Fairy Tail: Collapsing Stars

Chapter 449: Jude: Everything Else Is Fine, but the Child Must Be a Heartfilia

"So that's not what happened, Father! Please listen to my explanation!"

Lucy felt utterly exhausted. She had already explained herself so many times, so why was no one listening?!

Was what she said really that unconvincing? Did she really look like the kind of girl who would lie? Well, whenever she went on jobs with Natsu, she did occasionally take advantage of her pretty face to trick people into sympathizing with her—but that was only when absolutely necessary!

"Lucy, just tell me the truth. I promise I won't be angry."

"And as your father, I apologize. I was too harsh just now. I hope I didn't frighten you... or the child in your belly..."

Jude took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the anger in his heart as he spoke softly to Lucy.

"I already told you, it's not what you're thinking!"

"And Father, please keep being angry at me! I won't be frightened!"

Lucy felt like crying. She and Natsu were completely innocent, so why wouldn't Jude believe her?!

"Lucy! Hurry up and tell your father! Don't make him worry..."

"That's right, Lucy! Be a good girl. Don't make your father worry."

"Lucy, just tell the truth~"

"Exactly, exactly..."

The troublemakers who lived for entertainment all gathered around Lucy with grins on their faces. In an instant, every mage in Fairy Tail seemed to have switched sides. They all stood behind Jude and began lecturing Lucy instead.

"Lucy, forget everyone else! At least you should listen to me. So hurry up and tell your father—how many months along are you?"

Gray, still holding the clothes he hadn't finished putting on, walked over beside Lucy and asked with a mischievous grin.

"Who do you think you are? Why would I listen to you?"

"And hurry up and get lost already!"

Lucy looked at Gray with undisguised disgust. She couldn't be bothered dealing with this idiot.

"Damn it, Lucy... could the baby in your belly belong to Gray-sama?"

Juvia looked at how casually Lucy treated Gray and was instantly alarmed. Biting her lip, she asked angrily.

"How could the baby in my belly possibly belong to Gray?!"

Lucy twitched at the corner of her eye. She simply couldn't understand how Juvia's brain worked. In such a short time, she'd somehow dragged Gray into this mess.

"Ahahaha..."

"She admitted it! Lucy admitted she's pregnant!"

The moment Lucy finished speaking, the Fairy Tail troublemakers all crowded around her, laughing uproariously.

Yes, Juvia's question had merely been bait, meant to trick Lucy into admitting she was pregnant.

"You idiots! I already told you, it's all a misunderstanding!"

Lucy felt like her head was about to explode as she desperately tried to explain.

Unfortunately, no one listened.

"Lucy, just be honest and tell your father how old the baby is. Save him from worrying!"

Happy fluttered over beside Lucy and spoke gently.

"You stupid cat, shut up!"

The veins on Lucy's forehead bulged as she shouted coldly at Happy.

"Lucy, so you're really pregnant?"

"Then I guess we can't sleep together anymore! That wouldn't be good for the baby!"

At that moment, Natsu walked over. After listening to everyone's conversation, he finally thought he understood the situation and cheerfully said to Lucy.

"Why are you saying it too?!"

Lucy had completely given up. She no longer knew how to explain things to her guildmates.

"So the father is this idiot, right?!"

"Forget it. It doesn't matter anymore!"

"Lucy, no matter what, you must do exactly as I say!"

"First of all, the child has to carry the Heartfilia surname..."

"I assume neither of you has any objections to that?"

Though Jude appeared to be talking to Lucy, he was actually testing Natsu.

And judging from his tone, he had absolutely no intention of allowing Natsu to object.

In Jude's eyes, allowing a fool like Natsu to climb aboard the Heartfilia family's carriage was already an enormous blessing. Therefore, Natsu had no right to make any demands.

The child had to be named Heartfilia.

Jude had spoken.

No one could change that.

"No problem!"

Natsu didn't hesitate in the slightest before answering.

In truth, Natsu simply didn't care.

"Good..."

