A magic merchant infiltrating Fairy Tail

Although they had expected it and were mentally prepared, they were still dumbfounded when they actually saw this scene, their mouths agape in surprise—yet they felt strangely familiar with it.

"Oh, so this kind of thing often happens to you at work, right?"

"Yes..." ×4

"Indeed, I was right not to join your team, otherwise the compensation alone would have taken away more than half of my reward."

Just as the group was speechless after Kira's sarcastic remarks, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy's voices rang out: "Hey! Everyone—!"

Finished!

Kira turned around with this thought in mind and saw Natsu, Lucy, and Happy, the three guys who had disappeared since entering the city, running towards them with their backs to the fire three streets away, acting as if nothing had happened. They were smiling and waving at them as they ran, as if they wanted everyone around them to know they were a group.

If that were all, it wouldn't be so bad. The most important thing is that not far behind the three, a group of angry citizens, shopkeepers, and tourists, armed with wooden sticks, iron spoons, chairs, and other objects, were chasing after them, shouting and yelling: "Stop!! Don't run!! Grab those three arsonists!!"

"Natsu, what have you done now?!"

"Damn it! Don't let anyone know we know you!!!"

"Waaaaah... Why did it turn out like this again?!"

"My worries have come true..."

Natsu ignored their attempts to pretend they didn't know him and continued shouting as he charged forward, "Where have you guys been? We've been looking for you for ages! You have no idea what we just encountered... Ah, right! More important than that, let's run!"

This tactic was very effective; the group chasing them shouted again, "The people in front are with them too! Catch them!!"

"Oh no!! If we get caught, we're done for!! We need to hurry... You guys are way too skilled, aren't you?!"

bang bang bang...

Before the three could even reach them, Kira and his group had already run off in another direction, kicking up half a meter of yellowish-brown dust in their wake.

"You call this 'he's matured a lot'?? Are you kidding me?! I can't see any change at all!!"

"I'm sorry! I take back what I just said..."

"Is our trip to this town over?"

"Anyway, we came here mainly for dessert, so what we've already had should be enough, right?"

"Damn it! I was planning to try the match again tomorrow..."

"There's no other way. It's not good to just run away like this, but if we stay, we don't know how much compensation we'll have to pay!"

……

An hour later, the group left Sweettown, returned to their car, and continued their travels.

Inside the car, Natsu, Happy, and Lucy knelt in a row on the ground, expertly bowing their heads to admit their mistakes.

"Natsu, you really need to reflect on this!"

Erza, with a stern expression, reprimanded Natsu, Lucy, and Happy, "And Lucy and Happy, you two! You've been doing missions together for so long, can't you stop him a little? You're always like this..."

"I'm sorry!!" ×3

Erza never stops nagging once she starts talking, even though she's always like this, and Kira usually intervenes to stop her when she does this. But this time, Kira isn't doing that, because he's also in the group scolding her.

"Do you know how dangerous it is to set fire to a town?! Do you know how much compensation you'll have to pay?! Do you know that if people find out where we came from, we might be mistaken for spies sent by Ishgar to Giltina?! Do you know how much damage this will do to Fairy Tail's reputation...?"

I have to say, it feels really good to just rant and rave.

Wendy and Gray, who hadn't joined the accusations, were reminded of painful memories by Kira's words: "We know exactly how much compensation we're owed..."

"Being mistaken for a spy...is it really that serious?"

"Oh? You dare to talk back to me? You three aren't allowed to eat tonight!"

After Kira finished speaking, Lucy and Happy immediately wailed, "Eh?! No food?! But...but because of that incident at noon, we still haven't eaten..."

"Huh?! You have a problem with that??" Erza's face darkened, and a murderous aura immediately enveloped her.

The three of them immediately broke out in a cold sweat, quickly waving their hands and shaking their heads: "No...no...we completely agree!!"

Half an hour later, Erza finally calmed down, plopped down on the sofa, and sighed, "Honestly! Shouldn't you guys be a little more mature? If you keep acting like this, it'll only bother other people!"

"I'm so sorry!!" ×3

They've been saying this for almost half an hour.

“I’m not talking about us right now… Of course, we’re also troubled, but I mean, this keeps causing unnecessary trouble for other people, especially Natsu’s fire…”

It's the same old routine: after scolding, he starts teaching!

In Kira's memory, Erza has always been like this since she was a child, never lacking in patience, and dutifully playing the role of Natsu and Gray's older sister.

"Alright, alright... Erza, that's enough! You must be thirsty after all this time, have some water and rest..."

It's that familiar scene of mediating a fight again!

In Erza's memory, Kira had always been like this since he was a child, playing the role of a half-adult in the guild, an older brother who pleaded for those who quarreled and caused trouble.

Kira's voice was like heavenly music, moving Natsu, Lucy, and Happy to tears, but the next moment...

"I have a phonograph crystal here, let's use that with headphones to play it on a loop! If you're still not satisfied, we can continue later, I think everyone's ears need some peace and quiet right now!"

"Oh!! That's good too..."

'Are these two demons?!' ×3

It's that familiar naivety, malice, and malicious swindling again!

In Natsu and Gray's memory, Erza and Kira have always been like this since they were little, destroying their physical and mental health in various ways.

Thinking of this, Gray couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, while taking a sip of red tea to replenish his fluids: "It's great that only Natsu got scolded..."

"Grezan, what did you just say?"

"It's nothing, you misheard."

He would never tell Wendy how difficult his life had been before!

