"Does this guild mark actually have so many functions?"
Moen blinked, touching the magic mark on his left shoulder. According to Mavis, only those who bear the "Fairy Tail" mark can see her soul.
Not only that, the great tree at the center of Tenrou Island also has a special effect, it constantly protects those who carry the "Fairy Tail" guild mark, and continuously supplies them with magic power, allowing everyone in the guild to fight with half the effort.
"No wonder the moment I stepped onto this island, I felt my magic power becoming exceptionally abundant. With my feet on the ground, it feels like I've walked into a magic circle, one that constantly provides magic power."
Moen spoke, the doubts in his heart finally answered. When he first arrived on the island, he had simply assumed that this effect came from the island's unique environment.
An island shrouded in magic power, hidden year-round in magical mist, having abundant magic power wasn't strange. But that those bearing the "Fairy Tail" guild mark would receive special treatment, who could have thought of that? The guild mark itself showed no reaction at all.
"That's why this is our sacred land."
Makarov said, his face full of pride. Could other guilds achieve this? Do they have such a sacred place?
"Unfortunately, it's too hard to find. Otherwise, we could just build the guild on this island, anyone who wanted to cause trouble would have to think twice."
Moen shook his head with a smile. This Tenrou Island, for the members of "Fairy Tail," was essentially a treasure land with a "guild-protecting grand formation." Unfortunately, it was just too difficult to locate.
Being hard to find isn't a good thing for a "mage guild." If people can't even find you to request jobs, that's a problem.
"Actually, before…"
Mavis opened her mouth, wanting to say that there had once been a mage guild here, but she hesitated and didn't speak.
In front of the younger generation, she wanted to maintain the dignity of a "senior." Those past tragic stories didn't need to be mentioned, lest the younger ones think of her as a pitiful little girl.
"Before what?"
Moen asked curiously. What's the meaning of stopping halfway?
"Cough, cough, it's nothing. Aren't you going back? Hurry up and go. Remember to develop our guild well."
Mavis waved her hand and spoke seriously to Makarov and Moen. It was clear she was trying hard to act like an adult, to show some "senior" authority.
But unfortunately, the more she tried to act mature, the more she seemed like a child. Dressed in soft pink, barefoot, she simply couldn't appear serious no matter what.
"Understood, Master Mavis."
But Makarov would never joke casually with Mavis. She was a true elder, and the first guild master. In front of her, Makarov felt a great deal of pressure, so he responded very seriously.
"Don't call me Master anymore, Third. Just call me Mavis. Right now, you are the master of the 'Fairy Tail' guild."
Makarov's serious attitude made Mavis very happy. It meant he didn't see her as a child.
Mavis hated being treated like a child, especially in front of these younger ones. In this brief meeting, she hoped to leave everyone with the impression of an "excellent, kind senior," not a willful child.
"Then I'll call you Senior Mavis."
Makarov still maintained respect and had no intention of addressing her directly by name. Upon hearing "Senior," Mavis didn't insist further, it was fine this way.
"Mavis, can't you leave with us?"
Moen, on the other hand, was not polite at all and directly called her by name.
Moen's style was to go with the flow. After all, Mavis herself had said it was fine, and he could also tell what she was thinking. This first guild master didn't actually mind these things, she even hoped they would be closer to her.
She was a bit greedy, wanting to show authority and dignity as a senior, yet also wanting to be close to them and be liked.
"Moen! Don't address a senior by name!"
Before Mavis could respond, Makarov was already dissatisfied. He felt Moen was being somewhat disrespectful.
This was the first guild master of "Fairy Tail"!
"It's fine, Makarov. I hope you don't have to be so formal."
Mavis smiled sweetly, resolving things for Moen.
Sure enough, Mavis was not angry at Moen calling her by name. Instead, she liked his friendly attitude.
Mavis found Moen quite pleasing, otherwise she wouldn't have given him the chance to learn two super magic spells. Unfortunately, Moen had refused twice in a row, angering her so much that she jumped out herself in the end.
"…"
Makarov fell silent and said nothing more. Since Mavis herself didn't mind, he naturally wouldn't continue.
"I probably can't leave with you."
Looking at Moen, Mavis shook her head and answered with some difficulty.
"Why? Is there some restriction?"
Makarov immediately asked, very concerned about this.
"I don't know. My soul seems to have fused with this grave. I don't know if I can leave it…"
Mavis explained. Her current state was very special, somewhat like a bound spirit, tied to this grave.
"That sounds about right. Bound spirits generally can't stray too far."
Moen expressed understanding. It matched his common sense. If a bound spirit could wander freely, would it even still be called a bound spirit? In Moen's understanding, a bound spirit should be trapped in one place and unable to leave.
"The grave…"
However, Makarov's expression was a bit strange. He didn't quite understand why Senior Mavis would be fused with a grave. Clearly, her body was hidden beneath the guild.
So what exactly was this bound spirit anchored to? This empty grave? Makarov felt something was off.
Although he had doubts, he couldn't actively ask Mavis to leave with them. Asking a bound spirit to leave its "anchor" would be no different from killing it, he couldn't bring himself to suggest such a thing.
"Have you tried leaving before?"
Makarov remained silent, burdened with thoughts, but Moen had already spoken, asking the question he had been wanting to ask. Clearly, Moen had far fewer reservations.
Looking at Moen, Makarov gave him a thumbs-up in his heart. It had to be this kid—he went straight to the key point.
"Hm? No, I haven't."