Hearing Natsu's answer, Jude's expression finally softened. Even his attitude toward Natsu became noticeably gentler.

Even Natsu's foolish-looking face suddenly became much more pleasing to Jude.

Looking more carefully, perhaps the boy wasn't that stupid after all.

At least he could breathe.

He could eat.

He was still alive.

Wasn't that enough?

"Then now, you and Lucy will come home with me immediately so we can arrange the wedding!"

Jude gently patted Natsu on the shoulder and spoke seriously.

"Okay!"

Natsu nodded vigorously. Then he looked toward Lucy, who was sitting nearby, and flashed his trademark sunny smile.

"Lucy, we're getting married!"

"Congratulations! Congratulations!"

"How wonderful! Good luck, Lucy~"

"I can't believe Lucy's the first one getting married!"

"We'll definitely prepare a wedding gift for you~"

The guild members all smiled and offered Lucy their congratulations.

"Heh... these people are hopeless."

Watching the idiots in Fairy Tail grinning foolishly at her, Lucy finally understood.

No matter how much she explained, none of them would ever listen.

Because to the people of Fairy Tail...

They simply wanted to enjoy the chaos.

Faced with this situation, Lucy decided to resolve this farce in the most Fairy Tail way possible.

So...

She strode over to Cana and snatched away the barrel she was carrying.

"Please, Cana! Let me borrow your barrel!"

Though Lucy's arms looked slender, they possessed astonishing strength. With a casual lift, she raised the nearly half-ton barrel.

"Ah..."

"My wine!"

Cana watched helplessly as Lucy carried away her precious wine barrel, her eyes filled with reluctance.

"Everyone, excuse me."

Lucy smiled gracefully as she gently set the half-ton barrel down before Jude and the Fairy Tail troublemakers.

She even politely apologized with an elegant smile.

At that moment, Lucy's refined upbringing was on full display.

It was elegance engraved into her bones.

Flowing through her DNA.

The noble bearing of the Heartfilia family.

"Uh..."

Jude, however, had absolutely no mood to admire his daughter's refined manners.

He had already turned pale with fright, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

"L-Lucy... what are you trying to do?"

Jude asked timidly.

Meanwhile, countless thoughts screamed through his mind.

"W-What..."

"What kind of joke is this?!"

"Lucy actually lifted such a heavy wine barrel all by herself? And she even set it down so casually? Even my bodyguards couldn't manage that! Well... at least I don't have to worry about her being bullied outside anymore..."

"But what exactly has this girl been learning over the past year and a half? She's changed way too much!"

"And I actually tried to discipline her just like when she was little?! If someone with this kind of strength accidentally fought back... wouldn't I die on the spot?"

Jude's heart was in complete turmoil.

He simply couldn't believe what he had just witnessed.

His precious daughter, who had barely stepped outside the mansion before...

Had become this overwhelmingly powerful in just over a year.

With Lucy's current physical strength, there was no way he could overpower her anymore.

Even if he attacked with all his might, it would probably feel no more painful than a raindrop landing on her.

And if Lucy instinctively fought back...

Jude didn't even dare imagine the consequences.

Only one thought remained in his mind.

"What's it like raising a daughter born with monstrous strength who could accidentally slap you to death?"

At that moment, Jude was filled with nothing but regret.

He never should have let Lucy learn magic.

Now she had a body comparable to a magical beast.

He couldn't beat her.

He couldn't even scold her anymore.

Smack!

While Jude stared fearfully at Lucy, she casually slapped the wine barrel.

The lid shattered instantly.

The clear wine inside was revealed.

It had to be said that the Haki Evan had enchanted onto Lucy was already beginning to show results, greatly enhancing her physical strength.

"What does this mean?!"

"Is she threatening me? She's definitely threatening me, isn't she?"

"Is Lucy trying to tell me she can smash my skull just as easily as she smashed that barrel?"

Jude's eyes widened as he watched his beloved daughter casually destroy the barrel with her bare hand.

"Everyone... I believe none of us are calm enough to have a proper conversation right now."

