Chapter 69: The Reassembled Strongest Alliance of Fiore (3)
Once the confusion had settled a little, everyone took seats around the temporary round table.
But instead of focusing on strategy, all eyes were glued to me, the little girl sitting on my lap, and the white cat perched at our table. Silence pressed in.
Just when I thought the noisy atmosphere from earlier was finally gone, I spoke up.
"Well then, about the operation we'll be carrying out—"
"That's not it!"
"Yeah!"
"What's more important right now is explaining who that child is!"
"Ciel-kun, I'm curious too."
"Tell us—how old were you when you had her?"
My attempt to naturally shift into a strategy meeting failed miserably.
Shouldn't eliminating Oración Seis take precedence over questioning me about Wendy? I wished they'd get their priorities straight… but this was just how these alliances always went.
While I tried to brush things off with a smile, Wendy, still on my lap, suddenly spoke.
"Um… about before… I slipped into an old habit. Ciel-sensei isn't my dad. …Well, he is my dad, but… not really my dad!"
"What…?!"
"What are you even saying?"
"From Dad to Sensei?!"
The situation somehow grew even more complicated.
I gently stroked Wendy's hair and decided to explain on her behalf.
"This girl's name is Wendy Marvell. Like Natsu and Gajeel, she's a Dragon Slayer. More precisely… my junior disciple."
"Wait, that kid's a Dragon Slayer?!"
"Yes, she wields Sky Dragon magic—the Sky Dragon Slayer."
"Then why did she call you 'Dad'?"
"Exactly, that's what we want to know!"
"That's because long before Natsu and Gajeel ever met her, I had already been interacting with Wendy."
My words finally drew everyone's focus. No more heckling—just quiet attention as I continued.
....
Before meeting Zeref and becoming involved with the Eclipse plan, I had traveled alongside Pheonixia, often meeting the other dragons' children.
But among them, Wendy was the one I met most frequently—sometimes two or three times a week.
Not that it was my choice.
Pheonixia, the eldest of the six dragons—and often called the Phantom Flame Empress—was an incurable doting mother. She hated being apart from me for long, so whenever she visited the other dragons, she dragged me along.
With Pheonixia and Grandeeney always chattering, I naturally spent more and more time with Wendy.
I would play with her, teach her common sense and manners. But Wendy, still so young, often cried and clung to my clothes whenever we parted.
At first, I laughed it off, thinking of her as simply a childhood friend. But thanks to Pheonixia and Grandeeney's teasing, Wendy picked up the habit of calling me "Dad."
"Ciel, don't go! Uwaaaaaaah~!"
"Don't worry, Wendy. Daddy Ciel will come play with you two or three times a week~!"
"Pheonixia, please don't teach the child such nonsense…"
"Fufufu… Wendy, wave goodbye to Daddy or he won't come back next time."
"Grandeeney, you too… really…"
"D…Daddy?"
"Wendy, I'm not your dad. Of course, when we play house I might play both Dad and Husband, but that's just pretend—"
"So you're… not Daddy?!"
"Ciel, how could you make the child cry?"
"Oh my, did you make Wendy cry?"
"Sniff… huuuh…."
"I'm your dad, Wendy…"
"Daddy!"
Later, after she grew up and met Anna, Wendy began calling me Sensei more often than Dad. Still, sometimes that old childhood habit slipped out. Even when stepping through the Eclipse Gate, she had clutched both Anna's and my hands and called me Daddy.
"…Well, in short, it all started as a joke between Pheonixia, who raised me, and Grandeeney, who raised Wendy."
"S-Sensei… don't tell such embarrassing stories…!"
"Where did the girl who called me Daddy just a moment ago go, and who's this young lady sitting here now?"
"Y-you… I'll get really mad…"
"Ku fufufufu… understood. Anyway, that's how things turned out. I trust you all understand now?"
I glossed over Zeref, Eclipse, and Anna, focusing only on Pheonixia and Grandeeney in my explanation.
While Wendy and I bickered, some nodded along, though Lucy and Gray still looked at us suspiciously.
Meanwhile, Natsu sprang up, flames flaring from his fists.
"So that means Wendy's just like me and Ciel—raised by a dragon?! Where is that Grandeeney now?!"
"I-I'm sorry… actually, I became a wizard so I could search for Grandeeney…"
Seeing Wendy so downcast pricked at my conscience. I knew where the dragons were, of course, but it wasn't yet the time to tell her. Bearing that truth in silence was heavy.
Then, perhaps to shift the mood, a girl from Lamia Scale—Sherry—spoke up.
