Chapter 731: Elsa's Heart
Chapter 731: Elsa's Heart
On Magnolia Boulevard, Maple Night stood in front of a clothing rack, his hand on his chin in contemplation. Meanwhile, not far away, Elsa emerged from the fitting room of a clothing store. She had changed into a black dress with a wavy skirt and a figure-hugging top that accentuated her figure perfectly. Her long, reddish-brown hair was tied back, framing her face softly.
At nineteen, Elsa exuded a unique charm, possessing both the allure of a young girl and a mature, beautiful presence that even caught Maple Night off guard, earning a subtle expression of appreciation.
"How does this look?" Elsa asked, her gaze softening as she looked at Maple Night, gently spreading her arms to showcase her outfit.
"It suits you well," Maple Night complimented.
Elsa exhaled and golden light emanated from her body as she changed back into her casual attire, storing away the black dress.
The shop owner promptly approached, a smile on her face as she took the dress from Elsa. "Of course, it suits you perfectly. It seems your boyfriend approves as well."
Elsa's cheeks flushed slightly at the mention of a boyfriend. She wanted to explain that Maple Night wasn't her boyfriend, but the owner had already turned to organize the other outfits she had purchased. Elsa opened her mouth to clarify, but no words escaped.
She turned to Maple Night, catching his gaze on her, accompanied by a gentle smile. "There's a new store over there that looks interesting. Let's go take a look."
"Mhm," Elsa murmured, her eyes lowering to his chest as she nodded gently.
Although Maple Night didn't refute the shop owner's comment, Elsa didn't feel the need to explain. She felt immersed in a warm and gentle sunlight, content to let things remain as they were.
Yes, this was good enough. She didn't need absolute answers or definitions. She believed that her heart would eventually connect with Maple Night's, and sometimes, silence was the best form of confession.
The pair left the store, and Maple Night accompanied Elsa to two more nearby clothing stores, where the financially unconstrained Elsa indulged in purchasing several new outfits.
In reality, Elsa didn't often wear these clothes. She usually admired them when she was alone at home or on the rare occasions when she and Maple Night ventured out together.
After browsing through several stores, Elsa used her magic to change back into her usual attire and quietly walked alongside Maple Night, strolling through the bustling streets of Magnolia.
Before they knew it, they had arrived at the Magnolia Clock Tower and ascended to its peak. Standing at the window, they overlooked the town of Magnolia.
Maple Night, with his hands behind his back, gazed out the window and remarked with a hint of awe, "A hundred years ago, this place was almost in ruins, barely inhabited. Now, it has become one of the most prosperous towns in the Fiore Kingdom."
Elsa, standing beside him, was slightly taken aback by his tone, which suggested that he had witnessed the town's transformation first-hand. "You know so much about history, too?" she asked, looking at him curiously.
"Mhm," Maple Night nodded, turning to face her. "Because I lived through that time. Actually, you don't really know me. The span of time I've experienced far surpasses your imagination, and my past remains a mystery to all of you. The part of me that you like is only a tiny fraction of who I am."
Elsa paused briefly, but instead of appearing confused, she looked at him intently and said, "Even if it's just a small part, isn't it still you? To be honest, I... guessed that you might have an unknown past, considering even the guild master doesn't understand you. But I don't think it matters. At least now, you're our companion, and that's enough for me."
A gentle smile played on Maple Night's lips as he asked, "Would you still feel the same if I carried a burden heavier than the weight of the world on my shoulders?"
"Of course," Elsa replied without hesitation.
Maple Night's eyes reflected a tinge of emotion as he turned his gaze to the sky outside. "That's actually one of the reasons I decided to join. The Fairy Tail guild is unique in that way. No matter how different our personalities are, our feelings for the guild are pure and transcend everything else."
With their bodies pressed together, Maple Night could feel Elsa's body temperature, the beat of her heart, her breath, and clearly sense her emotions for him.
The past didn't matter.
Only the present mattered.
No matter what his past held, the young girl's feelings for him would not change, and this was what Elsa wanted to convey.
Emotions may be the worst part of humanity, but they are also the most fundamental. It is because of emotions that humans are human and not mechanized robots.
As Maple Night traversed through multiple worlds, possessing the mighty power to easily destroy and create worlds, he never lost himself because he was able to immerse himself in each one.
"Then I'll tell you about it when I have the chance."
Maple Night's eyes softened as he looked into the distance.
Such pure emotions, untainted by any impurities, greed, or desire, were rare. Although there was an immense gulf between him and Elsa in the essence of their lives, he would not reject such sincerity.
Elsa hugged Maple Night from behind, and the two stood embraced for an unknown length of time until a sound emanated from her, bringing her back to her senses.
"Hmm?"
Elsa released Maple Night and took out a magic ball from her pocket, a device used for communication.
Once activated, the ball projected an image of Mira.
"Elsa? Are you and Maple Night there?"
"What's the matter?"
"Natsu stole an S-class mission request and convinced Lucy to team up with him. Gray went to stop them, but we haven't heard back. The situation doesn't look good."
"Those idiots!"
Elsa's face darkened as she exclaimed, "Even Lucy..."
Not only was it prohibited for mages who hadn't risen to the S-class level to take on such missions, but even those who had attained the S-class rank faced immense danger if they weren't careful.
Mira herself had made this mistake before!
Natsu stealing an S-class mission and Lucy breaking the rules by joining him had Elsa fuming. And to make matters worse, Gray had rushed off after them.
But what truly infuriated her was that they had interrupted her date with Maple Night! This was a rare opportunity for her to truly connect with him, and who knew what might have happened later in the day!
"Is it the Devil's Island request?"
Maple Night stood by her side, looking at the projection of Mira with a slight smile. "Lucy would only be tempted by that particular request, I presume. I recall that the reward for that mission includes one of the Zodiac Keys."
Mira nodded, her brow furrowed with worry. "Yes, it is indeed that request. We need someone to bring them back, but I have to handle matters here at the guild. Laxus isn't willing to deal with this, so I'm asking you, Elsa."
"Okay, I'll drag them back!"
A surge of magic power emanated from Elsa.
Just then, Maple Night patted her shoulder, his smile relaxed as he said, "Alright, no need to get so angry. I'll come with you to take a look."
As he said this, he glanced at Mira and smiled faintly, his eyes conveying a subtle message.
Mira's projected image smiled back at Maple Night, feigning ignorance.
It was then that Elsa also realized something was amiss. She furrowed her brows and looked at Mira suspiciously. "Isn't this more important than guild matters? And the master is at the guild too. You could go, Mira."
There was a deliberate attempt to sabotage their date, she thought.
Mira smiled sweetly. "I do have a lot on my plate."
"Forget it," Elsa said, not wanting to dwell on it. Since Maple Night had agreed to accompany her, she considered it a continuation of their date, and perhaps they could even spend more time together.
(End of Chapter)
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