(Now i edit the previous chapter)
Clang clang clang—
Listening to the steady sound of the rollers turning, Noah looked at this means of transportation called the "Magic Train."
Magic crystals that store mana power the train. Its efficiency is low, speed unimpressive, and comfort poor; the wooden seats are hard to sit in for long.
But the magic train is popular for its low fares and railways connecting major cities. Those two points offset its shortcomings.
Similar transport once existed in Edras, but with magic depleted there, they stopped operating decades ago; Noah had only seen them in books.
What surprised Noah was that Ascalante was not Edrus. Although this world was rich in mana, its magical transportation wasn't much better.
This stagnation isn't right.
Looking at Mira sitting beside him at the window, Noah asked questions.
Mira rested her chin on one hand, watching the changing scenery. "Why didn't they continue research and development? Of course, it wasn't profitable enough."
"I heard the Ha'tefilia consortium that once ran the railways ran into financial trouble and had to sell off sections to cover debts."
Noah understood — reasonable. R&D needs money and resources; without them, progress stalls.
Lisanna, sitting opposite with Elfman, asked innocently, "Brother Noah, you don't seem familiar with many outside things. How will you find your brother?"
"One step at a time," Noah said with a smile.
To hide his identity, Noah invented a backstory: he'd lived in the mountains with his family and come out to look for his brother. He couldn't say he came from a parallel world to steal their guild's "Lumen Starlight."
In the valley, Noah had noticed white markings on Mira and Lisanna's left thighs similar to a "Dancing Fairy" pattern, and a black pattern of the same shape on the left side of Elfman's neck.
Noah had seen that pattern in Edras.
Though an otaku, Noah — the second prince — read the country's papers daily. The Fairy Tail guild often made border-news headlines. He was now certain Mira and the others belonged to Ascalante's Fairy Tail Ivan mentioned.
So Noah implied he had nowhere to go.
Mira was as enthusiastic as he expected and invited him to join the guild; Noah agreed.
As for his stated reason — "looking for my brother Jellal" — he planned to take it step by step. There are many people in this world; patience would do.
A long whistle sounded as the magic train reached its final destination: Magnolia, the city where Fairy Tail is located.
Same time, different place.
In the valley where the Beast King had fallen, a mysterious man in a black robe covering his face arrived, carrying five magic wands.
"Are we late…?"
Seeing no one around, he removed his mask, revealing a face roughly seventy percent similar to Noah's: dark-blue hair and a brown tattoo above and below his right eye.
"For the first time in over a decade, Anima activated in reverse. What did Edras transmit?"
Looking at the huge corpse being scavenged by lesser beasts, the man who seemed to be thinking slowly withdrew one of his wands.
———
Magnolia, a port city of Fiore, has a population over 60,000 and is one of the continent's large cities.
Leaving the station, Noah saw two tall buildings flanking the street.
One was a cathedral.
Noah raised an eyebrow. "What god does that church worship to have so many believers?"
"Nothing was offered," Mira teased at his stunned expression and smiled mysteriously. "The Cathedral of Cardea is a big notification tool for us. When its bells ring through the city, it means someone has returned."
Who it signified, Mira said, Noah would learn later.
Led by Mira, Noah approached a three-story building that looked like a tavern.
A red flag with white stripes flew atop it; the "flying fairy" emblem made its identity obvious.
Magic Guild Fairy Tail.
Even through the heavy wooden door, Noah heard noisy sounds from inside.
After distinguishing them, his face looked odd. Why did it sound like fighting and booing?
"Our guild... is a bit lively," Mira said, embarrassed. Can't those idiots stop for a moment? What if they give Noah a bad impression?
Trying to smile, Mira pushed the guild door open. "Everyone, quiet down—"
Suddenly!
Before she finished, a flame flashed past Mira's side.
Her angelic smile vanished and a devilish look appeared.
The first floor was arranged like a tavern. A crowd had gathered around two people dueling in the center, fanning the fight and unaware danger approached from behind.
When they noticed, Mira's fist was already in front of them.
Crack—rapid, short impacts.
In an instant, the crowd scattered to the floor.
In the hall, aside from Mira, only the two fighting teenagers remained — the core of the commotion.
One was a young man with cherry blossom hair wrapped in a scarf, flames surging around him.
The other was a shirtless black-haired boy with a cold aura.
Natsu and Gray stopped wrestling when they saw Mira.
Natsu, still clueless, smiled and greeted, "Welcome home, Mira. Looks like your mission went well."
Gray, more perceptive, froze: people lay unconscious around them. Though Mira was warlike, she wouldn't usually attack so many at once.
"Mira, which blind idiot made you angry?"
Mira's gloomy expression shifted; she looked at Natsu and Gray with a smile and reached out.
"As expected of Gray — your brain's better than Natsu's."
"Those blind ones... are you two bastards?!"
With a left and right motion, Mira slammed Natsu and Gray's heads together; both rolled stiff-eyed and went out cold.
Noah broke into a cold sweat watching.
If he saw correctly, Mira had knocked all those people unconscious, and the final two blows had been particularly strong.
So brutal.
Is it acceptable to render guildmates unconscious with heavy punches?!
For some reason, Ivan's description of Fairy Tail — a bright guild with a dark side — flashed through Noah's mind.
This guild...
Could it be a black shop?