Since meeting Warrod Sequen wasn't very urgent, Mavis chose to take the train.
And to Raizel's surprise, there was actually a direct train from Magnolia to the city where Warrod was located.
However, Warrod lived in a rather rural area.
For comfort, Raizel bought a sleeper cart and spent the journey admiring the scenery rushing past the window with Mavis.
...
Porta City —
This place was no longer within the borders of the Fiore Kingdom.
"Mmm— We're finally here!" Mavis stretched happily after hopping off the train.
Relying on the fact that ordinary people couldn't see her ghost, she wasn't very concerned about her public image.
"It's still early. From here, we have to rely on walking or renting a carriage," Raizel said, looking at the local map.
"Let's walk! I prefer walking!"
After saying this, Mavis looked at Raizel with large, pleading eyes, making it really hard for him to refuse.
'Oh well, walking it is...' Raizel sighed.
"You're the First Master, you call the shots. Let's go." "
Let's go!" Mavis pointed excitedly ahead and shouted.
"You're pointing the wrong way."
"Oh. Oops..."
Walking along the dirt country path, Raizel took a deep breath of fresh air.
This was Raizel's first time in Porta City, and he didn't know what the situation was like before, but judging by the current environment, Warrod's desert management project seemed quite successful.
The small rolling hills on both sides of the road were covered with young forests, the roadside trees were lush and green, and there were also some vibrant meadows.
"Quite a nice place. It feels very leisurely, and the air is fresh," Raizel noted.
"Not just that, the wind feels very cool too!" Mavis spread her arms to feel the breeze.
Raizel, of course, wouldn't ruin the moment by asking something logical like, 'Can a ghost really feel the wind?'
"You mentioned before, what is Warrod doing now?" Mavis asked suddenly.
She turned around with her hands behind her back, leaning slightly to look up at Raizel as she walked backward.
"Like Gramps, he's one of the Ten Wizard Saints. And he has another prestigious identity: he holds the last seat of the Four Gods of Ishgar."
"The Four Gods? That sounds really impressive! Warrod must be very strong now!" Mavis cheered.
"Indeed. While the title of Ten Wizard Saints might have some political inflation, the Four Gods do not. Anyone who can hold a seat among the Four Gods is definitely not weak."
"Let me tell you a secret! Back when we were learning magic together in the woods, Precht and I learned the fastest. Warrod was very slow at first, but he became much stronger after finding Green Magic that suited his personality."
"The First Master really is the best mage," Raizel gave a thumbs-up with an admiring expression.
"Look! We're here!" Mavis pointed excitedly at the wooden house sitting at the end of the road.
Warrod's wooden house was situated on a flat clearing atop a small hill.
Although the house itself was built of brick and stone, its walls were covered with numerous thick green vines, and a few small saplings even grew directly from the roof tiles.
From a distance, it looked like a house made entirely of living plants.
...
Inside the attached greenhouse, an old man whose head resembled a tree trunk was holding a metal watering can, tenderly watering his blooming flowers with a benevolent expression.
Warrod had been very happy lately.
Precht had come to him.
After Precht had fallen into the abyss of dark magic decades ago, Warrod had severed ties with him.
After Yuri and Mavis passed away one after another, Precht fell into darkness, and his heart gradually grew cold.
Warrod had long lost interest in pursuing the pinnacle of magic alongside him, and instead thought about doing what good he could within his own power.
Fortunately, he found his purpose.
After leaving the guild, he dedicated himself to desert control across the continent and even achieved notable ecological results.
Some time ago, Precht, severely injured, had arrived at his residence.
When he reached the place, Precht was alone and unconscious, collapsed in the dirt in front of his greenhouse.
Out of their past friendship, Warrod ultimately decided to treat Precht's wounds.
After Precht regained consciousness, Warrod received good news—two pieces, in fact.
The first was that Precht had already disbanded Grimoire Heart.
Now, he was all alone, and the look in his lone eye was no longer the one that yearned for darkness and destruction as before.
Warrod was confident about this change.
It was precisely because Warrod had seen that dark look earlier that they had parted ways.
Not reporting him to the Magic Council was something Warrod couldn't bring himself to do.
The second piece of news was that Mavis's consciousness was still alive.
Although Precht himself was somewhat skeptical of his own memories from the battle, this news came from Raizel, a third-generation member of Fairy Tail, and was vouched for by Makarov.
Hearing that Raizel and Makarov had guaranteed her existence, Warrod believed it.
His first instinct was to contact Makarov through the Lacrima and ask if he could see Mavis.
But after calming down, he decided to let things take their natural course.
If Mavis wanted to see him, she would come on her own—Makarov already knew his address.
Precht's physical injuries hadn't fully healed yet.
He had transplanted his mortal heart back into his chest, losing that nearly limitless demonic magic power but also eliminating his fatal weakness.
Warrod squinted his eyes, humming a cheerful tune, happily watering the blooming flowers.
Knock, knock, knock—
The sound came from his long-unvisited front door, suddenly breaking the peaceful silence.
It had been many years since anyone had visited Warrod's isolated place.
"Hmm?" Warrod's first panicked thought was whether Precht's whereabouts had been discovered by the Rune Knights.
His second thought was that it shouldn't be possible.
Warrod himself hadn't said anything to the authorities, and Precht was confident that the Council didn't know his true identity as a founder, only that his alias was Master Hades.
With a swift wave of his hand, Warrod covered the bed where Precht lay resting with thick vines and flowers, hiding him from view.
Though uncertain of the visitor, it was better to be safe than sorry.
Knock, knock, knock—
The knocking sounded again from outside.
...
"Is no one here? Such bad luck," Raizel muttered. Seeing no response or answer, he grew puzzled and knocked once more.
"Coming!" Warrod replied in a robust voice.
"Shh," Mavis gestured, and then quickly hid behind Raizel's legs.
Thanks to Raizel's tall stature and heavy traveling cloak, Mavis remained hidden behind him.
Inside, Warrod instructed Precht to stay quiet, put down his watering can and walked toward the door, slowly opening it.
"Pleased to meet you, Warrod Sequen-senpai. I am Raizel Bael of Fairy Tail." Raizel placed his left hand over his chest, revealing the guild emblem on the back of his hand, and gave a respectful slight bow.
When Warrod opened the door, he saw a young man in his twenties, dressed in fitted winter clothing, with a very conspicuous emblem on the back of his hand.
Raizel was also observing Warrod.
Though it was impolite, he couldn't help but think Warrod's head resembled a stalk of broccoli.
Due to practicing plant magic for a century and old age, his skin was very rough, with green patterns resembling tree bark.
"Oh? So you're Raizel! I've heard a lot about you from Makarov. What brings you here so suddenly?" Warrod asked, looking somewhat nostalgic as he gazed at the emblem on Raizel's hand.
"He must be looking for me! To see if I really came."
Hearing it was Raizel, Precht used his recovering magic to free himself from Warrod's protective vines.
Clutching his bandaged wound, he limped his way to Warrod's side at the door.