Chapter 5: Cana: Are You Really a Fairy?
"Hey, no way, he's standing there completely unharmed after taking a punch from Grandpa Master."
Cana covered her small mouth and exclaimed in surprise.
Gray pointed a trembling finger at Jiro, then looked back at the Master, and immediately shouted in embarrassment and anger:
"You, you bastard, you actually played me!"
Saying this, he angrily prepared to pounce on Jiro.
However, Makarov, who had walked up behind him, grabbed him by the neck with one hand, stopping his next move.
"Alright, alright, you will be guild companions from now on. I've already taught him a lesson for you, so as a senior, show some restraint."
Struggling to break free from the Master's hand, Gray felt unwilling in his heart.
But seeing that this bastard had just joined today, and for the sake of the Master's persuasion, he snorted coldly, turned his head away, and temporarily suppressed the anger in his heart.
"Tch, bastard, remember this, I'll pay you back sooner or later."
With Jiro's ruckus settled, the guild finally quieted down.
It was just that the way everyone in the guild looked at him now held some inexplicable meaning.
Especially Cana and Erza, the two girls who had also been deceived just now, their eyes were full of annoyance and indignation.
Coughing lightly, deeply afraid that the newcomer would be isolated by his companions right away, Makarov hurriedly stood out to change the topic and ease the atmosphere:
"Let me formally introduce him to everyone. This is Jiro, a fairy I picked up in the forest outside Magnolia."
"Fairy—?"
Everyone repeated the word in unison.
Makarov nodded solemnly and confirmed again:
"That's right, he is *that* fairy."
Jiro wanted to indignantly refute that he wasn't some bullshit fairy.
But after sensing the warning look Makarov cast from beside him, he chose to shut up from the bottom of his heart.
Only deep down, he firmly recorded the humiliation he suffered today and swore that he would take fierce revenge on this smelly old man in the future.
...
"Alright, like this, starting today, you are officially a member of Fairy Tail."
Sitting at the bar, Makarov smiled cheerfully as he put away the magic stamp and said to Jiro.
Jiro turned his head to look at the black Fairy Tail emblem stamped on his left shoulder, nodded, and put on a brand-new black short-sleeved shirt without saying a word.
The clothes he wore before were covered in mud from rolling around in the forest, so Makarov had someone take them away to be washed.
As for the one he was wearing now, Gray gave it to him.
For some well-known reasons, this exhibitionist stated that he didn't need things like clothes.
So, as a meeting gift from a senior to a junior, he gave it to Jiro.
His generosity moved Jiro for a moment, and he resolved not to play pranks on Gray for at least three days.
Since he was stamped with the Fairy Tail emblem, Jiro temporarily dismissed the idea of leaving.
Regardless of anything else, having a meal and filling his stomach first was never wrong.
"Master, please arrange some food for me as soon as possible, I'm about to flatten from hunger."
Perhaps the address 'Master' touched Makarov's heart. The little old man nodded with great gratification, waved his hand nonchalantly, and said:
"Don't worry, I've already asked someone to make it for you. Just live in Fairy Tail with peace of mind from now on.
Before you have the ability to go out and perform missions, the guild will be fully responsible for your three meals a day and accommodation."
"Wow, really? Free food and housing?!
I suddenly find that I'm starting to slowly like this guild, Grandpa Master!!"
Jiro's eyes lit up instantly. He knew very well how much a Saiyan stomach could eat.
To have a stable environment like Fairy Tail in the early stages that provided food and drink, allowing him to develop with peace of mind... it was really hard not to like it!!
Makarov smiled and lifted his chin, telling him to go wait at a table on the side first.
In his opinion, it was just raising a few children who couldn't eat much food anyway; how much money could it cost?
The guild also had specialized dormitories for boys and girls. Providing for these children until they grew up and could stand on their own was no problem.
After feeling Makarov's kindness, Jiro, filled with gratitude towards the guild and the Master, went to an empty seat in the hall and sat down.
However, his butt had just touched the bench when two large hands wrapped around his shoulders from the left and right.
Opposite him, the trio of Cana, Gray, and Erza also sat down facing him with serious faces.
Facing the serious gazes of the three little ones opposite him, and the bad situation of being flanked by men on both sides.
Jiro's expression turned solemn, and his mouth opened and closed rapidly like a conditioned reflex, speaking coherently:
"Jiro, male, interested in females, 12 years old.
No father, no mother, no job, no car, no house, no bad habits. I only accept romantic relationships based on the premise of being a kept man."
Cana, Gray, Erza: ???
Macao, Wakaba: !!!
Jiro's string of practiced patter confused the three young ones, Cana included.
But it won the admiration of Macao and Wakaba, two uncles nearing their 30s.
Macao patted Jiro heavily on the shoulder and praised:
"Not bad, brat. You're so skilled at this business at such a young age.
No problem. With your appearance and requirements, you'll be very popular here.
If you need it, and there's a chance, I'll help you ask around. I guarantee I'll find you a good home."
Looking at Macao and Wakaba on his left and right giving him thumbs up, Jiro said with a serious face:
"Please do. I was born with a bad stomach, and the doctor said I'd better eat more soft rice."*
*(Translator's Note: "Eating soft rice" is a Chinese idiom for a man being financially supported by a woman.)*
These words made the two marvel for a good while. Then they shook their heads, stood up, and sighed with emotion:
"He's a fairy alright. To know so much at the age of 12.
If we had this awareness back then, we wouldn't be in this state now."
"Yeah, indeed not an ordinary brat. I recognize his title as a fairy!"
Waving their hands, they said goodbye to the two who were shaking their heads and sighing with emotion.
Then Jiro turned his gaze back to the three little ones who were a bit confused and hadn't come back to their senses. He propped his chin on one hand and said boredly:
"So, what do you three want to ask? Please ask quickly. When the food comes later, I won't have time for you."
Several children who hadn't undergone the baptism of time naturally couldn't understand topics only adults understood.
They just felt that Jiro was even more mysterious, gaining the approval of Uncle Macao and Uncle Wakaba with just a few words.
Among the three, Cana, sitting in the middle, eagerly extended her hand and took the initiative to introduce herself to Jiro:
"Let me introduce myself again. I am Cana, and this is Gray and Erza.
Um, I want to ask, are you really the legendary fairy? Do fairies really have tails?"