"Noah, come in!"
After clapping her hands, Mira turned with a gentle, sunny smile.
But the corpses lying on the floor told the story of the violence the white‑haired witch had just committed.
Noah had never seen such a violent woman. Faced with Mira's enthusiastic greeting, he felt a little overwhelmed.
Do you really want to join this guild?
If they discovered I came with other intentions, I'd die miserably...
A voice in his head warned him not to enter, while another urged him not to be afraid, saying it would be romantic to die under peony blossoms and become a ghost.
As Noah struggled, a deep, steady voice cut in.
"Young man, what are you doing standing at our guild door?"
Noah looked back but saw no one. He scratched his head. Hallucination? Somebody's magic?
"Ahem!"
The deliberate cough made Noah look down. A short old man in a beige robe and red shirt stood there, looking helpless. He had a small mustache and a bald spot ringed with white hair that caught the light.
"Grandpa President! You're back!" Lisanna skipped from the hall and squatted beside him, blinking her big eyes cutely.
Noah stayed silent, studying the old man. On the magic train, whenever Mira mentioned Fairy Tail, she always spoke of one person.
Makarov Dreyar — current master of Fairy Tail, one of the Ten Wizard Saints whose name terrifies the magic world.
Noah never expected someone with that reputation to be such a kindly old man.
Makarov reached out and gently rubbed Lisanna's head. "You look happy, Lisanna. Do you have good news?"
Lisanna beamed. "President, we completed the mission to defeat the Beast King!"
Makarov's face changed. "Nonsense! Pure nonsense!"
"Given that beast's physique, there's no way to defeat it without two S‑class wizards working together. Being S‑class doesn't mean you can easily finish an S‑class mission!"
After scolding Lisanna, Makarov asked with concern, "How is Mira's injury? What about Elfman?"
Noah, standing nearby, smiled slightly. Makarov truly cared about his members. No wonder Mira respected him so much.
"President, we're fine."
Mira pulled Elfman to the guild gate to show they were okay.
Makarov looked relieved. He didn't want tragedy in his guild. But he had doubts. With Mira's current strength, she shouldn't have escaped the Beast King unscathed. Elfman and Lisanna didn't intervene in such a high‑level battle.
Lisanna wouldn't lie to him. So how did Mira defeat the Beast King?
Seeing Makarov's doubt, Mira leaned toward Noah with a smile. "President, my brother, sister, and I returned safely thanks to Mr. Noah."
Makarov followed her gaze to Noah. When he saw Noah clearly, he was slightly stunned — Noah resembled two people he knew. But the experienced master hid his emotions well; the young people around him didn't notice.
"Noah... nice name."
"Please come in and have a chat."
Entering the guild, Makarov saw members knocked unconscious across the floor. He looked around for the person he expected but didn't find them.
At a table, two middle‑aged men, Makao and Wakaba, drank and smoked. Seeing Makarov look around, Makao joked, "President, don't look for him. Erza's out on a mission and hasn't returned yet."
"It was Mira‑chan who took care of Natsu, Gray, and the others."
Makarov was surprised. Mira usually avoided escalating fights. How could she be so ruthless?
Wakaba, smoking a pipe, continued, "Seventeen is the age for love to begin, right? Mira‑chan, huh?"
"Fuck you!"
Mira flushed, rolled up her sleeves, and looked ready to fight, but thinking of Noah, she forced herself to hold back to leave a good impression on her savior.
Why don't you just beat them up instead of making yourself sick… Noah complained inwardly.
Makarov looked at Mira, then Noah, and smiled kindly. He said nothing and led them through the hall to the counter that looked like a bar.
Whose guild office is designed like a bar? Noah's complaints had already started the moment he joined.
With a light jump, Makarov sat on the bar with practiced ease. "Noah, tell Mira what you'd like to drink."
"Just a glass of water." Noah pulled out a chair and sat.
Mira handed Noah a carefully prepared cocktail.
Makarov looked at the beer in the boy's hand and then at Noah's water, feeling complicated. The little girl was reckless.
After pouring herself juice, Mira reported to Makarov at the bar about defeating the Beast King.
Makarov frowned hearing of Mira's serious injuries, Elfman's loss of control, and Lisanna's danger. Fortunately, tragedy was avoided because of Noah.
"Mr. Noah, on behalf of Fairy Tail, thank you for saving Mira and the others," Makarov said solemnly, bowing to Noah.
Noah was embarrassed. An eighty‑year‑old man bowing to him felt awkward. He quickly stood and supported Makarov. "I just happened to pass by. You don't have to do this."
"Everyone in this guild is my family. You saved the kids, so I must thank you."
Makarov's expression turned serious. "I heard from Mira you're looking for your brother, Noah. Can you describe him? I have extensive contacts and may be able to help."
"I'm sorry — I don't know what my brother looks like. I only know he has dark blue hair."
Noah scratched his head, embarrassed. He truly didn't know what Gerard looked like. His insane father Faust had abandoned Gerard as a baby.
"Dark blue hair. That's uncommon on this continent, but not unheard of." Makarov pressed, "You must know your brother's name, right?"
"His name is Gerard."
Though he'd never heard the name, given the hair color, Makarov could ask around.
Noah had little hope. His brother was from Edras and had no innate magic, so he might not blend into the mage circles.
"President, Noah has nowhere to go. Can he join our guild?" Mira asked, eyes pleading.
"Huh, you're thinking of me now?"
Makarov smirked but couldn't refuse Mira. Even without her asking, he wouldn't deny Noah entry.
"Joining is fine, but Noah, can you reveal your magic?"
The request made sense. Fairy Tail was a magic guild; members formed teams for jobs and split rewards. Knowing companions' magic helps team formation.
Noah found it inconvenient to reveal. He said his magic couldn't be used in direct combat or for support, but he was skilled in boxing and weapons.
Seeing Noah hide his abilities, Makarov accepted it as caution in unfamiliar surroundings.
"Since you're joining Fairy Tail, you need the guild crest. Noah, what color and where?"
"White, on the right forearm."
Noah extended his right arm. Makarov nodded to Mira, who took a tool from behind the bar and marked Noah's forearm.
Seeing the quiet Noah, Makarov thought of a younger guild member. "Noah, do you know Mistgang? He was promoted to S‑class this year. He looks a bit like you."
"I don't know him."
Noah answered firmly, explaining his brother lacked magic and could only use magic items to fight. He doubted Gerard would compete for S‑class among gifted wizards.
After a moment, a narrow white "Flying Fairy" crest appeared on Noah's right forearm. He was now a member of Fairy Tail.
Infiltrate Fairy Tail — get ♦
Next: find whether the "Luminous Starlight" of endless magic truly exists.
After meeting Makarov, Noah no longer entirely believed the rumor. Though this guild was weird like the Fairy Tail of his parallel world, it likely lacked a dark side.
"Boys!"
Makarov's powerful voice silenced the bustling hall.
Standing at the bar, he raised his glass. "Let's welcome our new companion, Noah!"
"Welcome! Welcome!"
"Come on, Natsu, give Noah a lifetime!"
"Oh!!"
"I'm on fire!"
Noah watched the cherry‑colored boy perform fire stunts. He had rolled his eyes after being hit but now brimmed with energy. No wonder Mira could punch him so hard without scruple — he had a strong constitution.
On the guild's second floor, accessible only to S‑class wizards, a figure in a thick coat silently watched the celebration below.
"Hmm, interesting."
"I don't know him, but I know your real name, Mistgang... The 'Jellal' this kid seeks is most likely you."
"Now you have no more excuse to refuse a fight with me."