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Hearing Noah's question, before Makarov could explain, Gildarts had already pressed his face against the crystal, followed by a sharp gasp.
"Eh—"
"The First Guild Master's body actually still has a heartbeat!"
Gildarts' sudden shouting startled August, even dispelling some of his sadness.
Looking at August's quickly calming expression, Gildarts was full of questions, then he realized that Noah and Makarov were not as shocked as he was.
So that's it, it seems the three of them already knew about the strangeness of the First Guild Master's remains. Then my overreaction here must make me look quite foolish...
Thinking this, Gildarts closed his mouth.
After Gildarts' interruption, August's emotions had mostly recovered. "Makarov, can you tell me why my mother became like this?"
Makarov nodded gently, his voice somewhat low.
"Actually, I didn't know the secret about the First Guild Master at first, until over forty years ago when I took over as Guild Master, my teacher brought me here."
"You all know that my teacher secretly moved the First Guild Master's remains, but the reason he did so was because he discovered that there was still a trace of life in the First Guild Master's remains."
"My teacher believed that if he could strengthen that trace of life, perhaps he could bring the First Guild Master back to life, so he secretly created a space beneath the guild using magic for research."
"However, during the research process, my teacher discovered that there was a terrifying curse dormant in the First Guild Master's body, and it was this curse that preserved the First Guild Master's last trace of vitality."
"Later, my teacher successfully researched a magic that could strengthen vitality. He disregarded the danger of the unknown curse and applied that magic to the First Guild Master's body."
"The result of doing so was that the life magic and the unknown curse combined without any repulsion, causing the First Guild Master's remains to erupt with endless vitality and inexhaustible Magic Power."
"The miracle known as 'Fairy Heart' was thus born."
"However, the First Guild Master ultimately still did not awaken."
"An existence that can provide limitless vitality and Magic Power, once spread, would inevitably attract countless people to fight over it. So my teacher used special isolating magic crystals to seal the First Guild Master and made this the highest secret of the guild, known only to the Guild Master."
Makarov's words ended there.
Gildarts was already bewildered; his only summary of Makarov's narration was that knowing this secret meant becoming the Guild Master.
August is powerful and a high-ranking individual in the Western Continent Empire, second only to one person and above tens of thousands, so he doesn't care about the position of a magic guild's Guild Master.
And Noah is a prince from a parallel world; he also has a huge human kingdom behind him, and he doesn't even want to manage that family business, let alone a guild.
Among the three present besides Makarov, only Gildarts is unattached, and now he knows the guild's highest secret. In this case, the position of the Fourth Guild Master of my guild... I can't escape it at all, can I?
Gildarts' eyes were vacant, as if he could already see himself in the future, overwhelmed by guild affairs.
However, the others present did not notice Gildarts' change. After listening to Makarov's narration, August's brows were tightly furrowed, and his expression was unpredictable.
Noah cleared his throat and said, "That mysterious curse should be the same 'Contradiction Curse' as Zeref's; the more one cherishes life, the more death they bring."
His words paused, and Noah suddenly remembered Makarov's background.
On the day Makarov was born, his mother, Rita, suddenly died violently, and Mavis, seeing this scene, was greatly stimulated and left the guild in a frenzy.
Logically, a rational person like Mavis, upon the death of a close companion, besides grief, should have investigated the suspicious circumstances of her sudden death.
But Mavis's action at that time was the "escape" that least fit her wise persona.
Now it seems that the death of Makarov's mother was, in all likelihood, caused by the 'Contradiction Curse' Mavis suffered.
Noah hesitated whether to tell Makarov his analysis, but when he met Makarov's calm eyes, he suddenly realized.
Makarov is a smart man. After learning August's identity in the Western Continent and the information that Zeref was afflicted with the 'Contradiction Curse,' he should have analyzed the truth of his mother's death.
However, Makarov, over eighty years old, had long seen through life and death; his parents, who passed away early, were just a small part of his life.
The only thing he couldn't let go of was probably the "family" of the guild.
Makarov noticed Noah's unusual gaze and asked doubtfully, "What are you staring at me with that look for? I'm getting goosebumps."
"Nothing, I just think you are actually very tall."
Noah's compliment was sincere, but to Makarov, it sounded awkward. He always felt that this brat was making fun of his height again.
August stared blankly at Mavis in the crystal. Her abundant vitality could not bring his mother back to life; what lay before him was ultimately just an empty shell.
His mother had died over eighty years ago.
If there truly is a heaven and hell, then his mother must have lived happily in heaven for a long time.
He wondered if she knew she had a child.
August sighed endlessly; a mother's embrace was a wish he could never touch in his lifetime.
Noah looked at the isolating magic crystal sealing Mavis's remains and suddenly spoke to the three, "What do you think would happen if the seal were removed?"
"No."
"Cannot."
"Don't even think about it."
Makarov, August, and Gildarts' triple denial made Noah obediently shut his mouth.
That's right, over eighty years have passed.
Even if there really was a way to revive Mavis, time would not agree. Why bother with such futile efforts? Let her rest in peace here.
If Mavis's spirit is in heaven, being able to witness the step-by-step development and growth of Fairy Tail would be the best solace for her.
However, the fact that "life magic" and "death curse" could give birth to the "endless Magic Power" of the Fairy Heart made Noah decide to find a time to try using life power and death power.
Perhaps he could create a miniature Fairy Heart.
Seeing Mavis, although it was just a soulless body, it somewhat resolved August's knot in his heart, and at the same time, it made his desire to acknowledge Zeref grow stronger.
Just as the four were about to leave the underground space, August sensed something and took out a magic tool similar to a communication magic crystal.
"It's His Majesty... Father has responded to me!"
While still in the Western Continent, August had contacted Zeref, but the message inviting Zeref back to the Empire had fallen on deaf ears, receiving no reply.
He hadn't expected to receive news from Zeref just a few days after arriving in Ishgar.
The message was very brief, simply telling August that he, as the Grand Strategist, should handle anything concerning the Empire.
Noah exclaimed, "Good heavens!" upon hearing the message.
August had worked for Zeref for decades, practically dedicating his entire life to him, yet he didn't expect that even in old age, Zeref wouldn't let go of this excellent worker.
How could this hands-off emperor be so wicked?
Although the final response was a refusal to return, August was not discouraged, because his communication magic tool had a positioning function.
He had never used it before out of respect for his father.
But now, with Noah, who could save his father from dire straits, August used the communication device to locate Zeref for the first time.
"Found him, he's here!"
August materialized a detailed map with magic, and a light spot representing Zeref appeared in the sea south of the Kingdom of Fiore.
Makarov and Gildarts leaned over to look and immediately gasped.
The location of the light spot was actually Fairy Tail's sacred ground.
Tenrou Island!