Three weeks passed quietly.
By then, Lyon's injuries were nothing more than a memory. The burns that once forced him into a hospital bed had healed cleanly, his body restored long before their journey had come to an end. Together with Yukino, he traveled alongside Jura toward Margaret Town—the home of Lamia Scale.
The road was long, but never dull.
They talked as they walked, sharing meals, resting beneath open skies, and trading stories during the evenings. Lyon and Yukino slowly came to know Jura not as a distant name printed in Sorcerer Weekly, and Lyon's case, not as a future Wizard Saint —but as a person.
To Lyon's quiet surprise, Jura was… normal.
Down-to-earth. Calm. Almost disarmingly relaxed.
Despite his reputation and the overwhelming magic he carried so effortlessly, Jura spoke without arrogance, listened attentively, and treated both of them with genuine respect. Lyon found himself repeatedly caught off guard by it. In hindsight, he realized how little he truly knew about Jura beyond fragmented knowledge from another life—titles, power, and brief appearances.
This world filled in the gaps.
And the more time passed, the more Yukino relaxed as well.
Her initial wariness faded into cautious comfort, then into trust. She spoke more freely around Jura, occasionally asking him questions about magic or the places they passed through. Jura answered each one patiently, never talking down to her, never dismissing her curiosity.
Through him, Lyon also witnessed firsthand why Jura was considered one of the most promising mages of the era.
Any danger they encountered along the road—rogue monsters, hostile bandits, wandering magic beasts—was resolved swiftly and decisively. Jura handled each situation with measured precision, his magic overwhelming yet controlled, his movements practiced but never wasteful.
Lyon watched carefully.
And each time, the same thought surfaced.
I'm still so far behind...
Jura wasn't just stronger. He was experienced. Polished. Years of growth separated them, and Lyon could see it clearly now. It wasn't a wall meant to crush him—but a summit to climb.
Eventually, the road gave way to familiar stone paths and rising rooftops.
Margaret Town came into view.
Before long, the Lamia Scale guild building stood before them.
Yukino tightened her grip around Lyon's hand as they approached, her steps slowing until they both came to a stop. The building was imposing—solid stone, tall pillars, and a dignified presence that spoke of order and history.
They stared.
For a moment, the world seemed to pause.
"Lyon-dono."
Jura's voice broke through their awe.
They snapped out of it, turning to see Jura already standing before the massive guild doors, one hand resting casually against the handle as he waited for them.
Yukino blinked, embarrassed, and Lyon cleared his throat lightly before guiding her forward. Together, they joined Jura at the entrance.
With a firm push, Jura opened the doors.
The interior revealed itself at once—and Lyon immediately noted how different it felt from Fairy Tail.
No bar. No roaring chaos.
Instead, Lamia Scale's hall was structured and refined. Long rows of sturdy tables filled the room, guild wizards seated in small groups or reviewing job reports. Two large request boards stood on opposite sides of the building, both filled with neatly arranged job flyers. Near the back were two registration desks, where staff members reviewed requests, stamping approval onto flyers before handing them back to wizards preparing to depart.
It all screamed professionalism.
Yet despite the formality, the atmosphere was far from cold.
To Lyon, it was breathtaking.
Yukino looked just as stunned, her eyes darting from one detail to the next, clearly overwhelmed by everything at once.
Once again, Jura drew their attention back.
"This way," he said gently, motioning for them to follow.
He led them deeper inside, toward a door set between the two registration desks—clearly the master's office.
As they walked, guild members acknowledged Jura with nods, greetings, and subtle signs of respect. Some paused mid-conversation just to glance their way, curiosity flickering in their eyes as they took in the unfamiliar faces beside him.
Yukino instinctively stepped closer behind Lyon, trying to hide from the attention.
While Lyon remained composed, posture straight, expression calm—choosing to ignore the looks rather than react to them.
Soon, they reached the door.
Jura opened it and stepped inside, waiting until Lyon and Yukino followed before closing it behind them.
—
Lyon's POV
A few seconds later…
The moment Lyon stepped fully into the office, he knew something was wrong.
Very wrong.
In front of him—behind a large desk stacked with papers and half-organized documents—sat an older woman spinning rapidly in her chair. In one hand, she held a newspaper; in the other, nothing at all, yet she waved her finger around with theatrical flair as if addressing an invisible audience.
Her voice filled the room.
"This is ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!" she snapped, chair still spinning. "Fairy Tail this, Phantom Lord that—explosions everywhere, buildings collapsing, magic flying like it's a festival parade! And that's what people like now?!"
She slammed the newspaper against the desk mid-spin.
