The image of a brown-haired little girl, always sitting silently in a corner holding divination cards and watching him with timid yet longing eyes, sliced through Gildarts' chaotic thoughts like a bolt of lightning.
"Could it be... Could it be..." Gildarts' voice was as dry as if he had been thirsty in a desert for three days and nights. His pupils constricted violently, and his breathing became extremely heavy, as if every breath exhausted his entire body's strength.
The guild hall was, as always, filled with the aroma of low-quality ale, the scent of roasted meat grease, and deafening clamor. Young Mages were coming to blows over some boring boastful topic; tables and chairs flew through the air, and wooden mugs hit the walls with dull thuds. Master Makarov sat at the bar, holding a giant mug of beer, smiling as he watched these vibrant youths, occasionally taking a large gulp and letting out a satisfied sigh.
In the midst of this chaotic yet heartwarming daily scene, the heavy wooden door to the guild's backyard was slowly pushed open. Accompanied by a tooth-aching "creak," a tall but incredibly stiff figure appeared in the doorway. It was Gildarts, who had just been completely broken by Riyao's words, only to rebuild a fortress named "Fatherly Love" within the ruins.
At this moment, Gildarts had none of his usual carefree and unbridled demeanor that struck fear into his enemies. His signature orange hair was a mess, looking as if it had been struck by lightning; his tattered cloak hung limply behind him, as if it had lost all its magic. Most terrifying of all was his walking posture—moving same-side arm and leg together, his body swaying violently with every step, like rusted gears struggling to mesh. His facial muscles twitched from excessive tension, and his mouth struggled to pull upward into what he thought was a gentle smile, but was actually more gruesome than an abyss demon's.
Sitting there was a brown-haired little girl. She wore a somewhat faded dress and clutched several magical divination cards tightly in her hands. Her eyes were always timid, carrying a melancholy and caution that didn't suit her age. She was lowering her head, taking small sips of juice from her cup, as if the surrounding noise had nothing to do with her. That was Cana, Cana Alberona, his, Gildarts', biological daughter.
*Thump—*
Gildarts took a heavy step. Because his emotions were too intense, a trace of the Crush Magic within him leaked out involuntarily. With a muffled sound, the hard bluestone floor beneath his foot instantly turned to powder, leaving a deep footprint.
*Thump— Thump— Thump—*
As Gildarts continued to approach, every step he took caused the floorboards beneath him to let out a wail before turning to dust. This eerie commotion finally caught the attention of the entire guild. Everyone who had been fighting stopped their movements and stared dumbfounded as the guild's strongest Mage, like an out-of-control steamroller destroying the floor as he went, walked straight toward the little girl in the corner of the bar.
"Gildarts! What the hell are you doing?! The guild's repair costs are very expensive!" Master Makarov finally couldn't take it anymore. He jumped down from the bar, waving his small fists and roaring loudly.
A huge shadow loomed over Cana's petite frame. Cana felt the massive and chaotic magical aura behind her; she shrank her neck slightly in fear and slowly turned her head. When she saw that familiar, stubble-covered face, her large amber eyes instantly went wide, and the divination cards in her hand fell onto the bar with a "clatter."
"Gi... Gildarts... Uncle..." Cana's voice was as thin as a mosquito, carrying a hint of uncontrollable trembling. She didn't know why this usually high-and-mighty figure was looking at her with such a terrifying expression. Had she done something wrong?
"Ca... Cana..." Gildarts finally managed to squeeze out the name, his voice terribly hoarse and thick with nasal congestion.
His knees suddenly gave way, and with a "thud," this man who had never feared even a giant dragon knelt straight down in front of the little girl, right before the ghost-seeing eyes of everyone in the guild. The massive impact caused several nearby stools to instantly turn to powder, wood chips flying through the air.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Gildarts reached out his large, calloused, and scarred hands, trembling, wanting to touch Cana's cheek but afraid his rough fingers would hurt her, leaving them hovering in mid-air. "I... I'm a bastard... I'm a total idiot..."
Cana was completely stunned, her mind a blank. She didn't understand why Gildarts would suddenly kneel before her, weeping and apologizing.
"Cornelia... Your mother is Cornelia, isn't she..." Gildarts could no longer control his emotions. Tears poured down like a bursting dam, flowing along his rugged cheeks and dripping onto Cana's skirt. "Why... why didn't you tell me sooner... why did you have to endure so much alone..."
The moment the name "Cornelia" was uttered, Cana's body jolted. She looked incredulously at the man crying like a child in front of her, her lips trembling violently. That scene she had rehearsed countless times in her dreams, that title she had wanted to call out countless times but swallowed back down, now seemed to have a life of its own, crashing wildly within her chest.
"You... you know now?" Cana's eyes were also instantly filled with tears, large drops falling pitter-patter.
"I know... I know everything..." Gildarts suddenly opened his arms and pulled Cana tightly into his broad embrace. He held her so tight, as if afraid that if he let go, the treasure in his arms would vanish. He buried his face in Cana's small shoulder and wailed loudly without any regard for his image, "I'm sorry, Cana... Papa came late... Papa will never leave you again..."
"Papa..." Feeling that warm and broad embrace, smelling the familiar scent mixed with sweat and earth, the grievances, loneliness, fear, and anticipation of many years completely erupted at this moment. She reached out her slender arms, clutching Gildarts' neck tightly, buried her face in his chest, and cried out loud, "Papa! Papa! Waaaah..."
One large and one small, the two of them held each other tightly in the center of the Fairy Tail Guild hall, crying their hearts out.
*Pffft!*
A loud sound of spraying water broke the eerie silence. Master Makarov sprayed all the beer in his mouth out, soaking Macao's face opposite him. His eyes, which were already large, widened until they were nearly bulging out. He pointed at the weeping Gildarts and Cana, his finger trembling violently.
*Click~*
Riyao put away his camera with satisfaction. Dark history +1.
"Gi... Gildarts... has... has a daughter?!" Makarov's voice cracked from extreme shock, echoing through the empty hall.
The next second, the entire Fairy Tail Guild seemed to be ignited by a hundred-thousand-ton magic bomb, completely boiling over.
"Nani?!!!"
The deafening cries of surprise almost blew the roof off the guild. Everyone was frantically clutching their hair, unable to believe the scene before their eyes. That strongest Mage Gildarts, who spent all day doing nothing but destroying things, fighting, drinking, and wandering around, actually had such a big daughter?! And this daughter had been in their guild all along?!
This was absolutely the most explosive, world-view-shattering super gossip since the founding of Fairy Tail! And on this chaotic night, a father and daughter finally crossed the barriers of time and embraced each other tightly.