This world was a world of magic, where magic was not limited to being used only by wizards. Whether through magical tools or artifacts, it was integrated into society.
Allen was currently in the city of Hargeon in the Kingdom of Fiore, a kingdom with a population of 17 million. This location is where the story of Fairy Tail begins.
...
"Are you a Spirit Mage?!"
The restaurant fell silent after Lucy Heartfilia's statement, and the diners turned to look. Wizards weren't unusual, but in this city, less than ten percent of people used magic. Still, it was rare to see a Spirit Mage. Unlike other types of magic that could be bought and sold in grimoires everywhere, the magic involving summons required many resources. This was because, although portal keys could be found everywhere, most were weak, and powerful ones were scarce or very expensive. So seeing Allen with eleven of them hanging from his belt like accessories was absurd.
Lucy opened her mouth in disbelief. Even she, a young lady, couldn't understand how Allen could be so careless. What if they fell off or got stolen? How could there be a Spirit Mage who didn't even know what a Spirit Mage was?
Was he some noble with money to spare?
Lucy shook her head and stepped closer, invading Allen's personal space — something not mentioned before was that the girl had big breasts. Still, Allen, a man used to being surrounded by beauties, didn't flinch.
"What does that mean?" Lucy asked, frowning. "How can you have so many portal keys without knowing what they are?"
"You're a very intense girl, you know that?" Allen smiled mockingly. Lucy realized this and took a step back, embarrassed, but immediately her attention was drawn to the keys—now that she looked closely, they were not ordinary.
"No way…" Lucy's eyes sparkled, turning into stars. "I've never seen keys like these! There's a golden one, but it's not one of the twelve Zodiac keys. Two black ones look scary… a beautiful white one, pink?! What is this? Is this even a key?!"
Each portal key represented each doll, so they were unique. Bocchi's key looked like a small pink guitar; 2B's had a luminous electronic texture, etc. Each key screamed that it was uncommon.
Allen also ran his hand over them; each one was suspended by something invisible from his belt. Even though it looked like anyone could grab them, only Allen could.
With an amused look, Allen smiled at Lucy. "I don't know… I just found out they're portal keys."
Lucy stumbled. "That has to be a joke!"
The girl was frustrated, she remembered how she had bought a silver key for 20,000J just a while ago, and it was only a pet key "Canis Minor (Plue)". For a moment, Lucy seemed to forget where she was and felt down. But she had run away from home, so she had to accept that she was no longer rich.
Allen watched the girl with a smile; she seemed to be under a comedic star given her exaggerated reactions.
Lucy noticed Allen's smile and pouted, but in her eyes, Allen didn't seem to be lying, so Lucy couldn't understand how Allen's mind worked.
Knowing Lucy was about to cry from frustration, Allen decided to give her a break. "Lucy don't you remember how I saved you?"
"Uh…"
At that moment, Allen never used summons to save her—only his fists and some kind of repelling barrier or something like that.
"I…" Lucy wanted to say more but felt watched and remembered she was still in the restaurant.
"Hehe~ can you come with me for a second?❤️~" Lucy said softly, coquettishly, and sweetly while adopting a sexy pose, or so she thought. But to Allen and everyone else, it was obvious she wasn't used to doing that, so it sounded forced and fake like she was trying to scam someone. The reaction was everyone rolling their eyes.
Allen blinked, obviously unfazed by Lucy's "special seductive tactic," which made her so embarrassed that steam started coming out of her head.
'What am I doing in front of everyone?! Lucy, calm down! You can't stop acting, or your perfect performance will be ruined! Just a little more!'
"..."
"What's wrong, big brother? ❤️~" Lucy winked awkwardly.
…
Gwen – This girl is funny~
Felicia – She even made me forget my bad mood haha
PercyJ – Wow, this is a fantasy world, this girl's not real lol
Orihime – Hm? Is there something wrong with her? I think she looks cute~
Amanda – It's the opposite of what she's trying, Hime...
...
It was the third time Lucy tried this tactic, and the first time she failed miserably with the guy she sold the silver key to, making her think she really wasn't attractive. But now she was more confident since Allen had not taken his eyes off her from the beginning.
"Alright…"
When she said those words, Lucy fell to the floor, breathing heavily, but immediately wiped the sweat and gave a thumbs-up in victory. I knew it, 'I'm an irresistible girl!'
"…"
Allen saw that expression and didn't have the heart to break Lucy's fantasy. Let her think whatever she wants.
