FT: The Phantom Dragon Slayer Chapter 104: The Witch Who Erases Memories, a Promise Beneath the Full Moon (1)

Chapter 104: The Witch Who Erases Memories, a Promise Beneath the Full Moon (1)

“We’ll be gone for three days—Mira and I are taking a trip.”

“Sorry, Master. This is an incredibly busy time for the guild….”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. You two haven’t had a proper break in ages. You need rest. I can take the requests while you’re gone, so go and relax.”

The day before we left.

Mira and I told Master we’d be away for three days. The guild buzzed with preparations for the upcoming S-rank promotion exams, but Master happily approved our leave.

“So you’re going to Licorice, right?”

“Yes. It’s an off-the-beaten-path tourist spot; I thought it would be quiet and restful.”

“Well, that sounds perfect for your temperament. Don’t forget to bring me back a souvenir, though.”

“Kufufufu—according to a book I read, Licorice Village is famous for its red spider lilies blooming all year round. They make a red flower wine from them that’s popular.”

“Ooh—wine, you say?!”

“That sounds delicious—count me in!”

Nightwalker and Cana, eyes glittering at the bar, butted into the conversation after hearing about wine.

“If there’s alcohol involved, bring some for us too!”

“Red flower wine, huh—if you’re going, can I come along?”

“Nightwalker—”

“Yeah! Let me come with you?”

Nightwalker came over asking me to take him along. I formed a chain of mist and suddenly enveloped him.

“W-what?! H-hey! What are you doing?!”

“Kufufufu… you’ve been here long enough; it’s about time you went home.”

“W-wait—!”

Gripped in the mist-chain that blurred illusion and reality and hard to shake off, Nightwalker thrashed wildly. I grabbed his chin and stared straight into his eyes.

Soon his struggling ceased and he went still, dazed. I overlaid a glamour and transformed his image into the child he once was, then spoke gently, in a soft commanding tone.

“Right. From now on you’re going back to Edolas and acting like a spoiled child for your wife. Go to Erza’s mother and beg for dinner. Try to play at being a toddler as much as possible. No—just stay in Edolas and keep acting spoiled for Erza forever.”

“...Got it~!!”

Returning to his childhood form, he immediately opened a door and went back to Edolas.

Mirajane and Cana stared dumbfounded as Nightwalker left, then frantically demanded to know what I’d just done.

“W-wait! What was that just now?!”

“Walker left voluntarily? Ciel, what did you do?”

“Nothing special. I simply tested a new hypnosis spell on him.”

“A hypnosis spell?”

I’d been experimenting with a newly developed hypnosis magic lately—part illusion, part binding—to use against opponents who are immune to ordinary glamour. As a hobby I tested it on Nightwalker to see whether his notoriously iron will would break. The instant effect seems to have worked.

What remains now is endurance testing—if that state holds while we’re away, that’ll be ideal.

And no—this wasn’t punishment for the way he exposed my embarrassing past the other day.

Yes, this was just a simple magic test.

That’s all it was.

....

“Was that really okay?”

“Well, he’s not exactly ordinary himself. It’ll wear off soon enough. Anyway, we should get ready for the trip, so we’ll be heading home.”

“Ciel, don’t forget to bring back some of that wine as a souvenir!”

“Cana, since you’ve given me drinks a few times before, it’s only fair I bring some back for you in return. You can look forward to it.”

“Yahoo~! I knew you were the best, Ciel-nii!”

I smiled wryly as she cheered, downing an entire barrel of liquor straight from the tap, and left the guild.

....

“Ciel, the train’s about to leave~!”

“Just a moment. I’m deciding between the shrimp-tempura bento and the butter-rice set…”

“Let’s just buy both!”

The next morning, we boarded the train early.

It was a seven-hour ride from Magnolia to Licorice, but the thought of finally getting a few peaceful days away from work made us both eager for the journey.

“It’s been a long time since I last rode a train like this.”

“Same here. Other than traveling for Weekly Sorcerer shoots, I hardly ever go far on personal trips.”

We sat side by side, chatting about things we hadn’t had time to say for ages, while the train carried us toward Licorice Village.

....

That same day, back at Fairy Tail—

With Mirajane away, Master Makarov was handling request work in her place. The guild members, however, looked sour as they took missions from him.

Most of them worked hard just to see Mirajane’s smile at the reception desk. Without her there, motivation had plummeted.

“Maybe we should just take the day off…”

“When’s Mirajane coming back?”

“In about three days, I think.”

“Haaah… having to start my morning looking at the old man’s smile… that just feels wrong in its own way.”

“You brats! Are you saying you’re unhappy with the jobs I’m handing out?!”

“Master, please understand how it feels for us to get missions from a drunk old man first thing in the morning.”

“Bah! You punks! Back in my day I was quite the looker, I’ll have you know!”

“Yeah, but that was back in your day, Gramps. Now you’re just old.”

“Why, you insolent kids! Come here, I’ll tan your hides!”

“Master! We’re sorry! Stop! No spanking, please!!”

Even without Mirajane, Fairy Tail was still Fairy Tail—chaotic as ever.

