Every morning at Allen's hotel was strange—sometimes peaceful, other times like a hurricane banging at the door.
Inside his room, Allen slept peacefully; however, the noise outside his door wouldn't let him rest. So, it could be assumed that this morning, the hurricane made landfall.
"Is it morning already? Why isn't he getting up?" Erza sounded impatient and irritated.
"Erza-sama, Master stayed up late working in his Alchemy workshop..." 2B spoke with her characteristic calmness. She knew Allen had commitments today, but her top priority was always Allen's well-being.
"It can't be! I specifically told him not to stay up so late!" Lucy exclaimed in frustration.
Allen opened his eyes, realizing that now that his body lacked many of its former capabilities, he needed to rest more often. However, he forced himself to get up—today was the Harvest Festival, and he had promised to accompany the girls.
Upon stepping out, he found Lucy and Erza waiting impatiently. Both were dressed casually and ready for a date. Had Allen somehow convinced both of them to go out with him?
Something like that. Juvia, Lucy, Mira, and Erza would each get to walk with him at the festival in turns. Something that would normally anger people, either out of jealousy or the audacity of not only attracting half of the beautiful girls in Fairy Tail but also going out with them all at once.
Allen also wanted to take the opportunity to give them the unique gift he had received from the system. He didn't know what it was, as it came in a crystal sphere. According to the system, upon breaking it, a dedicated gift would appear—a manifestation of something they deeply desired. He had no idea how that worked, but since it replaced affection bonuses, it had to be something incredible.
With that in mind, Allen got up, went into the bathroom, and ten minutes later came out dressed in new clothes—casual but elegant.
When he came out, he saw both girls again. Lucy wore a pastel pink off-shoulder sweater, a denim skirt, and boots. Her hair was tied in a side ponytail—she looked cute and youthful. Erza wore a black blouse with a modest neckline, the pendant Allen had given her clearly visible. She wore a skirt and tights that flattered her legs. Both had earrings and light makeup on.
"Sorry, I overslept..." Allen smiled, clearly appreciating the effort both girls had put in. "Oh? Who would've thought that two beautiful girls could look even better with new clothes and a bit of makeup?"
Erza crossed her arms. "Hmph a few compliments won't earn you forgiveness for making us wait, right Lucy?~"
Despite her words, Erza was happy, with a slight blush on her cheeks that she tried to hide.
"He called me beautiful hehe~"
Lucy, on the other hand, ignored Erza's words, grabbing her own cheeks happily after being complimented. Erza grew annoyed with Lucy. Ever since that day on the street, the rumors surrounding them had intensified: that Allen was in a multiple relationship with Erza, Lucy, and Juvia. The three girls were being deceived by a womanizer. That someone had finally surpassed Loke.
Allen didn't care about these rumors. Neither did Juvia. But Lucy and Erza were different. Lucy felt the stares on her back every time she went out, making her uncomfortable. Erza, on the other hand, felt that people respected her less. That's why both decided they would no longer be embarrassed like that day.
What was their plan? Try to resist Allen's shameless flirting without getting flustered. How was it going?
Allen walked up to Erza and she got nervous, but this time she didn't back away. Instead, she released a strong fighting spirit, as if saying, "Don't think you'll always get your way!"
Allen blinked and, without saying a word, placed a hair clip in Erza's hair. She touched it, feeling that it was a lovely flower design.
"I never understood the nickname Titania, when cute things suit you so well..." said Allen with a warm look.
Erza turned red as her brain short-circuited momentarily. Allen was satisfied because that hair clip was a unique gift—he could feel that it wasn't just an ordinary clip. It had a slight aura of relief, useful for lowering stress, maintaining calm, and providing a sense of clarity.
Was this what Erza needed? Was it her desire? Her taste? Allen wondered.
A bit of everything. Titania is a woman with many responsibilities, including dealing with the guild's troublemakers. Because of that, she often gets headaches. On the other hand, lately Erza's had trouble concentrating—her mind always wandering toward "a certain someone." And lastly, it was a design she once saw in a store window, but as a hair accessory, and being Titania, she thought it wouldn't suit her and didn't buy it. Later, she regretted it, and when she returned to the store, it was gone.
Once Erza saw herself in a mirror, she felt happy and expressed it with a smile.
"Thank you..."
"Don't mention it..."
Lucy, seeing this, knew her turn would come later. But time was short—they had to leave soon or they'd miss the beauty contest. There was a prize of half a million, but honestly, Erza had lost her enthusiasm for participating. Lucy also didn't seem very excited, since she wasn't lacking money anymore—thanks to Allen, their missions were always completed smoothly.
As for Juvia, she was still getting ready. But when she finally came out, she looked even more beautiful. She had left behind her heavy winter clothing and wore a white dress with a sunhat.
Allen smiled sincerely, "If I tell you that you look beautiful, will you promise not to faint?"
"Urgh!" Juvia was shot in the heart and was about to do just that, but like a true warrior, she held it in.
