The lead Rune Knight Captain surveyed the wreckage of Fairy Tail's battered guildhall and the remnants of Phantom Lord's guild floating on the lake, his voice booming. "We received reports that Fairy Tail engaged in a large-scale, unauthorized battle with Phantom Lord."
"This behavior is a severe violation of the Magic Council's regulations."
"All of you must remain here for questioning and investigation. Any resistance will be considered defiance!"
Roger's face instantly shifted to one of grief and anguish. He pulled a photo from his pocket, showing an "unconscious, battered" Levy, the glaring Phantom Lord emblem on her clothes standing out starkly.
Holding the photo high, Roger's voice trembled with suppressed anger and sorrow. "Phantom Lord attacked us first! Our friend is lying in the hospital, clinging to life, covered in wounds from their torture!"
"Is defending ourselves against them a violation of the rules?!"
The captain's eyes flickered, and he signaled a young subordinate. The subordinate stepped forward, took the photo, examined it closely, and handed it back.
The captain frowned, studying the image of the girl's pitiful state and the unmistakable Phantom Lord emblem. After a moment of silence, he looked up, skeptical. "If your friend was so gravely injured, why did you have the time or inclination to take a photo like this?"
Roger sighed deeply, his expression helpless. "I didn't take it. A journalist from a weekly magazine happened to be nearby, planning to interview us about the aftermath of the 'Lullaby' incident."
"He witnessed the attack by chance!"
"That kind-hearted reporter, worried there was some conspiracy at play, snapped the photo as evidence and rushed to inform us."
"We were frantic, thanked him quickly, and hurried our friend to the hospital. By the time we wanted to thank him properly, he was gone."
"Maybe… he was afraid of Phantom Lord's retaliation."
"A random journalist…?" the captain muttered, his frown deepening.
He was about to press for more details when a wave of murmurs rippled through the growing crowd of townsfolk who had gathered unnoticed, pointing and whispering.
"What's going on with Fairy Tail? Another mess?"
"I heard Phantom Lord ambushed them! Their guild got trashed!"
"No way, really?"
"It's true! I saw Roger and Erza rushing an injured Levy to the hospital this morning. Her clothes had Phantom Lord's mark!"
"Why would Phantom Lord attack Fairy Tail? Seems like they started this whole fight. Fairy Tail's guild was already pierced with iron spikes from the get-go."
"No clue, but Phantom Lord doesn't seem like the good guys. Their master gives off creepy vibes, nothing like Makarov. Bet that damage to Elwin's shops was from Phantom attacking Levy, too."
"Seriously? And Fairy Tail still compensated those shop owners? They got hit and still paid for damages? That's way too nice!"
The murmurs reached the captain's ears, souring his expression. By protocol, he should haul everyone in for strict questioning, but public opinion was overwhelmingly in Fairy Tail's favor—especially after their recent heroics. He rubbed his brow, feeling the situation's thorniness. Following the rules might spark public outrage and tarnish the Council's image; ignoring them risked higher-ups' wrath. Why couldn't Phantom Lord just stay quiet instead of stirring up trouble?
"Perhaps," Roger interjected smoothly, "we could all go to the Magic Council and let the esteemed councilors judge this matter. That way, the truth can be uncovered, and the Council's fairness will shine through."
A spark lit in the captain's eyes. Yes! Pass this hot potato to the councilors!
But then he hesitated. This is my job. Handing it off might make me look incompetent.
Roger pressed on. "This is a serious matter, involving two of the Ten Wizard Saints."
"Our Master Makarov was shamelessly ambushed by Joseph today, gravely injured and suffering from mana deficiency."
"Losing two Saints at once is likely beyond what you alone can handle, Captain."
That erased the captain's last shred of doubt. With only ten Wizard Saints recognized by the Council across the continent, two being incapacitated was no small matter—definitely above his pay grade.
He pretended to ponder for a moment before nodding gravely. "Very well. This incident is indeed significant."
"I must verify the evidence's authenticity before deciding whether to escalate this to the Council's higher-ups."
"Please understand."
"No problem," Roger said with an understanding smile. "You're just doing your job diligently."
"If you reported unverified information, you'd face repercussions. We get it."
His words hit the captain right in the heart. Now that's reasonable! So strong, yet so sensible! No wonder they call him the Dark Prince—nothing like that arrogant Joseph!
His opinion of Fairy Tail soared, and he was nearly convinced Phantom Lord was the instigator.
Roger, as if remembering something, added sheepishly, "Oh, right! Due to Master Makarov's severe and unstable mana deficiency, we've sent him to a remote forest for emergency treatment under Lady Porlyusica."
"All we have from his ambush is a memory crystal recording we kept as evidence. Will that suffice?"
