or Wizard with the Celestial Grimoire), but my journey started with a sword, and once a swordsman, always a swordsman. This hot girl might not be a real knight, but she was the closest I could get now.
So yeah, I wanted to fight—no, duel her. The results were pretty clear: I couldn't defeat her without cheating, but I do love a woman who can kick my ass.
"And Natsu!" she said, turning her gaze to the table as Natsu yelped in terror. What kind of trauma do you have, man?
She stepped closer menacingly, each step bringing terror to Natsu's heart as he accepted his fate, his eyes closing as Erza's steel-gloved hand neared his head. All the guildmates subtly saluted, as if Natsu was already a goner and they were thanking him for his services.
"I'm proud of you." She smiled with pride, softly patting the Dragonslayer's head, her beaming smile lighting up the whole Guildhall. All her wrathful aura vanished.
I knew that smile. It was the same one Lucy used to give me when I did something good as a child. Sadly, these days her smiles are different. They're still warm and comforting, but they feel steamy. As much as it brings happiness and comforting butterflies to my stomach, it also forms an equally disturbing pit.
Ah, I'm getting distracted. It's probably nothing. Only look at the good things, Lucas—madness lies in the other path.
"Out of everyone here, your tales were the most pleasant to hear." Erza said with a beaming smile, sitting beside the stunned Natsu, who looked at her with wide eyes.
"Not only did you stop a band of slavers, a dark mage, and thugs, but you also saved many civilians. You worked with the Rune Knights, giving them a positive impression of our guild, and on the same day, you recruited excellent mages to the guild and worked with them so well as if you had known them for years." Her eyes flickered to Lucy and me before returning to the still-stunned Natsu.
"And now here you are, studying." Erza sniffed, tears of pride welling up in her eyes. "I'm so happy for you," she shouted, hugging Natsu with all her might, burying his head in the heaven that was her perky, beautiful, and, might I add, very respectable big breasts.
Only problem was, she was armored.
Needless to say, Natsu passed out before fully experiencing the heaven. Judging by everyone's wincing faces, their thoughts were the same.
Damn, is this guild filled with degenerates like me?
"Nooooo, Natsu!" Happy wailed, tears streaming down his feline face as he jumped over Natsu's fallen body. "He was so happy tooooo."
"I'm sorry!" Erza yelled apologetically, holding the unconscious Natsu in her embrace.
"Yup," I said to Lucy. "We did the right thing," I grinned widely. "This chaos is exactly what we needed in our lives."
Lucy chuckled, shaking her head. "Yeah, it's never boring here, that's for sure."
I couldn't help but agree. The wild mix of personalities, the constant brawls, the unexpected heartfelt moments—it was everything I had hoped for and more. Fairy Tail was my home, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Rolling…
You rolled: Fairy Bow [Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]
This reliable bow comes with a quiver of 50 arrows - perfectly balanced and easy to use, you'll find yourself quickly hitting bullseyes and taking down the more evasive foes you'll find in Hyrule. As a bonus, this comes with both Fire and Ice arrows already prepared - requiring a bit of magical energy to create more within the quiver, but well worth the price.
Cost: 200CP
Roll successfull
Purchase the roll?
Fuck it, why not? It's literally name after Fairy and I'm in Fairy Tail. Plus emergency Fire or Ice projectiles seem useful enough. And I actually know how to use a bow and arrow. So it's a win either way.
Total: 200CP
"Hello there," I greeted the redhead as if she wasn't the strongest person in the room. Casually strolling up, I sat down across from her, a table between us. I put down my offering—figuring an hour since her arrival was enough time to let her rest before bugging her.
The strawberry cake. One thing I love about foreknowledge is knowing what specific people like or dislike if it was heavily emphasized in the anime. And fortunately, Erza's love for strawberry cake was absolute.
"Please take this as my gift," I smiled. "I just joined the guild a few days ago."
Her brown eyes looked at me in surprise, probably because I had just strolled up without any ounce of fear, and the cake I presented was a positive point too.
"Yet you already know these are my favorite." She noted before graciously accepting my gift and immediately taking a first bite.
"And despite sounding annoyed by that fact, you trust me enough to eat a gift from an unknown boy?" I asked curiously, ignoring the panicked and resigned looks the other guildmates were sending my way.
"That mark in your hand is trustworthy enough," she said, referring to my guild mark with a faint smile as she continued to take bites from the cake in front of her with a pleased expression.
I relaxed a bit, glad she was enjoying the cake. "I'm Lucas, by the way. I've heard a lot about you, Erza."
"Only good things, I hope," she replied between bites, her tone light.
