At the Magic Council's headquarters, ERA, the councilors convened to discuss the recent events.
"Eliminating Eisenwald is a small step, but it doesn't solve the larger problem. Dark guilds are everywhere," one councilor noted gravely.
"Then we need a strategy to wipe them out entirely," another suggested.
"How do we do that? If someone else gets hold of Zeref's magic in the future, it'll be catastrophic," Ogg replied, holding the re-sealed 'Curse Song' flute, now cracked and weakened.
"It's odd that such powerful magic was so easily accessible," remarked Siegrain, casting a side glance at the others.
Siegrain smirked, "This time, we have Fairy Tail to thank, the guild that usually causes us so many headaches."
Ultear covered her mouth, chuckling, "Impressive. Defeating an entire guild with only four members."
The room fell silent. Despite their usual disdain for Fairy Tail, the council couldn't deny the guild's impact.
"Whether we like it or not, it's a fact. If the Curse Song plan had succeeded, the consequences would have been unimaginable, possibly even deadly for some of us," another councilor admitted.
Ogg slammed his fist on the table. "What! Are you saying that we're somehow to blame for this?"
Michelo added angrily, "Ridiculous! Those Fairy Tail delinquents are out of control, and the mess they've caused this time has made things miserable for us!"
"Regardless of their faults, Fairy Tail has done some good," Siegrain pointed out. "For instance, the human trafficking incident in Hargeon—perhaps it's time to set aside our biases and acknowledge their efforts."
Soon, the meeting concluded, and the councilors departed, some clearly disgruntled by Fairy Tail's rare praise.
Chikrain returned to his office and reviewed the interrogation reports, a faint smile crossing his lips. "The 'Undead Demon Emperor' Su Yan… Don't get in my way. Otherwise, I'll make sure you die for real."
******
The Eisenwald incident shook the entire magic world, not because of the guild's strength but because they had aimed to massacre the leaders of all local guilds. If they had succeeded, it would have devastated both the Council and the legitimate guilds.
In an unusual turn, magic critics commended Fairy Tail's role in preventing the disaster. The guild's fame soared.
At the Fairy Tail Guild:
"Su Yan! Erza! Natsu! Happy! You all just left me there!" Lucy yelled, venting her frustration.
Su Yan and the others looked slightly sheepish. They'd run off, leaving Lucy—who'd been in the background the whole time—to be caught by the Magic Council, detained, and interrogated for three days. Though unhurt, being treated like a prisoner had been exhausting.
In Fairy Tail, the unwritten rule for survival was clear: if the Rune Knights or military showed up, run. Don't get caught, or you'd face endless questioning, regardless of your actual involvement. Veteran members like Su Yan, Erza, and Natsu were old hands at dodging capture; in the chaos, they'd completely forgotten that Lucy, a newcomer, was still with them.
"Well, consider this a lesson learned," Su Yan patted Lucy's shoulder. "Next time, you'll know to make a run for it."
Lucy groaned. "I'd rather not go through that again!"
"Lucy, let's pick a new quest! Let's do something together!" Natsu said cheerfully, already excited for the next adventure.
"Aye, sir!"
Lucy waved her hands, backing away. "No, no, team dismissed! I'm not risking another round with the Rune Knights!"
Gray chuckled. "Lucy, you're quite the celebrity now—destroying trains, taking down Eisenwald single-handedly. They're calling you 'Iron Woman'!"
"I didn't do any of that!"
Everyone burst into laughter. They all knew Lucy hadn't done half of what the rumors claimed; they were just teasing her.
"Huh?" Makarov suddenly frowned, his eyes narrowing.
"What's wrong, Master?" Mira asked.
Makarov rubbed his temples. "I… feel a bit sleepy."
Su Yan felt it too, a sudden drowsiness, but with a pulse of energy, he shook it off, maintaining his usual focus.
"Ah…" Mira let out a soft sigh and slumped to the floor, fast asleep.
One by one, the guild members dozed off, their heads dropping onto tables and floors. Only Makarov and Su Yan remained awake, sensing something unusual.
*Tap, tap, tap.*
Footsteps echoed softly as a cloaked figure stepped into the guild hall.
"Mystogan."