Last night, Raizel and Gildarts had made do sleeping in the living room on makeshift bedding.
For Gildarts, who often slept in caves, trees, or active monster nests, this wasn't really "making do"—it was a five-star luxury compared to his usual accommodations.
Raizel, however, missed his bed.
The next morning, while Ur was busy preparing breakfast, Raizel picked up the map.
He walked out into the snow, took a deep breath of the freezing air, and summoned his armor.
"Take Over: Jesmon."
He took to the skies, the three data spirits—At, Rene, and Poru—trailing behind him like comet tails.
He had briefly described Deliora's magical signature to the spirits: vast, demonic, and chaotic.
Using Jesmon's advanced sensory capabilities, he could scan for specific demonic fluctuations and evil auras across a massive radius.
Raizel had originally considered using Jesmon to search for the airship of Grimoire Heart, hoping to secretly locate the lost books on Arc of Time or even find Hades.
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
The Second Master of Fairy Tail was a monster praised by Zeref himself as a genius of magic.
His only weakness lay in the literal heart hidden on his ship, and without knowing exactly where it was, engaging him was suicide.
'Priority one: Deliora,' Raizel thought, banking left.
He flew first toward the ruins of Isvan, the town where Gray originally lived.
He intended to use the town as a center point and begin a carpet search spiraling outward.
From the air, the devastation was heartbreaking.
Buildings were reduced to rubble, and scorch marks scarred the earth
It would take decades for this place to heal, if it ever did.
Raizel couldn't bear to linger over the graveyard of Gray's childhood.
He turned north, pushing his speed higher.
Last night, he had marked a valley deep in the northern mountains with a question mark.
The locals avoided it, and maps left it blank.
It was the perfect hiding spot for a demon recovering its strength.
Raizel and the Sword Spirits unleashed their sensory magic fully, scanning the frozen peaks.
Life signs were sparse here—a few snow leopards, some Vulcans—but none had the overwhelming stench of a demon.
After flying for nearly an hour, he saw it.
It wasn't a fissure, exactly, but a deep basin hidden between towering peaks.
The entrance was narrow, barely ten meters wide, creating a natural fortress.
As Raizel hovered above, a wave of nausea hit him.
From the valley below rose an evil, bizarre fluctuation—unlike anything he had felt before.
It was heavy, suffocating, and ancient.
Through his magical senses, he perceived a massive silhouette, over ten meters tall, its body radiating power like a dormant volcano.
Deliora.
The demon didn't use complex curses or spells; it was a pure engine of destruction.
Its power lay in its immense physique and shockwaves of raw magic.
Currently, the beast was asleep, its breathing rhythmic and deep, causing the snow around it to vibrate.
'Found you', Raizel thought.
He didn't disturb it. He turned around and flew back to the cabin at maximum speed.
...
"I found it," Raizel announced as he landed, canceling his transformation.
Ur and Gildarts came out onto the porch immediately. "It's sleeping right now, in that unexplored valley to the north."
"Pretty lucky, huh?" Gildarts grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Then we can deal with it tomorrow and head back to the guild. I miss Cana. It feels like it's been years."
"We've been gone for three days, Gildarts," Raizel deadpanned.
"It feels like years!"
"So how do we get there tomorrow?" Ur asked, crossing her arms. "That valley isn't a short trip, and the path is treacherous. If we walk, it'll take half a day, and we'll burn energy we need for the fight."
"We'll fly there," Raizel said simply.
Ur frowned. "Fly? You can fly with your armor, yes, but we can't. And I doubt your spirits can carry two fully grown adults. Gildarts isn't exactly light."
"Hey!" Gildarts protested. "I'm pure muscle!"
"Haha, you'll find out tomorrow," Raizel winked, keeping it a mystery. "For now, just rest well. We need to be at 100%."
They returned inside.
The cabin was warm and lively.
Ultear was reading a book on the sofa, but the moment she saw Ur, she put it down and ran to hug her mother's leg.
Ur smiled, stroking her daughter's hair lovingly.
Gildarts, meanwhile, had been tackled by Gray and Lyon.
He was currently holding both boys in headlocks, laughing as they tried futilely to escape his "Iron Claw."
