"Noah, come in quickly!"
Mirajane clapped her hands and turned around, a sun-like gentle smile already on her face.
However, the people lying on the ground, knocked out, all spoke of the white-haired Mage's violent actions just moments ago.
Since Noah's birth, he had never seen such a violent woman. Faced with Mirajane's warm greeting, he was somewhat at a loss.
Should he really join this guild?
If he were discovered to have come with other intentions, he would surely die a miserable death... It was as if a voice in his heart was advising Noah not to enter this guild, but another voice was encouraging him not to be afraid, saying that dying under a peony was still romantic!
Just as Noah was caught in indecision, a deep and steady voice came.
"Young man, standing at our guild's entrance, is there something you need?"
Noah looked back at the sound, but saw no one.
He scratched his head. Was it an auditory hallucination? Or someone's Magic?
"Cough, cough!"
A deliberate cough made Noah look down, only to see a short old man in an orange coat and pants, looking at him helplessly.
The old man had a small mustache and a bald spot on the top of his head, surrounded by white hair, which was particularly striking in the light.
"Master! You're back!" Lisanna skipped out of the guild hall, squatted beside the old man, and blinked her big, adorable eyes.
Noah remained silent, quietly observing the old man. On the Magic Train, when Mirajane spoke of Fairy Tail, she always mentioned one person.
Makarov Dreyar.
The current Guild Master of Fairy Tail.
One of the Ten Wizard Saints whose name shook the Magic World.
Noah just never expected that someone with such an intimidating identity would actually be a kind old man.
Makarov, as usual, gently ruffled the girl's head. "So happy, Lisanna, do you have something joyful to share with this old man?"
Lisanna said delightedly, "Master, Big Sis brought Big Brother and me to complete the 'Beast King Extermination' request!"
Listening to Lisanna's good news, Makarov's expression changed.
"Nonsense! Utter nonsense!"
"With that monster's physique, without two S-Class Mages working together, there's no chance of taking it down. Becoming an S-Class Mage doesn't mean S-Class missions can be easily completed!"
After a verbal scolding, Makarov checked Lisanna from head to toe, asking with concern, "How are Mira's injuries? And Elfman?"
Noah, standing nearby, heard this and a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He cared so much about his guild members, no wonder Mirajane respected him so much.
"Master, we're fine."
Mirajane also pulled Elfman to the guild entrance at this time, indicating that they were safe and sound.
Makarov breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the two were indeed unharmed. He didn't want to see any tragedy happen in the guild.
But then Makarov's doubts arose. With Mirajane's current strength, it was absolutely impossible for her to emerge unscathed from fighting the Beast King, and Elfman and Lisanna were completely incapable of intervening in a battle of that level.
Lisanna wouldn't lie to him.
So how exactly did Mirajane defeat the Beast King?
Seemingly noticing the Guild Master's question, Mirajane smiled and gestured towards Noah. "Master, my younger brother and sister and I were able to return unharmed all thanks to Mr. Noah's help."
Makarov followed her gaze to the young man from before. When he saw Noah's appearance, he was slightly stunned. Noah looked somewhat similar to two people he knew.
But Makarov, being old and wise, hid this emotional fluctuation very well, not letting the young people around him notice.
"Noah, huh... A good name."
"Please come into the guild for a chat."
Entering the guild, Makarov saw the guild members knocked out on the floor. He looked around but didn't see the person he expected.
At a table, two middle-aged men, Macao and Wakaba, with a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other, saw Makarov looking around. Macao joked, "Master, don't look anymore, Erza went out on a mission and hasn't returned yet."
"The one who dealt with Natsu and Gray was Mira-chan."
Makarov was very surprised. Mirajane usually avoided getting involved in fights to prevent escalation, so why would she kindly intervene to stop them?
Wakaba, with a pipe in his mouth, immediately continued the topic. "Seventeen years old, it's also the age of first love, wouldn't you say so, Mira-chan?"
"My foot, you old pervert!"
Mirajane's face flushed slightly, and she rolled up her sleeves, ready to fight, but then she remembered Noah was beside her. To leave a good impression on her savior, Mirajane tried hard to suppress the urge to beat up the two old men.
Maybe you should just go beat them up, don't hold it in... Noah thought to himself.
Makarov looked at Mirajane, then at Noah, and couldn't help but show a knowing smile. However, he said nothing, only led Mirajane and Noah through the guild hall to a counter that resembled a bar.
What kind of guild has its administrative area look like a bar? Noah had already accumulated quite a few complaints just by entering this guild.
With a light jump, Makarov skillfully sat on the bar. "Noah, tell Mira what you'd like to drink."
"Just a glass of water, please." Noah pulled out a chair and sat down.
