Chapter 30 : Sleeping Pills??

"If Everit is left alone, he's bound to find trouble." Despite being a girl, Mirajane's physical prowess wasn't lacking. She scooped up Everit and headed outside without hesitation.

"That's true," Cana agreed helplessly.

"I've always heard about the tension between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail, but I never imagined a legal guild would stoop to such tactics," Lucy remarked, incredulous.

"That's just their style. They've been stirring up trouble and provoking us for years," Erza explained. "But I have a feeling this won't end here."

"Is it wise to let Everit get drunk at a time like this?" Gray sighed.

Taking a long sip of wine, Cana voiced her concern. "But if we don't control him, many of the Phantom Lord Guild will surely end up injured or worse. Everit will be in the spotlight, and we're not a dark guild. Everit isn't a dark mage either."

Erza suddenly turned to Lucy. "The Phantom Lord must have some scheme. We can't let our guard down. Lucy, we need to stick together as much as possible in the coming days!"

"Really?" 

Lucy nodded. "Okay."

"Oh, and by the way, you don't have to come to my place to stay together," Lucy added, looking at Erza, Natsu, Gray, and Happy with a hint of exasperation.

"Why not?" Erza tilted her head, looking puzzled.

"It's not necessary," Lucy conceded defeat.

"It's such a hassle," Natsu complained, sprawled out on Lucy's coffee table. "We should just beat them up. Isn't the old man scared?"

"The old man, afraid?" Gray scoffed. "How could it be? He's also one of the Ten Wizard Saints, after all."

"What's Ten Wizard Saints?" Lucy asked, confused.

Erza explained, "They're recognized by the Magic Council as the ten most powerful mages on the continent."

"Wow!" Lucy was astonished. "And the guild master is one of them? That's amazing!"

"But Phantom Lord Guild's master, Jose, is also one of the Ten Wizard Saints, and Phantom Lord Guild is one of the strongest guilds on the continent," Happy chimed in. "So, if both guilds have top mages and are top guilds themselves, a clash between them would definitely weaken the legal guilds."

"Exactly," Gray agreed. "That's why we can't let our guard down. The battle is on."

"Furthermore," Erza added, "They have four S-level mages known as the Element 4 and a dragon slayer like Natsu, called the Iron Dragon Slayer, Gajeel. He's likely responsible for the guild's destruction this time."

"Yep," Natsu grumbled.

"Natsu," Lucy sat beside him, gently ruffling his hair like one would pet a cat.

"Hmph," Natsu pouted.

Lucy found herself oddly drawn to this act of affection. It felt good, almost addictive, to see this side of Natsu.

So she continued, petting him with more enthusiasm.

Natsu didn't protest; he just lay there, sulking.

"Natsu, don't take war lightly. Fighting against such a powerful guild, casualties are almost inevitable," Erza cautioned.

"And if Everit gets involved," Gray added, rubbing his temples, "His weapon of choice is a gun. Anyone unable to block or dodge his bullets will either die or be gravely injured."

"No wonder," Lucy mused, finally understanding. "But why did we have 'internal strife' first and make Everit drunk?"

"Well, it turns out Everit gets drunk when he touches wine," Lucy said, half-jokingly. "Even a child wouldn't be like this."

"So, Lucy, nothing else matters except this. Promise not to reveal it," Erza said solemnly.

"I understand," Lucy nodded seriously.

"Mr. Everit, would you go on a date with me?" the yellow-haired noblewoman asked shyly and bravely, grabbing Everit's arm.

"Huh," Everit paused for a moment, organizing his thoughts to politely decline.

"Everit!" a voice called out from afar.

A heroic white-haired beauty approached, grabbing Everit's shoulders. "Come with me, we have a mission to complete," she said casually.

"Ha," Everit sighed, "let go. I just spent the afternoon fighting Natsu."

"Stop lying," Mirajane interjected. "Didn't you toss Natsu into the forest again and go fishing with Happy?"

"I didn't do that! How could you accuse me like this?" Everit protested.

"I can smell the fishy odor on you from miles away. And before you lie, at least clean yourself up," Mirajane pointed to Everit's right hand, which was gripping a walking stick with a rope tied to it, carrying a motionless two-kilogram fish.

"Gray even saw you pacing at the guild entrance," Mirajane continued. "You walked by three times pretending to be passing."

"If they saw me, why didn't they say something?!" Everit fumed.

Mirajane was momentarily speechless, then said, "Happy mentioned you caught a fish and happily went home. According to his timing, you were lost in the city for at least two hours."

"With that time, you might as well have come with me on the mission," Mirajane suggested.

"No, I'm tired," Everit insisted.

"Really?" Mirajane smirked. "You can team up with Erza but not with me?"

'Kakaka'

Mirajane's hand slowly transformed into a demonic form as she grabbed Everit's head, applying pressure.

"Ouch, it hurts!" Everit exclaimed.

This pain, no matter what, couldn't be alleviated.

Everit felt a buzzing in her ears.

The scene in front of him blurred into chaos, and amidst the chaos, a beam of white light emerged.

Gradually, he regained her senses.

Was it all just a dream?

But the headache felt all too real.

It still throbbed incessantly.

His temples, his forehead, the crown of her head—all ached terribly.

Guild Master, Cana, you're so cruel.

Administering sleeping pills, of all things! Damn it!

This pounding headache must be a side effect of an overdose of sleeping pills!

"Everit." A voice called out from beside him.

Everit turned his head.

It was Mirajane.

She sat on a stool with a somber expression, her eyes red as if she had been crying.

"What's happened?"

Everit gingerly sat up, holding her head.

Damn side effects—not only did it give him a headache, but also dizziness!

He massaged his temples, finding that the pressure offered some small relief from the skull-splitting pain.

This was the infirmary that Fairy Tail Guild had rented long-term at Magnolia Hospital.

"Levy," Mirajane hesitantly stood up, drawing back the curtain separating the two beds.

A girl with blue hair, covered in injuries and already receiving treatment, lay there.

Even in sleep, she seemed to furrow her brows in pain.

****

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