The Guild Master's mouth fell open, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.
"W-wait! Why was Gildarts at the Magic Council!?" The Guild Master shot to his feet in a panic and grabbed Ogre's sleeve. "Wasn't he out on a job!?"
"I should be asking you that!" Ogre's eyes widened as he demanded, "Why was someone from your guild hiding his identity in a Magic Council cell!?"
"And spouting nonsense about foreseeing a crisis at the Magic Council, so he hid there to protect us from the shadows... who would believe that rubbish!?"
"If Yajima hadn't vouched for him, we would have suspected you sent Gildarts to infiltrate us!"
Makarov was utterly flabbergasted.
What was Gildarts thinking? As for infiltrating them...
At that thought, the Guild Master looked away guiltily. Gildarts obviously wasn't a spy, but he really had planted an actual spy in the Magic Council...
Then Makarov's gaze swept over to Blanc, who was quietly studying the patterns on the tent ceiling, as though none of this had anything to do with him.
"...Blanc."
"Hmm?"
"Why aren't you the least bit surprised, you brat?"
"Ah, well, I actually knew about this. I happened to find out a little while ago." Blanc scratched his cheek innocently.
"The last time I was summoned, old man Yajima took me to the cells to collect him. But he was so embarrassed that he flat-out refused to leave, and he begged me not to tell anyone. I promised to keep it secret, so I never told you. A man has to keep his word."
The Guild Master's vision went dark.
Seeing that Makarov apparently hadn't known either, Ogre let the matter drop. He had only wanted to vent anyway.
Suppressing his mixed feelings, he recounted the whole affair from beginning to end.
Once Ogre