"So I think... everyone should calm down first."

Lucy smiled.

Her smile was dazzling.

Like a golden sunflower blooming beneath the sunlight.

It was so radiant that every Fairy Tail mage felt a chill run down their spine.

"Open! Gate of Aquarius! Aquarius!!"

Without giving anyone time to react, Lucy decisively pulled out one of her Zodiac Keys—the key of Aquarius.

She thrust it into the barrel.

Then gently turned it.

Ripples spread across the wine inside.

A beautiful mermaid with a blue bikini on her upper body and a fish tail below suddenly appeared inside Fairy Tail's guild hall.

"It's salted fish."

Happy drooled disgustingly as he stared at the beautiful mermaid.

"You can tell with one look that's obviously not a salted fish!"

Lucy immediately turned around and retorted.

"Lucy! How many times have I told you?! Don't summon me in weird places!"

The moment Aquarius was summoned, she fell directly into the wine barrel.

As soon as the wine soaked her body, veins bulged across her forehead.

Like the Nine Yin White Bone Claw, her slender fingers instantly clamped down on Lucy's head.

As the Aquarius Celestial Spirit, Aquarius was extremely sensitive to liquids.

The sensation of being soaked in wine made her expression change dramatically.

"This is wine?!"

Aquarius narrowed her eyes.

Dangerous killing intent shone within them.

"S-Sorry, Aquarius..."

Lucy apologized sincerely.

She knew perfectly well...

If anything went even slightly wrong...

She would immediately depart this beautiful world forever.

"Hmph! So why exactly did you summon me here?"

Seeing Lucy's sincere apology, Aquarius finally suppressed her anger.

She slowly released her grip on Lucy's head before asking.

"Aquarius, please help everyone calm down."

"I think everyone in the guild is a little too excited right now."

"They all need your help."

While rubbing her aching head—Aquarius had nearly crushed it just now—Lucy spoke righteously, acting as though everything she was doing was for the sake of her guildmates.

"Really?"

"Well, since you're asking, I suppose I have no choice."

"But whatever happens next isn't my responsibility~"

As Aquarius spoke, she raised the white water jar in her hands.

Moisture from the air.

Wine from the guild's barrels.

Water flowing through the pipes.

Everything rushed toward the white jar.

"I suddenly have a very bad feeling..."

Juvia, whose Water Magic made her extremely sensitive to such things, immediately turned pale as she looked nervously at everyone.

"Yeah... we've noticed..."

Gray and the others nodded stiffly.

They weren't blind.

They could clearly see the terrifying amount of magic gathering inside Aquarius's white jar.

The magical power had become so concentrated it was visible to the naked eye.

Every mage knew exactly what that meant.

Without question...

A grand spell was about to be unleashed.

A supreme spell comparable to Fairy Law itself.

"To hell with all of you!"

Without giving anyone time to react, Aquarius—who had looked like a graceful lady only moments ago—suddenly swung the white jar in her hand.

Her beautiful face twisted into a ferocious expression as she roared.

Endless torrents of water burst from the jar, crashing toward Lucy and everyone else.

Freezing water drenched every face inside Fairy Tail.

But it wasn't over.

As one of the strongest Celestial Spirits, Aquarius possessed overwhelming power.

With her full-strength attack, she unleashed a catastrophic flood.

The raging torrent swept every mage in Fairy Tail off their feet and blasted them straight through the guild hall into the river outside.

In the blink of an eye, the entire guild hall was submerged.

Every Fairy Tail mage floated in the river like drenched cats.

"That should do it, right?"

After finishing, Aquarius elegantly flicked the water droplets from her hair and looked toward Lucy.

"Yep! That's perfect~"

Lucy smiled brightly and nodded.

"Next time... don't let me catch you summoning me in another ridiculous place like today."

"Or I really won't be able to stop myself from killing you~"

Aquarius's body gradually dissolved into golden particles of light as she warned Lucy.

Yet beneath those harsh words lay endless affection.

After all, very few Celestial Spirits would willingly accompany their owners in such completely unreasonable nonsense.

