As for light magic, Rowan decided it was worth learning alongside everything else.
Not just because it countered dark magic, but because appearances mattered. In any modern society, people judged first and asked questions later. A mage casting bloody, grotesque spells would be feared even while saving lives. A mage wreathed in warm light, wings spread, radiating calm, would be trusted even while killing.
Fair or not, that was reality.
Even setting aside the spectacle, light magic was undeniably powerful. It wouldn't be one of Makarov's primary disciplines otherwise. The drawback was its slow start. It demanded patience, control, and long-term investment before it became truly lethal. Compared to Giant Magic's immediate impact, it was subtle and demanding.
For now, Rowan decided, it would remain a secondary focus.
After the hall had finally quieted, Makarov returned to normal size and hopped onto the counter. He held a thick stack of papers, his expression severe.
"You idiots have done it again," he growled. "Look at this. Complaints from the Magic Council. All of them. I get chewed out every single day because of you."
The guild members lowered their heads in shame.
Then, without warning, a burst of flame flared in Makarov's hand. The stack of complaints turned to ash.
"But to hell with the Council!"
The guild erupted in cheers.
Makarov launched into a speech that was short, loud, and unmistakably him. Rowan distilled it down easily.
Do your jobs. Get stronger. Cause trouble if you must.If anything breaks, the guild master would carry the blame.
Rowan approved.
From long experience, he knew one thing. A leader didn't need to be perfect, but they had to stand in front when things went wrong. Makarov did exactly that.
Once the excitement faded, the guild settled back into drinking. Mirajane led Rowan and the blonde girl forward.
"You're Lucy, right?" Makarov said kindly. "Since Natsu brought you here, that's enough for me. Welcome to Fairy Tail."
Mirajane pressed a magical stamp against Lucy's hand. The Fairy Tail emblem appeared instantly.
Lucy froze. Then she jumped in place.
"I did it! I'm really in Fairy Tail!"
Fairy Tail wasn't open to just anyone. Strength mattered, but character mattered more. Mages with questionable histories were turned away without discussion.
Then Makarov turned to Rowan.
"And you," he said, studying the small winged cat. "Rowan Mercer, was it? I have two questions. First, why Fairy Tail? Second, aside from flight magic, what can you do?"
His tone was gentle, but his eyes were sharp.
Fairy Tail had made enemies over the decades. Letting the wrong person in could be disastrous. Skill could be trained. Intent could not.
Rowan raised two claws.
"I came here for two reasons," he said calmly, pointing first toward Happy, who stood on Natsu's shoulder staring at him with open curiosity. "I was born in a forest. I don't know my parents. I've never met anyone like me. I heard Fairy Tail had a flying magic cat, so I came to see."
"Eh!" Happy raised a paw. "Happy doesn't know his parents either! Natsu found Happy and raised Happy!"
Rowan nodded. "Then that part's settled."
He continued without hesitation.
"Second, I want to learn magic. Fairy Tail is the strongest guild in the kingdom. So I came."
No embellishment. No deception.
Makarov burst into laughter.
"Well said! Fairy Tail is the strongest!"
He drained his mug in one gulp.
At his age, and with his mastery of light magic, Makarov could sense hostility easily. Rowan carried none. Whatever his origins, his intentions were clear enough.
Even if Rowan only knew flight magic, that was fine. Guildmates helped each other grow. Someone like Natsu would happily drag him along on jobs.
Rowan drifted into the air and stopped beside a shattered table.
"I've learned a lot of spells," he said, "but most of them aren't meant for fighting. Still, there's one I think is useful."
He raised a claw.
"Reparo."
The broken table reassembled itself in an instant, wood snapping back into place as if time itself reversed.
Rowan flew across the hall, casting the spell again and again. Cracked walls sealed. Splintered beams fused. Destroyed furniture returned to pristine condition.
In moments, the guild hall looked exactly as it had before the brawl.
Silence followed.