Yukino's tears fell harder and harder.
But this time, she no longer held back her sobs.
She cried and laughed at the same time.
"Thank you..."
"Truly... thank you, everyone..."
Mirajane stood not far away, quietly watching the scene with a gentle smile on her face.
She said softly, "That's wonderful."
Mavis sat by the bar, swinging her little feet, her eyes sparkling.
"Mm."
She looked at Yukino, who was surrounded by everyone, and her voice softened too.
"That child who's been through so much has finally stepped out of it."
Mirajane nodded.
"She'll be happy from now on."
Mavis said with a smile, "Of course. Because she's come to Fairy Tail."
The banquet went on noisily until late into the night.
Natsu and Gray fought three rounds.
Cana drank half the guildhall under the table.
Makarov hugged Yukino and cried even louder than she did, sobbing as he said Fairy Tail had gained another good child.
Lucy grabbed Yukino and chatted about Celestial Spirits until they couldn't stop.
Wendy and Sherria gathered beside them too, listening with utterly serious faces.
Lu Chongwei sat in a corner, holding a glass of milk.
Cana, drunk and swaying, sat down across from him.
"Come on! Keep drinking!"
Lu Chongwei glanced at the cask of alcohol in her hands, then at his own milk.
"I'm drinking milk."
"So what if it's milk?" Cana slapped the table. "As long as the cup's big enough, it's a drinking contest!"
And so this contest dragged on until the latter half of the night.
By the time the sun shone down on the Grand Magic Games arena on the morning of the third day, up in the Fairy Tail Team B spectator stands, Lu Chongwei looked utterly drained.
He leaned against the railing and let out a