Inside the lively and noisy Fairy Tail guild hall, Arlen, Macao, and Wakaba leaned casually against the bar, chatting. From time to time, other guild members wandered over to join in the conversation.
"Hahaha, this is great!" Wakaba laughed, gulping down his drink with a satisfied grin. "But Macao's right—this mission of yours took way too long. Laxus even came back once and wanted to challenge you."
"Laxus? He's back?" Arlen asked, taking a small sip of his juice.
"Yeah, but he left again a couple of days ago. Seriously, are all of you workaholics or something?" Macao said helplessly.
Arlen chose not to comment on their laziness and instead changed the subject. "By the way, where are Ur, Gray, and Lyon? I didn't see them in the guild."
"They went to train at Hakobe Mountain again," Macao replied, even mimicking Ur's tone and posture. "Her exact words were: 'I need to whip these two brats into shape as soon as possible.'"
"Pfft—are you trying to get yourself beaten up? If Ur hears you talking like that, you're dead," Wakaba laughed, spraying out a mouthful of alcohol as he slung an arm around Arlen's shoulder.
"Arlen, come here for a moment."
Makarov's voice came from the entrance of the underground library as he beckoned.
"Alright, I'll be back. Enjoy yourselves," Arlen said, finishing his drink in one go before heading downstairs.
"Master, you wanted to see me?"
Makarov sat at a long table, looking at him warmly. "Yes. I've heard everything from Rob. Thank you for saving him."
"There's no need to thank me. Honestly, I only found out afterward—it was just a coincidence," Arlen replied, stepping aside to avoid Makarov's bow.
"No matter what, you have my gratitude," Rob added, standing up.
"It's nothing. I'm part of Fairy Tail too—you're family," Arlen said before asking, "What are your plans now, Grandpa Rob?"
"I plan to stay with Porlyusica for a while to recover, then return to the guild and handle support work," Rob said with a smile. "I'm getting old, and my magic has declined. Being able to watch the children of the guild live happily is enough for me."
"Porlyusica?" Arlen asked curiously.
"Oh, right—you haven't met her," Makarov explained. "She's our guild's medical advisor. She doesn't like being disturbed, so she lives in the eastern forest and rarely comes out."
Arlen nodded, committing that to memory, then said, "Master, I'd like to borrow some books on Take Over Magic for Simon. Erza has learned my Requip Magic, Kagura has learned my Lost Magic—Gravity Magic—but Simon doesn't have a suitable path yet. With his physique, I think Take Over Magic might suit him."
"That's fine," Makarov said, gesturing. A magic book floated off the shelf into his hand, which he then handed to Arlen. "Let him try—but don't rush. Magic is the power of the heart. Only by understanding oneself can one truly wield it."
"I understand. I'll pass that on," Arlen said, bowing slightly before leaving.
After he left, Makarov turned to Rob with a proud grin. "Well? He's going to be the face of our guild."
"He's an excellent child," Rob said with a smile. "Such power at such a young age… he may surpass you soon. More importantly, his character is admirable. Despite being a noble, he isn't arrogant. Given time, he'll surely stand among the top of the magic world. Though… it wouldn't hurt if he smiled a bit more."
Unaware of their discussion, Arlen returned upstairs and walked over to Simon.
"Arlen-sama, what brings you here?" Ultear immediately stood up to greet him.
"Arlen, come sit!" Cana said, patting the seat beside her.
"Stay seated, all of you. I'm just here for Simon," Arlen said, gesturing for them to relax.
"Is something wrong?" Simon asked.
Arlen handed him the book. "Here. I got permission from the Master to bring this from the library."
"This… this is the magic I'll be learning?" Simon's eyes lit up as he eagerly flipped through the pages. "Thank you, Arlen!"
"You're welcome. We're guildmates now—family," Arlen said, patting his shoulder. "Once you've memorized it, return it. And remember what the Master said—don't rush. Magic comes from the heart. If you don't understand your own heart, no amount of books will help."
"I understand. Thank you—and thank the Master for me. I'll do my best!" Simon said firmly, pounding his chest.
"Good. Enjoy yourselves," Arlen said before adding, "Ultear, Cana—after the banquet, you can bring Erza, Kagura, and Simon to stay at my villa. If they prefer the dorms, I can cover the cost."
"Yes, Arlen-sama," Ultear replied respectfully.
"Yeah, yeah, got it," Cana waved casually.
"Cana! Don't speak to Arlen-sama like that," Ultear immediately scolded, her tone serious.
"Ohhh, I'm sooo sorry," Cana teased with a grin. "I shouldn't be so casual with your Arlen."
Ultear's face flushed bright red instantly. "Cana, you—!"
"Hahaha! Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you. You're way too innocent," Cana laughed, joined by Erza, Kagura, and Simon.
Arlen simply shrugged helplessly, gently patting Ultear's head before turning to leave.
Behind him, Cana immediately leaned in toward the others, whispering something mischievously, while Ultear remained flustered, her cheeks still burning red.