A magic merchant infiltrating Fairy Tail

Upon hearing the name, her heart felt as if it had been struck by a giant hammer. She was completely stunned, her eyes wide with shock as she looked at Mystergan, who turned his head away shyly.

“Jer... Gerald…”

The perceptive Gray was the first to notice that Erza's expression was off and asked, "What's wrong, Erza? Do you know someone named Jellal?"

"No...I don't know him..."

Erza lowered her head, covering her aching right eye with her hand, clenching her teeth as she silently endured the pain in her heart.

This doesn't look like someone you don't know at all...

Gray sighed inwardly, deciding to ask Kira about it properly later.

Although the person before her was also named Jellal, and might even have the exact same appearance as the one in her memories, Erza knew he wasn't the one she both loved and hated. However, hearing that name again after so long awakened the terrible nightmare of her childhood.

Gerald... Gerald...

For years, that name, that blue-haired boy, had been her nightmare, even terrifying her to the point that she dared not remove the heavy armor she wore. Now, the sudden mention of it, especially because of her companion, plunged Erza into a strange panic.

"Erza..."

Erza once knew Jellal, the boy who gave her hope in hell, and was also her comrade. But Erza knew that an unexpected incident had changed his nature, and even now she still couldn't face that past.

And the man before her, Jellal—no… he should be called Mystogan—was a man of few words in the guild. Although he usually had a low profile, Erza knew that they shared a common will. She could bravely look him in the eye and see him as the boy she once was.

"Erza..."

They are not the same person!

Although they have the same face and the same name, they have different experiences, personalities, and thoughts; they are completely different people!

Erza still didn't dare to look up. Her heart was pounding and her body was trembling violently. She had never felt so helpless since she came to Fairy Tail.

"Erza! Are you alright?"

Natsu's shout brought Erza back to reality from the depths of her memory, and she realized that she was covered in sweat: "No... I'm fine..."

Even Natsu, who is usually oblivious, noticed Erza's loss of composure, as did the others. Although they didn't know what the name meant to Erza, they could tell that she didn't want to talk about it. So they didn't press her for details, but simply stood by her side, offering her silent support.

To break the strange atmosphere, Dispel continued his story.

Seven years ago, after arriving in Asland, Dispel did not travel with Mystogan. He was not someone who would care about "soul" matters, so he began his own travels.

Over the years, he first traveled throughout the Kingdom of Fiore, then visited other countries in Ishgar, and finally even went to continents such as Arakitasia and Giltina. As for his purpose, besides sightseeing, it was to find powerful swordsmen to spar with.

During this time, he had just returned to Ishgar and stopped by the Kingdom of Fiore to visit an old friend, only to stumble upon the battle between Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord.

Kira was genuinely envious of this experience: "Hey~ You've been to two other continents too, that's great, I haven't been to such far places in all these years..."

“I’m telling you, how can you possibly get stronger by staying in such a small place all the time?” Dispel said. “The outside world is vast, with many powerful magic guilds far stronger than Fairy Tail…”

His words stirred up a huge controversy, and the surrounding audience couldn't stand it and began to refute him.

"Huh? What did you say?"

"We are Fairy Tail!"

"Even if you were Kira, you'd get beaten up for saying something like that!"

This reaction was exactly what Dispel had expected: 'These guys, while their individual skills aren't great, they certainly have a strong sense of collective honor.'

"I'm telling the truth. Putting everything else aside, their guild alone is much more luxurious than yours. Speaking of which, I've been wanting to ask this ever since I came in: are those iron bars overhead decorations a popular style here?"

"No! It was done by the Ghosts!"

"It makes me angry just thinking about it..."

"The Phantom Lords? I think I've heard of them. They're a very powerful magic guild in Fiore. You guys said the guild leader is that old guy from earlier?"

"Yes, his name is Joseph, and he is one of the Ten Wizard Saints."

"Huh? Even with such a weak guild leader, the guild members still managed to beat you guys up like this?" Dispel said. "I bet some of you are fairly strong. Are their members really that powerful?"

"No way! We won every battle against the Spectre!"

"That's right, that's right! The guild was reduced to this state because they launched a surprise attack under cover of night!"

"Kira destroyed their base."

"Ahem, keep it low-key..." Kira feigned modesty, "This Kira in front of me is the one who wiped out the enemy's headquarters with a single slash."

Dispel slumped in his chair and said, "How can we do quests when the guild is in such a mess? I think you might as well just tear it down and rebuild!"

This suggestion quickly gained the support of guild members.

"Tear it down and rebuild; it seems like that's the only option!"

"Although I'm a little reluctant, there's nothing I can do about it. After all, the current guild might collapse any day now."

A heavy atmosphere of regret and reluctance immediately enveloped the surroundings.

"Speaking of which, I remember the guild leader mentioned this before. They even have the design plans for the new guild. It'll be much bigger than the current one, and it'll even have an outdoor swimming pool..."

These words instantly dispelled the heavy atmosphere!

"What?! A new guild?!"

Several perverts lined up, their eyes turning into hearts: "An outdoor swimming pool?!"

"Are you telling the truth, Mirasan?"

Maklov was taken away to rest, so they couldn't ask him anything; they could only ask others.

“Mmm!” Mira nodded with a smile.

Kira added, "I know about this too! The guild leader had this plan a couple of years ago. Let me tell you, the mayor only agreed to allocate such a prime location as Magnolia Central Street to us for building the new guild because of me!"

"However, later, because we were afraid that you would fight and end up in the street, this plan was temporarily shelved..."

