At the guild headquarters of "Fairy Tail", the members who successfully won the "Snow Mountain Combat" not long ago are having a celebration party even more excited than usual.
Because this time, not only were their guild members unscathed, but even the troops they organized had no casualties. It can be said to be a perfect victory in the true sense.
But while everyone was celebrating, one of the 'protagonists' was not so happy.
"...Mavis?"
After hanging a certain blond idiot to the ceiling, the brown-haired girl who had just returned from a joint meeting that the guild leaders had to attend came to her friend's side.
Although there was a faint smile on the little guy's face, Zella understood that it was because she was happy that her guildmates had returned safely again, and it was not her true thoughts at all.
Those big green eyes showed not only relief, but also an emotional color called 'confusion'.
"..."
"Zera...how many people died in this battle?"
Mavis swayed on her feet and lowered her head, making a weak sound.
One decision can sometimes cost the lives of hundreds or thousands of people, putting a kind-hearted girl under tremendous pressure and burden.
"...Mavis, this is war..."
"Well...I know..."
Sighing softly, Zella understood Mavis's thoughts very well.
To be honest, she was tired of this endless battle.
The purpose of establishing this guild was clearly not to do these things.
But the tide of the times often makes them unable to control themselves.
In addition, the 'injuries' on both of them still have some sequelae, so even if Zella had any ideas, she would not dare to take Mabis to do anything wrong.
"...When will this war end..."
"I want... to start a real adventure as soon as possible..."
Pouting her little mouth, Mavis' dissatisfied murmur came again.
(…)
(It’s also... war, it can’t be considered an adventure anyway...)
I feel the same way, and the feather-eared girl’s words also express Zera’s feelings.
The method of "going back" did not appear, the physical problems were not solved, and the life I wanted was not lived.
Apart from the fact that his magic practice is commendable, it is far from being able to challenge the top experts in this world.
Thinking about it this way, she felt that she might have failed as a reborn person...
well……
Feeling inexplicably lost, the brown-haired girl silently began to think about life...
(...That's right! That's good...)
A sudden inspiration flashed by, and Zella suddenly looked at the figure of the girl who grew up with her.
"Mavis, after this war is over, please go back to 'Sirius Island'."
"Just the two of us."
She remembered.
When you feel confused, you still have to go back to where you started.
"...!"
"..."
"Um!"
From surprise to understanding, the feather-eared girl immediately understood what her friend was thinking.
It feels like I haven’t been back for a long time. It’s their ‘home’ there...
After exchanging glances, the two people, whose mood improved, looked at each other and smiled.
The night at the end of winter was mixed with bursts of cold wind, and the scattered snow by the lake added a bit of frosty aftertaste, but it still couldn't take away the excitement and warmth surrounding this guild.
In April of X688, in order to ensure victory in this war over trade rights, lords from various places began to sign comprehensive employment agreements with the magician guilds in the cities under their jurisdiction.
At that time, people did not realize how much impact a magician who could use magic of mass destruction would have on the war situation.
Since then, the Kingdom of Fiore, which is famous for its blooming flowers, has been completely involved in the flames of war, and death and fighting have become the main theme of every day here.
In May of the same year, the troops organized into the Magisters' Guild "Fairy Tail", under the command of a girl with feather ears, recaptured the station of "Hirotsumon" with a strength difference that was less than three times that of the enemy.
, became the first battle that established the name of "Fairy Strategist".
In August, the elite raiding team headed by Yuri Dolea successfully broke through the blockade of "Onibasi", a town stationed by the hostile magicians' guild, and defeated hundreds of magicians from the opponent's guild, including the guild leader.
A soldier who shines brilliantly on the battlefield.
In October, the team led by Precito Gelberg and Warlord Schinken was ambushed by the hostile Magisters' Guild on their way back and were besieged at "Gunuki Station". The situation was critical.
Then, the guild leader personally took action, relying on the ability of "flying" and the mysterious fire magic to conduct aerial combat to rescue the siege, and then directly penetrated the opponent's rear in one go, rewriting the entire battle situation, "He Yan"
The name spread like wildfire.
In January of X689, the girl known as the "Fairy Strategist" accurately calculated the enemy's plan to launch a sneak attack from the snowy mountain road of "Hakko Bay Mountain", and took advantage of the terrain to conduct an unprecedented "battle without casualties".
The heaviest chips were placed on the balance of victory on the entire southwest front.
After only participating in the war for one year, the originally unknown new Mage Guild "Fairy Tail" has repeatedly performed extraordinary feats, guiding the originally disadvantaged side that hired them onto the road to victory.
However, with such brilliant results in such a short period of time, Zera and her guild will naturally be jealous and hated by those who are interested.
This includes not only the hostile parties, but also the so-called 'ally guilds' on the same front...
——X689, the war zone in the northern part of "Oxibana".
"Well...here...here...and here..."
"Mr. Commander, please convey this message and ask the troops on the right to withdraw."
"——?!"
Taking a posture that he had thought carefully about, Mavis pointed at the drawing depicting the battlefield and gave an instruction that surprised the armored soldiers around him.
"What on earth are you talking about?! Haven't the enemies there already fled?! Now is a good opportunity to pursue the victory!"
The soldier captain who was 'deceived' by Mavis' appearance was not willing to believe the words of a little girl easily.
The "goblin strategist" must have been exaggerated!
"That's a trap."
Not caring about other people's opinions, the feather-eared girl explained the reasons for her judgment to the troop leader word for word.
After only mentioning the third item, this guy turned pale and ran out, shouting the name of his herald.
"call……"
After breathing a sigh of relief, the little guy's expression became serious again, and he began to arrange the information and battle situation he had obtained in his mind.
She was always a little uneasy about this battle.
And as the battle unfolds, something becomes more and more inconsistent.
(Strange...how come there are only this few people here...and the route indicated in the intelligence is wrong...)
(Number of people... changes in location... route of withdrawal... Hmm! No! Could it be that?!)
Is there a problem with the information?!
After circling all the doubts and inconsistencies, the weird feeling that had always been there finally became clear in Mavis' mind.
What's more important is that when these seemingly 'tiny mistakes' all come together, they all point to one place.
That is the battlefield where their "Fairy Tail" guild leader, Zera, is. (To be continued)