Eros in Fairytail

A few hours later, the four mages arrived in Magnolia. "This is Magnolia, right?" Eros asked in surprise. Magnolia is a city located in the southernmost part of the Kingdom of Fiore, with a population of about 60,000. Most residents engage in trade, allowing the city to prosper since ancient times. Spanning a large rectangular area along the shore of Lake Sciliora, Magnolia features a network of large roads dividing the city vertically and horizontally. Its architecture is Western-style, reminiscent of the Middle Ages.

"Surprised, huh?" Makarov laughed proudly.

"Yes, it's very beautiful here. It feels like the city is overflowing with magic…" Eros replied, a slight smile on his lips as he closed his eyes.

As they strolled through the city, Eros observed a variety of shops, from casual snack bars to those selling magical goods.

In one store, he noticed a lacrima similar to the one Porlyusica had given him, but the price left him astonished.

While being treated by Porlyusica, Eros had studied the economy and asked her about quest rewards and the costs of various goods. So, seeing the price of 500,000 precious for the lacrima left him briefly shocked before he composed himself.

"Lacrima?" Makarov smiled knowingly. "Quite a useful thing, but not cheap," he said, pointing to a transparent one. "This is the Mana Storage. Magicians usually use it to power buildings or rituals. Its price and demand are always high."

"Really?"

"Yes," Makarov continued, indicating a red lacrima with a flame symbol. "This is the Heat Lacrima. I use it at home to circulate warm or hot air. Very convenient."

"I see. Thanks for the explanation."

"You're welcome. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask."

"Okay."

Soon, they approached a large, three-story building. Its brown roof, made of wooden slabs, curved upward at the corners. Atop the roof stood a round, pointed dome bearing a flag. Above the entrance hung a plaque with the name "Fairy Tail" in purple. The plaque, dark in color, featured a pair of carved fairies on its edges. Pentagonal windows adorned each floor.

"Here it is," Makarov announced proudly, "the Fairy Tail guild building."

"Quite extravagant," Eros remarked with a smile, examining the structure.

"We were surprised too, the first time," Roni added.

"Alright, stop loitering at the entrance. Let's go inside," Makarov said, approaching the guild doors. He raised his foot and kicked them open. "WELL, SPANNERS! HAVE YOU WAITED LONG?"

"MASTER! WELCOME BACK!"

"Master, is it him? The one you mentioned?" one mage exclaimed, and all eyes turned to Eros.

"Yes!" Makarov grinned. Eros sensed something amiss but had no chance to flee before he was surrounded.

"Hey, is it true you saved all those children?" one girl asked excitedly, her eyes shining as she gazed at him.

"Um, that's true, but I wasn't alone…"

"He's so modest!" another girl exclaimed before hugging Eros tightly.

"Hey! He's not just yours! Let us hug him too!" shouted another girl, pulling Eros into her embrace. Though the titan appreciated the attention from such pretty girls, being smothered was far from pleasant.

"What a cutie! Let me hug him too!" As the girls playfully "tormented" Eros, the male guild members stood ten meters away, watching enviously. Rick and Roni joined them, sharing their sentiments.

"Enough!" Makarov roared, releasing a small fraction of his magic power. "You'll have plenty of time for fun later!"

"Yes!" the girls replied cheerfully. Freed momentarily, Eros darted behind Makarov, seeking refuge.

The girls, undeterred, eyed him hungrily, plotting to embrace him again. However, Eros clung tightly to Makarov's back, clearly uninterested in further "attention."

The male guild members roared with laughter at the spectacle.

"Well, how do you feel?" Makarov asked mockingly, glancing back at Eros.

"Besides nearly being strangled, it was fine," Eros muttered, his shoulders shaking slightly as the girls' "heated" gazes bore into him.

"Don't you want to join? You'd never run out of admirers."

"Are you kidding?" Eros replied, his voice trembling. "If I stay here, you'll find the corpse of an eleven-year-old boy with strangulation marks in just a few days."

""Come on, it's not so bad," Eros said, but seeing the shining eyes of the female half of the guild, he quickly retracted, "Although… anything is possible."

"Master… or how should I address you?" Eros asked, clearly embarrassed.

"If you want, you can just call me Makarov. I'm used to it," the old man replied with a chuckle.

