The introduction of Wendy Marvell and her Exceed, Carla, to the Fairy Tail Guild was exactly what Arthur had predicted and hoped for.
The guild, fresh off the emotional victory over Phantom Lord, immediately embraced the vulnerable young girl who had lost her entire illusory family.
Erza Scarlet was the most maternal.
Having endured the trauma of the Tower of Heaven, she deeply understood the pain of fractured childhood and manufactured reality. She knelt and welcomed Wendy with open arms.
"You are not alone anymore, Wendy,"
Erza promised, holding the girl close.
"I will take care of you, just like a sister. This is your home now."
Wendy, overwhelmed by the immediate, genuine warmth, cried tears of relief.
Soon after, Wendy and Carla visited the Celestial Forge, where Arthur was reviewing the captured assets from Phantom Lord and the Oración Seis.
"Thank you so much, Arthur-san,"
Wendy said, bowing low.
"Because of you, I have a new home and a new family. I will never forget your kindness."
She then spotted the small, pink Koromon nestled in Arthur's arm, happily consuming a piece of specialized candy.
"Can I come and play with Koromon with Carla?" she asked, her eyes lighting up.
"You can," Arthur replied with a smile. "Anyone in Fairy Tail is welcome here. Koromon always enjoys new friends."
Arthur lets Wendy and Carla join Koromon and Happy. The three small companions instantly bonded—the innocent Sky Dragon Slayer, the pragmatic Exceed, and the energetic Digimon—creating a circle of friendship that spanned three different conceptual hierarchies.
Arthur watched the interactions, satisfied with the integration of his newest ally into the supportive infrastructure of Fairy Tail. He then turned his gaze toward Carla, who was quietly speaking with Happy, already exhibiting her prophetic visions.
As he watched her, a clear memory of the next major arc: the Edolas Arc.
"Right, the next arc should be the Edolas Arc,"
Arthur realized.
The Edolas Arc involved a massive, multi-dimensional shift, triggered by the collapse of the Anima—the magic-absorbing vortex—which would rip the main characters into an alternate world.
Arthur, as a Conceptual Being, wouldn't need a newspaper or an alarm clock; he would feel the exact moment when the space-time fabric of the world began to warp.
"I don't know the exact time when the Arc begins, but I, as a conceptual being, will know instantly when the space shifts,"
He mused.
He paused, considering his course of action.
He could easily intervene—nullify the Anima, stabilize the dimensional walls, and prevent the entire arc from happening.
But sometimes, the plot was necessary. It was necessary for character growth, for the acquisition of new, crucial elements, and for the overall health of the world's narrative.
'I should let it be. I want to play by the plot this time,'
Arthur decided. The Edolas Arc was critical for Gajeel and Wendy's development, for the introduction of Panther Lily, and for securing crucial assets (like the Exceed and the stabilization of the dimension).
His job now was to observe and ensure the correct outcomes, not to prevent the process entirely.
He would wait for the inevitable dimensional shift and then make his move to secure the most valuable pieces of the narrative.
The Celestial Forge was unusually quiet, the calm before the next storm. Arthur was finishing a high-level conceptual binding on the recovered Nirvana weapon, ensuring it would never function again, when he sensed a familiar, determined magical presence approaching.
Erza Scarlet, dressed not in her usual armor but in a surprisingly elegant, simple purple dress, entered the guild hall. Her posture was straight, but the faint tremor in her hands betrayed her nervousness. She had sought counsel from the best—Rimuru Tempest—and was now executing the mission.
She walked directly up to Arthur, who set aside the shimmering artifact and offered her his full attention.
"Arthur, do you have free time?"
Erza asked, her voice steady but her gaze intense, treating the query like an S-Class mission objective.
Arthur smiled, genuinely touched by her sincerity and the obvious effort this was costing her.
"Yes, I always have time for you Erza."
Erza's face instantly bloomed with a radiant, utterly genuine smile that completely eclipsed the power of her Titania persona. Her breath hitched slightly in relief.
"I asked Rimuru and she said that I should ask you out on a date…"
She admitted, nodding firmly, as if quoting an undeniable law of romance.
Arthur couldn't help but chuckle softly. Rimuru, ever the enthusiastic strategist in matters of the heart, had clearly enjoyed assigning this particular quest.
It was traditionally the man's duty, but in this new era, and given Erza's direct nature, a direct approach was perfectly normal—and incredibly endearing.
"Alright, let's go on a date,"
Arthur confirmed, rising smoothly from his seat.
Arthur knew the date needed to be a balance of normalcy and spectacle to suit Erza.
"Where shall we go, my fearless knight?"
He asked, taking her hand.
"Do you want a quiet, intimate dinner, or something... more adventurous?"
Erza's eyes lit up at the word 'adventurous'. She might be learning about romance, but her core nature remained.
"I have learned that a date is about shared experience,"
Erza stated thoughtfully, repeating Rimuru's instruction.
"So, I want to go to a place of natural wonder. A place that feels vast and powerful, yet peaceful."
Arthur understood immediately. He didn't suggest a restaurant or a fair; he suggested a place that only a being like him could access—a Conceptual Destination he had defined and stabilized.
"I know the perfect place,"
Arthur said, squeezing her hand.
"We'll go to the Floating Gardens of Aerthos. It's a series of islands I stabilized in a higher conceptual dimension—it has waterfalls, endless flower fields, and perfect peace. We can share a meal and simply exist, away from the chaos of this floor."
Erza's excitement was palpable. She trusted Arthur unconditionally.
"That sounds... wonderful, Arthur,"
She breathed, her nervousness melting away into pure anticipation.
Arthur smiled, recognizing that this was more than just a date; it was a necessary pause and a moment of genuine connection between two people who carried immense burdens.
"Then let's go. A knight and her Dragon,"
Arthur mused.
Arthur opened a small, shimmering Warp Gate—not the blinding gold of battle, but a calm, silver portal—leading to the unique peace of the Floating Gardens.