Rob / Chapter 5: Jellal?

"Mm."

But Xi Feng and the others had barely taken a few steps when they spotted a light shining inside a house up ahead.

"Big brother, it looks like someone's over there."

"Let's go take a look."

With that, Xi Feng led Erza, Wendy, and Kinana to the door.

"Excuse me, is anyone home? We're passing through. Could we stay here for the night?"

No sooner had Xi Feng finished speaking than the door opened, and an old man dressed like a tribesman stepped out.

Xi Feng couldn't help looking surprised when he saw the old man.

Chapter 4: Rob

"Grandpa Rob, your cooking is delicious! Don't you think so, Erza?"

"Mm, it's really good."

"Is that so? Then have some more." Rob watched Wendy and Erza with a broad smile. He was clearly delighted.

Xi Feng, meanwhile, watched Wendy and the old man. He hadn't expected the "person" they encountered to be Rob—the man who had created an entire guild just for Wendy in the original story, and who had invented Nirvana, the magic that reversed light and darkness.

"Xi Feng, what are you thinking about? If you don't start eating, Erza and I will finish everything! Grandpa Rob's cooking is really good." Wendy seemed to notice that Xi Feng was lost in thought and tugged at the hem of his clothes.

"Nothing. Go on, eat." Wendy's words brought Xi Feng back to his senses. He smiled at her and began eating, while Rob gave him a meaningful look.

A while later, after they had eaten their fill, Wendy and Erza grew sleepy and went to sleep in the other rooms. Only Xi Feng, Rob, and Kinana remained.

"Sir," Xi Feng addressed Rob respectfully after the room had been quiet for a while.

"You have sharp senses, young man. When did you notice?" Rob knelt on the floor, looking at Xi Feng with admiration.

"When I first saw you, I sensed something different. It was only faint, but I still noticed that you weren't quite like an ordinary person." It was just as Xi Feng said. Although he had already known Rob's identity from watching the anime, he really had sensed something different when they met. Perhaps gaining perfect Projection Magecraft had greatly sharpened his senses as well.

"Excellent, excellent, excellent." Rob praised Xi Feng repeatedly. "You're quite something, young man. In all these hundreds of years, you're the first person to see through me."

"Hundreds of years?" Although Xi Feng already knew Rob's identity, he pretended not to, putting on a startled expression.

"It all happened a very, very long time ago..." Rob slowly began telling his story, using magic to show Xi Feng what had happened in the past.

"This..." Even after some time had passed, Xi Feng couldn't calm down. The scenes Rob had shown him through magic had made him feel as though he were actually there.

"Whew." Looking at Rob, Xi Feng took a deep breath, trying to contain his excitement. So this was the allure of magic? It really got the blood pumping.

"Sir, the Nirvana magic you mentioned is terrifying. If someone evil got hold of it, the consequences would be horrifying."

"Ah..." Xi Feng's words made Rob sigh. "Had we known what would happen, we would never have created Nirvana."

"Sir..."

"Let's not speak of it anymore. It's all in the past, and regret won't change anything. All I can do is keep watch here. Young man, is there something else you need?" As he spoke, Rob looked at Kinana in Xi Feng's arms.

Seeing Rob look at Kinana, Xi Feng nodded. "Sir, you sensed it too, didn't you? This little snake in my arms is actually a person under a curse. With my current magic power, I can't restore her at all. I was hoping you could help me."

"Of course." Rob nodded and held both hands in front of Kinana. Xi Feng then felt an enormous surge of magic power stirring around them. An intense white light burst from Kinana's body.

Whoosh!

After the light faded, the Purple Little Snake in his arms had become an adorable purple-haired Little Loli. Rob had already left by the time Kinana was restored.

At first, Kinana looked bewildered, but the moment she saw Xi Feng, she grew excited and reached out to hug him.

"Xi... Xi... Xi..."

Amused by her reaction, Xi Feng stroked her head. "Don't rush. Take your time and relax."

Kinana had been turned into a snake as a child and hadn't spoken human language in a long time. Now that she had regained her human form, speaking it again was understandably difficult.

"Whew." Following Xi Feng's advice, Kinana took a deep breath. Looking at him, she struggled to say, "Xi... Xi... Xi Feng... big... brother." Once she finished, she seemed much more at ease.

"Mm-hmm, I understand. You did great, Kinana. You can get used to it little by little." Xi Feng smiled and praised her, but then he noticed something...

Having just returned to her original form, Kinana wasn't wearing any clothes. She, however, was happily hugging Xi Feng and bouncing up and down, calling out, "Big brother... big brother."

