Chapter 104
Marshall’s promotion to S-Class caused an uproar throughout the guild.
Everyone found it surprising, yet at the same time, perfectly reasonable.
After all, Marshall had already been capable of thrashing Natsu and Gray two years ago. It wasn’t strange that he had now qualified as an S-Class Mage.
When the guild learned that he had defeated every other candidate through overwhelming strength, however, they became intensely curious about the final battle.
Unfortunately, none of the participants would explain what had happened.
"Don’t ask. Some things must never be spoken of."
"That brat has a dark side!"
"Everyone who took the exam was silenced by Marshall. Keep prying and he might come after you next!"
"Ahaha, stop joking. Marshall would never—"
"He’s a genuine S-Class Mage now. You should watch what you say."
In truth, Marshall hadn’t literally forced anyone to remain silent.
After flattening the mountaintop, he had grabbed Cana and immediately teleported away.
The only thing he left behind was a glowing message suspended in the air:
[If word of what happened today gets out, I’ll send everyone your most embarrassing photographs!]
He even projected several examples of his collection across the sky.
The childish threat left everyone torn between laughter and despair.
Most of them hadn’t intended to spread the story anyway.
The girls Marshall had embarrassed were desperate to keep it secret, while Gray and the others weren’t eager to admit that an entire group of them had lost to a twelve-year-old brat!
And so, the events of that day became a mystery.
Naturally, the more secretive everyone acted, the more suspicious the rest of the guild became.
But did they think that was the end of it?
They had yet to witness Marshall’s revenge!
...
After capturing Cana, Marshall teleported directly back to his castle.
He bound her with several glowing Light-Make ropes and left her suspended slightly above the floor.
"Cana!"
Marshall stood before her with a stern expression.
"I’m extremely angry right now, so I’m going to teach you a lesson!"
A flexible rod of light appeared in his hand.
He intended to punish the culprit responsible for ruining his reputation.
"Um... Marshall?"
Cana rotated slowly in the air and gave him an apologetic smile.
"Your Cana-nee knows she was wrong. Could you forgive me?"
Marshall looked serious enough that even she began feeling slightly guilty.
"Heh. Everyone probably thinks I’m some hopeless pervert now!"
Marshall pointed accusingly at her.
"This is all your fault!"
"You completely ruined my reputation!"
He lightly flicked her with the glowing rod.
"Take that!"
"Ow! Marshall, stop! That hurts!"
Cana squirmed dramatically.
"I was wrong! I really know I was wrong!"
In reality, Marshall barely used any force.
Cana was more embarrassed by the ridiculous situation than physically uncomfortable.
Marshall stopped and folded his arms.
"Well?"
"Do you have anything to say in your defense?"
"You... really want to hear it?"
Cana’s face turned slightly red as she spoke hesitantly.
"Honestly, I don’t think my plan was wrong."
"In a battle, you’re supposed to exploit your opponent’s weaknesses, aren’t you?"
Marshall’s face immediately heated up again.
"Who told you that was my weakness?!"
"That’s slander!"
"Complete slander!"
"But before, when I came out after taking a bath..."
Cana looked at him innocently.
"You saw me, immediately ran away, and avoided me for several days."
"I thought I’d guessed correctly."
"?"
"?"
’So she noticed that?!’
Marshall became flustered, his face turning bright red as a vein pulsed on his forehead.
"T-That doesn’t count as a weakness!"
"It’s called averting your eyes out of politeness!"
"I’m a respectable person!"
"That wasn’t weakness—it was basic manners!"
He launched into a rambling explanation involving restraint, proper conduct, and countless other dignified principles.
Cana had clearly spent far too much time listening to Loki’s nonsense. Her head was now full of strange ideas.
"Hahaha..."
Cana tried not to laugh.
Marshall felt as though he were trying to explain philosophy to a cow.
He wasn’t afraid of pretty girls.
His face only turned red because his mind and body occasionally disagreed with each other!
How was he supposed to admit that out loud?
Did he not deserve dignity?!
Marshall felt terribly wronged.
If the girls began treating him like some shameless little creep, he would be accused of crimes he had never committed.
Admittedly, he enjoyed looking at beautiful women.
But fear of consequences had always kept him perfectly well behaved!
He had even spent time using controlled electrical stimulation during Body-Conditioning training to strengthen his self-control.
Probably.
Aside from allowing Virgo to drag him into some of her strange punishment games, Marshall had never behaved improperly toward any girl close to him.
It would have been one thing if he had actually done something.
But he hadn’t!
Being blamed without receiving any of the supposed benefits was the worst possible deal!
"Come on, Marshall."
Cana softened her voice.
"Your Cana-nee understands."
"You’re still a sweet, innocent, adorable, and terribly shy little boy."
"Really?"
Marshall gradually calmed down.
Cana had known him for years. Surely she understood what kind of person he was.
Then again...
Why did he suddenly feel guilty?
No, there was no reason for that.
Everyone had always viewed him as a well-behaved child!
A person should be judged by their actions, not every stray thought that crossed their mind.
And he was the younger one here!
Looking at it from another angle, having a shy and innocent reputation wasn’t bad at all.
The girls were already reaching their mid-to-late teens.
They were no longer the clueless little children they had once been, and Marshall needed to update how he dealt with them.
In the past, he had worried that showing interest in older girls would get him struck by lightning.
But if those older girls were the ones teasing him first...
Then surely he wasn’t the one who deserved punishment.
They were!
Marshall’s expression shifted repeatedly.
Based on the experience of his previous life, girls at that age were often just as uncertain and embarrassed about romance.
They might joke boldly precisely because they had no intention of actually doing anything.
Therefore, he shouldn’t overthink it.
After a moment, Marshall looked back toward Cana.
Still hanging in the glowing restraints, she appeared to be growing impatient.
She cautiously asked, "So... Marshall, can we forget this whole thing now?"
"Could you let me down?"
"Oh."
Marshall snapped back to reality and looked up.
Only then did he realize that the way he had tied her up looked far more questionable than he had intended.
His face turned red again.
’Wait.’
’Why does Cana look so composed in a situation this embarrassing?!’
Marshall hurriedly canceled the Light-Make spell and vanished from the room.
"I’m going back to pick up Master!"
Cana dropped lightly onto the floor.
A peculiar gleam appeared in her eyes.
As expected, she hadn’t guessed wrong!
Marshall really did have a weakness for this kind of thing!
’Hehehe...’
’Let him think he escaped this time.’
’Now that I know his weakness, I’ll have him completely under control one day!’
...
Back at the trial grounds, the remaining candidates had been dumped in a corner like a pile of discarded laundry.
Most of them lay motionless, looking like exhausted dogs.
Makarov rubbed his stomach miserably.
"Ugh..."
"What happened to all of you?"
Marshall asked after returning.
"No idea."
Makarov looked pale.
"We suddenly started getting motion sickness. It didn’t happen on the way here."
"Marshall, your timing is perfect. Teleport us home."
"I don’t want to ride in that vehicle again."
"Oh. All right."
Marshall paid no attention to Cana’s schemes.
His own eyes now shone with determination.
He would establish a completely new image in the hearts of the girls.
From now on, Marshall was an innocent, reserved, painfully shy boy who had absolutely no interest in women!
Anyone who dared challenge that reputation...
Should prepare to be electrocuted!