Allen finished eating and asked for the check. When the waitress arrived at the table, she handed over the note. It was 700 J.
'So expensive? Or cheap?'
With no knowledge of the world, his perception of money's value was also limited. Although the system had given him 10,000 J for saving Lucy.
[Host, the reward is calculated based on relative difficulty. While saving an important person in the story sounds incredible, the reality is that for you, three magicless thugs are practically garbage…]
'I see…'
"Wait!" Lucy interrupted Allen, who was about to pay. "Let me pay, after all you saved me."
Allen didn't refuse, since it's not like he had money to spare.
…
Later in the park, Lucy sat on a bench, socially exhausted. Public embarrassment was tough for a girl her age.
"Allen, can I ask where you got so many portal keys?"
Allen sat on the bench too, relaxed, then thought for a moment before answering vaguely, "I got them along my journey…"
Lucy looked into Allen's dark eyes. She had no intention of prying into others' pasts since she hid many things.
"By the way, since you're so interested in portal keys, you must be a great Spirit Mage."
Hearing that, Lucy regained her spirits and stood up. "That's right, I'm a Spirit Mage, well, that's just a short way to say it—Celestial Spirit Mage!" The girl proudly thumped her chest.
"Even though you were kidnapped by a group of non-magical thugs and almost sold?"
"Ugh…"
Lucy played with her fingers, embarrassed, not knowing what excuse to give.
"I don't know what happened. In all my travels since I escap— I mean since I started adventuring! I've never had this much bad luck!"
Allen narrowed his eyes and opened the mission interface. Lucy's mission changed to accompany her to Fairy Tail, and a new one appeared: prevent Natsu from dying.
'Does a condition from Lucifer affect the protagonists' luck?'
Allen didn't hate being cautious, but if the story started with a death and a kidnapping, it had to be pretty dark. Unless this was because Lucifer modified something.
'System?'
[Sorry, the conditions to reveal other requirements besides losing canon memories and being limited to using magic in this world haven't been met yet.]
Two more conditions...
Lucifer wouldn't let Allen win easily, so those two conditions must fulfill that purpose. However, Allen remembered that he was able to negotiate three of those conditions, even if he didn't remember it, so they shouldn't be that suffocating.
Allen turned to Lucy, smiling. "Well, Lucy…"
His words were interrupted when Lucy was carried by two men, bound in ropes, and gagged with a cloth.
[Emergency Mission: Save Lucy from kidnappers… again]
"What the hell!"
Allen stood up, concentrated his magical power on his feet, and used it to propel himself—a trick he created during his days as an Auror in HP. He vanished and, in an instant, caught up to the kidnappers.
"Ah!"
"How?!"
With a blow to the back of the head, he knocked one out, and with a kick that broke the other's jaw, he incapacitated the second. Allen caught Lucy in his arms and untied her.
"Thank you…" Lucy said with a gloomy face, then knelt down with her hands on the ground. "What's going on? How can this happen to me twice in one day? Is it a punishment from God for running away from home?"
'Actually, it would be the devil in this case', Allen patted the girl's back until she calmed down.
…
Lucy and Allen walked through the streets of Hargeon. Lucy glanced suspiciously at every corner as if she felt she might be kidnapped at any moment.
"What's wrong with this city? How can there be so much unchecked crime?!" Lucy had a strong heart deep down and was back to her usual self, leaving the kidnapping behind.
"Don't worry, this time I won't let anyone kidnap you…" Allen said seriously.
Lucy looked at Allen before flashing a flirty smile. "Thanks, brother❤️~"
Allen nodded. "You're welcome, but stop doing that…"
"Sorry…" Lucy lowered her head.
...
As they moved through the city, Allen overheard some rumors about missing girls and others about the famous Salamander mage.
"No way!" Lucy's eyes lit up. "Is Salamander here?! That famous mage from Fairy Tail who uses fire magic you can't buy?!"
Allen became interested in Lucy's words. Apparently, in this world magic was quite accessible, not something exclusive or special like in Harry Potter, DC, or their own world. So technically, anyone could become a mage with enough time and dedication. But there was magic that could not be easily achieved. Also, using magic for everyday tasks and being a mage capable of facing monsters were two different things. So, there were also famous mages who stood out from others.
"By the way, brother, where are we going?" Lucy asked curiously. She had decided to follow Allen for her own safety and because he offered to accompany her to Fairy Tail. Allen felt that if he didn't, something bad might happen to Lucy.
