Chapter 54
"No! I don’t want this! Master, you’re lying to me, aren’t you? I don’t want Bascus and the others to disappear!"
After hearing Roubaul’s explanation, seven-year-old Wendy broke down in tears.
Even so, Roubaul hardened his heart and dismissed every one of his Thought Projections before her eyes.
"I’m sorry, Wendy. I should never have hidden the truth from you for so long, but I knew you would have to face it someday."
His voice was gentle, yet firm.
"No one can remain lost in a pleasant dream forever, and phantoms of those who have already passed away cannot care for you for the rest of your life."
"You’ve always wanted to join a real wizard guild, haven’t you? Then leave with these two. You never truly belonged here."
"Waaah... But... But..."
Marshall watched the painful farewell unfold and scratched his head.
"Um... Does this really have to sound like you’ll never see each other again?"
He looked toward Roubaul.
"Your magic power is incredibly strong, old man. You should still be able to remain here for a long time, right?"
Then he turned to Wendy.
"If you ever miss him, I can just bring you back for a visit."
"Huh?"
The blue-haired girl froze, a bubble of snot forming beneath her nose. The blank look on her tear-streaked face made her appear strangely adorable.
Roubaul stroked his beard.
"That is certainly true. I’ve remained in this place for several centuries already, and I intend to continue watching over it."
He smiled warmly.
"If Wendy is willing to return and visit this old man from time to time, I would be delighted."
It took Wendy’s little mind several moments to process what they meant.
Then her lips trembled again.
"Y-You’re only saying that to make me feel better. If I leave, I’ll have to travel a very long way to return to Cait Shelter..."
"No. It’ll only take an instant."
Marshall pulled a flag bearing Fairy Tail’s guild emblem from his personal storage and planted it in the ground.
"I’ve placed a spatial coordinate on this flag. With my teleportation magic, traveling between Fairy Tail and Cait Shelter takes only a moment."
He pointed toward it.
"So whenever you want to come back, just tell me. It won’t take long at all."
"R-Really?"
"Why would I lie to you? Here, give me your hand. I’ll show you."
Marshall took Wendy’s hand.
With a soft pop, the two of them vanished and reappeared inside Fairy Tail’s guildhall.
Several seconds later, another pop brought them back to Cait Shelter.
"That... That was amazing!"
Wendy gazed at Marshall with wide, sparkling eyes, her small face filled with admiration.
That look was almost too satisfying.
Marshall proudly lifted his chin.
"Of course it was! Your ’Big Brother’ Marshall is incredibly skilled~ No one understands magic better than I do!"
"Wow! I only just noticed... You smell like a Dragon!"
Wendy moved closer and sniffed around him, her expression growing increasingly excited.
"And it feels so familiar... Do you use Sky Dragon Slayer Magic too?"
"Sky Dragon Slayer Magic?"
Marshall blinked.
"Wait. You’re a Dragon Slayer too?!"
Roubaul nodded from beside them.
"Yes. Wendy is a Sky Dragon Slayer. Her magic was taught to her by a dragon."
"Taught by a dragon?" Cana asked. "Marshall, doesn’t that sound similar to Natsu?"
"It does."
Marshall looked back at Wendy.
"Do you know Igneel? He’s the Fire Dragon who raised an idiot named Natsu in our guild. Natsu is also a Dragon Slayer who grew up with a dragon."
"N-No, I don’t know him. So there were other dragons?"
Wendy’s expression became wistful.
"The dragon who taught me was Grandeeney. But... she disappeared last year. I searched everywhere, but I couldn’t find her."
"Then I met Jellal in the forest, but after a while, Jellal disappeared too..."
"Jellal?"
Marshall’s expression sharpened.
"Wait. You know Jellal?"
He had heard that name several times in Erza’s thoughts.
Jellal was the person responsible for the trauma that had haunted her for years.
Marshall hadn’t expected to hear news of him from Wendy.
"What?" Wendy asked urgently. "You know Jellal too? Do you know where he is?"
"No. I’ve never met him."
Marshall shook his head.
"I heard his name from someone in my guild. This Jellal did something terrible to my friend."