"Well, I get your circumstances. But still, sending just one little kid to such a massive subjugation mission… What on earth is Cait Shelter thinking?"
"Excuse me, I'm not just some little kid, tacky lady."
"Charle…"
At Sherry's words, the white cat by Wendy's side spoke.
Resembling Happy at first glance, but with a far more refined, ladylike air, Charle's sharp tongue stunned Sherry.
We in Fairy Tail, used to Happy, weren't fazed—but to the other guild wizards, talking cats were a shock.
I reinforced Charle's statement, explaining on Wendy's behalf.
"Charle's right. Wendy may not be a front-line fighter, but she can provide supportive magic that will be invaluable to us."
"Y-yes… so please don't treat me like an outcast…"
"That's exactly why people underestimate you—because you act so timid."
"Kufufufu…"
Watching Wendy and Charle together brought a smile to my face.
Then Erza rose from her seat and extended her hand to Wendy.
"I'm sorry… I was surprised, but I'd never think of excluding you. I look forward to working together, Wendy."
"Wow… it's really Erza! Charle, it's Erza herself!"
"She's better than I expected."
"Right? She's my partner."
"Ciel-sensei's partner?! As expected, Sensei is amazing!"
From my lap, Wendy looked at Erza with sparkling, admiring eyes. Smiling, I noticed Erza glaring at me suspiciously, her face puffed with irritation.
"Hoh… seeing you two together, you really do look like father and daughter. Isn't she truly yours?"
"Don't you trust your own partner?"
"Well… I know you've always kept your word. But… her hair, her eyes… even her face, there's a resemblance."
"Right! They really do look alike!"
"Now that you mention it…"
"Don't tell me the dragons plotted with you to raise your own daughter!"
"Now, now…"
And so, with Wendy at the center of fresh arguments, we lingered there much longer than intended.
"Alright… looks like everyone's here, so I'll explain the plan."
After the little commotion, everyone sat back around the round table to hear the operation briefing from Ichiya, who knew the details.
"Ah—one thing first, I need to freshen up in the restroom~"
"Hey!"
"Don't put 'freshen up' and 'restroom' in the same sentence…."
(Of course, that was after he'd already gone.)
"North of here lies the Wards Sea of Trees. The ancients sealed a certain magic in that forest. Its name is 'Nirvana.' "
"Nirvana?"
"I've never heard of that spell."
"Jura?"
"No… I don't know it either."
Nirvana. I had a faint memory of hearing the name back when I was learning about the world in the woods… but it was hazy. While I mulled that over, the briefing continued.
"We're going to stop it by taking out the 'Oracion Seis.'"
"We have thirteen people, they have six. But don't underestimate them—those six are terrifyingly strong."
"Oho… an 'Archive' magic, huh."
Archive magic: a higher-order version of mnemonics-type spells. It can link directly into a target's brain to transmit information or render images from one's memory into visible projections—basically a way to access and manifest remembered data. It's a convenient magic: even things you think you've forgotten can be retrieved from the Archive. Only someone with decent knowledge and intelligence can use it correctly—so Blue Pegasus must have enough talent to follow Ichiya and Karen.
"A poison-snake user called 'Cobra,' someone named 'Racer' who's probably a speed-type mage, 'Hoteye' who has the Heavenly Eye, a woman named 'Angel' who can read minds… there's a guy we know almost nothing about called 'Midnight,' and their commander is called 'Brain.' "
As Hibiki explained the faces of the Oracion Seis with details, everyone fell silent, intently listening.
"Each of them alone has enough power to smash a guild. That's why we're going to use our numerical advantage."
"Um… um… I'd rather not be counted in the headcount—"
"I'm not good at fighting either."
"Wendy! Don't say such weak things!"
"I'll fight for the both of them, so please support me from the side!"
"Sensei~!"
"Ciel-san~!"
"Don't indulge their childishness so much!"
When Lucy and Wendy started acting cute, the cat Charle scolded me a bit. Watching Charle, I could see how Wendy had managed to work as a wizard so far.
"Don't worry. This mission isn't just about fighting. We only need to locate their stronghold."
"Base?"
"We haven't pinpointed their exact location yet, but it's assumed they have a temporary stronghold somewhere in the forest."
"And if possible, we'll lure all of them back to that stronghold."
"How?"
"And once they're gathered, what then?"
At Erza's and Lucy's doubts about the plan, Ichiya confidently thrust a finger toward the sky.
"With our guild's pride and joy, the airship Christina, we'll blow their base to pieces!"
"Oooh!"
"A magic bomber?!"
"Christina, huh… it's been a while since you rolled that one out."
"That's how dangerous this mission is."
