Whoosh!
With a single kick, Ur sent the guild doors flying open. Instantly, every gaze inside the hall snapped toward him in unison.
For a moment, the entire guild fell into a heavy, awkward silence.
"Uh…"
Staring at the crowd of strangers in black suits and the stares now fixed on him, Ur froze a little, his expression stiff.
So that's why the guild was so quiet today.
Turns out they had visitors.
The people in black were clearly from the same organization. None of them seemed particularly powerful in the eyes of Fairy Tail's mages, but anyone capable of commanding such a group obviously wasn't ordinary.
After all, mages held a high standing in this world, but even legitimate guilds showed courtesy when dealing with the truly wealthy: merchants, financiers, patrons.
Well, mages still had to eat, and without sponsors like these, life could get difficult.
Feeling the weight of the sudden tension in the room, a single word flashed through Ur's mind.
Impulsive!
Though Fairy Tail wasn't yet the top guild in Fiore, its rise was undeniable. Furthermore, this was the guild's main hall; there was no way something serious could have happened here without cause.
Even if something had gone wrong, what could he really do about it?
Yeah, I've definitely gotten a bit full of myself. Ur admitted to himself with a mental sigh.
Ever since his last excursion, his power had grown so quickly that he hadn't even noticed the subtle swell of pride creeping in.
Still, he didn't think a little pride was such a bad thing. If a man had a cheat system and didn't get a little cocky, what difference was there between him and a salted fish*?
"Hey, Ur! Perfect timing. This gentleman here is Mr. Singer. He's here to see you." Makarov's voice cut through the tension, giving Ur a much-needed escape route.
Ur followed the old man's gaze. The line of bodyguards in black parted neatly, revealing a man whose expression was as dark and heavy as storm clouds.
"Hello, Mr. Singer."
Ur didn't know who the man was or why he was looking for him, but being the polite young man he was, he greeted him anyway.
"You're the mage who accepted my request?" Singer's voice was sharp, almost grating.
"Which request are you referring to, Mr. Singer?" Ur asked calmly, though he already had a feeling he knew.
"Jericho."
At that name, understanding flickered in Ur's eyes.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Singer," he said. "I failed that mission."
"He escaped!?"
Singer's voice suddenly rose several octaves, his expression twisting with barely contained anger.
"No. He's dead."
"...Dead?"
That clearly wasn't the answer Singer was expecting. He blinked, stunned for a few seconds before his expression smoothed out again.
"How did he die? Did you kill him?"
Ur shook his head. "No. He fled to the Kiyin Kingdom and got caught up in the war between Angel's Wing and Devil's Fang. He died in the crossfire."
He explained it half-truthfully, omitting the part where he'd played a rather important role in that war himself.
"So… my apologies, Mr. Singer. The mission failed. And honestly, I don't think anyone will be able to complete that request anymore."
Ur spread his hands, looking helpless.
Singer froze for a moment, then suddenly smiled faintly. "No, young mage. This isn't your fault. Don't worry. I'll explain everything to your master. You did well."
He gave Ur a reassuring pat on the shoulder, then turned to Makarov. After exchanging a few quiet words, Singer led his black-clad guards out of the guild without another word.
Through it all, he never once mentioned the Heart of Lanyang.
As the wealthy man and his entourage disappeared beyond the guild doors, everyone, including Ur, stood there stunned for a moment.
But soon enough...
The guild's usual chaos came roaring back to life.
And this time, almost all the chatter revolved around Ur.
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"Wahahaha! Ur, I heard you were caught up in that war? You've got nine lives, huh?"
"Yeah! If Erza hadn't told us, we wouldn't even have known!"
"Where the hell did you run off to, man? Do you have any idea how long Erza and the others were looking for you in Kiyin?"
"You're in deep trouble now!"
"Uh…"
Ur could only manage an awkward smile. He honestly hadn't known any of that.
He'd been… sound asleep at the time, in a cozy inn bed.
Glancing toward the front desk, he saw Erza, Laxus, and Mirajane standing there, and suddenly his scalp started to tingle.
It definitely looked like he was in trouble.
Steeling himself, Ur walked over with a sheepish grin.
"Sorry," he said. "I didn't know you were looking for me. I'd already gone to another city to lay low."
"It's fine," Erza said calmly.
Fine? Fine!?" Mirajane suddenly burst out, glaring at him. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused? Because of you, our guild almost went to war with Devil's Fang!"
"I was wrong!" Ur said instantly, without hesitation.
He wasn't sure why Mirajane seemed so irritated with him, but he knew she wasn't the type to hold a real grudge—so he chose to admit fault without argument.
And sure enough, once he did, the proud girl faltered, blushing slightly as she waved her hands.
"It's… it's not that bad," she stammered. "Just, uh… next time… anyway, our guild's not afraid of some stupid Devil's Fang!"
Seeing her flustered expression, Ur couldn't help but smile. Once the situation defused, he slowly turned his gaze toward the last of the three, the one who hadn't spoken yet.
❖≔﴾═══════ﺤ
TN: A salted fish* describes someone who is lazy, unambitious, or resigned to doing nothing meaningful.