Natsu and Gray were already arguing, competing to grab the best missions. Wendy, Lucy, and Levy chatted about Charle’s precognition and begged her to tell their near-future fortunes like curious girls.

Erza was sparring in the guild hall with the new Edolas recruit, Lily, their blades clashing in a morning training match—while Gajeel watched proudly from the sidelines, drink in hand.

Lisanna hung out with Juvia and Bisca, gossiping about love stories. It was another lively, ordinary day at Fairy Tail.

But that noisy peace was suddenly shattered.

“Hey… look over there.”

“Whoa… that kid’s covered in blood!”

“What’s going on?”

“A child?”

The noisy guild suddenly fell silent as everyone turned toward the entrance.

A boy stood there.

He looked like he should have had fair skin beneath all the dirt and blood, his brown hair matted and dull. His clothes were in tatters, and his body—thin as a skeleton—was covered in wounds.

He walked barefoot across the floor, his feet caked with mud and oozing blood and pus. The sight was pitiful beyond words.

Makarov and Erza immediately approached the boy.

“Hey there, is something wrong?”

“Kid, this is a wizard guild, not a hospital.”

“Th… this place… it’s Fairy… Tail… right…?”

His voice was faint, almost crawling out of his throat.

He looked like he needed a doctor more than anyone, but before anyone could react, his body swayed—and he collapsed right into Erza’s arms.

“Hey! Are you alright?!”

“...Please… help us… our village… please… save us…”

“Your village? What are you talking about—? Hey! Hey!”

Still crying, the boy choked out those last desperate words before losing consciousness.

Alarmed, Erza gathered him up in her arms and ran to the infirmary.

Makarov turned to Jet.

“Jet! Go call her immediately!”

“Understood!”

....

Two hours later.

The boy had been treated and stabilized by her, but he hadn’t woken yet. Lucy, Erza, and Wendy waited in the infirmary, watching over him.

Froschica replaced the IV drip in his arm, muttering to herself in irritation.

“Good grief… How did he even make it here in that condition? His whole body’s infected from whip wounds, and he’s severely malnourished. Another day like that, and he would’ve died for sure.”

“I see.”

“Why are you answering my monologue?”

“Eh?! That was a monologue?!”

“You mean you weren’t talking to us?!”

“I told you—I hate the smell of humans and talking to them!”

As Lucy and Wendy scrambled in embarrassment, the commotion stirred the boy awake. His eyes fluttered open weakly.

“Miss! He’s awake!”

“You’re conscious, huh?”

“Wh… where… am I…?”

“This is Fairy Tail’s infirmary.”

“Fairy… Tail…”

Erza stepped closer.

“What happened to you?”

“…Please… please… help us…”

Erza asked again, but instead of answering, the boy—his arms thin as sticks—lifted a trembling hand and gripped hers tightly.

For an instant, Erza froze. The shaking of that hand felt familiar.

It was the same trembling she had once felt… from someone standing on the brink of death.

Erza wrapped both her hands around his, meeting his eyes gently.

“Tell me. What happened?”

And with a voice faint and fading, the boy finally began to speak.

“Please… save our village… from the witch…”

“The witch? What do you mean?”

“Licorice Village… My father was the village chief there… but two years ago, a witch came to our village…”

“A witch?”

“My parents… they welcomed her warmly as a guest when she first arrived. But not long after, that woman… she stole everyone’s memories…!!”

The boy began foaming at the mouth, convulsing violently. She rushed to check his condition, while Wendy cast a healing spell.

But instead of improving, his trembling only grew worse.

“Hey—!”

“The healing magic isn’t working!”

“No way… the treatment’s correct, so why—?!”

“That witch who stole everyone’s memories—she killed my father, my mother… my brothers and sisters!! I… I became the witch’s slave! I lived under her control! And only recently—while she was distracted—I escaped from the village…!!”

“Calm down! If you don’t calm yourself, your body won’t hold out!”

“Please…!! There’s money… in my pocket…! Please… save our village… avenge my family—”

“Hey! Stay with me!”

“…It’s no use. His pulse just stopped.”

“What…?!”

Foaming at the mouth, the boy’s body went still. His last words—pleading for the salvation of his village and the vengeance of his family—hung heavy in the air as his life faded.

Without even knowing his name, Erza gently closed the boy’s eyes and whispered quietly:

“…Alright. I accept your request. I swear I’ll save your village. So rest now, in peace.”

As everyone stood in sorrow over the boy’s death, Lucy suddenly realized something and cried out.

“Wait! The name of the village that boy mentioned—Licorice, right?!”

“Yes, he said Licorice Village. Huh—?!”

“That’s the same place Mr. Ciel and Miss Mirajane said they were traveling to today!”

“Tch…!”

“Erza, where are you going?”

“Please take care of the boy’s body. I’m going to report this to Master and head for Licorice immediately.”

“W-wait, Erza! We’re coming too!”

“Yeah, me too!”

Licorice Village.

The very destination Ciel and Mirajane had chosen for their quiet holiday.

Realizing that, Erza hurried out of the infirmary and ran to find Makarov.