The captain, eager to wrap things up, nodded immediately. "Yes! Master Makarov's treatment comes first. Solid evidence is enough."
He waved his team to spread out and gather evidence from the surroundings and Phantom's wreckage. They soon returned, reporting that everything pointed to Phantom Lord as the aggressor, matching Roger's account perfectly.
No longer hesitating, the captain pulled out a communication crystal, contacted the Council's higher-ups, and relayed the situation.
Initially planning to bring only Roger for testimony, he was persuaded by Roger's argument that "two more witnesses would clarify details and speed up the case."
So, the captain escorted Roger, along with Erza and Mira—both sporting faces full of "worry" and "grievance"—to the Magic Council's Fiore branch.
At the Council, after greeting the gate guards, Roger, Erza, and Mira were led by one into the imposing, almost oppressive council chamber.
First to catch the eye were two frog-like messengers at the base, followed by nine distinct figures seated in high-backed chairs. At the very top sat a massively obese man, like a mountain of flesh—Chairman Crawford Seam.
Roger's gaze swept over the nine councilors' faces, but when it landed on certain seats, his pupils contracted sharply. He's not here?! How?!
"This is a place of judgment! Only the primary party is allowed entry! Who permitted all three of you to come in?! Is Fairy Tail always this disrespectful of rules?!" a sharp, grating voice snapped.
It was Michello, the cat-eared elderly councilor on the left, glaring and puffing his whiskers.
Yajima, a kinder-faced, horse-like elderly councilor on the right, tried to smooth things over. "Now, now, Michello, they're just worried. Their guild was attacked, so it's understandable they're anxious."
"Hmph!" Michello scoffed, looking down at the trio. "Their guild's always causing trouble, destroying public property! I bet this incident was Fairy Tail's fault to begin with!"
Roger's face showed disappointment and helplessness as he sighed softly. "I thought the esteemed councilors would judge based on facts, never wronging an innocent soul."
He looked up at Michello, his gaze steady. "I never imagined there'd be someone among you who'd make snap judgments based on personal bias. How disappointing."
His words were like a needle, piercing Michello's pompous facade.
"What did you say?!" Michello shot to his feet, slamming the table, trembling with rage. "You're disrespecting a councilor! The Council's authority! Do you want to be thrown in prison?!"
Org, another elderly councilor with a white beard blending into his hair, spoke calmly. "Young man, mind your tone. We know your magic involves illusions."
"Who's to say your so-called evidence—those injuries—weren't fabricated to frame Phantom Lord?"
Roger wasn't surprised. In Joseph's memories, Michello was the councilor he'd bribed, while Org held a grudge against Fairy Tail for their frequent property damage. Their words aligned with their past attempts in the original story to disband Fairy Tail. Yet, aside from Yajima, who knew Makarov personally, none of the others seemed inclined to counter them.
Is this because Fairy Tail's reputation soared after the Lullaby incident, and they want to knock us down a peg?
Seeing Roger's silence, Michello smirked. "Gotcha. Those 'proofs' are just your illusion magic at work, aren't they?"
"Not at all," Roger said, his expression growing sadder. "I was quiet because I'm heartbroken."
"The Rune Knights already used specialized magic to check—there's no trace of illusion on our friend's injuries. They're real!"
He sighed again. "After stopping the Lullaby crisis and saving countless lives, I can't believe the Council sees us as a guild that would stoop to such low tactics."
The mention of Lullaby sparked a flare of anger in Michello. That small-time guild, Iron Forest, had undone Lullaby's seal, and the story had spread like wildfire. Worst of all, Fairy Tail handled it flawlessly, fighting in an uninhabited forest to avoid collateral damage.
This left the Council no room to pin blame on them. To minimize the incident's impact on their authority, they'd had to publicly thank Fairy Tail and even send reward money—a memory that still made Michello's stomach churn.
"You—!" He started to snap but was cut off by Leiji, a councilor in a heavy helmet and hood, voice muffled. "Enough, Michello."
"The evidence does point to Phantom Lord being at fault, but Fairy Tail engaging in a full-scale battle with a legal guild without approval also breaks the rules."
"In my view, we can hold off on pursuing Phantom Lord for now and give Fairy Tail a minor punishment."
Yajima opened his mouth to defend Fairy Tail, but before he could, Roger let out a cold laugh. "What an interesting logic."
"Phantom Lord's in the wrong, so Fairy Tail, who broke the rules, gets a slap on the wrist?"
"They wrecked our guild in the dead of night, attacked our members, and injured our Master."
"Are you saying we should've just let them beat us to death without fighting back?!"
"Is this how the Magic Council upholds order among mages?!"
"Watch your words!" Michello slammed the table again, roaring. "You're on trial! One more insolent remark, and we'll designate Fairy Tail a dark guild!!"
