Shane immediately told Noel why he'd come.
"You want to sell your work? Really?"
Noel was overjoyed. He didn't even bother with his tea—he grabbed Shane and practically dragged him downstairs toward the workshop.
"That's great! If you help out, our guild's level will jump by a mile! Come on, come on—I'll take you to Master right now!"
They hurried through corridor after corridor, and a wave of heat rolled over them.
Deep in the merchant guild's interior was a private forging room.
Inside, a burly, dark-skinned middle-aged man was hammering bare-chested beside a blazing furnace, sweat pouring off him.
Sparks jumped and fell against his rough skin, but he didn't even flinch. It was obvious—compared to sitting in a luxurious office managing a guild, he'd rather be here.
"Master Nuso! Look who's here!" Noel shouted excitedly.
"Nuso…" Shane memorized the name on the spot.
Finally—now he wouldn't have to awkwardly fumble a greeting.
The man paused, turned around, and when he saw who it was, he hurriedly set down the red-hot tool and wiped his hands on his pant leg.
"Master Shane? Why are you here?!"
Nuso's face lit up with delight, and even his posture turned stiff and awkward, like he was standing in front of a hero.
"Master…" Shane scratched his head. Getting stared at with that kind of reverent look by a half-naked mountain of muscle was… a little much.
"You don't have to go that far," he said.
After a few pleasantries, Shane didn't waste time. He laid out the partnership proposal directly.
He'd provide technical support and forge one high-quality magical weapon each month for the shop to sell on consignment—something that could serve as the guild's "signature treasure" and a headline draw.
"No problem! Absolutely no problem!"
Nuso agreed instantly, then got so excited he blurted out:
"Honestly, just the techniques you taught before have already benefited us endlessly. How about this—every year, I'll transfer you twenty percent of my personal net profit—no, thirty percent!"
"No, no, no—what would I want that for?" Shane waved his hands frantically.
He wasn't here to rob anyone. He just wanted a channel to sell work and earn fair crafting fees. Taking someone else's hard-won profits for free wasn't something he could do.
Seeing how firm Shane was, Master Nuso looked disappointed for a second—then even more awestruck by his character.
The next half day, the two of them buried themselves in the forge.
"This mana-return layout… that's genius!"
"So here you quench with a low flame… I've learned a lot!"
They traded forging techniques—though most of the time it was Shane explaining while Nuso scribbled notes like an eager apprentice.
To show sincerity—and to meet the month's quota—Shane used the workshop's available ore and spent a few hours forging a magical longsword on the spot, teaching as he went.
Its quality even slightly surpassed the "Flowing Water" sword he'd once forged for Erza offhand.
"This sword will be the first product of our partnership," Shane said, handing it to Nuso.
"Great! Perfect! Everything's perfect!"
Nuso, a true forging fanatic, nodded like crazy while hugging the sword and grinning like an idiot—Shane wasn't sure he'd even heard the rest.
Erza, meanwhile, sat on a wooden crate with her chin in her hands, bored but amused.
She didn't understand forging, but watching Shane's focused profile in the firelight—and seeing that imposing "master" nodding and bowing like a schoolboy—was oddly entertaining.
…
Once the business was settled—and with daylight still to spare—Shane and Erza said goodbye to the reluctant Nuso and Noel.
Then Shane spread his dragon wings and shot up from the harbor into the sky.
He still remembered his promise to Jellal: after the new year, he'd come to the Tower of Paradise.
After traveling the route so many times, he didn't even need a sea chart anymore.
"Whoosh—"
A powerful air current carved a straight white scar across the surface of the sea.
That kind of blatant commotion instantly drew attention on the island.
Before any sentries could even report it, a blue-haired figure walked out from the tower with a smile—several familiar faces following behind.
"Shane! Erza!"
Jellal stood in the open area, waving at them in the air like he'd been waiting for ages.
"Yo!" Shane called back, folded his wings, and landed smoothly while holding Erza steady.
Alongside Jellal were Wally with his blocky face, and Sho still fussing with his hair.
But what surprised Shane was that behind them, the usually quiet giant Simon was there too—and beside him, half-hiding shyly, was a little girl with a bow headband and long straight black hair.
"Is that… Simon's little sister?"
Seeing Simon's awkwardness mixed with obvious relief, Shane's guess clicked into place.
He couldn't help feeling happy for him—Simon had actually found family in this huge world.
"You finally made it. I've been waiting forever."
Jellal strode up and gave Shane a solid hug.
Even though they'd been exchanging letters, it had been almost two years since they'd really seen each other.
"Sorry, sorry—here I am!" Shane patted his back.
They chatted their way into a lounge inside the tower, the mood lively and warm.
Halfway through—
"By the way." Jellal turned toward the big guy who'd been grinning silently the whole time. "Simon—aren't you going to introduce her?"
"Ah… right!" Simon scratched his head.
In just two years, it was like he'd grown overnight—he was pushing 1.8 meters now, built like granite. Just standing there felt intimidating.
He bent down clumsily and gently patted the little girl's head where she clung to his pant leg.
"This is my sister. Kagura."
"Kagura?"
Erza, mid-sip of tea, paused.
She set the cup down and looked at the girl—something about her felt oddly familiar.
Kagura, too, blinked up at Erza through the gap by her brother's leg, studying her with wide eyes.
Then, like a puzzle piece snapping into place, her eyes flew open.
"Big sister! It's you!"
She pointed at Erza, voice clear but trembling.
"You're… the red-haired big sister who hid me back then!"