"Y-Yes... Bye-bye~"

Cold sweat trickled down Lucy's forehead.

Of course she knew Aquarius was all bark and no bite.

The greatest proof was that Lucy had somehow managed to survive safely until now.

Naturally, Lucy's promise meant absolutely nothing to Aquarius.

Aquarius knew Lucy all too well.

She apologized faster than anyone else.

And then...

She'd do it again next time.

"Now then... everyone should finally be willing to listen to me, right?"

After Aquarius disappeared into golden light, Lucy smiled warmly at her fellow Fairy Tail members, who were now soaking together with her in the river.

"W-We understand..."

The Fairy Tail mages all nodded obediently.

Just now, Lucy had already proven her strength to everyone...

Indeed, although Lucy herself was rather weak, the Celestial Spirits she summoned certainly were not!

The greatest factor limiting a Celestial Spirit's power was simply that their summoner had yet to fully mature. Otherwise, every one of the Zodiac Celestial Spirits could display strength comparable to the Ten Wizard Saints—or perhaps even surpass them!

Thus, after everyone in Fairy Tail had finally calmed down...

They all returned to the guild hall once again.

"Father~"

Lucy and Jude sat facing each other.

Their moods had completely reversed.

When Jude first arrived, Lucy had been the one sitting nervously in unease.

Now it was Jude who sat stiffly, unable to relax.

After all, Lucy had just effortlessly defeated all of his bodyguards.

"Y-Yes!"

Hearing Lucy call him, Jude's body trembled as he instinctively straightened his back.

At this moment, he no longer dared put on the dignified air of an elder in front of Lucy...

Sigh...

Looking at the slightly trembling Jude, Lucy sighed helplessly.

She didn't want to talk to her father like this either...

But who told him to never calmly listen whenever she tried to explain herself?!

By now, Lucy had been completely assimilated into Fairy Tail.

She had even unconsciously mastered one of Fairy Tail's secret techniques:

When your elders refuse to listen... just beat them up.

"Well..."

"I really am not pregnant with anyone's child!"

"I've just gained a little weight recently. Just a tiny bit!"

As she spoke, Lucy deliberately sucked in her stomach to make herself look slimmer.

"I'm telling the truth."

"I really hope you'll believe me!"

Lucy looked at Jude seriously.

She sincerely wanted her father to trust her.

"I understand!"

"With your strength, I doubt anyone would dare do anything to you..."

Jude nodded vigorously.

Having witnessed Lucy's strength firsthand, he no longer believed there was any possibility of his precious daughter being deceived by some scumbag.

Instead...

He was beginning to worry that his daughter might be the one sneaking into young men's rooms at night.

If every girl in Fairy Tail possessed this kind of strength...

Then all Jude could do was pray for every young man who walked the streets of Magnolia after dark.

"I have a feeling you're misunderstanding something again..."

"And Father... you're not thinking about something really strange and incredibly rude, are you?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she looked at Jude.

"N-No!"

Feeling Lucy's gaze upon him, Jude immediately panicked and shook his head frantically.

At this point...

He was genuinely afraid of his eldest daughter.

"Anyway, Father..."

"I don't want to go home yet."

"And I want to continue staying in Fairy Tail as one of its mages!"

"This is my dream."

"I'm completely serious about it!"

Lucy looked straight at Jude as she declared her dream.

"I understand."

Seeing the sincerity in Lucy's eyes, Jude froze for a moment before gently nodding.

Now that he had finally calmed down...

He could feel Lucy's determination.

At the same time...

He no longer dared drag Lucy back home by force.

Even if everything went according to his original plan—

Lucy inheriting the Heartfilia family...

Marrying the heir of another influential noble family...

Jude was suddenly terrified that if Lucy ended up unhappy after marriage...

She might wipe out her husband's entire family in a fit of rage.

He believed Lucy was fully capable of doing it.

Perhaps Fairy Tail truly was where Lucy belonged.

After joining Fairy Tail...

There was simply no leaving.