Allen laughed as the other two girls grumbled. He then said goodbye to 2B by patting her on the head before leaving, which made the girls frown, but they said nothing.
"Well, first we go to the contest, even if you two decide not to participate... then we'll stroll through the festival..."
Juvia clasped her hands together with a bright smile, "Yes, Allen-sama~"
Erza crossed her arms and nodded, "Umu, I have no problem with that..."
Lucy sighed. "Yeah... It's strange to be the last one, but I can't complain when we left the turn order to luck.
....
Upon arriving at the guild, saying they didn't draw attention would be a lie. More than a few people's eyes widened when they saw the three girls, already beautiful, now looking twice as stunning. However, there were cries of disappointment when it was announced that Erza, Lucy, and Juvia wouldn't participate in the beauty contest—but those cries were silenced by a single glance from Erza.
Allen, for his part, had been nominated as one of the judges for the contest. He hadn't wanted to at first, but Mirajane eventually convinced him—maybe because she had a surprise in store for him, or maybe just better pay.
The guild hall had been remodeled to include a stage. Slowly, more and more guild members gathered.
"Since when did the guild grow so much?" Allen was surprised. From the two dozen wizards who participated in the war against Phantom, they now had over fifty people gathered. Most of them looked like background characters, but still, it was a surprise. "That's why the old man said they should consider remodeling the guild into a larger building..."
"It's only natural—everyone wants to be part of Fairy Tail," said Lucy with a proud smile.
"Juvia thinks it's because of Allen-sama's charm!~"
"Having the guild grow is a good thing," Erza nodded, pleased.
In the world of magic, a guild known for having many powerful wizards—and having defeated the only other guild with a Saint Wizard as a master—would obviously be attractive to many. And considering that Makarov rarely rejects applicants, this growth was expected.
Allen greeted several people before going to sit at the judges' table with Natsu and Gray.
"Hey! Fight me!" shouted Natsu, but Elfman stopped him.
"Idiot, this isn't the time! If you mess up the contest, Erza will punch you!"
"I'm not afraid of Erza anymore! I've gotten really strong!" Natsu laughed—but then he felt a dangerous presence behind him. He turned around, pale, and saw Erza.
"Oh really?"
Natsu turned white and panicked. "I'm sorry!"
Lately, people thought Erza had become less strict—some even thought she had softened. But they were wrong; she was still Erza. If it seemed otherwise it was only in front of one person.
.....
Allen had to calm Erza down to stop her from punching Natsu to prove just how wrong he was. Without further incident, the beauty contest began.
Max acted as the event's host—he was the best suited for it, given his personality.
Bisca was the first to come out, wearing a bikini to draw attention. The shouts from the crowd, especially the men, filled the room.
Gray gave her a 9, Allen gave her an 8, and Natsu gave her a 5. This annoyed her, but it was likely that Natsu didn't even know what he was judging.
"Natsu, take this seriously!" scolded Erza from behind.
"I can't believe it," Lucy grumbled. Though she was confident she looked better than Bisca in every way, she didn't think she deserved a five.
The next contestant was Cana, who also wore a bikini to impress. Her beautiful figure and appearance surprised everyone who was more used to seeing her passed out on a table somewhere.
Gray gave her a 9.5 without thinking too much, Natsu gave her a 10—though it seemed like it was mostly because Erza was staring at him. Allen gave her a 9, which visibly annoyed Cana, who stormed over and grabbed Allen by the collar.
"You! What part of me don't you like?!"
Everyone was shocked by Cana's reaction—was there really a need to get that upset?
"Well, you're very beautiful. However, since you always wear that top, now that you're in a full bikini… there's not much difference," Allen said, laughing.
Cana froze, then realized that maybe—just maybe—he had a point. Still, she was annoyed and leaned in close, "You'll pay for this, Walker…"
Kurumi – Is she mad… or flirting?
Albedo – That slut. I knew it. She's aiming for my master!
Jalter – Tch. I knew those suspicious glances meant something more…
Artoria – Perhaps her pride was simply hurt...
Harley – Well, they're right—beautiful women have their own kind of pride~ haha~
Cana let go of Allen and stormed off backstage. Allen remained calm, but behind him, the jealous aura coming from Lucy, Juvia, and Erza stabbed at him like a dagger.
After Cana came Mirajane—the famous model and, according to surveys, the most desired mage in all of Fiore.
To everyone's disappointment, she didn't wear a bikini. Instead, she used her transformation magic to turn her head into Happy's.
"What the hell is that?!"
"You've got to be kidding me!"
"HAHAHA!"
Allen gave her a 10 without hesitation. Gray was about to give her an 8, but after seeing Allen's cold stare, he changed it to a 10. Finally, Natsu also gave her a 10.
Behind the curtain, Levy bit her nail. It was now much harder to win—and she was jealous that Allen gave Mira a 10 just because she was Mirajane.
'What's wrong with that guy?! Are big boobs really that great?!'
"Looks like Levy's feeling jealous."