"Huh?" Shane turned, intrigued. "You two know each other?"
With that reminder, Erza remembered.
The night in Rosemary Village, when the magical cult was capturing children…
To give others a chance to escape, she'd stepped out of hiding and drawn attention to herself.
And the little girl she'd saved—was the one standing here now.
"She's your sister?"
Erza stared at Simon, then Kagura, a rush of emotion in her voice.
"That's… incredible. I never thought a connection like that would carry all the way here."
Simon froze, then his eyes went red almost instantly.
He hadn't known his sister had already owed Erza her life long ago.
If she hadn't stepped forward back then…
it might've been Kagura who got dragged into the Tower of Paradise.
"Erza… thank you. Really…"
He was so tongue-tied he nearly dropped to his knees.
"Alright, alright—past is past. Don't make it heavy," Shane cut in smoothly before the room got too emotional, stepping forward and holding Simon up by the shoulder.
"We're comrades. Helping each other is normal. You found her—that's the best ending."
"Yeah! We should be happy!" Sho chimed in, then steered the conversation toward the main business: founding a mage guild.
"We heard Simon found his sister and didn't know what to do next, so we invited him to join too!"
Sho bounced in place, excited. "He's strong—if he learns magic, he'll be ridiculous!"
Then he pointed proudly at himself.
"And we can use magic now too!"
To prove it, they started showing off.
"Watch this!" Sho flicked his wrist, and several cards flew out like birds—instantly sealing a teacup into a card with smooth, practiced motion.
"And me!" Wally wasn't about to lose. His arm split into a bunch of blocks that shot out and smashed a window to pieces.
"So? Pretty awesome, right?"
Shane smiled and nodded.
Still rough, but the shape was there.
That was when he remembered he still hadn't officially added Jellal to the "companions" list.
With a thought—
A little blue-haired chibi figure appeared on the "Book of Heroes" page in his mind.
And the progress bar ticked up.
[Current Progress: 3/5]
"…You serious?"
Shane's pupils tightened.
"In just two years… he quietly hit S-class strength?"
That growth rate didn't lose to Erza's monster talent at all.
Shane felt both shocked and genuinely happy—his chain trial was already more than halfway done, and seeing his friends grow strong made him proud.
"Jellal."
Shane's hands itched. He raised an eyebrow. "What magic are you using now? Want to go outside and spar?"
He remembered how competitive Jellal had been when he first awakened magic.
But Jellal didn't take the bait.
He waved calmly, wearing the steady composure of someone who could actually lead a guild now.
"I heard you're an S-class mage in Fairy Tail."
"Right now, I'm definitely not your opponent. No point embarrassing myself."
"Still… I can show you."
He raised his hand, palm up.
"Buzz—"
A vast, deep golden aura exploded outward, like a starry sky pouring into the room.
Seven bright points appeared behind him, faintly forming the Big Dipper.
The pressure was so intense that Sho and Wally immediately shut up and started breathing carefully.
"Celestial magic," Jellal said softly, the glow reflecting in his blue hair.
"Beautiful…" Shane couldn't help saying. "Everyone's moving forward."
"By the way."
Jellal let the light fade, then looked at Shane.
"You said in your letter you'd help name the new guild. Got anything?"
"Uh…" Shane blinked.
"You didn't forget, did you?" Sho narrowed his eyes. He knew Shane too well.
"How could I?" Shane snapped back—while his brain sprinted.
He had thought of names.
But in front of these bright, hopeful faces, the edgy ones felt too heavy.
His gaze drifted to Erza's hair—red like sunset.
And suddenly it clicked.
He remembered the day they escaped the Tower of Paradise, lighting that fire.
Not destruction—rebirth.
That blaze was the brightest color before dawn, burning away darkness and bringing light.
"Call it… Scarlet Dawn."
He pointed at Erza's hair, then out the window toward the sea that had once imprisoned them.
"To remember the tower burning that day—and to symbolize the new dawn we earned."
The room went quiet.
"Scarlet Dawn…"
Jellal repeated it, then smiled—a real, satisfied smile.
"That's… a perfect name. Figures the Tower of Paradise's hero would have taste."
"Don't start!" Shane laughed and punched him lightly. "You're messing with me."
…
That night, they held a small celebration.
Smoke from grilled meat and the sweetness of juice filled the room.
At one point, Shane hesitated, watching Jellal laughing with everyone—
and decided not to mention the "other world Jellal" he'd run into before.
That parallel version seemed to carry a heavy mission and didn't want interference.
The room stayed full of laughter.
Except for one little outlier.
Kagura didn't even care about her brother—she stuck to Erza like a shadow.
Where Erza went, she followed, gripping Erza's clothes like if she let go, Erza might vanish.
Shane, feeling playful, walked over with juice and put on what he thought was his friendliest smile.
"Hey, Kagura—I'm Big Brother Shane. Say 'big brother' for me?"
Instantly, Kagura shrank behind Erza like a startled rabbit.
Only her wide eyes peeked out, staring at him like he was a villain trying to steal Erza away.
"…Ouch."
Shane rubbed his face, defeated.
"This kid is shy with everyone except Erza and Simon?"
"It's probably what she's been through," Erza said softly.
Looking at Kagura's eyes—still carrying a trace of fear even in a warm party—Shane sighed, feeling a pang of sympathy.
But then he smiled again.
With Erza, Simon, and the others around her, Kagura would probably open up soon—
and step into that scarlet dawn with them.
~~~
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