Once a Fairy Tail mage...

Always a Fairy Tail mage.

"Ah..."

Looking at the changing expressions on Jude's face, Lucy had the feeling her father had misunderstood something yet again.

Still...

She couldn't be bothered explaining anymore.

Maybe letting him keep misunderstanding was for the best.

After all...

Everything had already been resolved.

"Uncle Jude, long time no see!"

"I never expected you'd visit our guild today~"

"Did you come to see Lucy?"

Just as Lucy thought everything was finally over...

A handsome young man with reddish-brown short hair pushed open Fairy Tail's doors.

He walked directly over to the dejected-looking Jude and greeted him with a smile.

"Y-You are...?!"

"Evan?!"

Hearing the somewhat familiar voice, Jude looked up.

The moment he recognized the young man, he froze before suddenly realizing who it was.

That's right.

The handsome young man who had entered the guild...

Was none other than Evan.

"Oh right!"

"This is Fairy Tail... the guild you joined!"

Only then did Jude remember that the guild Evan belonged to was called Fairy Tail.

"So Uncle Jude actually forgot the name of the guild I joined~"

Evan teased with a smile.

"No, no!"

"You've helped the Heartfilia family so much. How could I possibly forget?"

"I've just been overwhelmed with work lately, so it slipped my mind for a moment..."

Jude waved his hands repeatedly.

He had already returned to his usual merchant persona, chatting with Evan using his polished social skills.

Although Evan was fairly close to the Heartfilia family...

Most of what he did involved Layla.

Therefore, he and Jude rarely met.

Even when they did, it was usually nothing more than exchanging polite greetings.

Still...

They could certainly be considered acquaintances.

"Since my daughter is in the same guild as you..."

"I feel much more at ease."

Jude visibly relaxed after seeing Evan.

He had great confidence in both Evan's character and strength.

He figured...

If someone as outstanding as Evan had joined Fairy Tail...

Then the guild itself couldn't possibly be that bad.

"Uh..."

"Brother Evan, you know my father?"

Lucy looked curiously at the two chatting happily.

"Lucy, didn't I already tell you?"

"The Heartfilia family has always been one of my longtime clients."

"So isn't it perfectly normal that I know Uncle Jude and Lady Layla?"

Evan smiled.

"Uh..."

Only then did Lucy suddenly remember...

The time Evan had used her family's affairs to threaten her.

The memories she had almost forgotten instantly resurfaced...

And relentlessly assaulted her mind once again.

"Anyway..."

"Lucy is in your hands now, Evan."

"And everyone else in Fairy Tail as well!"

"I just remembered I still have some business to take care of."

"So I'll be leaving first!"

Without giving Lucy, Evan, or anyone else a chance to respond...

Jude stood up and immediately fled toward Fairy Tail's exit.

It was as though staying inside the guild even one minute longer would cost him his life.

"So..."

"What exactly did all of you do to Uncle Jude?"

"The Heartfilia family is one of Fairy Tail's biggest sponsors."

"They donate a considerable amount of money to the guild every year."

"You didn't offend him... did you?"

Watching Jude flee in panic, Evan turned toward the guild members and asked.

"Uh..."

Feeling Evan's gaze upon them...

Lucy and everyone else simultaneously turned their heads away, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Hm?"

Evan raised an eyebrow.

However...

A moment later, his frown relaxed.

After all...

Jude was Lucy's biological father.

Surely Lucy had taken good care of him.

...

Several days later...

Heartfilia Manor, Fiore Kingdom.

After several days of traveling in his private carriage...

Jude finally returned home.

"Welcome back, Master~"

The gatekeeper immediately opened the estate gates upon seeing Jude.

"Jude, you're back~"

Standing quietly in front of the mansion...

Layla—the true head of the Heartfilia family—had already been waiting for his return.

"How's Lucy doing?"

Layla smiled gently as she asked.

"My dear..."

"Lucy has grown up!"

"She actually learned how to threaten me!"

"And Fairy Tail is far too dangerous!"

"There's not a single normal person there!"

