Amid the strange atmosphere, the housewarming feast for Mira's family came to an end.

Lisanna quietly stuck out her little pink tongue, realizing she might have said something wrong, making the mood a little awkward afterward.

But that was how she genuinely felt.

The gentle yet authoritative Marco was like a father in a family, while the slightly stricter Erza still cared for and guided everyone like a mother.

Mira, as the eldest sister, also played a motherly role.

Lisanna didn't think there was anything wrong with what she'd said.

Having no memory of her parents since childhood, it was natural for Lisanna to feel this way.

She longed for and loved the warmth of a family.

Though she wasn't exactly lacking in love—thanks to her sister and brother taking care of her—the absence of parents still affected her.

It was unavoidable.

"Lisanna, you didn't do anything wrong. It was just a joke. Mira just overreacted."

As the gathering was about to disperse, Marco approached Lisanna, crouching down to pat her head and whisper to her.

He had noticed she seemed a little upset after being scolded by Mira and wanted to comfort the little one.

"Maybe my sister didn't actually dislike me saying that."

Looking at Marco, Lisanna muttered under her breath.

This girl was surprisingly bold—beneath her cute appearance was a straightforward heart.

"..."

Marco was momentarily speechless.

He thought these kids were a bit too mature for their age.

But he could understand—Lisanna's words weren't about romantic feelings, but rather a longing for a family atmosphere, a subconscious desire to fill the void left by her missing parents.

"What are you two whispering about?"

Mira peeked over, eyeing the pair with suspicion.

"Ahem, nothing. Thank you very much for the hospitality, Mira. Your cooking truly didn't disappoint."

Marco stood up with a smile, smoothly changing the subject.

"Of course! My cooking has always been great." Mira puffed up with pride.

She had been praised quite a bit today, and even Erza had conceded to her—that was the most satisfying part!

"I'll pay you back the money soon."

After basking in her happiness, Mira added seriously.

She hadn't forgotten her debt.

Though Marco had said he wasn't in a hurry to get it back, just because he wasn't pressing didn't mean she could slack off on repaying him.

"Don't worry about it, Mira, really. I'm not short on money." Marco's expression was somewhat helpless.

Though his words might sound a bit boastful, it was the truth—he genuinely wasn't lacking in funds.

And after the publication of The Great Detective Sherlock, he would only become even more financially secure.

Soon, money would be nothing more than a string of numbers to him.

These days, Marco didn't even look at mission rewards when taking jobs.

He simply went out to find people or magical beasts to fight, seeking real combat to hone his skills.

Speaking of The Great Detective Sherlock, it was now ready for release, with distribution channels fully established across the entire Fiore Kingdom.

The Sorcerer Publishing House, which had signed a contract with Marco, was highly confident in this story and immediately gave it top-tier promotional treatment.

This was the same publisher behind the magazine Sorcerer Weekly, a renowned publishing house not just within the Fiore Kingdom but across the entire Ishgar continent.

Sorcerer Weekly was indeed a bestseller.

As a result, The Great Detective Sherlock even leveraged Sorcerer Weekly for promotion, and the hype was already well underway.

According to Sorcerer Publishing, once the novel became a hit in Fiore, they would immediately expand sales channels across Ishgar, fully establishing The Great Detective Sherlock as a flagship IP and making Marco a sensation throughout the continent.

A manga adaptation would also be released later.

The publishing house had already reviewed the version illustrated by Reedus and praised it highly.

Marco had contributed to this as well, making some adjustments to the classic character designs to better align with their descriptions in the story.

However, the manga version would be released much later—at least after the novel became a hit.

Naturally, they intended to profit twice, so news of the manga adaptation hadn't even been announced yet.

In any case, Marco was absolutely certain he wouldn't have to worry about money anymore, which was why he genuinely wasn't in a hurry for Mirajane to repay him.

"No, I don't want to owe this favor indefinitely." But Mira wouldn't hear any of it.

She remained resolute, determined to work overtime and repay the money as soon as possible.