"Mostly," I said with a grin. "I have to say, seeing you in action today was pretty impressive. It's no wonder everyone holds you in such high regard."
Her smile widened, and she set the fork down for a moment. "Thank you, Lucas. It's always nice to hear that. And welcome to Fairy Tail. I'm sure you'll find it to be quite the adventure."
"Oh, I'm counting on it," I said. "This place already feels like home."
Erza nodded, her expression softening. "That's good to hear. Fairy Tail is more than just a guild; it's a family. We look out for each other."
I could see the truth in her words. Despite the chaos and the bickering, there was a deep sense of camaraderie and loyalty in this place. "I can see that. It's why we joined."
"And I know about you too, the Duo siblings traveling around the kingdom with Celestial Spirits, completing many impressive quests and jobs as independent mages and mercenaries, even completing an S-class mission." Erza shot me a light glare. "Impressive and reckless."
"Hey now, you weren't there, so you can't be all judgmental about it," I replied bluntly, freezing Erza as everyone around us flinched. Man, these guys are cowards.
"Oh, so it must have escalated from a lower rank, I see." The Re-equip mage nodded to herself before nodding at me. "I see I have made a mistake by assuming things. You may hit me as punishment."
"Nah," I waved her off easily. "I'm not mad at you. Matter of fact, I'm here to learn from you." I said, taking out my own cake, not the strawberry one, as I began to eat.
"Learn?" She tilted her head. "I would be happy to help my guildmates, of course." She easily agreed.
"In that case, I'm here to ask your permission to accompany you tomorrow on the mission you mentioned earlier to Natsu and Gray. Mira recommended it would be a good experience for me and Lucy and suggested we should wait for you at the station tomorrow, but I didn't want to surprise you at the last minute."
"Aww, you spoiled my perfect plan to surprise Erza." Mira pouted, while putting drinks on the table on the other side. "I didn't know you were such a party pooper."
"Sorry Mira, but I can't help it. I'm too excited to meet the Fairy Queen," I turned toward the redheaded woman with an eager grin. "You're the strongest, right? Let's fight."
"Not another Natsu." Erza sighed in an exasperated tone. "Sorry to let you down, but we can't. As you said, if you are indeed coming with me, you will need your energy and magic." She denied.
"But I'm not asking for an all-out brawl," I said, not letting my mood drop for a moment. "I'm asking you to let me test my sword skills on you. No magic, no punching, just a duel between two warriors with swords."
"Even so…." Erza still looked unsure, eyeing me up and down with a frown. I didn't think she would accept the duel this easily. So, I needed to bring out my trump card.
"If you can defeat me, and by that, I mean unarm me or knock me out, I will show you a room full of every kind of costume you can think of. Need a nurse outfit? It has it. A maid outfit? No need to ask. A witch's costume? I'll say, 'Which color?' An armor for a demigoddess?"
"Enough." Erza said, her eyes blazing with fire, steam practically coming out of her nose as she stood up after gobbling up the whole cake in one last bite.
"If this turns out to be a bad joke, remember, your punishment shall be legendary." She said, walking out of the Guildhall as I followed her with a grin.
The rest of the guildmates stared at me like I was insane.
"Wait for us," Happy shouted, flying toward me. He was likely trying to stop me, but no. I knew how strong Erza was. What I wanted to see was how strong I was. Did I compare to a monster like her? If I couldn't even hold a candle to her, what chance did I have against real monsters?
I mean, I do have a chance with the help of the Celestial Grimoire, but I want to take pride in at least one talent I learned on my own, dammit.
"Oh, this is going to be fun," Gray muttered before shouting, "Come on guys, the new kid is about to face Erza. We have to see this."
"Should I prepare potions and medical supplies?" Levy asked on purpose.
"Oh, this is it." Cana said, finishing her drink and following us while smacking the barrel for some reason. "Come on guys, I'm starting the betting pool again. Will our newbie survive Erza for one minute or not?"
She said, earning cheers and shouts as most of our guildmates followed us outside.
"Lucy, aren't you worried? If you don't stop him, he's really going to get hurt." Mira asked Lucy, who was watching all this with sharp eyes, her gaze fixed on the back of my head.
"No, let him." She nodded. "It's better than getting hurt at the hands of enemies. He can learn from this." She grinned, her eyes containing a somewhat mad (aroused?) glint as she giggled, creeping out the Take Over mage, who was seeing a new and unknown side of the ever-bubbly Celestial Spirit wizard.
"Besides, my Lulu is not one to challenge anyone unless he believes he has a chance."