"I'm never going back again!"

The moment Jude saw Layla...

He hugged her leg and burst into tears.

In Jude's eyes...

There wasn't a single person in Fairy Tail who could honestly be called normal.

Naturally...

That included his own daughter, Lucy.

Lucy definitely wasn't normal!

Lucy...

A girl who kept a diary.

Could someone who kept a diary possibly be normal?

What kind of decent person keeps a diary?

Shameless!

"It's alright, Jude~"

"It's alright~"

"You don't have to go back there anymore."

"Everyone, help Master inside."

"He's exhausted after traveling all this way."

Layla gently patted Jude's back, soothing him while calmly instructing the servants.

Although Layla spoke softly...

Not a single servant dared disobey her.

Within the entire Heartfilia family...

No one dared ignore Layla's words.

That naturally included Jude himself.

His position within the household...

Was now perfectly obvious.

To outsiders...

Jude appeared to be the glamorous head of the Heartfilia family.

But in reality...

He was only the family's second most important person.

After all...

Jude had married into the family.

Layla was the true head and rightful heir.

And now...

With Lucy's rise...

Jude could barely even keep his position as number two.

"Lucy has finally grown up..."

"I wonder how far her magic has progressed?"

"But in a place like Fairy Tail..."

"If Lucy wants to survive..."

"She'll have no choice but to keep growing stronger."

"Lucy..."

"Don't blame your mother."

"One day your father and I won't be by your side anymore."

"We can't protect you forever."

"If your training is a little harder now..."

"Your future will be much easier."

Watching the servants help Jude into the mansion...

Layla smiled gently.

Perhaps...

In Jude's eyes...

The secret behind the Heartfilia family's prosperity was its business empire.

But in Layla's eyes...

Business meant very little.

What truly allowed the Heartfilia family to endure for centuries...

Was not wealth.

It was the foundation passed down through generations—

Celestial Spirit Magic.

Seeing Lucy become stronger filled Layla with genuine happiness.

Strength...

Was the true foundation upon which both a family and an individual stood.

Of course...

Layla would never tell Jude any of this.

As far as she was concerned...

Jude only needed to continue doing business honestly and earn money for the Heartfilia family.

Whether it was Jude...

Or Lucy...

As long as they were doing what made them happy...

That was enough for her.

After Jude had been frightened away from Fairy Tail by Lucy...

Neither he nor Layla disturbed Lucy again.

As a result...

Lucy enjoyed a rather peaceful period of life.

From Lucy's perspective...

The biggest issue weighing on her shoulders had finally been resolved.

With that burden gone...

Lucy devoted herself wholeheartedly to taking jobs with Natsu and the others...

As well as her own training.

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye...

November arrived.

Fairy Tail's S-Class Mage Promotion Trial was quietly drawing ever closer.

As the day approached...

Every mage in Fairy Tail entered the final stage of intense preparation.

"Sorry, Lucy!"

"I can't go on jobs with you for a while."

"I won't be coming back to the guild anytime soon~"

Natsu apologized to Lucy.

Then he slung his backpack over his shoulder and sprinted out of the guild.

"Aye~"

Happy had also packed his bags, looking every bit like he was heading out on a long journey.

"Huh?"

Lucy blinked in surprise but didn't ask any questions.

"Honestly..."

"What are Natsu and Happy doing?"

"They looked like they were in such a hurry..."

Lucy muttered to herself.

Although she found it strange...

It involved their personal affairs.

So she didn't pry.

Only after returning to the guild...

And seeing every Fairy Tail mage lined up neatly in front of the quest board...

Waiting to accept jobs...

Did Lucy's eyes widen in disbelief.

"What in the world is going on?!"

"Since when did everyone in the guild become this hardworking?!"

Lucy simply couldn't believe what she was seeing.

For a moment...

She even wondered whether the world was about to end.

Because in Lucy's opinion...

The odds of the notoriously lazy Fairy Tail mages suddenly becoming diligent...

Were even lower than the chances of the world ending tomorrow.