Chapter 436: Gossip and the Magical Parade

Chapter 436: Gossip and the Magical Parade

The chaotic scene came to an abrupt end.

Laxus had lost his strength to resist, and perhaps even the will to do so. A single slap from the Guild Master could put him to sleep for a while.

The damage to the church was temporarily noted, to be compensated after the Harvest Festival.

Not only the church, but many shops, homes, and stalls in the city also suffered losses, and compensation would be made later.

For now, there was no time to worry about these things. Everyone prepared to return to the guild to check on each other's conditions and decide whether to postpone the Magical Parade.

Makarov had planned to meet with the mayor to address the panic caused by the Fairy Law's bright light.

However, after walking for a while, he realized there was no panic at all. Some people even approached him, asking if they were preparing some special event, which was why the commotion was so big.

Embarrassed, they could only claim it was an accident.

The guild's notorious reputation for causing trouble came in handy at times like these.

As they slowly made their way back to the guild, they responded to the pedestrians' inquiries.

Gray carried Laxus on his back, while Juvia supported Erza.

Erza wanted to ask the Guild Master about Mystogan, but it didn't seem like the right time.

Lucy kept Mira busy with questions, and Natsu was a bit disappointed that the fight ended abruptly. However, Cana held Natsu's neck, calming him down for a moment.

Gajuru actually felt a bit upset too, but he didn't feel comfortable joining them.

Rod watched Makarov, who seemed a bit down, and asked, "Guild Master, your body... Has Babaya checked on you?"

Makarov broke into a cold sweat, "Ah... This... Of course... I should go apologize to the mayor first!"

Rod rudely grabbed Makarov's collar, preventing him from taking another step. "Why are you so nervous?"

Cana spoke up, "Because the Guild Master sneaked out, Babaya said he wasn't allowed to get out of bed today. That's why we chased after him to bring him back."

"Oh~" Rod couldn't let go now, as the Guild Master struggled like a captured child.

...

"You idiot!"

"Pffft!"

Makarov had just returned to the guild, and before he could say a word, he was struck by a broomstick, sticking to the wall and slowly sliding down.

If it were an outsider who did this, everyone would have pounced on them and pinned them to the ground. But it was Babaya who had struck the Guild Master.

So, it was fine, and everyone went about their business, even considering drinking to the spectacle of the Guild Master getting beaten up.

By the end of this chaotic scene, out of nearly a hundred people in the guild, sixty or seventy had injuries of varying degrees.

Some moved freely as if nothing had happened, while others were bandaged and complaining of pain.

Actually, before Rod and the others returned, many had awkwardly apologized to each other, and some even fought again to mend their relationship.

As for those without injuries, they hadn't started fighting before the petrification and spell were lifted.

The Thunder God Tribe trio was still lying in the infirmary, and only Fried was awake, with Elfman taking care of them.

Just as Mira had said, Elfman was good at taking care of people.

When Gray carried Laxus in, he received many unfriendly glares, though not directed at him.

This guy, Laxus, had messed up the entire festival and done something so outrageous. It would be a lie to say they weren't angry.

But since he was still unconscious, no one could say anything.

Babaya seemed to have tired herself out from beating people up. She rudely stopped Rod and the others, ordering Gray to get to work, "You three, stand there and don't move. You, put that idiot on the bed, and bring my medicine box."

She had heard in the guild about Laxus' mischief. If she hadn't watched him grow up, Babaya wouldn't even bother with him.

"The old one is an idiot, the young one is an idiot, not a single one gives me peace of mind. That's why I hate this stupid guild..."

Babaya complained while checking the injuries of Rod, Mira, and Erza, prescribing the most suitable medicine.

However, these three were quite easy to deal with, as their injuries were light compared to those who had fought until they lost consciousness.

Erza took the medicine and bandages, "We can handle the rest ourselves. You go take care of the Guild Master... and Laxus."

Babaya nodded; these minor injuries didn't require her attention.

Erza said to Mira and Rod, "Alright, Mira, Rod, let's help each other. We still need to prepare for the Magical Parade."

