"Laxus, the mission the Master mentioned sounds like a real headache."
"This one? I requested it myself. Just waiting for the Master's approval."
"So it's that serious, huh? Ah well—let's finish the Harvest Festival first. We can deal with it in a few days."
"Yeah."
As night fell, the grand annual Magic Parade finally began. Even the members from Tenrou Island had come to join the festivities. After their last mission, the island had officially reopened contact with nearby towns, and life had been steadily improving ever since.
Colorful floats rolled down the streets, each guild member showing off their unique talents. Over the years, Fairy Tail had grown larger and livelier than ever. Kael was, as always, in charge of setting the atmosphere.
He created a dazzling rainbow bridge arching across the street, a path of light crossing the sky, and even amplified the moonlight, transforming the night into a scene straight out of a fairytale.
Sitting atop a rooftop, Kael gazed down at the glowing streets and the sea of cheering people. His heart swelled with warmth. Ever since arriving in this world, moments like these made him realize just how blessed he truly was.
The next morning, the results of the Miss Fairy Contest were announced. Unfortunately, Lucy hadn't managed to take first place. Losing the prize money, she sat slumped over a table, groaning in despair.
"Ahhh! What am I gonna do about this month's rent!?"
"What's wrong, Lucy? Still upset? Second place is still amazing! The contest isn't everything."
Kana set down a plate of food in front of Lucy, resting her chin on her hand, trying to comfort her friend. She assumed Lucy's gloom came from losing the competition.
"It's not just that… I just… don't know what to do now…" Lucy muttered quietly.
Kana leaned in closer, not quite catching her words. "Lucy," she whispered mischievously, "how many boyfriends have you had?"
"Uh—wha—haha! About three, I guess?" Lucy's face turned bright red. She waved her hands frantically, blurting out the lie before she could stop herself.
Kana grinned knowingly. "Oh, please. You're such a terrible liar, Lucy."
"Wha—!? You don't have to call me out like that!"
"Come on, don't you want a boyfriend?" Kana teased.
"Well… maybe a little," Lucy admitted, her cheeks burning. "I don't really know…"
Her words trailed off, and her expression grew uncertain—somewhere between embarrassment and confusion.
Kana smirked, then suddenly stood up, shouting for the entire guild to hear: "Everyone! Guess what—Lucy's never even had a boyfriend!"
Lucy's face went scarlet as she jumped up to stop Kana, flustered and mortified.
"Don't worry, Lucy," Kana said dramatically, her eyes gleaming with mystery. "I've checked your fortune. Today's the day of your fated encounter! Your prince charming will appear soon!"
"F-fated encounter…?" Lucy froze, eyes wide.
Just then, chaos erupted elsewhere in the guild. Erza, Gajeel, and several others were scrambling to get ready for an interview with Weekly Sorcerer Magazine. Makeup, costumes, posing—it was pure panic.
"Could this be it…? My destined meeting?" Lucy murmured, covering her face shyly as Mira narrated the scene nearby. Kana's words replayed in her mind, filling her imagination with wild romantic fantasies.
"Maybe I'll even get a feature in the magazine… and get paid! That'd cover rent! Hehe… perfect!"
She giggled to herself and quickly scanned the guild for the reporter. When she didn't spot anyone, she dashed off to her room to fix her hair, humming excitedly.
Meanwhile, Kael stood with Laxus on the second floor of the guild hall, both dressed in sharp suits, watching the entrance.
This was an important day—a chance to raise Fairy Tail's public image even higher. And though the guild was already famous, Kael knew: you can never have too much good publicity.
Moments later, Lucy returned—hair styled, outfit pristine, heart pounding. She hurried toward Erza to ask about the interview—
"Oh! So this is the famous Fairy Queen!?"
A blond reporter burst through the doors, sliding dramatically across the floor until he stopped at Erza's feet. He bombarded her with questions, scribbling furiously in his notebook, completely ignoring Lucy.
Lucy stood frozen, her excitement evaporating. "Seriously? Am I that forgettable?"
"Pffft—"
"Happy! You don't get to laugh at me!" Lucy snapped, fuming. But things only got worse.
"Oh, Happy! Why are you blue?" the reporter asked.
"Because I'm a cat!" Happy replied cheerfully.
The guild burst out laughing.
Lucy sighed. "Unbelievable…"
Just as she began sulking, the reporter turned her way. Lucy's eyes lit up—finally, her turn! But before she could speak, the man accidentally collided with her, sending her flying backward as he rushed straight toward Gray.
"You're Gray! And Juvia! So cool!" he shouted, scribbling madly again.
Lucy trailed behind, desperately trying to get his attention. No matter how hard she tried—posing, smiling, even hinting—he ignored her completely. By the end of the interviews, everyone except Lucy had been featured.
She collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down her face. "Why!? What am I doing wrong!?"
"Jason!" Natsu suddenly called out to the reporter. "This here's Lucy! She's our best Celestial Spirit Mage—she's got the Golden Zodiac Keys! She even helped Juvia take down one of the Three Ravens on our last mission!"
Jason froze, then spun around, eyes wide. "So cool!!!"
"Click! Click! Click!" The camera flashed repeatedly around Lucy, who blinked in surprise. Juvia and Kana flanked her, hyping her up while Jason eagerly jotted down notes.
Lucy smiled through her tears, her confidence slowly returning. "Thanks, everyone…"
Laxus chuckled from the railing above. "Kael, you really like meddling in these things, huh?"
Kael just grinned. He'd asked Kana to help—and, using a subtle flash of light magic, had caught Natsu's attention so he'd notice Lucy crying.
"Well," Kael said, watching Lucy laugh again, "it all worked out in the end."