"We won! We actually won!"
Lucy threw her arms around Happy, cheering as the three-eyed demon dissolved into nothingness. Around them, the gathered guild masters nodded in open approval. Even for a creature born of dark magic tied to Zeref, defeating it so cleanly with three S-Class mages working in sync was no small feat.
Makarov stood a little taller under the praise, pride and relief written all over his face.
That pride lasted exactly one second.
"Master," Rowan said flatly, resentment dripping from every word, "if you don't secure the Cursed Flute, I'm seriously considering transferring guilds."
The city had already been reduced to rubble. Natsu's final attack had gone one step further and blown a crater straight through the center of Croba. From a repair perspective, it was a nightmare.
Makarov froze.
"Leave it to me! Leave it to me!" he shouted, vanishing in a blur. Before the royal army could even finish regrouping, he snatched the flute from the ground. With a quick glance around, he twisted hard and snapped the skull ornament clean off the top. Then, without ceremony, he shoved the remaining flute body straight into Rowan's paws.
"Hide it. Don't let the knights see."
"Thank you, Master," Rowan replied instantly, his mood improving so fast it was almost visible. He slipped the flute body into his pack with great care.
Originally, he'd planned to quietly shave off a section during the chaos. But with the army, the council, and multiple guild masters present, that had become impossible. So he'd gone straight to Makarov instead, explaining that he needed part of the flute as a material for a tool that would drastically improve his repair magic.
He hadn't expected Makarov to go this far.
A wand body like this was better the larger it was.
Clutching the broken skull, Makarov jogged up to the stunned commander of the Royal Knights. "This is what's left of the Cursed Flute. It's already destroyed. Hand it over to the council for sealing when they arrive. Oh, and tell them Fairy Tail will take care of rebuilding the city."
Before the man could respond, Makarov turned on his heel. Moments later, he and the Fairy Tail team were already gone.
The council had teleportation magic. If they stayed, explanations would follow. Makarov preferred not to be present for those.
Watching him flee, the guild masters of Four Hounds and Blue Pegasus exchanged amused looks.
"Same old Makarov," one of them said with a chuckle.
Night fell as the group made their way back toward Magnolia on foot. The train line was still shut down, and their rented vehicle hadn't survived the battle.
"Rowan, your magic is incredible," Natsu said through a mouthful of roasted lamb. "You should totally team up with us for jobs."
"Agreed!" Happy added, holding up a grilled fish.
"For now, I'll pass," Rowan replied calmly, ladling soup into a bowl and handing it to Natsu. As he did, he discreetly clipped a few strands of hair from the back of Natsu's head.
As wand cores went, this was premium material.
Makarov studied him for a moment. "You're welcome to take missions. Real growth happens out there."
Rowan shook his head. "Not yet. I want to read more first. Figure out where my magic is really going."
It wasn't an excuse. He genuinely intended to finish every book in the guild library before setting out again.
Two days later, Rowan returned to Croba by train.
The city was still a wasteland, though the massive crater had already been filled in with earth magic. Civilians lived in temporary camps beyond the walls.
"You're the Fairy Tail repair mage?" a woman asked, eyes narrowing as she looked down at the golden cat with a pack on his back.
Ultear, leader of the council's investigation team, had personally volunteered for this assignment. She'd expected a human. Perhaps someone like herself.
She hadn't expected a cat.
"That's me," Rowan said. "If there are no objections, I'll begin."
Ultear smiled and stepped back. "Please do, Mister Rowan."
Rowan reached into his pack and withdrew his new wand. The flute's body had been reshaped, polished, and fitted with a core made from Natsu's hair. The moment he held it, he could feel the difference. The flow of magic was smooth, deep, responsive.
A top-tier wand.
Raising it toward the ruins, Rowan began to cast.