For the next few days, Astro had been learning about various herbs and medical treatments from Porlyusica. Because of that, he spent very little time in the Fairy Tail guild lately, but he could feel his healing magic becoming more and more effective with the medical knowledge he was gaining.
It wasn't until one evening, about a week later, that Astro was seen taking a rest under a tree near Porlyusica's house.
"Are young people these days really this easy to tire out?" Porlyusica said in a deadpan tone, looking at the boy sitting under the tree.
Astro heard the familiar voice and opened his eyes and slowly got up, using his right hand for balance.
"Sorry… I had nightmares again yesterday. I now feel even worse for Mira, who was dealing with it for months." Astro said while rubbing his head.
Porlyusica examined him for a moment as Astro put on his windbreaker again.
"Your situation is not like that girl. I've already told you before…Don't treat them as mere nightmares."
Astro paused while slipping his left hand into the sleeve. He didn't look at her, only at the ground.
"Yeah, I know…" he muttered.
Her eyes narrowed at his nonchalant reaction.
Astro finally looked up at her. "I know what it means, Granny," he whispered.
"I told you not to address me as that," Porlyusica said, visibly annoyed.
"Yeah, I'll change it later, probably," Astro replied insincerely as he headed toward the Fairy Tail guild.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning again, Granny."
He waved his hand, and before she could scold him, he turned around and left.
"Ah, these kids never learn…" Porlyusica sighed, rubbing her head. She took one last look at Astro's back and thought back to a few days ago.
Astro had been sitting shirtless on a bed, his head covered in sticky medicine that Porlyusica applied to use with several tools. Astro had never seen medical tools like these before, but he trusted her completely, so he didn't ask questions.
"So? Did you find anything?" Astro asked as he put a purple shirt back on.
Porlyusica shook her head and placed one of the medical tools into her toolbox.
"I don't see any trace of injury, internal or external, that could have caused your memory loss. And with your maturity, I doubt you would suppress it yourself. While it's not impossible that you healed it yourself with magic… but your healing magic isn't perfect yet. I would have seen at least some trace."
Astro started to get up, but stopped himself. He already knew what she would say next.
"So the only other possibility is that someone used mind magic on you. But—"
"Mind magic has a big flaw," Astro interrupted as he stood and stretched. "It sounds omnipotent on paper, but it's anything but that.."
He had been reading about the Kingdom of Sin, so he also researched various forms of mind magic since they were known for having a lot of wizards specializing in mind magic.
Porlyusica nodded solemnly.
"I'm not fully knowledgeable about every kind of mind magic. But they all share one thing: if someone affected by mind magic starts questioning their own memories, the memories would begin to return very fast. Even the strongest mind magic should not be able to bypass that. But you have known about your issue for quite some time, at least. And you still don't remember much."
Astro thought for a moment before speaking softly.
"Then… could it be some other magic? Something that has the same effect as memory alteration?"
The nightmares made him feel like the original Astro's memories were not reliable at all. Was it because their souls merged? Or were Astro's memories already a mess before the merge?
Porlyusica closed her eyes briefly, before opening them again.
"I can't think of anything right now… but I won't say it's impossible. Earthland is a big place. Nothing is truly impossible here."
Her voice turned nostalgic as she looked out the window with a faint, barely visible smile.
Astro was about to leave the room to wash the medicine off his head, but he froze when her last words clicked in his mind. His hand hovered over the doorknob. He looked back at the old woman, who stared peacefully out the window.
He had a thought in his mind…or a theory…but looking at her peaceful look, he decided to save it for later and stepped out.
Back in the present, Porlyusica watched Astro's figure disappear through the trees and sighed. She walked over to a small basket near where Astro had been napping. Inside, a tiny green bird chirped softly.
"You're already healed, my dear… Want to try flying a little?" she said gently.
She picked up the bird…the one Astro had helped treat during his visits. And raised her hand. She tossed it lightly toward the sky.
The bird flapped its wings weakly at first… then strongly enough to stay afloat. It chirped at Porlyusica one last time before flying higher into the sky.
A small breeze blew through the forest.
There, in the middle of the woods, a beautiful scene formed:
An old woman smiled tenderly as she watched a tiny bird take flight once more.
When Astro finally came close to the guild hall, he looked up at the sky. It had turned dark all of a sudden. Thick clouds had gathered over Magnolia.
"Huh. Weird. It did not feel like it was going to rain today," Astro murmured before opening the guild hall door.
The moment he stepped inside, the familiar loud atmosphere greeted him, although it felt a little more civil than usual. Astro looked around and saw Gray and Natsu doing an arm wrestling match. Gray looked back to his usual self, and seeing that, Astro smiled before heading toward the bar.
Mira appeared behind the counter at the same time with a tray in her hand.
