Seeing the adorable loli sitting on the first master's grave, happily clapping and swinging her feet, everyone's expressions changed dramatically. Then, anger erupted.
"Bastard! What kind of fairy are you? How dare you disturb our first master's rest!"
"Get down from there right now! Do you have any idea how disrespectful this is?!"
"Even with that cute face, don't expect us to let you off easy!"
Amidst the rising and falling shouts, Lucy's sharp complaints faintly mixed in. "That said, you guys fighting, brawling, and holding a banquet in front of the first master's grave are hardly in a position to talk about disrespect!"
And Wendy's sympathetic observation. "A creature... just like me!"
Finally, Makarov's terrified aged face pushed through the crowd, his deafening shout drowning out all other sounds. "F-f-f-f-first master?!!"
Though Mavis had already passed away due to Ankhseram's curse by the time he was born, the guild's greatest secret, Lumen Histoire (Fairy Heart), hidden beneath the guild, was Mavis's "remains." So, he recognized her.
In contrast to his panic and shock, Natsu, who had already met Mavis, reached out his hand, a brilliant smile on his face. "Come join us, First Master! Banquets are super fun~"
"What?!!" The others were completely stunned.
"Master, what's going on?" Mira asked quietly, her pretty brow furrowed with confusion.
Erza also looked at Mavis with a slightly guarded gaze, waiting for Makarov's answer.
"There's no doubt about it. She is the founder of Fairy Tail, our guild's first master," Makarov said, scratching his balding head in confusion. He couldn't figure it out either. "But how..."
Could it be that Mavis had "come back to life," freed from the magic crystal's seal, and followed them to Tenrou Island?
That couldn't be. Wasn't it precisely because Master Precht had studied it for countless years without finding a solution that he had decided to leave the guild and see the wider world, indirectly leading to his fall into the abyss of magic?
A ghost? A spirit?
It did look like that. But in all the years of coming to Tenrou Island to pay respects, nothing like this had ever happened!
"Don't be confused, Third Generation Master. I am currently in a spiritual form," Mavis said, seeing Makarov's confusion. She glowed with starlight and slowly floated up.
"The firm will and strong bonds you all showed during the S-Class Trial were precisely what was affected by this pure, unwavering belief, which has allowed me to appear like this."
"Competing with each other, confronting each other, yet still relying on one another as comrades, able to vent your most real emotions without holding back..."
Having witnessed the entire trial, she tilted her little head, a sweet smile blooming at the corners of her mouth as she looked at Makarov and gave her approval. "You've built a wonderful guild~"
"Boo hoo! First Master!" Makarov was moved to tears. He quickly accepted the setting of Mavis being a spiritual body.
Only he knew the hardships of single-handedly raising the guild to where it was today.
Especially after witnessing Master Precht's fall from light into darkness, there was nothing that could make him happier than receiving the first master's recognition!
"So it really is the first master? This little girl who looks about Wendy's age," Erza said, putting away her guard, propping her chin on her hand in thought.
Hearing this, Mavis's smile froze. She shot back loudly, "I'm not a little girl! I'm already a grown-up, you know! A grown-up!"
"Ah? I'm sorry, I'm sorry. As an S-Class mage, to make such a low-level mistake of judging age by appearance in front of the first master..." After apologizing, the serious-faced Erza began self-reflecting. "When I get back, I'll definitely write a five-hundred-word, no, a thousand-word self-reflection report!"
When it came to the smallest, most insignificant matters, the Fairy Queen always took them seriously to the point of splitting hairs.
Meanwhile, a cute little girl quietly shattered. "So that means... even when I grow up... what I don't have... I still won't have, will I..."
Wendy lay on the ground, dejected, a sorrowful aura emanating from her, looking like she had given up on life. She completely ignored Carla's comforting words beside her.
"Still, it's amazing. Even though she's a spirit, she feels just like a real person," Chase said, having been scheming for this moment. He walked over and pinched both of Mavis's cheeks.
Even though he had long known that this "spirit" of Mavis, visible only to Fairy Tail members, could normally eat and interact with people, he hadn't expected to feel body heat under her tender skin!
Remembering Zeref, who had pervertedly stroked his palm, Chase suddenly felt that, aside from the defect of only being perceptible to those bearing the guild emblem...
In a way, Mavis might have already indirectly overcome the curse of Ankhseram, achieving what Zeref had dreamed of.
Using the power of belief.
"Just like a real person? The founder of the guild must be really strong! Quick, come fight me!"
"Hey, hey, First Master, do you want some fish? Freshly caught. Only ten thousand Jewels each~"
Hearing this, the battle-loving Natsu and the profiteer Happy immediately surrounded her.
"Hey, hey, you two! That's so rude!" Lucy put one hand on her hip, putting on a serious S-Class mage face, and quickly tried to stop them.
Unfortunately, no one cared. And—
"If possible, First Master, could I... touch your elf ears?"
"Even Erza is going over there to join the fun?!"
"Everyone, stop! Especially you, Chase, you brat! This is a great senior you should treat with the utmost respect, even this old man!"
"Oh my, oh my..."
The sun set in the west. The afterglow dyed the entire sky a fiery red, reflecting off the ebbing and flowing sea, creating a picture of pleasant beauty.
At the temporary camp on Tenrou Island, a cool sea breeze blew, carrying the incredibly lively atmosphere far away.
At Makarov's exciting announcement, the camping-style banquet commenced as scheduled.
Chase pulled out fine wine and delicacies stored in his Card Space. Mira and Lisanna set up a grill, placing the pre-prepared beast meat and seafood on it, roasting them until they sizzled with tempting aroma.
Natsu and Happy, with chopsticks stuck up their noses, jumped to the center and performed a strange dance.
Gray performed his daily striptease. Juvia performed her daily human stool.
Gajeel, struck by a burst of inspiration, changed into a white suit, picked up an electric piano, and played a grating tune titled "Trial · Sunset · Sound of Steel."
The others gathered in small groups, freely enjoying the relaxing time after the intense S-Class Trial.
***
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