The walk from Kardia Cathedral to the Fairy Tail Guild wasn’t particularly long, but to me, every single step felt monumental.
Father walked ahead with the relaxed stride of someone returning home after a long journey, his hands tucked behind his head as he hummed an old tune.
Meanwhile, I couldn’t stop looking around.
Magnolia.
The city I had only ever watched through a screen in my previous life was now unfolding before my own eyes.
The bustling streets were exactly as lively as I remembered—perhaps even more so.
Merchants loudly advertised today’s freshest produce, children darted through the crowds while laughing, and mages carrying oversized weapons casually walked beside ordinary citizens as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Above us, banners bearing Magnolia’s crest fluttered gently in the afternoon breeze.
“So… this is the real Magnolia…”
I quietly muttered to myself.
Every familiar street, every shop, every corner I recognized from the anime brought back a flood of memories.
I wasn’t watching Fairy Tail anymore.
I was living in it.
I tried to memorize everything, the scent of freshly baked bread drifting from nearby bakeries, the ringing bells from distant shops, the laughter filling the streets, and even the occasional magical fireworks someone carelessly launched into the sky.
It all felt so…
alive.
Before I could sink deeper into my nostalgia, I suddenly felt a heavy tap on my shoulder.
Thump.
“Hm?”
I looked up.
Father was grinning from ear to ear as he pointed straight ahead.
“We’re here.” His smile widened.
“Welcome to Fairy Tail.”
I slowly followed the direction of his finger.
Then…
My breath caught.
Standing proudly at the center of Magnolia was a building so much larger than anything I had imagined.
“…Whoa…”
No…
The anime hadn’t done it justice.
Not even close.
The Fairy Tail Guild wasn’t just big.
It was enormous.
The guild hall stood proudly like a fortress that had weathered countless battles without ever losing its warmth.
Massive stone walls supported thick timber frames that carried the scars of age with dignity rather than decay.
Large arched windows reflected the afternoon sunlight like polished crystal, while colorful banners bearing Fairy Tail’s famous crest fluttered proudly from the upper floors.
Above the grand entrance hung the iconic guild emblem.
Seeing it in person sent a strange shiver down my spine.
The symbol that represented countless adventures…
Countless friendships…
Countless tears.
And an unhealthy amount of property damage.
“So this…” I whispered.
“…is Fairy Tail.”
The building radiated an atmosphere unlike any place I had ever seen.
It felt powerful, welcoming and oddly Chaotic.
I stood there frozen, completely captivated by the sheer scale of it.
Father folded his arms with a smug grin.
“Heh! Pretty amazing, isn’t it?”
I nodded without taking my eyes off the guild.
“…It’s huge.”
“I know.”
“…Way bigger than I expected.”
Father chuckled proudly.
“Pictures don’t do her justice.”
I could have stood there admiring the building for another ten minutes.
Unfortunately…
My father had other plans.
Without the slightest warning— BANG!!
He raised one leg and kicked the massive wooden doors wide open with enough force to make them slam against the walls.
“I’M BACK, YOU BUNCH OF IDIOTS!!”
The entire entrance echoed.
……
I slowly turned toward Father.
“…”
Could we have entered…
normally?
Father either ignored my silent question or simply couldn’t hear it over his own voice.
The moment we stepped inside, a wave of noise crashed into us.
The guild hall was enormous.
A high vaulted ceiling stretched overhead, supported by thick wooden beams darkened from years of age, smoke, and the occasional magical accident.
Long wooden tables filled the hall, packed shoulder to shoulder with mages eating, drinking, laughing, arguing, arm wrestling, and somehow doing all of those things at once.
The polished wooden floor was covered in scratches, dents, cracked planks, and even several scorch marks that looked suspiciously fresh.
It looked less like damage and more like decoration.
A waitress casually stepped over a hole in the floor without even looking at it.
Someone in the corner was repairing a wall.
Another person immediately punched that same wall.
No one reacted.
Apparently, this was normal.
The moment everyone noticed Father…
The guild exploded.
“BOR’S BACK!!”
“Welcome home!”
“Hahaha! Hide the booze before he drinks everything!”
A booming laugh erupted from one of the tables.
“There he is!”
I recognized him instantly.
Macao.
The blue-haired mage raised a mug toward Father.
He looks so young compare to the anime.
“Bor! Came back because your wife finally kicked you out?”
Father snorted.
“No. I came back because your ugly face lowered Magnolia’s property value.”
The guild burst into laughter.
“Hah! Still got a sharp tongue!”
Another voice chimed in.
Wakaba calmly puffed on his pipe before grinning.
Another of the original characters from the anime and he also looks younger than in the anime.
“I thought retirement turned you into an old man.”
Father folded his arms.
“It did.”
“…Then why are you here?”
“I’m taking a break from retirement.”
The hall went silent.
“…”
Wakaba blinked.
“…You can do that?”
Father nodded seriously.
“Retirement is exhausting.”
The guild erupted into another fit of laughter.
One mage nearly fell off his chair.
Another slammed the table while laughing.
“I’ve never heard something so stupid!”
