Noel spent the night in the castle. Although it was called "spending the night," he hadn't slept at all. Now that he was finally feeling a hint of drowsiness, it was already morning.
His mind was filled with the images of countless corpses, and his hands felt forever stained with blood, tormenting him throughout the night.
As dawn broke, he decided to take a walk around town, hoping the streets might offer him some answers. Walking along those familiar roads, he found them still empty.
Perhaps the townsfolk hadn't yet learned that the Black Dusk had been wiped out and were still living in fear.
However, a few places had opened for business already—one of them being Uncle Sam's bakery.
Noel wanted to go over and greet him, but he held back. He knew Uncle Sam's family too well, and their warmth was something he couldn't resist. It was best to avoid that trouble for now.
"The town lockdown has been lifted!"
A booming announcement echoed from the town square.
The lifting of the lockdown meant that people no longer needed to live in fear, and the era of Black Dusk was truly over.
Some people thought it was fake news and cautiously peeked out their windows, while braver souls stepped outside to walk around, and merchants resumed trading.
In just a short time, the town seemed to regain its vitality, all because of a single sentence. It was almost magical.
Strangers—clearly mages—had begun to enter the town. They were probably summoned by the mayor to deal with Black Dusk, though it was no longer necessary.
Seeing this, Noel assumed the sentry posts outside had already been dealt with, which meant the town's hidden dangers were truly gone. He let out a breath of relief.
Life in this town had always been harsh, but he had been happy here, hadn't he?
Someone bumped into him as they hurried past, not even bothering to apologize before rushing off.
Everyone was focused only on their own concerns. What did he have to do with them, after all? At most, he was just another part of their web of profit and loss.
"I've heard about what you did. You did well."
A bald man suddenly appeared at the corner of an alley, speaking to Noel. Noel had no idea why this man was addressing him.
Noel ignored him, wanting to continue his walk around the town. Maybe some places would stir memories within him.
"So, what do you think? Interested in joining our guild?" the bald man suddenly invited.
The man didn't look like a good person at first glance. Was he a remnant of Black Dusk? But even if he was, Noel wasn't afraid. After all, he was the one who had taken down their leader.
It hadn't been done in a noble way, but the result was what mattered. And if this man was merely a grunt from Black Dusk, he would be easy enough to handle.
Remaining alert, Noel assumed this man could be an enemy.
"I haven't introduced myself yet."
The bald man politely bowed, showing clear sincerity.
"My name is Jura Neekis, a mage from Lamia Scale."
Noel recognized the name of that guild. Lamia Scale was one of the top mage guilds, known for the strength of its members.
Recently, a rising star from Lamia Scale named Jura Neekis had been making waves. Could this be the very man standing before him? So he was meeting a celebrity.
Yet, Noel felt neither excitement nor surprise. Perhaps it was just a brief encounter, nothing particularly special.
"So, what do you want?" Noel asked.
"If possible, I would like to invite you to join our guild. I've heard about what you did at the castle—it was impressive." Jura offered the praise without hesitation.
Join a guild? That was something Noel needed to consider. Finding a group of like-minded people, taking on jobs together, earning money together—it sounded like a good life.
"I'm sorry, but I can't join your guild," Noel replied, a bit regretfully. He could see the genuine sincerity in Jura's invitation, but he had already made a promise.
"May I know why? I'd like to hear your reason," Jura asked, growing increasingly curious about this boy.
After all, joining Lamia Scale was a dream for many mages. Why would this boy reject it so easily?
"I've already promised to join Fairy Tail, so I can't break that promise," Noel explained.
A promise, huh? Jura immediately understood. Keeping promises was a rare and valuable quality, raising his expectations for Noel even higher.
If Noel couldn't keep a simple promise, he wouldn't be worthy of Lamia Scale.
"I see," Jura said, instantly understanding. This was someone he had wanted for their guild, but Fairy Tail had already reserved him.
Fairy Tail was growing stronger, attracting more and more talented mages. It was something to look forward to, but it also meant Lamia Scale needed to become stronger as well, to remain competitive with the other guilds.
After this conversation, Noel found himself thinking seriously about joining a guild, wondering if there would be any tests, or if he would need to pay some kind of deposit.
Those were important factors to consider. It would be embarrassing to arrive unprepared.
"Thank you."
A voice called out from a distance. It sounded like Alice.
Noel turned to look. She was unrecognizable, her wounds wrapped in bandages that covered her face over and over, making her look like she was part of some ancient ritual.
Noel simply gave Alice a gentle smile. He didn't want to explain anything further. Their connection ended here; they owed each other nothing now.
It's decided, he thought. It's time to find a place I can call home.
He had heard that Fairy Tail was a warm and welcoming guild, and he found himself looking forward to it.
Wait, where was the guild located again? Grandpa Makarov had told him before—if he ever made up his mind, where should he go to find him?
Then it flashed in his mind: Magnolia. Yes, Magnolia. That would be the place where his new beginning would start, and he couldn't help but feel a bit excited.
Without wasting any time, Noel went and bought a ticket to Magnolia Town for the next day.
And, as luck would have it, there was exactly one ticket left for Magnolia. It felt as if it had been waiting just for him.
Standing alone in a quiet, empty field, Noel suddenly felt the urge to let it all out.
Facing the sky, he shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Fairy Tail, here I come!"
Author's Note: End of Volume 1 next chapter will be Volume 2
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