Wendy immediately made plans with Meredy and Yukino. She hadn't been able to hang out with them for a while. Yukino and Meredy had been taking on missions together, and they were thrilled to have Wendy back with them.

However, Wendy didn't want to go on a job right away. First, she wanted to go visit Roubaul, so they used Noah's teleportation magic to get there.

Over the years, Wendy had often brought Yukino along to visit Roubaul, and he always welcomed their visits. Every time they came, the Nirvit Tribe village was filled with laughter. All the tribe members adored the young girls, and their arrivals were treated like a festival, with everyone offering them their best food and gifts.

Later, when Carla was born and Meredy joined their group, the visiting party grew, and the Nirvit Tribe's hospitality grew with it. This time, Wendy was bursting to share her good news about mastering offensive magic with "Grandpa Roubaul" and the others.

Yukino, Meredy, and Carla all happily agreed. They hadn't seen Roubaul in a while either. The journey was too far for them to travel alone, so they relied on Noah to take them.

"Grandpa Roubaul, we're here to visit!" Wendy called out happily as they arrived.

"Hello, Grandpa Roubaul!" Yukino and the others chimed in.

"Ho ho, welcome, welcome, Wendy!" Roubaul's face was all smiles.

"Wendy, you're here! Come and play!"

"We made some of our special snacks, you must try them!"

"I've made some new clothes for you all, come and try them on!"

The other Nirvit Tribe members gathered around, all greeting the girls warmly.

"Mhm! We will! Grandpa Roubaul, I learned offensive Dragon Slayer magic—!"

Wendy excitedly told Roubaul everything that had happened, and he listened with a gentle smile.

"That's wonderful, Wendy," he said. "You learned so quickly. Now I can rest easier, knowing you can protect yourself."

"Heehee, it's only because Brother Noah and Brother Natsu are good teachers," Wendy said, blushing.

After they chatted for a while, the other tribe members whisked Wendy and the girls away to try the snacks and clothes. Soon, only Noah and Roubaul were left.

"The knowledge of the Nirvit Tribe is almost fully recorded," Roubaul said, his smile fading as his tone turned serious. "Only a little is left. Now, only my final wish remains: to destroy Nirvana. Your strength is great now, Noah. When do you plan to do it?"

Noah looked at the old man's determined eyes and knew, once again, that destroying Nirvana had become his final lingering attachment. The day that happened would be the day this old man left the world.

Over the years, Noah had come to rely on Roubaul's wisdom. He had learned so much from him. And Wendy and the girls loved him dearly. For all those reasons, Noah didn't want him to go. He had tried, gently, to suggest other paths, but Roubaul's mind was set. He had endured for 400 years to atone for his sin. His conviction was unbreakable.

Noah had only convinced him to preserve the Nirvit Tribe's history in the first place by promising to one day help him destroy Nirvana. Now that the history was safe, Roubaul was asking him to fulfill his end of the bargain. Noah remembered the pain and regret in Roubaul's voice when he'd described how Nirvana had caused his people to kill each other, driving his race to extinction.

Noah knew he couldn't change his mind. He let out a long sigh.

"Not just yet," Noah said. "I have a plan. I want to use Nirvana as bait to lure out an old enemy. Someone I've been hunting for a long time. I heard he's been searching for this 'ultimate magic'."

Since he couldn't save Roubaul, Noah would at least make his final act count. He was talking about Brain, the former head of the Magic Development Bureau. Noah remembered he was obsessed with finding Nirvana to "invert" all the light guilds. Noah had been hunting him for years for what he had done to Ultear and Sorano, but Brain was skilled at hiding.

Years ago, Noah had helped Roubaul place a new, powerful barrier around Nirvana's seal, hiding it from the world. Now, he would "leak" its location and draw Brain into a trap.

"That is a good plan," Roubaul said, nodding. "Let Nirvana serve one final purpose... to help you clean up your enemies."

He saw the sadness in Noah's eyes and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You don't need to be sad for me, my boy. I won't pass on until after it is destroyed. In truth, I am grateful to you. Your arrival guaranteed that Nirvana would be destroyed. You convinced me to record my people's history, to leave our mark on this world. And you brought me Wendy, Yukino, Carla, and Meredy. These last few years... I have been so happy.

"The history is finished. Only Nirvana remains. I am just a Thought Projection now... a spirit. My people have been waiting for me for a very long time. It is time for me to join them."

His voice was light, and he spoke of his own end with a calm acceptance.

"Now, go on," Roubaul said, shooing him. "Go play with Wendy and the others. And... do not tell them about this. I don't want to make them sad."

Noah looked at the old man's peaceful expression and knew there was nothing more to say. He gave him a deep, respectful bow and slowly walked away, leaving Roubaul to sit alone, slowly sipping his drink.

~~~

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