"Wh-What?! That can’t be..."
"He abandoned you here too, didn’t he?"
Marshall snorted.
"Does that bastard ever do anything decent? My opinion of him just got even worse!"
"N-No! It wasn’t like that. Jellal..."
Wendy tried to defend him, but the memory of being left behind filled her with bitterness.
"Jellal is a very kind person. If he never came back for me, then he must have run into some kind of trouble..."
"You really are innocent and kind."
Marshall decided not to argue further.
"We can deal with Jellal later. Wendy, are you willing to join our guild?"
He extended his hand.
"Will you come to Fairy Tail?"
Wendy looked at Marshall, then turned toward Roubaul.
The old man nodded encouragingly, allowing her to make the decision for herself.
"I’ve read articles about Fairy Tail in magazines before..."
She glanced down shyly.
"And I saw the guildhall just now. It looked so lively."
"I-I’d also like to meet Natsu... and the friend who knows Jellal."
"Then what’s your answer?"
"I... I want to join."
Roubaul finally released a relieved breath and smiled gently.
"Wendy, you are a strong child. Whenever you wish to return and visit me, Cait Shelter will always be your home."
"Grandpa Roubaul..."
Wendy began crying again.
Marshall and Cana exchanged smiles before stepping forward and pulling the small girl into a hug.
"Welcome, Wendy!" Cana said brightly. "You’re going to love our guild!"
"Carla, welcome, nya!"
Ruby copied them and threw herself around the little white cat.
Carla clearly couldn’t handle that level of affection. She grimaced and tried to push Ruby away.
"Let go of me! Why are you so clingy?!"
"Ruby likes Carla, nya! Happy is silly, so Ruby doesn’t like him much, nya!"
"Happy?" Carla paused. "There’s another cat?"
"That’s right! Happy is Natsu’s cat. He’s a boy cat, but Ruby is much smarter than Happy, nya!"
Now that Wendy had overcome the hardest part, her emotions gradually settled.
She smiled and stroked Carla’s head.
"That’s wonderful, Carla. You have more companions now."
"Hmph! I don’t need companions! Having Wendy is enough for me!"
"Hehe~ But Wendy wants Carla to have lots of friends too~"
"Honestly, Wendy..."
[The other Dragon Slayers all have cats beside them too. Then I really was given that command to approach a Dragon Slayer... Someone like me...]
Marshall glanced at Carla.
’What is this little white cat mumbling about?’
Her thoughts barely connected.
A command? What command?
As far as Marshall knew, Ruby had never received any mysterious instructions.
She was simply a silly little cat!
If anything, Marshall was the one who had been ordered to look after her.
"Um... Big Brother Marshall," Wendy said, "do you use Dragon Slayer Magic too? Was your magic also taught to you by a dragon?"
"No. I learned it myself."
Marshall paused.
"Well, I learned it from Natsu."
"What?!" Cana exclaimed. "When did you learn Dragon Slayer Magic? You never told me!"
"Oh. I haven’t mentioned it to anyone yet."
Marshall shrugged.
"It isn’t anything particularly impressive."
"You..."
Cana stared at him for a moment, then sighed.
"Never mind. You’re.... you after all, I don’t think any magic you learned would surprise me anymore."
Marshall smiled and carefully examined the tiny Wendy from head to toe.
"I use Light Dragon Slayer Magic."
He leaned closer with obvious interest.
"But Wendy... Is your Sky Magic the same legendary lost magic said to possess healing abilities?"
"Y-Yes. I’m still not very skilled, but I can use Sky Magic."
"I can eat light elements," Marshall said thoughtfully. "Does that mean you can swallow the entire sky?"
"It’s air! Air!" Wendy cried. "How could anyone possibly eat the sky?!"
"Air isn’t technically a single element..."
Marshall’s eyes began shining with curiosity.
"Wendy, I’m extremely interested in your Sky Magic. Could you teach me?"
"Huh? B-But I don’t know how to teach someone..."
"That’s fine!"
Marshall smiled brightly.
"Just show me what you know. I’ll figure out the rest myself!"
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