The entire guild cheered.
The table was shaking, the wine glasses were wobbling, and everyone was laughing and shouting.
The excitement reached all the way to the rooftop.
Lisanna stood at the door, crying uncontrollably, but still nodding desperately.
"Um..."
"I'm back..."
"I'm back!"
This shout brought the atmosphere in the guild to its peak.
"Let's have a banquet!"
"Hurry up the banner!"
"Nobody's leaving today!"
"Bring out the wine!"
"Set the kitchen on fire!"
A group of people were busy at work.
Some people stood on tables to hang strips of cloth, some dragged wine barrels to the middle, and others shouted at the top of their lungs.
Before long, a large banner was unfurled.
Welcome Lisanna, Nancy, and Lily to Fairy Tail!
Nancy perched on Lu Chongwei's shoulder, looking up at the banner, her cat ears perked up.
"Me... I'm involved too?"
Lucy bent down and looked at her with a smile.
Of course there are.
Happy flew over and circled in mid-air.
"Love! From today onwards, we are all companions!"
Carla stood to one side with her arms crossed, her tone unchanged.
"At least he's a bit more reliable than you."
"Love? Carla, you're talking about me again!"
On the other side, Lily was being held by Gajeel, and the cat was almost frozen in place.
Gajeel grinned, laughing louder than anyone else.
"Did you hear that? You're a member of Fairy Tail now!"
Lily's face darkened.
"Put me down first."
"I'm happy."
"Don't strangle me, even if you're happy."
"..."
Chaos erupted within the guild.
Natsu had already rushed towards the food area with his plate.
"The meat! It's all mine!"
Gray grabbed him.
"Leave some for me!"
"Whoever grabs it keeps it!"
"You idiot!"
Bang!
The two immediately started fighting again.
Lucy facepalmed.
"You just got back..."
Erza had already picked up a large cake and calmly cut off a big slice.
"This atmosphere is great."
Wendy stood to the side, her little face flushed, and nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Um!"
It was even more lively on Lisanna's side.
People from the guild swarmed around him, asking him all sorts of questions.
"How exactly have you spent the past two years?"
"Were you bullied?"
Are you hungry?
"Would you like some juice?"
Macao rubbed his head and got up from the ground, looking aggrieved as he approached.
" Lisanna, I really did welcome you just now."
Wakaba covered his head and echoed his sentiment.
"Yes, we didn't mean anything by it."
Elfman stood in front, arms crossed, and snorted.
"You're not allowed to touch it."
Mirajane burst out laughing.
"My brother is still the same as always."
When Elfman heard his sister call him "brother," his eyes welled up with tears again, but he still stubbornly raised his neck and spoke loudly.
"A real man should protect his sister!"
"Well said!"
" Elfman acted like a man today!"
"Doesn't he usually act like that?"
"Are you looking for a beating?"
Another burst of laughter and commotion ensued.
After the excitement subsided, Lu Chongwei, holding a glass of wine, sat down with Makarov and Gildarts.
The three people occupied a table, with several empty wine barrels next to them.
While pouring himself a drink, Gildarts sized up Lu Chongwei.
After glancing at it a few times, he suddenly clicked his tongue.
"Impressive, kid."
Lu Chongwei looked up.
"What's so powerful?"
Gildarts grinned, his face full of mockery.
"You're still pretending."
He gestured with his chin toward Mirajane and Erza.
"You've already snatched up both of the guild's most beautiful girls."
Makarov nearly spat out the wine he had just drunk.
"Cough cough cough!"
Lu Chongwei remained expressionless.
You've had too much to drink.
"I'm not drunk."
Gildarts, with an expression of someone who'd been there all along, raised his hand and patted Lu Chongwei on the shoulder.
"Young man, being bold is a good thing."
"But this isn't just being bold, it's taking off."
He lowered his voice, looking rather mysterious.
"How about it, interested? I'll take you to have some fun another day and teach you some real manly skills."
Lu Chongwei paused for a moment, holding his wine glass.
Makarov was also taken aback for a moment, then muttered to himself.
"This guy's at it again..."
Gildarts got more and more excited as he talked, and even Lu Chongwei at Lu Chongwei.
Don't be shy.
"Men, those who know, know."
"Let me tell you about the outside world—"
He was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly felt a chill down his back.
That's not an illusion.
It's genuinely cool.
Gildarts ' smile vanished.
Makarov also sensed something, silently put down his glass, and glanced to the side.
Not far away, Mirajane was still laughing.
She smiled very gently.
But those eyes were already fixed on this side.
On the other side, Erza was slowly putting down her fork.
She looked over too.
His expression was calm.
But it's precisely because it's so calm that it's even more frightening.
The air around the table started to feel strange.
Makarov swallowed.
" Gildarts ..."
Gildarts was sweating, and he turned his neck inch by inch, his smile more like a grimace.
"Ah, haha, um... when did you guys arrive?"
Mirajane approached with a smile.
"Just arrived."
Her voice remained soft.
"Mr. Gildarts, where did you just say you wanted to take Zhongwei to enjoy himself?"
Gildarts's back tensed, and his scalp tingled.
"It's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding!"
Erza also came over and stopped at the table.
"Oh?"
She stared at Gildarts.
"Then tell me, what's the misunderstanding?"
Gildarts chuckled twice, his survival instinct kicking in.
I meant food!
"Yes, let's eat!"
"I want to Lu Chongwei to enjoy some delicious food! Seriously, just delicious food!"
Natsu, who was still fighting with Gray for the meat, turned his head when he heard the commotion.
"Huh? Gildarts actually spouting such nonsense?"
Gray was speechless as well.
Who would believe that?
Lucy covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking.
"This is it, we're doomed."
Happy flew in mid-air, waving its paws gleefully.
"Oh no! This guy's in for a world of trouble!"
Mirajane was still smiling.
"Oh, it's delicious food."
Gildarts nodded frantically.
"Yes, yes, it's delicious food."
Erza spoke.
"If that's the case, then why are you so nervous?"
"I'm not nervous."
"Your sweat is dripping onto the table."
"..."
Gildarts's face twitched, and he turned to run away.
But as soon as he stood up, Mirajane's hand gently pressed on his shoulder.
"Mr. Gildarts, don't be in such a hurry to leave."
On the other side, Erza flexed her wrist.
"Some things are better left unsaid."
Gildarts's face turned green as he looked at Makarov.
"President! Help me!"
Makarov instinctively showed a hint of sympathy.
"Well, we're all men—"
Erza turned her gaze to Makarov.
"You'd like to come too?"