Chapter 84: The Vanishing Village, the Power That Will Not Return (4)
At the same time that Ciel followed Pantherlily into the castle—
Thanks to Wendy's mediation, Natsu was finally able to sit down with the wizards of Edolas Fairy Tail and explain who they were and the events that had brought them to this world.
"So what you're saying is… you all came from another world called Earthland to rescue your friends, and you ended up here, in this world?"
"There's a Fairy Tail guild in your world too…"
"And Erza is actually on your side over there?"
"In simple terms, yes."
"Aye."
"It's unbelievable…"
"But it's true this Natsu isn't the one we know."
Jet and Droy found it hard to believe at first, but when they saw how different he was from the Natsu they knew, they couldn't help but accept it.
The Edolas Wendy squeaked in disbelief when the little girl before her claimed to be her counterpart.
"That girl… is supposed to be me in your world?!"
"Ah… um… hello."
"Pfft!! She got so tiny, Wendy!"
With the arrival of Earthland's Natsu and Wendy, the Edolas Fairy Tail members burst into chatter and excitement.
Natsu raised his hand lightly toward Lucy and the others, getting straight to the point—asking about the road to the capital.
Even if they were from another world, their faces were familiar. That alone gave Natsu a strange sense of closeness; he didn't dislike them.
"So anyway, could you show us the way to the capital?"
At his request, the room stirred again. Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief as they stared at him.
In the midst of the murmuring, Wendy pleaded earnestly with her older Edolas self.
"Our friends… they've been absorbed by this world's king! If we don't save them soon, they'll be turned into magic itself—losing even their bodies!"
"Sorry, little me, but it'd be best for your safety if you gave up now."
What came back was rejection.
Edolas Wendy explained with a bitter face just how dangerous the king of Edolas was.
The other guild members joined in as well, warning Natsu's group not to go near the capital.
"Anyone who stands against the King of Edolas won't live to tell the tale. That's how powerful the kingdom is."
"In this world, magic is finite. It's only a matter of time before it runs out completely."
"And out of fear of that, the king of Edolas sought to monopolize all magic. Isn't that right, Juvia?"
"As a result… every wizard guild was ordered to disband. At first, people resisted."
"But one by one they all fell before the kingdom's Magic Warfare Division… and now this guild is the only one left."
"Not that we've come out of it unscathed."
"We lost half our comrades…"
"The master's dead too… and running away was all we could do."
"So trust me—stay away from the capital. Just go back to your world, or whatever it is."
The wizards of Edolas Fairy Tail, while worried for these strangers from Earthland, also lamented their own weakness as they tried to dissuade them.
But Natsu refused to yield. Once again, he pressed his plea.
"Please! Just tell me the way! I'm going to save my friends—no matter what!!"
"Lucy?!"
While everyone else was still dumbfounded by Natsu's words, Lucy slammed her hand against her chest and rose to her feet.
Even if this wasn't her Natsu, his heart—his determination to protect his friends—was Fairy Tail to the core. And for that reason, Lucy wanted to help him.
"Really?"
"Yeah, but I'm only showing you the way. I don't want to die."
"That's enough! Delinquent Lucy, you're the best~!!"
"Don't call me that!!"
....
Meanwhile, in the royal capital of Edolas.
Inside the royal palace, within the General Staff Headquarters, Ciel appeared. His presence drew the attention of the man watching over the giant lacrima.
"Hey, Commander~! This time your little disappearance was a lot shorter than usual~."
It was the Commander of the 3rd Magic Warfare Division of the Edolas Kingdom Army, [Hughes]. He waved casually at Ciel, smiling.
"So, you are…"
"What's going on here? Why do you look so… different, Commander?"
"He must've hit his head on falling rocks while running off somewhere. It's not amnesia, but his memory's definitely scrambled."
"Whoa… our monster of a Commander, brought low by a rockfall? Maybe age is catching up with you faster than you'd like, huh?"
Hughes narrowed his eyes at Ciel, studying the unfamiliar demeanor.
Pantherlily quickly cut in, explaining:
"That's right. It's not amnesia, but there's been some confusion. Don't hold it against him."
With a sigh of pity, Hughes introduced himself.
