Chapter 157: S-Class Exam List Announced
Chapter 157: S-Class Exam List Announced
After finishing their coffee, Rod and Mira went to buy the items Mira had mentioned.
It was just a regular shopping trip, nothing out of the ordinary happened, and they didn't run into anyone special.
Rod found this perfectly fine.
Mira turned to look at him, "Why are you smiling so happily?"
"I was thinking about how nice it will be to have a warm fireplace in the winter."
Mira didn't believe him, "Liar."
"Hmm." Rod chuckled, "Guess, then?"
Mira thought for a moment, "I'm not guessing."
Rod felt she had already guessed and continued smiling.
Mira wanted to kick him.
Macao watched as the two of them, laughing and chatting, came in carrying a pile of items. It felt like a newlywed couple buying supplies for their new home.
He remembered when he and his ex-wife were in love, they had a similar phase.
Unfortunately, they eventually split up.
Wakaba, sitting across from him, puffed out a cloud of smoke, "Why the sudden gloomy face? It's disgusting."
"Who are you calling disgusting, you bastard!" Macao slammed his hand on the table and stood up, then slumped back down.
Wakaba, rolling up his sleeves, ready for a fight, almost strained his back, "Hey, what do you want?"
Macao said wistfully, "I've been divorced for a while, and I'm a bit lonely. I suddenly want a girlfriend."
Wakaba advised, "Romeo is already five, don't go causing trouble."
Macao looked at him strangely, "What does Romeo's age have to do with me finding a girlfriend? It's not like I'm finding one for Romeo... Oh, are you jealous that being single is easier?"
"Who would be jealous of you, you drunkard stinking of alcohol!"
"What did you say, old smoker!"
Bang, bang, slap, slap!
After Rod and Mira finished organizing the items, they leaned against the counter to watch the fight, "Even with most people gone, this guild is still as noisy as ever."
...
Peaceful days always pass quickly, and before they knew it, it was the end of November.
Since that day, Rod had been busier than usual.
Every day, in addition to his work at the guild, he would take on small tasks during his breaks.
These included finding lost items, delivering goods, capturing dangerous dogs, and dealing with rat infestations.
Most people thought these small tasks didn't showcase their abilities, so they had been piling up.
Rod usually found the rewards too low, preferring to train in the guild instead.
But what could he do when he was short on money? He had to take these as side jobs.
However, doing these tasks wasn't without benefits.
Since these tasks often required running all over the city, he now knew Magnolia's layout much better. If he ever needed to fight in the alleys, he wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
Moreover, due to his efforts, many residents now knew that Fairy Tail had a reliable mage who could "eliminate rats without destroying the grain storage."
Most importantly, his efficient handling of the backlog of tasks earned him a point of goodwill from Mira.
"Financial crisis resolved!" Rod handed in the last task on his list, slumping onto the counter, his face squished against the table, looking relieved.
"Good job." Mira took the task slip and poured him a glass of water.
Rod perked up, "Not a problem. I'll be getting paid soon, and things are looking up."
Laki reminded him, "But the rent is due soon, too."
"Let me enjoy this moment first before you tell me that." Rod glared at Laki's mischievous smile, "And my rent is cheaper, only 60,000 J, half of what you pay."
Now it was Laki's turn to be indignant, "That's unfair! Why do you have such a good landlord?"
"Oh ho? Laki saying the landlord is bad, noted. I'll tell Chico later."
"Chico is the daughter of the landlord for the girls' dormitory."
"I didn't say that! And tattling is shameful!" Laki huffed, "Mira, don't just laugh, condemn him!"
Mira smiled sweetly, "I do think Rod is being a bit too harsh, but it's only 40,000 J less than Laki, not half."
"That's not the point!" Laki realized these two were ganging up on her.
After a noisy and cheerful evening, Rod still trained with the siblings.
"Has Elfman been getting stronger lately?" Rod rubbed his forearm.
He felt Elfman's punches were getting heavier, both in his normal state and when using magic.
Even when he blocked them, they still hurt.
He couldn't tell if it was personal or if Elfman's magic had genuinely improved.
