Chapter 92
Although Marshall had fallen into another burst of inspiration, he hadn’t forgotten everything else he needed to handle.
After saying goodbye to Mira, he visited Cana, Levy, and Erza one at a time.
When he went to see Levy, the ever-alert Juvia discovered him as well.
Several sets of clothes ended up soaked in the process, but at least he managed to calm all the girls down.
Only then did Marshall openly return to the guildhall and give the rest of those idiots an enormous surprise.
After the cheering, crying, and chaotic celebration finally died down, everyone naturally wanted to know where Lisanna was.
Marshall didn’t bother explaining it all himself.
He simply pulled out his magical terminal and projected the recording onto a large screen.
If Lisanna ever learned that Marshall had publicly shown the entire guild the video she had recorded "for Mira and Elfman," she would probably try to murder him.
After all, it included several deeply embarrassing moments of her crying, apologizing, and acting spoiled.
But Lisanna wasn’t here, so no one could stop him.
Marshall was even considering turning some of her expressions into reaction images he could use whenever she returned.
Surely the kindhearted Lisanna wouldn’t hold a grudge over something so minor.
The news of another world left everyone equally stunned.
"What?! There’s another Fairy Tail in a parallel world?"
"A world running out of magic power—and their king wants to steal ours?!"
"This is a serious threat! Master, shouldn’t we report this to the Magic Council?"
Once everyone had discussed the matter at length, Marshall prepared to announce his own Edolas Counterattack Plan.
Before he could begin, everyone in the guild suddenly started yawning.
One after another, their eyes rolled shut, and they collapsed to the floor.
’A sleep spell?’
Marshall’s mind blurred for only an instant before he immediately broke free of the magic.
When his senses cleared, he discovered that only he, Laxus, and Makarov remained conscious.
Even Erza had fallen asleep.
’What an intricate magical array.’
If Marshall hadn’t possessed an enormous reserve of magic power and Level Four Magic Control, allowing him to detect the spell’s activation, even he might have been caught.
His expression turned solemn.
"Master, is this an enemy?"
"Calm down, Marshall. He isn’t an enemy."
Makarov looked toward the guild entrance.
"He’s a new companion who joined while you were away."
"Come inside, Mystogan."
Marshall turned.
A mysterious figure stood in the doorway, completely wrapped in robes.
Bandages covered his hands and feet, leaving only his eyes visible, and five large magic staves were strapped across his back.
Marshall’s gaze sharpened.
He couldn’t sense even the slightest trace of magic power from the man.
Unless Mystogan’s strength vastly surpassed his own and he was deliberately concealing everything, then...
"My apologies for greeting you this way."
Mystogan’s voice was calm and restrained.
"I prefer to leave as few traces of my presence in this world as possible. I had little choice but to put the others to sleep. Please forgive me."
"Oh?"
Laxus folded his arms.
"Mystogan, I thought you were just too shy to speak."
"So you can hold a conversation after all. What, did you refuse to talk before because you looked down on me?"
"My apologies. That was never my intention..."
Laxus truly possessed an unmatched talent for provoking people.
Mystogan had barely spoken, yet Laxus had already started picking a fight.
Marshall wasn’t particularly pleased with him either.
The man had entered without warning and cast a spell on every member of the guild.
What if he had been stronger and decided to do something far worse?
Marshall’s eyes deepened.
He surveyed the guildhall and snapped his fingers.
Every unconscious guild member vanished, transferred into a separate spatial dimension.
The other three stared at him in surprise.
"There."
Marshall smiled faintly.
"Now we can talk without anyone overhearing us."
Laxus gave an exaggerated grin.
"Not bad, Marshall! Your Spatial Magic has improved."
"I suppose I can finally acknowledge you as one of my companions."
"Are you an idiot?"
Marshall gave him a flat look.
"You’re already an adult, Laxus. Aren’t you embarrassed to say something that childish?"
"Hah? You rotten little brat—"
Makarov chuckled silently before raising a hand to stop them.
"That’s enough."
He turned toward Mystogan.
