Chapter 71: An Unexpected Visitor

"Not the Black Dragon?"

"Your Majesty, is it just because he didn't kill Irene? Forgive me, but I cannot agree with that reasoning."

August's expression grew more serious, and he slowly shook his head. "I've seen him transform into the Black Dragon. Although there are some differences from the records in the Apocalypse, the overall form is the same, and the immense magic power he exudes is undeniable."

"And another important reason he didn't kill Irene..."

August hesitated for a while. Zeref didn't rush him and simply looked at him, waiting for August to continue.

"My guess is... he wants Irene to be his woman."

Zeref was visibly startled by this unexpected conjecture, his face filled with shock.

August didn't elaborate further, but there was one critical point he didn't mention: power.

August wasn't one to boast, but from the moment he was born, the magic within him had been enough to make many mages tremble. After years of honing his abilities, he had become immune to most magic. A black dragon that could render him helpless—there could be no one else besides the Black Dragon from the Apocalypse.

Zeref relaxed slightly. After considering for a moment, he realized that if the Black Dragon had changed, it might actually benefit him. After all, he had no desire to remain the Black Dragon's plaything forever.

"It seems... I'll have to meet the Black Dragon again to confirm it," Zeref said, a hint of resignation crossing his face.

Now that the Black Dragon had grown stronger and the world was changing, Zeref couldn't afford to sit idly by.

"August, I have a task for you."

August lowered his head respectfully. "As you command, Your Majesty."

"Gather forces capable of opposing the Black Dragon. Whether they are people or weapons, I need them."

Zeref needed to unite the entire western continent's power. His goal was to gather mages with incredible talent or already immense strength, to stand against the shifting world and the unexpected changes in the Black Dragon.

This had been Zeref's intention for a while, but the recent developments had solidified his resolve.

"Understood."

August did not question Zeref's decisions.

...

January 7th, heavy snowfall.

The entire courtyard was blanketed in white, with snow still falling gently. Kagura, seated by the window and meditating under the moonlight, exhaled softly and opened her eyes.

Looking up at the moon, Kagura couldn't help but remember Aegon's praise and the moment he placed a necklace around her neck.

As Selene had once mentioned, Kagura was indeed born for the sword, with a natural talent for swordsmanship. But she wasn't just a sword.

She had emotions, desires. Her drive to train wasn't purely for the sake of becoming stronger. It was because of her long-lost brother, Simon.

She wanted to grow stronger so that she could one day travel and search for any trace of her brother Simon.

She had tried to leave before, but Erza had stopped her.

The reason was simple and irrefutable: she was still too young.

Kagura's parents had passed away when she was very young, and it was her brother Simon who had raised her.

Even though she had been separated from Simon since she was six, his image remained clear in her heart.

She had heard from Erza that she had escaped from the Tower of Heaven, but Erza didn't know its exact location, leaving Kagura with some disappointment. Yet, as long as she didn't hear news of Simon's death, she held onto hope and continued to train diligently.

Until six days ago, she had been able to focus on her training without distractions, even in this manor filled with scenes she shouldn't have witnessed.

Though she knew Selene had ulterior motives when she first brought her here, and that Aegon had feelings for her, she was at least sure that Aegon had never acted upon those feelings.

Kagura didn't speak much, and her conversations with Aegon were few. But through the chats between Misaki and Mira, she had learned that while Aegon had a strong sense of possession, he didn't like to force things, especially in matters of relationships.

Erza and the others were easy to get along with, too. Even though Kagura was often silent, they would always try to talk to her about training and swordsmanship, sometimes even forcing awkward small talk...

Kagura knew that sometimes Erza and the others would intentionally find random things to talk about, just to make her feel less awkward and not out of place.

She glanced at the sword placed near her bed—Blood Rose.

It was a sword made from materials provided by Selene and forged by Irene using high-level enchantments.

This was undoubtedly a legendary weapon, one that could easily spark bloody battles between mages outside the manor. But here, Selene and Irene had casually given it to her, without asking for anything in return.

Kagura didn't know if Aegon had a say in this, but it was clear that he didn't stop them.

Not only had she received this sword, but she was also congratulated by the others. Even Misaki and Kiria, who hadn't received any weapons, sincerely congratulated her. Kagura could feel the genuine goodwill from them.

So, although she hadn't expressed it, she was very clear in her heart.

She liked it here, and she liked everyone here.

In the past few days, her feelings had become even clearer. It seemed that she had developed some affection for Aegon.

Whenever she practiced her swordsmanship or meditated, she would unconsciously think about Aegon's words, even if it was something as casual as, "Take a seat," or "Make yourself comfortable," along with his expressions and tone when he said those things.

Of course, all of this felt a bit premature for her.

From the conversations between Aegon, Selene, and Irene, as well as from Aegon's own actions, it seemed like she would have to wait a few more years.

These years would also give her time to further solidify her own feelings.

Kagura shook her head to clear her mind of distractions and closed her eyes, returning to her meditation.

...

The next day, in the front courtyard.

It was now 10 a.m., and Kagura, dressed in her training clothes, was still practicing her swordsmanship in an open area.

On a nearby stone table used for resting, there were cups of wine, with warm sake giving off a fragrant aroma. Two people sat there.

One was Aegon, watching the snow and Kagura as she swung her sword.

He took a sip of wine and muttered to himself, "Irene went through all the trouble of building a training hall. I wonder why she doesn't use it."

It had snowed heavily the previous night, and the snow had piled up thickly in both the front and back courtyards.

He had been dragged out of bed by Selene early in the morning for a snowball fight. The morning had been... quite a sight, with white snowballs rolling down snowy slopes...

He wasn't particularly interested in snowball fights, but he had certainly enjoyed the view.

After all the excitement, they had gone back inside for a hot bath. Kagura, on the other hand, had only taken a quick wash and returned to the courtyard to continue her training.

She had probably been away for no more than five minutes...

Aegon, on the other hand, was expecting a visitor today, which was why he was in the courtyard at 10 a.m., even while Selene and Irene were still soaking in their bath.

And the other person seated at the table? None other than the guest from Magnolia: Laxus, the grandson of the Saint Wizard Makarov.