Elder Abuse!

Cana stuffed the last bite of meat into her mouth, chewed it, swallowed it, let out a loud burp, and then slumped unceremoniously into her chair.

With his arms hanging down on either side of the chair, his head tilted back on the chair, and his round belly bulging out, he looked just like a lazy cat basking in the sun after a good meal.

(*￣rǒ￣)

"I'm so full, I don't want to move."

She closed her eyes, her voice tinged with a contented languor.

"I'm sleeping here tonight. Anyway, I can get a free breakfast tomorrow morning."

"Sure, come on, I'll take you to find an empty room."

Lisanna stood up and patted Cana on the shoulder.

Cana struggled to get up from the chair, moving as slowly as an old woman, groaning with every movement, and followed Lisanna toward the guest room.

Riyao sat on a stone bench under Parasol Tree, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the two old men still pretending to be dead in the tree, showing no intention of going inside.

Mirajane came out of the main house, wearing pajamas, her hair loose and draped over her shoulders.

She walked behind Riyao, placed her hands on his shoulders, and gently squeezed them.

Okay, okay, let's go to sleep.

"I'll keep an eye on it a little longer."

"What are you watching? They're not going to get away."

Mirajane bent down, resting her chin on the top of Riyao's head, her voice soft and sleepy.

"Ignore those two old bastards. You've had a long day, you should rest."

Riyao was pulled up from the stone bench by Mirajane and half-pushed, half-forced, walked toward the main house.

Just before entering, he turned back and glared fiercely at the tree.

Makarov and Gildarts turned their heads simultaneously, one to the left and the other to the right, their movements perfectly synchronized, avoiding looking at the Riyao.

The door to the main house was closed.

The light in the window stayed on for a while, then went out.

Another ten minutes or so passed, and the manor fell completely silent.

There were only the chirping of insects and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

Makarov quietly opened one eye.

Is he asleep?

"You should go to sleep."

Gildarts also opened his eyes.

The two exchanged a glance and simultaneously began to struggle.

Makarov took a deep breath and activated the Giant Magic.

His body began to swell; his arms became thicker, his shoulders twice as wide, and he grew as big as an inflating balloon.

Under normal circumstances, this change in body size would be enough to break any ordinary rope.

But as his body grew larger, the rope also grew longer and thicker, always remaining tightly bound to his skin, not an inch more or less.

He grew to three times his size, and the rope became three times its length.

"Good lad."

Makarov shrunk back to his original size, and the rope retracted along with him.

"Even an upright and honorable Ten Wizard Saints like me is being guarded against... That's too much."

"You call yourself upright and honorable? Why didn't you claim to be upright and honorable when you stole someone's wine?"

Gildarts sneered from the side, then began to try his own method.

He activated the Crush Magic, his right hand glowing white as he pressed it against the rope.

The Crush Magic can break down all magical matter into its most basic particles; theoretically, no magical creation can withstand it.

The rope was indeed shredded.

However, the rate at which it shreds is slower than the rate at which the rope regenerates.

As soon as one layer of white light disappeared, a new layer of rope grew back, at a rate at least twice as fast as the rate of pulverization.

Gildarts pressed the button for over ten seconds, but the rope not only didn't break, it actually became thicker than before.

"Wow, this kid has this trick up his sleeve."

Riyao's voice drifted leisurely from the main house, carrying a clear hint of drowsiness and impatience at being woken up.

"Stop struggling. The rope is made of Parasol Tree branches, connecting the entire Parasol Tree. Even if you use magic until it smokes, the rope won't break."

The two of them sighed in unison.

Makarov shifted his body and adjusted his posture.

"Forget it, let's get some sleep and wait until tomorrow. He can't keep us hanging like this forever."

The two closed their eyes, preparing to sleep.

Before their breathing could even catch up, the rope suddenly emitted multicolored lights.

Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple—seven colors flashed by in turn.

Then the rope started moving.

First, they stretched out, and then both of them fell half a meter downwards, almost touching the ground.

Then it suddenly shortened, pulling the two back to their original height, the inertia causing their bodies to sway several times in the air.

Elongation.

Shorten.

Elongation.

Shorten.

Up and down, up and down, the rhythm is quite regular.

"That brat's got some tricks up his sleeve."

Makarov was dizzy from being shaken, but he still kept commenting.

"Have him make me a set tomorrow, I'll use it to teach those brats in the guild a lesson. Let them know that this old man isn't someone to be trifled with."

"Well..."

Gildarts's expression wasn't good.

His face went from rosy to pale, his lips were tightly pressed together, and a gurgling sound came from his throat.

"I feel like the wine I drank is going to come back up."

"Don't throw up!! What will I do if you throw up!! I'll be fuming all night!!"

