Chapter 561 - 561: Noah, Don't Cheat!

By the time Noah finally called an end to the training session, Brandish looked like she had just been dragged out of a swimming pool. Her clothes were completely soaked in sweat, and she was swaying on her feet, barely able to keep herself upright.

Seeing that she was completely spent, Noah didn't push her any further. He snapped his fingers, and the surrounding terrain—which had been absolutely pulverized during their sparring—smoothly shifted and flowed back into place, restoring the barren canyon to its original state.

He dropped the localized soundproofing barrier, grabbed Brandish's arm, and activated his Spatial Magic.

They instantly vanished from the canyon, reappearing right in the middle of Grammi's living room.

Grammi had just returned from the market and was busy in the kitchen prepping dinner. Hearing the sudden whoosh of displaced air, she hurried out, wiping her hands on an apron.

Seeing Noah supporting a completely drenched, exhausted Brandish, Grammi immediately rushed over and took her daughter's arm.

"Oh my goodness, you're soaked to the bone. Come on, let's get you into the bath and find you some dry clothes," Grammi said, gently guiding Brandish toward the stairs.

Brandish weakly nodded, too tired to complain.

Before they could head up, Noah reached into his spatial pocket and pulled out a small vial filled with a glowing blue ointment, handing it to Grammi.

"Aunt Grammi, rub this over her muscles after she bathes. It will instantly dissolve the lactic acid buildup and drastically accelerate muscle tissue repair. She won't feel sore tomorrow."

"I will! Thank you, Noah," Grammi smiled gratefully, taking the vial before leading Brandish away.

While they were gone, Noah sat down on the sofa and opened his Archive. He spent a few minutes analyzing the biometric and combat data he had gathered during the sparring session, tweaking the theoretical training regimen he was building for her. Once he was satisfied with the baseline metrics, he pulled up the digital copies of the books he had scanned from the local Alvarez bookstore and began reading.

Roughly twenty minutes later, Grammi descended the stairs.

"Thank you so much for taking the time to train her, Noah," Grammi said, walking into the living room. "I bought plenty of local ingredients today. I'm going to prepare an absolute feast for dinner, so please make sure you eat your fill."

"Thank you, Aunt Grammi. Would you like some help in the kitchen?" Noah offered, putting away his Archive screen.

"No, no, I've got it all under control. You're our guest! Just relax here," Grammi smiled, waving him off before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Noah chuckled and pulled his Archive screen back out, continuing to browse the Alvarez history texts.

A few hours passed. Once Grammi finally emerged from the kitchen carrying the first round of massive platters, Noah immediately stowed his screen and stepped forward to help.

"Let me carry those. You can go wake Brandish up," Noah offered, taking the heavy trays from her hands.

"Alright, I'll leave the table to you," Grammi nodded, wiping her brow before heading upstairs.

Noah quickly set the massive dining table, arranging the various steaming, incredibly aromatic Alvarez dishes. By the time he finished, Grammi and Brandish were walking down the stairs.

Thanks to the rapid-recovery potion and the muscle-soothing ointment, Brandish looked entirely refreshed. Her complexion was bright, and the bone-deep exhaustion was completely gone.

"Woah! So much food!" Brandish gasped, her eyes widening as she stared at the feast. "And you made all my favorites! You're the best, Mom!"

She happily threw her arms around Grammi in a tight hug.

"Hurry up and sit down. You burned a ridiculous amount of calories today, so you need to eat," Grammi smiled, gently pushing her daughter toward a chair.

Grammi then turned to Noah, looking slightly apologetic. "I didn't have as much time to prep as I wanted, so the spread isn't as massive as I planned. Please just make do with this for now."

"Aunt Grammi, are you joking? This is enough food to feed ten people," Noah laughed, gesturing to the table groaning under the weight of the massive platters. "This is incredibly generous."

"Well, dig in! Let me know if you need anything else," Grammi insisted.

Noah didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed a plate and began sampling the various foreign dishes. The flavors were robust, deeply savory, and completely different from Ishgarian cuisine. He smiled in genuine appreciation as he ate.

Brandish, having already claimed a massive portion of the honey-glazed roast, was eating with terrifying speed.

"Uuugh... I'm so full," Brandish groaned roughly an hour later, aggressively patting her slightly distended stomach as she slumped back in her chair.

Because her magic reserves had been completely depleted during the training, her body naturally craved calories to rebuild energy. She had eaten nearly three times her normal portion, and now she felt like she was going to explode.

