"I see... so that's the understanding of one of the Ten Wizard Saints."
Shane nodded thoughtfully. Makarov's words sounded very insightful, full of the wisdom of an elder.
On the surface, he expressed agreement, but in his heart, he was complaining: "I understand the reasoning, but the problem is... I really don't know magic!"
Even the most basic application of Magic Power was a problem, so how could he talk about "delving into one system"?
Unlike the helpless Shane, Erza was exceptionally talented. She immediately grasped the essence of the concept relayed by Cana, but at the same time, she had her own thoughts.
She pondered slightly, then said seriously, "The core of my magic lies in being a 'Knight,' able to freely use and strengthen various weapons for combat. Is there a kind of magic that can assist me, allowing me to carry and switch various equipment more conveniently?"
In her view, specializing in main magic and sub-specializing in convenient auxiliary magic did not conflict; instead, they could complement each other.
Moreover, the loss she suffered due to insufficient weapons before had always made her feel somewhat brooding.
"There is!" Cana's eyes lit up, and she immediately thought of the answer. "You can try 'Requip Magic'!"
She introduced enthusiastically:
"This is a type of Spatial Magic that can instantly summon armor, weapons, and even clothes stored in a different space beforehand to equip on your body. It's very flexible and exactly meets your requirements. This magic is quite widespread; it's not rare, but very practical."
Erza's eyes sparkled as she listened, nodding repeatedly: "It sounds very suitable for me! Thank you, Cana!"
Shane beside her also felt his heart heat up.
He was still thinking about manually creating an artificial arsenal for Arash. He didn't expect there really was such magic capable of storing weapons.
And listening to Cana, this magic was widely circulated, meaning the learning threshold might not be high. It was perfect for him to exercise his Magic Power and take the first step in magic!
"I want to learn this too!" Thinking of this, he said immediately.
"Glad I could help." Cana smiled happily seeing her suggestion adopted.
She then led the two to a bookshelf, skillfully pulling out a not-too-thick book with the title Basics: Spatial & Requip Magic on the cover.
"This is the one. The guild's rule is that books can be borrowed, but to avoid loss or damage, it's best to read them here. If you must take them out, be sure to register."
"We understand." Shane and Erza responded in unison. After taking the book, they impatiently sat down in the reading area nearby and opened the pages.
The profound knowledge about how to construct a magical pocket dimension and how to mark coordinates for instant summoning immediately captivated the two deeply.
---
---
Night deepened, and the moon quietly climbed onto the windowsill.
The noise in the guild hall had long subsided.
After the revelry, Makarov stood in his office on the second floor, finishing a headache-inducing call with the Magic Council.
"Those brats, always making this old man clean up their mess..." He rubbed his temples and sighed deeply.
Then, he picked up the follow-up report from the Council regarding the "Hot Spring City Emotion Demon Incident" and read it carefully.
As his gaze moved down, his brows gradually furrowed: "A demon that grows by absorbing various emotions... Sure enough, it's a creation related to Zeref."
He pondered for a moment, feeling that Shane and Erza, as personal witnesses of this incident, needed to know this information.
So he pushed open the office door, went to the hall on the first floor, and stopped a member who was clearing tables: "Did you see the two kids who arrived today?"
"Oh, Shane and Erza? They seemed to have gone into the library with Cana and haven't come out."
"Haven't come out?" Makarov was stunned. He looked up at the wall clock; the hands pointed clearly to 9 PM! "Didn't they arrive at the guild in the morning?!"
The short Master immediately strode, tap tap tap, toward the library. Pushing open the heavy wooden door, it was quiet inside, with only a few magic lamps emitting a soft halo.
He saw the two sitting under the same bookshelf at a glance. The boy and girl were shoulder to shoulder, their faces full of concentration, reading the Requip Magic in their hands by the lamp light.
"Ahem!" Makarov coughed lightly.
No reaction. The two were completely immersed in the book.
"Ahem, ahem!!" He raised his voice and coughed twice more.
This time, Shane and Erza snapped back to reality and looked up together.
"Master?" Erza asked in confusion. "What's wrong?"
Makarov walked up to them and first told them the Council's analysis and speculation about the Emotion Demon, emphasizing the danger of Dark Guilds and sternly warning: Do not contact anything related to Zeref.
Listening to the Master's explanation, a look of realization first appeared on Shane's face—that tavern was indeed related to Zeref!
Then, a trace of uncontrollable surprise flashed in his eyes.
[Trial Mission: Vigorous Thirst for Knowledge and Curiosity That Needs Restraint — Complete!]
In his mind, the newly generated information from the Book of Heroic Spirits shook Shane's heart.
Originally, because of Gildarts' intrusion, he didn't have much hope for the trial's completion. He didn't expect it to be the same as the Tower of Heaven incident last time.
Wait until the matter is completely over and the dust settles before settling the account. This gave him a deeper understanding of the Book of Heroic Spirits.
After Makarov finished the intelligence, looking at the book by their hands, his tone softened: "Pursuing the path of magic is good, but you can't ignore basic life because of it. You two, after arriving in Magnolia, haven't even found a place to stay, have you?"
"..."
Shane was startled upon hearing this, then fell silent. He subconsciously looked at Erza and found she was also looking over, both having the same blankness in their eyes.
They just remembered that since arriving in this city, they went straight to the guild, then dived into the library, forgetting even to find a place to live.
"Cough," Makarov looked at the belated realization of the two little guys, finding it a bit funny:
"If you have nowhere to go, the guild has boys' and girls' dormitories available for you. If you don't have enough money for rent, don't worry; you can make it up slowly later."
This proposal was full of human touch. Shane was grateful inside, but after thinking carefully, he still shook his head: "Thank you for your kindness, Master. But I'd rather not trouble the guild for now."
He wasn't used to relying on others deep down. For things he could solve himself, he'd rather take more trouble.
But in this way, the plan to learn Requip Magic might have to be postponed slightly.
"Have to consider making money..." Shane rubbed his brow, feeling it was a bit troublesome. If possible, he actually wanted to stay in the library all the time.
Erza was originally tempted by living in the girls' dormitory, but thinking that Shane couldn't enter, she also declined Makarov's kindness.
Makarov looked at the overly polite appearance of the two children, knowing that he couldn't force it after knowing them for only a day. This situation could only wait for getting along slowly in the future.
He didn't insist anymore and waved his hand gently:
"Alright, as you wish. But remember, the guild is always your backing. If you have any trouble, just say it directly. It's getting late; hurry up and find a place to settle down."
Shane and Erza then realized that the night was deep outside the window. They hurriedly closed the book and carefully returned it to its original place.
In the hall, Cana and Gildarts had already left. After saying goodbye to Makarov, the two hurriedly took their leave.