When did you start talking about the names of future candidates? Everyone in the guild immediately pricked up their ears and became serious. Makarov, in turn, paused, and then said clearly:

- This year, selected to participate in the exam for the senior wizard: Erza Scarlet, Aidan, Cana Alberona, Freed Justin, Bixlow, Laxus Dreyar, Evergreen and ... - Makarov looked discontentedly at several old wizards like Macau, realizing that all this useless and decided to choose the last candidate:

- Mirajane Strauss.

- Wow! - Lisanna and the Elves happily began to congratulate their sister on such a sudden opportunity, just as Mira's and Erza's gazes met. Lightning crackled in the air, these two were eager to fight!

- ... mmmm? Aidan slowly rose and yawned.

- Why is it so noisy? Cana, where are you ...

- I'm here, sleepyhead! - handing Aidan a glass of cocktail, the girl sighed:

"You'd have another hour and you'd have missed everything." Did you sleep well though?

- Oh, - after taking a couple of sips of cold drink, the guy's face brightened:

- What I can do without you ... Thank you.

Cana smiled shyly, and then both turned their gaze towards the Master. Although he had already finished, and the guild revived again. The Thunderbolts brazenly pushed everyone and left somewhere, led by Laxus, Erza returned to the table next to Wendy and stroked Happy.

- It looks like we were chosen, - the red-haired woman smiled at the sleepy guy:

- Maybe we will be on the same team!

- Then you will be very lucky, - Cana grinned.

- Yeah, - Erza didn't even deny: - Only I don't understand why they took this bully Mira, Laxus is understandable, but this girl didn't even spend a year here.

Aidan put down his glass and asked with a grin:

- She's a little smaller than me, what's wrong with that?

- You are different, - Erza grunted: - But she is not at all like the elder wizard!

Aidan got up, gently lifted Charlie off of Charlie's shoulder and said to Wendy:

- I am a young alcoholic surrounded by beauties who loves to sleep and spend lazy time with friends. I certainly don't look like my elder ...

When Aidan left, Gray and Cana congratulated Erza.

- Damn, why didn't they take me ?! - Natsu finally got angry, only realizing the situation:

- I'm strong! Yes, at least right now I'll finish everyone here!

- Hey, you were fooling, calm down, - Gray slammed loudly on the table: - Get off our zhrachki bastard!

Wendy giggled, glancing at Charlie, who frowned in displeasure as Aidan got up and walked off towards the bar.

- Congratulations, - he nodded to Mira, and then grabbed a bottle of rum: - We should ...

"You too," Mira said sharply and left.

- Oh, damn, exactly ... - with a heavy sigh, the guy returned the bottle to its place. If tomorrow is an exam, now is definitely not the time to drink.

"Well, that's always the way, my weekend is over ..."

*

The next day, Aidan got up early. Although it was impossible to wake him up, at least he knew how to wake up early, having accustomed his body. Of course, all this only worked if he was not drunk. Anyway, he got up early today and smelled pleasant smells from the kitchen.

Walking toward the scent, Aidan stopped in the kitchen aisle and smiled warmly. Already in the morning, Wendy was preparing dinner, although ...

- Ay! Oooh ... Well, how can that be! - the smell of burning immediately spread throughout the kitchen.

"Lame," Charlie chuckled, calmly sipping her tea.

Wendy's tears came from failure:

- Ooh ... It's always like this ...

For the last few days, Wendy decided to live with her brother, he didn't really mind. And for some reason, Charlie constantly clung to him. Aidan suspected the incident with life magic when he helped the egg seal the crack. Perhaps this is the reason why this grumpy cat treats him like a soft catnip pillow.

- Oh, brother, you woke up! - finally said Aidana Wendy.

- Mm? - Charlie's eyes immediately sparkled. She was about to return to her previous position on his shoulder, when Aidan stopped her:

- Not tonight, beauty.

"B-but ..." Charlie looked sad in an instant. If we talk about her grumpiness, then it did not apply to only one person, and when he refused her, she became exactly like Wendy.

"Eh, I failed again," Wendy lamented at the stove.

Aidan gently stroked the girl and nodded at the table.

- Sit, I'll cook. I think that after the exam I will be away for some time, you can live here for now, since you feel lonely there.

- Really ?!

- Yeah, I don't mind.

"But don't forget about training in magic, and you're Charlie, okay?

- Got it, - the kitty nodded quickly: - Um, and u-can then sleep with t-t-you?

Glancing out of the corner of his eye at this white sly who tried to cover her face with her paws in embarrassment, Aidan laughed.

- Okay, but just once!

- Hey! And what about me?! - Wendy was indignant.

- Pfft, so I sleep next to you! Snorted the kitty.

- N-no, I'm not talking about that ... - looking in the direction of her brother, the girl blushed more and more.

- Hee-hee, that's it! - Charlie started wagging her tail from side to side, squinting at her friend.

Aidan glanced fondly at the two girls and chuckled cheerfully.

"If you feel like it, master a little magic first. This also applies to you Charlie - flying, it's not magic yet!

- Y-yes! I understood!

- And Happy don't forget to urge him on, this cat is as lazy as Natsu. - Aidan sighed, remembering how these two friends on a bet for almost the whole day only did what they caught fish, and then fried and overeat.

- Wow ... - Charlie sighed irritably: - Again this impudent cat ...

- Hee-hee, brother, that's not a problem! Sister Kana told me that he would come with me on a mission soon, and Sister Erza would help us. It will be fun, and Grandpa Master also said that he would help me with my magic when he returned from some meeting.

- Oh, you about that ... - finished with the eggs and bacon, Aidan put everything on the plates and sat down at the table.

"Well, by then I'll probably be gone. If I become a senior wizard, I will immediately find myself a serious task.

- Oh, you will not be like Uncle Gildarts, constantly leaving? - Wendy argued worriedly, and Charlie gloomily nodded in agreement.

- Well, - Aidan abruptly changed the subject: - Let me tell you about my adventure and how I met the women's guild, where there are only a few girls and not one man? Yes, yes, don't look at me like that, it's really only the women's guild. Oh, well, don't frown, there was nothing like that ...

- Well, yes ... - Charlie grunted.

- Of course. Wendy sighed.

So, after dinner with his little family, Aidan donned a dark shirt, several new magic items, a ring and a leather bracelet. After all, he finally walked towards the eastern forest. He was not at all surprised that the exam was being held somewhere there, since the last one was held somewhere in the mountains. You shouldn't have expected everyone to go to Tenrou Island this time. The last Exam took place there, possibly during Gildarts' youth. Once drunk, Clive talked about a lot, but because of his incoherent speech, Aidan made out little, especially when he was no less drunk. It was a merry drink ...