Tables and chairs flew, magic ran wild, and the entire guild hall was instantly transformed into a battle-damaged scene within a few short minutes.
Most of the guild members were already used to this; they skillfully dragged chairs, held their wine glasses, retreated to safe corners, and watched the show while placing bets.
"I'm betting on Natsu! That turtle drawing was quite vivid, the insult level is through the roof, and his anger is definitely going to explode!"
"Nonsense! Gray is truly angry this time! He won't stop until he freezes his opponent into an ice sculpture today!"
"Lucy, what do you think?"
Cana chugged a large mouthful of wine and nudged Lucy, who was squatting with her head in her hands, with her elbow.
Lucy was on the verge of tears: "I just want my rent money..."
Amidst the chaos, Lorne quietly retreated into the shadows of the bar, his good deed done and forgotten.
He looked at the chaotic scene he had orchestrated and felt a strong sense of accomplishment.
This is how it should be; this is Fairy Tail.
He picked up a glass of juice, took a leisurely sip, and glanced at Makarov behind the bar.
The Guild Master was sitting on the bar, one hand holding a wine glass, the other propping up his chin, watching Natsu and Gray fighting.
When Lorne looked over, Makarov's gaze also turned to him.
The old man's eyes sparkled with all-knowing light; he raised his wine glass to Lorne.
Then, he mouthed a very subtle phrase that only Lorne could understand.
"Well... done."
Lorne nearly spat out his juice, but he managed to swallow it back, choking until his face turned red.
The old man... he knew after all!
Of course, as a Ten Wizard Saints, even if affected by sleep magic, how could he be completely unaware of such a commotion in the guild?
From beginning to end, he was also a top-tier troublemaker!
Lorne instantly felt at ease, and his back straightened by three points.
With the Guild Master covering for him, this matter was settled!!
However, he rejoiced too soon.
Erza's clear and authoritative voice rang out:
"Everyone, stop right now!"
The previously chaotic battlefield instantly fell silent at this angry shout.
Her sharp gaze swept over Natsu and Gray's faces and bodies, her brow slightly furrowed.
Natsu and Gray remained in their fighting poses, but their bodies were stiff like two statues, and cold sweat dripped from their temples.
Everyone's movements stopped, including those betting members, who instinctively hid the coins in their hands.
Lorne also looked over, his heart skipping a beat against his will.
Erza, in her signature armor, walked straight up to Natsu and Gray.
"You two, are you too energetic and need my help to expend some of it?"
"No... no, Erza!" Natsu immediately cowered, waving his hands frantically, "It's Gray who..."
"Natsu started it first!" Gray retorted, unwilling to be outdone.
Erza ignored their explanations.
Her gaze fell on the "artwork" on their bodies.
She first looked at the turtle on Natsu's face, and then at the abs on Gray's body and the words on his forehead.
"Everyone was hypnotized by Mystogan's magic before. That must have been... a prank."
Her gaze swept across all the members who had woken up, their faces showing suppressed smiles or curiosity.
The members shook their heads, waved their hands, and looked at the ceiling, using all their acting skills to declare their innocence.
Mirajane maintained her perfect smile, standing behind the bar as if nothing had happened.
But her eyes thoughtfully glanced at a figure in the guild who was trying to sneak away.
Makarov, the Guild Master, at the bar, looked at the chaotic scene before him, especially Gray's exquisitely drawn "muscles" and the "artwork" on Natsu's face.
The corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably, and he suppressed a laugh, coughing once:
"Ahem... It seems someone took advantage of everyone being asleep to engage in some 'artistic creation.'"
At this moment, Gray tried to wipe off the drawings on his body with water, but found that they wouldn't come off:
"Damn it! What kind of ink is this?!"
Natsu also rubbed his face vigorously, but his face just turned red, and the turtle became even clearer:
"It won't come off at all!"
Lorne blended into the edge of the crowd, trying to look as innocent as the other onlookers, but his heart was pounding in his chest.
He secretly congratulated himself on being quick enough to dispose of the "weapon" immediately.
As long as the pen couldn't be found, there would be no evidence!
"Magic ink..."
Erza mused, "The commonly used, fade-resistant magic pens in the guild..."
Her gaze suddenly shot towards Mirajane behind the bar.
Lorne quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Mirajane received Erza's gaze, smiled and nodded, and said in a gentle voice that everyone could hear:
"Hmm~ I remember there's one, usually used for writing on the special notice board. I put it in..."
She bent down, opened the drawer under the bar, rummaged around, then looked up, a perfectly timed look of confusion on her face,
"Oh? It's gone. It was just here a moment ago."
Everyone's attention was instantly drawn.
The pen was gone? While everyone was unconscious?
Then everyone started looking around at the people near them.
Just then, a gentle voice came again from behind the bar.
"Ara, who was so careless as to drop the pen in the beer?"
It was Mirajane.
She was smiling, using two slender fingers to retrieve a pen from the huge wooden barrel full of beer.
A magic pen... with a slight sheen of ink still on its tip.
In an instant, all eyes, along with Erza's oppressive gaze, focused on that pen.
Lorne's smile froze on his face.
Erza's gaze became even sharper; she scanned the entire room again, finally settling on Lorne, who was trying to shrink behind a burly guild member.
"Lorne."
Erza's voice was not loud, but it carried powerful pressure,
"What are you hiding from?"
Whoosh!
Almost everyone's eyes focused on Lorne.
Natsu and Gray's gazes were particularly terrifying.
Lorne's body stiffened, and he turned around with a dry laugh:
"Ah haha... Erza, what are you talking about? I... I'm just still a bit sleepy and wanted to find a place to lean."
"That's not right, though."
Mirajane's smile became even more radiant and charming, her beautiful eyes curving into crescents, but it sent shivers down Lorne's spine.
"I seem to remember hearing someone say... 'Well drawn' when I was half-asleep?"
It's over!
Lorne's heart sank.
Natsu and Gray's killing intent almost materialized as they approached him step by step.
"So—it—was—you—you—bastard!!!"
Natsu roared through gritted teeth.
"Lick it clean with your tongue! Now! Immediately!"
Cold air was already swirling around Gray.
"Wait! Hold on! This is a misunderstanding! Let me explain!"
Lorne waved his hands frantically as he backed away,
"Everyone was asleep because of the magic, so there are no eyewitnesses! Mira-nee also said she was half-asleep, so she was dreaming! What's said in a dream can't be used as evidence!"
He tried to make a final struggle; as long as he refused to admit it, he could still argue... "Stop arguing..."
Natsu & Gray: "...Die!!!"
"Wah ah ah! Help me! Guild Master! Erza! Mira-nee! I know I was wrong!"
Lorne ran away with his head in his hands, instantly engulfed by flames and ice.
Makarov, the Guild Master, sighed helplessly as he watched the guild fall into chaos once again.
But looking at Gray's drawn muscles and the turtle on Natsu's face, he couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
Meanwhile, Erza, with her arms crossed, shouted at Lorne:
"Since you drew it, then you're responsible for washing it off them! Until not a single trace remains!"
Lorne's screams, Natsu and Gray's roars, and the laughter of the surrounding members once again combined into the most common and lively symphony of the Fairy Tail Guild.
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