At midnight.
After the magical parade that circled all of Magnolia, the Harvest Festival seemed to be drawing to a close.
However, within the lively walls of Fairy Tail, the grand banquet had only just begun.
Walking away from the cheering crowd and toward the tables piled high with food, Ken had just one thought in his mind — eat, eat, and eat.
He reached eagerly for a cake placed in front of him, but just as his fingers brushed the frosting, a strong hand grabbed his shoulder.
A wave of alcohol smell washed over him.
"Don't run off, little Ken~ Come have a drink with your big sister~"
"Cana... Cana!?"
Ken stiffened on the spot the moment he saw who it was.
Cana Alberona.The infamous drunkard of Fairy Tail, first among the younger generation to join the guild. Always dressed in revealing clothes that boldly showed off her figure, she had a mug of alcohol in her hand almost every minute she wasn't on a mission.Her carefree lifestyle was legendary — and the thought of her not having a boyfriend? Well, it was mostly blamed on her drinking habits.
Cana grinned, a half-drunken flush on her cheeks.
Before Ken could react, she closed the distance, looped her arms around his neck, and pulled his head straight into her chest.
Ken's vision went completely black.
The soft warmth enveloped his face, a mixture of alcohol and faint perfume filling his nose.
"Mmmpf—!"
Cana finally released him, looking very satisfied, and then handed him a full mug of something suspicious.
"Speaking of which~ I haven't properly thanked you yet for helping me out during the Miss Fairy Tail contest," Cana said, her grin widening. "Let's drink! A toast!"
Ken's smile stiffened.
Even in his previous life, his alcohol tolerance had been terrible — barely able to survive two drinks without gagging. The sharp burning taste was something he simply couldn't endure.
Which made Cana the scariest kind of opponent at a banquet.
"I... I don't know how to drink..." Ken admitted awkwardly.
"What? You want me to feed it to you?" Cana teased, bringing the mug even closer.
"No, no, that's not necessary!" Ken flailed, glancing desperately around for an escape.
His eyes caught sight of Mirajane walking past, and he immediately sent a silent cry for help.
Understanding the situation in a heartbeat, Mirajane walked over, giving Cana a gentle pat on the shoulder.
"Come on, Cana. Ken barely had time to eat today with all the parade preparations. Let him enjoy some food first."
Unexpectedly, Cana's eyes lit up even more.
"Perfect! Drinking on an empty stomach works faster~ C'mon, just one cup!"
Seeing the mug pushed directly under his nose, and knowing he couldn't dodge it any longer, Ken steeled himself.
Short pain is better than long suffering!
He grabbed the mug and, without hesitation, downed it in one gulp.
The burning hit instantly — no mellow flavor, no warmth, just pure pain from his mouth down to his stomach.
Ken barely swallowed before his vision swam. His knees buckled.
Something was very, very wrong.
"W-what did you just make me drink...!?" he gasped.
"Water of Life~ About 96% pure alcohol," Cana said proudly.
"WHAT!?"
Ken's face turned crimson as the dizziness overwhelmed him. If it weren't for Mirajane and Cana supporting him on either side, he would have crumpled to the floor right there.
Mirajane quickly brought over a cup of sobering tea while Cana, at least looking a little guilty, muttered:
"Sorry... I didn't think you were that weak."
While sipping the tea, Ken glared weakly at Cana.
But before he could recover fully, Cana leaned closer, her voice suddenly more playful.
"Actually, I had something else I wanted to talk to you about tonight..."
Ken blinked. "What is it?"
Cana twirled her finger through her hair, cheeks pinker now either from alcohol or mischief.
"I wasn't very satisfied with the previous stone carvings... I think you should take a closer look and decide — who's bigger, me or Erza?"
As she spoke, she casually tugged at the strap of her top.
Ken nearly sprayed the tea out of his mouth.
Mirajane froze as well, stunned.
The strap slid halfway down, Cana's chest trembling slightly with the motion.
Ken opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound.
The "Western Hemisphere" was about to be revealed to the world.
Cana suddenly grinned wickedly, pinching Ken's red cheek between her fingers.
"Just kidding~! Hahahahaha!"
"..."
Ken covered his face in despair.
He had known deep down that Cana was teasing him — but that didn't make it any less dangerous!
He clutched his temple and muttered to himself, "I must have drunk too much..."
Meanwhile, not far away, a loud argument was breaking out in front of the guild stage.
Makarov stood facing Natsu, arms crossed and a heavy look in his eyes.
"Why do you have to drive Laxus away!? Even if we fought, we're still nakama, aren't we!?" Natsu protested loudly.
"I've explained it already," Makarov said, voice low. "Even though Laxus is my grandson, he hurt his own comrades. That is something that cannot be forgiven in Fairy Tail!"
"But—!"
"Enough. The decision has been made."
"..."
The atmosphere grew heavier.
At that moment, Ken, still slightly dizzy, heard someone speak beside him.
"What do you think, about Laxus?"
He turned his head — and nearly jumped.
It was Erza.
She stood silently, gazing at the scene with calm, thoughtful eyes.
Ken hesitated for a moment, then spoke honestly:
"Maybe... leaving the guild for a while will be good for him. Laxus has always lived under a huge shadow — maybe this way, he can focus on becoming stronger without worrying about what others think."
Ken smiled faintly.
"And besides, no matter how far he goes, Fairy Tail will always be waiting for him."
Maybe it was the lingering alcohol in his system, but the words flowed easily from his lips.
Erza watched him quietly, then smiled.
"You've matured, little brother."
Ken blinked. "Sister? When did you get here..."
Erza's smile softened further.
"The civil war and the celebrations are over now. It's time to talk about more important things."
Ken stiffened again.
"More... important?"
Erza's expression turned serious.
"Where did you buy the stone sculpture you gave me? I think the craftsmanship was excellent. I'd like to commission another."
Ken let out a long sigh of relief.
"It's a shop run by a Stone-Shape Mage, north of Magnolia."
He had been sure she was about to bring up something more embarrassing...
Erza nodded, satisfied.
She asked briefly about Ken's condition after drinking — once assured he was fine, she turned away to rejoin Makarov's group. But just before walking off, she paused.
"Also, from now on — don't call me 'big sister.'"
Ken scratched his head awkwardly.
"But... if not that, what should I call you? 'Your Majesty the Queen'?"
Erza glanced back, her smile as dazzling as the rising sun.
She didn't answer — just walked away toward the guildmaster.
Leaving Ken standing there, staring after her, utterly confused.
"So... what should I call her now..." he mumbled.
A few days later, in a small shop on the north side of Magnolia.
"Miss, this double stone sculpture will be very expensive. Are you sure you want to order it?"
"Yes," Erza said firmly. "And use this photo for the design."
The shopkeeper studied the photo — a snapshot from the Tower of Heaven incident, showing Ken and Erza, bruised and battered but embracing tightly.
"Oh? If I remember right, these two are famous! Tower of Heaven survivors. Judging by this pose... are they a couple?"
"I wouldn't know," Erza replied calmly, face unreadable. "Make the sculpture life-sized."
"No problem! Any other requests?"
"...Wrap it carefully. I don't want anyone else to see it. And keep my visit a secret."
The shopkeeper smiled knowingly but said nothing more.
And so, beneath the bustling streets of Magnolia, another secret about Fairy Tail's proud knight quietly began to take form...
(Next Chapter: Wings of the Storm: Journey to the Past)