This also aligned with Laxus's "strength-first philosophy."

While he might still be somewhat reluctant to admit Marco's superiority in combat, when it came to making money, he willingly acknowledged Marco as a true powerhouse—a rare genius in the world!

There was no helping it.

Given all the unconventional methods Marco had come up with, even if Laxus had ten brains, he still wouldn't be able to replicate them.

Though he had a wide range of interests, writing books or composing music was simply beyond his abilities. He loved music but lacked the talent to create it.

As for Marco's brilliance in these areas, Laxus had always been thoroughly impressed.

Especially after Marco composed music in a genre he liked and even invited him to perform together, his admiration for Marco's talent grew even stronger.

When it came to things he wasn't interested in, Laxus could still stubbornly claim he "didn't get it."

But when Marco produced music that perfectly matched his tastes, he was left utterly speechless.

"So this so-called community of yours—is it really going to be built right next to my place?"

After finishing his last bite, Laxus asked Marco, who was intently reviewing the Fairy Tail guild's ledger.

He still had some reservations about this matter and was full of resistance.

"Yeah, didn't I already explain this? That's the most suitable location. Don't worry, my house will be built right next to yours. The others' homes will be farther away."

Marco replied while flipping through the ledger, a smile forming on his face as he sought Laxus's opinion.

"What? Don't tell me you're not welcoming me as your neighbor?"

"..."

Laxus stood up, shot Marco a glance, and headed for the door.

"Like you wouldn't come even if I said no."

Before stepping out, Laxus tossed back those words and then vanished—his small act of defiance.

Marco chuckled and shook his head.

Even if Laxus refused, he would still go through with it.

There was no way he'd give up on this stubborn older brother.

.....

"Follow me. Let's see which plot of land you'd like to choose."

After approving all the loans, Marco led the "stray children" to the eastern forest to show them the pre-planned "community."

Everyone boarded the Crow Aircraft, allowing them to survey the entire layout of Marco's envisioned "community" from above.

"See that house? That's Laxus's home. The spot next to it is reserved for my house. From here outward toward the edge of the forest is the area designated for all of you. You can choose your own plots, though the deeper into the forest you go, the more dangerous it gets."

Marco pointed at the planned district below as he explained to everyone.

Of course, while it was true that the deeper areas were more hazardous, his and Laxus's houses were situated at the very innermost part of the entire community.

All the other pre-planned housing plots were closer to the forest's outskirts than theirs.

"I want this one!"

No sooner had Marco finished speaking than Natsu thrust his finger toward a plot slightly ahead of Marco's house—part of the second tier.

The moment Natsu spoke, Gray immediately pointed to an adjacent plot, claiming a spot in the same row.

'Even this shit turns into a competition.'

Marco fell silent for a moment, momentarily speechless.

What exactly were they competing over?

Was it about who could live in the more dangerous spot?

"Marco and Laxus, live at the very back. Letting you youngsters take the spots right next to theirs isn't a bad idea."

As Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel began arguing, the slightly older members like Joy wisely stepped back from the dispute over those plots.

They considered these locations relatively safe, given their proximity to Marco and Laxus's homes.

"Huh?"

Natsu's eyes widened—this wasn't what he had expected.

So these spots were actually the safer ones?

"Can I change my spot then?"

Natsu asked quietly, glancing at Marco, who had already written his name on the planning chart.

Unsurprisingly, Marco refused.

But Natsu didn't feel too bad about it.

After all, Gray and Gajeel's names had also been written down—all of them were assigned to the same row right next to Marco and Laxus.

At least they were in the same boat.

"Next up, Jet, Droy, and the rest of you."

Marco continued filling in names, assigning the next row to the younger members who had been so eager to compete earlier.

The kids exchanged glances, feeling as though they'd fallen into Marco's trap.

Hadn't Marco said the deeper plots were more dangerous?

But in reality, he'd wanted them to choose those spots so he could keep an eye on them?!

"Alright, Joy, Reedus, it's your turn now."

With a smile, Marco finished writing the kids' names and turned to the older guildmates.

The number of people who had come this time was even larger than initially expected.

Many guild members who hadn't been living in the dorms but had rented places outside also joined in.

The new benefits offered by the guild were quite appealing, and quite a few were interested in moving into this exclusive community.

This clearly showed how much rent prices in Magnolia had risen.

While it wasn't unaffordable, when given alternatives, people naturally considered their options.

Besides, owning a house of their own was undeniably attractive—this was exactly why Reedus and the others had come.

After the younger members finished their squabbles, Joy, Reedus, and the rest quickly made their choices without much hesitation.

Marco had planned out these areas quite well.

Over the past few days, he had specifically worked on zoning, so it wasn't wasted effort.

He had seriously constructed a complete community, even arranging all the supporting facilities in advance.

When only Laxus's family lived here before, there were naturally no supporting facilities—food and entertainment had to be bought from the city.

Of course, living off the forest was also an option.

The eastern woods had wild game, berries, and even the possibility of growing one's own vegetables.

In this new community, Marco had also designated some fruit and vegetable zones where residents could grow their own produce or fruit trees.

Some deeply ingrained instincts in him were kicking in—he found it quite enjoyable to have a place where he could casually plant things.