"It's too lax. A matter involving an invasion from another world was concluded so carelessly?"
"The magic power hasn't been fully eliminated, the magical devices remain intact, and even the main perpetrator was left to be judged by Edolas."
"It really was too hasty. What if the king they elected is later overthrown? What if they launch another attack on Earth Land?"
"If action is necessary, it should be decisive. We should have severed their ability to ever invade Earth Land again."
"Just look at these stacks of self-reflection reports. If the guild weren't so undisciplined, there wouldn't be so many loose ends left behind."
In the newly established Council chamber, the new Chairman and eight Councilors sat around a long, polished table.
Spread before them were Fairy Tail's self-reflection reports from the past few months, letters of complaint from concerned citizens, Lahar's detailed investigation, a set of Edolas magical tools gifted by Rhode, and a freshly printed newspaper.
The topic under intense debate was Magnolia's unexplained disappearance and sudden return.
The incident had already made headlines. As the sole organization responsible for maintaining magical order across the continent, the Council was expected to deliver a thorough explanation, especially to the Kingdom of Fiore.
It wasn't enough to simply state the cause and result. The public needed reassurance. Would this ever happen again? And if it did, what would the response be?
The central dilemma was this: how could they ensure there would never be another Anima?
Fairy Tail seemed confident, placing their trust in Mystogan. But for the Council, trust alone wasn't enough.
As the Councilors discussed the situation from their own perspectives, their criticisms of Fairy Tail grew increasingly severe.
In their view, the guild had mishandled both the beginning and end of the crisis.
How could such a critical event rest on one man's personal assurances?
At last, Org, who had remained quiet until now, spoke up. His voice was calm, but carried weight.
"I understand your concerns," he said, "but I ask that we view this matter with fairness and objectivity."
A Councilor across from him frowned. "Fairness and objectivity? Mr. Org, are you defending Fairy Tail?"
"Not at all," Org replied. "But consider the facts. This incident came without warning, and in response, Fairy Tail protected the lives of an entire city's population and returned with vital intelligence about Edolas. I would argue they performed admirably."
He looked around the table.
"As for the so-called failure to follow through properly, that responsibility lies with us, gentlemen. Not with them."
Org tapped the report Lahar had submitted and gestured toward the magical equipment Rhodes had provided. Without Fairy Tail, he reminded them, the Council would still know nothing about Edolas.
For a moment, the meeting room fell silent. They knew he was right.
And it wasn't just this time. During the Lullaby incident as well, the Council's task force had shown up late.
All things considered, the newly reformed Council had only just begun its operations and had already owed Fairy Tail two significant favors.
Only the self-reflection reports and complaint letters piled on the table gave them the justification to act sternly with Fairy Tail. Without those, they wouldn't even have the grounds to raise their voices.
Breaking the silence, Org asked a question that seemed off-topic at first: "Jura has submitted a recommendation to appoint Rhodes to the vacant position among the Ten Wizard Saints. What are your thoughts?"
A Councilor with an afro objected at once. "It's too soon. He comes from a guild known for recklessness."
"That's right, his accomplishments....no, his reputation....wait, his character, I mean his strength..."
But the argument fell apart.
In terms of accomplishments, Rhodes had helped subdue the dangerous demon Carniber, played a role in the Lullaby incident, contributed to the destruction of the Tower of Paradise, and his latest contributions were right in front of them in Lahar's report.
In terms of reputation, even if some of it stemmed from his relationship with his fiancée, he was undeniably popular.
As for character, in a guild as chaotic as Fairy Tail, he stood out as someone clean, composed, and unusually dependable, one of the few considered genuinely reliable.
If there was any shortcoming, it was simply his youth and the lack of wide recognition of his strength. But with Jura personally vouching for him, that concern didn't carry much weight either.
The room remained quiet, no one able to provide a solid reason to object.
Finally, Chairman Gran Doma broke the silence. "Then the nomination will stand. In due time, invite him to the Council headquarters for a formal magic evaluation. If he passes, he will be granted the title of one of the Ten Wizard Saints."
"With that settled, let's move on to the more immediate concerns."
Discussion resumed.
From the Council's perspective, Fairy Tail had certainly made mistakes in their handling of the Edolas incident.
But even so, the Council owed them a debt of gratitude. If anyone had complaints about how Edolas was handled, they could take it upon themselves to go there and establish diplomatic relations.
At that point, whether peace, war, or sanctions followed, it would be a matter for the Council and the kingdoms to decide.
In theory, the West and North Continents had a say as well, but given the fractured relations across the lands, the Council had little authority over them anyway.
...
Rhodes chewed on a piece of sugarcane.
Makarov had gone to visit Porlyusica that morning and returned with half a stalk for the guild to share.
Looking at the uneven break in the middle and the jagged teeth marks on one end, Rhodes could tell it had been broken off rather than cleanly cut.
"Master, are you okay?" Rhodes asked the old man with concern.
"What's wrong with me?" Makarov shot back, trying to keep his composure. He almost reached up to check his own forehead but caught himself, instead walking off with his hands behind his back. "You all eat slowly. That stuff's expensive."
"..."
Rhodes held back a laugh. Of course, he knew it was expensive, he was the one who bought it in the first place.
"What's going on? Are you really that happy just to eat sugarcane?" Mira tilted her head. She didn't recall Rhodes having a special fondness for it.
Only after Makarov had wandered far enough did Rhodes lean close and whisper in Mira's ear, "No, I just realized I tricked Master. Yesterday…"
Mira chuckled softly. So Rhodes was the culprit. Still, it wasn't exactly his fault.
Rhodes broke off another section of sugarcane, peeled it with practiced hands, and tossed it to Warm.
Warm chewed for a few seconds, tasting the sweetness, then promptly swallowed it whole. Then, with his round body swaying from side to side, he came waddling back, asking for more.
Rhodes sighed. "You're supposed to spit out the pulp, you know…"
"Hmm?" Warm looked up, completely confused. Why would anyone spit out something they just ate, unless it was poison?
Fine. Consider it added plant fiber in his diet.
"Warm, scoot over a bit," Gray called out, patting the fuzzy creature's rump as he passed.
The little guy was blocking the job board.
Warm moved aside obediently.
Gray stepped forward to post a new mission request. He glanced at Warm again and said, "By the way, isn't he growing a bit too fast?"
"I don't know," Rhodes replied. "Maybe everyone's been sneaking him snacks."
At this rate, Warm wouldn't be allowed to roam freely around the tavern much longer. They might have to move him out back and raise him like a farm animal.
...
Bonus