Blinding light

Jude was astonished.

"You did what?"

"Jude, after giving birth to Lucy I wasn't able to help you with company. I'm still at home taking care of our Lucy. You're still in your office taking care of your business."

"And it's normal. I can't let my wife to not have time for my daughter and you need to regain your health."

"It's great about you, Jude, but something is off. You remember what Lucy said about your death. You just overworked myself. You probably need someone to take some of your job."

"So why him? He tried to murder our Lucy. He's dangerous."

"And you wanted to force Lucy to marriage, don't you remember? I don't really think that Zoldeo is this bad or something. Same for you. I don't want to believe that you're a bad father. First, he gave his gold key to Lucy. If he was bad person, would he do it? He would just ignore me and make an excuse that he didn't get a message. According to Lucy he started to fall into madness only after my death. Sadness after death of your people... can make you mad."

"But why him? I don't want any help. Does he even know anything about managing railroad company?"

"There will come a day when you want to come home earlier and leave solving current problems to others. Can you find anyone being able to do that job without experiencing it? Probably not. That's why you have to recruit somebody without experience. And Zoldeo was a loyal servant so we can most likely trust him. On top of that he knows you so there's high chance he'll easily learn how to act like you. Assuming he'll be too bothering you can always fire him."

"Okay, you win. He will get a chance."

...

Next morning Lucy read letter from Makarov.

Dear Lucy,

Gran Doma was suprised and reminded me about every apology letter which I sent to him. Next he started to talk about our guild being irresponsible, cursed me, told some bullshit about disbanding Fairy Tail and cursed me again. After saying it all he started to curse himself, snorted something about how he was forced by me and in the end agreed, giving me as condition you behaving well. He is a poor politician, but he likes to teach. I did everything I could. You have to come to Era and meet with him to talk about details. Good luck!

Makarov Dreyar

"Mom, mom! Gran Doma agreed! I have a powerfull politician as my teacher! Well, as I said that it didn't sound well."

"Because it has its downs. Politicians have a tendency to develop greed for power or politics itself attracts greedy people. It's hard to say which is the truth but one need to know that for them often having power is more important than their moral duties or real justice."

"So what should I do? Not to go?"

Layla covered with hand her eyes.

"No! Just go to Era! You're a big girl and you certainly understand that even close to you people can be bad even if we want to believe that they won't be anything like that. You should be able to resist the influence of their worldviews. Learn what you can and continiue your plan to save the future."

"I'll do that!"

'I hope she's able to do that. Attidude of my daughter seems to not be really reflective. She may not notice when her heart starts to harden.'

...

Journey to Era took two days. Era was a small town filled with big buidings made for purpose of having place to gather taxes, prisoning enemies and creating scary weapons while not being seen by ordinary people. And that's probably better for them because listening opinions of their rulers would make them for example mad. Most of them have simple decorations as ornamental columns. Sometimes there was unparraled instruction of using doors or some meaningless inscription like 'Hominum causa omne ius constitutum sit". But after ignoring rather obvious curiosities (and less obvious like existence of race of anthropomorphic frogs working mostly for government) one should say that place is emanating with simple elegance. Nothing too big or too flashy yet still there was a few buildings seemingly bigger than others.

Gran Doma usually stayed at Magic Council's headquarters and discussed with other members. Sometimes there was something about another dark guild to annihilate, but Gran Doma was not satified. He believe in sacred misson of the Magic Council which was protecting country and its citizens from dangers but what he does is trying to make Magic Council stronger in relation to other forces in Ishgar. It would be nice if everyone else was just bad cause the Council would then just attack all of them and for doing that people would be grateful. But now in this peaceful times independent peaceful guilds are growing one after another. They are even able to deal with some dangers of our peaceful times. If this goes on, people will find the government useless and then Councin will not be able to protect them anymore and then time of peace will end. Gran Doma saw one war with Alvarez and he's sure that he doesn't want to watch something like that twice. Magic Council have to be strong alone no matter the price. After all what can make us safe if having the power cannot? But at the same time we can't just abuse everyone. If we do that, what was the point of being strong? It's unsolvable contradiction of every government and what Gran Doma does is usually calmly enduring it.

