"I don't recall anything that requires your presence, Hana." Waynir made a shooing gesture, something that's aligned with how he normally acts. "Don't tell me you want another greatsword forged?" He crossed his arms as he leaned on the frame.
"Now that I think about it, I was also gonna request for a new one!" Hana had a finger on her chin while momentarily lost in thought. "But I'll hold into that for later, since having a discussion with you is currently my priority!"
The blacksmith tensed at her easygoing tone, because he knew damn well that her arrival wasn't pure coincidence.
"I'm sure you're aware that I like my peace and quiet." He looked at her with annoyance.
"I know! So it will be a short talk for the most part~! Can't you allow it just this once?" Hana wasn't fazed one bit by his attitude.
Waynir clicked his tongue as he turned back at the group. They all had somber expressions, but signaled him to let the woman in.
The more he refused, the more skepticism he'd garner. They might as well figure out how to navigate around this uninvited guest.
"Fine! Although you will need to put up with my clients inside." Waynir reminded her. "Will that be okay with you?"
"Oh? I thought you mentioned that this place was your home of privacy?" Hana narrowed her eyes, the air surrounding her presence sharpened along with the changed tone of her voice.
Waynir maintained his calm demeanor, shrugging at her instant switch of emotion on the spot. "There are exceptions to my rules sometimes, especially when it comes to certain clients." His excuse felt natural, as if he was stating a fact.
They stared at each other for a while, and neither was budging an inch. Hana giggled with amusement afterwards, clasping her hands together as she returned to normal.
"Alrighty, then~!" She stopped inquiring as she walked towards the door. "May I enter now? I'm quite curious about these special guests of yours." The woman was too unpredictable for the blacksmith, getting whiplashes back-to-back thanks to her antics.
Waynir softly sighed. So much for being discreet… He stepped aside to let her through the entrance as she strolled without a care in the world.
The living room's atmosphere became a bit awkward once Hana arrived. The rest hoped they weren't exposed yet, and this visitor was simply here for official business.
Although this doesn't seem to be the case, judging from how Waynir reacted.
"I was wondering what type of group that could make a guy like him to act as a host." She scanned everyone, her expression still friendly for the most part. "And to think they are esteemed wizards from Blue Pegasus, it's my luck to see the famous Trimens in person."
Max didn't confirm nor deny such claims like usual, since he wanted to conceal Fairy Tail's involvement as long as possible. Ichiya reminded them earlier to prepare for any obstacle, considering the attention they gained during their stay in the island.
"My name is Hana, a wizard from Paramount Tide." Her introduction was straightforward and simple.
"Men~! You have quite the rowdy parfum, my lady!" The man in question posed elegantly, followed by the Trimens mirroring his action.
"A demeanor that's wild and charming at the same time."
"I feel a bit overwhelmed, but it's truly my honor to interact with strong personalities."
"Not bad… I-It's not like I'm impressed or anything."
"Hm?" Hana raised an eyebrow as she ignored the complimentary greetings. She glanced between Ichiya and them for a second. "You must be the Ace for Blue Pegasus, then?"
"You are correct, my lovely miss!" Ichiya slid across the tiles as he brought out a flower out of nowhere. "The three behind me are my juniors who had learned my ways!" He shamelessly boasted while sparkles surrounded him.
Hana stared at the kneeling man with an unreadable expression. Max, on the other hand, was face palming really hard. He understood that this was their idea to lessen suspicion, by just being themselves.
But the embarrassment was still there, and he respected such determination to not jeopardize their current progress for the investigation.
"... Disguting." Hana bluntly said. "Learn the proper etiquette of introduction. Who the hell will even be flattered by such things if you begin with a line like that?"
"Guh!" Her honest and direct insults pierced them like thorns, making the quartet receive a huge windfall of immense emotional damage.
Waynir and Max sweat dropped at the scene, then glanced back at the woman whose intentions were still unclear. They must take the initiative in this conversation, or else they would be at a disadvantage.
The blacksmith never flinched under her scrutinizing gaze, his eyes matching the intensity even when he's only a regular person without magic.
