Subsequently, Ankh and Mirajane were busy for a long time, and finally received their reward from General Karteos, the client.
Karteos was even more pleasantly surprised by their high efficiency and, being rich, gave them more money. Ankh and Mirajane, of course, accepted it readily.
Incidentally, they also formed a good relationship with this General of Fiore. The matter of the Magical Cannon blueprints came to an end. Karteos did not stay long, leading his escort troops to take the blueprints back to the capital. The White Devil Cult prisoners were also escorted back by the arriving Council.
It is worth mentioning that when the Council's Mage apprehension team arrived, they immediately tried to snatch the prisoners from Ankh's hands without a word.
They even said that this was not something their small guild could handle!
It's laughable; if the Council could handle it, would Karteos not seek their help? Instead, he hired guild Mages?
Seeing the Council members acting so arrogantly, Ankh was so angry he almost laughed, barely resisting the urge to slap them twice!
Uh... though Mirajane had already done just that.
Under the menacing glares of the two, they left with the people, looking dejected.
Ankh was angry, but he also understood that the Cult's prisoners could not be privately detained at their guild, as that would cause unnecessary trouble.
It was just that the Council members' attitude was too poor, and Ankh felt it was unfair.
He just couldn't understand why the Council, whose duty was to manage the Magic World, was filled with old, pedantic, timid, and conservative old men as its administrators?
Could they, by merely reading reports from various regions daily and coldly scanning the battle processes of guild members, easily make decisions?
They were just a bunch of old recluses who never left their homes... The only two young, smart, and capable ones were ironically ill-intentioned villains who, after the Tower of Paradise incident, directly undermined the Council.
Ankh pondered to himself, wondering if there was a way for him to become one of the Council members... Jellal and Ultear of Grimoire Heart were both there. Since Ankh knew about this, he certainly couldn't do nothing.
Such a matter, he probably had to go back and ask the Master for his opinion.
After receiving their reward, Ankh began his journey back. When the two returned to the guild hall in the center of Magnolia, there was an indescribable comfort in their hearts.
No matter how successful one was outside, the most comfortable place was indeed the guild...
Ankh sighed and shook his head, raising his hand to the doorknob to open the door, but Mirajane, like an unleashed husky, excitedly kicked it open.
"Bang! Crack!"
The wooden door was kicked open with a bang, instantly shattered by Mirajane, and the flying wood splinters directly affected several innocent companions.
Mirajane walked in proudly with her hands on her hips, shouting with a rebellious air: "Your old lady is finally back!"
Ankh's hand froze in mid-air, only to be lowered after a long moment. He then took a step forward and delivered a knuckle-rap with his fist.
"Can't you just open the door properly! And we were only gone for one day and one night, do you need to be this excited?!"
Ankh felt a headache coming on; these new recruits were really hard to manage.
Mirajane took a punch to the head, completely unfazed, and happily ran over to Lisanna, who was playing at a distant wine table.
Looking at this wild girl, Ankh had a world-weary sigh of "my daughter just won't grow up" and couldn't be bothered with the frolicking girl anymore.
Scanning the guild, Ankh's gaze paused slightly, then he walked in one direction, saying in surprise: "It's rare to see you in the guild."
Laxus, with his sharp eyes, who was drinking alone, looked up. A hint of hidden surprise flashed in his eyes. He pulled out the chair next to him, motioning for Ankh to sit down.
Ankh sat down generously beside him. Laxus silently tossed him a wine barrel from beside him.
There was a rather vague and unclear law that children in the Fiore Kingdom could only be permitted to drink alcohol when they reached fifteen years of age.
Ankh was exactly fifteen this year, and Laxus was two years older than him, so there was no problem with them drinking together.
As for Cana... she was only thirteen, and had already become addicted to alcohol a while ago...
Ankh finished the wine in his cup with a hearty gulp, his mood greatly improved. He turned to Laxus, asking with some confusion: "Are you waiting for someone?"
Laxus nodded, then pointed at Ankh and said: "The old man told me to wait for him at the guild, and you too."
Something about me too?
Ankh stopped drinking, his expression serious as he said in a deep voice: "Is there a mission? Do we both need to go?"
To have two Mage powerhouses beyond their age cooperate, it seems this mission is quite challenging!
However, reality directly slapped Ankh twice. Laxus expressionlessly pointed his chin towards Cana, saying: "It's not a mission. That girl was also told to stay by the Master."
Ankh was even more confused. Cana was also told to stay?
What did the Master want to do?
As the two were silently contemplating, a beautiful crimson figure, accompanied by a lively Cana, walked towards Ankh.
Erza stood in front of the table, looking at Ankh and asking curiously: "Ankh and Laxus, were you two also told to stay?"
Laxus let out a cold snort from his throat, while Ankh nodded, raising an eyebrow slightly: "You too?"
Erza shrugged, saying: "Yes, but the Master didn't give any details."
It was getting more and more interesting. Erza was also instructed by the Master to stay.
Ankh's gaze swept over the three of them one by one, and suddenly a light bulb went off in his mind.
Erza, Laxus, and Cana, plus himself—could it be the S-Class Mage Exam of the guild?
Erza and Laxus were future S-Class Mages. Ankh knew from the original story that Cana had also participated in multiple S-Class Exams but had never advanced. In that case... this year might very well be Fairy Tail's Golden Generation's first S-Class Exam.
The S-Class Exam was held once a year, depending on the Master's observations. With Ankh's addition this year, perhaps it gave the Master the confidence to hold it again.
Ankh voiced his thoughts. Laxus frowned, then agreed, offering his opinion:
"I heard this exam stopped after Gildarts was tested. Ankh's idea of restarting it isn't impossible."
Hearing Laxus mention that man's name, Cana's small hands, hanging at her sides, secretly clenched into fists. Her usually bright eyes suddenly dimmed.
Gildarts, Father... Was Father also a Mage who passed the S-Class Exam?
If I also pass the exam, will I be able to get closer to Father? Cana's emotions were a bit unstable, and she kept thinking about Gildarts.
Ankh glanced at her with a slightly profound look, quickly recalling the relationship between Cana and Gildarts.
The daughter of the guild's strongest S-Class Mage, Gildarts did not know Cana was his daughter, and Cana had never spoken of it.
This caused the two to constantly miss each other, leading to some problems in Cana's thinking later on.
Only by becoming an S-Class Mage would she be worthy of being Gildarts' daughter.
Cana probably held this mentality, which is why a lively and cheerful girl spent her days hugging a wine barrel, drowning her sorrows in alcohol, right?
Ankh's fingers lightly tapped the table.
Should I tell Gildarts about this and watch a good show of father and daughter reuniting in advance...?