When Lin Yuan and Mira returned to the guild, lunch had just been served.
Natsu, with half a piece of bread in his mouth, was the first to notice the ripped hole in Lin Yuan's clothes on his shoulder.
"You guys went to fight?"
Mira walked straight to the counter. "No."
"Then how did his clothes get torn?"
"It got scratched by tree branches on the road."
Natsu looked at the three charred cracks, then at the forest outside the city that wasn't charred at all, and was about to ask another question when Gray reached out and took the roasted meat from his plate.
" Gray!"
"Anyway, you're busy asking questions."
The two immediately knocked over the bench, forgetting all about the question they had just asked.
Lisanna, carrying a glass of water, approached Mira and asked in a low voice, "Sister, who won?"
Mira paused in her action of picking up the cup, then tilted her head towards Lin Yuan.
"Brother Lin Yuan?"
"Um."
Lisanna blinked, as if confirming a certain guess. Mira, seeing her expression, immediately said, "Don't ask."
"I didn't ask anything."
She readily agreed verbally, but the smile on her face didn't fade at all.
As soon as Lin Yuan sat down at the table, Makarov knocked on the counter with his wooden cane.
"Stop for a second!"
The argument in the hall subsided slightly. Makarov's temples twitched twice, and his arms suddenly grew larger, shoving Natsu and Gray, who were still wrestling, into the floor.
I said, stop for a second!
This time it was completely quiet.
Makarov unfurled a poster depicting colorful lights and fireworks.
"In three days it will be Magnolia's annual Harvest Festival. There will be a market and performances during the day, and Fantasia Parade organized by Fairy Tail at night. The city hall has already sent over the route, starting from South Street, passing through the central square, and finally arriving at the riverbank."
The guild instantly became lively again.
Natsu lifted his head from the floor. "I want to build a dragon that breathes fire!"
"Spitting fire at the audience is prohibited," Makarov said.
"Just spray a little."
"Not even a little bit."
Gray suggested making an ice sculpture float, but was told it would melt into a pile of water before reaching the central square. Cana had already started planning to sell fruit wine along the way, while Macao and Wakaba argued over who should be in charge of lighting the fireworks.
Erza took out a design book she had prepared beforehand. The first page showed a giant float equipped with twelve movable shields. Turning to the second page, a cannon appeared on the roof of the float, its purpose unknown.
Makarov immediately closed the booklet.
"This year it's just a parade, not a siege."
"The cannon can launch flower petals," Erza explained earnestly.
"Delete the cannon first."
Lin Yuan finished his lunch quietly and stood up while everyone was gathered around the poster.
"I'm going back now."
"Stop." Makarov said without turning his head.
Is there anything else?
"Two years ago, Fantasia, you were out on a mission. Last year, you weren't even in this world." Makarov turned around. "Trying to hide again this year?"
"I can't act."
"Whether it works or not is unimportant. The purpose of Fantasia is simply to let the townspeople see which new faces have joined our guild this year."
"I'm a familiar face from before."
"Disappearing for two years and then coming back, that's considered a new beginning."
People around immediately nodded in agreement. Natsu even suggested that Lin Yuan perform a splitting roar on the float, only to be punched back to the floor by Makarov.
"That would split the entire street in two!"
Mira leaned against the counter for a while, then suddenly spoke up, "He's in my group."
The hall was silent for half a second, then all eyes turned to that direction.
Mira's expression remained unchanged. "What's the problem?"
"No problem," Makarov answered the fastest, picking up a pen and writing down the two names on the list. "The sixth float, just in time, no one's in charge yet."
Lin Yuan looked at the list. "I haven't agreed yet."
"It's the same whether you agree now or not," Mira said.
What will you perform?
I haven't decided yet.
Where are the floats?
"There are last year's car frames in the warehouse."
What if it breaks?
"Didn't you just learn how to fix a house?"
Lin Yuan realized that she had clearly considered all possible escape routes.
Makarov put away the list with satisfaction and began assigning positions to the others. Erza was put in charge of leading the float, while Natsu and Gray were forcibly assigned to the same float on the condition that whoever damaged the frame first would have to pay for it. Cana's plan to make fruit wine was changed to free juice, and she immediately lost half of her interest.
After the crowd dispersed, Mira tossed the warehouse key to Lin Yuan.
"Let's go check out the chassis this afternoon."
Have you really decided on what to perform?
Mira recalled the bamboo baskets that had passed back and forth through the spatial entrance in the vineyard, and then the magic bullet that had just been cleaved in two by the sword.
I have an idea.
She walked to the door, then turned back to look at him once more.
"This year's Fantasia, you're with me."