Roger couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head. "Alright, if you were really that upset, you wouldn't keep hanging around crowded places."
"You looked like you were having a blast," he added.
Mirajane's sad expression vanished instantly. She stuck out her tongue playfully. "Wow, you saw right through me. Lucy's just too much fun!"
A sly glint flashed in her eyes. "She was even trying to comfort me earlier. That worried look on her face was so cute!"
Roger's lips curved up as he recalled Lucy's expressive face. "If you keep teasing her like that, she might run the other way next time she sees you."
"No way!" Mirajane's eyes curved into pretty crescents. "I gave Lucy the key info about this mission. They're just one step away from completing the S-Class job!"
"Her eyes were practically sparkling with gold when I told her!" she said, dragging out the word "gold" with a grin.
"I'm just curious if they'll actually pull off that final step and break this so-called curse."
Roger's mouth quirked into a smirk. "Pretty clever of you to figure it out so fast."
"Oh my!" Mirajane gracefully covered her mouth with her left hand, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "To be praised by the great Roger? What an honor for a humble girl like me!"
Roger shook his head, exasperated. "You need to stop reading those weird novels."
"What?" Mirajane brushed a strand of white hair behind her ear, leaning in close. Her warm breath tickled his ear as she whispered, her voice sweet as honey, "Don't tell me, Lord Roger, that you don't like it?"
Her sugary tone and the faint itch of her breath made Roger's ears tingle. The scent of roses mixed with her unique fragrance swirled around him, and he could almost feel the warmth of her body despite the space between them. His face grew slightly warm.
Has Mirajane always smelled this good?
She pulled back, a teasing smile on her face and a cunning glint in her eyes. "Oh my, Roger—your face is looking a little red!"
"Ahem," Roger cleared his throat, awkwardly turning aside. "So, you already knew the villagers are demons?"
Not calling out his obvious attempt to change the subject, Mirajane went along with a bright smile. "Of course! I could tell the moment I saw them."
She raised her hand, her fingertips glowing faintly with magic. "My magic is all about taking in demons, you know. I guess when I saw them, I instinctively wondered if I could absorb them. A bit of my magic must've leaked out, and that's probably why they got so scared of me." She shrugged, feigning helplessness.
Glancing at the sunset painting the sky gold, Mirajane said softly, "It's about time. Let's go meet up with the others and see if Lucy's team can finish that last step."
"Yeah," Roger nodded. The two walked side by side toward the village center, their shadows stretching long in the golden light.
At the village center, they immediately spotted Natsu, steam rising from his head and eyes swirling as he lay passed out on the ground.
Nearby, Lucy was biting her thumbnail, staring at the sky and muttering to herself, her brow furrowed.
Erza approached with a huge plate of food, pointing to some golden-brown meat skewers. "The villagers prepared this for us. These skewers are amazing—they used some local spices. Try one, Roger."
"Sure." Roger grabbed a skewer and took a bite, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "Wait, is this cumin? I didn't expect to find that on this island."
Erza tilted her head, thinking. "Cumin? The villagers call it 'fragrant fruit' or something. It does taste great on the meat. I'm planning to buy some to take back."
As Roger munched on the skewer, he glanced at Lucy, who looked on the verge of a breakdown. "So, what's she stuck on?"
Erza shook her head, half-amused, half-exasperated. "Lucy's figured out the villagers aren't turning into demons because of a curse, but she has no idea how to turn them back to normal."
The group ate from the plate as night fell. A strange purple moon hung in the sky, bathing the island in an eerie violet glow.
Mirajane frowned at the purple light. "This glow's making me restless. It's stirring up my Satan Soul, like it wants to break free and destroy it."
Erza crossed her arms, thinking. "It's probably not just the Moon Drip. The temple ruins must have something to do with it. I asked the village chief, and they've got an old rule about never going near the ruins. Whenever they try, they somehow end up back in the village, never reaching it."
A timid voice piped up from the side. "Um, could I maybe get a tiny hint?"
Lucy flashed a hopeful, pleading smile, cautiously gauging their reactions. But when Erza turned and fixed her with an icy glare, Lucy's hair stood on end. She spun around and bolted. "N-Never mind! I'll figure it out myself!"
Panting, Lucy caught Happy giving her a disappointed look, like he'd misjudged her.
"Lucy, you're so useless! Scared off by a single glare?" he said.
Lucy's eyes widened in disbelief. "A single glare?! That was Erza's death stare! And you, calling her 'Lady Erza,' have no right to judge me!"
"If you're so brave, you go ask her!"
Happy spread his paws, acting wise beyond his years. "Tch, tch. You're the one who wanted the 5 million jewels, Lucy. You volunteered to ask questions, and now you're blaming me? Talk about fickle."
I should've never listened to those two! Lucy thought, nearly in tears. 'Take the lead,' they said. Total scam! I'm so close to finishing this, and giving up now would suck!
Natsu's hands burst into flames, his fighting spirit flaring. "If we can't figure it out, I say we just destroy the moon!"
"No way," Happy said, waving a paw. "Forget how far the moon is—there's no air to breathe in space."
Lucy blinked. "???"
"Space? How do you know how far the moon is?"
Happy swished his tail smugly, giving her a "you're such a newbie" look. "This is why you're still a rookie, Lucy. You don't even know about space. You should read the guild's encyclopedia sometime. Build up that brain, or you'll stay a dummy forever."
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