Gaal, thinking to himself, walked out of the Magic Council. Not long after, an airship of the Magic Council landed, and the mage Lucas stepped off.
"Hello, Mage Gaal, are you planning to head straight to Magnolia Town, or is there somewhere else you intend to go before returning on your own?"
Gaal replied, "I'll head to a big city with good transportation."
Lucas looked surprised for a moment and then nodded. "No problem, but I figured you would continue your meditation and head straight back to Magnolia Town."
Apparently, news of Gaal's recent meditation sessions had spread throughout the Magic Council. Gaal laughed and said, "Traveling is also a form of cultivation."
In truth, the main reason was that Gaal had sensed some Gastly deployed in Fiore Kingdom to monitor Black Magic Order mages were being constantly shifted around.
They had reached the Ishgar Continent—albeit somewhat scattered—but Gaal intended to check them out. He wondered if they might have caught any big fish for the Black Magic Order.
Listening to Gaal, Lucas nodded in agreement. He guided Gaal onto the airship and began to explain as they walked, "For convenient transportation, nothing beats nearby Myrville City. Its transit system connects to everywhere, including trains that go to the Fiore Kingdom. We will be heading north shortly, and we'll pass by the headquarters academy of the Magic Council. Those kids have been getting a good scolding lately because of your legend."
Gaal became interested. "Oh? Then I'd like to take a look at the academy."
He intended to set an example as a genius—hardworking and dedicated—so they might push themselves to mold themselves in his image, even sacrificing their leisure time. It should be interesting....
Fiore Kingdom. Magnolia Town.
After more than a month of rebuilding, the guild had been completely renovated. Compared to the already spacious former premises, the rebuilt guild had shamelessly expanded even further.
"Hmm.... Don't ask, the truth is that Gaal's blueprints were flawed."
They never intended for it to turn out this way.
Inside the guild, the newly constructed bar exuded a modern ambiance. The old wooden bar had been replaced with one featuring a crystal countertop, and even the stools had been upgraded; it looked lavish, though Makarov constantly worried that the bar might collapse when they sat on it.
Nonetheless, this upgrade was far better than the previous wooden one.
Even the bar staff had changed from Cana to Lisanna and Millianna, primarily because Gildarts wouldn't allow his precious daughter to serve drinks to other men.
While sipping his drink, Makarov spoke into his communicator, "Mm-hmm, got it. Alright, come over when you have time; my treat."
After hanging up, a look of relaxation spread across his face.
Lisanna, resting her chin on the bar, looked at Makarov curiously and asked, "Guild Master, has older brother Gaal given any word?"
Makarov replied with a smile, "Indeed. Thanks to my tireless efforts, Gaal will be back soon! After all, I do have some connections at the Magic Council."
Lisanna looked at him in awe. "Ehh! You're number one!"
Cana, idly sipping juice with her usual habit, scoffed, "Don't be fooled, Lisanna. I've heard Gildarts say that guy spends his days quite leisurely at the Magic Council. There's no way anything will happen."
Makarov nearly dislocated his back. Honestly... Cana has clearly been misguided, undermining me like this.
Curious, Lisanna asked, "Is that so?"
At that moment, Ur approached and looked at Makarov: "Guild Master."
Makarov rubbed his waist and turned around. "Ur, what's the matter?"
Ur's face twisted in hesitation before she spoke, "Um... I'm not really sure how to say this. I've been causing trouble for you and the guild for quite some time now. Ever since things started, it all began with my connection to Grimoire Heart. I really want to contribute to the guild, but I didn't know how to bring it up. I've decided that I want to join the guild. Ultear over there has also agreed; I wonder if you, Guild Master, could take us in."
Makarov's face broke into a smile as he replied, "Don't be so formal. We're all family here; it's fine. Just get the guild stamp."
With that, Makarov took out the stamp. "Where would you like it?"
