A magic merchant infiltrating Fairy Tail

Hearing such humiliating words, Lucy's gaze toward Brandish became strange.

The feeling of "your master is someone else's" must be incredibly painful, right? It sounds like being a pathetic creature at the very bottom of the food chain!

Brandish knelt on the ground, her posture incredibly humble: "But... even so... I cannot forgive Leila for killing my mother..."

Her voice trembled slightly, whether from resentment at Leila or excitement at seeing Aquaria, it was hard to tell.

“Lucy is not Leila...and Leila was not the one who killed your mother.”

After speaking, Aquard immediately showed the two the "Star Memory," a space woven by many Star Spirits in the Star Spirit Realm to store Star Spirit memories.

Under the magic, Lucy and Brandish found that their environment had changed drastically. They seemed to have been taken by Aquaria to a space where they were surrounded by darkness, and they were transformed into mermaids similar to Aquaria, except that they were not wearing clothes or pants, and were only wearing a bra.

Soon, Aquarius led the two on a tour of the Treasure Trove of Memories.

They saw Anna opening the gate to the solar eclipse four hundred years ago, they saw the first Dragon Slayer mage who traveled to X777, they saw Leila collecting the Celestial Spirit Keys to open the gate, and they saw her suffering from magic deficiency due to the lack of Aquarius...

Until the very end, we see Zudir, consumed by rage over Leila's death, killing Grammy.

When the truth came out, Brandish realized her mistake and was filled with remorse, shame, and sadness. She could only hide the embarrassment of the misunderstanding by bursting into tears.

Lucy thoughtfully gave her a hug and invited her to be friends.

The crisis was over, but Lucy's heart was far from at peace.

So Natsu and his friends traveled from 400 years in the past to defeat Acnologia?! Time travel actually exists?! I thought this kind of plot only existed in light novels and manga…

So Natsu and I traveled through time... no, no, not to that extent yet.

Should I tell anyone else about this? It must feel terrible to suddenly be burdened with this kind of mission, right? But if it's Igneel's request, then I should do it.

Speaking of which, Acnologia was banished to an unknown space by Kira a year ago and has not been found since. Does that mean their mission is complete?

And, most importantly… Zeref was involved in this! Why was he involved? Did he establish the Alvarez Empire to deal with Acnologia?

Just as Lucy's thoughts were racing and Brandish was secretly wiping her tears, snot, and saliva all over Lucy, a loud shout suddenly rang in their ears.

"What are you two doing?!"

Three minutes ago, Timaria, who had finally resolved the "garrisoning of troops on Galakrond Island" issue, arrived at the cell where the "Fairy Tail" group was imprisoned, humming an unknown tune. She was preparing to interrogate Erza and Wendy and do some "female mage torture" or something similar when she learned that Lucy had been taken away by Brandish and had not returned.

Blantish interrogates prisoners?

The sun rose in the west?! How could that be?! That lazybones would never bother with something like that!!

"Damn it!! What is their relationship?!"

Timalia rushed to Brandish's room. She knew, of course, that Lucy was no match for her Randy, but she was afraid that if she was even a second too late, something unacceptable might happen.

Finally, she arrived at the door of the room and heard a voice coming from inside.

"We can be friends from now on... just like Mom and the others!"

Then came Blantish's heart-wrenching cries.

Timalia's eyes widened in disbelief. Having known Brantish for years, she had never seen her cry once, making it even more incredulous: What were they talking about? Becoming friends?! Like a mother?! I was only gone for a few minutes, how could they have developed this kind of relationship?

Randy's mother died years ago, didn't she? Didn't she start learning magic from Old Man August when she was very young? Didn't she never go to Ishgard? Who is this woman who suddenly appeared?! Why is she hugging my Randy?!

Whether it's getting to know Randy, becoming best friends with her, or even doing missions together, I was the one who did it all first!

Inside the door, two people stood chest to chest, their hearts intertwined; outside, a man stood blankly, his face contorted with despair.

