Aibo wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone right now. Any movement only made his headache worse.
Still, the little girl's inner thoughts caught his attention.
"'Dad'? Could this girl be Gildarts's daughter?!"
Aibo's gaze naturally fell on the girl named Cana.
The little girl had delicate features and would definitely grow into a beauty, but she didn't look much like Gildarts, and even her hair color was completely different.
But inner thoughts generally didn't lie. Perhaps she took after her mother?
It was just that... Gildarts hadn't specifically greeted this daughter of his earlier, which was rather strange.
"Oi, newbie, what are you spacing out for? We asked for your name!"
"Idiot Gray! Be more polite when you talk. Don't scare him."
The little girl named Cana chopped Gray on the head with her hand. They seemed to be quite close.
"My name is Aibo..."
Since this involved his benefactor, Gildarts, Aibo had no choice but to perk up a little. Then he pointed at the underwear the little boy had taken off behind him and twitched his lips.
"Um, aren't you going to put your clothes back on...?"
"Huh?! When did that happen?!"
"..."
Honestly, Aibo had been a little frightened when he watched the boy named Gray walk toward him while expressionlessly taking off his pants.
Judging by Gray's reaction, he seemed not to have noticed that he had taken off his own clothes at all.
And Aibo could confirm that Gray hadn't even realized it in his mind.
Developing such an outrageous habit at such a young age... What an unfortunate kid.
Gray put his underwear back on while stiffly changing the subject.
"Aibo, right? Um, do you have a family name?"
Aibo did want to say his surname was Ai. The memories of his twenty years in his previous life were far clearer than the six years of this life.
"A family name? I'm not really sure. I've been called Aibo since I was little."
"Huh? Aibo, then you—"
What's your relationship with Gildarts?
Aibo "heard" what Cana wanted to ask before she could say it, but just then, guild master Makarov and Gildarts happened to come down from the second floor, leaving the little girl without time to voice her question.
Everyone's attention was drawn over there, and Cana could only stop asking.
"Kids, all eyes on me! I have an announcement!"
Makarov leaped onto the bar counter on the guild's first floor, raised both hands, and smiled with narrowed eyes.
"First! Let's welcome our guild's newest member—little Aibo!"
Makarov's small hand suddenly grew larger before Aibo's slightly horrified eyes, grabbing him and "placing" him directly on the counter.
Giant Magic, one of Guild Master Makarov's signature spells, could enlarge his body or any part of it.
"Little Aibo is a naturally awakened mage with limitless potential. Make sure to look after our little genius from now on!"
"Whoa! What an incredible newcomer!"
"The guild's future is in your hands! Hahahaha!"
"Newbie, show us a talent!"
This guild was really noisy...
Aibo pressed at his throbbing temple, irritated by all those enthusiastic voices, and gave an awkward yet polite smile.
"Also, I'll be heading to the Magic Council for something in the next few days. Keep an eye on the guild and on Gildarts for me! That's all! Dismissed!"
"Hey, hey! Old man, what do you mean by that?"
"Don't worry, Master! We won't let Gildarts run wild!"
"Goodbye, Master! Gildarts, come have a drink!"
"Hahahaha!"
"..."
Not even a moment of concern or curiosity arose over the guild master's impending departure. The guild members soon returned to making a ruckus.
Makarov was clearly accustomed to such scenes. He turned to Aibo beside him with a kindly smile.
"Haha, little Aibo, don't mind them. These guys may seem unreliable most of the time, but they can be depended on when it counts. You'll get used to them slowly. Just treat this place as your home from now on!"
He seems like a good kid. I just hope he doesn't learn bad habits from these idiots.
Hey, hey, Guild Master, you didn't even believe what you just said yourself...
Aibo's thoughts were quite active too, unfortunately no one could hear his complaints.
"Airo! Come help our newcomer get his guild mark~"
Makarov called out to the guild's poster girl, and a well-built young woman came over holding something that looked suspiciously like a stamp.
"A mark... Is that a kind of tattoo? Do I have to get one?"
Aibo shrank his neck, instinctively resisting.
Besides, this guild mark looked strangely familiar. He seemed to have seen it somewhere before, but he couldn't remember where when he thought about it carefully.
Airo, the poster girl, smiled and explained.
"It's not a tattoo. A guild mark is a special kind of marking magic, and it can be removed. Now then, where would you like it?"
"...Then... put it on the back of my shoulder."
Aibo somewhat reluctantly pulled down the clothing over his right shoulder, exposing half of it.
He didn't really want to see a "tattoo" on his body, so he could only have it placed somewhere out of sight.
"Alright~"
Miss Airo raised her hand and brought down the stamp, neatly giving Aibo a pink mark. Then, still a little excited, she squeezed the little boy's fair arm and let out an exaggerated, booming laugh.
"Children's skin really is so nice~"
So cute, hehe. I really want to take him home and raise him~ This kid will definitely grow into a handsome man someday, hehe~
Miss, those thoughts of yours are dangerous.
Frightened, Aibo edged closer to the guild master.
Makarov nodded in satisfaction.
"Airo, I'll leave Aibo with you for now. I'm not too comfortable leaving the child with Gildarts."
"No problem~ Master, I love children the most."
Airo excitedly picked Aibo up in her arms and spun around in place.
"Aww~ What a well-behaved child. He's much cuter than Gray!"
Gray: ???
His entire body suddenly sank into softness, and his nose filled with a young woman's fragrance.
Aibo blinked. He suddenly realized...
Being a child again didn't seem so bad.
At that moment, Gildarts, who had already downed several drinks with others, staggered back over and shouted at Makarov in dissatisfaction.
"Hey, hey, hey! Master, I can't pretend I didn't hear that! I've lived with Aibo for several days now! How am I unable to take care of children?"
Hearing that, Makarov ignored Gildarts and instead looked at Aibo with guilt all over his face.
"Child, you've really suffered. It couldn't have been easy getting here, could it?"
"..."
Nestled in the poster girl's arms, Aibo wore an expression of sorrowful acceptance.
Who could understand what it was like sleeping rough with a scruffy, lecherous old man?
"Brat, I obviously took good care of you."
Gildarts curled his lips and didn't seem to care. Leaning against the bar counter, he spoke flirtatiously to the poster girl.
"Airo~ It's been so long, and you've gotten prettier again. Want to go on a date with me tonight?"
"No, I have a boyfriend now, Gildarts."
"Huh?! Since when?! Damn it! Which bastard... no, I mean, which lucky—"
Aibo's gaze moved between them before settling on Cana, who stood nearby with an unreadable expression.
He wanted to know what this little girl was thinking right now...
Dad may be strong, but he's way too flirtatious... No, he's just a shameless womanizer!
Dad seems to care about Aibo a lot. Could he be my little brother?
Forget it. Today, I have to tell him about Mom! I need to ask whether he even remembers...
But... but... what would be the point of asking? Mom said that he was a wanderer who would never stop for anyone...
If I acknowledge him as my father, would he stay for me?
But Dad is such a powerful mage, and I... I'm so weak. Would he acknowledge me? I'd only hold him back.
Mom, what... should I do?
"..."
The girl's chaotic thoughts flooded into Aibo's mind all at once. Their slightly heavy emotions made him suck in a cold breath.
What a sin, Gildarts.
Who would have thought his savior was actually an old scumbag?
Ah~ I really didn't want to know this kind of secret...
Just then, Aibo's eyelid suddenly twitched—
[Telepathy Magic LV4, 214→230/10000000]
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