Wendy and Carla Join the Guild

Looking at the open guild gates.

Riyao, Natsu, and Gray all pursed their lips, and the three of them slowed down their pace, staring at the wide-open door.

Their expressions changed from anticipation to disappointment, like three children waiting to unwrap a gift only to find the wrapping already torn open.

"The door is wide open, that's no fun."

Natsu kicked at the pebbles at his feet, put his hands behind his head, looked uninterested, and slumped his shoulders.

Every time he returned from a mission, kicking open the guild door was an unwavering ritual for him; without it, he always felt uneasy.

"I feel like something's missing if I come back and don't kick the front door open."

Gray had his hands in his pockets, a downturned lip, and his toes tapping the ground listlessly, sporting the same bored expression as Natsu.

"It's pointless."

Riyao spread his hands, sighed, and said in a tone of regret that the "sense of ritual had been ruined."

Lucy facepalmed, feeling a strong urge to complain.

What's wrong with these three people's thought processes? They're just coming back, why do they have to kick the door down to feel comfortable?

What did the guild's gates do to deserve this?

As the group entered the guild, Mirajane spotted Riyao as soon as she came in. She ran over and jumped into Riyao's arms, her speed so fast that even Elfman was drinking nearby, turned his head slightly.

"Riyao!"

Riyao caught Mirajane steadily, wrapped his arms naturally around her, rested his chin gently on the top of her head, and wore a relaxed smile.

"Did you miss me? I'm dying to see you!"

Mirajane snuggled against him and let out a muffled "Mmm".

Lucy and the others following behind Riyao walked away speechlessly. Lucy rolled her eyes, Erza awkwardly turned her face away, and Natsu and Gray quickened their pace toward the bar, pretending not to have seen anything.

"Oh, right, I brought Wendy and Carla back with me."

Riyao released his grip on Mirajane's hand, turned aside to let Wendy and Carla, and said casually, as if he were saying, "I just bought some fruit."

"Real?!"

Mirajane stepped out of Riyao's arms, a delighted smile instantly spreading across her face. She took a few steps to Wendy and Carla, and scooped the two little ones into her arms with such force that Wendy flinched.

Carla struggled, kicking her short legs and pushing against Mirajane with her little paws, but her strength was like a tickle to Mirajane, and she could only kick the air in vain.

"Let me go!"

The sound was mostly muffled by Mirajane's chest, making it sound indistinct.

Wendy was still not quite used to Mirajane's enthusiasm. She was held tightly in his arms and couldn't move. Her cheeks were squeezed out of shape, and she cried out softly.

"Miss Mirajane..."

After listening to Erza's report, Makarov leaned halfway out from the second-floor railing, his mustache bristling and his face beaming with joy. He slapped the railing, sending dust flying.

"Oh, my lads! Let's throw a party to celebrate Wendy and Carla joining the guild!"

"Oh! A banquet!"

Welcome Wendy and Carla!

The crowd cheered, and the atmosphere in the guild reached its peak, with the clinking of glasses creating a lively cacophony.

Some people jumped onto the table and waved their fists, while others rushed towards the bar to grab drinks. Cana picked up the barrel and tilted her head back to chug it down, and the entire guild hall instantly turned into a boiling pot.

Everyone gathered around to see Wendy and Carla, who had just joined the guild, one after another crowding around.

Wendy was flustered by the enthusiastic crowd. She unconsciously took a step back, clutching the hem of her clothes with both hands, her eyes darting around, unsure of where to look or what to say.

She looked like a little rabbit surrounded by enemies.

Mirajane glared at them, her gaze shifting from gentle to sharp in a fraction of a second, and the surroundings fell silent for a moment.

The group chuckled and walked away, muttering, "We were just looking," but their steps quickened.

Then, Mirajane led Wendy and Carla through the membership process. He took Wendy's hand and walked behind the counter, where he retrieved the membership registration book and the stamp station.

Wendy carefully wrote her name in the register, her strokes neat and tidy.

Riyao adjusted the seal to stamp them with the Fairy Tail emblem, which became clearly visible on their skin.

Wendy looked at the brand-new guild emblem on the back of her hand, her nose tingled, and she almost cried again, but this time it was out of joy.

Carla's tail started wagging involuntarily, then she quickly pressed it down, pretending nothing was wrong.

"Wendy, Carla, would you like to come stay at my house? Mira's cooking is amazing."

Riyao crouched down, looking Wendy in the eye, his tone relaxed, as if inviting a neighbor over for dinner.

"My sister really wants Wendy and Carla to come too!"

Mirajane bent down, resting her hands on her knees, a gentle smile on her face, her voice soft, as if she were coaxing a kitten.

Wendy was unsure what to do, so she looked at Carla with a questioning look and a little bit of expectation in her eyes.

"Carla, how about we go to Mr. Riyao's manor?"

"Hmph, since they're being so enthusiastic in their invitation, we'll reluctantly agree."

Carla turned her face away, but her tail wagged honestly twice. She said she was reluctant, but her little paws were already secretly tugging at the hem of her skirt.

After hearing that Carla agreed, Wendy took out her money bag, which made a pleasant metallic clanging sound under the light.

She held it with both hands and handed it out carefully.

How much rent do we need?

Lucy saw Wendy's purse. Her pupils reflected the bulging purse, and she unconsciously took two steps closer, her voice filled with undisguised envy.

"Wendy has so much money."

"I mostly take on medical cases, and most of them offer very high rewards."

Wendy shrank back sheepishly, pulled her purse back closer, and explained softly, as if embarrassed by her "wealth."

"Damn it, I want to learn Healing Magic too!"

"With your pathetic little magic power, you'll give up after healing only half of it."

Lucy clenched her fists, a vein throbbing on her forehead, and tears welled in her eyes as she thought about the days she was still paying off her mortgage.

Riyao gently rubbed Wendy's head, his palm lightly resting on the top of her head. The movement was natural and tender. Wendy's head twitched slightly under his palm, then relaxed again.

"No rent is required, and the room is empty anyway. Come on, we'll take you back to drop off your luggage, and then you can come to the banquet later."

Wendy opened her mouth as if to say something, Riyao had already stood up and walked towards the door, with Mirajane holding Wendy's hand in one hand and supporting Carla in the other, following behind.

Back at the manor, Lisanna emerged from behind the strawberry bushes and saw Wendy and Carla.

She was taken aback at first, then ran over with a look of surprise on her face, her steps as light as a deer's, the soles of her shoes making a soft rustling sound on the grass.

"Wendy! Carla! You've come to visit!"

"No, Wendy and Carla are moving into our manor."

Mirajane explained with a smile, tilting her head to look at Lisanna, her tone carrying a hint of smugness, as if to say, "Surprised?"

Lisanna was even more surprised. She covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide open, then let go of her hands and hugged Wendy tightly, jumping up and down twice.

The two sisters led Wendy and Carla into the room. Mirajane held Wendy's left hand, and Lisanna held Wendy's right hand, with the two older sisters on either side.

Wendy was caught in the middle, and she could barely keep up with their pace.

Carla was held in Lisanna's other hand, saying "Don't hug me," but her body remained obediently curled up without moving.

Riyao went to the cellar to pick out a few barrels of fruit wine, intending to take them to the guild.

He pushed open the heavy wooden door of the cellar and walked down the stone steps. The air was filled with the rich, sweet aroma of fruit wine. The wooden barrels were neatly stacked on the shelves, with a few empty spaces that looked rather abrupt.

"Three barrels are missing. Looks like Cana and the old man stole my wine again."

Finally, I picked out two barrels that had been brewing for the longest time, carried one in each hand, and walked briskly towards the guild.