"Swing a little to the left..."

"No!! You're holding it in!!"

The rope was still swaying up and down, and the two old men were bobbing up and down in the air, one trying to hold back his alcohol and the other trying to avoid vomit. The scene was extremely embarrassing.

After taking a shower, Cana changed into the pajamas that Lisanna had lent her, dried her wet hair, and went outside for some fresh air.

She looked up at the view in the tree and almost dropped her towel.

"Ha ha..."

She laughed so hard she bent over, one hand on her knee and the other covering her stomach.

Her stomach, which she had just filled with food, ached from laughing so much, but she couldn't stop.

"Riyao is so talented... haha... I can't take it anymore..."

Hearing the commotion, Lisanna threw on a coat and ran out to see what was going on.

Then it's Elfman, then Wendy and Carla.

Several people stood in a row, looking up at two old men being tossed around by ropes in the tree, their expressions varied.

Carla looked at this absurd scene, sighed deeply, and shook her head.

I wouldn't be surprised if the guild disbands someday.

Wendy quickly crouched down and covered Carla's mouth with both hands.

"Carla, don't say that..."

Carla flicked her tail in dissatisfaction, the tip of which brushed against Wendy's cheek.

Wendy felt ticklish from the brushing, but she didn't let go.

Lisanna pulled out a camera from somewhere, held it up, aimed it at the tree, and snapped several photos.

Flashes of light repeatedly illuminated the night, capturing the expressions of Makarov and Gildarts as they were tossed about by the ropes in photographs.

"Look over here! Look over here! Cheese!"

Makarov tried to keep his expression under control amidst the up-and-down jolting, but every time the shutter lit up, he was thrown to the lowest point, his expression contorted beyond recognition.

"Little Lisanna has gone astray."

He sighed, his voice filled with the heartache of an elderly father.

"How did such a lovely young girl become like this? It must all be Riyao's fault."

Seeing Cana laughing so happily, Gildarts grinned as well.

He swung back and forth on the rope, his hair whipping around in a mess, but he laughed without a care in the world.

"Cana, you have such a beautiful smile. Daddy is very happy."

"What's so great about that?!"

Makarov shouted in dissatisfaction, kicking his short legs wildly in the air.

"This is elder abuse!! Don't you want to let me go?! I'm the president!! Your president!!"

"I've been thinking about it."

Lisanna put away her camera, spread her hands, and looked sincere.

"But we can't do it."

Makarov, still somewhat unwilling to give up, rolled his eyes and changed his strategy.

He softened his voice, his tone carrying a pitiful quality.

"Why don't you go and beg Riyao for me? Tell him I know I was wrong and I'll never steal his wine again."

"Well..."

Lisanna took a step back.

I'm going to sleep now. Goodnight!

She dashed back into the house faster than a rabbit.

The door slammed shut, leaving no crack.

Makarov turned to Wendy for help.

This child is the most soft-hearted in the guild, and can't stand seeing the old people looking pitiful.

He'll have a chance if Wendy hesitates.

Wendy did hesitate.

She looked into Makarov's wet eyes, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something.

Carla grabbed Wendy's hand and turned to walk into the house.

The movements were swift and decisive, giving Wendy no time to hesitate.

Wendy, go to sleep.

"But..."

"No buts."

"Oh..."

Wendy was dragged into the house by Carla without even turning her head.

Makarov finally turned his gaze to Cana.

Cana was stuffing a banana she'd taken from the table into her mouth when she saw Makarov looking at her, and she nearly choked on the banana.

She quickly waved her hand, waving it like a fan.

"I'd rather not. What if I say something wrong and he pulls me back up? I don't want to experience a combination of flashing lights and bungee jumping."

"Cana, Daddy's so hungry."

Gildarts writhed, the ropes binding him uncomfortably, but his tone was full of ingratiation.

"Come on."

Cana threw the banana peel into the trash can, gave a thumbs-up to the tree, and smiled as brightly as an angel.

On the Parasol Tree, two old men looked at each other in bewilderment.

The rope was still swaying up and down, and the seven-colored light was still flashing.

Makarov's beard stood on end from the jolting, and Gildarts's face paled even more from the jolting.

I think...

Makarov struggled to speak, each word punctuated by a stutter.

"After..."

It bounced again.

"Still..."

It bounced again.

"Don't be too greedy."

"We'll talk about greed later. I've had too much to drink, and now I need to pee."

Gildarts's voice was forced out through clenched teeth.

"There's a crystal ball recording there, I'm holding it in."

Makarov squeezed his legs together.

Mavis floated on a nearby branch, resting her chin on her hand, watching the two old men's disheveled appearance, and laughed heartily.