Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 64 - Laxus vs Dimaria

Curiously, Minerva did not find August in his office, but instead on his way toward whatever sort of mess was going on further down in the tower that put the guards in a tizzy. The bag in her arms only grew lighter as she approached August. The man was striding, with a brazen confidence not seen in some time, alongside his little pet, Levy, who appeared to have dried tears on her cheeks.

"This is not the time, Minerva," August said.

Minerva upended the bag. Levy stepped back and screamed in horror as Orga's dismembered head rolled to August's feet. It remained there only a moment before disintegrating, thanks to August.

"I am Captain of the Hunter's Division now," Minerva said. "And I am going to bring Yukino back here and make sure that til the end of her days, she knows the pain I have felt waiting and waiting for this day. In doing so? Fairy Tail will be nothing more than a memory for those among us now. Including you, little Levy."

"Your haste, Minerva, will be your doom," August said. "I gave you no permission to attack a peer."

It was treason to kill an Imperial officer. It had only been done once before when Zeref killed God Serena for being an embarrassment to Dragon Slayers. Minerva's act was of a far lesser scale.

Still, she felt her high still coursing through her. The more irrational parts of her mind considered attacking August should he attempt to dethrone her or thwart this move. Or, if not August, then Levy. She'd pinch that girl like a pimple and leave another of August's projects unfulfilled.

But she was the most experienced, and powerful left in the Hunter's Division. Unless August was going to muster forces to retrieve Jacob Lessio, she was all he had left. She was what he should've gone to in the first place. Had it not been for Mystogan's intervention, Titania and the others would be rotting and Yukino would be, eternally, on death's door.

"Orga spying on Lucy was all a ruse anyway," Minerva said. "Something to keep her eyes from Levy. Someone to eventually pin the blame on if she died. It doesn't matter anymore." She looked at Levy, the sad sheep. "Ah. Wait. All that hubbub below is her, isn't it?"

"Yes," August said. "I was on my way to attend to it. I'd rather you not join us."

"Good. I have my own operation to plan. I'm going to finish what I started, and as Captain of the Hunter's Division, I don't care what you think. It isn't your will to stop me, it is the queen's. I'll take things from here."

August nodded. Though he was the defacto regent of the Emperor during Zeref's period of silence, Minerva and August were of equal rank. The actions of the Hunter's Division were entirely her own to make. He could help dub new Captains, but if there were indeed no other choices...

"Then farewell, Minerva Orland."

Minerva laughed as he continued along his way. As if they'd never meet again.

She continued on. She had allies to recruit. While indeed she'd nearly crushed Fairy Tail beneath the weight of their last attack, they could be expected an ambush of equal measure upon their return journey. Reinforcements were necessary, and there were those yet in Crocus who'd been scorned.

Calling upon Tartaros would be difficult, if impossible. August moved at his own pace but for the good of the Empire, as he saw it. Mard Geer moved at his own pace for the good of his demons. What purpose did they have in the fight against Fairy Tail? Minerva would need an executive order from the queen herself to get Tartaros moved, and the queen had been asleep for a long time. It'd be useless to reach out to her.

However, there were other Divisions in the Empire that were idle. Hers, indeed, as well as the Crystal Division, who'd been embarrassed by their lack of participation in the rout of the capital by the same Fairies Minerva hunted. Plus, she was sure there were some Quartum Army reserves left behind.