Chapter 21: Welcome to Fairy Tail!
"My name is Laki Olietta. I specialize in Wood-Make Magic."
The girl introduced herself with a clear, if slightly nervous voice.
She was only ten years old—same age as Cana and the others—another young one already out exploring the world.
After Moen brought her into Fairy Tail, Laki quickly completed the registration process and officially became part of the guild.
The whole process was… remarkably simple.
Her age probably played a big role in that.
Of course, she was still only a trainee member on probation.
Whether she would become a full-fledged member later would depend on her performance during the observation period.
She didn't yet have the iconic Fairy Tail guild mark on her body.
"Alright, Laki. Erro'll take you to your dorm in a moment—just follow her. Oh, and I'm Moen. Moen Dorea."
Moen gave her an encouraging smile and handed her over to Erro, who had been waiting nearby.
Moen calling her "Sister Erro" made the woman beam with delight.
Erro had tanned skin, wore a breezy outfit that matched her slender, graceful figure, and practically radiated charisma.
She was, without a doubt, Fairy Tail's top dancer—and the dream girl of half the guild.
"Come with me, little Laki~"
Erro reached out to gently pinch Moen's cheek before smiling at the newcomer and taking her luggage.
"Wooooahhhh~~~!"
A chorus of dramatic howls rang out across the guild hall.
Several older uncles in the guild were now green with envy, wishing it had been their cheek getting pinched instead.
"Crack!"
Caught up in the moment, Macao clapped his hands a bit too hard and accidentally snapped a bench in half.
But this was nothing new in Fairy Tail—these muscle-brained old guys often forgot their own strength, especially after a few drinks.
No one batted an eye at the broken bench.
Not even Macao or Wakaba—long since used to the constant low-level property destruction.
They just laughed it off and kept joking around.
Not that it made much sense.
They were both married with kids, and Erro clearly had zero interest in their antics.
"Crack!"
Wakaba got a little too excited and promptly broke off the corner of a table.
"Macao! Wakaba! Stop wrecking guild property!!"
Moen snapped, eyes twitching as he raised his voice over the chaos.
He absolutely couldn't stand how casually these guys trashed the place.
As someone who dreamed of becoming guild master someday, Moen had a deep sense of ownership.
This was their guild—every table and bench counted!
"What's the big deal, Moen? We'll pay for the damages, no worries!
And look at you, bossing us around now—getting serious about that guild master dream, huh?"
Macao grinned, brushing off the scolding like water off a duck's back.
His teasing got a round of hearty laughter from everyone nearby.
"#!!"
A metaphorical hashtag popped up over Moen's head in frustration.
Ugh… being too close with the uncles had its drawbacks.
They'd watched him grow up and always treated him like a kid, so it was hard to ever get serious with them.
"This bunch of overgrown kids…"
Moen sighed and shook his head.
None of them acted their age.
Put them all in one room, and it turned into a full-blown circus.
Well, how should one put it?
This was probably the truest essence of Fairy Tail—
Unrestrained, undefined, a place where everyone walks their own magical path.
The name Fairy Tail itself meant eternal mystery, eternal adventure.
Of course, this also explained why the guild had such a mixed reputation.
That kind of boundless freedom was bound to stir up some chaos now and then.
The loud, chaotic energy of the guild might've overwhelmed most newcomers,
but for Laki, it was strangely fascinating.
She could feel it—the warmth in the air.
That familial atmosphere where people weren't just colleagues doing jobs together,
but true companions, bound by mutual trust and affection.
They were like a big, noisy, loving family.
"M-Moen… I can fix the furniture."
That warmth tugged at something inside Laki.
She wanted to be part of this.
Not just a guest.
Family.
"Huh? Really?"
Moen's eyes sparkled instantly as he turned to her with a look of pure hope.
"Yes! I can restore them to exactly how they were before!"
Laki answered confidently under his gaze.
She was proud of her Wood-Make Magic.
Not only could she repair damaged furniture—
She could even create entirely new ones from scratch.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Laki."
Moen nodded encouragingly and stepped aside.
The rest of the guild quieted down, now watching her with wide, curious eyes.
Like Moen, they were full of anticipation.
The attention gave Laki a little pressure, but with Moen smiling at her from the side,
she took a deep breath—
and cast her magic.
"Vmmmm—!"
Magic energy surged.
Under the effect of her Wood-Make Magic,
the broken bench reassembled itself in an instant.
The table corner snapped seamlessly back into place.
Even the old nicks and dents from years of wear were completely filled in!
By the time her spell faded, the entire guild hall looked… brand new.
Every wooden table, every chair—
It was like they'd all been rebuilt from scratch.
"..."
Silence.
Everyone stared at the transformed guild hall, absolutely stunned.
Laki nervously clenched the hem of her shirt.
Why was no one saying anything?
Did she… do something wrong?
"Clap!"
Suddenly, Moen stepped up, placed both hands firmly on her shoulders, and looked her dead in the eyes.
"Laki Olietta."
He spoke her full name with a solemn tone.
"Y-Yes?!"
Laki flinched, visibly more nervous now.
Did… did she break some rule?
"From this moment on—
You're officially promoted!!"
Just as she braced for a scolding, Moen's face broke into a brilliant grin.
His sudden shift from serious to smiling left Laki dazed—so much so she barely registered what he said.
"OOOOOHHHHH!!!!"
"Laki! Laki! Laki!"
The guild hall exploded with cheers.
The previously silent crowd now shouted her name at the top of their lungs,
smiles spreading across every face.
"Eh?! Eh?! W-Wait—?!"
Laki blinked rapidly, her face flushed bright red.
She'd clearly never experienced anything like this before.
Still in a daze, she let Moen guide her to the guild's front counter.
Still dazed, she picked out a color for her guild mark.
Still dazed, she had it pressed onto her skin.
And… just like that, it was done.
"Welcome officially toFairy Tail, Laki."
Moen said it with the brightest, most sincere smile.
Behind him, the entire guild was still celebrating her name.
One thing was clear—
They had already accepted her, with open arms.