Brandish puzzled over it for a long time, yet she couldn't figure out how Ultear had turned a partially eaten pudding back into a perfectly intact one.
Did she swap it for a new one while I wasn't looking? But was there any need for that? If she had her own pudding, why would she come and eat mine?
Staring at the pudding in her hand—springy, smooth, "bling-bling" as it reflected the sunlight, and emitting a lethally tempting aroma—Brandish fell into deep thought. She was hesitating over whether she should actually still eat it...
Ultear had no mind to worry about her; her eyes began searching through the guild for someone. Soon, she found her target and immediately strode forward, coming to a halt before a short, old man with a "monk's ring" balding pattern.
Makarov was drinking with Wakaba. He had clearly already had quite a bit; he was thoroughly tipsy, and his wrinkled old face was redder than the red pigment Reedus used for painting.
Looking at this man who was nearly eighty years old, Ultear actually felt a bit of pity in her heart. She had heard Ur and Silver mention the story of the Dreyar family before—
The Dreyar family began with Yuri among the "First Fairies"; that ancestor and the First Master of Fairy Tail were once the closest of comrades. After the "First Fairies" six-man group retired, Makarov was appointed as the Third Master due to his talent and character. He worked diligently his whole life to build the guild and was even selected as one of the "Ten Wizard Saints," which could be considered a glorious peak.
Unfortunately, in his later years, his descendants were unfilial. His son committed a cardinal sin of Fairy Tail by hiring outsiders to assassinate comrades and was expelled from the guild; his grandson, due to various misunderstandings and a lack of empathy for his elders—coupled with hitting a rebellious phase—had gathered a gang of people and spent his days messing around outside.
As the lone elderly man left behind, every time Makarov returned home at night, all he saw was an empty house. To keep from feeling too lonely, he always stayed at the guild during the day, using drinking and flirting with young girls as a way to anesthetize his wounded soul.
So pitiful...
"Hehehe..."
"Let me tell you, that little fruit-selling widow in town has a voice as sweet as honey!"
"For real, Third?"
"Of course it's real! I've been going to her place every day lately to buy fruit just to say a few words to her. Oh, by the way, this morning she even treated me to a few free strawberries..."
The lewd laughter and the lecherous expression caused the pity that had just risen in Ultear's heart to vanish instantly. How is he even remotely pitiful? If you ask me, this old geezer is enjoying himself to the max!
In truth, after the incident with Ivan occurred, Makarov had indeed been depressed for a very long time. During that period, he lived every day in agony, feeling he had failed his predecessors by allowing such scum to emerge in the guild, failed his deceased wife by not raising their son well, and failed Descartes and Layla, the two victims—even though they ended up safe and sound, and even ended up together because of it.
But a person must continue living. Thus, after stepping down from the position of Master, Makarov had no choice but to adjust his mindset day after day until he finally let it all go.
Ultear's approach quickly caught the attention of Makarov and Wakaba.
"Yo! Ultear, back from school!"
"What made you think of coming to find us today? Could it be that you want to have a taste of wine as well?"
"Hahaha... this stuff is still way too early for her!! If you cause her to end up like that girl Cana, turning into a drunkard at such a young age, Ur and Silver will skin you alive!!"
"That's true."
Amidst the joking, Makarov and Wakaba clinked glasses again.
Ultear didn't state her purpose directly but asked instead: "How come it's just the two of you drinking today? Where's Uncle Macao?"
"Off to work!" Wakaba answered while stubbing out his cigarette, waving his hand to try and keep Ultear from inhaling his second-hand smoke. "Romeo isn't even a year old yet; that's when they cost the most money. Doesn't he have to work hard to earn money for the family?!"
Ultear realized: "So that's how it is..."
Although Macao and Wakaba had been close since childhood and were always inseparable in the guild—viewed by everyone as the quintessential "useless uncle duo"—their respective family backgrounds were quite different. Macao came from an ordinary family where his wife was a housewife, so the entire burden of life rested solely on him. Wakaba's family was a bit wealthier; his wife ran a restaurant, so he didn't have to worry much about making a living.
As for Makarov, who had been drinking with them in recent years, there was even less need to mention it. Although the profession of Wizard has no pension, he had saved up quite a bit of money in his youth.
"Grandpa Third, I have something to ask you."
"What is it? Is there some homework assignment from a subject at the academy you don't understand? Then you've asked the right person! I'm not bragging, but back in the day, my grades at the academy were in the top five of my year!"
Oh no! This old man is going to start bragging again!
Ultear hurriedly cut off the "brag" before Makarov could get it out: "It's not homework. I wanted to ask you about the library."
Makarov said casually: "The library? The one under our guild? If you want to read a book, just go in and read!"
Ultear tossed her twin-tails: "I'm not talking about this library in the guild. I mean the one at the academy!"
"Heh... the one at the academy... WHAT??! The one at the academy?!"
Makarov let out a low cry, his previously drunken eyes instantly clearing.
"Mm-hmm!"
"It's like this, a few nights ago..."
"Today I tried asking that old grandpa if I could tell others about his existence, and he didn't object!"
"That's why I came to find you."
"I think he might be even older than you, Grandpa Third. If anyone in the guild knows his identity, it should only be you!"
Ultear poured out her experiences from the past few days, then stared wide-eyed at Makarov, waiting for an explanation or an opinion.
However, at this moment, Makarov was panicking like crazy. Cold sweat poured down from his forehead, and his ten parts of drunkenness turned into twelve parts of sobriety.
A librarian had actually appeared in the Magic Library of the Fairy Academy? With so many dangerous magics collected inside, how could Erza and Chris allow an old man to do that kind of job??
There was only one explanation: that old man was not an outsider. He was likely someone from the guild, someone he knew!
In that case, the number of suspected candidates was very small! Darwin was still the guild master of the Magic Council and hadn't stepped down, so it wouldn't be him! Among the First Fairies, his own father had passed away years ago, leaving the other three whose whereabouts were unknown.
Could it be one of them?