"I'm Hughes, Captain of the 3rd Magic Warfare Division. I'd appreciate it if you didn't forget your subordinates' names, Commander~."
"Yes, I won't forget again, Captain Hughes."
"Wha—?! Lily, did you hear that?! The Commander, the guy who usually greets me with a knock on the head the moment he sees me, just called me 'Captain Hughes' politely?! Is the world ending tomorrow?!"
"I reacted the same way at first. Give it time, you'll get used to it… actually, no. I still haven't gotten used to it either."
Listening to their exchange, Ciel began to question himself. Was the man they described—the Edolas version of himself—really supposed to be him?
Everything they said pointed to someone completely unlike him in personality, manner of speech, behavior, even little quirks.
If his soul had truly been split between two worlds, then the other half should have been like a twin—similar in nature. Yet this "other Ciel" seemed brazen, flamboyant, and openly acted in ways his true self never would.
Ciel's doubts only deepened.
....
"Commander~! Commander~!!"
As the three of them walked down the corridor, a cheerful voice called out.
A cute brown-haired girl wearing a cap with black bunny ears and frilly, doll-like clothes rushed over. In her arms was a baby wailing so loudly it could pierce eardrums.
"It's been so long! Do you know how much Setsura-chan cried because Papa wasn't here?!"
"Eh…? What do you mean…"
"Come on, Setsura-chan~! Papa's here! Papa's back!"
"W-wait a second…?!"
Before Ciel could react, the girl placed the crying baby in his arms.
The infant, with soft blue hair and facial features that faintly resembled his own, immediately stopped crying. As if the tears had been a lie, the baby smiled brightly and grabbed Ciel's finger.
For the first time in his life holding a child, Ciel was thrown into panic. He looked at the girl and stammered:
"T-this baby is… and before that, just who are you?"
"Commander, please… even as a joke, that's going too far."
"Coco, it seems Ciel hit his head on falling rocks during his absence. His memory is a bit muddled," Pantherlily explained calmly.
"Now that you mention it… usually the Commander would pinch my cheeks the moment he saw me, but this time he did nothing! And his speech—what happened?!"
"Let's not waste time. Could you please introduce yourself properly?"
Understanding the situation, the girl—Coco—snapped into a formal stance and saluted crisply.
"Aide to the Chief of Staff of the Edolas Kingdom Army, [Coco], reporting to the Commander!"
"Chief of Staff's aide, huh… Then let me properly reintroduce myself. Pleased to meet you again, Coco."
"Yes~! And that baby is your one and only daughter, Setsura Nightwalker. Isn't she adorable?"
Ciel's pupils widened as he stared at the infant smiling up at him.
His daughter…?
Something he had never once dared to imagine in his own world, yet here in Edolas, the other Ciel had accepted it without hesitation.
While he in Earthland had only ever hesitated, unable to draw close, here his counterpart had not only embraced those feelings but gone further—creating a family and even fathering a child.
Ciel's face froze in stunned disbelief as he glanced around.
—!!!
"W-wait?!"
"Phew~ Looks like Madam Hothead herself has arrived."
"Follow me."
"Y-you are…?!"
A booming, familiar female voice rang through the corridor.
For the first time since he had come to this world, sweat broke cold across Ciel's back. He knew this voice.
And as he glanced back down at the infant in his arms—Setsura—he saw something unmistakably familiar in her features.
As reality pressed down on him, something soft yet firm seized his neck, dragging him away by force.
"W-wait, E-Erza…?!"
"What's wrong? Afraid to look upon your loving wife's face?"
Dragged down the hall, Ciel was flung into a chamber within the palace and landed heavily on the bed. He looked up at the woman before him—who claimed to be his wife—with wide eyes and sweat trickling down his face.
Her crimson hair was tied in a wavy ponytail. She wore something resembling bikini armor, but regardless, there was no denying—she was Erza.
"Y-you're saying… you and I got married… and… had a child?!"
"Two weeks of shirking your duties and you come back talking nonsense? Your manner of speaking is strange, and the sly, brazen charm you usually ooze is nowhere to be found."
"T-that's…"
—!!
Ciel tried to stammer a reply, trembling hands half-raised, when suddenly Setsura burst into tears in his arms.
