Chapter 152: FTRJ: Chapter 152
Chairs and tables lay scattered in disarray, a clear testament to the ferocity of the brawl that had just taken place. Finn, feeling a sharp
Chairs and tables lay scattered in disarray, a clear testament to the ferocity of the brawl that had just taken place.
Finn, feeling a sharp scratch against his hand, slowly opened his eyes. He looked down at the two girls nestled in his arms: Mirajane and Erza, with Nancy cradled in Mirajane’s embrace. All three were fast asleep.
The scratchy sensation came from Erza’s armor. However, seemingly accustomed to the discomfort, Erza remained undisturbed, her arms wrapped securely around Finn’s waist, her head resting gently against his chest. Her breathing was slow and even.
Finn gently brushed aside a strand of crimson hair that had fallen across Erza’s lips, a faint smile playing on his own lips as he gazed at her exquisite features.
"Finn..." a soft murmur suddenly broke the silence.
Finn turned his attention to the other girl in his arms, Mirajane, who seemed to be whispering softly in her sleep. Her tightly closed eyes confirmed that she was not awake, merely mumbling in her slumber.
"Finn..." another soft murmur.
Finn unconsciously lowered his head, his curiosity piqued, eager to hear what Mirajane might be saying. It wasn’t long before he heard her murmuring again.
"Finn... I love you... so much..."
"So much..." she repeated, her voice barely a whisper.
At the sound of Mirajane’s heartfelt confession, Finn froze, a look of surprise and delight dawning on his face.
He then leaned back against an overturned table, a broad, uncontrollable smile spreading across his features.
In that moment, Finn felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude and fortune. He felt incredibly lucky to have encountered Gildarts, to have found a home in the Fairy Tail guild, to have the unwavering support and concern of Makarov, to be surrounded by companions who were more like family than mere friends, and to be cherished by two remarkable women who loved him deeply.
There were times when Finn found himself pondering whether he had somehow saved the galaxy in a previous life to have been blessed with such extraordinary good fortune.
Shaking his head slightly, Finn tightened his embrace around the sleeping girls in his arms. Although Erza’s armor was somewhat cold and uncomfortable against his skin, Finn’s heart was filled with an intense warmth.
...
Time passed swiftly. Several days had elapsed since Finn and the others had returned from Edolas. During these past few days, the entire town of Magnolia had been enveloped by an unprecedented heatwave. The temperatures had soared to unprecedented levels, casting a stifling blanket of intense heat over the entire town.
Due to the oppressive heat, the usually boisterous Fairy Tail guildhall was unusually quiet. This was also partly due to the fact that fewer guild members than usual were present at the guildhall.
Lucy, looking listless and dejected, slumped over the bar counter, clad in a short-sleeved shirt, one hand continuously fanning herself in a desperate attempt to alleviate the intense heat.
Despite her efforts, her mind kept wandering back to the events of the previous night. A slightly inebriated Cana had unexpectedly appeared in her bathroom, confiding in her about her desire to leave the guild.
The despondency etched upon Cana’s face left Lucy with no doubt that she was genuinely contemplating leaving the guild, yet Cana remained tight-lipped about the reasons behind her sudden decision.
Lucy was utterly perplexed. Having been a member of the guild for six months, she was well aware that Cana was one of the oldest members amongst their peers, even predating Finn’s membership.
Logically, Cana should possess a deeper connection and affection for Fairy Tail than anyone else. Yet, here she was, expressing a desire to leave the guild that had been her home for so long.
Unable to comprehend Cana’s sudden change of heart, Lucy decided to seek clarification from Mirajane, making her way to the guildhall and recounting the events to Mirajane.
Upon hearing Lucy’s account, Mirajane simply offered a gentle smile.
"Don’t worry, it’s nothing to be concerned about. Every year, around this time, Cana expresses her desire to leave the guild," Mirajane said calmly.
"Eh?!"