This situation is just as classic as a husband catching his wife cheating or a childhood sweetheart having an affair.

If this scene had been painted, it would have quickly become a sensation throughout the Alvarez Empire, a masterpiece that would be 'timeless classics'. Unfortunately, there was no master painter with the superb skills of Ridzaso here, and the art world lost a great treasure.

"Timalia?!"

Brandish stepped out of Lucy's arms, wondering why her colleague was so angry. "What's wrong with you?"

She clearly hasn't realized the seriousness of the problem.

What's wrong? You actually asked me what's wrong? Don't you have any idea whose arms you just got out of?! No... it's not Randy's fault, she's just young and naive, and got tricked.

Blame this woman!

At this moment, Timalia had only one thought in her mind: take Lucy back and discipline her properly!

Lucy felt a chill run down her spine, her hair standing on end: Why did she suddenly feel a sense of malice...?

Chapter 500 Traveling Merchants in the Western Continent

Oh no! Timalia is angry!

Three-quarters of a second later, Brandish sensed her best friend's anger.

That's strange... Why is she angry?

However, the current situation does not allow her to think too much, because if Timalia really wants to do something to Lucy, she can do it in an instant, and she will not be able to stop her at all!

"Don't make a move! She's mine now... um... mine..."

Brandish hesitated for a long time, her face even flushing slightly, but in the end she still didn't say the word 'friend'.

She's yours?!

Timalia stared, dumbfounded, as if struck by lightning: 'You've never said anything so intimate to me before… She's yours, so what am I?! Damn it!!!'

The sudden surge of magical power completely bewildered Lucy: Brandish's hostility towards her stemmed from her suspicions about her mother's death, but why was this person so hostile towards her? Shouldn't she be looking for Erza? I think those two are the real rivals...

Timalia ultimately didn't fight because Brantish pleaded with Lucy, and she couldn't refuse her request.

However, she did not release Lucy and the others, but instead kept them in prison, waiting to be taken back to the capital for August to make a decision.

The reason given was still the same: they suspected that they were spies who had infiltrated the Kingdom of Fiore.

Everyone knows that this reason is completely unreasonable, because the Fairy Tail group didn't even cross the border of the Alvarez Empire, but who can blame them for being so powerful?

"Just consider it a ride with the wind. I'll take good care of the key."

Brandish took Lucy back to the cell, instructing the guards to feed and care for her for the next few days, before strutting away.

She wanted to relive the games she played with Aquarius.

……

The Alvarez Empire, a bustling town.

On the main street, a young and handsome boy was sitting at a roadside stall, calling out his wares. The boy claimed to be from Ishgar, a traveling merchant who had only been in the city for three days.

The boy had a head of flowing, smooth, shoulder-length red hair, which was quite striking, because Lady Irene, who lived in this city, also had red hair, and apart from her, almost no one else here had red hair.

The boy also had a pair of alluring, sky-blue eyes, like gemstones, with crystal-clear gaze. Coupled with his long, delicate hands and straight, upright posture, even though he was wearing a slightly worn brown turban, it couldn't hide his youthful, sunny, and energetic spirit. This immediately won the hearts of the local residents who rarely went out.

Outsiders are always attractive, and this time it was a handsome young man. Many young and beautiful girls couldn't help but go up and talk to him. They found that he was not only good-looking, but also knowledgeable and witty. Their hearts were filled with excitement and their goodwill soared.

After making some inquiries, it was learned that the boy had lost both his parents when he was young and had a life of wandering. When he was a little older, he became a traveling merchant who traveled all over the world. By the age of twenty, he had traveled all over Ishgar.

Later, due to the economic depression, they purchased a batch of novel goods and sailed to the Alvarez Empire to sell them, while also getting to know the country's customs and culture.

The goods he sells are also quite unique. Most of them are interesting magical toys that are very popular with children. In addition, there are some exquisite and novel jewelry that attract many girls to stop and look. There are also some light novels and comics that are said to be very popular in Ishgar, which are the favorites of chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) teenagers.

