After the banquet began, Keppel and his three companions walked straight over to Alan and Laxus. With a friendly smile on his face, Keppel took the initiative to break the silence, asking Alan and Laxus with a hint of excitement: "Hey guys, do you know why our guild is named Cat's Pupil?"
Hearing this, Alan and Laxus exchanged glances and both shook their heads, indicating that they knew nothing about it. In fact, had it not been for this accidental encounter today, they probably would never have even heard of such a guild, let alone inquired about the origin of its name.
Seeing this, Keppel unhurriedly picked up the drink in front of him, took a small sip to moisten his throat, and then began to introduce it to the two of them in detail: "The name of our guild comes from a legend in Albanis. It is said that in the distant past, a mysterious cat lived in Albanis. Legend has it that the cat possessed a pair of unique and extraordinary eyes, which could easily see through all lies and disguises, leaving no falsehood hidden before it. Our guild's founder back then relied on his extraordinary sharpness to make a small name for himself in this area. He grew up listening to the story of this cat, so when he felt he had enough strength, he resolutely joined hands with like-minded partners to create this guild. That is the origin of Cat's Pupil."
With Keppel's vivid and lively narration, Alan and Laxus's attention was gradually drawn in, and their eyes showed a full measure of curiosity and deep interest. At this moment, the straightforward Laxus could no longer hold back the question in his heart, and immediately followed up with: "Then may I ask how long your guild has been established?"
Lainey blurted out eagerly: "Our guild has been established for sixty years! This guy Keppel, his grandfather is the second guild master of our guild, so this kid made a bold declaration ever since he was little, shouting that when he grows up he must take over his grandfather's position and become the third guild master! But well... hehehe, the rest of us know it like the back of our hands. With his current little bit of skill, he is still a long, long way from that goal! Hahaha!"
Hearing this, Keppel instantly lost his composure, his face turning alternating shades of red and white. In a fit of embarrassment and anger, he grabbed the drink on the table and shoved it unceremoniously into Lainey's arms, muttering under his breath: "Well, look at you! With so much good food and drink provided, it still couldn't plug that stinky mouth of yours!"
Doc and Rudy also chimed in from the side, mocking Keppel back and forth.
Watching the four of them bicker and chatter away, laughing and making a ruckus, Alan and Laxus stood to the side, watching the lively scene before them with great interest. Laxus turned his head to look at Alan with a face full of curiosity and asked: "Big brother, do you think our guild will also be as lively and chaotic as them every day in the future?"
Alan's mind flashed quickly through the subsequent plot developments. A moment later, he revealed a mysterious smile and said, "I think it might be even more exciting and thrilling than this, haha!"
Just as the two of them were chatting and laughing, Keppel's grandfather, Bickslow, walked slowly toward them holding some things in both hands. The sharp-eyed Keppel, upon catching sight of his grandfather's figure, instantly froze as if hit by a immobilization spell, abruptly cutting off the noise. The other three saw this and understood tacitly, quickly reigning in their previous mischievous streak—after all, everyone knew that if you acted wild in front of the old man, you would surely take a couple of solid "knocks on the head" and end up with two huge bumps on top!
When Bickslow gradually drew closer, Alan and Laxus finally saw clearly that he was holding two badges in his hands.
With a smile on his face, Bickslow handed the two badges respectively to Alan and Laxus, and said earnestly: "These are our guild badges. Although our guild is not large in scale and our strength is not strong, I sincerely hope that you will like our guild. These badges symbolize our guild's friendship. If you encounter any difficulties or have any needs in the future, you can come to us for help. We will spare no effort and go all out to accomplish whatever you ask us to do!"
Alan and Laxus reached out almost simultaneously, steadily catching the badges handed over by Bickslow. Instead of checking the badge in his hand right away, Alan first reached out his right hand in a friendly manner toward Bickslow and firmly grasped Bickslow's hand. Following that, he looked at Bickslow with a solemn expression and responded sincerely: "Rest assured, Grandpa Bickslow, we will cherish your friendship very much, and we are truly grateful for the importance you attach to us. If you ever need our help in the future, you can head to Magnolia to look for our guild. As long as it is something we can do, we will definitely not hesitate!"
Hearing this, Bickslow's previously relaxed expression instantly turned serious. He patted the back of Alan's hand firmly and replied in a serious tone: "Good! It's a deal!"
......
After the banquet ended, the stars twinkled in the night sky, and a gentle breeze brushed against the treetops, making a rustling sound. Alan and Laxus slowly returned to the guest room prepared for them by Cat's Pupil.
Upon entering the room, the two of them threw themselves onto the beds in unison, as if all their strength had been drained away in an instant. After walking all day, the feeling of lying in bed was truly wonderful!
Alan half-squinted his eyes, his right hand casually toying with the badge in his palm.
The exterior of the badge looked simple at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it had a unique charm of its own. It was shaped overall like the eye of a cat, appearing very simple, yet carved within the pupil of that eye were some mysterious patterns. These irregular patterns brought an unusual charm to the badge.
Laxus, lying to the side, saw this and curiously observed the badge as well. He turned the badge over and over in his hands a few times, but didn't find anything particularly special about it, so he put the badge away into his backpack and said lazily: "Big brother, is there nothing wrong with this badge? To be honest, being able to make these new friends is quite a happy thing. I really hope we can run into some interesting fellows on our journey ahead."
Hearing his younger brother's words, Alan couldn't help thinking of the friends they had made during the day—the cheerful and energetic Keppel and his three companions; the mature and steady Ur, and the gentle and kind Bickslow... Thinking of this, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a warm smile. He turned his head to look at Laxus beside him and said, "Trust me, Laxus, this is just the beginning. Our training journey is still long, and there are definitely more stories waiting for us to experience ahead!" With that, the two brothers smiled at each other, their eyes filled with anticipation and longing for the future journey.