Elfman flexed his muscles, "That's because... I'm a man!"
Asking him was pointless, so Rod looked at Mira.
"My magic power has increased a bit," Mira thought for a moment and said, "Rod, you've become much stronger, haven't you?"
"I've only gotten a little stronger."
Just a little.
...
On December 8th, X783, a light snow began to fall over Magnolia.
On this day, Rod and Elfman returned from the tailor's shop with two new coats.
When Rod and Mira put on their matching coats, Elfman finally realized Rod's 'plot.'
"You planned this, didn't you?"
"What are you talking about? I'm just a poor guy who couldn't afford winter clothes and had to hunt and ask the tailor for help."
"..." Who are you trying to fool? That tailor's shop is so expensive; the labor cost is no less than buying a regular winter coat.
"Don't be like that, Elfman. I really like the coat you gave me," Mira said with a smile, "How about I get you one in a few days?"
"No, thank you, Sister. I have enough clothes already." He had a feeling that if she bought him clothes, she'd end up shopping with Rod as well.
Elfman thought about going back to the snowy mountains to hunt another Lapin.
Mira tried on her coat, found it fit well, and then took it off to store it. The guild had installed a new furnace, so it was still quite warm inside.
Rod also took off his coat and discussed with her whether they should have the guild emblem printed on the back, and maybe even on the chest.
More and more people were gathering in the guild. Members who had been busy and rushing around recently were now all assembled, their numbers rivaling those of the Harvest Festival.
People like Rod, Mira, and Elfman, who were relaxed, were in the minority. Most were on edge, tapping their feet nervously.
Today was the day the candidates for the S-Class Mage Examination would be announced.
Crack!
A sound like a handheld firework, and a large flag with the guild emblem unfurled from the second-floor balcony, with colorful ribbons fluttering down.
Everyone's eyes turned toward the flag, and Master Makarov stepped forward.
Behind him stood the stern-faced Erza, the masked Mystogan, and the somewhat frivolous Laxus.
A small commotion rippled through the crowd; it was rare to see the three S-Class Mages and the Master together.
Once the crowd settled down, Makarov announced, "According to the ancient rules of Fairy Tail, I will now announce the participants for the S-Class Mage Examination."
"This year, there are four candidates. The first... Cana Alberona!"
"Great!" Cana was pleased, but a bit disappointed not to see Gildarts.
"Second, Mest Gryder!"
"It's Mest, as expected. He's been chosen."
"Third, Mijin Kijin Tegar!"
The members of the Million Death Squad cheered for their captain, "Awesome, Captain Mijin!"
"Fourth, Warren Rocko!"
Warren was surprised, "I've been chosen!?"
The list isn't random. The author's explanation is at the end.
This year's list, apart from Cana, who was a sure bet, had to be guessed from various hints:
1. In the manga, after the S-Class candidates were announced, Lucy said, "I didn't expect Natsu, Gray, and Elfman to be first-timers."
So, they weren't involved this year.
2. Alzack said, "I wasn't chosen this time either."
So, he wasn't considered this year.
3. Jet and Droy said, "Great, Levy has finally been chosen."
So, this was her first time, and she wasn't involved this year.
4. When Mest was announced, someone said, "Mest really missed out last year."
This suggests he was a candidate this year, though it's possible that everyone's memories were tampered with.
I believe he was genuinely a candidate, but the intrigue of the story made everyone confused. The Master definitely remembered him, so he included Mest this year.
5. Gray said, "The bar is really high this year."
This suggests that the threshold might have been slightly lower in X783. Given that Warren is described as capable of handling high-difficulty missions alone, and Mijin is a skilled fighter who can take on four opponents at once, it makes sense for them to be included.
6. About Fried, the Master said during the civil war, "Is Fried's magic really that strong?"
This suggests he didn't know much about Fried, so he likely didn't qualify this year. The other Thunder God Tribe members, Bickslow and Evergreen, are also quite reclusive, so their situation is similar.
7. Macao and Wakaba definitely had the qualifications, but they were too lazy to participate.
8. The rest just didn't quite make the cut.
(End of Chapter)
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