After Kevin had joyfully blown out the candles on his Raizel-made cake, Duke Grant invited the three mages to stay for a proper dinner.
Raizel, glancing at Ultear and Erza, saw no hesitation
. They had both taken a liking to this polite, well-mannered child and were happy to extend the celebration.
Dinner was an elegant affair.
The table was laden with roasted meats, seasonal vegetables, and fine wines, though the mages stuck to juice.
Raizel, despite his mature demeanor, was still technically underage in this world, and frankly, he had no taste for alcohol.
The atmosphere was warm and filled with laughter. Kevin, usually surrounded by adults discussing politics, thrived on the stories of guild life and magic.
After the meal, they retired to the sitting room for tea.
The main event arrived: Duke Grant's contribution to the party, a towering, three-layer strawberry shortcake made by the estate's professional chef.
It dwarfed Raizel's humble creation.
Fortunately, there were plenty of staff members. Kevin had a small slice of both cakes—diplomatically declaring Raizel's "very unique"—and the rest was shared among the maids, guards, and the ever-stoic Butler Ed.
"By the way, Kevin," Raizel asked, setting down his teacup. "What wish did you make today?"
He was genuinely curious.
If the boy wanted something within Raizel's power—a ride on a dragon, a magic demonstration—he intended to make it happen.
"Won't the wish not come true if you say it out loud?" Erza asked, tilting her head.
Although she had never celebrated a birthday before, she had heard that particular superstition.
"I've heard that too," Ultear nodded, looking concerned.
Kevin smiled while shaking his head. "I don't mind. My wish is very simple. I hope Father and Mother, and Mr. Ed, all stay healthy. And that Raizel-sama, Ultear-san, and Erza-san have smooth sailing on their missions and stay safe."
The room went quiet for a moment.
"Well," Raizel cleared his throat, feeling a lump form. "It's a promise then."
He extended his hand and made a fist.
"Yeah, it's a promise," Kevin beamed, bumping his small fist against Raizel's.
Grant and Julie exchanged proud smiles, patting their son's head.
"Ever since he was old enough to understand, his wish every year has been the same—for our health," Julie explained softly. "Only after meeting Raizel did he add one more person. And today, he added two more."
"So, Kevin," Raizel asked to lighten the mood. "What do you want to be when you grow up? A Mage?"
Kevin shook his head firmly. "When I grow up, I want to be like Father. A good noble and a good man."
He glanced at Duke Grant with pure admiration.
"Kevin," Raizel raised his teacup in a toast.
"I look forward to seeing that day. To your success."
...
The hour grew late.
"We've troubled you for the whole day," Raizel said, standing up. "We should get going."
He turned to the boy. "Kevin, we'll visit you if we pass by Oak Town in the future. And if you ever come to Magnolia, come visit Fairy Tail. I'll personally show you around. The same goes for you, Duke Grant and Lady Julie."
"Take care on your journey," Grant said, walking them to the massive front gates. The entire family, plus Ed, came to see them off.
"Goodbye, Raizel-sama! Ultear-san! Erza-san!" Kevin waved enthusiastically until they were out of sight.
The three mages didn't look back, simply raising their right hands in the iconic Fairy Tail sign—pointer finger to the sky.
Once they were out of earshot, Erza let out a long, dramatic sigh.
"Damn it," she grumbled, kicking a pebble. "How can there be such a well-behaved child? Compared to him, what have I been doing all this time? I feel like a barbarian."
"It's fine," Raizel waved his hand. "It's not just you. I feel the same way. That kid has the manners of a saint."
"Duke Grant and Lady Julie taught him well," Ultear agreed. "But it's also his nature. Children that young are usually chaos demons. Kevin is... unique."
They walked in silence for a moment, the cool night air refreshing after the warm house.
"However," Erza stopped walking, gazing up at the starry night sky.
Her voice turned soft, almost fragile. "I have no idea when my birthday is. Seeing Kevin so happy today... it made me happy too, but now... I feel a little empty."
Raizel and Ultear stopped.
Even Ultear, who had a complicated past, knew her birthday.
Erza, who's abandoned in Rosemary Village, had nothing.
"Comfort her, quick," Ultear signaled Raizel with her eyes, panicking slightly.
"I don't know how!" Raizel signaled back frantically. "I'm bad at this!"
'Fuck it'
"Erza..." Raizel started, awkwardly reaching out a hand.
"No need," Erza turned to them, a genuine smile breaking through her melancholy. "I saw you two having a silent argument with your eyes. I'm fine. really."
She looked back at the moon. "I was just feeling a bit emotional. Besides... you and Ultear didn't lie to me. Fairy Tail really is wonderful."
Images flashed through Erza's mind: The chaos of the guild hall, Ultear teaching her to read, Kagura's laughter, Master Makarov's kindness, Raizel's protection.
"I have a family now," she whispered.
"Sadness and confusion are only temporary," Raizel said softly, raising a finger to the sky.
"Happiness is the main theme of our guild. That's Fairy Tail."
Ultear and Erza smiled, nodding.
"By the way," Raizel pulled a small album from his pocket. "These photos turned out really well."
Before they left, Butler Ed had presented them with copies of the photos taken at sunset.
He was terrifyingly efficient; he had developed, printed, and framed them in the span of dinner.
"Mr. Ed is a wizard of photography," Erza marveled, flipping through her own copy. "I've decided—I'm going to learn from him! I want to capture memories like this."
"This framed one is nice," Ultear held up a picture of the three of them—Raizel (human form), Ultear, and Erza—laughing with Kevin.
"It'll look good on my desk."
"Speaking of Ed," Ultear shuddered. "He was way too enthusiastic. He wanted to give us a life-sized portrait. How were we supposed to carry that?"
"Thank goodness the Duke stopped him," Raizel laughed. "Imagine fighting monsters with a giant painting strapped to my back."
They reached the bustling food court again.
The smells of grilled skewers and sweet pastries filled the air.
"It's still early," Raizel checked his pocket watch. "How about we stroll through Oak Town, buy some snacks, and head back to the hotel?"
"I've eaten enough for today!" Ultear protested, patting her stomach. "Between the banquet and the cake, I'm going to burst. I need to watch my figure!"
"I actually think it's a good suggestion," Erza chimed in instantly.
She was eyeing a stall selling crepe cones.
"The strawberry cake here is different from Magnolia. I need to conduct a thorough comparison."
"Two against one," Raizel grinned, pointing toward the food stalls. "Let's go."
"I'm really no match for you two," Ultear groaned, massaging her forehead.
Ten minutes later, Ultear was happily eating a chocolate-dipped banana.