After the people from the Kingdom left, another batch from the Council arrived.
The banquet was in full swing, and Makarov, having had a few drinks, was dancing with abandon on the table, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
Mira came over to inform him that the Council had arrived, but he casually waved his hand:
"I'm busy right now. You and Rhode can go, it's a good thing anyways. Come on, watch this move of mine!"
The old man nimbly changed poses and even invited Bigda to dance with him.
Mira, hands on her hips, contemplated whether to continue urging the president to stop drinking, but eventually decided to meet the guests with Rhode first.
Luckily, the Council personnel did not ask to see the president, nor did they hold any ceremony or bestow any honorary title; they simply handed over a briefcase and an invitation letter.
The briefcase was for the entire guild, containing 20 million J in cash, roughly equivalent to the reward for three S-Class tasks, or one high-difficulty SS-Class task.
Counting the waived flying ship refurbishment costs, this haul was quite impressive.
The invitation was handed to Rhode.
"To me?" Rhode opened it and glanced at it. The most eye-catching line read: 'Please visit the Fiore branch of the Council soon for a Magic Power test.'
"Why on earth do they want me to test Magic Power? Surely they're not inviting me to be an Evaluator?"
Rhode remembered that Zikrein became an Evaluator due to strong Magic Power, but that selection standard should have been abolished by now.
"No... Please inquire with Mr. Makarov for more details. We have other tasks, farewell." The Council personnel didn't linger and hastily left.
Mira put the briefcase away, and the bewildered Rhode took the invitation to ask the president.
Makarov took a sip of whiskey, his face showing drunkenness, and said nonchalantly:
"Oh, that's no big deal, Jura from Lamia Scale nominated you to be one of the Ten Wizard Saints."
Calm can be contagious; Rhode nodded calmly: "Oh."
Suddenly, the guild went silent for a few seconds, then erupted with loud voices:
"What?!!"
"Ten Wizards!!!"
"Who? Rhode?"
What's going on? We knew he was strong, strong enough to participate in the S-Class exam. But... he hasn't even taken the exam yet, and he's suddenly nominated as a Ten Wizard Saint?
Everyone was drinking, singing, and dancing; some were still out there striving for eligibility to participate in the S-Class exam.
But suddenly telling us that someone amongst us received a nomination for the Ten Wizard Saints?
What a joke?!
The crowd was amazed, surrounding Rhode, some asking him how he knew Jura, while others asked how strong he really was now.
"Mr. Rhode..." Lucy covered her mouth, "Impossible, he was a rookie last year, right?"
Gajeel was a bit stunned; the title of Ten Wizard Saints, akin to President Joseph and President Makarov...
Wendy held her hands to her chest, her eyes showing admiration: "Brother Rhode, awesome!"
Erza was more composed than the others: "For Rhode, reaching this step was inevitable."
Natsu, Gray, and those lively guys weren't around, otherwise, they might have jumped up to challenge.
Mira was a bit dumbfounded at first but after thinking about Jura's attitude last time, it didn't seem that hard to understand.
However...
That's amazing.
Mira gazed at Rhode, who was surrounded by questions, with admiration and joy in her eyes.
Her fiancé... was about to become an extraordinary figure.
"Okay, okay, it's just a nomination for the Ten Wizards, keep celebrating!" Makarov drunkenly urged everyone to continue the festivities.
After a few more drinks down, Makarov suddenly jumped onto the railing on the second floor, slipped, and fell onto the second-floor floor.
But he quickly jumped back onto the railing, laughing with one hand on his hip and the other holding a wine glass:
"Hahaha! Do you know? We made a major profit! Hahaha... We even got two medals; one medal is worth at least 100 review letters!"
The crowd laughed along, and Lucy cautiously retorted: "No one measures medals with review letters..."
"Hahaha... even our little brats have the qualifications to become Ten Wizards! Ahahaha..."
"Just now saying the Ten Wizards is not a big deal."
Without Hapi chiming in, Lucy could only entertain herself by quietly retorting to the president.
But upon thinking about the reporters seen today, Lucy was just as happy as everyone else—the guild was going to make a nationwide or even continent-wide splash.
Mr. Rhode even said my Star Spirits played a significant role, so the best newcomer this year would undoubtedly be me, right?
Imagining the headlines of major newspapers and magazines with her stunning photos, Lucy's facial expression was gradually losing control.
Having laughed enough for the moment, Makarov downed his glass—without drinking a drop of the alcohol, as it had been spilled when he fell.
But getting the mood right was enough.
Having drunk a glass of air, Makarov laughed and jumped back into the crowd, seamlessly continuing drinking and dancing.
Even an 80-year-old man was leaping around like this, everyone else's state was evident.
The guild was momentarily filled with the clinking of glasses, laughter, and clamor.
As the atmosphere reached its climax, naturally more chaotic sounds arose, curses, scuffles, and the breaking of tables and chairs.
By the afternoon's chaos, the Lane Engine Squad returned.
"Of course, it turned into this." Reby already heard in town about the King's Army presenting medals.
No need for imagination, surely a banquet was being held for celebration.
Jet laughed: "Anyway, let's join in!"
Troy hesitated: "Uh... Join which side?"
Several groups were fighting, and several groups were drinking and cheering on the sidelines.
Jet initially wanted to say: 'After working so hard, we should have a drink and relax, just watch others fight.'
But a half-eaten cake hit his face, changing his decision.
"Who threw the cake? Bastard, face your doom!"
Jet charged in, and Troy naturally joined the fray.
Reby didn't even bother to persuade, as they brawled every day, whatever, she had to find Lucy to chat.
Erza stood with her mouth agape, helplessly extending a hand: "My... my cake... I hadn't even eaten the strawberries on top yet..."
Though strong Erza seldom gets hurt in guild brawls, she somehow always does.
And the rampaging Erza was about to inflict more injuries.
Bang bang…
Jet and Troy, who just joined the fray, were left hanging on the railing, one embedded in the column.
The one who sent her cake flying was also kicked out.
Lucy, with a stiff smile, was about to talk to Reby but was soon knocked away by someone kicked away by Erza.
Poor Reby was also affected.
'Affected'—meaning pressed into the floor by Lucy's pressure, receiving physical and psychological blows.
The Lane Engine Squad was annihilated.
In the guild, debris was flying, and as before, Rhode stood protectively in front of Mira, first knocking away two chairs and catching a bottle of wine.
He deftly took out two cups, poured the wine, and offered one to Mira: "Cheers?"
First, lips met lips, then glasses met glasses, Mira blushingly locked eyes with Rhode:
"Cheers!"
As the wine entered, sweetness filled the heart, yet it was her lover's gaze that intoxicated more.