"Then, Mira, how about I teach you singing from now on?"
Moen looked at Mirajane. Since Lyra was unwilling to teach, he would not force the matter. Moreover, he felt that he was now qualified to teach others. With his current level, even teaching casually would not mislead anyone, this was confidence born of strength.
"T-that's fine too…"
Mirajane hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. It was just learning how to sing, after all, it didn't really count as owing a favor, right? At worst she could just invite Moen over to eat at her place more often!
After all, Mira still remembered that Moen had said he wanted to eat her cooking frequently.
"Alright, then it's settled."
Moen smiled and made the decision on the spot, not giving Mira any chance to go back on it.
"Mm."
Mirajane shifted her gaze away from Moen and softly responded with a quiet "mm."
"The teaching's done, then I'll be heading back."
Lyra spoke as she bid everyone farewell. Her figure quickly disappeared, returning to the Celestial Spirit World. She needed some time alone to soothe her wounded heart.
Even though she had already accepted reality, the damage from those blows still needed time to be digested. To be pushed to the brink of emotional shutdown despite being such a cheerful and optimistic Celestial Spirit, only Moen could manage something like that. Lyra had never imagined she would experience a day like this.
Lyra's sudden disappearance left everyone rather curious. They did not know that she was a Celestial Spirit and had thought she was human. Yet she vanished after merely saying a word to Voltaava.
"Lyra is the Lyra Celestial Spirit. She's best at playing instruments and singing. Moen has been learning singing from her all this time."
Voltaava smiled as he explained to everyone, leaving them all looking shocked. Clearly, they had not expected this elderly gentleman to be a Celestial Spirit Mage.
Celestial Spirit Mages were indeed relatively rare, even Fairy Tail did not have one. Moen, of course, did not count.
The rarity of Celestial Spirit Mages was related to the number of spirits and their summoning time, and there were only so many constellations in total.
Fortunately, aside from the Zodiac Celestial Spirits, each of which had only one key—ordinary Celestial Spirits had multiple keys. These could be bought in shops, and their prices were generally not high.
However, there were only seven days in a week. Unless a spirit belonged to a species with extremely large numbers, when the same Celestial Spirit signed multiple contracts, each person would often receive only a very short summoning time.
After excluding those spirits that were not well suited for combat, the number of Celestial Spirits an ordinary Celestial Spirit Mage could use in battle became even smaller. Under such constraints, it was natural that Celestial Spirit Mages were few in number.
After all, without Celestial Spirits, a Celestial Spirit Mage's combat power was quite average and basically insufficient to complete commissions independently.
"Did the Lyra Celestial Spirit just say she wanted to learn from Moen?"
Erza said with a shocked expression, causing everyone to freeze.
Before knowing Lyra's true identity, that line did not sound particularly strange. After all, Lyra did not look very old, more like an eighteen-year-old girl. At first, they had even thought she was another student learning under the elderly man.
But now that they knew who she really was, they could not hold it together anymore.
Moen had only been learning for a little over two months, and even the Lyra Celestial Spirit wanted to learn from him, was that even reasonable?!
"As expected of Moen."
Juvia's eyes sparkled with tiny stars. She felt that this was not exaggerated at all. As expected, no matter what Moen did, he would succeed.
"That's amazing! Moen!"
After understanding what the Lyra Celestial Spirit represented, the children all cast looks of admiration toward Moen.
They knew that Moen had once again accomplished something others could not and had once again displayed astonishing talent, just like when he defeated José Porla.
Between defeating José Porla and using music and song to mentally overwhelm a Lyra Celestial Spirit into near self-isolation, which achievement carried more weight?
The children did not know. To them, both were equally shocking.
"Let's go. Let's head back together. I've been thinking lately about writing a representative song for our guild. Once we're back, let's discuss it together and see if anyone has any suggestions."
Moen smiled, offering no further explanation as he shared his idea.
"Writing a song that represents Fairy Tail?!"