Though he said that, what Mirajane handed Noah was a carefully mixed cocktail.
Looking at the beer in his own hand, and then at Noah's glass on the table, Makarov's mood was complex. The little girl was already showing favoritism.
Pouring herself a glass of juice, Mirajane reported the details of the "Beast King Extermination" to Makarov from behind the bar.
Upon hearing that Mirajane was seriously injured, Elfman lost control and went berserk, and Lisanna was in danger, Makarov's brows furrowed. Fortunately, Noah's appearance prevented a tragedy.
"Mr. Noah, this old man thanks you on behalf of Fairy Tail for saving Mira and the others from dire straits."
Makarov stood on the bar and bowed solemnly to Noah.
Noah was flattered. An eighty-year-old man bowing to him was something he couldn't accept, so he quickly stood up and helped Makarov. "I just happened to pass by by chance, you don't need to do this."
"Everyone in the guild is family to this old man. You saved the children's lives, so gratitude is a must."
Makarov's expression was serious. "Mira said that Noah, you are looking for your brother. Could you describe his appearance to this old man? This old man has a wide network, and perhaps I can help you."
"Sorry, I don't know what my brother looks like. I only know he has dark blue hair."
Noah scratched his head, his expression awkward. He genuinely didn't know what his brother Jellal looked like. It was all his old father Faust's fault for going crazy back then and heartlessly abandoning Jellal when he was still an infant.
"Dark blue hair, that hair color isn't common on this continent, but it's not rare either." Makarov continued to ask, "You know your brother's name, don't you?"
"His name is Jellal."
Although he hadn't heard the name, with the additional detail of dark blue hair, Makarov could ask his friends for help in the search.
Noah didn't hold much hope for Makarov's kindness. His brother was from Edolas, had no Magic Power, and might not even be involved in the Mage world.
"Master, Noah has nowhere to go. Can he join our guild?" Mirajane looked at Makarov coaxingly.
"Hmph, only thinking of this old man now?"
Makarov pouted, but still couldn't resist Mirajane's coaxing. Besides, even without Mirajane's request, he wouldn't refuse Noah if he wanted to join the guild.
"Joining the guild is no problem, but Noah, could you reveal your Magic?"
Makarov's request was reasonable. Fairy Tail was a Mage Guild, and members usually formed teams to complete requests and split the rewards, so knowing a companion's Magic was convenient for teaming up.
But Noah indicated it was inconvenient, only saying that his Magic could neither fight directly nor provide support, but he was skilled in hand-to-hand combat and weapons.
Knowing the other party intended to hide it, Makarov didn't mind, simply assuming Noah hadn't yet let down his guard in this unfamiliar place.
"Since you're joining Fairy Tail, then you'll need the guild's emblem. Noah, what color do you like, and where do you want it placed?"
"White, on my right forearm will be fine."
Noah extended his right arm. Makarov nodded to Mirajane, who took out a stamp from the bar and carefully pressed it against Noah's right forearm.
Looking at the quiet Noah, Makarov momentarily connected him with a certain member in the guild.
"Noah, do you know Mystogan? He's an S-Class Mage who just got promoted this year in our guild, and he's a bit like you."
"No, I don't."
Noah's answer was decisive. His brother had no Magic Power and could only use Magic items for combat.
In his opinion, it was unlikely his brother would be competing for S-Class status with a group of gifted Mages in this Magic-rich world.
Before long, a slender white fairy emblem appeared on Noah's right forearm. From then on, he was a member of Fairy Tail.
Infiltrating Fairy Tail: Mission Accomplished ✓
Next was to investigate whether Lumen Histoire, with its infinite Magic Power, truly existed.
Actually, after meeting Makarov, Noah no longer fully believed this information. Although this Mage Guild was as peculiar as the other Fairy Tail in the parallel world, it shouldn't have a dark side.
"Kids!"
Makarov's booming voice made the lively guild hall fall silent again.
Standing on the bar, Makarov raised his glass. "Let's welcome our new companion, Noah, to the guild!"
"Welcome, welcome!"
"Come on, Natsu, do a trick for Noah!"
"Oh!!"
"I'm all fired up!"
Noah watched the pink-haired boy perform fire-breathing. He had just been beaten so hard he was rolling his eyes, but now he was full of vigor again. No wonder Mirajane could hit him so hard without worry; his physique was truly formidable.
On the second floor of the guild, accessible only by S-Class Mages, a figure in a heavy cloak silently watched the main character of the celebration in the hall below.
"Hmph, interesting."
"The old man doesn't know, but I know your true name, Mystogan... This kid's 'Jellal' is probably you, right."
"Now you have no reason to refuse to fight me anymore."