Lucy stared at Jude Heartfilia in disbelief, her voice trembling as she spoke: "Dad… what about Mom?"
Jude Heartfilia's expression softened with regret as he clenched his fists: "Lucy."
He continued, "I promise, your mother will be alright. I've already gone to seek a more powerful mage, there will be a solution."
Even so, Lucy recalled the strange events of the past few days and her mother's worsening condition.
"Liar!" she cried out, tears welling in her eyes as she sobbed and ran downstairs toward Layla's room.
Jude wanted to follow her, but seeing the room filled with mages, he suppressed his anger and ordered for their immediate departure.
Then he hurriedly descended the stairs himself.
The mages who were ushered out wore displeased expressions, murmuring curses as they left the courtyard and climbed into their respective Magic Mobiles.
When Gaal arrived, this was the scene he encountered.
Cana looked around, puzzled: "What's going on? Were all these mages here to treat someone?"
She added, "Even if the treatment isn't successful, there's no need to curse them."
Lisanna, equally indignant, contributed, "Exactly. Madam Heartfilia already suffers from Magic Deficiency Syndrome. And yet these people continue to hurl curses."
Gaal shook his head and said, "Clearly, the Heartfilia Family has provoked these mages. Let's go inside and see for ourselves."
He then led the way into the manor, heading in the opposite direction of the group of healing mages.
Inside the estate, a servant guarding the entrance recognized the Fairy Tail mages immediately and hastened forward to guide them in, while instructing his companions to report the situation to the head of the family, Jude.
Gaal, accompanied by Lisanna, Elfman, and Cana, stepped into the Heartfilia Family manor.
The three wide-eyed onlookers gazed at the lavish estate and, in the distance, the enormous European-style castle. Cana couldn't help but remark, "This is… absolutely outrageous. This single estate is larger than almost half of Magnolia Town. And that grand castle… my goodness, I suddenly feel sorry for myself."
Lisanna and Elfman nodded in agreement.
They were well aware that this manor was even larger than the small village where they had grown up. The luxurious architecture alone seemed beyond the reach of lifelong dreams.
In that moment, one couldn't help but pity one's own poverty.
Meanwhile, on the second floor in Layla's room, Capricorn was busy channeling Magic Power into her.
Lucy threw herself onto the bed, crying uncontrollably, while Jude stood by the window with a troubled and apologetic expression: "I'm sorry, Layla, I…" he began.
Layla managed a weak smile and spoke gently, "It's alright… You'll understand sooner or later."
Lucy, her voice choked with tears as she clutched Layla's hand, cried, "I don't want you to leave, Mom!"
Layla tenderly brushed Lucy's hair and reassured her, "Your mom isn't going anywhere. Now, stop crying, Lucy."
With sobs still trembling in her voice, Lucy looked up and asked, "Really?"
Layla nodded softly, "Yes."
For a while, the room fell silent except for the sound of Lucy's quiet sniffles.
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door, followed by the hurried voice of a guard outside, "Lord Jude, the Fairy Tail mages have arrived—they wish to check on Madam's condition."
Jude's face brightened: "Is that Gildarts?" he inquired eagerly. "Quick, let them in! If anyone in the Fiore Kingdom can handle this situation, it's him."
However, the servant outside hesitated before replying, "It isn't… It's a young man accompanied by three children."
Jude paused in astonishment, "What?"
A short while later, inside the room on the second floor, Gaal rested his hand on Layla's shoulder as he seamlessly replenished her Magic Power.
At the same time, he probed her body with his magic to assess her condition.
Capricorn looked on in astonishment, unable to fathom how someone so young could possess such an immense reserve of Magic Power.
Even at full strength, he himself could never manage to both replenish someone's Magic Power so effortlessly and simultaneously examine their body.
Beside them, Lucy, comforted by the presence of her peers Cana, Lisanna, and Elfman, quietly wiped away her tears, waiting nervously.
Jude, unable to contain his anxiety, spoke up, "Mr. Gaal, how is she faring?"
Originally, when the servant had mentioned the arrival of a young man, Jude had scarcely dared hope; but upon learning it was Gaal, his excitement surged.
After all, Gaal was renowned, not least for his title as the Scholar and his impressive record against the Dark Guild of the Balam Alliance.
Moreover, given that the Heartfilia Family had commercial interests and even an auction house, they were well aware of Gaal's legend and enigma.
Gaal retrieved a Magic Crystal nearly the size of a football, brimming with magic, and placed it on the bedside.
He then laid Layla's hand upon it, monitoring the rate at which it absorbed Magic Power while calculating how many such crystals would be necessary.
"The situation isn't altogether dire," he explained. "It's just that the cost of treatment is enormous, and there's a possibility she may never leave the manor."
Jude quickly interjected, "That won't be a problem! I would do anything to save Layla."
Gaal responded, "Even if it means wagering the entire Heartfilia Family?"
Jude was momentarily stunned, his face betraying his inner turmoil.
For a moment, an uneasy silence settled over the room.
Unable to hold back, Cana remarked, "Do you really need that many?"
Sighing deeply, Gaal clarified, "It's not that we require an excess; rather, consider the value of this Magic Crystal. Mr. Jude, as a merchant, you should be able to gauge its worth."
Only then did Jude regain his composure, nodding slowly: "Indeed, such a large Magic Crystal is worth at least a million Jewel."
This was the largest Magic Crystal on the market, a luxury item that the Heartfilia Family's business group had dealt with before, though it rarely sold, sometimes taking three years for a single unit.
Gaal continued, "Once fully charged, this Magic Crystal can sustain Madam Layla for three minutes. Observing its discharge, it won't be long before it's entirely consumed."
He calculated aloud, "That means twenty crystals per hour, four hundred and eighty per day. With the ambient magic in the area, if we are to maintain Madam Layla's life, we must design a circular array to keep these Magic Crystals charged. We'd need a supply sufficient for at least ten days of use, and to prevent any emergencies, we should double that amount."
He paused before finishing, "In all, we require… nine thousand six hundred of these Magic Crystals."
Gaal's words struck the assembled group like a sledgehammer.
Each Magic Crystal, valued at over a million Jewel, multiplied by nine thousand six hundred units, just the sheer number was overwhelming.
Even if one were to scour the world and deplete every stock, an item that sells at the rate of one every three years could never be amassed in such quantities.