Roger didn't waste another word. He raised his hand, a memory crystal floating up. Infusing it with magic, Joseph's arrogant, manic voice echoed through the chamber:
"I suggest you hand over Lucy Heartfilia right now! Of course… even if you do, I'll still crush Fairy Tail completely! Go ahead and struggle! Savor the despair and torment of your final moments! Hahaha!"
The malicious, threatening recording slapped the faces of Leiji, who'd tried to downplay the issue, and Michello and Org, who'd sided with Phantom Lord.
Every councilor's face darkened. The recording made their earlier skepticism and bias look utterly ridiculous and unjust.
Roger stepped forward, unleashing his Wizard Saint-level magic power without restraint. "Joseph started this war just to satisfy his petty ego."
Erza stepped up simultaneously, her crimson magic power surging skyward, her voice icy with fury. "Phantom Lord attacked our friends, destroyed our home, and tried to kidnap our members! What did we do wrong?!"
Mira stepped forward with a smile, but her chilling dark magic power sent shivers through the room, her tone deceptively gentle. "Or does the Council think we don't even have the right to fight back after being pushed this far?"
Red, purple, and black—three overwhelming Wizard Saint-level magic powers intertwined, flooding the vast chamber like a tsunami. The oppressive pressure thickened the air!
"T-This power! Three… three Wizard Saint-level mages?!" Michello's eyes nearly popped out, his voice shrill with shock.
"And so young?! Erza and Mira are only 19! Roger's just 21?!" Yajima gaped in disbelief.
The chamber fell deathly silent. A single Wizard Saint was a strategic asset, capable of dominating an entire dark guild. For Fairy Tail to suddenly reveal three such young Saints wasn't just a guild conflict—it could reshape the magical balance of Fiore, maybe the entire continent!
After a long silence, Chairman Crawford, seated at the top, spoke in a low, deliberate tone. "I understand… Roger, is it?"
"Given the clear evidence and exceptional circumstances, I declare Fairy Tail faultless in this incident. No punishment will be imposed."
"You are, after all, victims," he said, his voice carrying a subtle hint of compromise and appeasement.
But Roger shook his head, retracting his magic but sharpening his gaze. "Chairman, 'not guilty' isn't enough."
He raised the memory crystal again, infusing it with magic. This time, it played not Joseph's voice but the "stellar" remarks of the councilors.
Michello: "This incident was definitely started by Fairy Tail!"
Org: "Your illusion magic could easily fake those injuries."
Leiji: "A minor punishment for Fairy Tail will suffice."
Paired with Joseph's threats, their words sounded painfully ironic.
"If I copied these recordings, along with Joseph's threats, and spread them to Fiore's people, other legal guilds, even dark guilds… how would they view the lofty Magic Council?"
"How would they question the Council's fairness and authority?"
"You… you're threatening the Council?!" Michello trembled, pointing a shaky finger at Roger.
"You dare—!" His words were cut off by Crawford.
"Enough, Michello. We were in the wrong here," Crawford said, eyeing Roger. "How do you propose we handle this?"
Roger tucked away the crystal, smiling. "It's simple. Our guild was falsely accused, our members traumatized, and our reputation damaged, causing immense emotional distress."
"We believe the Council should provide some 'compensation for emotional damages' to help us heal and demonstrate its commitment to justice."
This is straight-up extortion! Michello screamed internally but didn't dare speak.
Crawford paused, then offered, "50 million J."
"This is the Council's reward for defeating the 'rebellious' Phantom Lord."
"Too little," Roger shook his head. "This is about our guild's dignity and honor."
"1 billion J. That's the minimum."
"1 billion?! Why don't you just rob us?!" Michello finally snapped, losing his composure.
Crawford's fingers tapped his armrest. "Impossible. 80 million. That's the limit."
"999.99 million," Roger said without flinching. "No less, or those 'helpful' reporters might ask how the Council 'fairly' handled this. We'd hate to make it hard to cover for you—"
Crawford's mouth twitched. This kid… bargaining down by just 10,000 J?
He took a deep breath, calculating, then sighed. "800 million J. That's the absolute maximum the Council can offer. Not a jewel more."
Roger gauged this was likely the Council's ceiling. Pushing further might backfire. He bowed his head, feigning contemplation, then looked up with a grateful expression. "Alright, since the Chairman himself has spoken, we can't refuse that courtesy. Thank you for your understanding and fair handling."
What a guy—knows when to push and when to yield! The thought crossed nearly every councilor's mind.
Crawford nodded, his expression softening. "The compensation will be transferred to Fairy Tail promptly."
"You may leave now."
"Thank you, Chairman," Roger said, giving a slight bow before leading Erza and Mira out of the chamber with crisp efficiency.