"Huh? Zorn?"
Startled by the unfamiliar voice, Makarov's nose bubble popped, and he looked blearily at the Magic Council members by the door.
He murmured in a questioning tone.
The civil official leading them was named Elein Gauge. He specialized in Letter Magic and research into certain forms of Ancient Script magic. Because of the nature of his magic, he served as a secretary, handling administrative work such as drafting documents and courses of action, and conveying opinions, instructions, and requests between superiors and subordinates.
Hearing Makarov's voice, Erian tilted his head and spotted Makarov, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, behind a guild member.
His manner immediately changed from indifferent to respectful. He took a few steps forward to the bar, raised his right hand against his chest, and bowed slightly.
"Lord Makarov, greetings. I sincerely apologize for not noticing you just now. I have come to convey the Magic Council's decision to select Zorn as a candidate in the Ten Wizard Saints selection."
"Please inform Zorn to come to headquarters in ten days for the final assessment. This is the official notice."
Erian remained bowed as he explained why he had come, his voice steady throughout. When he finished, he presented the notice with both hands.
"All right, I understand. Thanks for the effort. You may go." Makarov picked up the scroll, casually placed it on the bar, and waved Erian away.
"It is my duty, Lord Makarov. I shall take my leave." Erian straightened up, bowed once more, and led his group out of the guild.
Throughout the time from Erian's arrival to his departure, the guild had remained relatively quiet.
It was the first time any of them had seen someone from the Magic Council act so respectfully, and the first time they felt their master's title as one of the Ten Wizard Saints carried some weight.
When Magic Council officials carried out their duties, the more normal ones generally had the same indifferent attitude Elein had shown at first, while some were unbearably arrogant.
Not to mention that their guild received disciplinary notices and complaint letters because they caused damage every time they took a job.
"Hahaha! Well? Your master carries some weight, doesn't he?"
Seeing everyone staring at him in surprise, Makarov stood up proudly, planted his hands on his hips, and burst out laughing. There was no trace of the man who had been dozing off moments ago.
"Master, you're awesome!"
"Amazing!"
The guild grew even livelier, and Makarov raised a mug bigger than his body and began gulping down his drink.
"Master, drink a little less. And shouldn't we have Zorn come back early?"
Standing nearby, Erza frowned slightly and asked Makarov with some concern.
After all, returning from Tenrou Island, picking up the scroll, and then going to Magic Council Headquarters would leave him a little pressed for time.
"Oh, he'll be back soon anyway. Don't worry. If he's a little late, so be it."
Makarov didn't consider the Ten Wizard Saints selection a particularly big deal. Although the title of Wizard Saint was, to some extent, a recognition of strength and an honor,
That didn't mean people who lacked the title were necessarily weak, or that they hadn't contributed to the continent as a whole, or that there was something wrong with their character.
Recognizing and believing in oneself mattered more than anything else.
"Ah, that's good! Another glass!" Makarov raised his mug and gave the bartender a broad, toothy grin as he happily asked for a refill.
"Master, you can't drink any more. Your health comes first. Give me the mug."
Seeing the master drink so recklessly, with no regard for his health, Erza reached over, took the enormous mug away, and put it away with magic.
"Just a little. Can't I have just a little more?"
When the mug vanished from his hand, Makarov's happy expression immediately turned dejected. He held his index finger and thumb close together to emphasize that he only wanted a little more and looked at Erza pleadingly.
Wasn't it a little odd that the master, the highest-ranking person in the guild, was completely under Erza's thumb and had to ask so carefully?
Did that even need asking? Of course it was love. Makarov deeply appreciated a daughter's concern for her old father. A daughter was her old father's little padded jacket, after all.
If it had been Laxus, Zorn, or any of the other boys, they would probably have been sent flying with a punch by now, followed by:
"You little brat! You're a hundred years too early to tell me what to do!"
"All right, just a little."
Erza's heart softened at the master's pitiful expression. Magic flashed, and she produced a small glass, had the bartender fill it halfway, and handed it to the master.
"Pour a little more..."
"No, that's all you're getting," Erza said, refusing to budge.
"All right~_~"
"Hahahaha! Erza's got the master under control after all!"
"Shut it, you little brats! Get back to work!"
At a huge conference table in the Magic Council, the chairman and the councilors were holding a meeting to vote.
"At this meeting, I hope we can decide on the examiner. The candidates' information has already been placed in front of you. Does anyone have a recommendation? Or would anyone like to volunteer?"
After speaking, the chairman looked around the table and waited to see if anyone would speak.
The councilors and the Wizard Saints present lowered their heads, picked up the files, and began leafing through them.
"Fairy Tail, Zorn?"
"Crack, crack."
As the voice rang out, the file in one Wizard Saint's hand crumpled.
"What's wrong, Jose? Do you have something to say? And rein in your magic power."
The chairman looked up at Jose, whose anger was soaring and whose expression had twisted.
A large amount of Black Aura poured from Jose, drawing looks of disgust from the people around him, though he remained completely unaware.
"I volunteer to serve as the examiner and test the candidates' abilities."
At the chairman's reminder, Jose reined in his magic power and returned his expression to normal. He calmly volunteered, but his eyes were anything but calm, holding a trace of ruthlessness.
"Everyone, let's vote by a show of hands!"
Hearing someone volunteer, the chairman hurriedly called for a vote without asking for further recommendations. Otherwise, there was no telling how long the meeting would last. In any case, a Wizard Saint was qualified enough to conduct the assessment.
"Agreed."
"That works."
"..."
"Good, then it's settled. Meeting adjourned. Erian, pass the word along. That's all."
The chairman made the decision on the spot, then strode out of the meeting room ahead of everyone else, leaning on his magic cane.
"Yajima, I didn't expect you to agree to let Jose be the examiner too. Don't you know Jose has held a grudge against Makarov ever since he lost a fight to him when they were drunk?"
"This is practically handing Jose someone to take his anger out on. Aren't you going to stop it?"
"Stop it? If I stopped it, wouldn't we miss a good show?" Yajima looked at a councilor in puzzlement.
He knew Zorn's strength very well. Even Makarov had been full of praise for those boys and had admitted himself that he could no longer gauge Zorn's current strength.
A mere Jose was even further out of the question.
"Oh, from what you're saying, Zorn is very strong among the candidates."
"Then I'll have to take a good look this time."
It was clear from this that Jose was not well liked among the others.
Jose, meanwhile, was viciously thinking about how he would toy with Zorn when the time came, unaware of the terrifying existence he would encounter.
To be continued~