Back in Lazan City, poor Natsu was a complete mess. Ever since his encounter with Princess Lucy, he had been restless and miserable. His heart clenched like a trapped falcon whenever he thought of the sultan's daughter. He couldn't sleep, couldn't eat—only wander to the edge of the palace grounds by day, watching her from a distance, and dreaming of her by night. He had tried to forget her. After all, she was a royal princess, and he was nothing more than a commoner pulled from the streets. The idea of them together was laughable, even to him. And yet, how could he forget her when she burned so brightly in his mind?

She wasn't only beautiful, but intelligent, strong-willed, and disarmingly funny. Unlike the other women of wealth and title, she didn't carry herself with cold distance. She treated the poor as if they mattered, as if they were people worth seeing. Around him, she had been so natural—so effortlessly herself, like any ordinary girl.

If only she were ordinary. But she wasn't. She was the princess. Someone like him wasn't even meant to look at her, let alone court her. All he could do was watch from afar, holding onto fleeting moments and imagining a life that could never be his.

Then one day, as Natsu once again lingered on the sidelines of the palace grounds—hidden just beneath the grand balcony, waiting for even a fleeting glimpse of Lucy—the Sultan made an announcement that shattered everything. His words struck the young man like a blade.

"The Verdenshav Kingdom seeks a union between our realms. The Prime Minister and I believe that my daughter, Princess Lucy, and the kingdom's prince should be wed, to ensure peace and prevent future discord. Therefore, my people, myself, the princess, and my trusted vizier shall spend the summer in the Magnolia Nation, in hopes that she and the prince will come to know one another and fall in love. Until I return, I leave Lazan City in the hands of my loyal and just Captain of the Guards."

Zash stood among the gathered officials, expression unreadable. At his side, the golden scarab beetle medallion he wore suddenly began to glow. His eyes sharpened. A descendant of Zeref was nearby. He shifted subtly through the crowd, letting the medallion guide him like a compass. The light grew stronger with every step, pulsing like a distant star pulling him forward—until it burned brightest as he neared Natsu.

"Married?" Natsu muttered under his breath, disbelief lacing every word. "She's getting married already? Couldn't they have waited another year?"

He didn't notice Zash watching him from the crowd. But Zash noticed him and more importantly, he heard him. The tone. The bitterness. The heartbreak beneath it.

"So this street rat is in love with the princess." He mused.  "Pathetic and yet useful."

Later that night, Nebaru had returned to him in his parrot form. He found his master rummaging through old, worn clothing scavenged from the slums of the city.

"There you are!" Zash snapped without looking up. "Where have you been?"

"Sorry," Nebaru replied. "Selene had a job for me. I needed to assist her in her new plan to obtain the trident—and I do believe this one will work."

"I seriously doubt it," Zash said flatly. "Last time she went after it, she failed and was defeated by a mere brat."

"This time is different," Nebaru insisted. "She's striking where the Sea King is most vulnerable. His heart."

"What do you mean?"

"His favorite sister has fallen in love with a human," Nebaru continued, "and Selene has tricked the poor girl into agreeing to surrender her soul if she cannot marry him before the end of the Summer Solstice. When she fails, she will be at Selene's mercy—and that leaves a certain overprotective brother willing to do anything to save his precious little sister."

Zash finally looked up, interest flickering across his face.

"And what makes her so sure the mermaid will fail?" he asked. "I've seen Selene's sister-in-law before. She was... quite the beauty." A brief, indulgent smirk crossed his lips. "No doubt any of her daughters would be the same. It wouldn't be difficult for a human to fall for them—tails or no tails."

Nebaru gave a slow, knowing tilt of his head.

"Ah, but Selene's niece didn't fall for just any human. She fell for the prince of the Verdenshav Kingdom."

That made Zash pause.

"The same prince," Nebaru continued smoothly, "who is already engaged to the Princess of Lazan City. There is no chance of the mermaid succeeding in time."

A quiet silence settled between them.

Zash's smirk deepened.

"And Selene knows this?"

"Of course," Nebaru replied. "She knows the prince is destined for another. That is precisely why she made the deal in the first place. She's banking on the niece's failure."

Nebaru's voice lowered, almost admiring.

"It's brilliant."

"It is," Zash murmured with a low, satisfied chuckle. "I sometimes forget how crafty and devious she can be. She is the only person other than myself who truly understands how to use a person's love against them."

His eyes glinted with something sharp and amused.

"Speaking of which... her niece isn't the only one clinging to an impossible romance. As fate would have it, I've found Zeref's descendant. A street rat who has fallen head over heels for the princess like a foolish child."

A slow smile spread across his face.

"Oh, Nebaru... it couldn't be more perfect."

And so, he began to lay out every detail of his plan. Meanwhile, in a cramped, dim hovel on the edge of the city, Natsu sat slumped against the wall, drowning in his own thoughts. The joyless weight of longing clung to him like dust. Lucy.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her. Every time he opened them, she was gone.

"Please eat something, Natsu," Happy pleaded, nudging a small melon toward his hand. "You're almost skinny enough for me to see your rib cage."

"I'm sorry, buddy," Natsu muttered, not taking it. "I just can't eat. I can't do anything except think about her."

