The next day, Kira woke up from a deep sleep after partying late into the night.
Noon sunlight flooded Hope's Haven, the magic shop that doubled as his home.
"Finally got some proper rest. Two missions back-to-back… When was the last time I worked this hard?" Kira mused, scratching his head. He couldn't quite pinpoint it, so he just muttered, "Last time, I guess…"
It took him an hour to wash up and scarf down a late breakfast—or maybe lunch—before leisurely opening the shop.
Work when you feel like it, close when you don't. Man, owning your own shop is the best!
Kira knew this wasn't the ideal mindset. As a mage in a hyper-competitive guild like Fairy Tail, taking on missions was supposed to be his bread and butter. But who could resist the dream of running a cozy business, making money without leaving the house? It's what everyone secretly wanted, right?
And Kira? He definitely wasn't saying no to that!
Hope's Haven had been open for two years, and in that time, Kira averaged no more than five hours of work a day. Every shopkeeper in the neighborhood was green with envy. His guildmates and regular customers, especially those who did business with him, had long figured out his laid-back schedule.
And wouldn't you know it, a certain newbie from the guild was here to do some shopping.
"Hey, Lucy! Natsu! Happy! Morning, you guys!"
A big client walking right through the door first thing? Could life get any better?
"Morning, my foot! It's already afternoon, and you're just now opening? Do you even call this running a shop?!" Lucy snapped. "Do you know how long I've been waiting out here?!"
After hearing about Kira's shop at last night's guild party, Lucy, eager to get her hands on some keys, had dolled herself up bright and early—only to wait outside Hope's Haven until the afternoon.
Vibrant flowers and greenery adorned the shop's interior and exterior. Inside, rows of oak shelves displayed countless magical items.
Kira ushered the trio in. "Huh? Didn't you check the shop's hours when you asked about it? Oh well, just keep that in mind next time so I can do business properly."
As if he was the one serious about business. Kira didn't have a shred of self-awareness, lounging in his armchair, sipping tea without a care. Hey, he was the boss—why not?
"Erza said you're always here no matter what time I show up…" Lucy muttered.
"Of course! Erza's a VIP customer. Even if I'm not around, I've got ways to take care of her!" Kira grinned.
Lucy: "…"
"Wanna give it a shot? Spend enough, and you can become a VIP too. You'll get to experience my top-tier service—trust me, it'll blow your mind!"
"No thanks, that doesn't sound like a good deal!" Lucy shot back.
"Aw, what a shame."
While Kira chatted with Lucy, Natsu and Happy were poking around the shop.
They'd always known Kira ran a magic shop, but this was their first visit. Normally, they didn't need magic trinkets—why bother when they could be having fun brawling at the guild?
Natsu and Happy were messing with a pile of items. "Whoa, Kira! What's this one do?" Natsu asked, holding something up.
Kira glanced over. "Light Magic Crystal, just for illumination. Looks fancy, that's all."
"What about this?" Natsu grabbed another.
"Image Recording Crystal. That video I showed yesterday? Recorded with one of those."
"And this?"
"Disguise Mask, enchanted with transformation magic. Makes you look like someone else."
"Look, Happy! I'm Lucy!" Natsu said, slapping on the mask.
"So cool!" Happy cheered.
"Even the inside's the same!" Natsu added, grinning.
"No way!!!" Lucy yelped.
"This… this… and this one?" Natsu kept picking up items, one after another.
Kira patiently explained each. "Amplification Staff, boosts magic, but probably useless for someone like you…"
"External Magic Source, stores magic power for emergencies…"
"Status-Clearing Potion, drink it and you won't get motion sickness. Temporary, though."
"Oh, wait! Since you guys are here, there's something you might like." Kira stood up, grabbing an item from the back shelf. "This is a retractable fishing rod. Adjusts length, easy to carry. Best part? You'll never miss a catch with this—takes just three minutes, as long as there's fish."
"Whoa!! Really? Natsu, I want this! Buy it for me!!" Happy begged.
"Just jump in the water and grab the fish…" Natsu grumbled.
"But still…" Happy whined.
Natsu and Happy dove into a heated debate over the fishing rod.
"Ugh, these two," Lucy sighed, watching Natsu and Happy goof off. "They said they were here to keep me company, but they're having way too much fun."
Just then, Kira approached with an ornate, square box. "Here you go, Lucy. This is what you came for, right?"
He hadn't forgotten—Lucy was the real customer today. Natsu and Happy? Those broke goofballs? Most of their mission rewards went to paying off property damage. They were lucky to afford food.
Lucy, though? Even if she was short on cash, she'd find a way to buy his keys.
"Oh, is that…?" Lucy gasped, eyeing the box. She already knew what was inside.
"Yup. The Golden Zodiac Celestial Keys," Kira said.
He gently opened the box, revealing four Golden Keys. The already luxurious box seemed to glow with dazzling light, catching even Natsu and Happy's attention as they stopped bickering to gawk.
"Whoa! So shiny! So cool!" they exclaimed.
In the golden glow, the keys seemed to resonate with the ones at Lucy's waist, filling Hope's Haven with a thick aura of Celestial Spirit energy.
No need to question it—this was Kira's magic at work. When it came to illusions and special effects, Kira was second to none in Fairy Tail. Even Mystogan couldn't hold a candle to him.
From the glow that burst forth when the box opened to the swirling Celestial Spirit aura, it was all a carefully crafted show for his customers.
How else would you make them feel like, "This item was meant for me"? How else would they shell out the cash?
It was all a sales tactic!
Old as the trick was, it worked like a charm. Not just Lucy, who was dead-set on the keys, but even his past business partners had fallen for it.
"Look, Lucy!" Kira said, hamming it up. "These spirits seem really fond of you. If you don't buy them, they'll be heartbroken!"
Of course, that line was meant to fool dimwits like Natsu and Happy. Kira knew Lucy wasn't stupid. As the Heartfilia heiress, she'd seen it all.
"Listen closely—they're saying, 'Buy me! Buy me!'" Kira added.
Natsu, totally convinced, chimed in, "For real? Lucy, you gotta buy them!"
"Yeah, yeah! Isn't this why you came here?" Happy added.
Natsu, Happy—thanks for the assist. This deal's in the bag. I'll treat you to some grilled fish later.
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