Chapter 14: The Words of a Guild Master
The journey to Clover Town took longer than any of us liked — especially considering we were chasing my stolen car.
We reached the tree line just outside the Guild Masters' Conference Hall, the sound of birds and distant chatter faint in the morning air.The wagon came to a halt, and Erza immediately disarmed it into motes of light with a flick of her hand.
"Requip — done," she said, straightening her armor.Even after the long ride, she still looked composed… though her hair was a bit wind-blown. (Not that I was staring or anything.)
Gray hopped off first, stretching his back. "Finally. My butt's numb."
Lucy followed, groaning. "I'm never riding one of Erza's emergency wagons again."
Erza ignored them, her gaze sharp and focused ahead. "There it is."
Through the trees, we saw it — my magic four-wheeler, parked haphazardly near the edge of the clearing. The engine was still steaming.
I sighed. "At least he didn't crash it. Small mercies."
With a flick of my hand, a glowing storage card shimmered into existence. The car dissolved into motes of blue light and was sucked back into the card's surface.
"Welcome home, baby," I muttered under my breath.
"Did you just call your car baby?" Lucy asked.
"Yes," I said flatly. "Unlike some people, it doesn't punch me or start fires."
"Hey!" Natsu barked, flames flickering in his nostrils. "That was one time!"
"Six times," Gray corrected.
"Shut it, ice brain!"
Before the bickering could continue, Erza raised a hand. "Quiet."
Her tone froze the air. We all followed her gaze — and saw him.
Kageyama stood in the open clearing, panting, the cursed flute clutched tightly in his trembling hands.And in front of him — calm, unguarded, completely unflinching — stood Makarov Dreyar, Fairy Tail's master.
My chest tightened a little.The difference in their presence was vast — like a storm facing a mountain.
Erza, Gray, and Natsu instantly broke into a run."Master!!" Erza shouted. "He has the Lullaby—!"
Before they could take another step, two figures blocked their path.
A flamboyantly dressed man in bright robes and eyeliner — Bob, Master of Blue Pegasus — spread his arms dramatically."Now, now, dears! Let's not interrupt this scene. Trust your master, hm?"
Next to him, the muscular, wild-haired Master Goldmine of Quattro Cerberus nodded, flexing slightly."Yeah. Old Makarov's got this."
Erza blinked, shocked. "You're stopping us?!"
Bob winked. "Don't be so impatient, sweet Erza. Sometimes, the strongest thing we can do is have faith."
I crossed my arms, watching the field silently.Makarov hadn't moved an inch. His small form seemed even smaller before Kageyama's desperation — and yet, somehow, the old man's presence filled the entire clearing.
Kageyama's voice trembled. "S-stay back! I'll do it! I'll play this cursed flute and end everything! You don't know what it's like… to be weak, to be thrown away, to be forgotten!"
Makarov just smiled softly — that kind, grandfatherly expression he was known for.
"Being weak…" he said slowly, "is not a sin, boy."
Kageyama froze.
Makarov continued, his voice echoing across the field — steady, compassionate, and piercing all at once.
"Being weak means you have room to grow. It means you still have a future ahead of you. A chance to learn, to stand, to reach for something better. That is what it means to live."
His gaze softened even more."But those who stay weak on purpose… who blame the world and hurt others just to ease their pain… those are the true fools."
Every word seemed to strike Kageyama like a hammer.
Erza's expression faltered, her eyes lowering slightly.Even Gray and Natsu went silent.Lucy covered her mouth, eyes wide.
I could feel it too — that raw weight behind the old man's words.This wasn't power. It was something deeper — wisdom, forged through years of pain and love.
Makarov stepped closer, his voice gentle but unyielding.
"Everyone stumbles. Everyone falls. That's what makes us human. But when we have people who reach out to us… when we can still be saved by another's hand… that's when we truly find strength."
Kageyama's grip on the flute loosened. Tears welled in his eyes.
"I… I don't understand… why would you—?"
"Because that's what guilds are for," Makarov said, smiling. "To lift each other."
And with that, Kageyama dropped the flute, falling to his knees.
The clearing went silent.
Even Bob's usual dramatics faded away. The Blue Pegasus master wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh my~ That speech gets me every time…"
Gray let out a shaky sigh. "That old man… he's something else."
Natsu grinned, fire returning to his voice. "Yeah! That's our master!"
Lucy smiled warmly. "Fairy Tail really is… amazing."
I couldn't help but chuckle softly. "That's Makarov Dreyar for you — the man who can defeat darkness with nothing but words."
Erza lowered her head, whispering, "That's why we follow him."
The tension in the air eased as the wind carried away the remnants of the moment.But something in me stirred — a quiet admiration, mixed with an emotion I couldn't quite name.
Maybe… power wasn't just about strength or magic.Maybe it was about the heart.
Makarov turned, eyes meeting ours for a moment. His smile was gentle — but I swear he saw straight through all of us.
"Well done, everyone," he said. "You made it just in time."
Lucy exhaled in relief. "So… it's finally over?"
I smirked faintly. "Knowing Fairy Tail? Probably not."