Speak of the devil, and he appears. Makarov strolled up to the group with a beaming grin, barely able to contain his glee.
"You guys worked hard! You did an amazing job this time—not only did you avoid wrecking any buildings, but you also got Lullaby out of the city and safely returned it to the Magic Council!"
He chuckled, recalling the other guild masters' praise and envy at the routine meeting, his smile stretching ear to ear. "You should've seen their faces—so colorful, so spectacular!"
"One guild was just whining about how Fairy Tail always trashes buildings, and the next second, someone pulled out the weekly magazine and started reading it aloud. It got passed around, and not a single person wasn't jealous of me!"
"Everyone was raving about Fairy Tail's strength, and even the townsfolk couldn't stop singing your praises!"
Makarov's mind drifted back to the scene, and he couldn't help but let out another goofy laugh.
Kagura approached from the side, leaning in to whisper to the group, "The Master's been like this ever since he got back. He even sent someone to buy a bunch of those magazines. He's been drinking and giggling over them non-stop."
"And whenever he bumps into another guild master, before they can even say a word, he brags, 'How'd you know our guild kids took down Lullaby without breaking a single building?'"
Lucy sighed, "=_= Wow, just not destroying stuff has him this happy? Talk about low standards."
"Look at this!" Erza's voice cut through as she approached, holding two cake boxes. "I scored the limited-edition cakes! Since there weren't many people, I grabbed them quick."
"Good thing they released the new ones today, or I might've missed out."
She lifted one of the boxes toward Roger. "I'm gonna grab some drinks. I'm having milk. Roger, you want anything?"
Roger thought for a moment. "Tea or coffee, maybe."
"Got it." Erza's eyes curved into happy crescents. Humming a little tune, she practically skipped toward the guild's kitchen, her scarlet hair swaying with each step.
Happy glanced around, tilting his head with a question mark practically floating above him. "Where's Natsu? Wasn't he just here?"
Lucy looked to the side. "Mirajane's gone too. Did they leave together?"
Meanwhile, in a quiet corner near the guild, Mirajane stood in front of Natsu with a sly smile, watching his conflicted expression as she spoke slowly, "Natsu, you better think this through~ My plan will definitely get Erza to fight you."
"The Master said if you can beat Erza, you'll pass the S-Class exam."
"Miss this chance, and you'll have to wait for the next S-Class trial to rank up."
Natsu's face scrunched up, his arms crossed as he paced in circles, his mind a battlefield of his burning desire to become S-Class and his sheer terror of facing Erza.
Mirajane's smile deepened as she added fuel to the fire. "Just imagine—if you win, you'll be an S-Class wizard~ You'll leave Gray in the dust, and you can rub it in his face for ages~"
She dragged out her words, each one hitting Natsu's competitive nerve. "You could tease him forever~"
Natsu's eyes lit up brighter with every word. Finally, he slammed his fist into his palm, determination blazing. "Alright! Let's do it!"
With that, he bolted off in a puff of smoke, leaving only a trail of dust behind.
Mirajane watched him disappear, a mischievous smirk curling her lips, a glint of triumph in her eyes. "I had this planned for a while, but I didn't expect Natsu to come to me asking how to rile up Erza."
She shook her head lightly, clasping her hands behind her back as she strolled back to the guild, her smile tinged with nostalgia. "It's a risky move, but it's the most effective one~"
"After all, I used to pull it all the time~"
Back at the guild, Natsu found Happy first, asking him for a favor. Once Happy flew off, Natsu crept into the kitchen, poking half his head around the corner cautiously.
Erza, with her back to him, was brewing coffee while humming a cheerful, slightly off-key tune: "Hmm-hmm~ Cake~ Cake~ Who's the round cake for~?" She was completely lost in her dessert-induced bliss.
Natsu inched closer to scope out the cakes' location, but Erza suddenly spun around! He yanked himself back, pressing against the wall, heart pounding like it was about to burst from his chest.
"Hm? Did I just feel someone watching me?" Erza frowned, her sharp gaze sweeping the room, nearly piercing through the walls.
Natsu held his breath, sweat dripping down his forehead, not daring to wipe it.
"Must be my imagination," Erza muttered, turning back to her drinks.
Natsu clutched his chest, gasping quietly, his back soaked with sweat. "That was too close…"
Just then, a shout came from outside: "The Magic Council's here! They're almost at the guild!"
"They're bringing the reward for taking down Lullaby and Iron Forest!"
"Oh? The Council?" Erza paused, setting down her work. After a moment, she headed out of the kitchen.
As her footsteps grew closer, Natsu panicked, eyes darting for a hiding spot. In a flash, he dove behind a wine crate, curling up and holding his breath, suppressing his magic aura as best he could.
"Hm? This crate's been moved. Did someone come in?" Erza's voice was dangerously close, and Natsu could feel her piercing gaze linger on his hiding spot.
He froze, sweat pouring down, silently begging not to be found.
"The Council sent a banner too?" Mirajane's voice suddenly called from the doorway, perfectly timed to draw Erza's attention.
"A banner from the Council?" Erza's curiosity piqued, and she turned to head outside.
As her footsteps faded, Natsu let out a shaky breath, nearly collapsing from relief.
Regaining his composure, he slipped into the kitchen, his eyes locking onto the two identical cake boxes on the table.
"Just like Mirajane said! Erza always buys more than one cake, but which one's the limited edition and which is the regular one?"
Natsu stood there, thinking hard. "If I accidentally eat the limited-edition one, Erza will kill me. Usually, she shares the limited one with Roger, so it probably isn't too sweet…"
He sniffed the air. "The one on the left smells sweeter. That's probably not the limited one."
After a moment's hesitation, he grabbed the left cake and wolfed it down in a few bites. The overwhelming sweetness hit him like a tidal wave, nearly numbing his taste buds.
He froze, eyes wide, face contorting. "S-So sweet!! It's like those Sweet-Sweet Fruits! I'm gonna die!!"
"AH—!!!"
Erza's scream shook the entire guild, her voice laced with such fury and shock that everyone shivered.