Erza gently took the crying baby from him and cradled her against her chest, smiling softly as she turned away.
"There, Setsura, you must be very hungry. Alright, it's time for Mama to feed you."
"W-what are you doing?!"
"What do you mean? It's only natural for a mother to nurse her child."
Ciel squeezed his eyes shut in shock, praying silently to the very gods he had once slain, begging for this all to be a dream.
Just what kind of man was his Edolas counterpart…?
Doubt and confusion churned inside him, his mind reeling at the other self who had taken a path so different from his own.
"What's with this timid, girlish act? Normally, you'd already be lying back on that bed, waiting for me."
"A-ah… no… I…"
As Ciel fumbled for words in this impossible situation, Erza laid Setsura down gently in the crib. Then, cracking her knuckles, she began to walk slowly toward him.
Ciel quickly regained his senses as he felt the sharp killing intent aimed solely at him, forcing him to keep his guard up.
"But that aside—since you disappeared for two weeks under the excuse of buying a toy for Setsura's first birthday, you deserve punishment."
"P-punishment…?"
If she attacked, he would knock her unconscious and use the opportunity to escape the capital.
With that in mind, Ciel tightened his grip with his right hand, hiding his presence.
Erza approached slowly, her joints cracking audibly as she drew closer. The moment she was right in front of him, however, she suddenly dropped her killing intent and flung herself at him, tackling him onto the bed.
Startled by her sudden move, Ciel reflexively caught her and fell back.
"Two weeks without holding me… you'll make up for every bit of it now."
"P-punishment… was that all you meant?"
"All you mean? Do you even realize how important this is? Do you know how much the second child in here—" she placed a hand on her stomach "—has been waiting for their father's embrace?"
At her words, the last thread of Ciel's reason snapped.
A child already… and now another one on the way? He could no longer bring himself to accept this reality.
"Ciel, what's wrong?"
"I… no… this is impossible…"
"What do you mean it's impossi—hm?!"
As she nestled against his chest, breathing in his scent, Erza suddenly froze. In the next instant, her killing intent flared once more as she drew the dagger from her waist and pressed it against his throat.
"This scent… you're not Ciel. Who the hell are you?!"
"Kuh… fufufufu… You found me out quicker than I thought. I'm not the Ciel you know—I'm another Ciel."
"…You're from Earthland…?!"
With a blade at his throat, Ciel raised both hands high in surrender, trying to keep his composure.
"I yield. I came here only to meet directly with your king."
"The king has no need to see you."
"Oh? Are you so sure? No matter how human your Ciel may be… I could kill you and that child without hesitation."
"….."
Of course, it was a lie.
Ciel could never kill Erza or the baby.
But he bluffed, hoping his words would force her hand.
Erza reacted to his own surge of killing intent, the two of them locked in a tense standoff. The room filled with suffocating cold air, making Setsura burst into tears in her crib.
Hearing the wails, a maid who had been standing guard outside knocked and opened the door.
"What's going on—eh?!"
"Perfect timing. Go summon the division commanders. This man is an intruder."
Seeing husband and wife pointing weapons at each other, the maid froze in shock, but Erza's calm command spurred her into action. She ran down the corridor, calling for all the Magic Division Captains.
…
Meanwhile, having left the Edolas Fairy Tail behind, Natsu's group arrived at Louen Village. There, the Edolas version of Lucy listened to their stories about the Lucy they knew.
Her reaction was to double over laughing.
"Ahahahaha!! Ahahahaha!!"
"She's just as noisy."
"Don't call me noisy!"
Natsu looked at that Lucy and shook his head, deciding that human nature didn't really change. The Lucy he knew and the Lucy in front of him were both loud and troublesome in the same way.
They talked for a long while. At one point Wendy took out a magical tool she had bought at the Black Auction and asked Edolas-Lucy how to use it.
"How do you use this thing I bought earlier…?"
"You idiot! Don't pull that out in front of people!"
When Wendy produced the device, Lucy snapped at her and shoved it away.
"Didn't I tell you magic is banned everywhere now?"
"I'm sorry… but it used to be part of my life."
"Yeah. The kingdom has taken one of our cultures away from us — they want to monopolize it for themselves."
