Is Hughes Mira's Father?

A promising talent like Mira could grow quickly with just a little guidance. In a few years, she would be strong enough to become one of the guild's top fighters.

Erza was the same. She had awakened her magic on her own, and after two years in the guild, she was already making a name for herself.

Though Erza was only thirteen, even guild mainstays like Macao and Wakaba might not be a match for her.

The more Makarov thought about it, the happier he became, and he made no effort to hide his smile. His lecherous expression frightened Lisanna into moving a few steps away from him.

Those little movements naturally didn't escape Makarov's notice as one of the Ten Wizard Saints. He put a fist to his mouth, pretended to cough a few times, and casually wiped the smile off his face.

"Your names are Mira, Lisanna, and Elfman, right?"

Mira nodded and pointed a fair-skinned finger at the white hair on her head.

"Oh, you're siblings by blood! Then there's a good chance Lisanna and Elfman can become mages too!"

In Earth-land, as long as the parents were powerful mages, their children had a ninety-nine percent chance of becoming mages themselves.

Mira had awakened her magic on her own, so her younger brother and sister probably had an aptitude for magic too. How strong they would be, however, was hard to say.

"You two, come here. I'll take a look!" Makarov beckoned to them. He was curious about Lisanna and Elfman's magical aptitude too. If all three siblings were outstanding talents, he would have hit the jackpot.

Fairy Tail becoming the number one guild in the Kingdom of Fiore, the request board covered in job requests, his pension growing larger... Makarov felt his dreams were just one step away from coming true.

Hearing that Makarov would check whether they had the aptitude to become mages, Lisanna no longer minded his lecherous appearance. She took Elfman by the hand and skipped over to him.

Their energy and adorable behavior delighted Makarov, and a smile spread across his face again without his noticing. Children ought to be this lively and cute, endearing in everything they did.

Unlike those problem brats in his own guild, who could make his heart ache and leave him gasping for breath every single day.

After disparaging the guild members in his mind once again, Makarov sent magic surging through his hands. He smoothed it out, guided it into the two children, and controlled it as it circulated once through their bodies.

After a while, Makarov withdrew his magic from their bodies with a grin. Though they weren't obvious geniuses like their older sister Mira, they were still promising talents. They would have no trouble becoming mainstays of the guild.

Elfman in particular might even be able to become an S-Class Mage in Fairy Tail if he worked hard.

"Not bad, not bad. Both of you can become mages, and your magical aptitude is pretty good."

Makarov smiled as he spoke. He really wanted to pat both of them on the head to show his approval as guild master and demonstrate his benevolent side.

He raised his hand halfway, then lowered it in resignation... He hated his height!

"Mira, we can become mages like you and Hughes too!" No longer worried that her lack of magical aptitude would drive her apart from Mira and Hughes, Lisanna rose onto her tiptoes and spun around excitedly.

Elfman grinned happily as well, putting a hand behind his head with an utterly guileless look.

Mira narrowed her eyes, looking at Elfman and Lisanna before lowering her gaze to the unconscious Hughes, a smile on her face.

"That's wonderful!"

Caught up in the moment, Makarov was beaming too. This happy scene was exactly what he had always wanted.

He had devoted his life to creating this joyful atmosphere in Fairy Tail.

The guild was a family, and he hoped everyone who joined it could grow up happy and joyful.

But then Makarov looked down at Hughes, who was still unconscious on the ground, and found himself in a bit of a quandary.

After staring at the stubble on Hughes's face, he turned to Mira beside him. "Is he your father?"

Hughes being assigned an increasingly bizarre role startled Mira and the others into hurriedly shaking their heads, Mira's head shaking especially hard.

"Hughes is only eighteen!"

Makarov's eyes bulged and his jaw dropped in shock. "E-eighteen??"

"Natsu, did you hear that? He's eighteen!"

"Huh? He has more facial hair than old man Gildarts!"

"Uh-huh, Hughes said he's eighteen this year!" Lisanna affirmed.

Could someone with a face full of stubble really be eighteen? After comparing the unconscious Hughes to Laxus in his mind, Makarov suddenly felt that seventeen-year-old Laxus looked fairly normal.

Shaking those wild thoughts from his head, Makarov rubbed his chin. "Is Hughes joining the guild too?"

Makarov thought the matter of Hughes over and ultimately decided that if he wanted to join the guild, he would accept him.

Mira nodded quickly. "Put Hughes's guild mark on his right forearm too!"

She spoke extremely quickly, as though worried Hughes would suddenly wake up the next second and refuse to join Fairy Tail.

Makarov had no reason to doubt her and stamped Hughes with a smack.

Seeing the guild mark on Hughes's arm, identical to her own, Mira's face lit up with a smile again.

He had brought them out of the village and walked all the way here with them. She wasn't about to let Hughes run off.

"How long has Hughes been like this? Oh, I mean, when did he start acting this way?" Makarov asked, crouching beside Hughes.

He had just sent his magic through Hughes's body once. The boy really was an ordinary person with no magical aptitude, though his physique was frighteningly extraordinary.

Lisanna, who had learned a great deal from Hughes along the way, gathered her thoughts before answering uncertainly, "More than ten years, I think. Hughes said he grew up in an orphanage at first, and after he turned five or six, he was sent to a mental hospital.

"When we met him, he was still wearing a hospital gown!"

Lisanna gave Makarov a general account of what she knew.

"More than ten years? That'll be difficult!" Makarov frowned, then beckoned to Mira. "Mira, come with me. I'll take Hughes to see an acquaintance. She's the only one who can cure this boy."

Mira followed him and quietly described Hughes's symptoms to him.

Makarov nodded. He had a general idea of what was going on with Hughes, but they would have to wait for Porlyusica to examine him first.

"We'll have to wait until Porlyusica has seen him. This is no minor problem."

His magic turned into a golden chain that wrapped around Hughes's waist. Makarov held one end, while Hughes floated in the air like a balloon.

"Macao, you lot start teaching Lisanna and Elfman magic. I'll go over it with them again when I get back."

"Got it, Master. We'll get it done!"

Seeing that Mira was a little worried, Makarov gave her a look, signaling for her to relax.

"Don't let Macao and the others' fierce looks fool you. They're all good people, and they'll have no trouble looking after Lisanna and Elfman.

"Once we've taken care of Hughes, I'll teach you magic myself. I'm one of the Ten Wizard Saints, you know, and I know plenty of magic. You can learn whatever you want."

Makarov patted his chest as he spoke, looking supremely confident. Teaching a genius like Mira was right up his alley.

"Thank you, Master!"

"Hahaha, now that you've joined Fairy Tail, we're family. There's no need to be so formal, Mira!"