"How is your training with Porlyusica going? I feel like I rarely see you here these days," Mira said with her usual bright smile as she placed tea and cake in front of him.
"It is not exactly training. More like teaching. She has been showing me how to do medical treatment without magic and how to use my magic more efficiently to heal. I am not going to lie, but sometimes she seems more familiar with sky magic than me," Astro said as he dropped a sugar cube into the tea and stirred it slowly with a teaspoon.
"Well, she has been a doctor for such a long time. Probably even before our parents were born. It makes sense she would be that knowledgeable." Mira smiled as she cleaned a few glasses.
"I guess so. By the way, Master," Astro said while looking at Makarov, who was taking a nap in his usual spot.
The old man woke up when he heard Astro's voice. He looked annoyed that Astro disturbed his nap.
"About the S Class magicians of the guild. Do they not stay at the guild often?" Astro asked, taking a sip of his tea and glancing sideways at Makarov.
Makarov looked confused as to why Astro woke him up just to ask this, but he still replied in a sleepy voice.
"Well, Mira is always here. Erza also stays often. As for Laxus, I do not know what that brat does. It is better if he stays outside."
Mira paused while washing the glasses before continuing again. Makarov did not notice since his back was turned, but Astro caught it.
"And what about the other S Class magician?" Astro shifted his attention back to the master.
Makarov replied, "If he comes back to Magnolia, the entire city would know about it."
"What does that mean? Is he some kind of famous person?" Astro asked with a blank expression.
Mira chuckled from behind the counter.
"In terms of strength, Gildarts is our strongest magician after the Master. He could even become a Wizard Saint if he wanted, but he refused because he does not like unwanted attention."
"Hm. I would like to meet him someday. Sounds like we have a lot of similarities."
Mira thought back to her impression of Giladats and looked at Astro. She felt like these two could not be any more different. But she still nodded. "Yes, you do not want attention at all. You have said it verbally and with your body language."
"Oh, did I?"
"Yes, at least a hundred times. Speaking of attention." Mira smiled as she washed her hands and pulled out some mission requests for Astro.
"We got new mission requests today. These are the special requests asking for you especially."
Astro took a peek at the stack of mission notices and became speechless.
"Are all of these special requests for me? Wait, is this one a photoshoot?"
Mira nodded.
"It has become well known around Ishgar that you defeated Riser in your last mission. Many people have been saying he had power on the level of a Wizard Saint. But suddenly, you came from nowhere and defeated him. A lot of people are very interested in you."
"Oh, I remember reading that in the newspaper. Then can I become a Wizard Saint now?" Astro asked half jokingly as he looked at one of the actual Wizard Saints sitting in front of him.
Master Makarov opened his sleepy eyes and yawned.
"What do you know about Wizard Saints?"
"Hm?"
Astro did not expect that question.
"What do I know? I only know they are strong and act as a deterrent to dark guilds and bad guys across Ishgar."
Makarov looked directly into Astro's eyes with a deadpan expression.
"You are talking about the things written in books. What is your impression of them?"
Astro thought about it for a few seconds.
"Well, I believe Wizard Saints were meant to be a deterrent to dark guilds at first.. That is probably the reason the Council gathered them. But now I think that they exist only to keep the strongest powers in Ishgar in check."
Makarov finally shook off his sleepiness and looked at Astro with interest.
"Oh. Go on."
Astro took another sip of tea.
"Most Wizard Saints are not bad people, but they are definitely not always the most moral person in a room. And because they are too strong for the Council to control directly, the Council probably created that group so the members can keep an eye on each other. They would not want any single member to grow too powerful or too influential."
Astro continued.
"Some Wizard Saints might even use their status to prevent others from becoming strong enough to take their spot. And the Council is probably happy to see that, because they do not want too many independent strong people running around without supervision."
Mira and Makarov stared at Astro for a few seconds before Makarov nodded.
"You are right about that. So if you want to become a Wizard Saint, that can only happen if I retire. Because you would not provide any value to the goal of the Wizard Saint system while I am still around. Not to mention, Fairy Tail's influence would skyrocket, which is something the Council certainly does not want. So, do you want me to write a retirement letter now?"
Makarov smiled and looked at Astro.
"Nah. Just because I understand a little politics does not mean I want to get involved in it. It is more fun to watch the chaos from the sidelines. Besides, you are still here," Astro said with a sigh.
"What makes you think I want to participate? I want to retire too…" Makarov muttered quietly. Astro conveniently ignored that comment and turned to Mira.
"Mira, can I decide on these jobs later?"
"Yes, of course. Let me know your decision later. You do not have to go if you do not want to," Mira said with a gentle smile as she put the mission requests away.
"By the way, where is Shawn these days?" Mira asked as she noticed Astro finishing his cake.
"Hm?" Astro mumbled with his mouth full. He swallowed and answered.