"I'm looking for someone. His name is Natsu Dragneel."
"Natsu Dragneel?" Lucy grabbed her chin, thinking. "Hmm, I feel like I've heard that name before... sounds familiar, but... I can't remember. Is he famous? Any special traits?"
"Who knows…"
"Who knows? You…"
Lucy couldn't understand how Allen could be looking for someone without knowing who they were or what they looked like. Allen chuckled at the blank expression on Lucy's face.
"But don't worry, I have a sixth sense… just follow me."
Allen couldn't say that there was an invisible arrow pointing the way, so he just lied. Lucy looked at his so-called "sixth sense" skeptically, but since she'd seen him fight before, she decided to believe him.
Lucy noticed the portal keys on Allen's belt again and couldn't help but ask, "Allen, I don't mean to be rude, but is there any chance you'd sell me your keys?"
That was a very rude question. Lucy would never sell her keys because that would leave her defenseless. But Allen was a mage in Lucy's eyes who didn't need summons.
"Impossible…" Allen's reply was immediate, without doubt, and with absolute certainty. Lucy was even startled by the seriousness in Allen's voice, but a few seconds later, he gave the blonde girl a half smile. "There isn't enough money in the world for me to sell any of them."
Lucy was stunned. It wasn't because the keys were special, but because he valued them as much as his own life. Lucy's heart trembled. As a spiritual mage, she had underestimated the value of someone else's keys. While a blush spread across her face, she even felt regret.
"I'm sorry, I said something very rude."
Allen tapped her forehead, forgiving her. "Don't worry…"
Lucy watched Allen's back as he walked away, clutching her chest. 'What?! No way! Me?! Is he the chosen one?!'
"Lucy?" Allen noticed she wasn't following and turned around only to see a man behind her. He was sneaking up like a thief from the nineties and carrying a sack as if he was going to kidnap her again.
"..." Allen looked at the man with lifeless eyes.
The man froze when he realized Allen was watching him. He tried to whistle casually, but Allen raised his index finger and a white lightning bolt shot out, hitting the man and turning him into a frog.
Lucy snapped out of the pink cloud she was in and turned around confused. "What's happening? What?"
Allen didn't want to deal with a third depressed Lucy, so he didn't tell her the truth and they kept walking.
...
(A couple of hours later)
On the horizon, the sun was setting. Allen was trying to find Natsu, but he was moving all over the city. To make things worse, Lucy had been nearly kidnapped three more times, but this time Allen was alert and managed to save her without her noticing.
'This is ridiculous! System, is Lucy going to be kidnapped at every chance?!'
[Don't worry, this situation is temporary until she joins this so-called Fairy Tail... probably.]
'That's not an answer…' Allen shook his head.
Allen thought about giving Lucy a pendant but remembered that the artifact contained mixed powers and definitely wouldn't work because of the contract with Lucifer. Allen reached into his pocket remembering the reward for saving Lucy.
[Protection ring *Green*]
'It's only green rank but it should be enough.'
...
Allen and Lucy reached the beach and it was almost night, but there was no sign of Natsu. Lucy looked out at the horizon, feeling the sea breeze, then smiled as she turned around with the sunset light bathing her.
"This place is good for resting… WHAT?!"
Lucy saw Allen holding a ring, approaching her.
"Lucy, I…"
'WAIT! NO! Wait! It's too soon! We just met! My heart isn't ready!' Lucy's thoughts went into chaos. She panicked, unsure whether to run or not. 'Lucy, you're evil. You accidentally seduced your savior to the point he doesn't know what to do without you! You're a sinful woman!'
Lucy hugged herself while twisting. Allen looked at her worried she might be losing her mind from the constant kidnappings, so he decided to step forward and took Lucy's hand.
"Don't worry, you won't have anything to worry about anymore," Allen said seriously and confidently. Lucy felt her heart beat as she imagined the two of them with three kids by this point.
'No, no, no! I'm too young to get married!', Lucy snapped out of her fantasy and back to reality. She didn't want to commit to a guy she'd met today, but on the other hand, Lucy, who had spent her whole life locked away, felt that maybe Allen was her destined person, since from the moment they met he hadn't stopped protecting her.
Lucy put her hand dramatically on her forehead as if sacrificing herself.
'Mom, Dad… I'm sorry, your daughter is a sinful lady who enchanted a young man. Now I can only take responsibility. It's my sin to be so beautiful and sexy~'
Allen slid the ring onto Lucy's index finger, then looked at the girl who seemed like she was having a stroke, concerned.
