Ultear stood in front of the desk, hands clasped in front of her, and recounted the ins and outs of the situation in full detail.
Her voice was steady and restrained, occasionally pausing unconsciously when mentioning certain details, as if she were carefully choosing her words.
Ur stood beside her, occasionally adding a few soft words, her gaze always falling gently on her daughter.
Finishing the last word, Ultear took a deep breath, turned around, faced Riyao, bowed solemnly, and gave a deep bow.
She bent her waist very low, her posture carrying a heavy sense of sincerity.
Riyao leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, head slightly tilted up, accepting this gesture with peace of mind.
There wasn't a hint of embarrassment on his face; he even gave a soft hum, as if to say, "I am truly awesome!"
Makarov sat behind the desk, watching the scene before him, and remained silent for quite a while.
He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his voice tinged with a bit of hoarseness and pity.
"She is also a poor, suffering child."
Ultear straightened up and shook her head slightly.
The corners of her mouth lifted slightly; the smile was faint, but it revealed a calmness that made people's hearts ache.
"I haven't had a hard life these past few years; it's just a pity that I didn't have the courage to come forward and speak to Mom back then."
Riyao lowered his arms from his chest and leaned forward.
"Perhaps it was a good thing; after all, you were considered a rare test subject. If you had really run away back then, that Brain might have come to catch you, and you, your mom..."
Halfway through, he suddenly stammered, his tongue twisting in his mouth as he forced himself to change the address.
"...your mother, Gray, and Lyon would all have been in danger."
Once these words were spoken, the air in the office seemed to freeze.
Ultear stared blankly at the floor, Ur lowered her eyelids slightly, and Makarov slowly closed his eyes.
The three of them fell into deep thought, and the room was so quiet that only the occasional bird chirping from outside the window could be heard.
After a moment, Riyao gave a light cough to break the silence and continued to ask.
"Then what is the purpose of your visit this time? It couldn't possibly be just to thank me. You should know about Ur's situation; she can't leave me for too long."
Ultear let out a long sigh, as if to expel all the suppressed emotions in her chest.
She lifted her eyelids, her gaze becoming serious and sharp.
"Perhaps you are right. The purpose of this visit is related to Fairy Tail, or rather, it is related to the Second Master of Fairy Tail, Precht Gaebolg."
Hearing this familiar name, Makarov's pupils contracted violently, and he froze in his chair as if electrocuted.
Riyao also timely put on a look of surprise, his mouth slightly open, eyebrows raised high; his expression management this time was perfect, flawless.
"Did something happen to the Second Master?"
Makarov's voice rose unconsciously, his withered fingers gripping the armrest of the chair tightly.
Ultear shook her head, not answering directly, but shifting the topic.
"Let me first state my true identity. I am one of the three pillars of the Balam Alliance, a core member of the Grimoire Heart guild, and the leader of the Seven Kin of Purgatory."
After saying this, she subconsciously tensed her shoulders, as if waiting for some kind of judgmental reaction.
However, Ur's reaction was beyond everyone's expectations. She reached out, affectionately stroked Ultear's head, her eyes filled with pride, and her tone carried undisguised boastfulness.
"My Ultear is so capable."
Ultear was stunned, then a thin layer of blush spread across her cheeks at a visible speed, extending from her ears down to her neck.
She turned her head slightly, her lips moving, but she couldn't say a single word.
Riyao rolled his eyes heavily, his mouth twitching as he retorted.
"Ur, your child has become a high-ranking member of a Dark Guild; isn't your focus a bit outrageous?"
Only then did Ur realize, grinning and scratching the back of her head, letting out a couple of chuckles.
"Sorry, sorry."
Although she said sorry, there was no sign of reflection on her face; that smile clearly still carried a bit of smugness.
Ultear took a deep breath, suppressing the heat on her face.
"However, the master who leads us is Precht Gaebolg, now using the alias Hades."
The moment the words fell, Makarov's pupils trembled violently, and his withered hands tightened uncontrollably.
With a crisp "crack," a piece of the chair armrest was crushed by him, and wood shavings fell from between his fingers.
His lips trembled slightly, and the wrinkles on his face twisted together due to extreme shock; he couldn't understand, no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't understand.
Riyao frowned, walked quickly to Makarov's side, and gently placed a hand on his back.
A pale green healing light lit up from his palm, gently seeping into Makarov's body, helping him smooth out his surging energy.
Makarov was silent for a long time, so long that the light outside the window seemed to dim a bit.
When he finally spoke, his voice was as dry as sandpaper rubbing together.
"What is his purpose in establishing Grimoire Heart?"
"The Black Wizard Zeref."
Once this name came out, the atmosphere in the office suddenly became even heavier, as if an invisible hand had gripped everyone's throat.
It can be said that in the hearts of the current Dark Guilds, Zeref is the supreme deity.
They always firmly believe that they can resurrect Zeref, and under his leadership, the path of magic will usher in an unprecedented revolution.
This faith is fanatical and blind, like a black flame burning fiercely in the darkness.
Makarov obviously knew something. His Adam's apple rolled up and down, and his voice was kept extremely low.
"Is he looking for Zeref?"
"Yes, and Hades has discovered that Zeref is in a deep sleep; he is trying to find a way to awaken the true Zeref."
Riyao listened without changing his expression, but inwardly he was complaining: Deep sleep my ass, that idiot is simply playing the fool, to the point where he's even a bit confused himself.
Ultear did not stop; as if having made up her mind, she poured out all the internal intelligence of Grimoire Heart.
The guild's stronghold location, the list of core members, Hades's behavioral patterns, recent plans and arrangements—she confessed everything she knew cleanly, along with some intelligence on other Dark Guilds.
There was another matter that caught Riyao's attention: Jellal had actually been abducted by the Oración Seis; the Council was as useless as ever.
After finishing the last piece of information, she lowered her head slightly, her voice becoming very soft.
"I intend to continue staying in Grimoire Heart."
Ur's expression changed instantly; she took a step forward, her tone filled with irrepressible anxiety.
"Since you already know the truth, why do you have to go back?"
Ultear lowered her head, her hands clenched tightly in front of her, her knuckles slightly white from the force.
Her voice was very soft, yet carried an unshakeable firmness.
"If I continue to go undercover there, I can stop them from awakening Zeref at the critical moment."
She paused, lifted her hand to quickly wipe the corner of her eye with the back of her hand, but tears still uncontrollably welled up and slid silently down her cheeks.
"Moreover, I have done many unforgivable things over these years; I can no longer enjoy a beautiful life with peace of mind."
Her voice broke into a sob on the last few words, her shoulders began to tremble slightly, like a bird with nowhere to hide in a storm.
Ur watched her daughter, who was streaming with tears, and her own eyes instantly turned red.
She said nothing, just stepped forward, stretched out her arms, and pulled Ultear tightly into her embrace.
Her hand stroked her daughter's back, stroke by stroke, her movements as gentle as if she were touching a fragile treasure.
Tears slid down Ur's cheeks, flowing slowly along the tear tracks left by the years, dripping onto Ultear's shoulder, staining a small dark patch.
The office fell into silence again, but this time, the silence held a heavy warmth.