"This is Bacchus Groh, Bacchus Groh — about your age, and also a very talented mage."
Goldmine spoke up to introduce him, pride written all over his face. Clearly he was pleased with the kid, the hope of the Quatro Cerberus, the future of the Quatro Cerberus!
"Greetings, Masters."
Bacchus looked unruffled, but he was respectful enough in front of Makarov and Bob, sincerely greeting them.
"Good lad, looks quite spirited."
Makarov wasn't stingy with praise either. After all, his grandson had just been showered with compliments by his old pals; he should give a little face back. Besides, Bacchus did seem pretty capable.
Bob also smiled and praised him a bit, which sent Bacchus into a boisterous laugh. Then Bob called over the junior members he'd brought along.
Who came over was a girl with emerald-green hair, wearing a blue cap and a red jacket so revealing it left little to the imagination — just an undergarment beneath, showing a lot of skin. She looked only a year or two older than Moen, but she was already well-developed.
"This is little Karen — Karen Lilica, an outstanding Celestial Spirit Mage."
Bob introduced her, then glanced at Moen with a smile — his Karen was a true, orthodox Celestial Spirit Mage.
"Celestial Spirit Mage?"
Moen was surprised — he'd actually run into a genuine one?
But why did that girl look so sour? Like everyone owed her money. She didn't seem easy to get along with.
"Greetings, Guild Master's."
Karen gave a reluctant greeting. She didn't seem to like this kind of event much. With her big-sister looks and that expression that seemed to say she was never satisfied, she gave off a clear "keep away" vibe.
Makarov and Goldmine exchanged a glance. The two old men weren't going to take offense at some young girl.
"Let you youngsters sit together and chat."
Makarov waved them off, indicating the three kids should find a spot to hang out and not bother the elders. Tonight was a banquet after all — drinking, chatting, and bonding were the main activities.
"Don't get too drunk."
Seeing Makarov in high spirits, Moen warned him.
Moen knew that whenever Makarov attended the regular meeting he always drank a lot — he often returned to the guild reeking of wine.
Of course, the old man was a powerful mage; an ordinary person would've been long gone after drinking like that.
"Don't nag, Moen."
Makarov waved him off. How could he not drink a little when reunited with old friends?
Moen shook his head and looked at Bacchus and Karen. The three of them sat at a nearby table. The banquet hall was already filling up, people seated by table; it was large and not yet full, so even the younger generation could find seats.
Once seated, Bacchus immediately grabbed his wine gourd and took a swig — a face of pure satisfaction.
"If I'm not mistaken, you're probably under the legal drinking age, right?"
Moen teased. In Fiore the legal drinking age was fifteen, Bacchus didn't look two or three years older than him; he was definitely under fifteen.
"Haha, don't fuss over details."
Bacchus laughed it off and skipped the topic. Then he asked Moen with curiosity, "Moen, what magic do you use?"
Having heard their guild master praise Moen's strength, Bacchus was eager — he was confident himself and didn't think anyone his age could outmatch him.
"Celestial Spirit Magic."
Moen answered calmly, composed and unflinching. He said it seriously in front of Karen the genuine article.
"Oh? Celestial Spirit Magic, huh."
At that, Bacchus immediately lost interest — he didn't even bother to suggest a spar.
What's there to fight with a Celestial Spirit Mage? Fight the spirits themselves?
Bacchus trained in martial skills; he thought Celestial Spirit Magic felt too airy and untethered — using keys to open doors and summon spirits seemed flimsy. Spirits were independent beings with minds of their own; getting them to cooperate required contracts and building bonds. Bacchus thought it was too much hassle.
"Celestial Spirit Magic? Which constellations do you have spirits for?"
The exchange between Bacchus and Moen caught Karen's attention. The proud girl finally looked Moen in the eye and asked, as if demanding to be told.
"Um, the constellations related to me are quite a few: Pegasus, Equuleus, Orion, Corvus, Cygnus, Pisces."
Moen counted them off — including his Cloths, skills, and tools, there really were quite a jumble of constellations tied to him.
"Pisces?!"
Hearing Moen's words, Karen's eyes visibly lit up. She didn't care about those other messy, ordinary constellations, but Pisces—she cared about that one, even to the point of feeling tempted.
Ordinary silver keys of the minor constellations don't exist as only a single copy—meaning ordinary constellations can contract with multiple masters at the same time.
But the Golden Keys of the Zodiac are completely different. Each Zodiac constellation has only one Golden Key in existence, and it can only have one contracted owner.
"Name your price. I'm buying your Pisces Key."
Without any hesitation, Karen said it directly.
"Ah?"
Moen froze, nearly suspecting his ears were malfunctioning.
Not only Moen—even Bacchus, who was sipping his drink beside him, almost choked.
"You… do you have a screw loose or something?"
Bacchus had already drunk a little, his face slightly heated, and his speech had become bold and blunt—pure, unfiltered honesty.
"…"
Moen held back a laugh. He kept reminding himself that he was supposed to act professional and couldn't laugh.
But seeing Karen's expression instantly darken, Moen almost couldn't hold it in. He inwardly agreed with Bacchus.
This Karen… was her brain actually working?
Ordinary silver keys of minor constellations could be bought in many places. But the Golden Keys of the Zodiac were an entirely different matter.
There are only twelve in the whole world, and each Zodiac spirit is quite powerful.
No proper Celestial Spirit Mage would ever sell one.
"You drunkard—want to fight?! What does this have to do with you?!"
Karen glared at Bacchus, gritting her teeth as she cursed. At the same time, she already had a Golden Key clenched in her hand.
It was the Golden Key engraved with the symbol of Leo.
Using this key, she could summon Loke, the Celestial Spirit of Leo, head of the Zodiac.
Loke was Karen's strongest spirit.
"Hah! Fight? I'm just scared I'll kill you in one hit!"
Facing the furious Karen, Bacchus fully displayed the nature of a true sigma male from Quatro Cerberus. He cracked his knuckles and, with a vicious expression, spoke words with zero regard for Karen's dignity.
"Hey hey hey! Don't be like this—we're all on the same side! Talk it out, talk it out! Absolutely no fighting! Bacchus, calm down. And you too, Karen, don't start anything!"
Moen stretched out both hands, standing between them, trying to stop a fight from breaking out.
But Karen clearly wasn't having it.
The more Moen tried to stop them, the more she felt a need to regain her pride—because she felt she had been humiliated.
"Thou, who openeth the path to the Celestial Spirit World; and you, who respond to my call, pass through the gate.
Open—Gate of the Lion, Loke!"
Without any hesitation, Carla directly opened Loke's gate.
Smoke billowed upward, and a handsome brown-haired man—whose hair spiked upward like a lion's mane—appeared. He wore a formal black suit, white shirt, and red tie, with a monocle-like blue lens over one eye, giving him a rather odd appearance.
"Karen, why did you call me out?"
The handsome man spoke. He didn't seem particularly close to Karen.
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