Rod quickly hugged Mira and said, "We'll be a team, and you, Erza, go help Natsu and Gajuru. Natsu is a bit clumsy, and Gajuru is new, so he needs your attention."

Mira smiled, "Yes."

"That makes sense," said Erza, pondering for a moment. "Natsu is fine, but Gajiru needs some attention with Happy's help."

The kind-hearted Rod and the well-intentioned Mira tended to each other's wounds, bandaging where necessary.

Mira gently dabbed Rod's swollen face with a cotton ball, feeling a pang of sympathy.

The 'Friendship Face-Breaking Punch' was mutual, and Rod was confident that Laxus's face was probably more swollen than his.

"He must be jealous of my good looks," Rod joked.

"You're delusional," Mira teased.

Rod noticed her cautious movements and quipped, "I heard that kissing the swollen area helps it heal faster."

Mira didn't buy his nonsense, "Heard it from whom? Yourself, perhaps?"

"Well, I heard it too. Now you've heard it, help me reduce the swelling."

"You can slowly take care of it yourself," Mira suggested.

Mira folded a piece of gauze a few times, dipped it in medicine, and then used medical tape to secure it on Rod's face.

She could have wrapped it around his head, but that wouldn't look good. This way was better.

"If I get injured on my face in the future, I'll do the same. Remember that, okay?" Rod instructed.

Mira playfully responded, "It depends on your behavior. Even if it's just a one-millimeter cut, I might wrap you up like a mummy."

"You dare!" Rod exclaimed.

"Otherwise, I'll wrap it however it looks bad," Rod said, his eyes glancing upwards.

Mira looked around; no one seemed to be paying attention to them. She leaned in and kissed the freshly applied gauze.

The sensation wasn't pleasant, and it even hurt a little. Medically speaking, it wasn't hygienic either.

But he couldn't resist.

"Alright, I remember," Rod chuckled, taking the bandage from her hand. "Your turn."

After some bustling, Mira's wounds were bandaged. Rod surveyed her, "How can you still look so good even with injuries?"

Mira playfully tapped him, "Stop teasing. We should go rescue others."

"Rescue who?" Rod asked.

Mira pointed behind him, "Gajiru, of course."

It was unclear how Erza managed it, but Gajiru's neck was wrapped with several layers of bandages, tightly bound, and his face was turning purple from the pressure.

His left foot was propped up, tied together with his left hand. Despite being a steel dragon, he displayed remarkable bodily flexibility.

"Good job, Erza. Although it was a bit challenging, you managed to bandage all the injured areas," Erza was pleased with her handiwork. "Take your time to recover, and I'll check if others need help."

Gajiru wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. He felt that the injuries Erza had inflicted were more severe than Laxus's blows.

In the end, Levy couldn't bear to watch anymore and helped cut the bandages—Erza's handiwork was too intricate to untie, so cutting was the only option.

As Rod was about to get up, Mira pulled him back.

"What's wrong?" Rod asked.

Mira whispered in Rod's ear, "Do you think Levy might..."

"Impossible," Rod thought Mira was overthinking again. Everyone seemed like a couple when they got close.

"Why not? Look, Levy and Gajiru are blushing a little. And..." Mira began to ramble, listing several reasons, some of which weren't very polite towards Jet and Troy.

Although her speculations were baseless and far-fetched, they sounded surprisingly plausible, almost convincing Rod.

"Instead of guessing about Levy, why don't we guess who Erza would be a good match with?" Mira's curiosity piqued.

"The most suspicious pair with Erza would be Natsu and Gray! They've been part of the 'Erza Faction' since they were young. I heard they even bathe together. And that Simon guy from before, he clearly had a different attitude towards Erza..." Mira rattled off reasons.

"Wait, wait, what's this 'Erza Faction'?" Rod asked.

"Well..." Mira felt a bit embarrassed, "When we were kids, we often fought with Erza, so we called those close to her the 'Erza Faction.' And we didn't let Elfman play with them..."

Rod laughed, surprised at Mira's childishness, "So I'm part of the 'Mira Faction' then?"