Kira clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention, and said, "Anyway, let's put those things aside for now! Let's talk about the more important topic!"

"Tell me, what exactly happened between the three of you? Why did you set fire to the town?"

"Well... the thing is..."

Through the back-and-forth of Happy, Lucy, and Natsu, Kira and the others finally learned what had happened.

After entering the city, Natsu wandered around because of his strong curiosity. Happy and Lucy naturally followed closely behind. The three of them were quickly attracted by the city's scenery, food and culture. In just a few hours, they had already explored half of the city.

Then, they encountered a kidnapping incident by a dark guild. Being so righteous, they naturally wanted to help. Natsu, relying on his keen sense of smell, followed them to their hideout and fought the kidnappers. The fire that broke out was started during Natsu's battle with the kidnappers.

Although the outcome resulted in harming many innocent citizens and causing considerable losses, Natsu was still happy because he had saved the kidnapped child.

Chapter 411 Driving

After hearing that Natsu had intervened to rescue someone from the kidnappers, Kira and Erza had already forgiven him—at least, he wouldn't deny them dinner. The three were so moved they wept uncontrollably, repeatedly calling him an angel.

"Kidnapping... Yes, because of that competition, many people of unknown origin have infiltrated that city. It's normal for one or two criminals to appear. What you did was right."

Kira crossed his arms in front of him and, after a brief analysis, affirmed Natsu's actions, saying, "However, just be more careful next time."

Then he turned to Wendy and said, "Did you hear that, Wendy?"

"Huh?!" Wendy's little head showed great confusion.

"Bad people often lurk in crowded and lively places like this. If you go out alone in the future, you need to be extra careful in such situations..."

"Yes Yes……"

Xia Lulu muttered to herself, "Why are you talking like an old man? Wendy isn't a child anymore! Besides, I'm here..."

"Don't say that, Xia Lulu, Kira-san is only thinking of me..."

Kira counted on his fingers: "What nonsense are you talking about? Aren't you only 6... no, you should be 7 this year? You're much younger than Wendy, you're clearly still a child!"

"I'm sorry, but the time perception of those who transcend is different from that of humans, so I'm not a child anymore!"

"Oh, you really dare to say that?" Kira raised his voice several octaves, speaking with a questioning tone, "In that case, why don't you try doing something that only adults can do!"

"What...what do you want to do...?" Xia Lulu took a half step back nervously, looking at Kira with a hint of fear, a few drops of cold sweat unconsciously seeping from the white hair on her face.

Snapped!

Kira suddenly pulled a ten-centimeter-thick workbook from his personal storage space and slammed it on the table, saying excitedly, "Come on! Try it if you can do it! If you can solve all these basic magic questions, I'll admit you're not a child anymore!"

Xia Lulu was instantly stunned: "Huh?! What?! Magic... basics...?!"

"Yes, that's right! A basic magic knowledge question!!" Kira grinned wickedly. "This is a first-year question from Demisor Magic Academy. You can't possibly not even be able to answer a first-year question?"

"I...of course I can do it!!"

"You can't ask others for help! You have to answer the questions properly like a mage!"

"Hmph! I'll do it myself then!" Xia Lulu flipped open her workbook in a huff, picked up her pen, and began to answer the questions.

Kira actually wanted to test whether Sharuru could find the answer using her precognitive abilities, but the proud little cat didn't seem to realize his purpose.

The others also curiously gathered around, their faces full of curiosity: "A first-year workbook from Demisor Academy? That sounds interesting! What kind of magic problems could it be?"

这一看，众人才发现习题册上，都是一些诸如“2＋6=？”“63－？=45”“33×46=？”之类的计算题，顿时大失所望：“什么嘛……这不都是些很基础的计算题吗？和魔法一点关系都没有啊！”

"But that's how it should be! Even at Demisor Academy, first-year students are only six or seven years old, so the questions they do won't be that difficult."

Amidst the whispers of those around her, Xia Lulu remained confident, writing rapidly and only glancing at the multiplication and division calculations: "Hmph! These simple questions are a piece of cake for me!"

This calm and effortless performance made Happy's eyes light up, and boundless admiration welled up in his heart: "Amazing!! Xia Lulu, you're so smart! These questions are so difficult, how did you even answer them?"

"...Happy, you should just keep eating your snacks. Saying something like that is really embarrassing for a cat."

For a full ten minutes, the only sound in the car was the rapid-fire answering of questions…

"Done!" Xia Lulu confidently put down her pen.

"Oh? You've finished one hundred arithmetic problems so quickly? It seems you've already mastered the first chapter of 'Basic Magic Numbers.' Here's a cookie for you," Kira said with an approving smile. "Let's move on to the second chapter!"

"Hmph!" Having perfectly completed the first challenge, Xia Lulu's entire body radiated a smug expression. "Want to test my intelligence? Come on! Watch me finish all the questions for six grades in one go!"

Everyone couldn't help but chuckle at Charlene's appearance, but Gray, looking at Kira's radiant smile, suddenly felt a sense of unease: 'Is it just my imagination? Kira's smile feels kind of creepy... and Charlene's expression looks so familiar, like I've seen it on someone before, and more than once!'

Xia Lulu turned to the second page, and this time it was no longer a calculation problem, but an application problem: Now, an unknown number of Shadow Rabbits and Crimson Chickens are kept together, with a total of 120 heads and 366 feet. How many Shadow Rabbits and Crimson Chickens are there?