"Oh! So beautiful..."
Inside the Guild, Erza looked at the stamp on her arm, her eyes sparkling, and she whispered softly, her face beaming with joy and a happy smile.
The Fairy Tail Guild's mark was like a free fairy flying among flowers, just like her.
"By the way, Erza..."
Ian, who was originally sitting by the bar, staring blankly with ice water, contemplating whether to go to the second floor of the Guild to take an S-Class mission to pass the time, turned slightly when he heard the sound...
He looked at Erza beside him, who had been quietly staying by his side since joining the Fairy Tail Guild, admiring the Magic Guild Fairy Tail's magical tattoo on her arm, which symbolized her identity as a Magician. He seemed to have thought of something and asked, "Do you have a place to live now?"
"A place to live?"
Erza blinked her big eyes, a hint of confusion flickering in their depths.
"Ah, as expected, you don't?"
For some reason, Ian always felt that the Erza in front of him was a bit naive and adorable, which seemed somewhat different from the impression he had of her in the original work—the little girl who had endured countless hardships and was therefore incredibly strong.
However, Ian didn't think much of it...
Perhaps Erza was just this naive and adorable when she first came to the Guild?!
As for Erza's past experiences, Ian didn't ask much either...
Ian didn't have a habit of prying into others' painful experiences.
In Ian's view, how was that any different from tearing open someone else's old wounds?!
Since she had already joined Fairy Tail, she shouldn't dwell on the past but look to the future. This was something Master Makarov had taught Ian...
So, next was the issue of Erza's accommodation...
Since Master Makarov wasn't around, as one of only two S-Class Mages in the Guild, he naturally had to take responsibility.
Ian looked at Erza and smiled, saying, "Currently, our Guild has prepared dormitories specifically for the female Magicians in the Guild."
"Each of these dormitories is equipped with 24-hour hot water supply, and the facilities are comparable to those of a high-end hotel. The price is also reasonable, making it a very good choice compared to the market."
"Of course, you can also choose to rent a house in the town..."
"Whether you choose to live in the Guild's dormitory or not, the Guild won't say anything."
"Just be very careful not to be cheated by unscrupulous merchants in the market!"
"If you ever encounter danger or are extorted, immediately ask the Guild for help!"
"Of course, the townspeople of Magnolia Town are still very kind, especially to members of our Fairy Tail Guild. They might even give you a discount since you're a Guild member."
For some reason, Ian felt worried when he looked at the soft and adorable Erza, so he said a few more words.
"Uh..."
Erza's expression was hesitant when she heard this, as if she had something difficult to say.
"No money?"
Ian looked at Erza's expression and roughly guessed what was going on.
So, Ian first smiled and ruffled Erza's little head, then understandingly continued, "If you're short on cash right now, why don't you stay at my place for now? You can move out whenever you earn some money. My house is quite big anyway, with plenty of empty rooms, so setting one aside for you is no big deal."
"Live with Father?!"
Erza's eyes immediately lit up when she heard this.
When Erza had first heard Ian ask if she was short on money, her hand immediately went to the spatial pocket at her waist, which contained the gold coins and luggage prepared for her by Irene.
But when Erza heard that she could live with Ian, little Erza decisively released her fair, small hand that was tightly gripping the gold coins, and adopted a weak, helpless posture, hoping to be taken home by Ian...
Erza blinked her big eyes, looking at Ian with a pitiful expression, and repeatedly nodded, saying, "Mm! Then I'll leave it to you..."
"When I earn money, I will definitely pay you back the rent."
"Hahaha, no rush..."
Ian, who at this moment didn't realize he had fallen into a child's trap and played right into Erza's hands, looked at Erza's obedient and sensible appearance and couldn't help but laugh. He thought how great it would be if all the children in the Guild were this obedient.
"By the way, you haven't prepared any daily necessities, have you? I mean things like bed sheets and duvet covers..." Ian seemed to be in a good mood. He looked at Erza and continued to ask.
"No, I haven't."
Erza replied weakly when she heard this.
"Then I'll take you to buy them!"
"And while we're at it, I'll show you around this town where you're about to start a new life..."
Ian looked at the excited Erza and smiled.
"Okay!"
Erza's heart was surging, her soft body trembling slightly. She now didn't know what words to use to describe her excited feelings.
And so, next...
Ian spent half a day taking Erza around Magnolia Town.
He took her to try all the snacks in the town. Of course, the town wasn't very big to begin with, and there were only a few places to go that were suitable...
At the same time, Ian bought Erza several sets of clothes that she could change into and that fit her, as well as some bedding and essential daily necessities.
Just like that...
Ian and Erza returned to Ian's villa in the town, carrying large and small bags.
Yes, Ian owned a three-story villa in Magnolia Town, almost as large as the Fairy Tail Guild building, which had nearly a hundred years of history...
This villa was proof of Ian's diligence since he transmigrated to this world.
Well, Ian's dedication to earning money and buying a big house was truly ingrained in him.
"So beautiful!"
Erza stood in the villa's garden, admiring the colorful flowers in the courtyard.
"Although this place is nowhere near as big as Mother's chambers, it is Father's hard work, so Erza will definitely take good care of it," Erza murmured to herself. "From now on, this will be the place where Erza and Father live!"
"Come on, I'll take you to your room."
Ian looked at Erza, who was mesmerized by the garden, and thought to himself that she was a little girl after all, and she also liked flowers and plants.
Indeed, if it weren't for those difficult experiences, who would become strong so early?!
Thinking of this, Ian couldn't help but feel a little pity for Erza. He gently patted Erza's little head, took her soft hand, and led her into the villa.
"Mm!"
As Erza gently nodded, she secretly rejoiced in her heart: "I can finally live with Father! Once Mother cleans up the obstacles, our family can reunite and be together forever."
Then...
When Ian opened the villa door, Erza was instantly stunned.
First, two little brats she had seen at the Guild came into her sight.
One was the pink-haired hooligan who had challenged Ian earlier and been sent flying by one punch from him...
The other was a pervert with no morals who ran around in public wearing only his underwear.
Suddenly, the light in Erza's eyes seemed to disappear...
"Please, give me back the two-person life with Father that I've been anticipating and planning for so long! You annoying, inconsiderate brats..."
Erza roared internally.
This was completely different from the life she had imagined...