"Lumen Histoire. The girl sealed inside… is Fairy Tail's first Guild Master—Mavis Vermillion."
"It's also known as: Fairy Heart."
"This magic surpasses even the Three Great Fairy Magics. Its core function is to automatically convert natural Ethernano into the user's own magic power, granting them limitless magical energy."
"In other words… whoever possesses it has infinite magic—and can cast spells without end."
Makarov explained all this to Kaien.
But Kaien had recognized it at first glance.
He'd seen Fairy Tail before. He knew what Fairy Heart was. He knew what it could do. The real question was—why was the old man showing it to him?
A sinking feeling bloomed in his chest.
"G-Guild Master… why are you showing me this?"
"Because, Kaien... you're going to be the next Guild Master of Fairy Tail."
Kaien stood frozen.
"...What?!"
"Guild Master?!" he sputtered. "You can't be serious! I've only been in the guild for a year! Me?! No way—I can't do it!"
He turned to bolt, sheer panic taking over.
Sure, missions could be rough sometimes—but he enjoyed them. He liked completing quests, earning rewards. Most of all? The system gave him gacha pulls. Draws. Cards. New characters.
What kind of life was it without summoning cards?
He absolutely could not become Guild Master!
Whap!
He didn't even get two steps before a massive hand scooped him up—Makarov had activated Giant Magic and grabbed him with a super-sized palm.
'Seriously?!' Kaien groaned. 'Why do I keep getting grabbed by giants lately? This is the third time…'
"Stupid brat," Makarov muttered. "Where do you think you're running off to?"
"Guild Master, I really don't want to be Guild Master!"
Makarov's expression soured. "What, is the title that awful?"
"Yes! I'd be stuck in the guild every day! If someone messes up, I have to go apologize to the Magic Council. I'd have to write formal reports, mediate fights, go to stupid meetings—ugh, I'd be drowning in drama."
"…..."
Makarov couldn't deny it. Every word Kaien said hit a little too close to home.
Kaien looked up with wide, pitiful eyes.
"Master, I'm only nineteen… You're really going to dump all this suffering on a kid? I just came back from a successful S-Class mission, and this is the 'reward' I get? That's cold, old man…"
"And you'd have me, a man almost ninety years old and practically in the grave, carry that burden instead?"
"You could always pass it to someone else! Like Gildarts! He's the strongest in the guild!"
"Gildarts is off doing the 100-Year Quest. Who knows if he'll even come back. And even if he does, with that attitude? There's no way he'd sit still and be Guild Master."
"Then what about Mystogan?"
"Mystogan's not exactly a people person. He barely interacts with the others in the guild."
"Erza, then! She's got authority! Even I'm afraid of her!"
"She is a strong candidate, yes. But she's still very young. And… she's a girl."
Makarov had thought about it. He'd watched Erza grow up. He trusted her. But in his heart, he didn't want to burden her. She was still a woman—she deserved a life of her own. A family. Happiness.
Kaien, though? He was already dating Mirajane. The two of them settling down together in the guild was a pretty ideal future in Makarov's eyes.
"I'm the same age as Erza, you know," Kaien mumbled. "If nothing else, how about Laxus? He's your grandson."
"That brat's even worse. If I gave him the position, he'd run the whole guild into chaos."
"Then just keep doing it yourself. Tough it out a little longer."
"Nope. I'm old. My body—"
"What are you talking about? You're only in your eighties! You've still got some fight left!"
Bonk!
Makarov smacked Kaien right on the head.
"You little punk! Don't try to talk circles around me! I may be old, but I'm not senile! I've been thinking this through all week, and I've decided—you're the most suitable person."
"…..."
Kaien didn't say anything.
Makarov sighed. "You really hate the idea of becoming Fairy Tail's Guild Master that much?"
Kaien shot him a look that said, Do I really have to spell it out for you?
"In that case…" Makarov paused.
Kaien's eyes lit up.
"So you're saying—"
"Don't get ahead of yourself! Since you're so against it, I'll stay on for two more years. In that time, you'll be the Guild Master-in-Training. And when those two years are up—you're taking over. No arguments!"
He meant it.
Makarov had made up his mind after a long week of contemplation. Lumen Histoire was Fairy Tail's deepest secret, known only to the Guild Master. His body was growing frail. He couldn't risk dying before passing that knowledge on.
The obvious choice had always been Gildarts. Makarov raised him like a son, and Gildarts had seniority and power. But he was gone—chasing an impossible quest. Even if he returned, he was a wanderer at heart.
This secret had to be passed down.
And Kaien… was the best option left.
"…Fine."
Faced with such certainty, Kaien had no choice but to relent.
Two years. The old man had no idea how much could change in that time.
Makarov smiled as he heard Kaien's reluctant agreement.
One more burden lifted. One more thing settled.
At eighty-plus years old, Makarov still believed in his instincts—and Kaien, for all his complaining, was a solid choice.
He wasn't perfect.
But compared to the rest of the lunatics in the guild? He was a damn fine candidate.
Later That Evening
Kaien walked home hand-in-hand with Mirajane. They strolled along the riverbank, their fingers intertwined. Love… it really was like a thin pane of glass. All you had to do was poke through, and everything would flow naturally.
"You're quiet today," Mirajane said gently. "Usually you're all smiles when you finish a mission. Something bothering you?"
She was always observant—and she'd noticed the difference right away. Something was off.
Kaien sighed… and told her the truth.
Makarov had named him next Guild Master.
Of course, he left out the whole Lumen Histoire part.
Mirajane gasped, hand flying to her mouth.
"You're going to be the next Guild Master?!"