Chapter 437: Makarov: I'm Resigning (5000 words)

Chapter 437: Makarov: I'm Resigning (5000 words)



Today was undoubtedly one of Juvia's happiest days. After successfully joining Fairy Tail, she not only participated in the important Magic Parade as a newcomer but also performed hand-in-hand with Gray.

Hand-in-hand!

Even Lucy hadn't held hands with Gray!

Gray's ice magic froze her water, sculpting a beautiful castle. Oh, how was this any different from an engagement?

Juvia's strong willpower prevented her from embarrassing herself during the performance.

To avoid fainting from happiness, Juvia had to divert some of her attention to observe others' performances.

There was Erza's costume magic and festival dance;

There was the dance of the werewolf, the demon, the beast king, and the cute pet performed by Reedus, Mira, Elfman, and Varis;

There was the fireworks of flame and starlight performed by Natsu and Loki, who had sneaked out at some point...

The diverse magic displays left the spectators feeling that their trip was worthwhile.

Hidden among the crowd, Mystogan had changed into a set of headgear and a face mask. He waved a staff, adding more dazzling illusions to the parade.

Simon, Varis, Xiu, and Milanna, who had recently escaped from Paradise Tower, were also in the crowd, eagerly watching Erza's performance.

Milanna excitedly asked, "We came all this way, so let's go greet Erza, shall we?"

Simon smiled and shook his head. "No need, we just parted ways not long ago. It's better this way."

Xiu nodded. "On such a lively day, we can't let Sister see us."

Varis adjusted his hat brim, "If they see us, they might remember unhappy things... And sometimes, being a tough guy means silently protecting from the shadows."

After Erza's float passed by, Simon tried to look away, smiling as he said, "Alright, knowing Erza is still so energetic is enough. We should continue our journey."

"Agreed! Where to next?"

"I want to see snow! I heard it's soft and white, just like a cat's fur!"

"Then it's decided. Let's go west to see the snow! The west is the perfect place for tough guys."

"Idiot, we should go north to see snow!"

The four, who had a bit of common sense, but still lacked compared to ordinary people, squeezed out of the crowd and embarked on their journey.

"Lucy..." A person in a cloak, hood, and carrying a backpack watched Lucy dancing on the float and then turned to blend into the crowd.

In the guild's infirmary, Laxus looked out the window at the fireworks, wondering how long it had been since he last participated in a Magic Parade. It used to be his favorite activity when he was young.

Bickslow anxiously said, "Laxus, the Guild Master is really going to..."

"Ah," Laxus didn't turn around, "When someone makes a mistake, they must take responsibility. I deserve this."

Evergreen spoke up, "If that's the case, then we should share the blame too!"

"You're different from me. I have no attachments here." Laxus shook his head gently. He saw a firework in the shape of the guild's emblem. The flames must be Natsu's doing, right? He turned back, revealing a gentle smile. "If you want to atone, do it for me too. Take good care of the guild."

All three of them were stunned. It had been a long time since they had seen Laxus smile like this.

And...

If he had no attachments, why did he ask them to protect the guild?

Laxus, your words and heart don't match.

Fried smiled gently, "I understand, Laxus. Since you said so... Take care of yourself too."

"Fried!" Bickslow and Evergreen felt that Fried would be the one most reluctant to part ways.

"This is Laxus's wish. While he's still here, let's at least say our goodbyes properly."

...

The Magic Parade concluded in a festive atmosphere, and when everyone returned to the guild, a lively banquet ensued.

During the banquet, many took the opportunity to showcase their talents. The most memorable performance was Gajevy's song.

This guy composed and wrote a song called "Best Friend." He picked up a broken guitar and sang.

The lyrics seemed to express gratitude for the Guild Master allowing him to join the guild and his happiness in becoming friends with everyone.

But after listening to the entire song, everyone only heard a cacophony of sounds like "Dong Dong Dong," "Shalala," "Gajigaji," "Xibudubdub' to indicate the start of the description of the action, and the first word of the action itself.

Action: Translation.

It was just a fight, nothing new. We can just compensate for the damages, right?"

Gray agreed, "Although that guy is an idiot, I agree with him this time."

Laxus stood by, leaning on his cane, silent.

"Shut up, all of you! What he did endangered the guild, and that's unforgivable!" Makarov turned his back, raising his right arm, trying to hide the unusual tone in his voice. "Now... Get out!"

