The small room which was previously echoed with mocks and laughter was now replaced by the screams of agony from the dying men. The room was in chaos; with the blood pooling around people on the floor. Surprisingly, Gemini-Lucy was no longer playful, indicating that the spirit won't leave the men alive. Lucy, Juvia, and Meredy could only stare at the twin spirit's dark expression. Karen was shaking uncontrollably at the corner of the room after she had witnessed the deaths of her underlings.

      Lucy glared at the girl whose appearance and hair color was the same as her. "Karen Lilica, a celestial spirit mage from an illegal merchant guild. Whatever, you're doomed now," she spoke calmly. Gemini and Leo, whose duties were now finished, returned to their celestial spirit world, leaving the girls alone.

"STOP," Karen shouted, as she gripped the chain of the golden keys, "Leave me or I'll break your keys," she murmured with panic. At first, she planned to use a black magic spell to force break the contact of the zodiac spirits with their current owner after she got the golden keys. This was the only way to own Lucelia's golden keys. As for that spoiled princess, the game was over when the city guards and the locals found out that she had slept together with other men. Who would have thought that their plan was ruined? In her time of dismay, Karen decided to show her trump card; to threaten Lucelia Eucliffe with the golden keys she retrieved earlier. On the contrary, a victorious smirk on the latter's face, making her uneasy.

"Do you think I'm stupid enough to fall for your trap?" Lucy questioned. Her right hand reached to a small key-pocket that was attached to her belt, "It isn't hard for me to make fake keys. Of course, you can't tell the difference since your celestial spirit magic is too weak to detect the real zodiac keys," she patted the key pocket.

"You-" Karen's shout was interrupted when everyone in the room heard several footsteps on the street. Karen, wondering why the guards arrived at the scene very fast, opened the door with her shaking hands to flee. However, what she faced later was a group of guards wearing the same uniforms. Two princes and the leaders of the city guards were standing in the front.

"Lax-kun," the blonde-haired girl who was at the entrance called the blond-haired prince's name, as she ran towards him and hugged him. She pointed in the direction of the house, "They... they want to kill me."

      The fellow guards immediately converted their eyes, not daring to look at the princess consort in a short dress. Commoners, who were watching from afar, started whispering this and that.

      Laxus shook the girl to the ground harshly, as he glared at her, "Drop your act." His reaction shocked the others.

"I guess we've already found the answer, haven't we? Her name is Karen Lilica, a celestial spirit mage," A melodious voice attracted the attention. They saw a blond girl wearing a white body-fitting blouse and a pair of black pants walking out of the room, followed by a blue-haired girl and a pink-haired girl. Everyone was utterly dumbfounded because there were two princess consorts.

"High-level transformation magic... that one can transform into someone's appearance. However, you're a celestial spirit mage. You can't use transformation magic at the same time. Which means, you're under a transformation spell cast by another person. Say... who ordered you to frame me?"

"Hahaha," the girl lying on the ground stood up slowly, facing Lucy, "Yes... I admit it. I did all of these. Do you want the reason? FINE... I HATE YOU. The world is not fair. I'm also a celestial spirit mage. You are borne with nobility, but why can't I? Why do you own many zodiac keys when I don't even have one? I envy you. I admit my wrongdoings, I have nothing to lose. But..." She looked at Laxus, "Do you know... in order to catch me, Lucelia Eucliffe let other men touch her and kiss her?"

         Lucy detached the silver whip which was previously attached to her belt, and whipped the girl's hand with rapid motion.

"Ahh," Karen screamed, as she overlapped her hand to relieve the pain, "See. She is beating me in front of many people Because I'm telling the truth." Then she looked at Lucy angrily, "Lucelia Eucliffe, you have no right to beat me in public. You are a true evil. Everyone, please help me, I demand justice."

"Really?" Lucy smirked; her tone was as cold as ice, and her gaze was as a sword as a sword, "Do you really think that I can't hurt you in front of people?" She waved her whip again, as it struck Karen's left leg.

       The latter didn't dodge the attack... for the reason that the more she was beaten by the arrogant princess, the more negative remarks the latter would receive. She didn't kill people, so her punishment would be at most fund or imprisonment for one or two months... As for Lucelia, her reputation would be ruined forever, and she had to divorce Prince Laxus under the public pressure.

      To their surprise, what Princess Consort did was unexpected. She rotated her whip to catch the nearest sword which was sheathed and attached to a young city guard's uniform nearby.

      The silver sword was tangled by the whip, then tugged with force, being hurled in the air. The flying sword stabbed Karen's chest who was off guard. Lucy gathered her whip into a coil.

      Gasps from the audience and noises were heard. Because Karen and her gang had already spread that Princess Lucelia would appear in the White Hart pub at midnight, commoners who lived in that area wouldn't miss this chance. Karen intended to humiliate Lucy in front of all people. Who would have guessed that things would turn out like this?

      Karen grabbed the blade but she didn't dare to pull it out. The stab wound wasn't deep, with one-third part of the blade penetrating her body. But, the pain was so unbearable.

"Whenever someone tries to snatch my celestial spirit keys with lowly tricks.. all of them will end up like you. This is my vow to protect my celestial spirits," Lucy's voice was calm, clear, and loud.

      Meanwhile, the cloak struck loudly. People could see the blond girl who was stabbed by the sword, changed into a new appearance - a young woman in her early twenties, with long green hair, a pair of sharp brown eyes, and red lips.

