Chapter 116
By pure coincidence, the Magic Council’s agenda that day concerned a certain "ambitious" guild.
"We cannot continue allowing Fairy Tail to expand without restraint!"
Councilor Michello slammed his hands against the table.
"Today, they’ve united several guilds across southern Fiore. Tomorrow, they may bring every guild in the kingdom under their control!"
"And after that?"
"Are we supposed to surrender the Magic Council itself and let Makarov sit in the chairman’s seat?!"
"Calm down, Michello."
Another councilor tried to mediate.
"Fairy Tail has never committed any truly heinous crime. They’re undeniably powerful, but we—"
"Be quiet!"
Michello cut him off.
"If preserving the Council’s authority demands a sacrifice, then so be it!"
"We wouldn’t be in such a passive position if you didn’t constantly defend them!"
The councilor he was berating was one of the most respected members of the Council, second only to the chairman himself.
Having someone like that repeatedly speak in Fairy Tail’s defense was undoubtedly one of the guild’s greatest advantages.
"You be quiet too!"
The older councilor snapped back.
"I still don’t understand how an inexperienced brat like you became a councilor!"
Siegrain smiled faintly.
"Because I possess a great deal of magic power."
"Ultear! That includes you!"
Michello turned toward the woman beside him.
"Stop playing with your crystal ball during meetings!"
Ultear continued rolling the orb between her fingers as though none of this had anything to do with her.
"Shouldn’t everyone return to the actual subject?"
This was more or less what meetings of the Magic Council looked like.
A group of people gathered every day to argue with one another.
They could fight from morning until night without reaching a single useful conclusion.
Marshall had never understood how anyone tolerated the place.
He had no idea what could possibly have possessed Siegrain and Ultear to become councilors.
The meeting had only just begun when Ultear, still idly playing with her crystal ball, suddenly received a message directly inside her mind.
[Ultear, bring Siegrain outside.]
[Someone is here to see him.]
Her hand froze.
’That’s impossible...’
No.
That unmistakably infuriating tone could belong to only one person!
It had to be her imagination!
Ultear’s expression changed so drastically that even Siegrain noticed.
It was the first time he had ever seen her lose her composure so completely.
After Hanna disappeared from the Magic Academy, Ultear had searched through both the Council’s resources and her own underground contacts, yet found nothing.
It was as though the woman had vanished from the world.
Now, after all this time, she had heard that unforgettable voice again.
How could she possibly remain calm?
"Siegrain, come with me!"
Ultear seized his arm.
"We need to meet someone!"
"What?"
Siegrain barely had time to react before she dragged him out of the Council chamber.
He had no idea what was happening.
Then he stepped outside and saw that familiar head of scarlet hair waiting in the distance.
His heart shook violently.
"Jellal!"
Erza drew her sword without hesitation and slashed at him.
The blade carried unmistakable killing intent.
She was entirely serious.
Siegrain’s expression changed.
"I—"
Erza’s sword stopped only a few inches from his throat.
She stared at him, her hands trembling around the hilt.
"How can this be...?"
"How can you look exactly like him?"
"He should still be in that place!"
Her voice shook.
"What is your relationship with Jellal?!"
"What?"
Siegrain paused before shaking his head.
"Impossible. You look exactly like he did when we were children."
Erza’s grip tightened.
"I would never mistake that face."
"Don’t try to deceive me!"
"No, no. I understand who you’re talking about."
Siegrain quickly regained his composure.
"It’s true that I have a twin brother named Jellal."
"However, he is a stain upon my life."
"I neither wish to acknowledge his existence nor allow others to learn about him."
"So, Miss Erza, could you withdraw that insulting accusation?"
"..."
Erza’s blade remained in place, but conflict appeared across her face.
After a long silence, she finally asked:
"Marshall."
"Is he telling the truth?"
There was no answer.
Marshall was concealing himself nearby, observing the confrontation without revealing his presence.
Ultear’s eyes flickered.
She had come outside because of Hanna’s message, yet Hanna was nowhere to be found.
Instead, a scarlet-haired woman had attacked Siegrain the moment they arrived.
Before she could say anything, Siegrain smiled faintly.
"Regardless of who you believe I am, seeing you here is certainly unexpected."
"Aside from Ultear and those stubborn old monsters inside the Council, I didn’t realize another Mage of your level had come to Era."
Erza’s expression hardened.
Siegrain appeared ready to continue explaining, but the sky suddenly darkened.
A vast spell had begun forming above them.
While everyone’s attention remained fixed on the confrontation, a streak of crimson lightning flashed through the clouds.
"Heavenly Body Magic—Star Prison!"
A massive magic circle appeared over Erza and came crashing downward.
Marshall, who had been watching from concealment, could no longer remain still.
Siegrain’s magic power had only recently crossed the hundred-thousand threshold, but he had unquestionably entered the rank of a Wizard Saint.
Erza was unlikely to defeat him as she was now.
It was time for Marshall to make his entrance!
He transformed into a beam of light and plummeted from high above at Mach Ten.
Before Siegrain’s magic circle could fully activate, Marshall smashed straight through it and tore the spell apart.
He struck the ground in a classic superhero landing.
The impact shattered the stone beneath him and sent a circular shock wave sweeping across the area.
Siegrain frowned.
That figure looked strangely familiar.
Could he be Hanna’s younger brother?
Ultear’s mouth fell open in shock.
She could never mistake that face.
The person before her was undoubtedly her former roommate, Hanna.
But...
Why did Hanna now look like a boy?
That build and those developing muscles unquestionably belonged to a young male body.
Could it be that Hanna had always—
"Enough."
Marshall glanced toward Ultear and gave her a subtle warning through Telepathy Magic.
[Don’t say it.]
Ultear immediately closed her mouth.
Marshall then turned a cold gaze toward Siegrain.
"Let’s end this here."
"Both sides withdraw, and this will be better for everyone."
Siegrain stared at him incredulously.
"Are you joking?"
"You just attempted to assault one of the Ten Wizard Saints!"
"If I call the Magic Council’s forces here right now, do you honestly believe either of you can escape?"
"..."
Marshall didn’t answer but his eyes turned red.
Literally.
A sharp hiss filled the air.
A crimson beam erupted from Marshall’s eyes without warning, streaking past Siegrain’s cheek and striking a massive rock behind him.
The boulder was pierced through and exploded into fragments.
"I wasn’t negotiating."
Marshall’s voice turned dangerously calm.
"If I decide to leave, no one here can stop me."
The killing intent radiating from him was entirely genuine.
Siegrain’s pupils contracted.
He hadn’t reacted at all.
If Marshall had aimed at his head, this Thought Projection would have been destroyed in a single strike.
’So fast.’
’And that power...’
’What kind of magic was that?’
Marshall placed one hand on Erza’s shoulder and looked directly into Siegrain’s eyes.
"Erza, we’re leaving."
Then he addressed both councilors.
"I believe none of us saw one another today."
"Isn’t that right?"
Before either of them could respond, Marshall and Erza vanished from the spot.
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