She was even considering taking on part-time work at the guild during her free time.

After all, it was still income, and the guild's wages were surprisingly generous.

Mirajane had full confidence in her cooking skills—whatever wages Airo earned for her meals, she could earn the same!

Of course, Airo held multiple roles and drew multiple salaries, so Mira couldn't compare.

She truly admired that older girl.

"Alright."

Seeing Mira's determination, Marco didn't press further.

Even if he outright refused the money, it wouldn't matter—Mira wouldn't accept it.

That was just how she was.

After helping clean up the dishes, Marco left with the others, leaving Mira and her family of three behind.

Today, they would spend a night in their new home to test it out and note any improvements or additional purchases needed.

The flaws in a house often only become apparent after moving in, and by then, renovations can be difficult.

Fortunately, their home was built by their own people, so if any issues arose, they could simply call someone to fix them.

*****

Upon returning to the guildhall, Marco was immediately summoned by Makarov, who said he had something to discuss.

"What's up, Gramps?"

Marco entered the guild master's private office and was surprised to see Makarov dressed in formal attire.

The old man had even dug out his Ten Wizard Saints robe—something he rarely wore.

"Pack your things, Marco. You're coming with me to Clover."

Makarov got straight to the point as soon as Marco walked in.

"Huh? Clover? What for?" Marco was completely baffled.

Why so sudden?

Looking at Makarov dressed so formally and considering the current time, Marco suddenly thought of a possibility.

"Going to attend the routine meeting of the local guild alliance's." Makarov spoke up, confirming exactly what Marco had guessed.

Clover was the venue for the routine meetings of the local guild alliance's masters.

Seeing Makarov dressed so formally to go to Clover, it was certain he was attending the routine meeting.

Marco had just realized it seemed to be about that time again.

"Are you taking me this time?" Marco's eyes instantly lit up, his expression full of anticipation.

Those who could attend the routine meetings of the guild masters were naturally the guild masters themselves.

However, the master usually didn't go alone—they often brought along promising juniors from their guilds.

Firstly, it allowed the younger generation to broaden their horizons and familiarize themselves with the procedures.

Secondly, it gave the next generation of Mages more opportunities to interact.

Generally, those brought along were strong candidates for the next guild master, making it necessary for them to get acquainted early.

The "Local Guild Alliance" was an unofficial organization within the Fiore Kingdom, not subordinate to the Magic Council.

The Magic Council managed the entire Ishgar continent.

Although they had offices in many places, their manpower wasn't that extensive.

Many local matters relied on the assistance of local Mage guilds.

Thus, the masters of legal guilds in various regions often spontaneously formed alliances, holding routine meetings to discuss affairs, strengthen bonds, exchange resources, and sometimes collaborate on more challenging missions.

Fiore Kingdom's "Local Guild Alliance" basically included most of the kingdom's legal guilds, though some chose not to participate.

After all, it wasn't mandatory—those who didn't want to join weren't forced, as it was entirely voluntary.

Makarov, of course, attended.

His standing in this "Local Guild Alliance" was significant, with extensive connections.

"Taking you to broaden your horizons." Makarov smiled and gave an affirmative answer.

He had carefully considered this matter.

His eldest grandson's strength could certainly bolster his reputation, but that personality of his wouldn't be of much use if brought along.

But his younger grandson was different.

Marco's personality would allow him to thrive in such settings and his strength could also hold its own.

This child's age—compared to Laxus—was even more astonishing, absolutely enough to make those old fellows green with envy!

"Great! When do we leave?!" Marco agreed immediately.

He was more than happy to tag along—this wasn't an occasion just anyone could attend.

The influence of this "Local Guild Alliance" was formidable throughout the Fiore Kingdom.

Many decisions, like joint operations to eliminate certain Dark Guilds, might very well be made at such gatherings.

"We leave today, stay overnight there and the meeting officially starts tomorrow." Makarov hopped down from the table, signaling Marco to pack quickly.

They would soon be catching a train to Clover.

-----------------------------

Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.

patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator