[Red Blossom Village]
Gildarts, oblivious to the stares and murmurs around him, continued his playful banter with the puppet, laughing and whispering sweet nothings as if she were truly alive. His broad grin and carefree demeanor only added to the bewilderment of the villagers.
A young boy tugged at his mother's sleeve, pointing at the scene.
"Mama, why is that man talking to a dummy?"
The mother hushed him quickly, turning away.
"Don't stare, dear. He might be cursed."
"Why is he flirting with a puppet?"
Another voice whispered nearby, tinged with confusion and mild revulsion.
An older man, his eyes sharp despite the years, cast a weary glance at Gildarts, a mix of concern and resignation in his gaze.
"Let him be. He probably went insane after losing someone dear to him..."
His voice trailed off, heavy with the unspoken sorrow of those who had seen too many broken souls.
"What a sad world we live in..."
Someone muttered, their voice thick with sympathy.
Meanwhile, I watched from the shadows, arms crossed, silently amused by how well the illusion had taken hold.
"A powerful mage like Gildarts, reduced to this?"
The thought almost made me laugh.
"Still, I can't underestimate him. Even under hypnosis, his instincts might kick in if something feels too off."
I needed to ensure the illusion stayed flawless. After all, the real game was just starting.
"It's time for us to part ways, but once I finish my mission, I'll definitely be back for you!"
He declared dramatically, releasing the puppet's hand. The moment his fingers let go, she dropped to the ground with a soft thud, as if marking the end of their brief, bizarre encounter.
I had anticipated this and caught the puppet with ease, my fingers brushing against the smooth, lifeless wood. But before I could even consider my next move, Gildarts paused mid-step, turning back as if some unseen force had pulled him.
The people around us, sensing something more troubling in his behavior, misinterpreted his actions.
He simply looked at me—or rather, at the puppet in my hands—with an oddly serious expression, though the light in his eyes still shimmered with delusion.
"My name is Gildarts."
He said, his voice striving for an air of mystery.
"Beautiful lady, until we meet again..."
His attempt at coolness was palpable, but to anyone watching, it was met only with disdain.
Gildarts hurried toward the village chief's house, driven by the urgency of a man eager to fulfill his mission.
Expecting a straightforward task, he inquired about the details of the commission—only to be met with an unexpected revelation.
The chief, his voice calm and steady, explained.
"Fortunately, a free mage dressed in black named Suigetsu already took care of them."
"So it was him... But why would he cast illusion magic on me?"
Gildarts blinked, stunned. He had anticipated action, perhaps a struggle, but it seemed someone had beaten him to the punch.
"The mission was already complete."
With nothing left to occupy him, Gildarts' thoughts quickly turned elsewhere. Now that he had free time, he rushed to the town, searching for her—the love of his life.
In truth, it was all still an illusion. A week had passed, and Gildarts remained trapped within my hypnosis. Even someone like him couldn't break free if I concentrated my power.
"Am I evil for doing this?"
I wondered.
"But I don't think so. After all, he deserves it."
For a week, he flirted, chased, and dated as if living in some kind of romantic novel. The people of the village had long since grown accustomed to his antics—some even found them amusing.
"But honestly... I think this is enough. Using this ability is tiring."
I muttered, silently watching from a distance. With that thought, I finally undid the hypnosis.
"Now then, what should I do next?"
I had already begun writing my own legend. And our encounter? Just a coincidence, a fleeting chapter in a story that wasn't even about him. So this isn't important... And with that, I stopped talking to myself.
[A Few Weeks Later—Fairy Tail Guild]
"I'm back!"
Crash—Thud!
Gildarts made his entrance into the guild—through the wall. Concrete shattered and flew in all directions.
"Don't destroy the wall!"
Someone shrieked. Though I had only heard it in anime before, the voice was unmistakable. It belonged to none other than the guild master of Fairy Tail, Makarov Dreyar!
Meanwhile, Gildarts just laughed it off, scratching the back of his head.
"Welcome back, Gildarts."
"Welcome!"
"Come, have a drink!"
"Gildarts, fight me!!"
Makarov's screams were soon drowned out by a chorus of voices echoing from all corners of the guild. Cheers, laughter, and excitement filled the air as the guild members welcomed their returning comrade.
"Without a doubt, Gildarts is a highly respected individual."
I thought, feeling amused.
"Hard to believe a womanizing scumbag like him would be treated with such admiration."
My eyes scanned the room, flitting from one guild member to another, until they landed on a particular child. A boy with black hair, around eight or nine years old, stood among them—wearing nothing but his underwear.
"Gray Fullbuster, huh?" I mused inwardly.
While lost in thought, I noticed Gildarts making his way inside. Silently, I followed him, searching for a vacant seat to rest. No one noticed my presence; they were too focused on him—which was a good thing. After all, I had no interest in becoming the center of attention. I preferred to stay low-key and maintain an air of mystery.
Aside from President Makarov, who gave me a brief glance, no one likely realized I was even there.