His extraordinary experiences, witty conversation, elegant demeanor, wealth, and good looks attracted a large number of passionate and unrestrained women in the empire within just a few days. Some were even bold enough to directly propose to him, but unfortunately, the young merchant politely declined them all.

This boy was none other than Kira. Today was his fifth day in the city, and the reason he was here was naturally for the most famous and powerful person in the town.

Erin Belserion!

Unfortunately, when Kira arrived, he discovered that Irene... wasn't home!

After making some inquiries, I learned that she was on a business trip, conducting a routine inspection in a nearby town, which was her duty as a member of the Twelve Shields.

In order to carry out his plan to abduct Eileen, Kira had no choice but to stay here and wait for her to return. However, he didn't have much currency from the Alvarez Empire on him, so he had to go back to his old ways to make money. Unexpectedly, the business of magical items became incredibly popular.

I really underestimated how handsome I am!

"The girls from the Western Continent are dressed so hot and sexy! No wonder Bisca still dresses like that in the guild after she got married. It turns out that people here are so unrestrained from childhood to adulthood."

"This kind of traditional culture, which is clearly the essence rather than the dross, should be inherited and promoted, and vigorously spread across the three continents and even other worlds!!"

On the street, Kira sat on his mobile stall, a faint smile on his face, giving people a feeling of warmth and comfort.

He muttered to himself as he drew pictures of passersby on a wooden board with a charcoal pencil in hand—come on, as a proper traveling merchant, drawing pictures of beautiful women and playing musical instruments are basic skills, okay?

Kira's paintings are the kind that don't require the other person's permission, but he doesn't charge money or show them to anyone.

This behavior is not perverted, because it is art!

Since it wasn't used for profit, it naturally didn't infringe on portrait rights. And since it wasn't meant for public viewing, Kira's paintings naturally had to be bolder (boldness leads to progress) and more explicit (realism is the essence of painting). Combined with the elegant and refined cultural atmosphere, the enthusiastic and unrestrained clothing and accessories, and a relaxed and joyful sense of life like "the local citizens are living well," a vibrant and uplifting black-and-white painting was completed.

After a long while, Kira put down his pen, looked at his masterpiece on the wooden board, and frowned: "Hmm... isn't this a bit too exaggerated? The proportions look very unbalanced... people will probably think that such an exaggerated figure doesn't exist in reality..."

Thinking this, Kira looked up again at the coffee shop across the street, at the waitress dressed in a maid outfit who was busy at work.

He carefully compared the figures in the air several times with his pen before he was relieved: "No, no... I drew it based on someone else's body shape. People who say such things are completely ignorant! They've never seen a real treasure!"

The maid opposite seemed to notice Kira's gaze. After turning her head to look in Kira's direction for a few seconds, she blushed instantly and shyly buried her head in her chest.

Kira's gaze never left her, so it was clear that she would secretly turn her head to peek at her every now and then before continuing to work. However, perhaps because she realized that she was still being watched, she became increasingly flustered, which even drew scolding and ridicule from the other waiters.

"It seems that not all girls in the Western Continent are passionate and outgoing..."

But I like it!

Kira had no doubt that once she got off work, he could easily persuade her to buy things from him. The thought of his business thriving even in a foreign country made Kira's smile grow even wider.

"Speaking of which... I wonder how Urudia and Selene are doing? They haven't even sent a message back..."

To ensure the smooth progress of their plan, Ultear and Selene went to other nearby towns two days ago to gather information, but Kira strongly suspected that they had gone shopping!

The reason I had this idea is because that's what they did when they were here!

Two grown women, unable to even run a business, needing Kira to support them—what kind of world is this?!

Just as Kira was feeling indignant, an excited shout rang out in the street.

"Lady Irene is back!!!"

Kira's eyes snapped open, his spirits lifted, and he stood up to look in the direction the sound came from.

I finally waited for you, but fortunately I didn't give up!