Noah's monthly salary as Fairy Tail's "coach" was 200,000 jewel. After deducting his 100,000 dorm rent, he was left with enough to live on comfortably.
It seemed that Makarov was fully aware of Lumen Histoire's location. For now, there was no way for Noah to pry further information from him. He would have to be patient and wait for an opportunity.
With no clear leads and a stable source of income, Noah allowed himself to become lazy.
His daily routine boiled down to the same cycle: dormitory to guild, back and forth. He read, taught members physical training, strolled through the city, and occasionally snagged discounted potato chips at the docks.
Autumn turned to winter in the blink of an eye. Three months passed, and the year's end drew near.
Snow fell outside. Inside, warmth filled the room.
**Boom!**
The bed trembled violently, shaking Noah out of a pleasant dream.
Groggy, wrapped in his quilt, he muttered irritably, "Who's disturbing my beauty sleep so early? Ever heard of public decency? Just wait—I'll…"
"It's me."
Two cold words sliced through the air. A red-haired girl stood over him, her unfriendly gaze sharp. Her blade was already a third unsheathed.
A flash of cold steel glinted—a silent warning: *Get up, or else.*
Noah instantly woke, posture snapping straight like a schoolboy before his teacher. His tone flipped without missing a beat. "Ah, see how grateful I am for your kind reminder to wake me again."
"You even admit it's 'again.'" Erza curled her lips. She was long past being surprised by how quickly Noah could switch expressions.
Since becoming coach, Noah had implemented strict training hours for members who signed up: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
At first, everyone followed the rules. But soon they discovered the truth: Noah's slacking skills were even more fearsome than his teaching.
Training was set for eight in the morning, and he usually arrived… at lunchtime. It was supposed to run till the afternoon, but he always disappeared early, mumbling excuses about napping, only to reappear by evening.
Yet, despite his truancy, members improved drastically under his guidance.
And so they tolerated it.
Everyone—except Erza.
To her, discipline was absolute. If Noah had set the schedule, he should uphold it. Rules must be followed, especially by the one who made them.
Declaring herself Fairy Tail's "Disciplinary Committee," Erza had spent two and a half months giving Noah morning "wake-up service"… by force.
Noah's impression of her gradually evolved. From a strict yet gentle "queen," she had become, unmistakably—a tyrant.
Pouring ice water into his bed in the middle of winter? Cruelty beyond words.
This morning, though, she had only kicked the bed a few centimeters. If anything, today's wake-up was… gentle.
Stretching, Noah shuffled toward the kitchen. "I'll make breakfast. Want some, Erza?"
She shook her head. "I came for something else. Christmas is a week away—everyone's preparing. I can't allow you to keep sleeping through everything."
Every Christmas, the guild celebrated together. To Noah, festivals held no appeal. For him, it was only another excuse for a vacation. He was already plotting: *End of year? Perfect. Time off until next year.*
But Erza knew him too well by now. She could practically read the laziness on his face. Before he could open his mouth, a sheet of parchment landed on the bed with a *snap.*
"Noah, I've found a commission for you," Erza said evenly. "Please finish it before Christmas Eve."
Noah blinked. Since joining Fairy Tail, he had barely touched regular guild work, aside from one small pet-retrieval job with Natsu.
But Erza had made up her mind. He wasn't just a coach. He was also a Fairy Tail wizard—and as such, he had to take real missions occasionally.
Noah moved to decline… until his eyes slid over the commission's reward.
"…Three million?"
The figure made him freeze. That was an amount fitting of an S-class commission.
But Fairy Tail had strict rules: S-class jobs could only be taken by S-class wizards. That meant whatever Erza had handed him had to be at most A-class.
Curious, he looked more closely. The commissioner… was the president of a Chamber of Commerce.
Noah raised a brow.
In this world, beyond magic guilds, there were also business guilds, treasure hunter guilds, mercenary guilds, even scholarly guild organizations. Business guilds dealt mostly with finance and rarely sought cooperation with mage guilds. They normally hired mercenaries, only seeking wizards when truly desperate.
The task details were not described in the posting; it required direct discussion with the client. But one unusual line stood out:
*The wizard must remain calm and possess a certain degree of financial knowledge.*
And then Noah noticed the posted date.
X780.
This commission… was over two years old.
No one in Fairy Tail had qualified to take it. For the guild's reputation, that was humiliating.
Noah glanced up to see Erza deliberately avoiding his eyes.
Understanding dawned.
Fairy Tail, a guild of great renown, couldn't even answer one lingering commission. If word spread, rivals would mock them. Erza's pride and loyalty to the guild must have driven her to press this job onto him.
"…I've read a fair amount. I can handle basic financial matters." Noah muttered.
Then, smiling faintly, he said aloud, "I'll take it."
Relief immediately brightened Erza's face.
But Noah leaned back smugly, deciding to push his luck. "Erza, you should *ask properly* for my help, don't you think? How about this—be my maid for a day, and I'll do it."
The idea of ordering the Fairy Queen around left him positively giddy. He didn't dare actually make her serve him—it would be suicide—but just saying it was sweet enough.
He had little time to savor the moment.
*Sssht!*
Cold steel pressed against his neck. Erza's blade gleamed, her voice flat as ice.
"I'm glad you're capable of this commission. But I don't like being threatened."
Noah's blood ran cold. Only three months in the guild, and she had grown this fast? Her speed had surprised him completely.
*Damn it, have I grown too soft, lazing around like this?*
He briefly debated—would it be less humiliating to kneel on both knees, or just one?
But before he could decide, Erza withdrew her blade.
"…Just remember your words. Complete the commission. When the time comes, I'll fulfill your request too."
Noah froze.
She agreed?!
His grin vanished, replaced by genuine surprise. For the guild's honor, she was willing to accept even a humiliating promise.
*This guild… means that much to her.*
Swallowing back his urge to laugh or rescind, Noah remained silent. Better to stay serious—any jokes now would only make her think he was mocking her.
Trying to ease tension, he shifted the subject. "So… want breakfast, Erza?"
"…I'll have a bowl, thanks."
When she finally walked out, her composed face gave way to heated cheeks. She quickly covered them with her hands.
*Unbelievable. Why did I agree to that?*
"…Is it because Noah looks a little like… him?"
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