A New Life in Fairy Tail

Chapter 361: The Magical Ball

"So... sick..."Natsu groaned miserably, clutching his mouth with one hand as Lucy carefully helped his swaying body out of the vehicle.

"Whoa!"

Lucy let out a startled cry. Natsu's knees suddenly buckled, nearly dragging her down to the asphalt with him, forcing her to quickly brace her core to steady them both.

To save precious time, Erza had driven the Magic vehicle at its absolute maximum speed along the winding mountain roads. Consequently, Natsu, whose motion sickness was already legendary, had spent the entire trip experiencing a personalized form of torture.

"We finally made it," Gray said, everyone letting out a long, collective sigh of relief. Traveling in a vehicle pinned at maximum throttle hadn't been particularly pleasant for any of them.

"Is this our client's residence?"

Noah scanned their surroundings. The group was currently standing near the summit of a mountain enveloped by a dense forest. The peak had been completely leveled to accommodate a highly eccentric piece of architecture.

The estate looked as if it had been crudely pieced together from an assortment of giant, oversized vegetables. To top it off, the very highest spire was designed to look like a massive, floating teapot frozen mid-pour over a giant teacup.

"Yeah, this is the place. Balsamico Palace," Gray confirmed, checking the layout against his memory before addressing the group.

"It was significantly further away than I anticipated," Erza remarked, adjusting her armor as she eyed the bizarre building.

"Let's knock," Noah said, stepping forward. Before his knuckles could even brush the wood, the massive front doors swung open on their own accord.

Noah took two clean steps back to avoid getting clipped by the heavy frame.

Stepping out from the threshold was a young woman with rich brown hair and a striking, delicate countenance. She wore a pale red dress accented by a crisp white bow at her waist, pinned with a single crimson flower. Her sheer beauty instantly caught the group's attention.

"May I ask who you all are?" she asked, her voice soft and melodious.

"And you are?" Gray asked, stepping forward.

"I am the mistress of this palace, and Count Balsamico's daughter. My name is Aceto," she introduced herself gently.

"We are Mages from Fairy Tail. We've come in response to the request issued by your father," Noah said, stepping up to Aceto's side. As he spoke, he casually raised his right wrist to display his guild emblem.

"Oh! In that case, please allow me to show you inside!" A bright smile broke across Aceto's face. She stepped back and gestured gracefully into the corridor. "Right this way, please."

"Thank you for having us," Noah nodded. He took the lead, following Aceto into the cavernous palace while the rest of the team filed in close behind.

They were led directly into a sprawling drawing room, where a remarkably short man with an incredibly distinct, sour countenance was already seated on the central sofa.

Aceto walked over to his side, sat down, and then seamlessly scooped the tiny nobleman up, placing him right onto her lap.

Erza, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy claimed the adjacent seats, while Noah and Gray stood guard directly behind their sofa.

"I am your client, Count Balsamico," the tiny man introduced himself, his voice surprisingly deep for his stature.

"Pfft—hahahaha!!! Not only does his name sound like salad dressing!"

"He literally looks like a walking pickle! Aye!"

Natsu and Happy immediately burst into roaring laughter, tears welling up in their eyes from the sheer absurdity of the sight.

"Will you two just shut up?!" Lucy hissed, her face burning with embarrassment as she slapped her hands over their mouths. Natsu and Happy recoiled, thoroughly startled by her sudden ferocity.

"Let us skip the pleasantries and head straight to the core of the matter. Tonight's assignment is slightly more convoluted than what was outlined in the official guild flyer," Count Balsamico said, completely unfazed by the boys' rudeness, choosing to dive straight into the briefing.

"Please, illuminate us on the details," Erza requested, her expression instantly turning razor-sharp.

"The situation concerns my absolutely stunning daughter—"

Before the Count could finish his sentence, Natsu rudely cut in, "Wait, what was her name again?"

"It's Aceto!" Count Balsamico barked.

BAM!

Before the echo of the Count's voice could fade, Erza's fist connected with the side of Natsu's head, sending him crashing face-first into the adjacent wall.

"My deepest apologies. Please continue," Erza said, smoothly returning to her seat.

"A grand Magical Ball is being hosted inside my palace tonight. Its purpose is to select a suitable husband for my daughter," Count Balsamico explained.

"A Magical Ball? A marriage tournament?" Lucy asked, her jaw dropping.

"Mmm. It is an exclusive gala where only registered Mages are permitted to attend. During the climax of the evening, I intend to unveil a legendary artifact that is only showcased once every seven years—the heirloom ring of the Balsamico house. It is an invaluable treasure passed down through generations!" the Count declared with immense pride.

"Don't tell me... Velveno has targeted this specific ring?" Lucy asked, pulling out the bounty flyer to look at the criminal's mugshot.

"Precisely. I received highly credible intelligence confirming that Velveno intends to steal the heirloom tonight. Therefore, I require Fairy Tail to safeguard my family treasure and ensure that rogue is dragged right back to his prison cell."

"But looking at this guy's face... even with the most elaborate disguise, wouldn't a guy looking like this be spotted the exact second he walks into a ballroom?" Erza muttered, staring critically at the distorted features on the wanted poster.

"Pfft—hahaha!" Noah couldn't hold back a sudden burst of laughter upon hearing Erza's blunt critique.

"Am I incorrect?" Erza turned her head to look at him, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I think your assessment is entirely accurate. The man's natural features are... unique, to say the least. If he walked in raw, he'd be apprehended immediately," Noah chuckled.

