"Things are starting to get complicated."
"Between Irene and Selene, who's more beautiful?"
"This feels like a loaded question."
"No matter how I answer, the outcome will be awful."
Ian first glanced at Selene, who had suddenly appeared on stage, looking otherworldly, like a goddess descended from the heavens. Then, he turned to Irene, who stood close behind him, as beautiful as a blossoming rose.
He could feel the tense, explosive atmosphere between Irene and Selene. The slightest misstep could lead to a public brawl between the two.
Of course, Ian wasn't worried about either woman ending up injured in a clash. His main concern was the potential collateral damage to his fellow members of Fairy Tail, the residents of Magnolia, and possibly even the millions across the kingdom of Fiore.
Yes, things had escalated to the point of risking the kingdom's fate.
To others, this question might seem subjective, but to Ian, it was a matter of answering in a way that would leave both Irene and Selene satisfied—and hopefully avoid a battle.
Both Irene and Selene's magical prowess could easily cover the entire kingdom. With just a thought, they could wipe Fiore off the map, leaving it nothing but dust and ash.
Such was the power of the "God Dragons."
For Ian, a "Heavenly King," there was little difference between him and the ordinary residents of Magnolia or even the insects crawling on the ground. They could survive only slightly longer under the residual shockwaves—or die just as quickly.
"Ian, come on, answer me~!"
Don't you want to stay by my side forever?"
"In my palace, I've prepared three hundred thousand beauties just for you~"
Selene's alluring gaze shimmered with innocence, her voice soft and inviting, making him feel as though he was bathing in moonlight. Ian felt his stomach tighten, a burning desire rising within him.
"Three hundred thousand?"
"You've got to be kidding…"
Before Ian could respond, everyone else in the room was already speechless.
What kind of concept was "three hundred thousand beauties"? Fiore's population was only seventeen million, so to gather three hundred thousand women for a harem would mean capturing a significant fraction of the kingdom—essentially the size of a town!
"No kidding~"
"I conquered an entire world for you, Ian~"
Selene's smile was innocent, but her words sent chills through everyone present.
"Conquered an entire world?"
"What kind of world?"
The crowd struggled to comprehend how this "entire world" she mentioned compared to their own.
After all, most residents of Magnolia hadn't even left town, and nearly everyone hadn't traveled outside of Fiore, let alone beyond the continent of Ishgar.
And Selene spoke of "worlds" as if it were nothing!
"Oh, it's the world of Elentear, almost identical to your world of Earthland."
Selene smiled sweetly, but her words felt as cold as standing naked in sub-zero temperature.
The entire guild hall fell silent as everyone took in the magnitude of her power.
For them, both Irene and Selene might as well be gods.
"Stay calm."
"Don't fall for this sly fox's tricks."
"This isn't a simulation or a dream—this is real."
After a brief moment of fogginess, Ian's eyes regained clarity as he bit his lip, forcing himself to stay grounded. Above all, he reminded himself not to make any mistakes in front of Irene.
"Ian, just answer her and end this."
Just as Ian was struggling against Selene's temptations, Irene, who had been silently standing behind him, squeezed his hand. In an instant, his burning desire receded like a wave.
"Phew…"
Ian let out a sigh of relief and, glancing at Irene, gave her a firm nod. "Alright, I'll make things clear here and now."
"If we're talking about beauty, then, without question, Selene is an absolute beauty."
Ian glanced over at Selene on the stage, his voice filled with admiration. "Her beauty is like the moon reflected in water or a flower in a mirror—ethereal and mesmerizing, as if she were the full moon itself. She's the kind of beauty that should be celebrated with friends, a toast in hand."
"If I were judging this beauty contest for Fairy Tail's most beautiful, I'd declare Selene the unrivaled champion without hesitation, a beauty worthy of the title of goddess."
He locked eyes with Selene, his gaze deep and intense.
His stare was so intense it could make a brick wall swoon, as a certain famous actress once put it.
"It's…not that amazing."
Selene's cheeks flushed red, and despite her four hundred years of life, she found herself blushing like a young maiden meeting her true love for the first time.
"Now, Irene, are you convinced?"
After calming herself, Selene regained her usual confidence and grace, glancing provocatively at Irene.
"As for Irene…"
"Irene is like a crimson celestial maiden, a radiant red rose."
At this point, Ian paused, searching for the right words, then decided to quote an ancient verse by one of the greatest poets of old.
"Graceful as a startled swan, elegant as a dragon soaring. She shines like autumn chrysanthemums, vigorous like spring pines. Like clouds veiling the moon, like snow fluttering in the wind. From afar, she dazzles like the sun rising with morning light; up close, she's a lotus emerging from the clear waves."
With that, Ian gently held Irene's hand.
And then he stopped speaking.
As for who was more beautiful, Irene or Selene? That was a question he would never directly answer.
After a few moments of silence, everyone in the hall finally regained their senses.
In this world, which was a melting pot of cultures with magic rooted in ancient scripts, English, Japanese, Greek, and even Chinese characters, the mages and ordinary people understood the magnificence of Ian's recitation.
"Now I see why Ian married such a beautiful woman."