Raizel sat down opposite Ur. "Ur, I have something important to ask you."
The room quieted down slightly.
Even Ultear perked up, her ears twitching as she pretended to read her book.
"I'd like to invite you to come to Magnolia," Raizel said.
"Magnolia?" Ul blinked, surprised. "Why?"
"There are several reasons," Raizel began, ticking them off on his fingers. "First, I want to bring Ultear to join Fairy Tail. She has immense magical power, and in the future, she will become very strong. Since you've vowed never to leave her side again, this is the best solution—you come with her."
Ur looked down at her daughter and her eyes were shining.
"Second," Raizel continued, "the issue with her magic hasn't been fully resolved. It's stable for now, but she needs help mastering it. Our Guild Master, Makarov Dreyar, is one of the Ten Wizard Saints. He has vast knowledge and likely knows a way to help her permanently."
"Third, staying here isn't good for a child. This icy wasteland is isolating. If she comes to our guild, she can receive a proper education, and the environment is much better. More importantly, she needs friends. We have a girl named Cana—Gildarts' daughter—who is the same age as her. I think they could become great friends."
"Fairy Tail..." Ultear thought to herself, her heart beating faster.
'Raizel's guild...'
Ur looked torn. "It sounds wonderful... but I don't have much money," she admitted with a sigh, looking embarrassed.
"I haven't taken a job in a long time, and I spent almost all my savings on Ultear's treatments at the Bureau. Moving to a city like Magnolia is expensive."
"It's simple," Raizel smiled. "Become one of the Ten Wizard Saints."
"Huh?" Ur gaped. "Just like that?"
"I heard the Council invited you before," Raizel shrugged. "They're always looking for powerful mages. The title comes with a substantial salary, and aside from occasional meetings, there aren't many obligations. It would be enough for you and Ultear to live comfortably."
"But my training requires an icy environment," Ur countered weakly. "Ice-Make magic relies on the cold. It helps me improve faster."
"Not far from Magnolia, there's Mount Hakobe," Raizel countered immediately. "It's accessible by carriage and covered in snow year-round. It's inhabited by Vulcans, snow wolves, and Wyverns—perfect for practical training. I train there myself."
Ur fell silent, weighing the options.
"Ultear," she turned to her daughter. "Would you like to go?"
Ultear lowered her book completely. "As long as I'm with Mom, anywhere is fine... but I do want to go."
She looked at Raizel shyly. "I want to see Raizel's guild."
Gildarts stood in the background, looking grumpy.
'I helped save you too, kid! Why do I get ignored?'
"Lyon, Gray, what do you think?" Ur asked her disciples.
"Wherever Ur goes, I go!" Lyon declared immediately. "Ur is the strongest, so I follow her!"
"I'm fine with anything," Gray shrugged, though he looked intrigued. "As long as I can keep training to beat Deliora one day, I don't care where we live."
"In that case," Ur smiled, a weight lifting from her shoulders. "I'll go too. It's been many years since I've seen the world beyond the snow. Let's go to Magnolia."
Raizel grinned.
His plan had worked perfectly.
Bringing Ur to Magnolia meant securing a Wizard Saint-level ally for Fairy Tail, ensuring Ultear's safety, and strengthening the guild's future.
Plus, with Ultear there, Ur would be fiercely protective of the guild.
"But wait," Ur's expression suddenly darkened. "What about the battle tomorrow? I can't leave the three children here alone while we fight a demon. What if something happens?"
"Dammit," Raizel slapped his forehead. "I didn't think of that. I should have brought Laxus along for babysitting duty."
Somewhere in Magnolia, Laxus sneezed violently.
"Maybe post a quest to a local guild?" Gildarts suggested.
"No," Raizel shook his head. "We don't know the guilds here. We can't trust strangers with Ultear's safety, especially with the Bureau still active nearby."
"Ur, do you know anyone reliable around here?" Raizel asked.
"Actually, yes," Ur brightened. "There is an old friend of mine who lives in the nearby town. She's a retired ice magic teacher. She loves children. I could ask her to watch them for the day."
"Great," Raizel snapped his fingers. "Then it's settled. Tomorrow, we drop the kids off, and then we go hunt a demon."