"You're part of the Erza Faction too!" Mira insisted, recounting past events. "You teamed up with Erza, shared a room, and almost got dragged into the bathroom for a mutual bath!"

Rod grabbed Mira's hand and gently straightened her fingers, "I've switched sides now. I'm firmly in the Mira Faction. We can team up, share a room, and bathe together!"

Mira rolled her eyes at him, "In your dreams."

"Hmph." Rod didn't pay it any mind; it was only a matter of time.

...

Despite the chaos, most of the members were still mobile, so the Magical Parade had to go on.

The mages in the guild had remarkable physical resilience; they fought fiercely in the morning, but by evening, most could manage a light jog.

The Thunder God Tribe members, however, were in a worse state; they had regained consciousness but could only sit up.

Bixlow's constitution was naturally weaker, and after Elusa's attack, he needed a good rest. Erza and Fried were purely victims of a brutal beating.

Rod and Mira had both used the Ember Crown in their attacks.

Laxus had also regained consciousness but hadn't left the infirmary yet. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling with his right leg in a cast and a crutch by his bedside.

Makarov had already spoken to Laxus, and the punishment had been communicated, but the official announcement would be made tomorrow.

Laxus accepted the punishment without question and didn't say much more. He needed time to calm down.

The others were unaware of what had transpired in the infirmary and were enthusiastically preparing for the Magical Parade.

When Makarov emerged, he complained, "You're late, Guild Master! We were about to leave without you!"

Makarov smiled, "Nonsense! A Magical Parade without the Guild Master? Check your costumes quickly!"

"We've already checked them..."

Juvia hesitated, "Um... Can Juvia really participate?"

Lucy asked, "Me too, I'm still new."

"Of course you can," Rod assured them. "It's a guild-wide event, and everyone who can move should take part. I performed last year."

Lucy curiously asked, "Huh? What did you perform, Mr. Rod?"

Natsu immediately answered, "Oh, Rod performed a drill... Ouch!"

Rod's fist landed on Natsu's face, and he smiled, "It's nothing, just a simple magic trick."

"That's definitely not a simple trick," Lucy knew from his expression that it was extraordinary; otherwise, he wouldn't have struck Natsu.

Natsu jumped up, "You bastard, Rod! Do you want to keep fighting?"

Without waiting for Rod's response, Natsu threw a punch.

Rod didn't hold back; they were friends, after all, and he didn't bring up last year's performance.

As friends, they had to go all out, especially when it came to punching each other in the face.

The two clashed, and their fight threatened to involve others.

Lucy, who was standing nearby, had already taken a punch and silently wept with her hand on her forehead, "Why do I always get the short end of the stick?"

"This is your punishment for trying to seduce Gray-sama," Juvia crouched beside Lucy and slid away after her comment.

"I wasn't trying to seduce him!" Lucy silently moved a little further away.

"You two, stop it!"

"Calm down, Rod."

Erza and Mira were in charge of breaking up the fight, and since words weren't working, they resorted to physical intervention.

Rod watched in surprise as Mira's fist and Erza's hand landed on Natsu's head.

Natsu fell to the ground, two bumps on his head.

"Oops, I missed," Mira smiled at Rod.

Rod suddenly felt a twinge of guilt.

He'd treat Natsu to a meal later.

"Alright, it's about time. Let's go!"

"Yeah!!!"

Amidst the cheers, the sound of firecrackers filled the air around Magnolia.

Colorful fireworks lit up the sky, blooming in the night, captivating the audience with their brilliance and sound.

After a few minutes of respite, the Fairy Tail Magical Parade procession appeared on the streets! Similar to last year, dance troupes, musical ensembles, and floats were arranged alternately, showcasing lively dances, vibrant music, and unique magic.

Lucy, the new recruit, was honored to occupy the center position on the first float, dancing the cheerleading routine she hadn't had a chance to perform in the beauty pageant with Reby and Bisca.

This year, Gray partnered with Juvia, dressed as a prince and princess, creating a stunning ice crystal castle together.

The crowd cheered and marveled, indulging in the magical feast presented by Fiore's top guild.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end