"We do things efficiently here! Clean operations! Minimal collateral damage! Proper procedures!" she continued, jabbing the air with the paper. "But does Lamia Scale get any recognition, nooo, apparently chaos sells better than competence these days! It's not fair, I tell you—not fair at all!"
Lyon stood there, frozen.
…What did I just walk into?
He slowly glanced to the side.
Jura stood calmly beside him, posture straight, expression composed—completely unbothered, as if this were the most normal thing in the world.
Lyon stared at him.
Jura did not react.
You see this, right? Lyon screamed internally. Please tell me you see this.
Out of the corner of his eye, Lyon checked on Yukino.
She wasn't scared.
She wasn't even alarmed.
She just looked… confused. Genuinely, adorably confused, her head tilted slightly as she tried to process what exactly was happening.
After several more seconds of spinning and ranting, the woman abruptly stopped. The chair came to a perfect halt, as if nothing unusual had occurred.
She lowered the newspaper, looked directly at Jura, and spoke calmly.
"Oh Jura. When did you get here?"
Lyon nearly fell over.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN DID YOU GET HERE?!
His soul almost left his body at the sheer whiplash of it all.
Jura, unfazed, bowed his head slightly.
"I arrived moments ago, Master," he said respectfully. "The mission has been completed."
Lyon blinked.
So this was her.
Ooba Babasaama.
Guild Master of Lamia Scale.
Jura continued, tone steady.
"I also brought these two with me— I believe they would benefit greatly from joining Lamia Scale."
Ooba's eyes shifted.
They landed on Lyon.
Then Yukino.
She stared at them in silence for several long seconds.
Lyon felt sweat trickle down his spine.
Then—
"Well?" she said bluntly, pointing at Lyon. "You gonna talk, or should I keep staring?"
Lyon nearly stumbled.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME—
He inhaled sharply, forcing himself upright.
Okay. Calm down. Breathe. You can do this.
He bowed slightly, regaining composure.
"My name is Lyon Vasita," he said aloud, voice steady despite everything. "And this is Yukino Agria."
He glanced at her briefly. Yukino stood close, hand clasped together with his, watching quietly.
"We'd like to join Lamia Scale," Lyon continued. "If I'm being honest, I just wanna earn money, find somewhere we can stay, and grow stronger—strong enough that I will be able to protect those I care about."
When he finished speaking, silence filled the room.
Ooba stared directly at him.
Unblinking.
Lyon swallowed.
She's gonna say no…Damn it, I forgot I don't know how other guilds work besides Fairy Tail, I'm so stupi—
"Sure. Why not."
Lyon's expression quickly became blank.
…Really?
Before his brain could catch up, Ooba pulled open a drawer and pulled out a magical stamp tool, setting it on the desk with a soft thunk.
"So," she said casually, "where do you want your guild mark?"
Lyon opened his mouth—then froze.
"…Wait."
He raised a hand quickly.
"Sorry—uh—before that, there's something I need to say."
Ooba paused, eyebrow lifting.
Lyon took a breath.
"You see there's a bounty on me," he admitted. "I don't know how or why it exists, but it does…Having me around could bring trouble to Lamia Scale."
He went quiet.
This is it, he thought grimly. She's gonna turn me away.
His mind raced.
If she does… I'll ask her to take Yukino at least.
I'll give Jura all the money I have to look after her for me.
Then I'll leave on my own.
…I won't risk her safety.
Ooba stared at him.
Then—
She threw her head back and laughed.
Loudly.
The tension shattered instantly.
Lyon's face twisted into pure disbelief.
After a few seconds, she stopped laughing and leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand.
"Kid," she said, tone softer now, "do you really think I'd turn you away just because trouble might follow you?"
Lyon blinked.
Ooba's voice carried weight now—calm, experienced, and steady.
"Lamia Scale exists to provide reassurance, efficiency, and consistency," she said. "When times are hard, when people are struggling, they know they can rely on us. We stand strong. We handle problems properly. And we don't back down just because something's inconvenient."
She looked directly at him.
"So we ain't afraid of a little trouble," she says, voice filled with confidence. " If anyone comes knocking, they will be taken care of accordingly, because that's the Lamia Scale way."
Lyon hearing this could literally feel his spirit rising after the speech.
He smiled with assurance.
Yeah… I really did choose the right guild to join.
Ooba straightened, lifting the stamp once more.
"So," she said confidently, "where do you want your marks?"
Lyon glanced down at Yukino.
She looked up at him, eyes bright, trust unwavering.
Together, they stepped forward.
And that—
That was the day Lyon and Yukino officially became members of Lamia Scale.
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I don't know why, but for some reason whenever I wrote Ooba's lines of dialogue, I always imagined her speaking them in Turbo Granny's accent from Dandandan, needless to say I had alot of fun writing this chapter.