"That's what happens when you eat like you've been starved for a week," Grammi sighed, shaking her head affectionately at her daughter's lack of restraint.

"Hmph," Brandish huffed softly, too full to mount a proper defense.

"Aunt Grammi, there is actually something incredibly important I need to discuss with you," Noah said, setting his fork down and adopting a serious expression.

"What is it? Did you find a problem with Brandish's magical circuits?!" Grammi instantly panicked, leaning forward with wide eyes.

"No, no, nothing like that. Brandish's foundation is excellent. She's perfectly healthy," Noah quickly clarified, realizing his sudden shift in tone had scared her. He immediately softened his expression.

"I don't have any problems!" Brandish mumbled defensively, despite feeling like a bloated balloon.

"Then what is it?" Grammi asked, patting her daughter's arm before looking back at Noah.

"I believe you and Brandish should pack up your lives here and return to the Eastern Continent," Noah stated clearly.

Before Grammi could react, Noah quickly outlined the two reasons he had already discussed with Brandish: the lack of suitable sparring partners to push her potential, and the looming, inescapable threat of forced military conscription as her power grew.

"But beyond those practical reasons... there's a personal one," Noah continued softly. "Sister Layla and Uncle Jude miss you terribly.

"When you decided to move to Alvarez years ago, Sister Layla supported your decision entirely. She even funded your business because she wanted you to succeed and be happy. But now that the borders are permanently closed, you can't even visit them once a year.

"Furthermore, with the Empire constantly waging war, they worry about your safety constantly. For your own peace of mind, for Brandish's future, and for the family waiting for you in Ishgar... I truly believe you should come home."

Grammi fell completely silent, staring down at her hands resting in her lap.

Noah's logic was absolute, and he had struck at the very core of her own lingering doubts. But she had lived in this house for years. She had built her business from the ground up in a foreign land. Uprooting her entire life and leaving everything behind was a terrifying prospect.

"You don't need to give me an answer right now," Noah smiled gently, recognizing her profound hesitation. "I'm going to be staying here for a few days to oversee Brandish's training anyway. Just give me your answer before I leave."

"I... I really need to think about this," Grammi whispered, shooting him a deeply apologetic look.

"Take all the time you need. I'll clear the table and handle the dishes," Noah offered, standing up and beginning to stack the empty plates.

Because the proposal was so massive, Grammi didn't even try to politely refuse his help with the chores. She remained at the table, immediately falling into an intense, hushed discussion with Brandish.

By the time Noah finished washing and drying the dishes in the kitchen, they still hadn't reached a conclusion.

"There's no rush. You have plenty of time to discuss it. For now, you should both take a nap," Noah suggested, walking back into the dining room.

Grammi blinked, suddenly remembering the time. Brandish had exhausted herself completely that morning; she desperately needed proper rest. Grammi quickly shooed her daughter upstairs to nap.

Grammi then led Noah to a beautifully furnished guest room she had prepped for him, thanking him again before retreating to her own room to think.

After resting for an hour, Noah cast a localized perception ward over the house to ensure no one realized he was staying there. Once the house was secure, he dragged a highly reluctant, complaining Brandish back to the barren mountains for her afternoon training block.

They didn't return until the sun had completely set.

Dinner was another magnificent Alvarez feast. This time, both Brandish and Noah ate their fill, completely satisfying Noah's desire to sample the local cuisine.

The next morning, when Noah walked downstairs, he noticed that both Grammi and Brandish looked incredibly tired. They both had faint dark circles under their eyes, clearly having stayed up most of the night talking.

"Noah... I've made my decision," Grammi said, looking at him with absolute conviction. "Brandish and I will return to the Eastern Continent with you."

"Are you absolutely sure, Aunt Grammi?" Noah asked, wanting to ensure she hadn't felt pressured.

"I am," Grammi nodded firmly. "For my own peace of mind, for my daughter's future, and because I desperately want to see Lady Layla again... returning to Ishgar is the right choice."

"Mom and I talked for hours last night. We're totally exhausted, but we're absolutely sure," Brandish chimed in, letting out a massive, jaw-cracking yawn.

"If your decision is final, then we should start preparing immediately," Noah nodded. "I'll give you a few days to pack. I'll take you back to Ishgar before I leave."

"I need to finalize the sale of the shop and this house. I'll take the money back with us," Grammi sighed, looking around the living room with profound nostalgia. "I sold my house in Ishgar to move here. We'll need the funds to buy a new place in Magnolia. It's a shame... I really loved this house."

