Chapter 9 : Shadows of Change

The sun had already begun its descent when Erza's group arrived at the Guild Masters' Conference. The grand building loomed before them, its imposing structure standing in stark contrast to the serene evening sky. As they approached the main entrance, the group stopped short, their eyes catching sight of a familiar figure standing just outside the doors.

Aurelius stood with his back to them, his posture relaxed but his presence commanding as always. His coat swayed lightly in the breeze as he turned to face them, his uncovered eye gleaming with a calm intensity.

"Aurelius," Erza began, her voice steady but carrying an edge of surprise. "I knew you'd be here... But I didn't expect that you'd already handled the situation before we even took action."

Natsu froze, his expression switching between confusion and frustration. "Wait, wait, wait! You're telling me was the one that made the Luluby turn into a stick!? If you did that what did we even fought for?!"

Aurelius's lips curved into a faint smile. "You fought to ensure Eisenwald didn't cause more chaos. But as for the Lullaby…" He gestured nonchalantly. "It was no longer in their possession by the time they reached you."

Erza's sharp eyes narrowed, scrutinizing him. "You swapped it Before they even made it to the station, didn't you?"

Aurelius shrugged with practiced indifference. "It wasn't difficult. Eisenwald doesn't exactly pride itself on illusions. A simple illusion and some sleight of hand and they never knew the difference."

Gray let out a low whistle, arms crossed. "So, while we were out there busting our backs fighting Erigor and his crew, you were here playing the long game, huh?"

"Efficient as always," Erza acknowledged with a small nod. "Still, you could have told us. It would've saved us some trouble."

"Would it have?" Aurelius countered, his tone calm. "Eisenwald's defeat serves as a warning to any others planning similar acts. And it's good experience for all of you. Besides…" He glanced briefly at Lucy, whose gaze was fixed on him, wide-eyed and uncertain. "…some lessons are best learned firsthand."

Natsu growled in frustration, throwing his hands in the air. "This guy! Always acting all mysterious and cool, like he's ten steps ahead of everyone!"

Happy added with a sigh, "Aye, it's a little annoying."

Lucy, however, stepped forward cautiously. "Aurelius… you knew about the Lullaby? About what it really was?"

"Of course," he replied simply, his gaze meeting hers. "It's a cursed object—a demon from Zeref's Book, capable of taking a flute-like form. When played, it unleashes a deadly melody that kills all who hear it."

The gravity of his words silenced the group momentarily. Erza finally broke the quiet. "And now? Where is it?"

Aurelius's expression shifted slightly, his calm demeanor never faltering. "Somewhere it won't harm anyone. You'll have to trust me on that."

Erza stared at him for a long moment before nodding. "Very well. But next time… try not to leave us in the dark."

Aurelius inclined his head slightly, a hint of amusement in his expression. "I'll consider it."

Without another word, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows around the building.

Natsu grumbled under his breath, glaring after him. "I swear, one day I'm gonna get him to actually fight me."

Erza ignored him, her gaze lingering where Aurelius had vanished. "We should report to Master Makarov. Let's go."

As the group moved through the grand halls of the conference building, the weight of their mission seemed to settle on them. Erza led the way with her usual confidence, while Natsu and Gray traded jabs behind her, their rivalry as heated as ever. Lucy trailed close, taking in the impressive structure with awe, while Happy perched on her shoulder, unusually quiet.

The doors to the main chamber loomed ahead, and Erza straightened, her focus sharp as she prepared to report to Master Makarov. But just as she raised her hand to push the heavy doors open, a calm voice stopped her.

"There's no need to interrupt," Aurelius said, stepping out from the side corridor with his usual composed demeanor.

Natsu immediately stiffened. "You again?! Where the heck do you keep coming from?"

Ignoring the outburst, Aurelius's uncovered eye fixed on Erza. "The conference is likely reaching its climax now. It's better to wait."

Erza turned to him, her gaze searching. "And how would you know that?"

Aurelius's faint smile returned. "Because it's the natural flow of things, Erza. Besides…" He glanced toward the door. "I also interrupted them earlier, and they didn't seem to like it at first."

Erza frowned, but after a moment, she nodded. "Very well. We'll wait."

Natsu crossed his arms, visibly annoyed. "So we went through all that, and now we're just supposed to stand around doing nothing?"

Lucy sighed, patting his shoulder lightly. "Sometimes you need to let things play out, Natsu. It's not always about charging in headfirst."

Happy chimed in, "Aye! Besides, Aurelius already dealt with the Lullaby, so it's not like we're in any danger."

Gray smirked, nudging Natsu. "You really need to admit, he's always ahead of you."