"But… against humans, do we really have to go that far?"
Jura, who had been quietly listening until now, slammed his fist into the ground in response to Lucy's protest.
"They warrant it. Listen well—if battle breaks out, never fight alone. Always face an enemy in pairs at minimum."
"Alright! I'm fired up! I'll take on all the women at once!!"
With Jura's warning still in the air, Natsu smashed his fists together, then bolted outside.
Lucy, Gray, and Erza chased after him, soon followed by the rest of the younger members rushing out.
"Let's go, Sherry."
"Yes!"
"Lyon! Sherry!"
"We'll head out too!"
"Right!"
"Angel, huh… I'll make her my woman!"
"Ugh… s-sensei…"
"What are you doing, Wendy? Hurry!"
"Ah! Aahh! Ciel-sensei!!"
Terrified, Wendy reached out for me, but Charle grabbed her hand and pulled her to run after Natsu.
That left only myself, Ichiya, and Jura. We exchanged wry smiles as we watched the hot-blooded youths storm off.
"My, my…"
"Maaan~."
"You just can't underestimate youth, can you?"
Even if my body was forever stuck in its twenties, my mind already felt like that of an old man. Between me—an old man in spirit—and the actually aged Ichiya and Jura, we shared an easy laugh before acknowledging the start of the mission.
"Looks like the operation's begun."
"Shall we head out as well?"
"Maaan~… having the three of us together again brings back memories, doesn't it, Ciel-kun?"
"Indeed. It's been three years since we've stood side by side."
"To commemorate the reunion, allow me to release a fragrance!"
With that, Ichiya uncorked a glass vial of perfume strapped to his waist.
The aroma rose swiftly. Caught off guard, Jura and I grimaced and clamped our noses.
"Ugh! W-what is this stench…?!"
"Kk—… Ichiya…!"
A chill spread through my body, muscles going stiff as if paralyzed, cold sweat breaking out. It was like being struck down with a violent fever—unable to move, overcome by shivers.
In that moment—
"Ghhhk!!"
"Jura…!"
Ichiya suddenly drove a dagger straight into Jura's abdomen.
Before anyone could react, he tore it free and slashed across my throat.
Scarlet blood spurted like a fountain from Jura's stomach and my neck, splattering the floor as we both fell to our knees.
Then, before our dimming eyes, Ichiya's body dissolved like foam—shifting, shrinking—until the true culprits revealed themselves: two small, blue-skinned twin spirits.
"Phew."
"We're back~"
"Y… you… Celestial Spirits…?!"
"Sorry, Ciel~"
"Orders from the Odr are absolute."
"And honestly, that Ichiya guy's head was full of nothing but lewd thoughts."
"More like no thoughts at all! What a pathetic adult!"
"Alright, alright—enough whining."
The chatter of the Gemini of the Twins was cut short as another presence appeared before us: a woman with wings of pure white, hair flaring like a halo, her robe of feathers gleaming in the dim light. An angelic figure stepped forward with cold poise.
I couldn't speak—my throat burned—but Jura still managed to glare at her, voice trembling with fury.
"This… this is…"
"Oh, that filthy man? I copied him." Her lips curved into a smirk. "Thanks to that, I know every detail of your plan."
"When we copy someone—"
"—we see their thoughts, too~"
"What?!"
"Well then~♡ three down already."
"Damn… it…!"
That was Jura's last word before he collapsed, blood pooling beneath him.
I summoned the Spear of Mist, trying to seal my wound with illusion—but—
"Not so fast~."
"Khhuup…?!"
She seized my chin and pressed her lips against mine.
A storm of alien sensations tore through my head. Her tongue tangled with mine, draining my magic, unraveling my illusions at the root. My strength bled out alongside the crimson spilling down my chest, and darkness pressed at the edges of my sight.
"Pwahh~!"
"Khkkk—!!"
"Unlike that gross old man and the baldy, you're actually handsome, so I figured I'd give you a parting kiss~♥ How was it?"
"…."
"Illusion magic draws on mental focus. Disrupt the mind, and even the strongest master collapses. This spell was crafted just for you—sweet, isn't it, Phantom Ciel?"
"Haa… haa…"
"Children of Light, did you really think we'd let you interfere? Anyone in our way will be punished by me—Angel."
Her voice dripped with mockery as she turned her back to me.
"And now… farewell again, Ciel Illusian."
The woman known as Angel of Oración Seis walked slowly toward the path Natsu had taken, her steps deliberate, her presence suffocating.
I let blood spill down my chin as a crooked smile twisted across my face.
"Kh…huff… kufufufu… Quite an… amusing… opening move… you've prepared…"
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