"He has been training with either Laki or Gray lately. Since Gray is here today, I think he is with Laki."
Mira nodded.
"Well, he seems very motivated. It's kind of sad that there is nobody around his age in the guild."
Mira said in a regretful tone as she walked off to take another member's order. She was not worried about Shawn's safety that much. In Magnolia, the only people who dared attack Fairy Tail members were other Fairy Tail members. Even the Magic Council would think twice before coming here.
Astro watched Mira's busy figure and suddenly felt his eyelids getting heavy.
"Hm. Am I really this tired today?" he murmured.
Suddenly, he heard a thud behind him. Someone had fallen asleep on the table. The sound snapped him fully awake, and he turned around quickly.
One by one, every wizard in the guild was collapsing into sleep. Even Natsu, Gray, and Cana were not exceptions to it. Astro looked back just in time to see Mira swaying unsteadily behind the counter. His body moved on instinct. He jumped over the bar and caught her gently from behind before she could fall.
Mira managed to give him one last sleepy look before drifting into deep sleep.
"Mira, are you alright?" Astro asked, confused at the sudden change in the atmosphere. He shook her shoulder lightly, but she did not wake up at all.
Astro's eyes narrowed as he took another look at the guild around him. Every member had fallen asleep. Well, everyone except one person..
"This is Mystogan's magic, Master?" Astro asked quietly. He did not panic because he sensed Master Makarov was awake as well. And Erza had already told him about Mystogan before.
"Mystogan joined just before Loke. No one has ever seen his face. Every time he arrives, he puts the entire guild to sleep. It is said that only the Master knows what he looks like."
Makarov did not look surprised that Astro was still awake. But he did not answer the question either. Instead, he stared at the guild's entrance with a blank expression.
Astro frowned. He could not sense anyone at the door. There was no magic presence and no movement at all.
But then, to Astro's shock, the guild door opened on its own, and a man completely covered in cloth walked inside. His entire body was wrapped, from head to toe, and he carried several magical tools and staffs strapped to his back.
Astro was not surprised by his appearance or the strange equipment.
He was shocked because he could not sense him at all.
He could not sense his magic.
He could not sense his breathing.
Even the magic Mystogan used to put everyone to sleep had left no trace.
It felt as if the man in front of him was a phantom. The air around him was still, and the flow of ethernano did not react to him. For a moment, Astro wondered if he was seeing an illusion.
That was his first thought.
But then he heard footsteps. Slow and steady. Heavy on the wooden floor.
The sound proved that the man was physically present.
Mystogan walked forward, taking a glance around the sleeping guild before locking eyes with Makarov and Astro.
"Mystogan, you should stop doing this," Makarov said in a tired voice.
Astro still held Mira securely as he looked at the man's eyes, the only visible part of his face. Mystogan did not answer to Master as he walked toward the bar while continuing to stare at Astro. When he was close enough, he finally noticed that Astro was holding Mira.
"I apologize for the trouble. She will be fine once she wakes up," Mystogan said softly with a calm voice.. After speaking, he turned to his left and headed toward the mission board.
Astro watched his back carefully. From this close, he finally sensed something. It was not Mystogan's magic. He still could not feel even a trace of that.
But he sensed Mystogan's breathing for a moment. A shallow and controlled pattern. It felt like someone who intentionally suppressed every sign of life on purpose.
Yet Astro still wondered.
If he could not sense his magic, then how did Mystogan put everyone to sleep?
"It is alright. Everyone has their own circumstances, as long as your magic does not leave side effects," Astro replied to Mystogan.
Mystogan, who was nearing the mission board, turned his head slightly. His dark eyes met Astro's purple ones. Astro suddenly felt as if Mystogan was not looking at him, but looking through him at someone else entirely.
"Rest assured, Astro. She will not have any problems."
He said nothing more and picked a few mission requests from the board before walking back toward the master.
"I do not think we have met before," Astro said while adjusting Mira so she leaned comfortably against his chest.
Mystogan's steps paused for a brief moment before continuing. He handed the mission requests to Makarov. After getting a nod from the master, Mystogan took another brief look at Astro and walked toward the door.
"I read the newspaper," he said without turning back.
Astro narrowed his eyes at Mystogan's back.
"Oh, I am honored that you can remember me just from reading a newspaper," Astro muttered, looking at his back.
Mystogan reached the doorway without responding.
Makarov spoke up.
"Mystogan, take your magic back before leaving."
Mystogan continued walking.
"Do not worry."
He took another step.
"They"
Another step.
"Will"
Another step.
"Wake"
Another step.
"Up."
Mystogan stepped outside the guild, the wind blowing his cloak lightly.
"Now," he whispered.
And in that instant, he vanished before Astro's eyes. Not teleported. Not concealed. Simply gone, as though he had never existed.
Astro felt a chill.
