"Alright, it's settled! You three are the ones!"
Kira had made his final decision, picking the three kids from the orphanage with the highest magical talent.
The first was a girl named Akas, a 10-year-old who idolized Kanna to the point Kira had deemed her "beyond saving." She was Kanna's apprentice, wielding a set of magic cards Kira had gifted her.
The second was Ika, an 11-year-old boy who used fire magic. A total chuunibyou obsessed with Magic Shatters the Skies, his natural talent for flames was undeniable. He could already control several types of fire with different effects. Watching him cast spells, Kira almost mistook him for another Natsu.
The last was Sanmaru, a 12-year-old boy who'd once bragged to Kira about his routine: "Up at 6 a.m., bed by 11 p.m., sit-ups, push-ups, long runs…" He used fist-based magic, packing a serious punch.
The next day, Kira visited the orphanage to inform the headmaster. Naturally, she was all for it—who wouldn't want a better future for these kids? The chosen children were over the moon, and those not picked didn't sulk. Instead, they genuinely cheered for their friends.
In this world, especially in Magnolia, and particularly among the orphans raised under Kira's care, people had a pretty solid moral compass. There was none of that cutthroat scheming for a spot like you'd see in some novels. Instead, they used the little time left to say their goodbyes.
Later, Kira found Dispers at the guild tavern, drinking and chatting with the others.
"Hey, Dispers!" Kira called out. "I'm heading to Demisor Academy for their entrance exams. The shop's all yours while I'm gone!"
Kira was no stranger to passing off responsibilities—he was a pro at it.
"Demisor Academy?" Dispers turned, his eyes widening slightly. "You mean the Demisor Academy?"
Seeing his reaction, Kira nodded smugly. "Yup, that's the one! I was just about to explain—"
Before he could finish, Dispers spun back around, showing Kira the back of his head. "Never heard of it! What's that? You guys know?"
He was asking Gray, Kanna, and Juvia, who was cozying up to Gray, refilling his drink. Kira caught them stifling laughs, and his temper flared. These guys were getting way too cocky lately!
"Nope… no clue…" Gray mumbled.
"Never heard of it!" Kanna chimed in.
"Juvia thinks it sounds vaguely familiar," Juvia added.
Kira pointed at Gray and Kanna. "These two grew up in the guild—how would they know? Demisor Academy is the most prestigious magic school in the Kingdom of Fiore!"
"Oh." Dispers sounded bored. "Why're you telling me?"
"I just said! I'm invited to their entrance exams, plus some lectures and teaching. I'll be gone for at least a month, so you're watching the shop!"
Dispers narrowed his eyes, lost in thought for a moment before asking, "Hmm, watch the shop… anything else?"
Kira's heart skipped a beat. Was this guy actually volunteering for more work? "Well, you could do a big cleanup. Wash the place down, polish the windows, dust the shelves, organize the books and props, and—"
"Hard pass on all of it!" Dispers cut him off.
"What'd you say?" Kira's face darkened.
"I, Dispers, love saying 'no' to guys like you!"
Gray and Kanna exchanged a knowing glance.
"That line sounds familiar…" Gray muttered.
"Same here…" Kanna agreed.
Kira looked flustered. "So you're not doing the shop work? Don't forget who took you in when you were down and out!"
Dispers stood firm. "Sorry, I'm rich now!"
"Rich, huh? Think money lets you do whatever you want?"
"Sorry, but money does let you do whatever you want…"
Kira, seemingly furious, slammed the table, grabbed a glass of wine, chugged it, and stormed off.
Nearby, Gray, Kanna, and Juvia watched the scene unfold with blank faces before finally speaking up.
"Those two don't even need signals to put on a show anymore…" Gray said.
"He drank my wine! That's just rude!" Kanna grumbled.
"Dispers was pretty normal when he first showed up," Juvia noted. "How'd he turn into Kira's clone so fast?"
"Well, they are counterparts," Gray said. "It's only natural…"
…
Meanwhile, Kira strolled along Magnolia's riverbank, mulling over his plans.
Dispers refusing to watch the shop left him with no options. The guy wasn't exactly a regular employee, and after raking in a fortune from the guild's last big competition, he was talking with a lot more confidence these days.
"Man, I'm kinda jealous…" Kira muttered, then paused. "Wait, is that Lucy?"
Under the setting sun, the river sparkled, and on the bank, Lucy was arguing loudly with a figure in a tattered cloak, carrying a burlap sack.
Curiosity got the better of Kira, and he eavesdropped long enough to get the gist. Long story short: the Heartfilia Corporation had gone bankrupt, and all their assets were sold off. Lucy's father, Jude, was now penniless and planning to work at a commercial guild in Acalypha City. Problem was, he didn't have travel money and had come to his daughter for a loan.
Kira couldn't help but recall a meme: "I'm the head of the Heartfilia Corporation. I went bankrupt after a bad railway deal. Now I'm broke. Looking for someone with vision to send me 100,000 J. When I make my comeback, we'll share the riches!"
He stifled a laugh.
Back when he read the manga, Lucy's reaction made him think 100,000 J was a fortune. Later, he realized it was just a month's rent for the girls' dorm at the guild. Plus, Lucy's team had taken a "catch the thief" job and split 400,000 J each. So it wasn't that Lucy didn't have the money—it was Jude's lousy attitude that brought up all her pent-up resentment, leading her to drive him off.
Kira remembered the manga explaining that Jude, used to a lavish lifestyle, had a warped sense of money, hence asking for 100,000 J for travel.
"With Lucy's reaction, you'd think he was asking for a million J…" Kira muttered.
As he watched, Lucy had already sent Jude packing and stood alone, crying.
In some cliché story, this would be Kira's cue to rush in, wrap Lucy in a warm hug while she was vulnerable, pat her golden hair, say some comforting words, or spin a sob story of his own to bond over shared emotions, score some affection points, and maybe take her home afterward…
Instead, Kira turned and walked away, his shadow stretching long in the sunset.
"When a girl's crying, you don't call her out. Pretend you didn't see, let her keep some dignity. Heh… I learned that lesson back in fifth grade."
Kira's tone held a hint of regret. Years ago, he'd made the wrong call, and it drove a wedge between him and a girl he liked. He wasn't about to make that mistake again.
Three days later, Kira set off for Demisor Magic Academy with the three orphanage kids in tow.