"Shut it, droopy eyes!" Natsu shot back, his fists clenching.

Erza silenced them with a sharp glare, and the group settled into a tense but quiet wait in the corridor. Lucy glanced at Aurelius, who had leaned casually against the wall, his expression calm but unreadable. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was always more to him than he let on—a puzzle that no one seemed to fully understand.

The muffled voices of the guild masters echoed faintly through the thick doors, but none of them could make out what was being said. All they could do was wait, as Aurelius had suggested.

And so they did.

Natsu, however, was not one for patience. He paced back and forth, his fists clenching and unclenching. After a few minutes, he abruptly spun toward Aurelius, his flames flaring around him. "Alright, I've had enough waiting! Aurelius, fight me right now!"

Aurelius, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, opened his visible eye slightly. "No."

"Why not?!" Natsu's flames burned brighter, his frustration obvious.

"I don't feel like it," Aurelius replied flatly, his voice calm and steady.

Natsu growled. "Fine, then I'll make you fight me!" Without warning, he lunged forward, his fiery fist aimed straight for Aurelius' head.

Aurelius didn't move. Instead, the air shimmered faintly.

Before anyone could react, Natsu's fist connected—not with Aurelius, but with Erza, who had somehow been in Aurelius' position.

The sound of metal clashing against flesh echoed through the hallway as Erza staggered back, her armored chest plate absorbing the blow. Her eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed dangerously.

"Natsu…" Erza's voice was calm, too calm, and filled with an underlying threat.

Natsu froze, his flames instantly extinguished. "W-wait, Erza?! I didn't mean to—!"

"You punched me," she said, her tone low and deadly.

"It wasn't my fault! It was him!" Natsu pointed frantically at Aurelius, who stood exactly where Erza had been, his expression unreadable except for the faintest twitch of amusement at the corner of his mouth.

The group stared in confusion, and Lucy's eyes darted between Erza and Aurelius. "Wait… What just happened?"

Gray crossed his arms. "Did Aurelius just… switch places with Erza?"

"No," Aurelius corrected, his tone as calm as ever. "After you guys tried to interrupt the guild master's, I altered everyone's perception. To you guys, I was Erza, and Erza was me."

"Why would you do that?!" Natsu yelled, backing away as Erza advanced on him with murderous intent.

Aurelius smirked faintly. "From now on, I'll accept all challenges under one condition: you must defeat Erza first."

The hallway went silent except for the sound of Erza cracking her knuckles.

Natsu stammered, "W-wait, we can talk about this, Erza! I didn't mean to—!"

"You punched me," Erza repeated, her tone colder than ice.

"Rest in peace, flame brain," Gray muttered, shaking his head as Erza grabbed Natsu by the scarf and began dragging him away.

Happy, perched on Lucy's shoulder, whispered, "Aurelius is scary in a completely different way."

Lucy nodded, watching as Aurelius returned to his spot against the wall, his expression calm and detached once more. She couldn't help but wonder how someone so strategic and composed ended up in Fairy Tail. Then again, she thought, maybe that's exactly what made him fit in.

Soon, the night sky was adorned with a crescent moon, its soft light casting a faint glow over the sprawling town. The Fairy Tail group waited outside the now-quiet guild master conference building. After hours of discussion and debate, the gathering had finally concluded.

As expected, several guild masters lingered, making last-minute attempts to poach Aurelius. Despite their offers of wealth, recognition, and promises of complete autonomy, Aurelius remained steadfast in his refusals.

"You'd have your own private wing in our guild!" one eager guild master had said.

"We'll give you access to our rarest magical tomes!" another added.

Aurelius had politely declined each one with a simple, "No, thank you," before walking away.

By the time Makarov rejoined the group, his expression was a mix of weariness and relief. "Alright, let's head back," he said, leading them out of the area.

The moonlit path back to Fairy Tail carried an air of subdued tension as the group left the now-empty guild master conference. Aurelius walked a few paces behind Makarov, his steps deliberate and his gaze thoughtful.

Erza and her team flanked Makarov, recounting the events of their mission.

"Master," Erza began, her tone firm. "We neutralized Eisenwald and captured their leader, Erigor. However, it seems they had larger plans—plans targeting the guild masters directly. The Lullaby is now secured."

Makarov nodded, his small frame somehow exuding authority. "Good work, all of you. Eisenwald was never a threat to be taken lightly."

As the conversation drifted toward lighter topics, Aurelius spoke, his calm voice cutting through the chatter.

"Master," he began, "and the rest of you... have you ever heard of something called the Eclipse Gate?"

The question hung in the air, drawing confused looks from everyone except Makarov, who seemed momentarily at a loss.