He tried again to sense any trace of him. But it was to no avail; if the people in the guild were still not sleeping like this, Astro would have thought that it was all a dream.
Astro's thought process got interrupted as he felt a slight movement in his arms.
He looked down and saw Mira slowly waking up. He gently supported her arm and turned her a little so she faced him. Even though he knew there was no danger, he still asked with concern. He remembered Mira telling him that she usually had nightmares when she slept.
"Are you okay, Mira?"
Mira let out a small yawn, then suddenly realized their position. Her face was full of confusion when she saw Astro's face so close to hers. She blinked, staring into his purple eyes.
"Yeah…"
"Yeah, I am fine. Was it Mystogan's magic?" Mira asked as she lightly patted Astro's hand that was holding her.
Astro took a look at their position, realized it was a bit inappropriate, and quickly let go. He looked around to see the rest of the guild waking up as well.
"Damn that Mystogan…"
"Can he not tell us before he shows up…"
"You idiot, if he wants to stay hidden, why would he announce it?"
"Who are you calling an idiot?"
The chaos immediately returned to the guild like nothing had happened. Astro watched the scene with a speechless expression.
These people were unbelievably carefree. If these guys were put in any horror series from his previous life, not a single one of them would survive the first episode.
"It was him. Are you sure you are alright?" Astro asked again looking back at Mira.
Mira looked up at Astro's concerned eyes and smiled softly.
"Do not worry. Mystogan has done this many times. I… we are used to it."
Astro nodded and returned to sit on his stool in front of the bar.
"So, were you awake?" Mira asked, leaning closer.
"Did you manage to see what Mystogan looks like?" Her voice was curious and bright. Probably because she was curious, she asked a little loudly
Everyone nearby immediately turned their heads.
"Wait, Astro, were you awake?" a guild member beside him asked loudly.
"Hold on, Astro, you really saw him?" Cana rushed in front of him, notebook already in hand.
"Tell us what he looks like," she demanded while flipping through pages. Astro's sharp eyes noticed that most of the notebook was filled with bets from different people..
Natsu appeared beside him in an instant.
"Astro, do you know where he is? I am gonna teach him a lesson."
"No, how would I know it?" Astro said quickly.
"Huh? Do not lie to us, Astro. Tell us! I bet half my earnings from last month on this," one guild member cried.
"I put all of my money in the bet. I bet he looks like Ichiya," another man shouted proudly.
"What? Then I will also put all of my money. I bet he looks like a handsome prince," a woman said dreamily, both hands held under her cheeks.
"Well… I do not know…" Astro said in a low voice.
Mira watched the chaos beside him. She quietly tiptoed back, turning away as she touched her arm where Astro had held her earlier.
Only Master Makarov noticed. He glanced at Mira. From his angle, he could only see her red eartips, then at Astro, buried under shouting guild members.
He shook his head with a tired sigh and lay back down to sleep.
Astro never realized that Mira had started the chaos on purpose to hide her embarrassment.
It was not until nighttime that everyone admitted defeat. Astro was surprisingly tight-lipped. No matter what they asked, he refused to reveal anything. Eventually, they gave up.
Astro saw his chance and quickly said goodbye to everyone as he stepped out of the guild hall.
The sky outside had grown even darker with the dark clouds covering the moon now. Light rain fell softly on the streets, and it looked like it would pour heavily later. Astro slipped his hands into his windbreaker pockets and walked towards his home.
"I could not sense his magic at all," Astro whispered as he walked home through the light rain.
The more he thought about it, the more unsettled he became. Astro had always relied on his senses to understand an opponent's strength and react accordingly. His instincts were usually sharp enough to predict danger before it arrived.
But today was the first time he felt completely blind.
He could not sense Mystogan's presence.
He could not sense his magic.
He could not even sense the moment everyone fell asleep.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Astro realized that his senses were not absolute.
And that realization made him feel something he was not used to feeling.
A quiet, deep uneasiness spread through his chest.
Astro suddenly stopped as a thought went through his mind…he looked up, feeling the droplets hit his face.
"Why am I assuming it was magic? There are other ways to make people fall asleep," Astro murmured.
His eyes narrowed as he turned toward the direction of Porlyusica's hut.
"For example… medicine."
The rain grew heavier. Astro looked toward his home and sensed that Shawn had already returned there. Then he looked toward Porlyusica's hut again.
He let out a long sigh before he began running into the forest.
"So that is him. Astro Blackmist."
As Astro's figure disappeared among the trees, someone watched him from a distant rooftop.
Lightning flashed across the night sky, revealing the face of a man with wild yellow spiky hair and a lightning-shaped mark across his right eye. He grinned widely as he looked at the direction Astro had disappeared.
Another bright lightning flash lit the rooftop.
And, the man vanished as if he had never been there at all.