Kael knew from the anime that Lucy could talk—but this was more than he expected.
Still, it wasn't annoying.
If anything, it was kind of cute.
Lucy glanced back over her shoulder. "By the way… you two looked like you were searching for someone."
Happy nodded immediately. "We're looking for Igneel."
"We heard a 'Fire Dragon' was in town," Natsu added, still sulking, "but it wasn't him."
"That guy was obviously not a dragon," Happy said with complete certainty.
Natsu crossed his arms. "I was so sure it was Igneel. What a waste of time."
Kael stared at them like they'd both lost their minds. "You two are idiots. Why would Igneel be in the middle of a town? If he showed up, the whole place would panic."
Lucy stiffened. "W-What kind of 'Fire Dragon' would cause a panic? As a person…"
Kael blinked. "Hm? Oh. He's not a person. Igneel is a real dragon."
"!!"
Lucy's jaw dropped. For a second she just stared at them, frozen.
Then her face twisted in disbelief. "Then why would he be on the street?! Are you two idiots?!"
"Oh!"
Natsu and Happy finally processed it—both of them making the exact same expression at the exact same time.
Kael immediately pointed at them. "Hey! Don't act like you just figured that out!"
...
They reached the restaurant. It was crowded, noisy with plates and voices, but Kael managed to find them a table by the window.
Lucy hesitated by the seat, then gave them a polite smile.
"Well… I should get going. Enjoy your meal."
She paid for the food without making a big deal of it, then stood up. They were strangers, after all—this was where it should end.
"Thank you for the food!" Happy said brightly.
"Thanks!" Natsu followed, still half-distracted.
Lucy waved a hand, a little flustered. "No… no problem. You helped me, right? So… bye!"
She waved again and walked out.
Natsu watched her go. "She's a nice person."
"Aye!" Happy agreed, sincere.
Kael snorted. "She buys you one meal and she's 'nice'?" He leaned back. "I've bought you hundreds. What does that make me?"
Natsu grinned like he'd been waiting for the question. "A super nice person! Hehe!"
"Aye!" Happy chirped.
Kael clicked his tongue. "Waiter! Menu!"
Natsu grabbed the menu the instant it hit the table and started ordering like he was preparing for winter, Happy chiming in like an accomplice.
"Hey!" Kael snapped.
Natsu didn't even look up. "We didn't know her, so we couldn't order too much. But with you, Kael, it's different! You just finished an S-Rank mission! I'm gonna eat a ton!"
"Aye!"
"Aye, my foot." Kael flicked Happy on the head.
Happy yelped and rubbed the spot, offended.
Natsu acted like an idiot, but he was more considerate than he looked—sometimes.
They ate. They talked. The clatter of dishes and the warmth of food filled the space between them.
But Kael's mind kept drifting back to Lucy.
He didn't remember every detail, but he knew what this was.
The beginning.
His gaze sharpened for a moment as he remembered the middle-aged man in the crowd—smirking, surrounded by girls, basking in attention he hadn't earned.
A fake.
He's dragging Fairy Tail's name through the mud…
Kael's expression darkened.
He can enjoy his party a little longer.
...
Evening.
The moon hung bright over Hargeon, silvering the water and softening the edges of the town. The sea breeze rolled in cool and steady.
People wandered along the coast in small groups, laughing, talking, enjoying the night.
Kael, Natsu, and Happy were among them.
"Ah! I'm so full!" Natsu patted his round stomach, satisfied.
"Aye! I haven't been that full in a long time!" Happy said, floating along at shoulder height.
Kael looked between them, unimpressed. "You two really held back. You should cause less trouble. If Erza finds out…" He let the sentence hang, then added, "shiver…"
Natsu's face went pale instantly. "Don't say scary things like that!"
"Now you're scared?" Kael laughed. "Hahaha!"
Kael genuinely enjoyed teasing Natsu.
Happy, balancing along the railing, pointed out toward the water. "Oh, right. The 'Fire Dragon' said he was having a party on his boat. Is that it?"
A ship was sailing away, lights glowing over its deck.
Natsu followed the line of Happy's finger and immediately turned green. "A boat… urgh… I feel sick…"
Then—nearby, a girl's voice carried over the sound of the surf.
"Look! That's the boat! It's Lord Fire Dragon's boat! Ah! I wish I could go!"
"Fire Dragon?" her friend asked.
"You don't know? A super-famous wizard is in town! He's from that famous guild, Fairy Tail!"
Natsu and Happy froze.
Slowly, both of them turned to Kael.
Kael shook his head once. Calm. Certain.
Natsu's expression snapped.
A vein rose on his forehead. His teeth clenched. "That bastard… He's pretending to be from Fairy Tail!"
"Happy!"
"Aye!"
Happy grabbed Natsu and shot toward the ship, wings beating hard.
"Hey!" Kael called after them, already too late.
Natsu was gone.
Kael pinched the bridge of his nose. "That idiot… did he forget he gets motion sickness?"
He'd planned to deal with the impostor quietly, after the ship left.
Now he didn't have the option.
"Full-Body Take Over: Ulquiorra Cifer!"
Kael's body shifted—clean, instant, like a hard cut.
He pushed off the railing.
BOOM!
Wood splintered beneath his foot and he launched into the air toward the ship, a straight line across open night.
...
On the ship, the girls were all in their best dresses, glittering under the deck lights. Laughter rose and fell with the music.
Inside the cabin, Lucy sat in a black dress with a practiced smile she didn't feel.
She'd run into the "Fire Dragon" again in the park. He'd promised he could get her into Fairy Tail—if she came to the party.
So she came.
Put up with it. Get in. Then leave.
The man leaned toward her, pleased with himself. "You're Lucy, right? That's a lovely name."
"Thank you," she said, keeping her voice even.
"Let's have a toast."
Lucy turned her head, searching for an exit that wouldn't make a scene. "Shouldn't you be with your other guests?"
"It's fine." He waved it off. "I just want to drink with you."
Snap!
He snapped his fingers.
The wine in his glass rose into the air in tiny drops, hovering like red beads.
"Open your mouth," he said, enjoying the performance. "The jewels of wine will fall in."
Lucy's smile tightened.
He's so annoying.
A cheap trick like this might impress normal girls, but to a wizard, it was just pathetic.
I have to put up with it. Just put up with it.
She closed her eyes.
She opened her mouth.
Slap!
Lucy surged up from her seat and knocked the floating wine aside in one sharp motion.
Her voice went cold.
"What do you think you're doing?" She stared straight at him. "You put a sleeping drug in that wine!"