"So, what brings you here?" He asked. "Wizards from your guild mostly go to my forgery for requests, unless there's something of significant importance that needs to be addressed."
"It's quite important." Hana emphasized. "Master Vandis personally assigned me with this task, you know?" She adjusted posture on the couch, making herself comfortable.
"Then it must be a complicated one." Waynir did his best to not show any vulnerability, already noticing that this is slowly turning into an interrogation.
There was a reason why Hana was trusted by Vandis unconditionally, her wits were just slightly inferior to her passion for fighting. Although she preferred direct and physical methods, it was a different matter if the issue could threaten the position of her guild.
Hana nodded while she looked at him with intrigue. "Your input would be greatly appreciated." Leaning forward as she chuckled. "Like I said, just answer a few questions from good little ol' me… and I'll leave without complaint."
"You're still not giving an explanation on what this is all about." Waynir huffed. "And here I'd believed you to be a more direct personality type of person, not some cryptic idiot."
"Well, it was last minute." Hana wasn't offended by the insult. "But I'll get to the point." She directed her finger towards the group who froze at the sudden action.
"Are they truly your clients?" She inquired, noting their slight flinching from such a question.
Waynir immediately responded. "Yes." He had to improvise if they wanted to come out clean. "They commissioned for a huge order that couldn't be discussed within one day, so we were currently negotiating about prices that benefited both sides."
"Hmm… Why did you not do this at your forge, then?" Hana countered.
"It was bound to be a long discussion, and the forge isn't exactly a great environment for that." The blacksmith smoothly explained.
Hana didn't reply for a while, as if she was gauging the falsehood of his statement. But for some odd reason, she accepted it in the end.
Waynir felt that something wasn't right with her lack of resistance, yet he brushed it off because she was already on her next question.
"What do you think of Mack's passing?" The way she asked it irked Waynir to his core, who tried his absolute hardest to conceal the boiling anger he was feeling at the moment. If not for his relief that his close friend survived, he would have lashed out at her in an instant.
Waynir witnessed Mack's struggles in denying the truth of his suffering, and wanted to gloss over Paramount Tide's involvement. The Founder of Devala Commerce truly believed that their long-standing cooperation bloomed into that of genuine friendship.
Yet that trust was shattered so easily, along with numerous innocent lives that were caught up in this mess.
When Waynir spoke with Mack during the Telepathic Link, he noticed the weariness of his tone, and realized that he finally accepted the reality of the situation.
"Do not test my patience, Hana." The blacksmith coldly said with no fear. "People have their own ways of grieving, and I don't think we're close enough to share such personal emotions."
Time stood still as silence descended upon the living room. The atmosphere turned tense as Ichiya and the rest quietly readied themselves to protect Waynir if needed.
The woman in question was already confirmed to be a dark wizard alongside the rest of her guild, and people like her can be unpredictable once the situation isn't in their favor.
They waited for her reaction as she had her head down in contemplation. Then, Hana lifted her head without the slight mischievous expression she adorned.
"That's understandable… I asked that without considering your feelings, a mistake on my part." She apologetically sighed, which looked insulting to Waynir. It was like her friendly mask was slipping away, and she had no intention of hiding it
However, her next question further fueled the fire.
"I'll ask this instead." Hana calmly gazed at Waynir. "We've been acquainted for half a decade now, what can you say about your current relationship with the guild?"
That made everyone subtly raise their guard even more, while Waynir frowned instinctively. He knew his response will decide the next course of the investigation, for better or worse.
Hana's questions seemed simple on the surface, yet it's layered with complexities based on behavioral patterns. If the blacksmith hadn't known her for all these years, he would've been exposed earlier on.
"Relationship?" Waynir scoffed. "Mack may see you as actual friends, but in my eyes, Paramount Tide is just another client among many." He openly displayed his neutral stance that symbolized the image he built all this time.
Waynir hoped that this was enough for Hana to take a step back in in her so-called probing. It was already too obvious at this point, but nobody revealed it in case things would go south afterwards.
"Heh~" Hana returned to her usual expression. "As expected of the grumpy craftsman, there's no filter with your words."
