"I also think he's still alive."
Recalling past events, Tike decided to reveal everything he knew.
"Before this, I encountered the guys who attacked you as well. They belong to a black magic cult that worships Zeref, notorious extremists in this world. Last time, I was captured by them and taken to the Magic Development Bureau, where I stayed for a while."
Kagura stared with tear-filled eyes, her small hand tightly gripping the hem of Erza's clothes, her body trembling slightly.
"Then was my brother also taken to that place?"
"Not necessarily. When I escaped from that place, it was already empty. Although I can't rule out the possibility that they reopened it later, based on what I know, not every child they kidnap is sent there for experiments."
Tike's voice grew lower and lower. He couldn't imagine the tragic fate those captured children would face, and all of this was caused by those bastards who believed in Zeref.
(This is all their fault.)
Tike came to this conclusion again. Looking at Kagura's expression as she was about to cry, he clenched his fists.
The scent in the air was damp; the rain must have stopped not long ago. Any scent of movement had long been washed away. Unlike when he was searching for Ur on the nearby mountain, Tike couldn't track the kidnapped children and couldn't help Kagura find her family right now.
But—
"Kagura, although I can't be sure of your brother's exact location right now, I promise you, I will do my best to find his whereabouts and rescue him from those demons!"
Hearing Tike's promise, Kagura, who had been on the verge of despair, suddenly looked up, staring at Tike through her tears.
"Really? Are you really willing to help me find my brother?"
"Of course it's true!" Tike showed a determined expression. "Not just your brother, but the others too..."
"Not a single one less!"
Alice's voice suddenly came from overhead. Immediately after, she flew in through the hole in the roof, dragging a huge bundle wrapped in giant leaves behind her.
She wagged her tail proudly and dropped the bundle onto the ground with a thud. As the wrapping leaves fell open, they revealed a pile of coconut-like fruits inside.
"Look! Tike! Alice picked them all, meow!"
"Yes, yes, my Alice is amazing. Truly my best partner!"
Praising Alice, Tike walked forward, picked up a fruit, and cracked it open with his bare hands, revealing the steaming, golden fried rice inside.
"Here, Kagura. Eat properly now. That way, when your brother comes back, he can see you full of energy. He definitely wouldn't want to see you crying."
"Mm!"
Kagura nodded vigorously. She took the "rice bowl" Tike handed her, grabbed the spoon Tike had just used, scooped up the fried rice, and began to chew hungrily.
Erza watched Kagura wolfing down the food and smiled with relief. She touched her own stomach, feeling a bit hungry too. Just as she was about to reach for a fruit from the pile, Tike had already cracked two open with a pop. He handed one to her and one to Alice.
As a mechanical cat, Alice possessed a special digestive system that could convert normal food into her own energy, preventing her from shutting down due to lack of charge.
The scarlet-haired girl subconsciously took the fruit. Looking down, her eyes lit up instantly.
Inside the fruit lay an exquisite strawberry shortcake. This was a luxury sweet she rarely had the chance to eat. Just looking at it made her mouth water.
Holding the fruit shell, Erza took a small bite. The sweet taste instantly spread across her taste buds, turning into a wave of sweet happiness that spread throughout her body. Her nerves, which had been tense from fear, finally relaxed completely.
Immersed in this rare delicacy, she unknowingly ate the entire cake clean.
When Erza finally snapped out of her sweet enjoyment and looked up with satisfaction, she realized that all the fruits piled on the ground had been opened, and the food inside had been completely devoured, leaving only a pile of empty shells.
As for Tike, he was currently sporting a round, bulging belly, waddling like a well-fed penguin over to Kagura to add a chicken leg to her fried rice.
Noticing Erza's gaze, Tike let out a burp and pressed his round belly back to its original flat state. Erza watched dumbfounded, feeling her worldview being challenged.
(It can go back?! What kind of magical ability is that?!)
"Big Sis Erza, do you want some more? I have many other flavors of food here!"
It wasn't until Tike's enthusiastic question rang out again that Erza snapped back to reality. She shook her head repeatedly, revealing a heartfelt smile.
"No thanks, I feel very full after just one. Really, this cake was delicious. I've never had such a delicious cake! It's like a dream!"
"Hehe."
Tike knew Erza wasn't just being polite or acting tough, so he didn't press further. Instead, he pointed to his own nose and blinked playfully.
"Big Sis Erza, you have some cream on your nose."
"Oh!"
Erza realized belatedly that there was indeed a bit of white cream on the tip of her nose. She subconsciously raised her hand to wipe it off, only to hear Alice let out a "Meow!" and jump up. Her mouth opened wide, becoming larger than Erza herself, and she swallowed Erza whole in one gulp!
Beside them, Kagura's eyes widened in shock at this sudden turn of events. Her mouth formed an "O" shape, and the spoon in her hand clattered into her bowl.
After Erza struggled for a moment inside, Alice opened her mouth and released her, shaking her head proudly.
"Cleaning complete, meow! Meow-haha!"
Alice's core was that of a childcare robot, so bathing children was something she could do with ease.
Erza, who had been swallowed and spat out, was now completely clean from head to toe. Even her clothes, which had been stained with dust and dirt, looked brand new. Her whole person seemed to emit a faint glow.
However, she herself was still dazed, looking like she hadn't recovered yet.
Tike held his forehead, looking defeated.
"Alice, can you give a warning or say hello before you act next time? Look how scared you made Big Sis Erza. What if you scared her to death?"
"Understood, meow! Next time I will definitely report in advance, meow!"
Alice stuck out her tongue and made a face. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, her eyes began to sparkle as she looked at Tike.
"Tike, you haven't bathed in two days either. Your body is going to smell!"
"What are you planning?"
Tike's hair stood on end instantly. His body began to retreat involuntarily, and a look of horror appeared on his face.
"Don't come near me!"