"Waaaaah, Kira, you're amazing!"

"Need I say more? You all must always remember the contributions I've made to the guild!"

"What? Isn't it just what we should do for the guild?"

"What did you say?"

"If it were for my sake, the mayor might just give us the whole street!"

"Natsu, that's impossible..."

"If it were Natsu, the mayor would probably just tell us to move out of Magnolia..."

"Hahaha...you're right!"

In the tavern filled with laughter, no one noticed that Kira, turning around, revealed a sinister smile: "Heh heh heh, let's see if you're still laughing when it comes time to collect the funds for rebuilding the guild..."

Perhaps it was because of the kindness shown in helping him in his time of need, perhaps it was because of his companions from another guild, or perhaps it was because their personalities were compatible. In any case, after such a noisy time, Dispel naturally became part of Fairy Tail.

Drinking, banquets, playing, and brawls—Fairy Tail returned to its usual routine, as if the battle between the two guilds, Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail, hadn't just ended, but had happened last week, or even last month.

In this atmosphere, even Mystogan, unusually, stayed behind to have a drink and chat with Kira. He seemed to have let go of his inner turmoil and faced his background with composure, although he still covered his face as always.

If there's anyone who's unhappy, it's probably Erza.

On one hand, Jellal's situation stirred up her memories; on the other hand, she worried about Makarov's health, who was still resting; and finally, this battle with Phantom Lord could be said to have broken the covenant that "magic guilds cannot attack each other," and Fairy Tail might be punished, or even face disbandment...

Watching her companions laughing, drinking, and arguing, Erza sighed deeply: "These guys are really a worry!"

Chapter 113 Post-War Trivial Matters

That evening, Dispel followed Kira back to Hope Lodge.

"So, why did you decide to stay at my house?"

"Of course, if you don't take me in, I'll have to sleep on the streets. If rumors spread in Magnolia tomorrow that 'Fairy Tail's famous Kira is sleeping on the streets,' that would be troublesome for you, wouldn't it?"

"No, I don't care about these rumors!"

Kira pushed open the shop door as he spoke.

The first floor of Hope House is a shop used for business, while the second floor and above are Kira's residence.

“It’s all about saving face!” Dispel said, patting his face in a clear voice. “If people saw the famous ‘Sage’ Kira sleeping naked in the street, where would you put your face?”

"I know, you can sleep on the sofa here!" Kira said irritably, grabbing something nearby and throwing it at them. "If you feel bad for your back and want to sleep on the floor, I don't mind."

Kira's sudden movement caught him completely off guard. He glanced around at the store's decor, then without turning his head, he reached out and easily grabbed the book Kira had thrown at him. He looked at it and raised an eyebrow in surprise: "The Hopwright Conjecture: The Origin of Magic," by Kira Hopwright. I didn't realize someone like you would write a book.

"Of course! I'm very talented in magic, about as talented as you are in swordsmanship. It's not surprising that I write a few magic books!"

Kira made himself a cup of tea to soothe the effects of the alcohol he had been drinking at the guild earlier.

Perhaps knowing that the person in front of him was another version of himself, Dispel surprisingly did not say anything like, "Compared to my kendo talent, you don't even deserve it?" Instead, he silently nodded and began to tour the shop.

Kira designed the store himself. Although it wasn't great, he had enough money to cover up all its flaws.

With enough money, simplicity becomes minimalism, dilapidated becomes nostalgia, gloom becomes tranquility, and gaudy becomes opulent. Even withered plants can be said to symbolize the cycle of life.

The main entrance is a glass door with wind chimes hanging on it. It is very clean, ensuring that passersby can see the interior decoration at a glance.

Facing the glass door was a counter. Although Dispel didn't know what kind of wood it was made of, it was clear that it was expensive. The reason for this was that, on the underside of the counter, in a place that was difficult for ordinary people to see, there were astronomical figures that were barely perceptible.

There was a small patch of grass on the side, with a set of simple table and chairs on it. There was a sign on the table that looked like it was for VIP treatment. Kira was sitting on it, resting comfortably.

Every few meters, vibrant seasonal flowers adorn the shop, which is also decorated with various colored crystals. This strong visual effect helps this already extraordinary little shop attract more customers.

Of course, the most noteworthy thing is the rows of magical items. No matter how well the shop is decorated, if there are no good things to sell, it is just an empty shell. But Hope's Cottage is definitely not one of those.

Besides the crystal-clear magic crystals and the dazzling array of rare treasures, there are many other things that seem to appeal to children and women.

Just like boutiques, even if they have no practical use, they can sell at high prices just because of their fancy appearance.

Dispel looked around and saw a couple of piles of toys, three or four rows of books, and five or six columns of goods, all related to magic. It was practically a general store... like a department store.

He wasn't interested in children's toys, and weapons and potions couldn't attract his attention either. In the end, he headed towards the book section.

I glanced at it briefly, and sure enough, it was all written by Kira Hopwright.

Besides the book "The Origin of Magic" that I currently have, there are also books such as "The Self-Cultivation of a Mage", "How to Become a Mage Respected by All", "Three Years of Magic, Five Years of Advanced Skills", "The Psychology of Magical Battles", and so on.

According to the book category, Dispel put the thick book back in his hand, then turned around and pulled out a book with a cool-looking cover called "Demon Breaker," whose author was, of course, Kira.

I glanced at the synopsis, and it's roughly about a young man who, under the guidance of a powerful figure, becomes a great mage and becomes famous throughout the continent.