"Then if we take down the kingdom, maybe magic will come back to the world."
At Natsu's bold, reckless remark, Edolas-Lucy scowled and scolded him.
"Wha… what nonsense are you spouting?! How do you plan to fight the kingdom army?!"
"Then why did you come along?"
"I told you — I'm just guiding you! I… I'm not planning to fight at all!!"
"Right. That's enough — thanks for that."
Natsu's innocent smile made Lucy avert her eyes. His reckless but honest voice made her ashamed of herself for always running away instead of fighting.
They were chatting at a café when—
"There they are!"
"Seal off the town gates!"
"The kingdom army?!"
"Wha—?!"
Armored soldiers appeared in the street. Lucy quickly grabbed Natsu and Wendy by the collars and shoved them into an alley.
"What are you doing, Lucy? We should just use the magic tool we bought and fight them!"
"You idiot! It isn't that simple. The kingdom soldiers are brimming with magic — there's no way a handful of us with low-power devices can stand up to them! I don't know what's going on, but for now let's watch and wait."
"This is so annoying. No magic allowed here."
"Yeah."
Even though they'd bought magical tools, they were flawed. They weren't enough to take on the regular kingdom units that used proper mage-tools. After Lucy explained, Natsu and Wendy grumbled as they hid behind a wooden board and watched the situation.
"We found them! Fairy Tail!"
Thinking they'd been discovered, the three ducked in alarm — but the soldiers weren't coming for them. From a distance the soldiers' shouts were heard; the three peeked out cautiously.
"Come here!"
"Let go of me!"
"Are you Lucy?"
"You are Lucy, right?"
At the soldiers' hands was a captured blonde girl. The trio's eyes went wide and they all cried out.
"Lucy?!"
"Me?!"
"How is Lucy here…?"
"What the—what's happening?!"
"We have to help her!"
"That's right!"
"Hey!!"
Contrary to what they expected—that Lucy had turned into a magic node—the girl was very much alive and being held by the soldiers.
Edolas-Lucy watched the baffling scene in a daze. Natsu and Wendy were about to grab their wizard tools and rush outside when—
"Wait a minute, that's not Lucy Ashry. Who the hell is that?"
"Y— you?!"
A black, flame-like aura coalesced around Lucy for a moment, then a man appeared with his arm draped over her shoulder.
The soldiers jumped at his arrival and snapped to attention, saluting in perfect form.
The man waved a hand dismissively at them and said, "Look closely. Do you really think Lucy Ashry is the kind of woman who gets captured that easily? She's just some kid who happens to look a bit like her."
"B—but..."
"Are you really going to tell me you don't trust my eyesight?"
His long blue hair shone like a clear ribbon in the sunlight. His face was calm and handsome, like a full moon reflected on water. Over a pale violet kimono he wore a black haori, and at his waist hung a lotus-patterned scabbard—he had the air of a wandering swordsman. With one right eye half-closed, he gave off a teasing, seductive charm.
Natsu and Wendy, unable to hide their delight at seeing him, called out his name.
"Oh—! Ciel! It's Ciel!!"
"Teacher Ciel is safe too!"
As Natsu and Wendy started to step outside, Edolas-Lucy grabbed their collars and pulled them back in again.
"Ah, seriously! What's wrong with you, Lucy?"
"That's fine! That man is okay. He's Teacher Ciel!"
"You two, what nonsense are you spouting?! We've heard there is a Ciel in your world, sure—but that fellow over there is not the one you know."
"Huh?"
Edolas-Lucy's face turned deathly pale with fear for the first time, and Natsu and Wendy stopped resisting.
"Do you know why the Edolas Royal Army is called the strongest?"
"Um... because they monopolize magic?"
"That's one reason, sure. But the bigger reason is the existence of this man. He doesn't use magical power to fight—he went into battle alone, conquered the whole world, and unified Edolas. He's the hero of Edolas, the master of countless victories: [Ciel Nightwalker]."
"Ciel..."
"Nightwalker?"
Edolas-Lucy pointed toward the man outside with a terrified expression and said, "I'm sorry for that other Lucy, but no—you have to run... run from that man...!!"
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