Makarov had learned the day before that Laxus had prepared 300 Thunder Magic Crystals, intending to use the entire city as 'hostages' if he couldn't petrify the girls.

Although the statues and spell were broken too quickly for him to act on it, the mere thought was already dangerous enough.

Whether considering the guild's interests or a mage's responsibility, such behavior was inexcusable.

If it weren't for the Council's temporary inactivity, he would already be in prison for this.

Despite the pain it caused, and even though Laxus acknowledged his mistake, Makarov decided to proceed with this decision.

As some members tried to argue with the Guild Master, Laxus, leaning on his cane, made his way towards the guild's entrance. "I understand, thank you for everything you've done for me... Grandpa."

Makarov's shoulders twitched slightly; it had been a long time since he heard Laxus call him 'Grandpa.'

"Don't run away, Laxus! I haven't beaten you yet!" Natsu tried to chase after him, but Erza held him back by his shoulder.

"Don't do this, Natsu," Erza said, "Let's respect his dignity and the Guild Master's feelings. Say a proper goodbye."

"..." Natsu couldn't bring himself to say anything.

For him, the guild was family, and Laxus was like an older brother who loved to bully him. A beating for his mistakes was understandable, but how could he accept a family member being driven away?

Loke couldn't fully empathize with Natsu's feelings, as he wasn't very close to Laxus. Instead, he was more concerned about the Guild Master's emotions.

The somber atmosphere made him feel uneasy.

Laxus silently walked to the door, turning his back to everyone and waving goodbye.

"Oh, right..." He hesitated but continued, "I'm sorry."

With that, Laxus strode out the door, and the black guild mark on his left ribcage transformed into golden stardust, floating in the air.

The guild fell silent. Some members were experiencing a companion's expulsion for the first time, while others recalled the scene of Ivan's departure.

Makarov had always held the principle that endangering the guild was unforgivable, even for blood relatives.

After collecting himself, Makarov continued, "Next, Fried, Bickslow, and Evergreen."

The three of them supported each other as they stepped forward. "Yes, sir."

"Due to your assistance in Laxus' reckless actions, you three will bear the responsibility for the damages to the church and the city, along with Laxus. Additionally, you will also participate in the church's restoration efforts."

Makarov had already decided to cover Laxus' share, and he could also help with the Thunder God Tribe's portion.

But Fried spoke up, "We'll take full responsibility for Laxus' share as well. We'll work hard to earn enough compensation."

Originally, Laxus and the trio's combined savings were almost sufficient, but their recent purchase of numerous magic crystals had left them financially strained.

Nevertheless, their team's money-making abilities were impressive. With their strength, intelligence, and less destructive tendencies compared to Natsu, they could cover the costs.

"Then it's decided," Makarov nodded.

After a moment of contemplation, he added, "And finally, this all happened because I failed to guide Laxus properly. Therefore, I've decided to step down as Guild Master and leave the guild immediately!"

Everyone was taken aback, and a chorus of voices tried to dissuade him:

"Don't joke around, Guild Master!"

"It's not your fault at all!"

"What will happen to the guild if you leave?"

"Yeah, no one thinks it's your responsibility."

"Don't try to convince me. As his grandfather, I must take responsibility! I've packed my things, and I'm leaving today!"

No one could let him go. Members blocked the Guild Master's path, while others held onto his luggage, and Happy even clung to his leg.

"Loke, Mira, say something too!"

"If this is the Guild Master's decision, I have nothing to say. But..."

Loke rushed to the counter and gathered various documents, bills, quests, complaints, and more, stacking them in front of Makarov with a loud thud.

Makarov's vision went dark, literally, as the pile of documents was taller than him, blocking the light.

Loke grinned, "Since you're leaving, Guild Master, please handle the handover properly. These are all the pending tasks that need your attention."

Makarov's temples beaded with sweat, but he stubbornly replied, "Don't think this will stop me. These are just documents, and I was in charge of them anyway. I'll finish them right now!"

Mira cheered him on with a smile, "Go, Guild Master! Please finish everything today."

"That's impossible! This is a month's worth of work!

"No, haven't you noticed? Rod and I can finish these tasks in half a day."

Makarov hadn't noticed this before. He had been too hands-off in managing the guild, and he didn't recall it ever being this bad.

Was it because the new guild had just been established, and it was during the festival? He mustered the courage and said, "Fine, I'll do it. At worst, I'll stay a few more days and finish up before leaving."