“He’s still the same old Bor!”
Macao wiped tears from his eyes.
“Only you could get tired from doing nothing!”
Father scratched the back of his head with complete seriousness.
“You underestimate how difficult relaxing is.”
“You’re unbelievable!”
As everyone laughed and joked around, I quietly looked toward Father.
He was smiling.
Not his usual calm smile.
Not the smile he gave Mother.
Not the proud smile he wore while training me.
This one…
This was different.
It was genuine and relaxed.
The smile of someone who had finally come home.
I couldn’t help smiling a little myself.
So…
this place really means that much to him.
A tiny figure walked toward us with slow, confident steps.
At first glance…
He looked like someone’s grandfather who had wandered into the wrong building.
Short.
Very short.
Incredibly short.
I blinked.
…He’s actually that small.
I seriously thought the anime exaggerated his height.
Nope.
If anything…
The anime had been generous.
Standing before us was the Guild Master himself.
Makarov Dreyar.
How can someone this tiny have Giant Magic…?
Actually…
never mind.
Magic literally breaks physics.
As I stared perhaps a little too long, Makarov noticed me.
His eyes crinkled warmly.
“Hehehe… So you’re Bor’s son.”
He looked at Father before grinning mischievously.
“Welcome back, you retired old goat!”
Father rolled his eyes.
“I’ve only been gone a few months.”
“And I remember telling you to bring your boy here a month ago.”
Makarov crossed his arms.
“So why only now?”
Father laughed.
“I had to evaluate whether he was worthy of joining Fairy Tail… Wouldn’t want him damaging our guild’s reputation.”
Silence.
Makarov stared.
Then…
“PFFTHAHAHAHA!!”
He burst into roaring laughter.
“Reputation?!”
He pointed toward the guild behind him.
“What reputation?”
He swept his arm across the hall dramatically.
“These idiots have already done more damage than your kid could in ten lifetimes!”
Almost instantly, every nearby mage protested.
“HEY!”
“We’ve been behaving lately!”
“That’s slander!”
“We’ve been good this week!”
Makarov’s eyebrow twitched.
“…Good?”
He slowly looked around the hall.
“Good?”
He pointed at one mage.
“You!”
“The last job you took ended with half the client’s building missing!”
“It was already weak!”
“It was a mountain!”
“It wasn’t anymore.”
Everyone laughed.
Makarov spun toward Macao.
“And you!”
Macao immediately looked away.
“…What?”
“Stop flirting with every woman you rescue!”
“I don’t flirt.”
“You proposed marriage three times this week.”
“They smiled!”
“They were thanking you for saving them!”
“They smiled while saying no.”
More laughter erupted.
Then Makarov glared at Wakaba.
“And you!”
“What did I do?”
“Stop filling the guild with smoke every time you cast magic!”
“My smoke magic requires smoke.”
“It doesn’t require smoking six pipes at once!”
“…Fair point.”
The guild hall shook with laughter.
I slowly turned toward Father.
Then silently gave him a very serious look.
…Are you absolutely sure this is the right guild?
Father immediately understood my expression.
He laughed.
A deep, carefree laugh.
Then he gently patted my shoulder.
“Don’t worry, you’ll fit right in.”
I looked around once more.
People laughing.
Some are arguing.
Someone had somehow started arm wrestling using magic.
A chair flew across the room.
Someone caught it without looking.
Nobody cared.
…
“Yeah… This place is completely insane.” A small smile escaped my lips.
“…I think I’m going to like it here.”
The boisterous welcome from the guild hall slowly faded behind us as Master Makarov led us away from the sea of laughter, flying mugs, and the occasional explosion of magic.
The old guild master walked with practiced ease, hands tucked behind his back as though the chaos downstairs was nothing more than background music.
Father followed behind him while I quietly trailed after them, stealing one last glance over my shoulder.
Even with the office door closing, I could still hear someone yelling.
“Give me back my fish!”
“You threw it at me first!”
“It was a warning fish!”
“…How does one even throw a warning fish?”
Crash!
“…There goes another table.”
Makarov didn’t even flinch.
“…They’re energetic today,” he muttered.
“Today?” Father snorted.
“That sounded pretty normal.”
The guild master simply sighed with the expression of a man who had long since accepted that his children were hopeless.
His office was surprisingly modest.
Compared to the overwhelming atmosphere of the guild hall, the room felt calm and peaceful.
Shelves lined the walls, overflowing with books, documents, trophies from old quests, and dusty bottles that had probably been forgotten years ago.
Warm afternoon sunlight filtered through the windows, bathing the room in a soft golden glow.
Makarov climbed onto his chair behind his large wooden desk before motioning toward the couch opposite him.
“Please, have a seat.”
Father and I settled onto the leather couch while the guild master folded his hands atop the desk.
Silence lingered for only a moment before Father broke it.
“…Isn’t this a little too formal?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
“We could’ve just talked downstairs.”
I silently agreed.
Honestly…
This room felt more like a noble’s office than the Fairy Tail Guild I had just witnessed.
Just a minute ago someone had tried to body-slam another mage through a table.
