(Many thanks to 'Bing Yue Ying', 'Long Tiani', 'Xiong Mao A!', 'An Heilong Pozhan', '703's Rabbit', 'Sing Zai', 'Long Tiani', 'Domain Apocalypse', 'Diying', and 'Er Ci Yuan Wo Men De Meng' for their rewards!)
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Elsewhere, Makarov sat at the bar drinking as he watched Noah and Erza casually take down Natsu and Gray in a single move. His hand paused slightly as he raised his glass to his lips, a hint of hesitation appearing in his eyes before vanishing at once.
"Noah! Erza!"
Having made up his mind, Makarov set his wineglass on the bar beside him and beckoned Noah and Erza over.
"You two, come here. I have something to tell you!"
Noah and Erza, who had been about to lecture Natsu and Gray, froze at the same time. They looked at Makarov in confusion, then instinctively exchanged glances, each seeing the other's puzzlement and curiosity.
"Grandpa, what is it?" Noah asked first, tilting his head as he arrived before Makarov with Erza.
"Is there something you need our help with?"
"No, no. This is about the two of you." Makarov let out a beer-scented burp, then spoke words that left Noah and Erza utterly stunned in his usual carefree manner.
"I just wanted to ask whether you two want to start formally accepting requests and going out to work."
"Work?" Noah and Erza's eyes immediately lit up.
"Work?!" The others in the guild cried out as well. Even Natsu and Gray, who had practically been half-dead a moment ago, sprang to their feet.
So-called wizards were, in truth, a special group of people capable of using magic power and casting magic.
Generally speaking, anyone who could skillfully use magic, regardless of its type, could be called a wizard.
However, wizards themselves were more inclined to believe that one only counted as a proper wizard after being able to use magic and joining a guild.
After all, wizards needed to complete all kinds of jobs to earn payment.
A proper guild, capable of accepting requests from all across the Kingdom of Fiore and offering them to the wizards within for selection, was naturally indispensable. That was how this unspoken rule came about.
So, strictly speaking, although Noah had already joined the guild, he had not yet begun learning magic and could not be considered a proper wizard.
As for Erza, she had already mastered her magic quite skillfully, surpassing even ordinary adult wizards. Combined with her outstanding swordsmanship and skill with all kinds of weapons, she was far more mature than Noah in some respects when it came to the path of a wizard.
Even so, Makarov had never allowed Erza to accept requests and go out to work. Instead, he had first made her improve her strength, intending to acknowledge that she was capable of working independently only once she had gained sufficient ability.
Before then, all of Erza's living expenses had been paid by the guild. Once she could go out and work, she would repay them with her earnings.
Therefore, to outsiders, Erza, who could skillfully use magic and was a member of Fairy Tail, could be called a wizard. But within the guild, a child who lacked the ability to work naturally could not be considered a mature wizard.
If even Erza was like that, then Noah, who had not even begun learning magic, needed no further mention.
Yet Makarov's words now meant that he acknowledged Noah and Erza as having the ability to accept requests, go out to work, and stand on their own!
How could Noah and Erza not be happy?
How could the rest of Fairy Tail not be shocked?
One had to know that even Laxus had only been acknowledged by Makarov as capable of standing on his own after turning thirteen, at which point he had been allowed to accept guild requests and go out to work.
"Grandpa."
After his excitement faded, Noah was the first to calm down, a trace of worry appearing on his face.
"Is it really alright to let us go out and work now?"
Hearing Noah's words, Erza, Natsu, Gray, and the rest of the guild came back to their senses as well.
"I know what you're worried about. But since I'm asking you this, it naturally means that you have already gained enough strength to stand on your own. Otherwise, how could I allow you to go out and work so easily?"
In front of everyone in the guild, Makarov jumped down from the bar, clasped his hands behind his back, raised his head, and looked at Erza.
"Erza, although your Requip Magic is quite common, your command of magic is already no weaker than that of some wizards in the guild. On top of that, you possess outstanding swordsmanship, something few wizards in the guild have. Ordinary wizards are no longer a match for you!"
After saying that, Makarov turned to Noah, who had been watching him closely, his eyes narrowing into smiling slits.
"As for Noah, although you have yet to formally begin learning magic, you have already trained swordsmanship no weaker than Erza's during this time. Even if your strength falls short of Erza's when she goes all out, the difference is not great!"
Makarov discreetly glanced at the Knight Sword hanging at Noah's waist, the one he had given him. Having made up his mind, he nodded at Noah.
"Even without being able to use magic, you already possess strength that surpasses that of ordinary wizards. Taking on requests and going out into the world will broaden your horizons and increase your experience. It will be crucial to your future progress, so you should have a little more confidence in yourself."
Hearing that, Noah fell silent.
"Guild Master!" A short while later, Erza spoke with a solemn expression.
"Please allow me to go out and work!"
It seemed Erza had already made her decision.
Erza's decision also erased the last trace of hesitation in Noah's heart. He took a deep breath and nodded heavily at Makarov.
"Grandpa, no, Guild Master. I've decided to formally accept requests and go out to work as well. Please allow it!"
"Very good!" Makarov grinned.
"Then from today onward, you two officially have the right to accept requests and go out to work. The request slips are posted on the Request Board. Go take a look yourselves. If you find one you like, tear down the slip and bring it to me to complete the procedures!"
"Yes!"
Seeing the guild's two youngest wizards officially come into being, everyone in the guild offered their blessings.
Although Noah and Erza were both still very young, everyone had witnessed their strength firsthand. Every time, they could decisively defeat Natsu and Gray, who were only a year or two younger than them. Along with the occasional sparring matches, everyone acknowledged that Noah and Erza possessed strength comparable to true wizards.
"Going out to work?" Natsu shouted excitedly.
"That sounds pretty great!"
"You're still too early for that!" Gray, standing nearby, had envy in his eyes, but even more mockery for Natsu.
"If you accepted a request, even the client probably wouldn't want anything to do with you!"
"What did you say?! You droopy-eyed **!"
"I said you! You upturned-eyed bastard!"
At once, Natsu and Gray, filled with all kinds of envy, jealousy, and resentment, began grappling with each other again.
"For your first time, you should start with simple jobs!"
After explaining some necessary precautions to Noah and Erza, Makarov advised them like this.
"After all, you're still young and lack experience. Even if you are willing to take higher-level jobs, the clients may not be willing to hire you. Start with the simple ones, preferably requests that suit you."
Noah and Erza nodded in succession, making Makarov smile.
"Of course, you can also choose to form a team first. It would be good to have a companion by your side."
"Form a team?" Noah and Erza looked at each other at the same time. Then, as if they had seen through each other's thoughts, they smiled in perfect understanding.
"Not for now!" Noah gave his answer directly.
"Grandpa, you just said we should first familiarize ourselves with work. So for our first time, let us do it separately. Of course, we'll start with simple requests!"
"That works too." Makarov did not object.
Only then did Noah and Erza exchange a few words before searching for requests that suited them.
Before you continue