The moment Moen said this, everyone immediately got fired up. The children all became excited, clearly very interested. Even though none of them really understood music, writing a song for the guild sounded incredibly fun!
"Youth really is wonderful."
Watching the lively children, Voltaava sighed with emotion. He did not find them noisy at all. Being with them made him feel as though he, too, were becoming younger.
"Master Voltaava, would you like to come back with us?"
Moen looked at Voltaava and extended an invitation for him to visit Fairy Tail.
Although Moen had successfully completed his training in just over two months, far faster than Voltaava had ever imagined, making long-term on-site teaching unnecessary—Voltaava had no intention of moving away again.
These two months had already made Voltaava fall in love with Magnolia. There was Mr. Ruchio who could chat comfortably with him, a monstrously talented junior like Moen, and even a concert hall built specifically for him.
After wandering for a lifetime, it was time to settle down. Voltaava had found the feeling of home here.
"No, I'll stay here a bit longer."
Facing Moen's invitation, Voltaava smiled and shook his head. He knew Moen had always wanted to invite him to join Fairy Tail, but he himself had not yet made up his mind.
Mainly because he felt that even if he joined, there would be nothing he could really contribute. With Moen around, there was no need for him to play the harp. Now that Moen could even handle singing, there was even less reason for him to go. At his age, and without being known for great combat strength, surely he could not just join to retire?
"By yourself?"
Moen's expression showed some concern. The Eastern Forest outskirts were not completely safe.
"Don't worry, kid. I'm a Celestial Spirit Mage, after all. I've traveled the entire continent alone, I do have some strength. Don't treat me like a useless old man."
Sensing Moen's concern, Voltaava laughed as he spoke. Sitting beneath a tree, he picked up his instrument and began plucking the strings.
"Then we'll head back first."
Moen nodded. Old Master Voltaava had a point. There was no need to worry about a bard adventurer who had traveled the continent alone. His wilderness survival experience was surely far richer than Moen's. If his strength were lacking, he would have already ended up in a beast's stomach long ago.
"Go on, go on. Once you've written a new song, remember to come find me."
Voltaava waved his hand. Now that Moen had completed his training, the daily lessons were naturally canceled. If Voltaava wanted to hear Moen's new songs, Moen would have to come to him.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely let you hear it, Master."
Moen replied with a smile while waving back.
Amid the lingering sound of the harp, Moen led the Fairy Tail children out of the forest and back to the guild.
And as soon as they returned, the news that Moen was going to write a song for Fairy Tail spread throughout the guild.
Natsu and Gray, those two loudmouths, kept shouting it out, drawing everyone's attention. It sounded interesting the moment you heard it!
Guild members who were skilled with various instruments all gathered around, eagerly offering to help. However, when it came to actually composing a song, none of them had any real ideas.
After all, they usually just played instruments for fun, treating them as hobbies. None of them had undergone systematic training like Moen. They were purely an atmosphere-building group. Writing a song was simply too professional, they could only rely on Moen alone.
Moen had genuinely learned proper music theory from Voltaava. Voltaava himself had composed many harp pieces, which was how he became a continent-famous harp master. His creative ability and musical theory knowledge were unquestionably solid.
Moen's earliest adapted songs had all been completed with Voltaava's assistance. Now that he had officially graduated, he could also independently complete some song adaptations. The experience accumulated under Voltaava's guidance was extremely important.
"Fairy Tail… Fairy Tail…"
With no one able to provide effective help, Moen could only think deeply on his own. He first began searching through his mental music library, seeing what could be linked to Fairy Tail.
"If we're writing a song about our guild, then we have to highlight our position as the strongest! Highlight our status as the number one guild in the Kingdom of Fiore!"
Makarov shouted from the side, as he always did, constantly emphasizing that Fairy Tail was the strongest.
He was genuinely proud of it. Otherwise, he would not have fought José Porla so fiercely over it. What the old man cared about most was the guild, and what he cared about most of all were the companions within it.
"The strongest…?"
Moen froze for a moment, feeling as though some keyword had been triggered.
"There definitely has to be fire!"