Unecumebered by similar thoughts Lucy stepped in to greet Gran Doma.

"Good morning Mr Gran Doma. I..."

"Morning, you must be Lucy. Your mother can come in..."

"But I come here alone."

"And she let you do that? What if..."

"Gran Doma, I can take care about myself. Mother taught me some Celestial Spirit Magic."

"It seems to be good magic for small girl like you. Not too hard magic. It's very ballanced but has not a lot potential. It just lets you summon spirits."

"I have some ideas to make it stronger but first I need to become proficient with enchantments. I learned something on my own, but I think I need a guidance. Makarov recommended me trying to ask you for help."

"That damned fox knew I'll agree... So I agree but you should know that I'm strict. If you can't keep up I'll send you back. Understand?"

"Yes, teacher!"

"Good. Now show me what've you got."

"Here? I'd destroy something..."

"Yes, here. If your magic can really break furnitures just try to use it on something useless. Do you see that sculpture? It's a present from one of members of the Magic Council, but it rather iritates me. Fool probably thought that good birthday present should be a statue depicting him. As you see I'm not too pleased."

"Ok, so I attack. LUCY WHIP!"

Lucy took her whip and enchanted it. Whip beatifully iluminated Gran Doma's face with its golden glow announcing next moment. Lucy waved on the statue with all of her might doing a mess, scattering plaster around the office and damaging floor.

It took only a few seconds. Guards rushed into gabinet with spears and started pointing them toward Lucy. Lucy thought about her situation and was embarassed. She had to be careful about capital but first thing she did after coming was destroying carved in marble face of member of the Council.

"What are you doing with Great Gran Doma? Who are you?"

Guard's were stopped by Gran Doma.

"She's my new student. She's just proved her talent. Nothing to be worried about. Don't disturb us."

"Gran... Yes, sir!"

Confused guards left. Gran Doma pondered a bit while Lucy said.

"Sorry for that..."

"No, it was my fault. Lucy... Tomorrow you will come here again and we start to plan your education. I don't know your level of knowledge so first I need to prepare a way to test you. I should let you know that if you just average it would be better for you to start in Magic Academy, but after seeing this I don't think that's case. Now you should go. In dormitories of the Magic Academy room should be waiting for you. Show them this and you'll get the room. For now I have still a lot to do so you have to go alone."

Gran Doma gave her little rectangular Lacrima. Lucy thankfuly bowed and left.

"Thank you. I'm sure I don't let you down."

Gran Doma stayed and thought again watching blue sky from behind the window.

'Good girl from good family looking for bright future. Never orphaned cause of death of her parents or twisted cause of bad experience and even then knowing value of order. Probably best example of what we have to achieve.'

Sun at that moment was blocked by a cloud and his face darkened.

'But she'll have to understand that we never managed to do that. There's a fruit of our fall and we have to bear it. To do that we need to be obedient to its consequences. If she finds out too late, there will be only more suffering.'

...

Lucy got key at the gatehouse and entered her room. Portress was a nice woman clearly with some bad but not too deadly illness.

"This place is nice, but it needs some decoration. Unfortunately I have to wait with that. I don't know if I stay here for more than one night. Probably I should have asked sooner. Open! Gate of The Golden Bull! Taurus, leave that things here and I won't bother you more for now."

"It's nice to look at you Lucy-sama."

"Carefully! You break it!"

"Huh?!"

Taurus didn't know but he dropped box on the floor, which contained her things. Lucy sighed.

"Nevermind. Thank you. You can go back."

Lucy checked box. Luckily nothing damaged, but being not gentle with boxes can be annoying. She took her doll and hugged it.

'I should remember to not use light-tempered spirits to carry delicate stuff. Do you agree with me, Gonzalez?'