Mavis was momentarily stunned, then shook her head. In her memory, she had always stayed here, never leaving.
"Why not try?"
Moen looked puzzled. Normally, one would at least try to see if leaving was possible, right? Even as a ghost, being able to wander around would surely be better than staying here forever.
"Why should I try? Try to go where?"
Mavis tilted her head, her expression somewhat confused. Judging from her reaction, she didn't seem to have any intention of leaving this place. After all, she was already dead, if she left here, where could she even go?
"Back to the guild!"
Moen said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Of course she should go back to where her family was. Would everyone really drive Mavis away just because she had become a ghost? Absolutely impossible, right?!
"Back to the guild that would only cause everyone more trouble."
Mavis lowered her head. When she died, she had already been wandering outside for more than a year because of the "curse." Having caused Rita's death, how could she still have the face to return to the guild? She might be able to go back as a soul, but what about Rita?
Moreover, she was doing fine staying here on Tenrou Island. She had long since grown used to being alone. In her ghostly state, she wasn't particularly sensitive to the passage of time, more than eighty long years had passed for her like the flick of a finger.
Most importantly, she wasn't sure whether the curse on her would flare up again. What if she ended up hurting others because of it?
"…"
Moen opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything. He felt that perhaps it was because he had never been a ghost, so he couldn't really understand the way ghosts thought.
Of course, it might also be because Mavis herself was a very special existence. Her experiences, her personality, her way of thinking, they were all different from ordinary people. She wasn't an ordinary person.
"You don't need to worry about it. I'm already in the guild right now, aren't I? Tenrou Island is also part of Fairy Tail's territory, isn't it? This is my home. If you ever want to find me, just come here. As long as you call my name, that's enough."
Seeing that both Moen and Makarov didn't want to leave her here alone, Mavis felt very happy inside.
First, she felt valued. Second, she could sense that spirit belonging to Fairy Tail within Makarov and Moen, the spirit of never abandoning one's companions.
"That works too."
Mavis's words left Moen and Makarov with no way to refute them. Tenrou Island was indeed Fairy Tail's territory.
Moreover, there was really no issue with Mavis living here alone. Porlyusica also lived alone deep in the forest and rarely interacted with the guild, only being sought out when there were injured members.
In comparison, Mavis simply lived a bit farther away, so there was no need to force the matter. Her situation was indeed quite special.
"Then Mavis, we'll leave the protection of our sacred land, Tenrou Island, to you!"
Moen smiled as he spoke, effectively giving up on trying to persuade Mavis further.
He felt that Mavis was a bit stubborn. Neither he nor Grandpa Makarov would be able to change her mind easily.
"No problem! Leave it to me!"
Mavis replied happily. She would guard Tenrou Island from here, even though in her ghostly state she didn't actually possess very strong power.
"Then, we'll be taking our leave, Senior Mavis."
Seeing that everything had been settled, Makarov bid Mavis farewell.
"Bye, Mavis. See you next time."
Moen also smiled and waved at Mavis.
"See you next time, Makarov, Moen."
Mavis smiled and waved back at the two of them, then her figure disappeared. She could only be seen by those bearing the Fairy Tail guild mark when she actively appeared in her ghost form. If she didn't appear and instead merged into the grave, neither Moen nor Makarov would be able to tell where she was.
"Oh right, if you change your mind, you can come back and learn from me!"
Just as Moen and Makarov turned to leave, Mavis's head popped out from the gravestone again. As she spoke, she winked at Moen, then disappeared again before he could respond.
"…"
"I got it."
Under Makarov's somewhat complicated gaze, Moen replied, and the two of them left the tomb together.
"That really was a remarkable experience…"
After leaving the tomb, Moen sighed with emotion. Meeting the first guild master, Mavis, was clearly an unexpected and wonderful experience.
"Indeed very remarkable."
It wasn't just Moen who felt this way—Makarov was even more moved than he was. To be honest, he had never expected to encounter Senior Mavis's soul here.
If he had not retained his composure, Makarov might have asked Mavis about "Lumen Histoire." He really wanted to know whether she was aware of its existence. Logically speaking, she should have known.
After all, that thing was made from Mavis's body. There was no way that the second guild master, Precht, taking her body could have gone unnoticed by her.
"Let's go, back to the guild."
Moen stepped forward and called out to Grandpa Makarov.
The old man stood there without moving, wearing a thoughtful frown.
Moen stopped and looked at him curiously. Ever since meeting Mavis, he felt that the old man had been acting a bit strange. Could seeing the first guild master really have such a big impact on him?
"Oh, right, let's go."
Makarov responded belatedly. He shook his head, casting aside all those messy thoughts. Whether or not Mavis knew about it, those were things that had already happened, nothing could be changed now.
Moen summoned his crow and flew back together with Grandpa Makarov. While flying, he voiced his concern.
"Grandpa, does Mavis's existence have any impact?"
Moen was certain that the old man was unsettled because of Mavis, but he didn't understand why.
Mavis had already existed for over eighty years. During that time, nothing had gone wrong. With her personality, she wouldn't go wandering around causing trouble either. So what was there to worry about?
Moen's sudden concern made Makarov fall silent for a moment. Then he spoke with a serious expression:
"This matter, I'll tell you when you become the guild master."
"Tch, something only the guild master can know?"
Moen couldn't help but click his tongue. How classic, big organizations always seemed to have secrets like this hidden away.
But Moen had always been curious: if only the guild master knew the secret, what if the guild master died before passing it on?
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