Natsu shouted as well, demanding that his representative element be added. Macao echoed him from the side—after all, he also wielded fire.
"In that case, let everyone talk about what Fairy Tail is in their hearts—your views on Fairy Tail, what kind of place you think it should be."
Moen stood up and interrupted everyone who was noisily throwing out demands. This was far too chaotic; it would only turn his brain into a mess. They needed to go one by one, have a heart-to-heart session.
Voltaava had told Moen that the truest emotions in people's hearts were the most moving, and also the most capable of inspiring creation.
"I'll go first."
Erza was the first to step forward in support of Moen.
"I think Fairy Tail… is a place that can heal loneliness."
Under everyone's gaze, Erza stepped onto the platform and slowly spoke. The moment she finished saying this, before anyone could even react, she herself could no longer hold it together and became embarrassed. Saying something like this in public really was extremely shameful!
However, this time no one made a fuss. The companions all looked at the slightly embarrassed Erza with gentle expressions.
"A place that heals loneliness."
Moen silently repeated it. And it really was true, Erza was indeed someone who had been healed. When Erza first arrived, she had been extremely withdrawn. It had taken him a lot of effort to help her break the ice.
"Me too, me too!"
Natsu excitedly jumped out and leapt onto the platform. Under everyone's expectant gazes, his face turned red, yet after a long while he still could not squeeze out a single word.
"Natsu! Can you even do this? If not, get down and let someone else go!"
Gray decisively mocked and complained from the side.
"Shut up, Gray! Fairy Tail… is a place worth setting the flames in one's heart ablaze! Hah!"
Natsu angrily snapped back at Gray and then shouted out his true feelings, even spewing a mouthful of fire after finishing.
"That's not bad at all, Natsu!"
Macao cheered Natsu on enthusiastically from the side. The two of them had always gotten along well—perhaps because they both used fire. Macao had always taken pretty good care of Natsu.
"Aye! Natsu is amazing!"
Happy also shouted from the side, clapping excitedly.
Natsu wore a smug expression, enjoying the praise from the atmosphere squad, then Mirajane kicked him straight off the platform.
"What are you doing?! Mirajane!"
Natsu shouted angrily, looking like he was about to start a fight. But under the combined gazes of Moen, Erza, and Mirajane, he quickly calmed down and obediently returned to his seat.
"Fairy Tail is a place that can change lives."
Mirajane spoke, looking at her younger siblings. This girl who was usually as fierce as a delinquent showed a rare gentleness on her face. It was precisely because they had happened to come to Fairy Tail, happened to be brought in by the guild master, and happened to receive Moen's help that their family's lives had been changed.
"Fairy Tail is a place as warm as a home."
Cana stepped up and said this, her gaze sweeping around the room. Unfortunately, the one person she wanted to see was not there.
"Fairy Tail is a place where it's always sunny."
Juvia spoke softly, then immediately shrank back off the platform. Her face was already red like a boiling kettle—no, not like one; it really was a boiling kettle. Wendy, beside her, was pulled farther away by Carla, afraid of being splashed by hot water.
"Fairy Tail is a place where you can become the person you paint yourself to be."
"Fairy Tail is a place where you can clearly see the road ahead."
"Fairy Tail is a place where you can freely chase your dreams!"
Companions stepped onto the platform one after another, speaking their hearts. Moen listened silently as some long-sealed memories began to surface.
He suddenly realized that he seemed to have once seen the name Fairy Tail somewhere.
Not in anime clips. Not in hype BGM videos. But in… odottemita dance videos!
Masayume Chasing
"So… this song about chasing dreams is Fairy Tail's opening theme?"
Moen came to a sudden realization. Although he had never watched Fairy Tail, he truly had heard this BOA song before—and he had really liked it.
A familiar melody surfaced in his mind. The lyra appeared in his hands. Moen plucked the strings, and music that felt like a grand story nearing its conclusion, told on a midsummer night, echoed throughout the guild.
The companions all fell silent, listening quietly together.
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