The Divine Empress

Chapter 37

"Minerva, Minerva, Minerva...if you really thought that you could get away with your actions...you're really naive," an angry Zeref said, his dark aura filling the room. 

Minerva laughed nervously, putting up a courageous expression. "I have no idea what you mean by that." 

"So you don't know, huh?" Zeref said, his voice getting darker by the second. 

Lucy was standing on the sidelines, shocked and petrified as to how things had come to this. Just a few hours ago in the arena, everyone was laughing like always. So how the hell did it come to this?! The room was filled with Sabertooth members lying on the ground, unconscious. Minerva and Zeref were standing off against one another, each one of them having some sort of grudge against the other. Wendy and Nagi were asleep next to one another upstairs with the exceeds sleeping alongside them. Sting, Rogue, Rufus, Orgue were all half-awake and half-dead. Lucy just stood there, baffled. 

A few hours earlier~

 "Lucy's finally going back to the inn together with us," Minerva sighed with a blissful expression. "What shall we go eat?" 

"Fish!" Happy cried out. 

"Meat!" Nagi, Sting, Lily, and Lector cried out. 

"I'm not asking you guys!" Minerva said, hitting their heads. 

They murmured in pain as they rubbed the top of their heads in silence. 

"I'm fine with anything," Lucy replied with a sweet chuckle. "For now, the most important thing is rest. We still have to celebrate Sting and Rogue's victory today at the Games, too." 

"That's right, Master! Rogue and I won the battle today! We should be treated as the main stars!" Sting yelled. 

"Shut it!" Minerva replied, hitting Sting once more, causing him to back off and whimper as he massaged the top of his head. 

"Let's just go to sleep early today," Rogue said, stifling a yawn. "We've been staying up so late these past few days that I'm going to drop dead soon." 

"Frosch agrees~" Frosch added. The bags under the two's eyes were apparent. 

Lucy laughed. "Sure thing. I'm pretty tired myself, too, actually so if we can, can we postpone the celebration to after the Games? I'm pretty sure everyone's tired, too. Right?" 

Everyone nodded in agreement. 

"So how about it, Master?" Lucy said, smiling at Minerva. 

Minerva looked at her and sighed. "Fine, we'll go with what you said," she replied with a smile. 

"Thanks!" Lucy beamed. 

Just as they were arriving at the inn, a person was standing outside awaiting their presences. From the look on his face, it was obvious what his purpose was this time. His jet black hair was neatly combed and his usual cold and stiff expression was replaced by a kind and soft one once he saw Lucy. 

"Zeref..." Lucy said, surprised, as she ran up to him. 

"Surprised?" Zeref said, looking down at her. 

Lucy nodded cutely. Though she didn't know why he was visiting her since they just met last night, she was happy. 

So cute, Zeref thought as he looked down at the fidgeting Lucy. He cleared his throat before speaking again. "I just finished my work back at the empire so for the next few days, I'll be staying here with you guys," Zeref said, flashing an innocent smile at them. 

"EHHHHHHHHHH???!!!" everyone yelled at the same time after a three second long silence. 

"You! Why are you staying here of all places?!" Minerva yelled.