Boom! Boom! Boom!
Dozens of brilliant fireworks burst across the sky, while petals of every color drifted down with the wind.
A straight red carpet had been laid from the front gates of the Magic Council all the way to the gangway of the airship.
With decorations this festive, anyone who did not know better might have thought this was the wedding of some royal noble.
Juliet leaned over the railing and secretly peeked downward. Below the airship, the area was already packed with Council officials of every rank, along with a large number of hastily gathered extras to fill out the crowd.
"Wow, how grand. Looks like we are pretty welcome in Ishgar too."
Heine reached over and yanked her back, then glanced behind her toward Kabe and Irene, who were in the middle of adjusting their clothes, before rolling her eyes at Juliet.
"Stop flattering yourself. Lady Irene and Lord Kabe are the real stars today.
Behave yourself later. Do not embarrass Lady Irene."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Heine, you really are naggy."
The two of them bickered as they walked over to stand before Irene and Kabe.
At this moment, Irene had already changed out of her overly bold mage robe and into a graceful black evening gown.
Her waist-length braid had also been undone with Brandish's help, and now her long hair fell loosely behind her.
To match her, Kabe had been forced into a handsome white suit as well.
Because his fighting style was always broad and explosive, he had never liked clothes this tight.
The buttons of the shirt under the jacket especially felt so restrictive that he almost thought he was being strangled alive.
Watching him tug at his collar from time to time in discomfort, Irene shook her head and personally reached out to undo the top few buttons for him.
"There is no need to be so tense. Just wear it in whatever way feels most comfortable to you."
The oppressive feeling vanished, and Kabe let out a long breath.
"You think I am doing this for myself? If I were not trying to play the green leaf next to your red flower, I would have gone down there in a T-shirt and shorts."
Just wearing these pants was already making his tail curl up uncomfortably inside them.
Irene did not stop there. After loosening his shirt, she also adjusted his collar for him.
Only after finishing all of that, looking him up and down, and even making him turn around on the spot a few times, did Irene finally nod in satisfaction.
"Stop complaining. You are the green leaf, yes, but you are still the real star today. I would not dare steal your spotlight."
Before Kabe could react, she hooked his arm.
"Come on. Let us not keep them waiting down there."
Feeling the softness pressing against his arm, Kabe's throat moved once, but in the end he swallowed back whatever he had been about to say.
Damn it. Why did everyone in this world have such terrible boundaries? She did not even give a warning before sticking herself to him like this.
When they got back, he absolutely had to correct Irene's warped sense of personal space and make her learn from Erza and Mira, who had become much more "reserved" these days.
And so, the two of them descended the gangway arm in arm.
The people below, who had been straining their eyes upward in anticipation, erupted into cheers and applause the moment someone finally came down from the airship.
Kabe only had to wave casually once to draw a wave of screams and shouts.
Even knowing full well that a good portion of it was staged, the feeling was still genuinely amazing.
By the time the two of them stepped off the final stair and onto the red carpet, Crawford, who had already been waiting there, rushed forward at once.
"Kabe, welcome home. On behalf of the Magic Council, I thank you for everything you have done for Ishgar."
Looking at the thickset, heavyset chairman before him, Kabe put on a perfectly appropriate smile.
"Chairman Crawford, your warmth leaves me overwhelmed.
Everything I have today is only possible because of the Magic Council's silent labor and selfless dedication for all mages across the continent.
Compared to you and the honored members of the Council, my little contribution is hardly worth mentioning."
As he spoke, he clasped Crawford's plump hand firmly with both of his own, then let his grateful gaze sweep over Ogg, Mikelo, Yajima, and the other councilors standing behind him, nodding to them in turn.
In the distance, the reporters who had already been prepared for the moment hurriedly pressed their camera shutters.
Under the flashing lights, even someone like Mikelo, who looked down on Fairy Tail from the bottom of his heart, had no choice but to put on a smile of "comfort," "approval," and "praise."
As for Yajima, a former Fairy Tail member and someone who had always spoken for Fairy Tail within the Council, there was even less need to mention him.
His face had already bloomed into a complete chrysanthemum of a smile, and his heart was full of both relief and emotion.
He had watched Kabe rise to fame step by step and had witnessed him grow into what he was today.
His strength and talent were among the very best, not just in Fairy Tail, but in the entire world.
As for character, aside from the tiny "flaw" of having perhaps a few too many little girlfriends, which was not really a flaw at all, he could be called outstanding there as well.
With such an exceptional child in the guild, one who rarely caused trouble at that, Makarov would probably be able to retire peacefully in another couple of years.
After the brief round of mutual flattery ended, Kabe released Crawford's hand.
"Chairman, please allow me to introduce her to you."
He stepped to the side and brought Irene forward into view.
"The lady beside me is one of Alvarez's Spriggan Twelve, one of the two figures known together as the Twin Walls of the Empire along with the leader of the Spriggan Twelve, the strongest female mage standing at the very core of Alvarez's power.
The woman known as Scarlet Despair, Lady Irene."
"Gasp...!!!" *N
Even though they had already known in advance that Kabe had brought back a major figure from Alvarez...