The chaos in the Fairy Tail Guild Hall subsided as quickly as it had begun. Rimuru Tempest, having applied her concentrated healing magic to stabilize the unconscious Laxus and the Thunder Legion, was just finishing her lecture to a chastened, pouting Milim Nava.
The main doors of the guild creaked open, and Master Makarov Dreyar returned from his arduous political session with the interim Council, his small frame visibly weighed down by the burden of reorganizing the magical world.
He stopped dead in his tracks.
His gaze swept over the scene:
Rimuru and Milim standing next to a pile of unconscious mages.
The immense magical residue of the brief, catastrophic fight.
The main target of his scrutiny: his grandson, Laxus Dreyar, lying prone on the floor, magically stabilized but completely inert.
Makarov blinked once, then sighed—a sound of profound, exhausted resignation.
'So he has returned with his team and he must have been beaten by Milim…'
He had expected to walk into a brawl, but the sudden, total defeat of his powerful grandson was unexpected, even by Fairy Tail standards.
He walked over to Laxus, nudging the unconscious mage with his foot.
He felt the sheer, overwhelming power of the attack that had rendered Laxus inert. It was not destructive, but absolutely dominating.
He looked from Laxus to the small, pink-haired Demon Lord who was currently hiding behind Rimuru's skirt.
He realized that this beat down, delivered by a power he couldn't even comprehend, might be exactly what his arrogant grandson needed.
He shook his head, choosing the path of blissful ignorance and political tact. He knew Rimuru and her friend were just trying to protect the guild from his arrogant grandson.
"Laxus can deal with his own mistakes when he wakes up,"
Makarov muttered, deciding not to address the scene publicly. He knew forcing the issue would only make Laxus's humiliation worse, and he sincerely doubted Laxus would ever willingly speak about being beaten unconscious by a girl half his size over a snack.
Moments later, a calm, crimson Warp Gate shimmered into existence near the bar, and Arthur returned, accompanied by Erza.
Both looked completely relaxed and content. Erza's armor was back, but her eyes held a soft, genuine glow, a look the guild rarely saw. The date to the Floating Gardens of Aerthos had been a resounding success.
Arthur's smile faded slightly as he sensed the residual chaos and saw the unconscious Laxus and the Thunder Legion.
"Well,"
Arthur observed mildly, walking toward the group.
"It seems I missed an interesting event."
Rimuru quickly stepped forward.
"Arthur! Welcome back. Milim was just defending her shortcake when he started talking badly about the guild. I handled the healing, but Makarov just arrived and seems to be ignoring it."
Milim, seeing Arthur, ran over and hugged his leg.
"I just shut him up, Arthur! He threatened my shortcake!"
Arthur chuckled, petting her head.
"I'm sure you did, Milim."
As Arthur discussed the political maneuvering with Makarov, he felt a familiar flicker of highly contained jealousy emanating from the corner of the room.
Ultear Milkovich was meticulously polishing a captured Oración Seis artifact, her gaze fixed on the lingering warmth between Arthur and Erza.
Her lips were pressed into a thin line—she was an ally and a follower, but her new devotion to Arthur was absolute, and seeing another woman openly claim his time stirred powerful emotions.
Arthur, with his vast Soul Magic and Super Focus, immediately sensed the specific texture of her complex jealousy—a mix of possessiveness and fear of being overlooked.
He finished his conversation with Makarov, who was already retreating to his office, and walked directly to Ultear.
"Ultear,"
Arthur said, his voice dropping to a private, sincere tone.
"Thank you for handling the asset transfer and the Council paperwork."
He gently took her hand, just as he had taken Erza's earlier.
"I want to take you out next. A date. You deserve a moment of peace for the work you do for the Celestial Forge."
Ultear's carefully constructed composure shattered. Her eyes widened, her entire body rigid with surprise. The raw jealousy vanished, replaced by an intense, grateful shock.
"Arthur-sama... a date? You would take me?"
She whispered, her voice husky.
"Of course. You are a part of my future,"
Arthur confirmed.
Erza, walking up to them to retrieve her bag, overheard the exchange. She had feared conflict, but realized quickly that Arthur's affection and acknowledgment was expansive, and Ultear, as Ur's daughter and a crucial ally, deserved it.
Erza placed a hand gently on Ultear's shoulder.
"I went first, Ultear. You have earned your time with him. We are family now."
Ultear looked between the two powerful individuals, realizing that she wasn't just joining a guild; she was joining a new, complex, and unselfish form of royalty. She bowed her head, a soft smile touching her lips.
"Thank you, Arthur-sama. I look forward to it."