The guild was lively until nightfall, and they didn't stop even when the rain did.
As the atmosphere slightly cooled and they were about to start fighting, a golden firework shot up outside the window.
Whoosh—Bang!
Like a starting pistol, after the golden firework lit up, hundreds of streams of light rose around Magnolia, exploding one after another in the night sky.
All of them came from the edges of the city, colorful fireworks drawing a beautiful arc in the sky.
Then more colorful and varied fireworks lit up the night sky, gradually advancing towards the guild.
The members who had been lively for half the day got excited, some leaning against the window, some climbing to the roof, and some running outside…
The multicolored lights illuminated the faces gathered below.
The Thunder God Tribe, the Lane Engine Squad, the Youth Million Dead Squad, the Strongest Squad, Ice and Water, Smoke and Fire, Nap and Bulletin Board, the Dragon Slayer Mage and the cat, the father and daughter, the gunshot couple, the Strauss family…
Everyone gathered in threes and twos, seemingly very scattered, but in fact, all centered around this guild.
The approaching fireworks blurred the shadows of the people with the guild's shadow, inseparable.
The fireworks and the ones setting them became closer to the guild. When everyone saw those citizens, they thought the fireworks show had ended.
But when the last round of fireworks finished, cats holding lights flew into the sky, looking like twinkling shooting stars at a low height and lively fireflies when higher up.
They flew and danced, finally arranging themselves in the sky—the symbol of Fairy Tail shining in the night sky.
Smiles appeared, cheers rang out, followed by music, singing, and dancing, and then delicious food and wine came in succession.
Amidst the laughter and conversation, Magnolia welcomed the most boisterous festival in recent years.
For ordinary people, being turned into a Magic Crystal and going to Edolas was almost equivalent to dying once.
People needed a raucous celebration to dispel the unease in their hearts and to express the joy of surviving a calamity.
So they ate and drank heartily, laughed and made a racket, as if the entire city had become Fairy Tail, or Fairy Tail had become the entire city.
...
As usual, the guild was a mess the morning after the celebration.
Unlike usual, this time almost the entire city was a mess.
Rhode woke up snuggling with Mira, leaning against Elfman, with Lisana squeezed in Mira's arms.
The others were lying all over the place, on tables and the like; the most impressive were those hanging on the walls, unsure if they had fallen asleep or been knocked out.
With the daylight shining bright, the light falling on their faces gradually woke everyone up.
This time Erza didn't stir up trouble because several Transcenders came to the guild to speak with her.
Queen Shargate, the Fourth Elder, Two Nights, Nadi, and Hapi's parents.
Erza asked, "Leaving soon?"
Rhode took a blanket to cover the three siblings and quietly walked over.
He asked, "Not staying a few more days? It's perfectly fine to stay in Magnolia."
The laws of the Fiore Kingdom regarding the control of outsiders... are lenient to almost non-existent.
Like Alzack and Bisca are immigrants from the Western Continent;
Erza escaped from the Tower of Paradise in the Kingdom of Kai Arum;
Gray wandered over from a certain country in the East.
Hapi, Carla, Porlyusica are from another world, and Rhode is of unknown origin.
As long as no illegal activities are carried out, these outsiders (species) are not questioned at all.
If the Transcenders set up a small village in the suburbs themselves, no one would care.
Shargate said, "Though I really want to settle down like this, we still have our mission."
Mar followed up, "Me and the kid's dad have already met Hapi, but many children are still lost out there, and their parents are also very anxious."
The world is so big, finding all the children might be very difficult." Erza thought for a while and smiled, "Would you like to try entrusting mages to help?"
"Thank you for your kindness~ Lovely Erza is exuding a beautiful fragrance," Two Nights sniffed around Erza.
Erza's face turned pale, hiding behind Rhode.
Not far away, Mira frowned in her sleep, then tightened her hold on Lisana in her arms, her expression relaxing.
On a normal day, she might have woken up, but yesterday was full of battles and emotional highs and lows, exhausting the spirit. Now that her mind was at ease, she slept very comfortably.
Nadi waved his arms like a beckoning cat and said, "We've got so many people here, plus the queen's abilities, we'll definitely find the kids."
Erza stiffly said, "Well... I wish you all the best."
Rhode turned to look at Wendy and Carla hugging each other and asked Shargate, "What's up with Carla?"
Shargate's eyes began to evade, "Wha... what do you mean?"
Rhode said, "Hapi has reunited with his parents, but Carla hasn't called 'Mom' even once."
"..." Shargate looked at Carla in Wendy's arms, "Her mother... made some mistakes, thinking she's not qualified to acknowledge her daughter until the children are found."
"That's so unfair to Carla," Erza, possibly thinking of Kildas and Kana, stepped up at the key moment, seriously stating, "It's just a mother finding her child, why would any 'qualification' be needed for that?"
Shargate realized these two might already know something: "But..."
"No more 'but', even in a hurry, you should at least say goodbye to everyone, right? At least hug her and call her once before parting?" Rhode recalled Mira's words to Kana from the previous day when he saw Shargate's hesitance.
We're all mages, and we never know what might happen tomorrow. If an accident happens, it'd be such a pity to leave such easily doable things with regret.
Rhode pulled out a pot and a ladle from the Requip space: "Klang—"
After a crisp sound, everyone in the guild turned over.
"Ugh—"
"Who did this?"
"So noisy!"
The instant startup effect was significant. Rhode, facing a bunch of dagger-like glares, put away the pot and spoon, then slipped the sleepy-eyed Carla into Shargate's arms.
"So warm," mumbled Carla as she nuzzled into Shargate's embrace, starting to come awake, realizing what she had done, blushing and trying to lean back.
But Shargate reflexively hugged her tightly, tears welling up instantly, "I'm sorry, Carla—"
Carla's eyes widened.
Now, nothing more needs to be said.