A scornful woman's voice reached Levy from behind. The girl turned around—and froze in horror.
Cana, Bisca, and Laki had been turned to stone.
"Eva—!"
She couldn't finish her sentence before being turned to stone herself.
The woman was beautiful and arrogant, with long wavy chestnut hair, square glasses, and a green dress that hugged her voluptuous figure as if to show it off. She smirked as she gazed toward the audience—especially at the man who had recently joined Fairy Tail and was already the center of attention.
Her name was Evergreen, a member of the Raijinshuu, the elite squad under Laxus.
Adjusting her glasses, Evergreen said, "I see… Laxus said he was nothing special but I can feel his charm... and apparently, he's already seduced Erza and Mirajane. Well then, I guess it's time~"
...
Allen looked toward the stage— he had a bad feeling but when he was about to use the Auris Arcanum to check it out.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Laxus kicked open the door and entered Fairy Tail. His attitude was as arrogant as ever, his tone condescending and downright vulgar.
"Well, this place keeps getting lamer and lamer!"
"Laxus!" Makarov shouted. But instead of joy at seeing his grandson, he felt only anger. There were a few strict rules in the guild, but one of them was never to kill a fellow member. Laxus had nearly broken that rule.
From one of the tables, Gajeel frowned. He had allowed Jet and Droy to beat him up as penance for past wrongs, but Laxus had nearly killed him. Even so, just like last time, Gajeel didn't act—instead, he turned to look at Allen.
"I'm here for one reason and one reason only: to finally decide who the strongest is!"
Natsu stood up, "I'm all fired up! Let's fight, Laxus!"
"I don't hate that attitude of yours, Natsu..." Laxus smiled coldly, "But all in good time."
Before Natsu could react, Laxus struck him with lightning. Natsu collapsed, unconscious.
Laxus was about to continue, but Master Makarov smashed a table with his fist, his body beginning to grow in size.
Laxus stared at his grandfather, knowing he had truly angered him—but the arrogant smile never left his face.
Allen narrowed his eyes as a magical barrier suddenly formed beneath Makarov, trapping him. He turned to see who had come.
"Sorry, Master, but I won't let you interfere," said a young man with green hair.
"Freed!" Elfman didn't hesitate to attack, but he was also trapped in a barrier. The same happened again and again—Macao, Wakaba, Max, Nab, Warren, Vijeeter, Gajeel, Allen, and Erza were all sealed off.
Freed was joined by Evergreen and Bickslow, the man in a knight-style helmet who loved sticking out his tongue.
"Freed! Laxus! Evergreen! Bickslow! You damn brats!" Makarov shouted, enraged—but the barrier was a rune seal. Strength alone wouldn't break it.
"Laxus! Not only are you disobeying my orders, you're mocking my authority! Do you think you can just do whatever you want?!"
"That's exactly what I'm doing!" Laxus laughed—until one of the barriers shattered.
"Of all the ways to become Guild Master… you chose the dumbest one."
Laxus sneered, his gaze locked onto Allen. "I knew you'd be the biggest obstacle in the end…"
Allen smirked, leaning back in his chair. "I don't need to do anything—you already screwed yourself over. Or are you really that stupid? Do you actually think anyone would accept you as Guild Master after trying to seize control by force? What will the Magic Council say about all this?"
Laxus laughed. "The Magic Council is a joke! And as for the rest, that's what this battle is for! The weak will be eliminated, and only the strong will remain!"
Allen shrugged. "What nonsense. If you despise Fairy Tail mages because of their mindset, values, or actions—why do you even want to be its master? Take your little gang and start your own guild. Isn't that what many powerful mages have done before?"
Allen's words made sense. Many powerful mages had left Fairy Tail to form new guilds. There was no need for all this chaos if Laxus hated Fairy Tail so much.
"I refuse! It doesn't matter if it's not Fairy Tail. It's just that under the old man's rule, this guild has gone soft!" Laxus pointed at Makarov. "Don't think this old man is without sin! Isn't it true?! You expel those who don't follow your rules! You say you're just—but in the end me, No! You still use force! I'm just following your example!"
Allen frowned. Laxus' last sentence seemed contradictory. Perhaps he was just filled with anger and was seeking to release it.
Despite everything, Makarov made one last attempt to reach his grandson.
"Laxus… enough of this nonsense. Evergreen, there's still time to stop this madness—release your magic!"
Laxus, seeing this, only grew more enraged. "No! I've had enough, old man! Today I'll show everyone who the strongest is—and I'll take the title of Guild Master, even if I have to force every last one of you to accept it!"
"In that case…" Allen said, drawing everyone's attention—but he was no longer in his seat.
Laxus's gaze sharpened.
But Allen didn't strike him directly. Instead, he went after his subordinates.
"Bickslow, watch out!" shouted Laxus, turning into lightning to intercept Allen—
===
A/N: Does Cana have feelings for Allen or was it just her wounded pride? Evagreen needs to be corrected? these are questions that keep me awake at night. 👀
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