"Okay, Makarov... It feels awkward. Maybe I should call you Master instead…"

Makarov only laughed. "Master works fine. So, what did you want to ask?"

"Allow me to look into your library," Eros said, his tone earnest.

The old man raised an eyebrow in surprise. Rarely did anyone visit the guild library. The books there mostly gathered dust, with only the master occasionally visiting to refresh his knowledge on certain topics.

"I don't have any problem with that. Come in whenever you want," Makarov said, though his face suddenly turned serious. "But don't damage the books—or use them to light a fire!"

"Has that actually happened before?" Eros asked, noticing Makarov's pointed gaze at several embarrassed-looking guild members who were clearly avoiding eye contact.

"I understand," Eros replied with a trembling smile. "And… I would also like to know if Gildarts is in the guild?"

The mere mention of that name silenced the room. Everyone froze, and a heavy tension filled the air.

"And why are you looking for him?" Makarov asked, his voice dropping into a more serious tone.

"When I was being treated by Porlyusica…" At the mention of her name, everyone—including the master—visibly shuddered. "She said my magic was very similar to his. She advised me that if I ever met him, I should ask for guidance or even become his apprentice."

The previously adoring crowd of girls stepped back by ten meters—along with the guys.

"You say… similar?" Makarov's playful tone disappeared entirely as he studied Eros.

"Can you show me how your magic works?" he asked.

Eros hesitated but ultimately nodded. Makarov rose from his seat and motioned toward a door near the bar.

"Follow me."

They entered an office, and as Makarov closed the door, a golden magic circle illuminated the floor.

"You're thinking correctly," he began firmly. "It's better not to show this to anyone unless you have the strength to protect yourself. While you're still weak, you could be kidnapped, brainwashed, and turned into a weapon."

"I understand," Eros replied.

"Good." Makarov snapped his fingers, and a golden dome formed around them. "Use your abilities."

"Yes." A white magic circle appeared on Eros's outstretched hand, conjuring a transparent square above it. "Don't worry, I can control it."

"That's good," Makarov nodded, stepping closer to examine the cube. Stretching out his hands, he summoned his own magic circle. "It's true," he murmured sadly. "Almost no difference."

"Does that mean…"

"That your powers are 95% similar."

"Only 95%?"

"There are no 100% identical types of magic unless you're related," Makarov replied, giving Eros a suspicious look. "Gildarts isn't your relative, is he?"

"I can say with 100% certainty, no," Eros quickly cut him off. "Now, can you tell me where Gildarts is?"

"He's on a mission," Makarov sighed. "I don't know when he'll return, so you'll have to wait." A sly smile crept onto his face. "How about this: if you join the guild, I'll make Gildarts take you as his apprentice—and I'll forbid him from going on any missions until he's taught you everything."

"That's… an intriguing offer," Eros replied, though he shook his head. "But I'll have to decline.Have you truly given up already?"

"That's right," Makarov replied calmly. "With magic like yours, in ten years, you could become one of God's Chosen, and add your talent, on top of that maybe even in six or seven years."

"You think very highly of me," Eros remarked.

"At the moment, Gildarts is the strongest in the guild," Makarov stated.

"I know."

"He's even stronger than me," the master continued. Eros looked at him in surprise. "Stronger than the guild master—and among the God's Chosen, he could easily rank in the top four. You should realize that any guild would want a mage of such strength, and I won't even mention hidden organizations."

"I understand you're worried about me," Eros admitted, a warm feeling stirring in his chest. "Thank you, but I can't stay here long."

"How much time do you plan to spend in the guild?" Makarov asked, his disappointment evident.

"A year at most," Eros replied. "Then I'll leave."

"Fine," Makarov relented, though his expression shifted. "But I have one condition."

"A condition?"

"Yes. When you finish your journey, the place where you establish your guild will be Magnolia."

The titan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What benefit would that bring you?"

"Oh, an alliance with a potentially strong guild. Isn't that enough?" Seeing Eros's skeptical look, the master laughed, though his tone grew somber. "And if something happens to me, you'd become Magnolia's shield."

"Master, you're talking to an eleven-year-old child."

"These days, children grow up quickly. And I won't even mention monstrously talented ones," Makarov added with a cheerful tone.

"I can't argue with that," Eros said, holding out his hand. "I agree—but I expect the same commitment from you."

"Deal!" Makarov grinned, shaking the boy's hand.

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