Summoner of the Fairy Tail - Chapter 272

After leaving, Calvin instructed Natsu and the others to ensure Lucy’s safe return, then met Jellal in a secluded corner.

As soon as Calvin saw Jellal, he noticed the grim expression on his face.

“What happened?” Calvin asked immediately, knowing something terrible had occurred.

“Future Lucy is missing, likely captured by the kingdom’s soldiers,” Jellal said gravely, handing a crumpled note to Calvin.

Calvin took the note and saw the word “soldiers” scribbled on it. His expression grew even more severe as he anxiously asked, “What exactly happened?”

“I was going to ask you that. Yesterday, before you informed me about Future Lucy, I sensed a presence similar to Zeref’s, but it was coming from a different location than where Future Lucy was hidden. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but today, when I went to check on her at the inn, she was already gone. Didn’t you feel that magical energy last night?” Jellal asked.

Calvin thought for a moment. Last night, he had been relaxing with his comrades at Tequila Park, feeling reassured since they had already found Future Lucy and uncovered the source of the mysterious magic. He hadn’t bothered to release his sensory abilities during that time.

Not wanting to admit he’d been slacking off, Calvin kept a stern face and said, “I had a conversation with the knight in charge of the Eclipse Project earlier. It didn’t seem like he was behind it, but I can’t rule it out. I’ll sneak into the castle later tonight to investigate.”

“Alright, I’ll search the streets for any clues,” Jellal nodded in agreement, then added with a hint of amusement, “By the way, do you need a skintight suit for sneaking around?”

“…”

“Very funny. I’m laughing on the inside,” Calvin responded dryly, his expression stiffening as he glanced at Jellal, unsure if he was joking or serious. Jellal’s lips seemed to twitch ever so slightly into a smirk.

After parting ways with Jellal, Calvin had a hearty dinner with his companions. When night fell and everyone else was fast asleep, he quietly slipped out of bed, donned a black cloak, and went to Mercurius Palace, the royal residence and the most crucial building in Crocus.

Even in the dead of night, the palace was heavily guarded, as it was not only the king’s home but also the country’s administrative center.

However, for a mage of Calvin’s caliber, sneaking in was no more complicated than walking into his house. Activating his Black Wing Demon form, he blended into the night, flying through one of the palace’s windows.

The palace was vast, and the only place Calvin had seen that could compare was the royal palace in Edolas. Spreading out his magical senses, Calvin tried to search the entire castle, but the readings were faint and blurred as if something was obscuring his vision.

“It must be the influence of the Eclipse Gate,” he thought, his expression growing more severe under his hood. He pulled out a card and infused it with magic.

“Phantasmal Insects!”

Seven small, ethereal insects no bigger than a finger emerged from the void. These were Calvin’s only miniature summons, requiring almost no magic to sustain.

Sneaking through the castle in a cloak would be too conspicuous, but the tiny, nearly invisible insects were perfect for scouting. Finding a hidden spot, Calvin sat and waited for the insects to relay information.

Despite their size, the insects were fast, and within ten minutes, they returned with unexpected results.

“How strange. So, they are imprisoned,” Calvin muttered, his eyes narrowing. “I should ask them. Maybe they know something.”

Deciding to act, Calvin moved toward his target, carefully avoiding detection. Soon, he arrived at a cell where two familiar faces were being held: Arcadios and Yukino.

Calvin recalled that Future Lucy had mentioned that the kingdom’s Minister of Defense had opposed the Eclipse Project and had arrested both her and the knight before him. The arrest was justified because of leaking state secrets to outsiders, though Calvin wondered what excuse the minister had used to imprison a royal guard captain.

“Who’s there?” Arcadios barked, his sharp gaze locking onto the shadowy figure of Calvin. Even as a prisoner, the knight still carried an air of authority.

“Hey, long time no see, Sir Knight. Oh, and keep your voice down—I don’t want to get caught,” Calvin said, pulling back his hood to reveal his face. Arcadios and Yukino looked at him like they’d seen a ghost.

“Calvin McCallum? What are you doing here!” Arcadios demanded, his tone more of a command than a question.

“One of my comrades was captured by the kingdom’s soldiers, so I’m here to investigate. Got anything to say?” Calvin asked calmly, though his gaze darkened as he spoke.

“I don’t know anything about that. It wasn’t my order. My target was the Celestial Spirit Mage; capturing your other comrades would serve no purpose,” Arcadios replied.

“How noble of you, but you left a bad impression on me earlier, so it’s hard to believe you,” Calvin retorted disdainfully.

“Believe what you will. I have a clear conscience,” Arcadios closed his eyes, ignoring Calvin’s skepticism.

Seeing the knight’s refusal to engage, Calvin turned his attention to Yukino. She quickly nodded, pleading, “We didn’t capture your comrade. I’ve been with Lord Arcadios all day, trying to figure out how to convince you and Lady Lucy to help.”

Looking between the stoic knight and the anxious Yukino, Calvin hesitated. He wasn’t a mind reader and didn’t know these two well enough to discern if they were telling the truth.

His insects had scoured nearly the entire castle but found no sign of Future Lucy. The situation was slipping out of his control. Having rejected Arcadios’s proposal earlier, he could no longer rely on foreknowledge, as the butterfly effect was now in full force.

“Let’s think this through. The kingdom is secretly conducting the Eclipse Project… Arcadios is responsible… Future Lucy said the Minister of Defense opposed the project and arrested her… Future Lucy was captured by soldiers… If it wasn’t Arcadios who gave the order, then who… Wait!!”

Calvin’s eyes widened as a realization hit him.

“If the Minister of Defense could arrest the captain of the royal guard for opposing the project, that means this entire plan was Arcadios’s private undertaking. But that doesn’t make sense. How could a captain of the guard keep such a massive project hidden from the king?”

“Arcadios is just the frontman. The true mastermind behind the project must be someone else. That explains why, even after his arrest, the Eclipse Gate was opened and over ten thousand dragons appeared in this era!”

“The real orchestrator… is likely the king himself…”

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