"Of course it's true. I checked."
Makarov had a proud expression on his face.
The fact that Gildarts had been married was something the guild master naturally knew. Gildarts respected him greatly and had once mentioned it to him.
At that time, Makarov's reaction wasn't much better than Moen's now.
"Unbelievable…"
Moen opened his mouth, truly finding it hard to believe.
What kind of person is Gildarts? A carefree playboy always out on missions, a rich romantic history, changing girlfriends at lightning speed!
Completely different from uncles like Macao or Wakaba, who always talked a lot but were actually married, even on the verge of having children.
In Moen's impression, Gildarts never even had a stable girlfriend; a single mission could create two new romantic stories.
His life was all about fast-paced love—falling in love quickly, ending quickly.
Moreover, Gildarts handled relationships very well; no ex had ever shown up at the Fairy Tail guild.
Such a dashing playboy had actually been married… and had a daughter!
This completely shattered the filter through which Moen had viewed Gildarts. The image of a passionate yet indifferent womanizer instantly disappeared, replaced by one who had abandoned a wife and daughter—a 180-degree reversal of reputation.
"But Cana doesn't seem like it at all!"
Moen thought for a moment. Cana didn't resemble Gildarts much; otherwise, people would have teased about it.
"Cana looks more like her mother."
Makarov sighed. When he first learned of it, he had secretly observed her. After all, she was the kind of woman who could willingly lead Gildarts into marriage!
"I only went once, observed from a distance, and didn't realize she was already pregnant. It was quite regrettable. Only when Cana arrived at the guild did I know of her existence."
Makarov indeed felt some regret; had he realized it then, the current situation would be different.
"So Gildarts doesn't know Cana is his daughter?"
Moen exhaled. In a way, this helped Gildarts redeem a bit of his image, but only slightly!
Everyone knew Cana's mother had passed away. What does that mean? Until her death, Gildarts never saw her again; otherwise, he would have known he had a daughter.
"He doesn't know; otherwise he would have gone to see her."
Makarov nodded, full of emotion.
Gildarts' attitude toward Cana's mother was likely no different than with his other girlfriends. Even if he had loved her enough to marry, after the passion cooled, things returned to normal—his heart wasn't there.
Yet, Gildarts still handled matters well. Even though he and Cana's mother separated, and she raised the child alone, it's clear she didn't hate him. Cana's current state shows she didn't grow up in a hateful environment and even holds some hope in her heart.
Perhaps the only thing Gildarts never anticipated was Cana's existence.
"…"
Moen fell silent, letting his thoughts settle.
Although he constantly teased Gildarts in his mind, this fact couldn't easily change Gildarts' status in Moen's heart. After all, Gildarts had been changing women like clothes for a long time; anyone walking near a river eventually gets their shoes wet.
"Why didn't anyone tell Gildarts?"
Moen was puzzled. Gildarts may have been a scoundrel, but he clearly liked children and was loved by them in return. If he knew Cana was his daughter, he certainly wouldn't reject her as an accident.
Having spent so much time together, Moen could clearly feel Gildarts' sincerity toward everyone in the guild.
Gildarts, with his full "dad vibes," genuinely treats everyone in the guild like family; otherwise, they wouldn't hold him in such respect.
"I think we should respect Cana's wishes on this matter."
Makarov fell silent for a moment before speaking his thoughts.
In this matter, no matter how you look at it, Gildarts was the one at fault. As members of Fairy Tail, they were like the in-laws, so it was hard for them to fully take the daughter's side.
Taking care of Cana and respecting her wishes was one of the few things Makarov felt they could do.
"That makes sense."
Moen nodded. Cana came to the Fairy Tail guild, but she didn't take the initiative to claim her family, clearly for her own reasons. As outsiders, it wasn't their place to interfere.
This was about respecting Cana and her mother; she had the right not to acknowledge her father.
"Don't tell anyone."
Makarov stared at Moen—just Moen. If it had been anyone else, he wouldn't have said a word. He would have kept this inside, waiting for Cana to approach Gildarts herself, and even then, he would have pretended to only just find out.
"Don't worry, my lips are sealed."
Moen mimed zipping his lips. This matter would stay in his heart; he would never bring it up.
"That's good."
The old man nodded with satisfaction, then walked out of the guild with hands behind his back and a carefree stride. Today was the release date for a certain summer magazine; he had to buy it first thing! And, of course, get one for Gildarts too.
Watching Makarov leave in such an excited rush, Moen shook his head. He knew exactly what the old man was up to.
While silently thinking, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Moen also prepared to leave the guild. He had a mission request, though the timing wasn't urgent; the client was in a nearby town.
"Hello! Excuse me, is this Fairy Tail?"
Just as Moen reached the guild's entrance, a young girl stopped him. She looked nervous as she spoke.
Moen looked at her—a girl with purple hair, not very tall, likely around Cana's age, wearing glasses and dressed neatly, holding a small bag. On her head was a large red bow, very eye-catching.
"Yes, it is. What's the matter? Are you in trouble?"
Moen asked with a bright, friendly smile.
"Wonderful! I'm here to join the guild!"
The girl's eyes lit up, and she spoke excitedly.
"Join the guild?"
Moen looked puzzled. Join the guild? Fairy Tail wasn't some bandit camp, after all.
"Just now, a creepy old man ran out and scared me!"
The girl continued, adjusting her glasses nervously as if still startled.
Moen roughly knew who she was talking about.
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