Armored Girl

"Again! Why is my luck so good today!?"

"No matter how many times I divine it, the result won't change. Are you an idiot, Gray? You've got good luck and you're still complaining?"

"But I fell into a ditch when I left home today! And I lost my wallet! Not a single good thing happened!"

Gray slammed his hand on the table and loudly accused Cana.

"Your fortune-telling is completely inaccurate! You haven't mastered your magic at all!"

"You looking for a fight, punk!?"

Just as the two were about to start another quarrel, Aibo was about to step in when his attention was drawn to a little girl who had entered the guild.

The girl looked around eleven or twelve. She had short crimson hair, with her right eye covered by a white eyepatch. Carrying a small cloth bundle, she was ragged from head to toe, like some refugee from who knew where.

Yet Aibo could vaguely sense magic power from her that was no weaker than his own. This girl was a mage? How had she ended up in such a miserable state?

"This is... the place where Grandpa Rob used to stay..."

It feels so noisy. Why is there a child not wearing any clothes? Is this some pervert guild?

"..."

Aibo speechlessly glanced at Gray, who had taken off his clothes again. This guy was completely ruining the guild's reputation.

Still working part-time as a waiter, Aibo sighed and stepped forward to greet her.

"Hello, miss. Are you here to post a request at our guild?"

"...Sho..."

The little girl stared blankly at Aibo, and her thoughts surfaced.

If he hadn't gone through all that pain, Sho would definitely have been as cute as this child...

Aibo blinked. Looks like she was another girl with a story. But now wasn't the time for you to see me and think of someone else.

"Miss? Are you here on business?"

The girl came back to herself and shook her head.

"No, I'm here to join your guild."

"Oh~ Old man! Come down and greet a guest!"

Aibo called toward the second floor, though he was actually using Telepathy Magic to wake Makarov from his nap upstairs.

Very soon, the little old man jumped down from the second floor and walked up to the girl with a smile.

"Child, I'm Makarov, the master of this guild. I hear you want to join us? Can you tell me why?"

The little girl answered solemnly.

"I am Erza, Erza... Sc-Scarlet. I was... introduced here by Grandpa Rob. He said this was the guild he used to belong to..."

"Rob!? Where is he now?"

Seeing Erza hesitate, Makarov's expression gradually became grave.

"Child, come with me. I think you must have a great deal to tell me."

Makarov then left with Erza. The people in the guild discussed it briefly before quickly losing interest, and the place soon became lively again.

Aibo returned to Gray and Cana's little table. Gray tossed aside the fortune cards.

"Aibo, who was that girl?"

"A mage. She's a newcomer joining our guild. She'll probably be our companion soon."

"She looks so filthy. Can she really be a mage?"

"She should be pretty strong. At the very least, the magic power inside her is greater than yours, Gray."

"Huh!? Wait, how do you know that, Aibo?"

Aibo tilted his head.

"Mm~ A feeling?"

"Tch. Just wait. Next time, I'll challenge her and show you what a truly powerful mage is."

Cana pushed Gray aside and pulled Aibo down into a seat.

"Aibo, let me divine your fortune. That stupid Gray actually doesn't believe me."

"I don't believe in luck anymore!"

"Let's see... Wheel of Fortune... Ten of Cups... a fated encounter... emotional fulfillment. Today will be another day overflowing with happiness for you, Aibo!"

"See? You said exactly the same thing about me earlier! You fortune-telling fraud!"

"Gray, I think you're itching for a beating! Get back here!"

Cana chased Gray around the table while Aibo, sitting in the middle, sighed helplessly.

Compared to ten-year-old Cana and Gray, six-year-old Aibo was a little more mature.

Cana was clearly much livelier than when he had first arrived. He didn't know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

After a while, Makarov came out again with the little girl named Erza. He jumped onto the bar counter and clapped his hands.

"Ahem! Quiet, everyone. I have an announcement! This is our guild's newest member, Erza. An old senior of the guild introduced her to us, so make sure everyone gets along with her from now on! That's all!"

Makarov then brought Erza to Cana's table and took out a small bag of coins, placing it on the table.

"Cana, you lot take Erza to buy some daily necessities. She's just arrived—"

Before the guild master could finish, Erza reached out and snatched the money pouch. With her head lowered and a dark expression on her face, she said,

"No need. I can manage on my own."

Without waiting for anyone to respond, she turned and ran off.

"What the heck! What kind of attitude was that!"

Gray slapped the table angrily.

Makarov sighed. He glanced at Gray, then Cana, before finally turning his gaze to Aibo.

"Little Aibo, look after that child more in the future. Help her settle into the guild as soon as possible. Like you, she hasn't had it easy..."

"Me?"

Aibo pointed at himself with his little hand and rolled his eyes cutely.

"Got it. I'll keep an eye on her."

Gray and Cana whispered to each other.

"Did the master seem like he didn't think much of the two of us just now? Did you feel that?"

"Shut up. Aibo is way more sensible than you."

Another tragedy caused by the sins of that Dark Magic Cult. Those bastards deserve to die...

Makarov left in a low mood, but Aibo had heard his thoughts.

Aibo fell into thought.

So that girl, like him, had had her hometown destroyed and her family killed by the Dark Magic Cult?

Sigh, life wasn't easy in this world.

If something happened and he could help, then he would.

"So, aren't we going after her?"

Cana pointed outside.

"We're just letting the newcomer buy things by herself? What if she gets ripped off?"

"Tch, didn't Aibo say she was strong? She made it to Magnolia all by herself, so why would she be scared of that? Back in my day—"

After thinking about it, Aibo decided not to follow her. That girl was obviously extremely resistant to interacting with people, and following her would only make him unwelcome. Still, he used Telepathy Magic to chat with Erza for a few moments.

Erza, when you buy things, you can show the shopkeepers the guild mark on your arm. Everyone in town gives our guild face, so you'll get discounts when buying things~

Who are you!?

I'm the boy who spoke to you in the guild just now. My name is Aibo. This is my magic. We're members of the same guild now, so please take care of me~

...Okay. Thank you.

"Levy~ Come here, let me tell your fortune!"

The guild remained as noisy as ever, and Aibo continued working while training his magic.

From time to time, he would actively use Telepathy Magic to eavesdrop on whatever was going through Gray's little head. Or, when he went into the kitchen to fetch food and drinks, he would change into another set of clothes and use Light Make Magic to put a halo over his head...

In short, he used magic as often as possible to grind experience points. He might have looked lazy to others, but every single second, he was secretly growing stronger.

When it came to working hard in secret, Aibo wouldn't lose to anyone. That was the confidence years of ruthless competition had given him.

Suddenly, the guild's chatter fell silent. Following everyone's gazes toward the guild entrance, Aibo saw Erza returning to the guild in a suit of armor that did not fit her very well.

She had actually gone and bought a set of armor?

That was what most people were thinking at that moment.