Secrets of the Fairy Tail Guild

"To welcome one person, you actually had to renovate the entire town? Even if the King himself were to arrive, the treatment wouldn't be any more extravagant than this, would it?"

Lu Chongwei pointed at the moving houses, his tone laced with a mix of mockery and disbelief.

Gildarts let out a long sigh, the look of helplessness on his face deepening as he slumped over like a deflated balloon.

"Don't you start picking on me too, kid."

Gildarts wore a bitter expression, spreading his hands wide to play the part of a victim.

"This isn't some welcoming ceremony; this is entirely because of that damn 'Gildarts Mode'!"

"Gildarts Mode?"

Lu Chongwei repeated the term, his eyebrows arching slightly. He found the name both imposing and inexplicably bizarre.

Gildarts looked filled with righteous indignation, as if he had suffered a grave injustice.

"Yeah! It's because back in the day, while I was walking, I... uh, I zoned out for a little while."

As he said this, Gildarts' voice dropped noticeably, and his eyes began to drift toward a nearby utility pole.

"Zoned out?"

Lu Chongwei caught the keyword sharply. He looked the man—reputed to be the strongest mage of Fairy Tail—up and down, finding it hard to connect "zoning out" with "town renovation."

"They turned the city into this just because you zoned out?"

Gildarts waved his hand irritably, as if shooing away an annoying fly.

"Those guys claim that when I zone out, I unconsciously activate my Crush Magic and turn everything in my path into rubble!"

His tone was full of grievance, as if he were the one being bullied.

"So, every time I return, the whole city shifts into this 'direct-to-guild' mode, terrified that I might tear down someone's house. Now, in the eyes of the residents, I'm basically a demon king who destroys towns!"

Lu Chongwei's mouth twitched as he listened. Watching Gildarts' indignant display, he already believed him eight parts out of ten.

That explained it.

Why this man, despite his kindly appearance, was afforded such "top-tier" treatment.

"Having to make such a huge fuss just for me to come home, with everyone watching me—it's really embarrassing!"

Gildarts covered his face with both hands and let out a wail, his reddened face still visible through his fingers.

Lu Chongwei crossed his arms and looked at him skeptically, clearly not planning to let the topic drop so easily.

"Just how much damage did your 'little' zoning out actually cause?"

Lu Chongwei asked, his gaze sharp and hitting the nail on the head.

Gildarts' posture stiffened noticeably. He lowered his hands, his eyes darting around as he mumbled incoherently.

"It wasn't that much... maybe... possibly..."

"Give me a specific number."

Lu Chongwei was relentless. He knew the nature of middle-aged men like this all too well; if you didn't press them to the end, you'd never hear the truth.

Seeing there was no escape, Gildarts steeled himself and began counting on his fingers.

"Ahem, one time I destroyed about 21 houses, I think."

Lu Chongwei's eyes widened instantly.

"21 houses?!"

Gildarts waved his hands hurriedly, trying to explain.

"That was an accident! Purely an accident! There was another time that was less, only 18."

He said it so casually, as if they were 18 building blocks rather than the homes of 18 families.

Lu Chongwei felt his breath hitch for a moment.

"And what about the others?"

Gildarts scratched the stubble on his chin, looking as if he were struggling to recall.

"The time before that was 24, I think... as for anything earlier, well, I'm getting old, I can't remember clearly."

Lu Chongwei was completely speechless.

He looked at the innocent-looking man before him, feeling the veins on his forehead throbbing.

Dozens of houses!

Was this guy walking around with his eyes closed while driving a bulldozer?

"I finally understand the residents' decision now."

Lu Chongwei took a deep breath, his tone as sincere as it could possibly be.

"If I were the mayor, I wouldn't just renovate the town; I'd hang a 'Hazardous Material' sign on you."

Gildarts' mouth twitched, and just as he was about to retort, Lu Chongwei continued.

"You're no mage; you're a walking, talking bulldozer. Even the head of the demolition department isn't as efficient as you."

Upon hearing this tease, the awkward look on Gildarts's face suddenly shifted, his eyes lighting up as if he had grasped at a life-saving straw.

"Hey! You think I'm amazing too, right?"

Gildarts puffed out his chest and reached up to brush back non-existent bangs, his face full of smug satisfaction.

"Even if the house was a bit destroyed, it just goes to show how powerful my magic is! And let me tell you, this kind of wild, destructive beauty is deeply loved by women!"

Lu Chongwei looked at the middle-aged man before him, who had instantly switched from shame to narcissism, and a wave of disdain welled up in his heart.

What on earth is this guy's face made of?

He was just complaining about being treated like a Great Demon King, and now he's bragging about his popularity with women?

"Yes, yes, you're the best, all the women in the city are swooning over you, happy now?"

Lu Chongwei rolled his eyes and replied perfunctorily, though his pace involuntarily quickened, wanting nothing more than to get away from this embarrassing fellow.

The two continued along the ridiculously wide boulevard.

Soon, a magnificent building appeared in their line of sight.

It was a three-story building with a European flair, its massive wooden doors studded with metal rivets, giving it an ancient and heavy appearance.

On the roof, a giant flag snapped loudly in the wind.

The flag was emblazoned with a strange emblem, resembling a leaping sprite with a flamboyant, trailing tail.

"We're here. This is our guild—Fairy Tail."

Gildarts stopped and looked up at the flag, the frivolity in his eyes fading, replaced by a deep sense of attachment and pride.

Lu Chongwei also stopped. He examined the building, which looked more like a tavern than a mage guild, and his gaze finally settled on the emblem.

"Fairy Tail?"

Lu Chongwei muttered the name, his brow furrowing slightly.

"That name sounds... pretty weird."

He spoke bluntly; after all, in a world filled with magic and dragons, naming a combat organization after the body part of a fairy-tale creature felt inherently incongruous.

Gildarts didn't get angry; instead, as if he had anticipated Lu Chongwei's reaction, he revealed a meaningful smile.

He turned around, his back to the sun, his tall frame casting a long shadow on the ground.

"Weird? Perhaps."

Gildarts's voice became low and magnetic, as if a bard were recounting an ancient legend.

"Do you know, Lu Chongwei? Whether creatures like fairies even exist in this world remains an unsolved mystery to this day."

Lu Chongwei was slightly taken aback, not expecting the other to suddenly bring this up.

"Since we don't even know if fairies exist, then whether a fairy has a tail is naturally an even greater mystery that no one knows."

Gildarts raised his hand and pointed at the fluttering flag, a glimmer of something called "dream" shining in his eyes.

"It is precisely because it is unknown that it is filled with infinite possibilities."

His voice echoed through the empty street, carrying a power that struck straight to the heart.