"Yeah… I'm convinced…"
The first to surrender were the top "romantics" of Fairy Tail, led by Wakaba and Macao. They knew they couldn't compete with Ian in eloquence.
Macao, especially, learned a valuable lesson: to charm a high-caliber woman, you first needed to be well-read.
"Ian, could we publish what you just said in our next issue of Sorcerer Magazine? Please, we'd love the copyright."
The reporter from Sorcerer Magazine rushed over, practically pleading.
"Sure, do as you please."
Ian waved nonchalantly, knowing full well the original rights lay with a poet who had been dead for nearly two thousand years. And since he himself was now in the world of Fairy Tail, who was to say that even someone as brilliant as that poet might not also exist somewhere here?
Ian had no idea how his casual statement would ripple through this world.
Meanwhile, Irene placed a gentle kiss on his cheek before stepping onto the stage. Facing Selene, she raised her chin defiantly and spoke coldly. "Do you see the difference between us? Seducing Ian might win his body, but you'll never have his heart."
"Do you think he's given you everything?"
"I didn't hear Ian say you're more beautiful than me…"
Selene tossed her long hair with a smirk. As a dragon, her understanding of culture was limited; she had barely understood Ian's praise, let alone the poetic reference. In her mind, she had already won.
"Did you not understand Ian's praise for me?"
Irene's cheeks flushed red.
The words Ian had spoken were so overwhelmingly beautiful she could hardly believe he'd said them.
Such words couldn't just describe a woman; they sounded like they belonged to a goddess.
"Phew…"
Ian wiped the sweat from his forehead, relieved to have survived the ordeal.
In Ian's eyes, they had both won. And if they both won, there would be no fight.
"Boom!"
Just then, a loud crash signaled the return of Gildarts, who had been blasted out of the guild hall by Irene earlier.
"Wow…"
"That punch from my sister-in-law really packed a punch," he said with a grin.
Gildarts felt a thrill he hadn't experienced in ages. He now saw hope for further growth, the realization that what he had thought was a dead end was simply the beginning of a new path.
Gildarts could not wait to improve himself.
"Oh?"
"Perhaps my last strike was a bit too gentle."
Irene raised her arm again, but this time, Gildarts was ready. He used his Crush magic, disintegrating her newly-formed magic circle into particles.
"You're weaker than before, dear sister-in-law."
Gildarts narrowed his eyes, prepared to go on the offensive.
"You must be Gildarts?"
Just as he prepared to advance, Selene looked him over with disdain.
"That's me."
Gildarts found himself at a loss for words in the face of her extraordinary beauty.
"It is you! You scoundrel who led Ian astray, prepare to die."
Selene disappeared in a flash and landed a powerful punch on Gildarts' stomach, sending him flying out of the guild hall once again.
"See you around, Gildarts."
Ian waved in acknowledgment as Gildarts flew off.
"Looks like our time is up."
Irene began to fade as she looked over at Selene. Both were mere projections, each using minimal magic power, and with even the slightest exertion, they began to dissipate.
She looked at Ian with a trace of regret and said, "Ian, because this old hag, Irene, set up an elaborate barrier outside Ishgar that took her over a century to complete, my true form cannot enter. But wait for me—I'll soon defeat Irene and bring you to Elentear."
"Not as long as I'm here, she won't be able to break through. I give you my word…"
And with that, Irene vanished.
After both projections had disappeared, guild master Makarov looked on in disbelief.
"Could those two who obliterated Gildarts really have been nothing but projections?"
"That's right."
Ian nodded, confirming Makarov's suspicions.
The fact was, ever since Irene had knocked out Gildarts, Ian had sensed something unusual. Had she been present in her true form, Gildarts would likely have faced far worse.
"So, now you all see…"
"You envy me for the beautiful women by my side."
"But the most beautiful flowers have the sharpest thorns."
Ian sighed.
People envied him for having Irene and Selene as his partners…
But they didn't realize that having such beautiful wives meant survival wasn't guaranteed.
"Now do you understand why I insist on training you so hard?"
"If you don't work hard, you might not survive the fallout."
Ian raised his head, gazing at his guild members.
Meanwhile, outside Ishgar…
High above the ocean, Irene and Selene's true forms faced each other.
"Selene, don't push your luck," Irene warned, clutching her staff.
"The unloved one is always the third wheel."
Selene sneered, unphased by Irene's glare.
"Excuse me?"
"You want to fight?"
They both bristled, a glimmer of ancient, potent magic swelling between them.
"Deus Sema!"
"Lunar Chapter!"
They released two massive orbs of destructive energy, each over ten kilometers wide, colliding with an explosion that split the sea and boiled the ocean.
But for Irene and Selene, this was nothing but a casual exchange, one they had repeated countless times over the centuries.
"Roar!!"
Just as they were about to escalate further, a dragon's roar echoed from the continent of Ishgar.
"It seems an uninvited guest has arrived~"
"Let's call it a day for now, then."
With a swirl of water, Selene activated her portal spell, "Aqua Area" to escape.
"Run all you want, just don't let Acnologia catch you."
With a sneer, Irene vanished as well.
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