Ulu's expression was also a bit strange. This.... I heard that the guys from Fairy Tail are very willful, but I didn't expect joining to be so willful too. No need for an assessment, just stamp directly.
Looking at the strange eyes of the few people, Gael was also helpless, spreading his hands:
"Don't doubt it. It's really like that. However, it's not close from here to Fiore Kingdom. Since you want to join Fairy Tail, then let's consider this the start of your training. You have to go by yourself."
Gray's eyes widened: "Huh?! Aren't you going back?!"
Gael said with a smile: "I still have other tasks. I estimate I'll only go back when they're almost done. I can, however, accompany you for a while. Flowers in a greenhouse can't withstand wind and rain. When you travel alone to Fiore Kingdom and join the Guild, at that time, your strength should be even stronger than Lyon's."
Gray's eyes instantly lit up. Lyon next to him turned red in the face: "What kind of joke is this?! How is that possible! I will definitely be stronger than Gray!"
Gray was full of fighting spirit: "Then let's see. When we meet in the future, I will definitely be stronger than you."
Lyon's mouth curved slightly: "Is this a challenge, Gray? I accept. I will use my strength to tell you who is the one who can protect Ulu!"
Ulu couldn't help but rub her forehead, it seemed she wasn't old enough to need her disciple's protection yet. But this feeling... isn't bad.
"Alright, alright. After delaying for so long, the meat is almost overcooked! Eat!"
"Ah--! My meat!"
"Damn Gray! Don't steal my meat!"
"You're the one stealing mine!"
"Damn it!!"
---
The next day, in front of the wooden house in the Endless Snow Mountains, Ulu, Lyon, and Gray had already packed their things. Since the matter had been decided, there was no more hesitation. Ulu's heart, seeking her daughter, couldn't wait another moment.
Looking at the locked wooden house, all three felt a little lost. They didn't know if they would return in the future, or if the house would still be here when they did.
Ulu quickly recovered and looked at Gael beside her: "This kid Gray, I'll leave him to you. If I have the chance, I'll go to Fairy Tail to see him."
The place where her daughter was located was in the stronghold of a certain powerful Dark Guild in the East. And Fiore Kingdom is in the West of Ishgar Continent. She didn't know how long this search would take, nor when they would meet again.
Gael nodded and said: "Don't worry. I also know a little Ice Magic, guiding him is no problem."
Ulu's face showed a smile: "That's exactly what I was waiting for you to say."
Then she looked at Gray: "Study hard with Gael. I look forward to the next time we meet when you can defeat me."
Gray nodded with a determined expression: "I will, Ulu."
The sadness of parting made Lyon, unusually, not come out to tsundere retort.
After a simple farewell, Ulu led Lyon towards the East. In the vast snow, two figures, one large and one small, left footprints with each step, gradually disappearing into the wind and snow.
Until they could no longer see the two figures, only then did Gray recover, looking at Gael with some embarrassment: "Gael, I'm sorry. I made you wait for a long time."
Gael smiled and said: "Calling me 'Mister' is too formal. Besides, I'm not much older than you. Calling me Gael or Gaer is fine."
Gray nodded and said: "Gael... Gaer. Where are we going now?"
Gael said: "Let's go to the town at the foot of the mountain first. Then head to the border city 'Monet.' In the sea area there, a powerful monster 'Unicorn' has appeared, obstructing sea traffic. Many Magicians couldn't do anything about it. Mission requests have been sent to Fiore."
Gael took out a bounty request from his pocket and handed it over. Gray took the bounty request and looked at it, very surprised: "The bounty is actually three hundred thousand Gold."
Looking at the photo on the bounty, it was blurry, only showing an incredibly huge black shadow lurking in the water. And the ships on the water, against the backdrop of the black shadow, looked like toy boats. Gray felt a faint sense of anticipation in his heart, eager to see this monster, and handed the bounty request back to Gael: "If we're going to the town, we need to go that way. I'll lead the way. We can walk there before noon."
Saying this, he pointed in a direction, exactly opposite to the direction Ulu had just left: "I can, however, create an ice cart. It's just that there are no Magic beasts to pull it."
Gael nodded and took out his Magic staff: "No need for such trouble."
Gray looked at Gael with some confusion upon seeing this. Gael raised the Magic staff in his hand and pointed it in front of him. Instantly, a silver-white Magic circle appeared under their feet, enveloping the two of them: "How could Magic be so inconvenient."
As Gael's voice fell, swish! The figures of the two disappeared into the vast Endless Snow Mountains.
---
Half a day later, in the town center, on the waiting train, Gael and Gray sat in the train compartment, waiting for departure. Gray lay on the table, looked at the scenery outside the window for a while, then looked at Gael, who was reading a Magic book, and asked: "Gaer. Fairy Tail... what kind of Guild is it?"
Gael put down the Magic book, thought for a moment, and said: "How should I put it... It's a willful, easygoing place. But the people are all very good, everyone cares about their companions. There are also quite a few powerful Magicians, ranking among the top in Fiore Kingdom. Gildarts, whom Ulu and I mentioned, is known as the strongest Magician in Fairy Tail. Of course, this is just what we say internally. If evaluated by the outside world, he is the strongest Magician in the West of the Continent."
"Also, there is Guild Master Makarov, who is one of the Ten Wizard Saints. And Guild Master Makarov's son, Ivan, is also a powerful S-Class Magician. Below that are some A-Class Magicians, including myself, as well as B-Class and C-Class Magicians, who make up the majority of the members. There are also quite a few children in the Guild, several around your age."
Listening to Gael's description, Gray's expression became even more expectant. One must know that Gildarts, according to Ulu, was a quite formidable guy, someone even Gael treated with great seriousness. And the ten strongest people in the Magic world, the existence of the Ten Wizard Saints, it turned out to be the Guild Master of Fairy Tail, and even his son is an S-Class Magician.
Gray's heart pounded with excitement. Studying here, he would definitely get stronger quickly. By then, he would be able to protect Ulu.
Looking at Gray's excited expression, Gael smiled: "Joining the Guild is a matter of time. Let me first check your Magic. Gray."