Lucy’s eyes widened in surprise, realizing that this was apparently not an isolated incident.
"So, what time of year is it exactly?" Lucy asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Is there some kind of large-scale event or festival taking place?" she added, attempting to make sense of the situation.
"Off to work! Off to work!"
"Aye!"
Before Mirajane had a chance to respond, Natsu and Happy burst into the guildhall, their faces flushed with urgency, clutching a job request in their hands.
"Ara ara, even you’re sweating profusely! Perhaps you should take a break?" Mirajane said, her voice laced with gentle concern, as she accepted the job request, registered it, and then promptly handed it over to Natsu.
"No need, the weather suddenly got this hot for some reason," Natsu grumbled, his voice filled with annoyance before turning and rushing out of the guildhall with Happy hot on his heels.
"Wait, I’ll come with you on the job!" Lucy called out, attempting to stop Natsu, reminding him that they were supposed to be working together as a team.
Natsu, without even turning his head, responded curtly, "Sorry, but I work alone during this particular time of year."
"Aye, we’ll catch up with you later!" Happy added, echoing Natsu’s words before disappearing out of the guildhall.
"So hot! So hot! I’m back!"
Just as Natsu and Happy had departed, Gray, his upper body bare, burst into the guildhall, clutching two job requests in his hands.
"This job’s done. I’m taking the next one," Gray announced, his voice brimming with energy.
Upon reaching the bar counter, Gray promptly handed over the two job requests to Mirajane—one representing a recently completed job and the other a new job he was about to undertake.
"Welcome back. Where’s your shirt?" Mirajane asked, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she noticed Gray’s lack of attire.
"Too hot. Clothes are optional," Gray retorted, his voice laced with a hint of playful defiance before snatching the job request from Mirajane’s hand and rushing out of the guildhall.
"Be careful out there," Mirajane said with a gentle smile, waving farewell to Gray.
"He left so fast?" Lucy stared, completely bewildered by the sudden departure of Gray.
"Sister, I’ll take this job!" Elfman suddenly appeared, his voice filled with unrestrained enthusiasm.
"Job... I’m going on a job!"
"I’ll take this job!"
"Hey, I saw it first, you brat!"
"I don’t care!"
"Our team’s temporarily disbanded for this period!"
One after another, job requests were snatched from the board, with guild members gathering around Mirajane, their voices rising in a cacophony of shouts and demands.
Even those who usually worked together as teams were now dissolving their partnerships, engaging in heated arguments over the allocation of jobs.
Lucy, who had been enjoying a pleasant conversation with Mirajane, was abruptly shoved aside by the surging crowd, leaving her shivering and feeling utterly overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the situation.
"What on earth is going on here? Even this sweltering heat can’t stop them?" Lucy muttered to herself, her arms wrapped tightly around her body as she tried to make sense of the chaotic scene unfolding before her.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the frenzied crowd dispersed, leaving the guildhall in relative peace. Mirajane, having spent the better part of the day attending to the relentless influx of job requests, finally had a moment to catch her breath and relax.
Noticing Mirajane’s brief respite, Lucy seized the opportunity to approach her. Pointing towards the guild’s entrance, which was now swinging gently in the breeze, Lucy posed her question.
"What on earth was all that about?"
Mirajane took a refreshing sip of water, moistening her throat, which had become parched from the incessant talking. After a brief pause, she responded cryptically.
"You’ll understand in a few days," Mirajane said, choosing to withhold the explanation for the time being.
Instead of providing a direct answer, Mirajane opted to leave Lucy hanging, her curiosity piqued even further.
"Hearing you say that makes me even more curious!" Lucy exclaimed, her voice brimming with anticipation.
"Eh?" Lucy suddenly frowned, as if a thought had just occurred to her.
"Speaking of which," she continued, her voice laced with a hint of concern, "where’s Finn been these past couple of days? Nancy’s here at the guild, so it’s not like he’s off on a job with her, is it?"
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