"You okay?"
"Yeah~ I've accepted my fate, honey~"
"Okay… that ring is for protection; I don't know what it does exactly, but it should be useful…"
"Huh?" Lucy tilted her head.
"Huh?" Allen raised an eyebrow.
...
*Bam*
Lucy banged her head against a wall several times wanting to be buried three meters underground. The shame she felt at that moment was unimaginable. How could she make such a huge misunderstanding?
'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid Lucy! You just met him, How could you think that he would propose to you?! God, I want to jump off a bridge!!'
Allen waited patiently, leaning against a wall, while his viewers was dying of laughter at Lucy. Allen didn't know what the future held, but in his heart, he apologized if Lucy ever found out that hundreds of millions of people had seen that.
"Look on that ship the Salamander–sama's party will be held."
A conversation not far away caught Allen's attention. He narrowed his eyes, "Salamander..."
...
Far from the coast, on a ship, a man named Bora was staring down at several unconscious girls lying on the floor. Alongside them were a pink-haired boy and a blue cat. Bora was the leader of a criminal gang that had been kidnapping girls, but at that moment, he was furious.
"Damn it! We lost more men! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
The man had short black hair styled in spikes, a tattoo on his face, a white shirt, red pants, and a dark purple cape. This man was the famous fire mage Salamander.
"You bastard! How dare you use the name Fairy Tail?!" Natsu glared at the man pretending to be Salamander.
"Natsu" muttered the cat. It was a very cartoonish talking cat. it was blue in color with a very large head and had wings, however like Natsu it was on the ground, although in his case he was bleeding from the nose after being hit.
"Happy's holding on, I'll get us out of here… uwek," the pink-haired boy immediately vomited after speaking. This boy was Natsu Dragneel, Allen's target, but now he was in mortal danger.
Bora ignored Natsu, turning toward some of his henchmen. A purple flame shot from his hand and pierced through one of their chests.
"B-Boss?" The man collapsed to the ground.
"They only had a support mission! You fools were supposed to help me transport the goods, while I lured the girls with my charm ring and put them to sleep with the sleep ring. But did they really have to kidnap women in broad daylight?!"
The henchmen looked guilty.
"Bastard, why did you do that?! Wasn't he your partner?!" Natsu shouted.
Bora looked coldly at him, "Hey, why is this brat still alive?"
The henchmen grew scared…
Bora snatched a sword from one of his men and approached Natsu. Without hesitation or blinking, he attacked Natsu with the intent to kill, but Natsu rolled across the floor despite feeling dizzy.
"Ahh, that was close! What the hell are you doing, bastard?!" Natsu felt like his life was about to end — it would be embarrassing for the son of a dragon to die to some random thug.
"What am I doing?" Bora said coldly, looking down at Natsu. "I'm a human trafficker. If this gets out, I'll spend my life in the deepest prison. I'm not throwing you into the sea so you can escape. I'm not locking you up waiting for you to break free and cause me trouble. I'm killing you right here, right now, without wasting a second… that's what people like me do, kid."
Natsu shivered; in his whole life, he had never encountered a criminal like this before. Was he going to die? No, not yet. He still hadn't found Igneel.
"Natsu!" Happy, the talking blue cat, flew toward Bora's path and shielded him.
"Happy!"
"What are you doing, Natsu? Jump into the sea!"
Natsu regretted it. He had a condition that made him feel intense dizziness when on any type of transportation, so upon arriving at Bora's boat he was totally useless. Still, he didn't hesitate when he heard someone was pretending to be from Fairy Tail, though it cost him dearly.
Natsu stood up when he saw his friend in danger. "I'm Natsu Dragneel, and I won't run while my friends are in danger!"
"Then die, both of you!" Bora shoved Happy away from his face and raised his sword without hesitation to cut the blue cat in half. Natsu felt an intense sense of danger and prepared to jump to protect his cat.
However…
A comet crashed through the bow of the ship, tearing through several walls before appearing between Bora and Happy.
"…"
Allen's cold gaze made Bora shiver.
"Who are you?! No matter, Prominence—!"
Before Bora could finish, Allen's fist slammed into his chest, breaking his ribs. Bora crashed into the wall, broke through it, and kept flying, his body spinning and skimming the surface of the sea. Nobody knew if he was dead, but it was not something easily survived.
"You…" Natsu, pale-faced, looked at Allen in surprise.
Allen stood back up. "I see… so that's your plan, Lucifer?"