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It was the next day.
A wisp of smoke rose from the small village, no longer bustling as it once was.
After a night's rest, everyone looked dispirited.
The ancient Magic Nirvana, Brain and Zero, a powerful Thought Projection that had existed for over four hundred years, the Black Abyss eyeing the Earth Land world, and Cait Shelter, which existed only for one person… The events of the past two days were truly difficult to digest.
Even Mystogan, who didn't care about the other events apart from Wendy and Roubaul, had a sleepless night once he understood the gravity of the situation.
Only Noah was in high spirits, making breakfast for everyone with enthusiasm. Since Cait Shelter basically had no contact with the outside world, their daily necessities were self-sufficient, and Noah had dug out many mountain provisions.
Wendy had cried herself to sleep last night and was still groggy. It wasn't until the aroma of food made her stomach rumble that the little girl fully woke up.
Freshly cooked noodles, two scoops of broth, a large spoonful of minced meat, and finally, a sprinkle of green onions.
"Come, come, Wendy, try your Brother Noah's cooking."
When Noah placed a steaming bowl of noodles in front of the little girl, Wendy's eyes lit up at the smell. After politely thanking him, she happily began to eat.
Children were like that; sadness came and went quickly.
Moreover, Wendy was a sensible and good child. She was indeed very sad after learning that her Grandpa Roubaul and her companions, with whom she'd spent every day, were all Thought Projections.
Although she didn't know what Grandpa Roubaul was going to do, he hadn't dispelled his Thought Projection, which made Wendy very content.
Wendy's smile lifted the somber atmosphere, and the others also slurped their noodles, chatting as they ate.
For example, the four former Oración Seis members hoped to use their real names from now on, instead of the names and codenames Brain had given them.
Roubaul readily agreed. Since they were the New Oración Seis, they naturally needed to make a clean break with the past.
Hoteye's real name was Richard, Cobra's original name was Erik, and Angel's real name was Sorano. Only Midnight, whose real name was MacBeth, kept the codename "Midnight," saying it sounded good for sleeping.
After breakfast, it was time to part ways.
Outside the village gate, Roubaul once again manifested the "companions" who'd accompanied Wendy for six years, all bidding her farewell.
Looking at each familiar face, Wendy didn't cry this time, but she bit back tears and touched her right shoulder. There used to be a Guild emblem belonging to "Cait Shelter" there, but it had disappeared with the revelation of the truth.
Rubbing her eyes, Wendy and a silently weeping Carla waved goodbye to Roubaul. "Grandpa, you must remember to come see us at 'Fairy Tail'!"
"We'll be waiting for you!"
As Wendy left with Noah's group, Roubaul withdrew his Magic. Under the gaze of Jellal and the other four, his slender body underwent a huge transformation.
He became tall, with white hair and crimson eyes.
Roubaul used Transformation Magic to become the Oración Seis Guild Master as Noah had described, with Midnight and the others adding details. Roubaul completely transformed into "Zero," the Guild Master of Oración Seis.
Mimicking Zero's tone, Roubaul said to the New Oración Seis, "Let's go to the location of Nirvana first. That city is better off resting underground."
On the Magic Train ride back.
With Snow and Cheese accompanying her, Wendy, holding Carla, quickly emerged from the sadness of parting.
"Brother Mystogan, what kind of Guild is Fairy Tail?" The little girl was very curious about what Noah called the best Magic Guild.
This question stumped Mystogan.
Fairy Tail was undoubtedly a passionate and united Guild, but would fighting, a way of strengthening friendship, scare Wendy? Seeing that Mystogan didn't answer immediately, Carla's eyes sharpened, and she spoke unhappily, "With a loli pervert like you, I think 'Fairy Tail' must be a strange Magic Guild."
Mystogan was powerless to refute this.
If only he'd known, he would've openly visited Wendy these past few years, instead of being mocked by an Exceed now.
Wendy, riding a train for the first time, looked at the empty seat opposite her and realized that two of their companions were missing after they boarded. "Huh? Brother Noah, and Sister Ultear, where did they go?"
"They have something to discuss privately. They'll be back soon," Mystogan reassured Wendy. He, of course, knew what Noah and Ultear were talking about.
After all, it was their deal.
At the end of the train car, Ultear, dressed in a white Magic dress, stared blankly at the long railway tracks.
Back on the Tower of Heaven island, Ultear had said that Grimoire Heart, known as the strongest Dark Guild, was plotting against Fairy Tail's sacred Tenrou Island.
As a trade, Noah and his group would help Ultear deal with her enemy, Brain, and Ultear would provide detailed information about Grimoire Heart and agree to be an inside agent.
Now that Brain was dead, it was time for Ultear to fulfill her promise.
However, Noah was very curious about the deep hatred between Ultear and Brain, that she'd dare to trade with a Legal Guild to target Brain, who was also a member of a Dark Guild.
Hearing Noah mention Brain, Ultear's eyes filled with resentment, and she recounted her past.
When Ultear was young, her innate Magical Power was too strong, leading to poor health. Her mother sent her to Brain, who was then the director of a Magic research institute, for treatment.
Brain wasn't a good person, and that Magic research institute certainly wasn't a good place. Ultear didn't receive treatment but was placed on an operating table under stark white lights.
She kept waiting for her mother to rescue her, but Brain told Ultear that her mother had abandoned her.
Ultear didn't believe Brain's words. After two years of being tortured as an experiment in the dark research institute, she finally found an opportunity to escape.
However, after much hardship, when she returned home, what Ultear saw from afar was her mother laughing and talking with her two apprentices… as if she'd never had a daughter!
Feeling abandoned, Ultear ultimately didn't return home. Wandering aimlessly, she was picked up by Hades, the Guild Master of Grimoire Heart.
Because Ultear longed to return to a past where her mother hadn't abandoned her, Hades taught her the Lost Magic, Arc of Time, which could reverse time.
And to repay Hades, Ultear had been working for him all these years.
It wasn't until Grimoire Heart, Tartaros, and Oración Seis planned to form a Dark Alliance that Ultear discovered Brain, who'd once tortured her, was one of the Oración Seis, and her desire to kill him surged.
However, due to the impending alliance, Hades' pressure made it difficult and dangerous for Ultear to act against Brain. So she had a sudden idea to seek revenge through others.
Unfortunate people share similar misfortunes. Ultear's past wasn't much better than Jellal's. Also used as a tool, Ultear even had to endure the additional pain of being abandoned by her mother.
"Since you've avenged yourself on Brain, what about your mother? Do you want revenge on her too?" Noah was very curious about Ultear's attitude toward the mother who'd abandoned her.
The word "mother" made Ultear's heart feel annoyed. She didn't know whether she hated her mother or not, and she showed a bitter, half-smile.
"My mother died nine years ago. Even if I wanted revenge, I couldn't."
Hearing the nine-year timeframe, Noah raised an eyebrow, and his intuition confirmed what he was thinking.
"So, the Ten Wizard Saints candidate who perished with the Demon Deliora, the Mage Ur, directly given the title of Ice-Make, is your mother, right?"
"And Gray from our Guild should be one of your junior disciples."