"The scoundrel utilizes a form of caster-type Transformation Magic known as Magic Mimicry," Count Balsamico noted solemnly.

"If I remember correctly, that particular spell allows the caster to temporarily replicate the exact magic profiles of multiple Mages upon making physical contact," Noah added, his tone shifting back to professional focus.

"Correct. That is exactly how his magic operates. With that ability, infiltrating a masquerade ball filled with Mages will be a simple task for him. That is why I need the collective strength of Fairy Tail to secure the perimeter, guard the ring, and put him back behind bars," the Count nodded.

"Leave it to us!" Natsu grinned, rubbing his bruised head.

"We have a firm grasp of the parameters. We will not fail your expectations, Count," Erza added, standing up to formalize their acceptance.

"Excellent. I place my trust in your guild," Count Balsamico nodded.

"Let's head out and establish our defensive net first," Noah suggested to the team.

The Count assigned a platoon of house servants to assist them. Noah had the staff lead the team to the grand ballroom ahead of schedule, conducting a meticulous sweep to familiarize themselves with every exit, blind spot, and structural pillar. He then systematically deployed several Lacrima surveillance crystals at key vantage points, linking them into a unified monitoring grid.

"So, who is going to man the surveillance nest?" Erza asked as they wrapped up the installation.

"Don't worry about it. I'll leave a Thought Projection here to manage the feed. My projection and Happy can monitor the Lacrima crystals together. If anything anomalous pops up, I'll alert you all instantly via Telepathy Magic," Noah reassured her.

"Perfect. In that case, let's get changed and prepare for the ballroom!" Erza declared with an intense, competitive fire in her eyes, marching off toward the dressing rooms.

"Erza, wait for me!" Lucy cried out, hurriedly chasing after her.

"We should probably get suited up as well," Noah said, turning to Natsu and Gray. The boys nodded in agreement, and the trio headed off to change into formal tuxedos.

By the time they finished dressing, the gala was on the verge of commencing.

The grand ballroom was awash with radiant, crystalline illumination, casting a warm glow over the opulent decorations. A soft, sophisticated waltz echoed through the hall, seamlessly setting a refined mood. Guests began filtering through the grand archways in pairs, whispering behind their masks as they sought out partners for the dance.

Because the theme of the evening required all attendees to wear masquerade masks that obscured the upper half of their faces, Noah and the boys donned their respective masks before stepping smoothly into the crowd.

A short while later, Noah's Thought Projection alerted him through the surveillance feed that Erza and Lucy had officially entered the hall.

Erza looked stunning in a deep purple evening gown, while Lucy opted for a striking, crimson off-the-shoulder dress. Noah immediately initiated a multi-way Telepathy link, connecting the entire team's minds.

Noah, have you spotted any sign of Velveno yet? Erza's sharp voice echoed inside the mental link.

Nothing yet. I've personally swept the entire guest register through the Lacrima feed, and there are no anomalous magic signatures or suspicious movements so far, Noah replied mentally.

The second we catch anyone acting fishy, we'll blast it right into your heads! Happy added from the monitoring room.

For now, act natural. Blend into the crowd and don't let anyone notice we're running a security detail, Noah instructed.

Where are Natsu and the others? Lucy's voice chimed in.

Over here.

Erza had already picked out Noah's distinct silhouette in the crowd. She navigated through the sea of guests with Lucy following closely in her wake.

"Oh, look, Lucy and Erza are here," Natsu noted as the girls approached their table.

"Since we need to blend in, we might as well take to the floor and dance like the rest of the guests," Gray suggested with a smirk.

"Hold on a second, Natsu. Let me give you a quick buff first," Noah said, placing a hand on Natsu's shoulder as a soft, magical light flared from his palm. "Aura: Balance Enhancement!"

"Whoa! Man, I haven't felt this buff in ages! I can't wait to see if it works!" Natsu cheered, bouncing on his heels.

Noah glanced out toward the center of the ballroom. The dance floor featured dozens of small, enchanted platforms that levitated and drifted vertically through the air while couples waltzed on top of them. If he didn't anchor Natsu's equilibrium with a high-level balance spell right now, the Dragon Slayer would likely repaint the ballroom floor the second his feet left the ground.

But are we absolutely certain a hardened criminal like Velveno would willingly show himself in a high-society place like this? Erza's thoughts echoed through the link.

Our only option is to mingle politely and screen anyone who exhibits erratic behavior, Lucy replied.

Suddenly, a male guest cut through the crowd, stopping dead in front of Erza. Bowing with an incredibly dramatic flourish, he addressed her in a bizarre, theatrical cadence, "My, my, greetings, fair maiden~ Pray, do not sully that exquisite visage with such a stern countenance~ Would you grant me the supreme honor of joining me for a delightful spin across the heavens?~"

Emergency! Erza just got picked up by a total creep! Happy yelled into the Telepathy link.

"Let's head over and check it out," Noah said to Natsu and Gray, his expression perfectly calm.

"Got it," Gray nodded, falling into step beside him as they navigated toward Lucy's position. "You seem remarkably unfazed by this, Noah," Gray murmured, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Standard protocol dictates that a boyfriend should be at least a little territorial when another guy makes a move, right?"

Noah glanced at Gray, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Gray, do you know what the underworld circles call Erza when she takes to the dance floor?"

"What?" Gray asked, thoroughly intrigued. Even Natsu leaned in to listen.

"They call her the Demon of the Dance. Just watch."

Arriving right beside a sweating Lucy, Noah simply pointed upward toward one of the levitating platforms that had just ascended into the air, signaling Natsu and Gray to look.

~~~

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