But Rod added, "Some of these are urgent documents. If they're not dealt with promptly, it could lead to serious consequences. You'll have to stay and take responsibility later."

"...I can't finish it today, and if I don't do it well tomorrow, I'll have to stay and take responsibility again. Take your time; there's no rush."

Rod and Mira stood side by side, smiling at the Guild Master whose hands had begun to tremble.

The others chimed in, "That's right! Even if you want to resign, you must finish the work first!"

"Here's the pen. I'll go get a stool!"

"I'll get you a table!"

Makarov felt a surge of discomfort. Now, he didn't want to leave; he wanted to escape!

Suddenly, Freed drew his sword and slashed off his waist-length green hair, the thick strands falling to the ground.

"Freed?"

"Guild Master, please don't increase our guilt any further," Freed said earnestly. "As penance, I'll shave my head. If our actions cause you to leave the guild, our guilt will be irredeemable."

Bickslow and Evergreen bent down, pleading, "Please, don't do this!"

Makarov sighed, "Alright, let's leave it at that."

"Yaaay!" The crowd cheered, although they knew the Guild Master was aging and often neglected his duties, sometimes causing more trouble than others...

But they couldn't imagine what the guild would be like without him. If possible, they wanted him to continue leading them.

"I guess it's best to leave these matters to you!" Makarov threw down his pen, slung his bag over his shoulder, and ran upstairs, "I still have things to organize. Good luck, everyone!"

Rod and Mira exchanged a smile and brought the documents back.

The guild seemed to return to its usual state—those who needed to recover from injuries did so, those who liked to make noise continued to do so, and those who wanted to fight still fought.

Including Natsu, some were still gloomy about Laxus' departure, but with the situation as it was, they could only seek the Guild Master's help later.

The Thunder God Tribe members supported each other as they went around apologizing to everyone.

Some accepted their apologies, while others said they'd wait until their injuries healed before having a fair fight.

Although they didn't understand how a fight could be fair when they went all out, the three of them agreed nonetheless.

The Guild Master poked his head out from upstairs, "Rod, come up for a moment. I need your help with something."

"Coming," Rod went upstairs, leaving Mira alone to continue sorting through the documents.

Lucy admired them, "So you guys are that capable, finishing this much work in half a day."

Mira looked around discreetly and, seeing no one eavesdropping, whispered to Lucy, "We're just fooling the Guild Master. This is actually a week's worth of work, and it includes many old invoices and documents."

"...What? Can't the Guild Master tell the difference?" Lucy asked, surprised.

Mira replied matter-of-factly, "He hasn't even glanced at these. How could he possibly tell the difference?"

"Who's the real Guild Master here..." Lucy now felt that the guild would function just fine even if the Guild Master left.

...

Outside Magnolia, Rod blocked Laxus, who was leaving town with a walking stick.

"Rod?"

"Hey, you remembered my name this time?"

Laxus recalled the words he had said to many of his companions in the past: 'Who are you again?' 'I don't even know your names.' 'Who are you guys?'

These embarrassing memories made it hard for him to look Rod in the eye, so he averted his gaze, "What's the matter?"

Seeing the bandages on his body and the walking stick in his hand, Rod's expression grew complex. "To be honest, I've wanted to beat you up for a long time, but I never thought it would be under these circumstances, and only because we had the advantage of numbers."

Laxus didn't respond. He had prepared himself for another beating, like Gajuru the other day.

However, Rod wasn't here to pick a fight. He was simply delivering a message, "You left in such a hurry that the Guild Master didn't have time to say everything he wanted to. So, he asked me to pass on his words to you."

"What?"

Rod's playful expression faded, and he spoke with a hint of seriousness, "Those who leave the Fairy Tail guild must abide by these three principles:

First, never disclose information that could harm the Fairy Tail guild to others for the rest of your life."

Laxus raised his head, looking at Rod in disbelief.

Rod continued, "Second, you must not contact past clients on your own to seek personal gain."

Laxus' expression softened, as if he understood the old man's intention.

"Third, no matter how different your paths may be, you must live strongly and never belittle your life. And..."

Before he could finish, Laxus completed the sentence, speaking in unison with Rod, "Never forget the companions you once cherished for the rest of your life."

Leaning on his walking stick, Laxus walked past Rod, "I'll remember. Thank you."

The chapter where Laxus is expelled from the guild is titled 'A Painful Decision'.

It's unclear if the translation team is having fun or if they genuinely appreciate the culture of the Three Kingdoms.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end