"Princess Consort is right." , "This green-haired woman is such a bi*ch," and other whispers covered the silent surroundings again. With the transformation spell being worn off, all the lies Karen said earlier were revealed.

      Meantime, Gray and Lyon stepped into the scene, "Two deaths, and three unconscious," Gray whispered to the princes.

"Call Bicks," Laxus commended.

      Still sitting, and still suffering, Karen pointed at Lucy, "She killed them."

"Ha," Lucy laughed, "I think we're forgetting something," she paused for a moment, "Whether it's in Fairy Tail or Sabertooth, I'm Princess Lucelia of Sabertooth. I'm also Princess Consort Lucelia of Fairy Tail, I'm officially married to Prince Laxus. Challenging me means challenging the authority of Prince Laxus. The crime of attempt against the princess consort... it sounds right, doesn't it?"

         Her voice was so powerful that the audience again melted to her speech. Her words indirectly hinted that she had got a strong backup who was her husband, Prince Laxus. Based on the way she spoke with much confidence, they didn't expect that an eighteen-year-old girl had the power to influence others. She was stunning in her way.

"I, a royal noble, am not a joke to be laughed at by a mere cunning woman. I'm not a toy to entertain a group of adult men. I killed them... Is protecting myself a crime?"

      Her words immediately allowed the audience to understand what happened. If it was the case, what Princess Consort did was to protect herself... it was no doubt a self-defense. They were relieved because their Princess Consort looked unharmed.

      If someone thought further, a doubtful question would greet them surely - "How did they capture Princess Consort in the first place? What were her female guards doing at that time?" But, seeing the criminals being defeated or even killed by Princess Consort and two bodyguards, so why did she fall into the trap easily?

'Unless it was her intention,' was what Erza, Gray, and Lyon thought.

      Lucy took a quick look at the audience and faced them, "As you see, the woman in front of you is a celestial spirit mage who is under a transformation magic. She is the one who impersonates... frames me.. and fools everyone. The events in the past days were done by her. At that time, I was staying in my manor the whole time. However, she lured me out and plotted a scheme to discriminate against me... to damage my reputation... to hurt my morals and status."

"At first, I've no intention to spare her life, but I'll pass this time. From now on, whoever tries to hurt me, or my husband, or my friends... I suggest they better prepare their graves before they take action against us."

"Alzack, Hibiki, take her away," Jellal gestured them to take Karen away from the scene, "Treat her first. We'll decide her punishment later."

"Roger, Your Highness," two city guards replied.

      Before they could reach the green-haired woman, her body became stiff, and fell to the ground from the sitting position. Her whole body spasmed severely, like she was suffering a seizure. A moment later, the signs ended so as her life.

      Alzack, who was the nearest to Karen, noticed a small red bug coming out from the latter's cloak. He pulled his sword and killed it.

      Meredy quickly approached Karen and checked her pulse. The latter's eyes were widened, with a painful anxious look on her face. "She's dead," the pinkette said, "Sudden death resulting from the lack of oxygen, caused by the laryngeal spasm which is probably due to the insect venom," she whispered the cause of death, after seeing a dead insect beside the dead woman.

"There must be an insect mage in this area. Find him." Erza ordered to the guards, who took action immediately to seach the new suspect.

"I apologize for the alarm," Lyon said to the group of audience, "Please go back to your house."

      The crowd was getting dispersed, and the city guards led by Alzark, Kagura, and Bisca, captured the unconscious men and three corpses. Despite the movements, a group of young mages didn't make a sound as they stood still.

      Meredy glanced at the blue-haired Crown Prince the her Erza-san, 'I'm screwed,' she sighed.

"Don't look at me Mere-chan, I can't help you this time," the red-haired beauty smiled at her friend.

"I'm sorry," Meredy whispered, lowering her head.

"Why're you apologizing for?" Jellal asked.

"I did something reckless without reporting to you," the pinkette replied with a guilty voice. Even though she helped Lucelia-sama catch the culprits, she knew that she would receive punishment instead of a reward from the strict Crown Prince.

"No, Meredy. Your only mistake is that you put Lucelia-sama into danger despite you knowing what she was planning," the scarlet-haired knight replied.

"Please don't blame her," Lucy interrupted, "I forced her to follow me."

"Sister-in-law, I think you have someone else to concern," Jellal said, gesturing to the side.

      Lucy took a quick look at the blond prince who didn't say a word since the beginning.

"Lucelia, follow me," Laxus ordered. One could guess that he was mad from his voice.

      As the blond couple left, the crown prince returned his attention to the sensory maiden, "Clean the whole city guard building for three consecutive days. No one is allowed to help you."

      Hearing this, Meredy realized that the punishment she had received was considered to be way too light. What she didn't expect was... a soft voice interrupting them.

"Juvia is Meredy-san's teammate. Juvia wants to receive the same punishment."

"Ju," Meredy looked at her blue-haired friend with thankful eyes. The way Juvia spoke sounded strange, but she could feel the sincerity from Juvia...

       Juvia smiled at Meredy. Even though she wasn't considered as a member of the city guards, she had been teaming up with the pink-haired girl in their important missions. Meredy was a bright and carefree girl. Of course, she wanted to help her friend.

"Then, if this what you want Juvia, I permit." Jellal stated, "I hope you two must be cautious in the future."  Two girls nodded simultaneously.

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Karen Lilica

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