Mira stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest.
She looked around, expecting to see fear or disgust in the eyes of her guildmates.
Instead, wherever her gaze landed, she was met with friendly, curious smiles.
"So this is what real demons look like," Erza murmured thoughtfully, pinching her chin as she inspected a villager with large, bat-like wings.
Her expression was one of pure analytical interest, devoid of any malice.
"Look, Kagura! They can fly!" Wendy exclaimed, pointing a small finger toward a group of villagers fluttering into the night sky.
Kagura followed her gaze, her eyes wide with wonder as she watched the silhouettes dancing against the moon.
Cana sat frozen with her wine glass halfway to her mouth, completely forgetting to swallow the juice she had just sipped.
Her eyes were wide, taking in the colorful array of horns, tails, and scales.
Even Laxus, who usually maintained a cool and indifferent facade, couldn't hide his surprise.
His eyes widened slightly; this was his first time seeing actual demons.
Although he tried to act unimpressed, the spark of curiosity in his eyes gave him away.
"COOOOOOL!!!"
An earth-shattering scream erupted from the crowd.
Natsu was vibrating with excitement.
He held two torches in his hands, mimicking claws, and narrowed his eyes into slits while baring his teeth to show a small fang.
"How?! How can it be so cool?!" Natsu yelled, hopping around a large, spiked villager. "I want horns like that! I want spikes like that too! Hey, do you think I can grow a tail if I eat enough fire?"
A series of black lines appeared on Gray's forehead as he watched the spectacle.
"That idiot... It's probably the first time in history a human has given a demon such a glowing review."
"Hahaha! This is certainly a first for us," Chief Moka laughed heartily, delighted by Natsu's enthusiastic reaction.
He rubbed his smooth, bald head, clearly pleased that their true forms hadn't sent the humans running in terror.
Raizel, sipping his drink, turned to the Chief. "Are there many tourists coming here now? I heard routes from Hargeon Port are opening up."
"It is a slow process," Moka explained, his voice gravelly but warm. "Some brave tourists come to visit the Moon Temple ruins. We have started trying to interact with them, though we strictly maintain our human disguises for now. We don't want to start a panic."
"Starting to interact is good enough," Raizel replied, raising his glass in a toast. "Trust is built one step at a time. To Chief Moka."
"To the Guild!" Moka returned the toast.
The bonfire party continued late into the night, filled with laughter and joy.
Natsu was completely in his element, arm-in-arm with Uncle Bobo, the gatekeeper.
They were playing a fierce game of rock-paper-scissors, though Natsu seemed more interested in examining Bobo's claws than winning the game.
Eventually, the villagers invited the Fairy Tail members to join in a traditional tap dance.
The rhythmic stomping and clapping echoed through the village, uniting humans and demons under the starlight.
...
As the fire burned low, the group decided it was time to move.
They had left their heavy luggage in the guest rooms, but no one planned to sleep in the village tonight.
They wanted to experience the ruins.
The men carried the sleeping bags and bedding on their backs—Raizel and Laxus, being the physically strongest, carried the bulk of the load.
The women carried the remaining food and drinks.
"We won't see you off, then," Uncle Bobo said, standing at the village gate and waving. "We cannot approach the Moon Temple due to the ancient laws, so you are on your own from here. Don't worry about your luggage; we'll take good care of it."
"Thanks, Uncle Bobo," Raizel said, patting his chest reassuringly. "We'll be back in the morning."
The group nodded to the villagers and turned north, heading into the dense forest that led to the Moon Temple.
Raizel had already informed Chief Moka during dinner of their plan to camp at the ruins, so the villagers weren't surprised.
It was the end of the year, X777.
The trees lining the path were bare, their skeletal branches reaching up like fingers.
Fallen leaves crunched rhythmically under their boots, and the sea breeze carried a distinct winter chill that nipped at their skin.
Raizel and Ultear took the lead, holding magical torches to light the path.
Laxus brought up the rear, ensuring no one lagged behind. In the middle, Ur held Wendy's hand tightly, while Lisanna kept a firm grip on Mira's hand, offering silent support.
Raizel could have easily used his flight magic to transport everyone to the temple in minutes, but that would have robbed them of the experience.
The journey, the conversation, and the atmosphere were just as important as the destination.
Upon entering the temple grounds, Raizel noted that it wasn't much different from his last visit years ago.
The ancient stone structures still stood tall and silent, though there were more chaotic footprints on the dusty ground—evidence of the tourists Moka had mentioned.
"Stay close behind me," Raizel called out, his voice echoing slightly against the stone walls. "The ruins are old and unstable in places."
He shot a stern look at the pink-haired boy bouncing with energy.
"Especially you, Natsu. No running, no jumping, and definitely no fire-breathing. Erza, keep an eye on him."
"Understood," Erza replied, her eyes sharpening as she locked onto Natsu.
Natsu gulped and immediately slowed down to a walk.
They smoothly made their way up to the main ceremonial platform.
It was a massive stone dais, more than spacious enough for their group of over ten people.
As long as no one decided to unleash an S-Class bombardment spell, the structure would hold.
On their way up, they had gathered plenty of dry branches.
Raizel arranged them into two separate campfires on either side of the platform to combat the chill.
With a snap of his fingers, the wood ignited, casting a warm, flickering orange glow against the ancient grey stones.
