Chapter 26: Eisenwald
"Erza and Dino?!"
"Are the strongest man and woman in the guild teaming up again?"
"No way! This is huge!!!"
Lucy asked curiously, "Did the two of them used to be partners before?"
"Aye~! Not long after Erza became an S-Class mage, Dino took her on a few missions. But then Dino left to train on his own. Maybe that's why he's always been so awkward around Erza!"
Lucy's imagination ran wild. Two powerful mages, once partners, now reunited after years apart. What kind of sparks will fly between them? Her eyes sparkled. "This could make an amazing novel!"
"Oi~! Lucy, you're reading way too much into this."
Erza shot Happy a dark look. "Happy! Stop spreading nonsense!"
"Aye~~!"
Seeing Erza's serious expression, Dino asked, "What kind of trouble did you run into?"
"It's like this…" Erza began explaining what she'd overheard at a bar during her mission. She'd caught wind of some suspicious individuals discussing a dangerous sealed magical item. They planned to break the seal and hand it over to members of a dark guild. The man leading them was connected to Erigor, a dangerous mage. Worried they'd use this artifact for something catastrophic, Erza felt she needed backup—specifically, Dino's overwhelming power.
Mirajane's expression turned serious. "Erigor the Reaper, Eisenwald's ace. He earned that title by specializing in assassination contracts. The Magic Council banned guilds from accepting such missions, so Eisenwald was expelled and their guild master imprisoned. They're a full-fledged dark guild now. If a dangerous artifact falls into his hands, we can't ignore it."
"Another dark guild, huh?" Dino shrugged. "I'll handle it." He'd dismantled more than a dozen dark guilds over the past few years—it was practically routine. That's why his bounty on the black market kept climbing.
"No. This time, I want you to come with me." Erza's tone left no room for argument. "You've got destructive power, sure, but there could be multiple enemies and unforeseen complications. We're meeting at the train station tomorrow morning, first thing." Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.
Dino sighed. "Still as headstrong as ever, Erza." He glanced at Mirajane. "Guess tomorrow's plans with you are cancelled."
Mirajane leaned close and whispered in his ear, "You're just as headstrong as she is, you know. And teaming up with Erza after all this time? You're probably thrilled to have an excuse to spend time with her."
"I am not!" Whatever he actually felt, admitting it wasn't an option.
Mirajane rolled her eyes. "Sure, sure. I know you better than that." In front of the guild, she was gentle and kind to everyone, but alone with Dino, she'd sometimes show this playful, teasing side—a glimpse of the old Mirajane who never backed down from anyone.
Early the next morning, Dino arrived at Magnolia Station. His eye twitched at the sight of Erza hauling a towering cart stacked with luggage. "Erza… every single time I see you, you've got enough bags to outfit an army."
"Problem?"
"Not really. Let's just go."
"Wait. I invited someone else."
"Huh? So this isn't a date?"
Erza's face flushed red before she slammed her fist down on his head. "What are you even saying?! This is a mission, not a date invitation!"
"Erza!"
Dino looked up to see two familiar figures running toward them—Natsu, with his signature pink hair and scale-patterned scarf, and Happy flying alongside him. Right behind them was Lucy, Fairy Tail's newest member.
Soon, the group boarded the train. The moment they started moving, Natsu slumped against the window, green-faced and groaning.
"Hello, Miss Erza! I'm Lucy, the new member of Fairy Tail." Lucy extended her hand nervously.
Erza studied her with a slight smile. "Oh? So you're the newcomer who teamed up with Dino and caused half a town to collapse. You are quite beautiful. Just call me Erza—no need for formalities."
"Hey! Why does the story keep getting more exaggerated?! I was helping, and I didn't destroy half the town—I just caused some… structural tremors. Those bastards at the Magic Council must be spreading rumors to mess with me!" Dino crossed his arms. "And Lucy, why are you even here?"
"Aye~! Lucy and Natsu are partners now!"
Erza raised an eyebrow. "Really? Natsu, who always worked solo, finally found someone he trusts. That's impressive, Lucy."
"But didn't you and Dino used to be partners? Why did you split up?" Lucy leaned forward, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Erza smiled faintly. "It's nothing dramatic. I'd just become an S-Class mage and was taking on high-level subjugation missions. Dino accompanied me on a few jobs to help me adjust. Once I felt confident enough to handle them alone, we went our separate ways."
"Ah! So you're the one who left him!"
Erza shook her head with a wry smile. "Not quite. Dino rarely takes jobs, but when he does, they're incredibly dangerous, high-stakes missions. I felt like I was slowing him down, wasting his time. So I chose to step back."
Lucy clasped her hands together dramatically. "So it was a 'if you love someone, set them free' situation! The romance between mages is so bittersweet!"