"Aunt Grammi, you don't need to sell anything," Noah immediately interrupted. "Keep the house and the shop. If diplomatic relations are ever restored in the future, you can always come back and visit.

"As for housing in Ishgar, you can just live at the Heartfilia estate! Sister Layla would be absolutely thrilled to have you move back in."

"No, I couldn't possibly impose on Lady Layla like that. It wouldn't be proper," Grammi immediately shook her head, her old servant instincts kicking in.

"Sister Layla considers you one of her dearest friends. Helping friends is what we do," Noah insisted gently. "And honestly, to Sister Layla, providing housing is literally nothing. Having you back healthy and safe is the only thing she cares about.

"Just pack your personal belongings and close up the shop. Tell the neighbors you're going on a long vacation. Leave the property deeds as they are."

"He's right, Mom. It's so much less of a hassle this way," Brandish agreed. "Besides, I'm going to join Fairy Tail and start taking high-paying quests! If you really want to buy a new house in Magnolia later, I'll just pay for it!"

Brandish was actually incredibly excited about joining the guild. Noah had told her all about Lucy's chaotic, thrilling adventures as a Fairy Tail mage. The prospect of exploring the world and earning massive bounties sounded infinitely more appealing than hiding from the Imperial Army.

"Alright... if you two insist," Grammi smiled softly, yielding to their logic.

For the next few days, Noah continued to ruthlessly train Brandish in the mountains. Meanwhile, Grammi meticulously packed all their personal belongings, secured the shop's remaining inventory, and had Noah seal the massive crates into his spatial cards.

Once everything was packed and the house was securely locked, Grammi tracked Noah down.

"We are completely packed and ready to go," Grammi announced.

"Perfect," Noah nodded. "Aunt Grammi, you and Brandish will walk out of the city through the front gates, just like normal tourists. I will follow closely behind you under my invisibility wards. Once we are far enough into the wilderness, I'll teleport us back to Ishgar."

Since they hadn't committed any crimes or drawn any military attention, they could simply walk out the front door. Suddenly vanishing from their house would only raise suspicions.

"Understood," Grammi agreed.

The mother and daughter confidently walked out of their home and strolled through the city streets, eventually passing through the main gates without a single guard batting an eye.

Once they were several miles outside the city, standing in an empty field, Noah materialized beside them.

"Alright. I'm going to split off a Thought Projection. The clone will teleport both of you directly to the Heartfilia estate so you can reunite with Sister Layla," Noah explained, a clone stepping out of his body. "Once you've settled in, my clone will escort Brandish to the Fairy Tail guildhall so she can officially register."

"Your clone can teleport people across an ocean?! What kind of absolute monster are you?!" Brandish gaped at him, her jaw practically unhinging.

"Brandish! Be polite!" Grammi immediately scolded her.

"I'm used to it," Noah laughed, completely unbothered by the comment. "Alright, brace yourselves. We're jumping."

Grammi and Brandish nodded, grabbing the clone's arms. In a flash of golden light, the three of them vanished from Alvarez.

When they reappeared, they were standing in the meticulously manicured gardens of the Heartfilia Estate in Fiore.

"We actually just crossed an ocean in a fraction of a second..." Brandish muttered, staring at the familiar mansion in sheer awe.

"Let's go find Sister Layla," the Noah clone smiled, leading the way.

They quickly found Layla relaxing in the sunroom. When Layla saw Grammi standing in the doorway, she burst into tears of absolute joy, instantly pulling her old friend into a desperate hug.

Seeing the two women happily crying and catching up, the Noah clone tapped Brandish on the shoulder.

"Let's head to the guildhall. I'll get you registered," Noah suggested.

Brandish nodded eagerly. The two of them activated Spatial Magic and teleported directly to the front steps of the Fairy Tail guildhall.

Noah pushed the heavy oak doors open and walked in.

The guildhall was relatively busy. A few members glanced up to see who had entered. Seeing Noah, they offered casual greetings. But when they noticed the stunning, scantily clad woman with vibrant green hair walking closely behind him, the entire hall instantly fell dead silent.

"Woah... who is that?!"

"She is absolutely gorgeous!"

"And look at her outfit! Have mercy!"

Whispers rapidly erupted across the room as the guild members openly stared at Brandish.

Suddenly, a loud, panicked voice shrieked from the back of the hall.

"NOAH! DON'T CHEAT! ULTEAR AND THE GIRLS ARE GOING TO KILL YOU!"

~~~

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