"You came here because you have something important to tell us, didn’t you?"
"Although you’ve always avoided revealing your past to the guild... I suspect this concerns that other world, Edolas. Am I correct?"
Marshall unintentionally caught the name that crossed Makarov’s thoughts.
Porlyusica.
He paused.
That’s right.
Porlyusica’s body contained no magic power either.
Could she also be...?
"That is correct."
Mystogan lowered his head.
"I originally intended to keep this secret from everyone."
"But since... Marshall has already visited that world, there is no longer any reason to hide the truth."
Mystogan removed his hood and unwrapped the cloth covering his face.
A face Marshall knew extremely well appeared beneath it.
"Siegrain?!"
"...The person you met was probably this world’s version of me."
Mystogan looked slightly uncomfortable.
"My true name is Jellal."
"Wait—you’re that Jellal?!"
Marshall was shocked twice in quick succession.
His reaction startled even Mystogan.
"You know my counterpart in this world too?"
"I’m certain that I do."
Marshall stared at him carefully.
"But what about Erza and Wendy? Do you recognize them?"
"...I know the Erza from my world."
Mystogan paused.
"And I know Wendy from this one."
He lowered his gaze.
"Speaking of Wendy, I owe you my gratitude."
"When I first arrived in this world years ago, I found her lost in a forest. I was the one who entrusted her to Gildarts."
"I always felt guilty about leaving her behind. I never expected to find her again in this guild."
Mystogan drew a deep breath and spoke with solemn conviction.
"I come from Edolas."
"More specifically, I am the prince of the kingdom that has been using the super-subspace spell Anima to steal magic power from this world."
"I came to Earth Land for the sole purpose of stopping Anima."
"?!"
Mystogan concealed nothing further.
He explained his origin and everything he had done over the years.
"All this time, I have traveled from place to place, searching for every trace of Anima."
"Whenever I discovered one, I secretly disrupted the spell before it could fully activate."
"My goal was partly to protect Earth Land from being harmed."
"But I also hoped that if the Magic Council eventually discovered what my kingdom was doing, it would create a powerful enemy capable of forcing my father to stop."
Mystogan turned toward everyone and bowed deeply.
"One month ago, I failed to prevent the activation of a small Anima."
"That failure caused Lisanna of your guild to be dragged into Edolas."
"I bear significant responsibility for what happened, and I am truly sorry."
He remained bowed.
"However, I have one deeply selfish request."
"Could you please refrain from reporting the truth about Edolas to the Magic Council?"
"I have always opposed my father’s policies."
"Edolas is a world starved of magic power. It cannot possibly defeat Earth Land, where magic is abundant and powerful Mages are everywhere."
"My father’s plan will only lead our kingdom—and perhaps our entire world—to destruction."
Mystogan raised his head.
"I want to resolve this conflict through my own efforts before the two worlds are driven into war."
"I am willing to pay any price necessary."
"Please... give me one chance!"
"..."
Laxus scoffed disdainfully.
"Boring."
"What your kingdom is doing is nothing more than theft."
"And that pathetic country is supposed to be the strongest nation in your world?"
He cracked his knuckles.
"Your father’s plan was doomed from the beginning."
"Does he really think the Mages of Earth Land will simply stand around and let him steal our power?"
Laxus didn’t believe some super-subspace spell could instantly drain enormous amounts of life and magic from the land.
If he ever encountered such a spell, he would simply smash it apart with one punch.
Makarov’s brows knitted tightly.
As one of the Ten Wizard Saints, he was obligated to report any threat capable of endangering the continent.
But Mystogan was also a member of Fairy Tail.
For the moment, Makarov couldn’t think of a solution that protected both worlds without betraying one of his children.
Marshall, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes and quietly listened to Mystogan’s thoughts.
Mystogan hadn’t lied.
His experiences also answered several of Marshall’s lingering questions.
But if everything Mystogan had revealed represented the full extent of his preparations, then there was no chance Marshall would support such a naive plan.
Therefore, Marshall’s answer was—
"I agree."