"What do you mean ten of me couldn't beat you?! Unlike you who did nothing but sleep for two years, I've been training desperately!"
Lyon clenched his fists and took a step forward. An ice-blue magical halo began to ripple around his body, and the surrounding air temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.
"Let's fight! The current me won't lose to you anymore!"
Tike didn't show any weakness either and was about to accept the challenge when he was interrupted by a light shout from Ur.
"Don't waste magic power in a place like this. After this job is over, there will be plenty of time for you to spar."
Since Ur said so, Tike and Lyon had to put away their intention to fight here.
"Yes~"
"Understood!"
Ur nodded slightly, then paused and asked, "Tike, did you just mention your biological mother? Was she the one who took you away back then?"
"Mm..." Tike lowered his eyes and said in a low voice, "I found out... I didn't like her as much as I imagined, so I ran back on my own."
Ur could see that Tike had something on his mind, but with so many people around, this wasn't a suitable place for a deep conversation. She patted his shoulder and said gently, "Let's go to the hotel first."
---
Following Ur, the group soon arrived in front of a magnificent hotel.
Above the towering arched gate hung a huge signboard with the hotel's name written in ornate calligraphy—"Ocean's Heart."
Tike looked up at the huge signboard and read stutteringly, "O... O-what... Heart?"
"Hahahaha!"
Standing aside, Lyon burst into ruthless laughter upon hearing Tike's pronunciation.
"Not even knowing such a simple word. So you really have been sleeping for the past two years!"
Tike wasn't annoyed, only putting on a studious look.
"Then you read it and let me learn."
"What's hard about that." Lyon pointed at the plaque and read aloud, "Isn't it 'Okens Harte'?"
"Hmph, six of one, half a dozen of the other."
Lucia, following at the back of the team, finally couldn't help but speak up.
"One doesn't even know how to read 'Ocean,' and the other just reads it wrong completely. You two really are worthy of being fellow disciples."
Watching the performance of these two disciples, Ur also shook her head helplessly.
Tike was one thing; after all, he had only been with her for a little over a month, and given his young age, it was understandable that he didn't know many words.
But for Lyon to be like this... she began to suspect if he had skipped all the cultural classes she had sent him to before.
Thinking of this, Ur couldn't help but pull a stern face.
"You two, after this mission is over, go back and take remedial classes obediently! As wizards, not even knowing how to read—what does that look like!"
"Yes~"
"Un... understood."
"Alright, stop standing there dazed." Ur put away her serious expression, her tone softening. "Let's go inside first; don't block the entrance."
The group passed through the magnificent lobby and walked along the corridor paved with soft carpet to the hotel front desk.
Ur stopped, turned to Lyon, and said, "Take Erza and the others up to rest first. I'll have the waiter deliver dinner to the room later."
Saying this, Ur turned her gaze to Tike.
"Don't rush to rest yet. I specially invited Lady Porlyusica to give you a comprehensive physical examination. Originally, I planned to take you to see her after returning to the guild, but since she was willing to come personally this time, you must cooperate well with her examination."
"No need for an examination." Tike waved his hand and even made a few exaggerated movements. "I'm in great health. I can run and jump, nothing's wrong at all. No need to waste time!"
Looking at Tike's eagerness to prove his health, Ur couldn't help but smile, but she didn't change her mind because of it.
"Lady Porlyusica is Fairy Tail's exclusive healing wizard and also an authority in the magical medical industry. Her medical skills are brilliant. Only with her examining you can we truly feel at ease."
Hearing it was someone from Fairy Tail, Tike wasn't as nervous, but he still subconsciously wanted to hold Ur's hand.
Ur bent down and kissed Tike's forehead lightly.
"Be good. I have to go discuss the rescue plan with Mr. Chill and people from other guilds, so I can't take you to Lady Porlyusica personally. But rest assured, she is a very amiable old lady and won't make things difficult for you."
"Amiable... really?" Lyon, hearing Ur's description on the side, revealed an obvious look of doubt.
Ignoring such a Lyon, Ur pulled Blake out from among the children.
"By the way, you have to come too. We need you to provide more intelligence on the black magic cult."
Tike shook Ur's arm and started acting spoiled.
"Then I want to go with you too! I promise not to cause trouble, just listen from the side, okay?"
"No. The most important thing for you right now is to get the examination. Be obedient and go to Lady Porlyusica's room. I'll come find you when I'm done."
Knowing that acting spoiled wouldn't work anymore, Tike had to pout reluctantly, nodded aggrievedly, and followed Lyon upstairs.
Upstairs, Lyon easily found the two rooms booked in advance.
Ur, Lyon, and Tike would share one room, while the girls would stay in the other one next door.
After that, Lyon pointed to the room at the deepest end of the corridor.
"Lady Porlyusica is staying there alone. She doesn't like staying with others."
Lyon really couldn't figure out why Porlyusica, who usually lived in seclusion deep in the forest and claimed to hate humans and dislike noise, would come to a bustling port city like Hargeon this time, breaking her precedent.
"Tike, after your physical examination, come back to the room and rest early." After giving his instructions, Lyon returned to the room.
Lucia didn't care about Tike's situation and had already entered the room alone. Erza, Kagura, and Yukino gathered around Tike, all with worried expressions on their faces.
"Brother Tike, are you okay? Why do you need an examination?" Yukino asked softly.
"It's nothing big; don't worry." Tike smiled and comforted them. "You've been in the car all day; you must be tired. Go rest in the room quickly and wait for dinner."
"Tike, don't act tough." Erza stared intently into Tike's eyes. "If you feel uncomfortable anywhere, never force yourself to endure it."
"Of course. I've already scraped the word 'endure' out of the dictionary of my life."
Tike told a small lie.
He still endured; otherwise, he wouldn't have brought Blake and her sister along.
"Scraping it out is an exaggeration..." Kagura whispered.
Erza hesitated for a moment, said no more, and led Kagura and Yukino into the room.
Watching them close the door, the smile on Tike's face slowly disappeared. He took a deep breath, hugged Alice, and walked toward the room where Porlyusica was.