After giving me a brief once-over, Makarov shifted his gaze to Gildarts.
"The mission shouldn't have been too difficult for you..." he began. "But still, how was it? Was everything as expected?"
His voice carried a hint of mild curiosity.
Gildarts chuckled.
He rubbed the back of his head gently and said with a confident smile, "The mission was a failure..."
"Pftt!" Makarov spilled a drum's amount of blood from his mouth.
"Are my ears trying to fool me?" Makarov said as he wiped his mouth.
"Unfortunately, it's true, President." Gildarts smiled wryly before taking his seat. "The dark guild had already been taken care of several days before I arrived." With that, he took a deep drink from a glass full of wine.
Makarov leaned in, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I see... didn't expect someone to solve the problem. Anything else, though? You seem... a little off."
He put particular emphasis on the word "someone."
Even without looking at him, I could tell his words were directed at me. Still, Makarov sensed that something was bothering Gildarts. But before he could inquire—
"No way! Gildarts didn't complete a mission? That's impossible," someone said.
I glanced toward the source of the voice and saw that it came from a longtime guild veteran, Macao, who was sitting in front of me.
Although the president and Gildarts hadn't spoken loudly, he had overheard their conversation—and found it beyond belief. His disbelief was shared by others, including Laxus. Leaning against the handrail, he stared at Gildarts, incredulous.
The guild members knew his strength better than anyone. Not once had they ever imagined Gildarts failing a mission.
Looking at them, I couldn't help but feel like I was looking at a bunch of idiots. Although technically he didn't complete the mission, he didn't fail either. I just completed it. They only hear what they want to hear.
A tired sigh escaped my lips.
Still, Gildarts didn't offer much explanation. But his expression turned serious, a shadow passing over his face.
"For some reason, I feel like he's scheming something."
I thought to myself.
"Gildarts, did you really fail to complete the mission?" someone asked.
Gildarts gave him a look before nodding.
"Yeah, it's because of that kid..." he said. Then he glanced at me from the corner of his eye.
"He failed because of a kid?" someone muttered in a low tone. It was a short reply, but it silenced the entire guild.
Cana Alberona, along with Macao and Wakaba—the four of us shared the same table. She rested her arm on the table, propping her chin atop her palm while keeping her gaze fixed on Gildarts.
"A kid, huh...? I wonder who it is..." she murmured.
On the other hand, Laxus displayed a different emotion—his dissatisfaction was evident. The outcome of the mission clearly didn't sit well with him. He decided to ask directly.
"What exactly happened, Uncle? Did a kid die?"
Gildarts shook his head lightly.
"No. In fact, there were no casualties," he said in a softened voice.
"Then tell us exactly what happened," Laxus said.
At this, Gildarts slowly recounted the events of the past few weeks. His mind flashed back to Kyoka's last words—the ones that had haunted him. A tightness gripped his chest once more.
*
"I wanted to accept your love, Gildarts, but we cannot be together."
She said it with a bitter smile.
"Why? Why, Kyoka...?" He fell to his knees, completely heartbroken. She had given him hope—a promise to give him an answer in a week—yet all he received was rejection.
He had tried his best, expressed his genuine love, and treated her well. During their time together, they had grown close and shared intimate moments. He had even dreamed of having a family with her.
"I'm sorry, Gildarts..." She could only apologize, her tone heavy with helplessness, as if the decision was beyond her control.
That hurt Gildarts even more.
"Are we really not meant to be?" he asked himself.
A series of events had weighed on him, each adding to his stress. He felt regret for not arriving in time to help the village, guilt gnawing at him as he witnessed its state. And beyond that, he felt powerless—just as he had when he faced an enemy far younger than him, yet immeasurably stronger.
When Gildarts arrived at the village, desperate and ready to face whatever awaited him, he discovered that everything had been an illusion—caused by a kid—and the village had already been saved. He felt a strange relief, but it was quickly overshadowed by regret. He had parted ways with the girl he cared for, and no matter how much he searched, he couldn't find her.
And now... She planned to break up with him after everything they had been through? He felt like a toy, discarded after use. Not only had he failed the mission, but he had also failed to win the heart of the woman he loved.
Gildarts couldn't accept this. Desperation filled his eyes as he looked at her, his voice cracking as he asked,
"Can you at least tell me the reason...?"
She simply shook her head, her gaze full of pity.
"It's because…"
Her words lingered in the air, and he listened intently, making sure not to miss a single detail.
They locked eyes, staring at each other in silence. Then, her expression changed—a sinister smile curled at the corners of her lips, sending a chill down his spine.
"Gildarts, you've fallen prey to my Genjutsu!" she declared.
"What? Illusion? What's going on?!"
He needed to know everything, but suddenly, her body began to dissolve into the air. Her flesh tore apart like paper, floating upward, until it morphed into the shape of a crow, fading into the distance. The air was filled with laughter, thick with mockery.
Wkwkwkwkwk!