"What?! Jellal—who's that?" Natsu, clueless as ever, scratched his head. "Never heard that name before!"
Lucy rolled her eyes. "If you don't know him, why are you acting so shocked?!"
"It's just more dramatic that way!"
Happy chuckled. "That's just how Natsu is…"
Among the listeners, one person stood out: Erza.
The name hit her like a sledgehammer to the chest. Her eyes widened, her face frozen in shock as she stared at Mystogan, who shyly turned his head away.
"Jel… Jellal…"
Gray, ever perceptive, noticed her expression shift. "What's wrong, Erza? Do you know this Jellal guy?"
"No… I don't…"
Erza lowered her head, clutching her aching right eye, her teeth clenched as she grappled with inner turmoil.
Yeah, that doesn't look like someone who doesn't know him…
Gray sighed inwardly, deciding to ask Kira about it later.
This man, though named Jellal and possibly even sharing the same face as the one from her memories, wasn't that Jellal—the one she both loved and loathed. Still, hearing the name after so long stirred up nightmares from her childhood.
Jellal… Jellal…
For years, that name, that blue-haired boy, had haunted her, once making her so afraid she couldn't bear to shed her heavy armor. Hearing it now, tied to a guildmate, plunged Erza into inexplicable panic.
"Erza…"
The Jellal from back then, the boy who gave her hope in a hellish place, was her comrade. But Erza knew an accident had warped his heart, and she still couldn't face that past.
This Jellal—no, Mystogan—was the quiet, low-profile man in their guild. Though he kept to himself, Erza knew they shared a common resolve. She could look at him, see him as she once saw that boy.
"Erza…"
They weren't the same person!
Same face, same name, but different experiences, personalities, and beliefs—completely different people!
Yet Erza couldn't lift her head. Her heart raced, her body trembled. Since joining Fairy Tail, she'd never felt so helpless.
"Erza! You okay?"
Natsu's shout snapped her back to reality. She realized she was drenched in sweat. "I'm… I'm fine…"
Even Natsu, oblivious as he was, could tell something was off. The others noticed too. They didn't know what the name Jellal meant to her, but seeing she didn't want to talk about it, they didn't pry. They just stood by her, offering silent support.
To break the awkward atmosphere, Dispel continued his story.
Seven years ago, after arriving in Earth Land, Dispel didn't stick with Mystogan. Uninterested in "soul" matters, he set off on his own journey.
Over the years, he traveled across Fiore, then explored other nations in Ishgar, and even ventured to continents like Alvarez and Guiltina. His goal, beyond sightseeing, was to spar with powerful swordsmen.
He'd just returned to Ishgar and was passing through Fiore to visit an old friend when he stumbled into the Fairy Tail-Phantom Lord conflict.
His adventures left Kira a bit jealous. "Man, you've been to two other continents? That's awesome. I haven't gone that far in all these years…"
"Come on, staying in a small place like this, how're you gonna get stronger?" Dispel said. "The world's huge, with tons of guilds way stronger than Fairy Tail…"
His words sparked an uproar among the listeners.
"Huh? What'd you say, punk?"
"We're Fairy Tail!"
"Even if you're Kira, you're gonna get punched for saying that!"
Dispel wasn't surprised by their reaction. These guys might not be the strongest, but their guild pride is off the charts.
"I'm just saying the truth. Forget the rest—those guilds have way fancier halls than this place. Speaking of, what's with those iron bars up there? Some trendy decoration around here?"
"No way! Phantom Lord did that!"
"Ugh, don't remind me…"
"Phantom Lord? I've heard of them. A top guild in Fiore, right? Their master was that old geezer from earlier?"
"Yeah, Jose, one of the Ten Wizard Saints."
"Hah? Their master's that weak, and they still beat you guys this bad?" Dispel said. "I saw a few of you who aren't half bad. Are their members really that strong?"
"No way! We totally won against Phantom Lord!"
"Yeah, the guild's like this because they ambushed us at night!"
"Kira wrecked their whole base!"
"Ahem, let's keep it low-key…" Kira feigned modesty. "But this Kira here sliced their headquarters in half with one swing."
Dispel lounged in his chair. "Your guild's in shambles—how're you even taking jobs? Just tear it down and rebuild!"
The suggestion quickly gained traction among the guild members.
"Rebuild? Guess that's the only way…"
"It's sad, but what choice do we have? The place could collapse any day."
A heavy air of regret and reluctance settled over the group.
"Speaking of, I remember the Master mentioning this before," someone piped up. "He's got blueprints for a new guild hall—way bigger, with an open-air pool and everything!"
The gloom vanished instantly.
"What?! A new guild?!"
A few pervy guys' eyes turned to hearts, lining up. "An open-air pool?!"
"Is that for real, Mirajane?"
With Makarov resting, they couldn't ask him, so they turned to others.
"Yup!" Mirajane nodded with a smile.
Kira chimed in. "I know about it too! The Master's had this plan for a couple of years. And let me tell you, the mayor only gave us that prime spot on Magnolia's main street because of my charm!"
"But then he worried you guys would brawl in the streets, so the plan got shelved…"
"Waaah, Kira, you're amazing!"
"No kidding! You guys better remember all I've done for this guild!"
"What? That's just what you're supposed to do!"
"You saying something?"
"If it was up to me, the mayor would've given us the whole street!"
"Natsu, that's impossible…"
"If it was Natsu, the mayor would probably kick us out of Magnolia entirely…"
"Hahaha, you're so right!"
Amid the laughter-filled tavern, no one noticed Kira' sly grin as he turned away. "Heh heh heh, let's see if you're still laughing when it's time to collect for the guild rebuild…"
Maybe it was gratitude for his help in their hour of need, or the bond of being from another guild, or just their compatible personalities, but after the ruckus, Dispel blended right into Fairy Tail.
Drinking, partying, goofing off, and group brawls—the guild slipped back into its usual chaos, as if the battle with Phantom Lord hadn't just ended but happened weeks or even a month ago.
In this lively atmosphere, even Mystogan, rarely sticking around, stayed to share a drink and chat with Kira. He seemed to let go of his burdens, facing his origins openly, though he still kept his face covered.
If anyone was still down, it was probably Erza.
For one, Jellal's name had dredged up painful memories. Then there was her worry for Makarov, still recovering. And finally, this clash with Phantom Lord had broken the sacred pact that magic guilds shouldn't attack each other. Fairy Tail could face punishment—or even disbandment…
Watching her laughing, drinking, brawling guildmates, Erza let out a deep sigh. "These guys… they really know how to make you worry!"