The warm sunlight shined on the village that’s not too big in scale and not too small as well. It also shined on a rather old inn’s courtyard giving the boy and girl currently in it a golden hue.
“Hiya — Hiya — Hiya — !”
The noise is accompanied by Noah’s deft slashes that cuts through the air leaving crisp sound and a sword trail. It warms the heart and delights the eye.
Meanwhile, not far away, Wendy is sitting at the doorsteps with her small hands supporting her cheeks as she used her watery and moist eyes to look intently at Noah. She looks pleased and her eyes never left Noah.
This is the third day after Noah, Wendy and Jellal returned from the forest.
On the first day that he returned, Noah went over to the village chief’s house and told the chief that he has completed the quest and to tell him that the villagers can go back to hunting in the forest like they used to do.
The village chief thanked him but asked tactfully for him to stay in the village just a few more days, just long enough that the villagers can confirm there are no more crying of spirit or sky breaking events before paying the quest reward.
This is to be expected.
Noah didn’t think the village chief would believe him just like that so he brought Wendy and stayed at this inn.
Jellal originally thought he would leave this place at once but in the end Jellal stayed here temporary as well.
“Hypothetically speaking, [Anima] shouldn’t appear here again, but just in case I will stay here and observe the situation for a bit.”
And so, Noah, Wendy and Jellal grouped up and stayed at this village, in the same inn.
Also, although the 3 stayed at the same inn in the village, they stayed at two different rooms.
Noah is the first person Wendy met. At the moment, her mother figure, Grandeeney had disappeared and Wendy weeped and searched throughout the forest. One can imagine this process was excruciatingly hard for a girl who’s not familiar with the world around her as well as being under the age of 10.
Perhaps it’s also because of this, as the first person Wendy met, as well as the first person to show her warmth, Noah’s position in her heart had risen to an extremely high position within this short 3 days.
Add to that the fact that her sole family member disappeared. These 3 days, Wendy basically never left Noah’s side. She must sleep in the same room and the same bed as Noah otherwise she will make a sad and pitiful expression like she would cry any moment. She’s practically gluing herself onto Noah.
Helpless, Noah just let Wendy do whatever she wanted.
“Hiya — Hiya — Hiya — !”
The rhythmic shouts didn’t stop and the cold icy blade trail didn’t stop flickering in the courtyard.
These 3 days, Noah devoted almost all his time to training his sword techniques and magic power control. Compared to Magnolia not much had changed except that Erza is not with him and the location is different, everything else is pretty much the same.
Even outside, Noah does not neglect to refine the only combat ability he has which incidentally is also the first one to receive recognition.
Wendy still watching Noah practicing his sword skills saw someone approaching, she stopped before standing up and calling out to Noah with her soft voice.
“Noah Onii-san! Jellal is back!”
Noah stopped his sword which were slashing downwards in midair with no visible momentum of going downwards.
From here one could see that Noah’s improvement in the handling of swords could be described as travelling a thousand miles in 1 day (Tl: very fast progress). If Erza saw this, she’d probably commend him.
“Noah Onii-san.”
He didn’t know when but Wendy already ran to his side with towel in hand before passing it over to Noah.
“Thanks.”
Noah received the towel and wiped his sweat before rubbing Wendy’s head. Wendy looked like she enjoyed it, he turned around and faced Jellal.
“And?”
“It’s stable at the least.”
Jellal nodded.
“[Anima] looks like it won’t be happening around this area anymore. I think this place is safe now.”
Noah nodded.
Even after spending 3 days together, Jellal did not appear to have any intention of telling Noah anything further about [Anima]. so, Noah still don’t know much about [Anima].
But going by Jellal’s “This place is safe.”, should the inter-dimensional space time magic, [Anima] be successful in execution, it would bring a disaster of no less proportion than when Noah loses control of his magic powers.
Jellal is here to prevent the disaster from ever happening.
According to jellal, he will be continuing his journey on this planet to continuously track [Anima]’s trail and stop it from ever getting successfully triggered.
Knowing this, Noah cast his sight on Jellal.
“You leaving soon?”
Jellal opened his mouth and just when he wanted to say something, a voice disrupted him.
“Guest from Fairy Tail!”
The guy is the boss of the inn, he came inside the hotel seemingly back from somewhere.
“What’s the matter?”
Frowning ever so slightly, Noah asked the Inn’s boss when he saw how he is gasping for words.
“Did something happened?”
“The village chief told me to bring you this message.”
The Inn’s boss shook his head and continued.
“Not long ago, 3 white haired kids about the same age as you went inside asking for your movements at the chief’s. Soon, they entered the forest and they had yet to come out of the forest so the chief told me to ask you whether or not those 3 persons are comrades of yours?”
“3 white haired kids?”
Wendy and Jellal both looked at Noah at the same time. They saw that Noah had an abrupt change in expression.
“What’s the matter?”
Jellal asked.
“Acquaintances of yours?”
“More or less.”
Noah is still upset when he asked the boss of the inn.
“You said the three haven’t returned from the forest after entering it?”
“It’s not just returning.”
The Inn’s boss honestly replied.
“The villagers never once saw the trio coming out of the forest after going in.”
Noah thought for a bit before nodding.
“Alright, I understand. Give my thanks to the village chief.”
The inn’s boss nodded with a smile and left.
“Noah Onii-san….”
Wendy felt anxious as she clutched his hand, intent on not letting go.”
“Noah.”
Jellal opened his mouth.
“Need help?”
Noah’s expression changed a few times before finally releasing a sigh. He pulled Wendy in front of him.
“If you wish to help me then may I please entrust the duty of looking for Wendy’s Grandeeney to you?”
“Finding Grandeeney and taking Wendy with me?”
Jellal said in a surprised manner.
“I don’t want to!”
Wendy’s face turned pale and she hugged Noah’s leg.
“I am not leaving Noah Onii-san!”
Noah seemed to have predicted this might happen as he put on a helpless smile. He knelt down and pulled Wendy in front of him.
“Wendy, listen, Let Jellal take you along to find Grandeeney please?”
“I don’t wanna I don’t wanna!”
Wendy threw herself into his chest and held on tight, she seems to be saying she will let go over her dead body.
“Noah Onii-san, please don’t leave me behind alone like Grandeeney!”
Listening to her words and feeling the strength coming from those small arms hugging him even Noah is surprised.
Even though Noah enjoys having such a cute little sister esque girl around him, he never thought wendy would be so attached to him.
Noah felt a bit troubled when he knew this, he rubbed her petite back and said.
“I also don’t want to part with Wendy but doesn’t Wendy want to find Grandeeney?”
Wendy’s body shook.