Since most of the group were minors, and neither Ur nor Raizel were particularly fond of alcohol, they stuck to juice and tea.
After laying out several bedrolls and blankets, everyone sat together in a large circle, the heat of the fire pushing back the cold night air.
Earlier in the village, surrounded by the festivities, they hadn't been able to freely discuss the elephant in the room: the demons.
Ultear, perceptive as always, had her suspicions about Raizel's true reason for suggesting this trip.
She glanced at Mira, then spoke up to break the silence.
"So," Ultear began, tilting her head toward Erza, who was seated beside her. "What do you think of the villagers, Erza?"
The group quieted down, listening.
"It was surprising at first," Erza admitted honestly, pinching her chin as she reflected on the winged villagers.
"But even though they are called demons, and they look like monsters... they didn't seem all that different from humans. They laughed, they danced, and they welcomed us."
"Exactly," Ur added, her gaze fixed gently on Mira's eyes across the firelight. "Whether they are human or demon isn't what matters. What's important is the heart. They hold goodwill toward people, and that makes them good."
Natsu, who was chewing on a piece of dried meat, suddenly spoke up.
"Rather than demons, wouldn't it be more accurate to call them angels?"
The group froze for a second, surprised by the sudden comment.
"They have wings, right?" Natsu continued with a grin. "And they're nice. So, they're angels."
Everyone smiled, nodding in agreement.
Even Gray, who usually took every opportunity to call Natsu an idiot, stayed silent.
He had to admit, the flame-brain had a point.
Mira sat silently, hugging her knees to her chest.
She listened to every word, her heart trembling.
Raizel watched her from across the fire. He knew she was absorbing their words.
Seeing a village of demons living peacefully, combined with her friends' acceptance, was chipping away at the walls she had built around herself.
...
While the others engaged in lively conversation about the ruins, Mira remained somewhat apart, lost in thought.
Raizel stood up and walked over to her.
He gently patted her shoulder and gestured to the far side of the platform, away from the group. He walked over to the stone railing and waited.
A moment later, Mira joined him.
The two stood side by side, gazing out at the endless, dark ocean illuminated by the moonlight.
"Mira," Raizel began, his voice low so only she could hear. "I know you're still resistant to the idea of Taking Over a demon."
He turned to look at her.
"That is one of the reasons I brought everyone to Galuna Island today."
Mira pressed her lips together tightly, her teeth biting her lower lip.
She clenched her right hand into a fist, hiding it in her sleeve. She looked like she wanted to argue, but the words wouldn't come out.
Raizel scratched the corner of his forehead, carefully weighing his words.
He needed to be precise.
"The main reason we came here was for you," he admitted. "I wanted you to see that being a 'demon' doesn't make you a monster. What matters is that you are human. You have your own thoughts, your own heart, and the ability to control your own power."
He leaned back against the stone railing, looking up at the stars.
"As long as you can control it and use that power in the right way—to protect yourself, to protect Lisanna and Elfman, to earn a living, and to create a better life—that's enough. The form that power takes isn't important. A claw is just a tool, Mira."
After this long speech, Raizel paused. Mira remained silent, staring at the ground.
Raizel felt the atmosphere was getting too heavy.
He shifted to a lighter tone, smiling and raising a finger.
"Oh, and one more thing."
Mira looked up.
"Like Natsu said earlier... I actually think Satan Soul is pretty cool. That's the truth."
Raizel added this quickly, worried she might think he was just patronizing her.
But he meant it.
In the gaming world he came from, demon forms were top-tier aesthetics!
"Why?" Mira whispered, turning to look at him fully.
Her expression was bewildered, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears and confusion. "Why are you telling me all this? Why go this far?"
Raizel closed his eyes.
He pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers and let out a soft sigh.
Truth be told, saying things like this felt embarrassing. It wasn't his usual style.
"Four reasons," Raizel said, counting on his fingers.
"First, you've already joined Fairy Tail. To put it sentimentally, we're family now. And I can assure you that I'm not the only one worried about you. Look at them." He gestured behind them to the group by the fire.
"Second, from a magical perspective: if you can't acknowledge your inner self and accept the demon, you might never unleash the true power of Satan Soul. It would be a waste of your talent."
"Third... I just don't like seeing you frowning with that heavy-hearted look all the time."
Raizel paused, his expression turning serious.
"And finally... I don't know if you're putting on that tough, delinquent act at the guild to protect Lisanna and Elfman, or if that's just how you naturally are. If it's your true nature, that's fine—the guild is noisy, one more punk won't matter."
He looked her straight in the eye.
"But if it's an act... if it's armor you wear to keep people away because you're afraid they'll hurt you... I'd rather you take it off. You don't need it here."
Raizel noticed Mira's expression shift.
Her tough mask crumbled, and her cheeks flushed slightly. She looked vulnerable, but not scared.
"Try accepting that power, Mira. It's yours now."
Raizel gently patted Mira's head, ruffling her white hair, before turning back to rejoin the circle of warmth by the fire.
The "Punk Mira" of the guild would have exploded in anger at being treated like a child.
She would have shouted or swung a fist.
But this time, she stood still in the moonlight.
She slowly pulled her right hand out of her sleeve. The moonlight reflected off the strange, demonic skin.
She looked at it not with fear, but with curiosity.
A soft smile—so subtle even she barely noticed it—graced her face.
"Accept it, huh?" she whispered to the wind.