This was the kind of strategy that even Laxus had to acknowledge.
Faced with Marco's track record over the past few years, Laxus was more than willing to let him remain in charge.
He understood the importance of "profitability"—a Mage Guild needed to be profitable to survive, or it would eventually collapse and scatter like a fallen tree's monkeys.
Currently, Fairy Tail's core business—the quests—was no longer very profitable for the Guild itself.
Marco had already passed on a significant portion of the earnings to the mages, reducing the Guild's commission on individual quests to a negligible amount.
As things stood, a Fairy Tail mage now earned at least 30% more from a single quest than before.
Not only had the Guild stopped profiting from them, but the Magnolia City government no longer targeted them for taxes.
This was the advantage of having allies in every position, from top to bottom.
The mages of Fairy Tail enjoyed an extraordinary level of support.
Their benefits were enough to make mages from other guilds turn red with envy.
The natural result was a siphon effect: more and more mages joined Fairy Tail, including many powerful ones.
Even some of the smaller Mage Guilds in the surrounding area disbanded and merged directly into Fairy Tail.
Marco's development of Fairy Tail wasn't about draining the pond to catch the fish, it was about strengthening the foundation.
He reinvested the profits back into the Guild, its members, and Magnolia City—a truly healthy approach to growth.
If he hadn't done this, he wouldn't have won so many hearts, nor would Laxus have been willing to nominate him for Guild Master in the first place.
Speaking of Laxus, he was currently hidden in the crowd, his entire figure concealed by a cloak and hood.
Watching his guildmates on the parade float, seeing them lead the crowd in singing the entire song, and witnessing them raise their hands together in that classic gesture at the end, Laxus could no longer hold back his tears.
'I'll make this gesture during the parade. It'll show that even if I can't find Grandpa, I'll always be watching over him.'
Laxus's mind couldn't help but drift back to his childhood memories.
The celebrations back then, though not as deeply imprinted with the "Fairy Tail" brand as they were now, had been just as lively.
In those days, he was still close with his Grandpa and Marco.
At this very moment, in Laxus's eyes, everything around him seemed to freeze.
Beneath the dazzling lights, led by Marco and his Grandpa, all the members of Fairy Tail raised their right hands to the sky, forming an "L" shape with their index fingers and thumbs.
Their expressions were gentle.
Even the toughest man couldn't withstand such tenderness!
Tears finally streamed down Laxus's face.
He understood clearly: though his guildmates hadn't said it aloud, their message had been delivered.
'Even if we can't see you, even if we're far apart, we'll always be watching over you, always protecting you'
This gesture was originally a promise between him and his Grandpa.
It had later been adopted by the Guild, becoming a symbol embedded in Fairy Tail's culture—a gesture shared by everyone.
This wasn't Laxus just reading too much into it.
The previous Harvest Festival Celebrations hadn't included this final segment; it was newly added this year.
The only reason he was even here was because Marco had sent a crow to summon him, specifically urging him to stay until the very end.
It was obvious.
This new final act was meant for him.
Laxus was certain of it.
"Damn it..."
Seeing Marco's gentle expression as he looked in his direction, Laxus pulled his hood down to hide his face.
He muttered under his breath, then turned and walked away, looking flustered, almost as if he were fleeing in panic.
'That kid... he won't even let me leave without a fuss...'
As he walked, Laxus grumbled inwardly.
But whether it was truly a complaint or a fond reminiscence, only Laxus himself knew.
Amidst the joyous celebration, the Harvest Festival Celebration concluded perfectly.
Everyone was satisfied, feeling the trip had been well worth it.
The members of Fairy Tail had enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and they had also done something meaningful: a collective farewell.
...
"Did Laxus really come?"
By the next day, Marco was bombarded with the same question.
Nearly everyone came to him for confirmation.
It couldn't be helped. In the massive crowd, not everyone could lock onto Laxus the way Marco could.
That guy had always been good at hiding, keeping an extremely low profile.
With everyone focused on their performances, it was naturally difficult to spot him in the crowd.
So, had Laxus actually come last night?
Had he seen everyone's collective farewell for him? This question lingered in everyone's minds.
And what do you do when you have a question? You go to Marco, of course!
After all, he was the one who had organized the whole thing, so it was only natural to seek answers from him.
As a result, Marco spent the entire day repeating himself like a broken record, constantly insisting that Laxus had been there and had received everyone's heartfelt message.
"Marco... thank you."
After receiving a definitive answer, Freed hesitated for a moment before offering Marco a sincere thank you.
"Don't mention it. It was the right thing to do," Marco replied reflexively.
But as soon as the words left his mouth, his expression turned strange.
Freed was such a devoted fan of Laxus.
'To hear him talk like that, you'd think I was the outsider, not Laxus's actual brother.'
"Laxus is my brother, after all," Marco continued, emphasizing his point. "Of course I couldn't let him leave all alone. Fairy Tail will always be his home."
"I thought... it was my fault. I shouldn't have doubted you."
Marco's words made Freed's face flush with embarrassment.
He apologized to Marco for his earlier suspicion.
"Don't apologize for that, Freed," Marco said with a reassuring smile. "I'm not an omniscient god, and I'm not infallible. It's perfectly normal to have doubts."
'Freed was actually a pretty decent guy,' Marco thought.
When Laxus was still in Fairy Tail, his presence had overshadowed Freed's own brilliance, as well as Bickslow's and Evergreen's.
The "Thunder God Tribe" label had obscured their individual talents.
Now that Laxus was gone, Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen would have a better chance to shine and integrate with everyone else.
This was genuinely a good thing for the three of them.
People couldn't spend their entire lives revolving around someone else.
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