Xi Feng pulled over a piece of cloth from beside him and draped it around her. "Kinana, get up. It's time to rest."

"No..." Kinana said with difficulty, holding Xi Feng tightly.

Erza and Wendy were probably asleep by now, so it wouldn't be right to disturb them. Looking at Kinana clinging to him, Xi Feng affectionately stroked her head, picked her up, and carried her to his room.

Once inside, Xi Feng found a few of Erza's clothes in his luggage and dressed Kinana in them. Then he told her, "Kinana, don't wriggle around when we go to sleep, okay?"

"Huh?" Kinana tilted her head and looked at Xi Feng in confusion, seemingly unsure what he meant, but then nodded happily.

"I can't take it. It's going to come out." Seeing Kinana act so adorably, Xi Feng hurriedly covered his nose. Then he shook his head and said, "Good night, Kinana."

"G-good... night, big... brother."

Kinana hugged Xi Feng's arm and closed her eyes with a smile. Looking at her affectionately, Xi Feng smiled and closed his eyes too.

"Big brother, wake up!"

The next morning, Erza ran to Xi Feng's room to wake him. She had been smiling, but the moment she entered, her expression darkened completely. A girl she had never seen before was sleeping with her arms around her big brother.

"Aah!"

Her scream sent the birds perched in the trees scattering.

"What's wrong, Erza?" Hearing Erza's voice, Wendy hurried over, only to freeze in bewilderment a moment later.

"Mm... ah!" Xi Feng woke up as well. He yawned and muttered, "What's going on? Why is it so noisy?"

But as soon as he finished speaking, he felt a chill. He rubbed his eyes and saw that Erza had somehow changed into armor and was holding an iron sword. A dark aura radiated from her.

"Um... E-Erza, what's wrong?" Faced with such a frightening Erza, even Xi Feng felt a little scared.

"Mm..." A drowsy murmur came from beside Xi Feng. He looked over and saw Kinana, finally realizing why Erza was so resentful. He hurriedly said, "Erza, listen to me first!"

Erza ignored Xi Feng and advanced toward him one step at a time.

"Mm." Kinana woke up then too. She rubbed her eyes, and when she opened them and saw Erza, she looked confused at first. Then she happily threw herself at her.

"E... Er... za..."

"Mm?" Suddenly hugged by this unfamiliar girl, Erza was bewildered too. Why was this girl so affectionate with her? Did she know her? She looked questioningly at Xi Feng.

"Whew." Realizing he had been saved, Xi Feng let out a relieved breath. Then he said softly, "She's Kinana."

"Kinana!"

Xi Feng's words utterly stunned Erza and Wendy. Neither of them could have imagined that the little purple snake would turn into an adorable girl.

"Here's what happened..." Xi Feng explained Kinana's identity, then made up an excuse, saying that her curse might have gradually faded over time until she returned to normal.

Chapter 5: Jellal?

"Grandpa Rob, we're leaving!"

Erza and Wendy waved to Rob, who stood at the door.

"Be careful on the road, children." Rob smiled warmly at Xi Feng and the others.

"All right, let's go," Xi Feng said, looking at Erza, Wendy, and Kinana.

"Okay, big brother!" ×3

Unlike Mystogan in the original story, Xi Feng hadn't left Wendy with Rob. He took her along instead. Mystogan had been unable to bring Wendy with him because he had to stop Anima and had no time to look after her, so he had entrusted her to Rob.

Xi Feng, on the other hand, had nothing he needed to do right now. He might as well take Wendy with him and spare her the pain and sorrow that the false Cait Shelter would bring her in the future. Besides, as someone who had transmigrated, changing the plot was the way to go.

Two days had passed since they left Rob's village, and Xi Feng and the others remained as relaxed and carefree as ever.

When they reached a river, Xi Feng noticed that the sun was getting rather strong and said, "Let's rest here for a bit. I'll catch some fish for lunch. Erza, you three go find some firewood."

"Mm." Erza nodded and led Wendy and Kinana into the woods.

Once in the woods, they began searching for firewood. Since the girls were still young and couldn't carry large branches, they could only gather small twigs.

Just then, a wild rabbit suddenly leaped out of a nearby bush and ran in front of Wendy.

"So cute!"

Wendy was instantly captivated and slowly approached it.

Whoosh!

The rabbit, which had been looking for food, seemed startled by Wendy and darted back into the bushes.

"Huh? Little bunny, where are you going?"

A little disappointed to see the rabbit run back into the bushes, Wendy dropped the firewood in her hands and followed it.

"Little bunny!"