Chapter 12 : Cheese!!

Ikaruga spoke sincerely.

"I don't actually have much money. I won't hide it from you. I'm a dark mage affiliated with a dark guild, but I've never taken on those kinds of missions. I only do ordinary quests, so I don't make much money."

"My family is in East Town. I have many younger brothers and sisters to support, and one sister is seriously ill. All the money I earn goes toward their food, clothing, and my sister's medical expenses."

"As for myself, the clothes and cosmetics were all given to me by my master. She said I also represent her face."

"I can't afford a camera."

"Here in West Town, they have a dislike for the people in East Town. Even if it's just a few children, if they were to come over to take pictures, the soldiers would drive them away. They'd think it's tarnishing the town's reputation and affecting the business of Ahhanita family."

"The photographers in Ahhanita Town are unwilling to go to the east town for fear of catching the disease."

"My sister's health is not good and she can't travel."

"So," Ikaruga said seriously, "Please come to my house tomorrow morning and take a family photo for us. If you feel the money isn't enough, I can offer you a favor as a condition, to help you when you need it."

"Don't look at me like that, I'm actually the ace of my guild!"

Ikaruga's reasons convinced Everit. Well, it's just a trip anyway.

As for whether it's a trap, he wasn't too afraid.

The ace of the dark guild?

Although his magic is weak, when facing a powerful enemy, even if he can't defeat them, escaping isn't difficult.

Apart from the onion-headed violent woman, Everit said, "Okay, I promise you. But can we do it near noon? I tend to wake up very late."

"Of course, no problem! Thank you so much, kindhearted Mr. Everit!" Ikaruga's voice was filled with excitement and gratitude.

"Then you go back first, I won't keep you any longer," Everit said.

"Yes," Ikaruga left.

Everit was very aware of himself.

It was indeed close to noon when he woke up.

Ikaruga was already waiting at the door.

After he washed up, he didn't want to keep people waiting any longer.

He grabbed his breakfast and planned to eat while walking.

"Mr. Everit, don't worry. Please finish eating slowly and then come with me."

"It's alright, if you don't mind me eating along the way."

"Of course not!"

The two of them walked side by side.

Everit noticed that Ikaruga was as tall as himself today, and she had changed into a pair of old flat shoes.

The bunny ears she had carefully woven into her hair the night before were now neatly tucked away, giving her a Yamato Nadeshiko-inspired hairstyle.

Everit remained silent as he ate his breakfast.

East Town was in a state of disrepair.

Filth abounded in every sense of the word.

Ikaruga glanced worriedly at Everit, only to see him finish the last bite of his bun, then produce a white handkerchief. He dabbed at his mouth first, then his hands, his expression unchanged.

After a series of twists and turns, they arrived at Ikaruga's home.

Children scattered around, bustling with activity.

"Quickly, bring Emily out," Ryder commanded as he spotted someone approaching, directing several children to help with chores around the house.

"Good morning, Brother Everit!" Ryder greeted with cheer.

"Good morning, Ryder," Everit replied with a smile and nod.

"Stand still and don't waste Mr. Evelit's time," Ikaruga instructed.

The children lined up according to their height.

Everit counted forty-three, then corrected himself—forty-four.

Among them was a girl with pallid, bloodless skin, her frame as slender as a monkey's. Clad in a thin hospital gown, she sat in a wooden wheelchair, two children pushing while two others followed closely, one carrying an IV pole, the other an IV bag.

This was Emily.

Placed in the center, Emily remained seated while the other children stood, with Ikaruga watching over them.

"We're ready, Mr. Evelit," Ikaruga announced.

"Okay, remember to smile," Everit replied with a gentle smile.

"Okay," Ikaruga and the children chimed in unison.

Everit retrieved his camera, extending his finger.

"Three."

"Two."

"One."

Together, Ikaruga and the children shouted, "cheese!"

On the carriage.

Everit glanced at a magazine featuring the same camera used by the renowned reporter Jason.

"This camera looks impressive," he thought, flipping through the pages.

On the next page, an advertisement caught his eye.

"A super cool camera on sale, guaranteed to impress!"

"This looks amazing!" he thought, until he read further.

"The Blue Pegasus Great Mage, Mr. Ichiya is the spokeperson and he is the most representative figure of the century."

"I'd better forget about it," he decided, closing the magazine.

Everit turned to the next page, contemplating his choice of a new camera. The old one was given to Ryder when he left Ahhanita Town. He found himself in a quandary. Each new camera on display was sleek, stylish, and undeniably cool. 

Which one to pick? 

Everit refused to admit to himself that he struggled with the decision until he reached the next town.

Finally, he made his selection. "There must be a reason for the price tag!" he mused as he hurried to the bank to withdraw money before heading straight to the store. "I want this one!" he exclaimed eagerly upon arrival, unable to contain his excitement. As he received the new camera, he eagerly pressed the shutter button.

'Kucha.'

Everit's expression shifted. Why did it sound more like 'Kucha' instead of 'Kacha'? The sound was noticeably softer and lacked the crispness he anticipated. He turned to the clerk with a furrowed brow, questioning the discrepancy. 

The clerk appeared puzzled, explaining, "Sir, newer cameras are designed with noise reduction technology to minimize sound disturbances."

"No!" Everit asserted firmly. "I prefer bigger and louder! I want the larger one."

The clerk paused, considering the request. "Sir, perhaps we can send your camera to the repairman to adjust the sound to your liking?"

"That's acceptable," Everit nodded, deciding to stay in the town temporarily to address the issue.

Thankfully, he had time to organize his thoughts and compile firsthand information. In the days following Fairy Tail's victory over Eisenwald, domestic newspapers had reported on the event, albeit with numerous inaccuracies. Everit knew he possessed the exclusive details needed to set the record straight.

Sorting through his photographs and drafting his report, Everit headed to the local post office with the intention of delivering it to "Magic Weekly," a prominent newspaper. 

"Erigor may still be alive after his encounter with Natsu, but in my article, he'll be decidedly... well, deceased," Everit murmured to himself as he walked.

He made sure to highlight Erigor's "natural" demeanor as he scolded his underlings for allowing Fairy Tail to escape, supplementing the text with relevant images. 

Regrettably, there were no pictures capturing Natsu's defeating Erigor; such contrasting visuals would have undoubtedly captivated readers.

Learning that only Erigor had eluded capture during the Council's crackdown on Eisenwald, Everit feigned concern for his whereabouts. 

"Where could Erigor be hiding? Does the area have reliable communication? Will he receive newspapers?" he pondered, genuinely worried. "I hope he's in the habit of staying informed through the press."

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