"The Eclipse Gate?" Erza repeated, her brow furrowing. "What is it?"

Makarov stroked his chin but eventually shook his head. "I've never heard of it. Is it related to something important, Aurelius?"

"It's connected to something I've researched," Aurelius said vaguely. "I thought someone here might know something about it." He continued casting a glance at the master.

"The Eclipse Gate? I've never heard of it either," Lucy said. "Is it related to celestial magic?"

"Possibly," Aurelius replied, watching her reaction closely. "You seem well-versed in celestial topics, Lucy. I thought you might have encountered the term before."

Lucy blinked, visibly startled by the attention. "Me? No, I... I don't know anything about it. Why would I?"

Natsu tilted his head. "Eclipse Gate, huh? Sounds like trouble. Is it another ancient magic we're gonna have to deal with?"

"I've got no clue either," Gray said, glancing at Erza. "What about you?"

Erza shook her head. "I've never encountered it in any of my readings or missions. Is it a threat?"

"It could be," Aurelius said cryptically.

Makarov watched Aurelius carefully but decided not to probe further. "Ancient magic often has a way of stirring up problems best left undisturbed. Whatever you're thinking, Aurelius, tread carefully."

Aurelius nodded slightly but didn't elaborate.

As they walked, Lucy couldn't shake the feeling that Aurelius's question had been directed more at her than anyone else. However, she remained quiet, unsure of what to make of it.

Though the conversation seemed to have moved on, the Eclipse Gate left an unspoken question lingering in the air—a mystery that Aurelius seemed determined to unravel.

As they walked through the quiet streets under the soft glow of moonlight, the group found themselves lost in thought. The events of the day had been strange, and Aurelius's actions weighed heavily on their minds. Makarov, ever observant, finally broke the silence.

"Aurelius," he began, his voice carrying a mixture of authority and genuine curiosity. "Why did you decide to step into the spotlight this time? It's not like you at all."

The question hung in the air for a moment, and all eyes turned to Aurelius. His pace didn't falter, but there was an unmistakable flicker of something in his expression—a mix of contemplation and mischief.

"Why, indeed?" Aurelius replied cryptically, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Gray frowned. "What's that supposed to mean? You're not going to tell us?"

Lucy tilted her head. "Yeah, Care to enlighten us?"

Aurelius shrugged. "Let's just say... it's part of a plan. You don't need to know more than that for now."

"Plan?" Erza asked, narrowing her eyes. "What plan?"

Aurelius didn't answer, instead continuing to walk. The group exchanged confused glances, unsure whether to press further.

Finally, he spoke again, his voice quieter but firm. "Well, the world is changing... I might just change some ways on how I handle things."

That caught everyone off guard.

"Wait, what?" Gray blurted, almost stumbling.

"You? Change?" Makarov asked, his eyebrows raised. "That's... unexpected."

Natsu's reaction was the loudest. "Does that mean you're finally gonna start taking jobs with us now?"

Aurelius stopped walking and turned slightly, giving Natsu a flat, unimpressed look. "No."

The straightforward denial caused Natsu to groan loudly. "Then what's even changing?!"

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out.." Instead of answering directly, Aurelius gave a cryptic answer and changed the subject with a calculated tone. "Speaking of which, it's no secret that I've passed the S-Rank trials a few times now...."

Lucy's eyes widened. "Wait, you've done what?"

Gray let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Oh yeah, he has. Everyone in the guild probably knows about it except you, Lucy."

"Passed with flying colors, too," Erza added. "Every time."

"But..." Lucy looked confused. "You're not S-rank because you didn't want the attention? Are you planning to be an S-rank now?!"

"Good question," Gray agreed, crossing his arms. "People would kill for that rank... And now it seemed you're finally considering it."

Aurelius looked up at the stars for a moment before answering, his tone calm but serious. "Back then, it wasn't the right time. I had other priorities—things I needed to handle first. Additionally, master gave me a certain gurrantee that I can be S-class in the future..."

The group fell silent, sensing the weight behind his words. Even Natsu seemed thoughtful for once.

Makarov, walking slightly ahead, glanced back with a knowing smile. "Where is this talk leading to?"

Aurelius turned to Makarov, his expression resolute. "Master, I was just wondering... Does the offer still stand?"

AN: Hello again! I just realized that this book is now part of the 200 rankings in power stones(It's ranked 122nd as of the release of this chapter). Since we entered the 200, I decided to release an additional chapter as thanks for the support. Once again, 3 more reviews and I will be releasing 3 chapters.

Chapter titles:

Chapter 10: Hidden

Chapter 11: Deal with the Devil

Chapter 12: Aurelius' Gambit