A Devil's Heart

Sparring Match

"Librarian."

"Oh, Vergil!" Levy greeted with a smile and a wave.

"Urk!" Natsu flinched upon hearing the name and became heavily invested in his food all of a sudden. This behavior was replicated across the guildhall, with many refusing to make eye contact with the swordsman.

"I have finished Kemu Zaleon's stories. They were interesting to say the least. I can see why he is so well regarded in this world." Vergil said. As he talked, he placed a stack of books onto the table Levy was sitting at. This caused several guild members' jaws to drop.

"Whoa. You're telling me he read all of that?" Cana whispered as she eyed Vergil. "He really is a bookworm just like Levy."

"Guess it kinda fits in with his image, I guess." Macao grumbled.

It had now been several days since Vergil had joined the guild, and he didn't feel any more assimilated into the rowdy culture of Fairy Tail. Each passing day felt pointless and repetitive. Take a job, read, and then leave. Dodge a flying fist and some furniture once in a while. And he could tell no one else in this guild liked him either. He knew about the whispers and rumors that the guild members often shared about him. Some were scared while others seemed extremely distrustful of him. As it should. A son of Sparda did not go around winning the hearts and minds of the common folk.

"Wow, you really read everything Zaleon wrote!" Levy said with awe. "At this rate, you're gonna read the entire library!"

"Maybe. Though there has been one thing that has been pestering me," Vergil began.

Levy blinked in surprise. "Oh? Is there something you're looking for in the library that we don't have?"

"I have educated myself in the rules this world follows such as how this continent's government is structured and the nature of dark guilds. But I have not found any trustworthy sources on this world's dragons."

"You're interested in dragons?" Levy asked.

Somewhere in the guild, a certain fire dragon slayer's ears perked up.

"Everything I find pertaining to dragons is ancient history or just pure speculation. There were scribblings of dragon slayers, but that is not what I am looking for. I need to acquire more information in order to better prepare myself."

"Y-you're talking like you've seen an actual dragon." Levy replied nervously.

Levy's eyes went wide when Vergil's expression remained cold and stoic. She got the impression that the swordsman before her was not playing around.

"That's because I have." Vergil answered.

"WHAAAAAAAAT!?"

Vergil was slightly startled by the entire guild suddenly getting very loud and excited. Already, both he and Levy were surrounded by nearly the entire guild, eager to hear what they were talking about. But, the one who seemed the most excited out of everyone else was Natsu.

"Wait, you met a dragon!?" Natsu exclaimed. "Was it Igneel!?"

"Igneel...that name is not familiar to me," Vergil said. "She called herself Selene, the Moon Goddess Dragon."

"W-well, where is this dragon?" Natsu pushed.

Vergil sighed heavily, growing more and more impatient with Natsu's eagerness. "I do not know. The last I saw of her, she created a portal and retreated after I bested her in battle."

"Y-you're telling me that you beat a dragon?" Mirajane scoffed from the back. "That you somehow found a dragon and just beat her? What a load of shit!"