Ur raised her right hand and said, "Just stamp the back of my right hand."
Before long, an ice-blue stamp was affixed to the back of Ur's right hand.
A smile then appeared on Ur's face as she turned and called out, "Ultear! Meredy!"
Ultear came over, also raising her right hand, while the little pink-haired girl beside her was none other than Meredy, whom Gaal had brought down from the Grimoire Heart ship last time.
At that moment, Meredy, sporting a protective look, glared at Makarov, "Don't stamp it! Grimoire Heart and Fairy Tail are enemies! Ultear! You are not allowed to join them!"
Ultear's face showed resignation as she replied, "Meredy, I've already left Grimoire Heart. Besides, you're free now. Stop identifying yourself as a member of Grimoire Heart."
Fuming, Meredy, unsure of what to say, finally muttered, "But they're all bad people!"
Makarov looked helpless.
Could it be that... those from Grimoire Heart are the real villains...?
Ultear couldn't help but cover her head, her face darkening as she knelt down and glared at Meredy, feigning ferocity, "Just understand that! Actually, I'm a bad person too. If you don't behave, I'll sell you off to another Light Guild, let you suffer inhuman torments, and you'll never see me again!"
Meredy looked utterly aggrieved, tears welling in her eyes as she dared not speak, her head down and fists clenched, with droplets of tears falling to the floor.
Seeing this, Ur smacked Ultear on the head, "Don't scare Meredy!"
Ultear covered her head and protested, "Ah, who exactly is your daughter? How could you!"
Ur, while comforting Meredy, turned with a deathly gaze and said, "Huh?"
Ultear quickly shook her head, "No... it's nothing." She then stood in front of Makarov and extended her right hand.
An ice-blue stamp was also affixed to the back of Ultear's right hand.
Although Ivan had defected, the overall strength of the guild remained unchanged with Ur's joining. It was good news, after all.
Makarov rose from his chair, surveying the guild members before raising his glass and proclaiming loudly, "To celebrate Gaal's upcoming return! To celebrate Ur and Ultear joining Fairy Tail! Let's have a feast!!!"
As soon as his words rang out, cheers erupted throughout the guild, "Whoa—!!!"
At that moment, a voice filled with gritted teeth came from Ultear, "Wait—there's one more who joined."
Under everyone's gaze, Ultear grabbed Meredy by the collar and brought her in front of Makarov.
he reached out and snatched the stamp. Ignoring a struggling Meredy, she ruthlessly stamped the mark onto the back of Meredy's right hand.
"Hmph, there, that's done."
She then released Meredy, who looked utterly bullied, while Ultear's face lit up with a gleeful expression of revenge.
In fact, when Gaal had first brought Meredy back a few days ago, Ultear had been overjoyed—even feeling a tinge of guilt toward her. But in less than three days, that brat had pushed her to the point of wanting to kill….
Meanwhile, in central Ishgar Continent, aboard a Magic Council airship, Gaal encountered a brat as well; the airship had just reached the area above the Magic Council headquarters academy and had yet to begin its descent.
On the academy's playground below, six star-shaped lights lit up. Then, the six stars shot up into the sky, spinning as they ascended, and with them came a small child—crying with a face streaked in snot and tears.
Gaal raised his hand, and a silver Magic Circle flashed through the air, relocating the child being propelled skyward onto the airship. However, before the child could recover, they began crying and shouting, "Ah, ah, ah!!!
Damn Siegrain! Wait, I'll go find my brother!
Wah, wah, wah!"
Then, Gaal raised his finger and pointed; strands of golden light shot forth from his fingertips, erasing and dissipating the six ascending star lights. He laughed and said, "Quite energetic indeed."
Lucas, the mage piloting the airship, had only just recovered and looked rather displeased. "That was too dangerous! Falling from that height would probably leave you crippled—how are you supposed to fight then? Couldn't someone supervise you?"
With that, he maneuvered the airship to descend.