"There are plenty of other women out there," Happy insisted. "Women just as pretty as her."

Natsu shook his head immediately. "Oh no, Happy. There's no one in the world as pretty as her. She's the prettiest woman alive. She's smart, she's funny, she's—"

"Royal," Happy cut in flatly. "She's royalty. You're not. The two don't mix. Besides... she's already spoken for."

"Yeah," Natsu said bitterly. "By a prince."

He let out a strained laugh, more hurt than humor. "I don't get it. Why does she have to marry him? What does he have that I don't?"

Happy ticked off the list without hesitation. "Money, a kingdom, a castle, status, education, better hygiene—"

"Okay, okay, I get it," Natsu groaned, dropping his head back against the wall.

After a moment, he sighed.

"I know it's hopeless, Happy. She was just... incredible. And for a moment, I thought maybe she and I—" He stopped, shaking his head. "Stupid. So stupid."

"Don't take it too hard," Happy said softly. "You're not the first guy to fall for someone way out of reach."

Natsu gave a small, tired smile. "Do you think she'll remember me?"

"Probably," Happy said. "You're pretty unforgettable."

A pause.

"...Do you think," Natsu asked quietly, "if I were born a prince... or she were born a commoner... she could've loved me?"

Happy hesitated. "Any woman could love you, Natsu. But in this place... love alone isn't enough. You need titles, money, approval. And people like the Sultan? They don't care what's real."

Natsu nodded slowly and patted Happy's head.

"You'll find someone else too," Happy added gently.

"I don't think so," Natsu whispered. "If I can't marry Lucy... then I don't think I can marry anyone. What's the point of dreaming anymore?"

"Perhaps not, boy."

The voice came from the doorway. Both Natsu and Happy jolted. A stranger had entered without a sound. He looked like a frail old man—draped in tattered rags, hunched and trembling, skin pale and worn as though time itself had forgotten him. For a moment, he seemed barely held together by breath alone.

"Who are you?" Natsu asked sharply. "How did you get in here?"

"There's no door in this hovel, fool," the old man replied dryly. "That's how I got in. As for who I am, call me the answer to your prayers."

Natsu narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"

The old man leaned slightly forward, his gaze suddenly sharper beneath the veil of his frailty. "Tell me, boy... have you heard of the ancient lamp hidden within a forgotten cave?"

Natsu blinked. "Yeah. Did you get that from that crazy fortune-teller lady?"

"I am an old acquaintance of hers," the man said smoothly. "For years, I have sought that lamp. But I am too old to retrieve it myself and I am not a descendant of Zeref. Only Zeref's bloodline can enter the cave and return alive. She told me the blood of Zeref runs through you."

"Did she also tell you that I don't have a death wish? I'm not going into some cave. There's a dragon down there."

The old man didn't even flinch.

"It won't harm you."

Natsu blinked. "It won't?"

"No," the stranger said calmly. "Dragons once revered Zeref. He was the first to show them compassion and respect. They would never strike down his descendants. That is why only his bloodline can enter and return unscathed. Anyone else would be reduced to ash. And if you help me retrieve the lamp, I will tell you how to claim the treasure hidden within that same cave. Treasure vast enough to make you a serious candidate for the princess's hand."

Natsu's expression shifted. "But... she's supposed to marry a prince."

"The prince of Verdenshav rules a fine kingdom," the old man said dismissively, "but his wealth is nothing compared to what lies in that cave. If you walked into the Sultan's palace with more gold and jewels than any king's son could ever dream of he would have no choice but to accept you."

"That's really how it works?"

The old man's smile deepened. "You've heard of the golden rule, haven't you? Whoever has the gold makes the rules."

He straightened slightly.

"So here is my offer: help me retrieve what I see and I will help you claim what you desire. Simple."

The idea tugged at something desperate in Natsu.
But beside him, Happy hovered closer, tail twitching, eyes narrowed. Something about this didn't smell right.

"Natsu, I think we should get away from this guy," the cat said, hovering uneasily near his shoulder. "He seems a little crooked to me. And besides why would anyone want an old lamp when there's supposedly treasure in that cave?"

Natsu hesitated. Happy had a point. The old man's offer was suspiciously convenient, too smooth, too generous, too perfect. There had to be strings attached. There always were. But then Lucy's face flashed in his mind and with it came the ache in his chest. If this was a risk he'd take it.

"Alright," Natsu said at last. "I'll help you get the lamp."

The old man let out a low, satisfied chuckle. "Excellent. We leave now."

"Now?" Natsu blinked.

"Yes," the stranger replied. "It must be today. The seventh day of the seventh month, beneath the seventh full moon. If we do not go now, we must wait another seven months, seven days, and seven moons."

Natsu frowned. "Why is everything always sevens with these kinds of things?"

Happy's ears drooped immediately. Every instinct he had screamed that this was a terrible idea. The kind of terrible idea that came with consequences, regrets, and possibly explosions. But he also knew Natsu well enough to understand the truth. He wasn't thinking clearly anymore. He was in love and people in love didn't make smart decisions.

"We're going to regret this," he muttered. "And when we do, I'm blaming you."