While Mirajane stood frozen, her heart reeling in shock, Lisanna flashed a sly grin. She quietly slipped over to a nearby flowerbed and carefully picked the most vibrant, fullest red rose.
Tiptoeing to her stunned sister's side, Lisanna stretched up and gently tucked the rose into Mirajane's snow-white hair.
Buzz—!
As if ignited, the red rose burst into a dazzling, regal red glow! The light flowed like crimson silk, instantly enveloping Mirajane entirely.
When the glow faded—
The heavy black cloak that symbolized Mirajane's self-imposed isolation was gone! In its place was a breathtakingly beautiful crimson gown.
The dress was elegant and ornate, as if sewn from countless vibrant rose petals.
A single, enormous blooming rose was delicately pinned by her ear, gathering her soft white hair into an elegant updo that made her fair skin glow even more.
Tiny rose petals, as if alive, danced and swirled lightly around the hem of her dress.
Lisanna clapped her hands over her mouth, her cheeks flushing with excitement, her eyes sparkling with pure awe and admiration. "Mira-nee… you're so… so beautiful!!!" Her voice trembled with emotion. "Like… like the noblest princess in a fairy tale! No! A hundred times more beautiful than any princess!!"
"I-Is that so?" Mirajane, caught off guard by her sister's fervent praise, felt a wave of shyness. Her pale cheeks flushed red, and she instinctively started to lower her head.
At that moment, an ornate full-length mirror, adorned with vine-like patterns, silently appeared before the sisters, clearly reflecting their transformed appearances.
Mirajane's gaze landed on the girl in the mirror—a figure in a stunning red gown, a rose in her hair, exuding an air of nobility so striking it was as if she were a different person.
She froze, hardly believing her eyes. Slowly, she raised her uninjured left hand, her trembling fingertips brushing the mirror's surface, tracing the face of the girl within. Her voice was soft, like a whisper in a dream. "Is this… really… me?"
"Of course it's you, Mira-nee!" Lisanna chirped, practically bouncing like a little sparrow. She twirled the petal-made pink skirt she wore, admiring her own never-before-seen beautiful outfit in the mirror. "Our dresses are so pretty! So cute! I've never seen anything this gorgeous! It's like a dream!"
Watching the sisters' faces light up with pure, delighted smiles, seeing them momentarily forget their pain and immerse themselves in the wonder of magic, Erza's tense expression softened. A gentle, relieved curve formed on her lips.
She leaned toward Roger and murmured, "Using such a beautiful illusion to distract them… that was a great idea."
"They'll probably smile every time they think back to this moment, even years from now," she added.
"Erza," Roger's voice, tinged with amusement, sounded beside her.
"Hm?" Erza turned her head instinctively.
The moment she did, she felt something soft brush the top of her head.
Puzzled, she reached up and touched a delicate petal—a pure white lily, somehow tucked into her scarlet hair.
Before she could react, the lily began to emit a gentle glow!
Buzz!
Countless tiny white specks, like soft snowflakes or stardust, drifted from the lily, swirling around Erza and enveloping her completely.
Within the light, her sturdy, cold silver armor seemed to melt away like ice, making faint crack sounds before dissolving into specks of light.
When the glow faded—
A pristine, flawless white gown had replaced her battle armor, fitting her perfectly.
The dress was simple yet noble, with layers of white petals forming a fluffy, elegant hem.
Most striking was the cluster of table-tennis-ball-sized pink lilies blooming at her waist, like exquisite embroidery, adding a touch of vibrant romance to the pure white and making her look like a goddess stepping out of a forest fairy tale.
Roger gazed at the transformed Erza, his eyes filled with unmasked appreciation. His voice was warm. "As expected, Erza, you look stunning in a white dress… like a radiant ruby resting on pure, snowy goose down."
The straightforward compliment hit Erza like a spell. A rush of heat surged to her cheeks, her ears burning. She quickly ducked her head, avoiding Roger's smiling gaze, a faint wisp of "steam" practically rising from her head.
"I-Is that so…?" she mumbled, flustered, her hands fidgeting behind her back, fingers twisting nervously as her heart pounded like a drum.
Why's my heart racing? My face is so hot… What's wrong with me? Am I sick?
Erza's mind was a whirlwind, completely unable to make sense of this strange, fluttering feeling.
"Demon! Get out!!"
"You cursed family, leave this place!"
Harsh, piercing curses sliced through the warm, tranquil air of the garden like cold knives.
The smiles on the three siblings' faces froze. Mirajane's head snapped up, her blue-brown eyes filled with confusion and a faint trace of panic. "That voice… the villagers? But aren't we in a garden?" She looked around, trying to pinpoint the sound, her fingers curling unconsciously.
"What you're seeing is just an illusion created by magic. We're still in your house," Roger said with a smile, walking to a nearby bush. He reached out and lightly swiped his finger through the air.
Zzt!
With a soft sound, the scene before them tore apart like a ripped canvas! The vibrant flowers and greenery faded, twisted, and vanished, replaced by a dilapidated window, jarringly out of place compared to the dreamy garden, exuding a bleak chill.
Outside the window, a dense crowd gathered not far away, nearly blocking the entire path.
They gripped gleaming pitchforks, scythes, and heavy rakes, each tool radiating a cold menace.
Faces twisted with anger and fear flushed red, their eyes ferocious as they spat venomous curses.
"It's all because of you! The village keeps getting hit by disasters!!"
"You bringers of calamity!! Get off our land!"
"As long as you're here, the village's misfortunes will never end!!"
"Drag them out and burn them!!"
"But… they're demons! What if we anger them…?" A timid voice barely emerged before it was drowned out by louder malice.
"Afraid of what?!" A sharp-faced man with a cane raised his chin smugly, his voice shrill and grating. "I slipped something into their food a couple of days ago! They're probably too weak to even crush an ant now!"
"Oh no!" Lisanna's face turned ashen, her small hands clutching Mirajane's sleeve, trembling with fear. "I completely forgot Granny Liya's warning!"
"They're here to burn our house! We should've left the moment we got back!!"
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