She hummed as she closed her eyes. "See? Just a short talk like I said." Resting her back on the couch as if she was satisfied with the outcome of the conversation.
"Mack's passing is a tragedy that everyone will remember." Hana continued. "Given that you're his closest friend, I offer my sincerest condolences." The tone of her voice sounded respectful, but also felt flat.
Waynir's gut feeling from earlier returned, observing the woman who acted way too relaxed. One would think she wouldn't have ulterior motives, yet the contradicting demeanor she displayed was enough to confirm it.
"Thank you for the kind words, Hana." Waynir said with measured gratitude. "Can you leave me alone, now? I'll also finish up my negotiations with my clients, since I need space to still process the news."
A normal person would excuse themselves to give a mourning individual their privacy. It's like Waynir had previously stated, everyone had their own ways to recover from the pain of losing someone.
Unfortunately, Hana didn't move after he told her that.
She serenely opened her eyes, glancing at the blacksmith with an unreadable expression. "Wait a moment." Putting her hands together as she smiled.
"Hm? What's wrong?" Waynir looked at her with caution. "You forgot to mention something?" His mind raced in alarm while he unconsciously clenched his fists.
"Nope~!" Hana shook her head. "I was simply trying to contain my excitement!" She explained with a bright voice.
The woman's response surprised everyone, and the mildly tense atmosphere grew by the minute.
"Excitement? Is this some kind of joke, Hana?" Waynir clicked his tongue. "After giving your condolences and all?"
Hana giggled darkly as she stood up, narrowing her eyes at the group that was accompanying the blacksmith. "We don't need to continue this farce, considering everybody here was on edge from the start." She nonchalantly stretched her arms.
"I've always hated mental gymnastics, because one would need to exert effort against people who would rather solve issues with cunning wisdom alone." Hana prattled without a care in the world.
"But I had this feeling at the back of my mind… that you were vaguely aware of our manipulations for quite some time now." She showed a feral grin that promised pain to those who dared to go against Paramount Tide.
Hana's magical pressure spiked.
VRRRMMMM!
"Master Vandis will decide on what to do with you." She swiftly dashed towards the blacksmith, intending to knock him unconscious.
"MEN~!"A determined shout sounded from her right side at the exact same moment, prompting her to materialize a greatsword to block the incoming strike.
BAM!
BOOM!
Hana was flung across the living room, going through a wall as she landed on the other side.
A muscular, tall man with familiar short orange hair stood in front of Waynir protectively. He took this opportunity to flex his biceps as steam came out from his nose.
Waynir was still in shock from the sudden escalation of the situation, although he managed to quickly regain his composure afterwards. "Ichiya, is that you?"
Ichiya nodded in confirmation. "This is the result of my Power Perfume!" He looked back at the group. "Hibiki, Max-kun, take Sir Waynir with you and escape! Notify the others within the Telepathic Link that we've been exposed."
"Understood, teacher! Be careful, guys!" Hibiki responded with vigor.
"Leave it to us, Ichiya." Max urged the blacksmith to move, sprinting alongside Hibiki on a different path of the mansion.
"We'll be the ones to hold her off." He solemnly created a plan on the spot, glancing at Eve and Ren who remained. "Once there's an opening, that will be our chance to catch up with them."
Ren scratched his head in exasperation. "All of us felt it, huh?"
"Yeah." Eve took a deep breath. "She's strong… very strong."
Hana's wanton release of her magical power showed them that she was in a league of her own. Even if the three of them teamed up, they knew it wouldn't be easy to get out of this unscathed.
"Men~! As wizards of Blue Pegasus, we'll overcome any crisis with style!" Ichiya stated with passion. "My juniors, are you afraid?" He shifted his attention to the woman who was slowly walking towards their location while holding another greatsword.
"Heh! Hell no! Fighting against Oracion Seis erased my fear for anything else!" Ren cracked his knuckles while air manifested around him.
"Same here!" Eve smiled. "Nothing scares me more than the failure to protect my comrades." He formed small trails of snow, preparing himself for battle.
"Good!" Ichiya had no more words for his fellow guild mates. Only a silent level of trust was shared among them.
"Let's make this a brilliant parfum, shall we?"