Now we were sitting politely like we were negotiating trade agreements.
The contrast was giving me whiplash.
Makarov chuckled.
“It’s not about formality.”
“No?”
Father blinked.
The old guild master smiled knowingly.
“You’re still a noble, whether you like it or not.”
Father immediately frowned.
“I retired.”
“You’re still a noble.”
“I quit.”
“You can’t quit bloodlines.”
“I don’t even act like one.”
“Exactly.” Makarov nodded sagely.
“Which is why someone has to.”
Father let out an exaggerated groan.
“I knew becoming famous was going to bite me one day.”
“It already did,” Makarov replied.
“…Fair.”
The two old friends shared a laugh before Father finally waved his hand dismissively.
“Fine. You win.”
I couldn’t help smiling.
Seeing Father joke around like this felt…
strange.
At home, he was always serious whenever training was involved.
Here, he looked more relaxed.
More like himself.
Once the laughter settled, Makarov leaned back in his chair, his expression becoming noticeably more serious.
“So…” His eyes shifted toward Father.
“What took you so long to bring him here?”
Then, with a small grin, he added, “Be honest.”
Father didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, his gaze wandered around the office before settling on me.
His smile slowly disappeared.
“…I suppose…” He exhaled quietly.
“…it makes sense to tell you now as well.”
That immediately caught my attention.
His tone had changed completely.
The relaxed atmosphere vanished almost instantly.
I frowned.
‘Why does Father suddenly look…
worried?’
He rubbed his forehead before letting out another tired sigh.
“You know our family’s situation, Master.”
Makarov silently nodded.
“Our family magic…” Father paused for a brief moment.
“…We’re the last ones who possess its complete records.”
The room grew noticeably quieter.
“If word ever spreads…” Father continued, “…there will always be people who want it.”
His voice became heavier.
“Some would steal it, Some would kill for it. Others would simply take my son.”
The words landed like a stone in still water.
I unconsciously stiffened.
Father looked directly at Makarov.
“So before I ever allowed him outside our estate I needed to be certain he could protect himself.”
Silence.
After a long pause, Makarov finally asked,
“So, you believe he’s strong enough now?”
Father leaned back against the couch.
A small laugh escaped him.
“He’ll manage…” He scratched the back of his head.
“…For a little bit.”
Makarov burst into laughter.
“Ha! If that’s your evaluation…” He looked toward me with newfound interest.
“…then this kid is an absolute monster.”
I blinked.
“…Huh?”
Their conversation had somehow become even more confusing.
Monster?
Little bit?
What exactly were they talking about?
Apparently, my expression gave away every thought running through my head because both adults turned toward me.
Makarov laughed warmly.
“I suppose none of this makes much sense to you.”
I shook my head honestly.
“…Not really.”
He folded his arms.
“Tell me. You know your father was an S-Class Mage of Fairy Tail, correct?”
I nodded immediately.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
The guild master’s smile softened.
“Then you should also know that there are only a handful of S-Class Mages in the entire Kingdom of Fiore.”
His voice carried an unmistakable sense of pride.
“They are individuals acknowledged as the strongest among the strongest.
Veterans capable of handling disasters that ordinary mages couldn’t hope to face.” When someone like your father praises another mage that praise carries considerable weight.”
He chuckled.
“So if he says you can protect yourself most people would take that as a guarantee.”
Father rubbed his cheek awkwardly.
“I wouldn’t go that far…”
“You just called him a monster.”
“…I said a little monster.”
“That’s somehow worse.”
Father buried his face in one hand.
The room fell silent.
Makarov laughed so hard he nearly slipped off his chair.
“Hahaha! got you there!”
Father could only sigh in defeat.
“…I walked into that one.”
Even I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.
For the first time since entering the office, the tension eased.
Then Father turned toward me.
The smile disappeared from his face once more, replaced by something gentler.
“I’m sorry, son.”
His voice was quieter than before.
“I never told you why I pushed you so hard these past few months. I know every morning must’ve felt exhausting. I made you repeat them over and over again.”
He looked genuinely apologetic.
“But It was because I couldn’t afford to let you grow up weak.”
He smiled faintly.
“Not with the burden our family carries.”
Their words slowly settled inside me.
Everything finally clicked.
The endless morning runs around the estate.
The relentless staff drills until my arms could barely move.
The hours spent engraving runes.
The lectures.
The combat training.
Father never trained me that harshly because he wanted me to become famous or powerful.
He was preparing me for the day someone might come after the magic passed down through our bloodline.
Our family’s Rune Magic…
It wasn’t merely an inheritance.
It was something valuable enough that others might covet it.
And Father, he had simply been doing everything he could to ensure his son would survive.
Without realizing it, I smiled.
“…I understand now, Father.”
And for the first time I truly did.
.
.
.
.
<Hey!
New Author here!
i just want to tell anyone who is reading this, thank you for taking a little time for reading my creation, this is just a little hobby for me.
hope you enjoy it and any comment, suggestion and opinion don’t be shy to tell me.
just be kind as much as possible that’s it thank you and i hope you have a nice day!>