"I dodge!"
"I dodge again!"
"You can't hit me!!!"
Yuri's reflexes were first-rate, his muscles as supple as could be; with a few quirky moves he dodged every flying wooden chair.
After evading all three chairs, Yuri couldn't help but preen, hands on hips, laughing on the spot.
"Hahaha!!"
"Don't underestimate me! I'm—"
Before he could finish.
Bang—!!!
A solid-wood table five meters long and two wide shot out faster and fiercer, slamming square into Yuri's body.
With a dull thud, Yuri was hurled ten meters away!
Weston: "..."
Precht, Warrod: "…idiot."
One minute later, inside the guild.
Weston sat at the head of the hall, glaring at the children who'd just brawled over cookies while Yuri's face was wrapped in bandages.
"Utter nonsense!!"
"You trashed the place over something as trivial as sugar or salt on cookies—does that seem right?"
"Is our guild so poor we can't bake two batches of cookies?"
"To say nothing of injuring my guests! What will your parents think? That we're lively and energetic?!"
"No!"
"They'll think I failed to teach you properly!"
"Kids, you've broken my heart…"
Weston rattled on; the children hung their heads in meek silence.
The scene made the newly arrived trio of Yuri, Precht and Warrod twitch.
"Don't you think this so-called 'Magic Guild' feels… off?"
"I know what you mean. Feels more like a daycare than a Magic Guild, right?"
"Yeah, what Magic Guild is made up entirely of kids?"
"Speaking of which, has 'Fairy Tail' even registered with the Council?"
"Probably… not."
Within the Fiore Kingdom, any Magic Guild founded without Council approval is illegal—an unrecognized 'Dark Guild'.
Weston naturally couldn't be bothered to make the trip, so although Fairy Tail had existed for seven years, it still lacked official status.
So far, though, Fairy Tail only served Tenrou Village and never contacted the outside world, so formal recognition wasn't a big issue.
As the three of them secretly observed, a few kids started complaining to Weston.
The boy on the left put on a pitiful face and shouted, "Chairman, you don't know—this guy actually wants to put sugar on cookies!"
"My gosh, doesn't he know too much sugar makes you fat?!"
The boy on the right shot back, "What are you, a girl? Can't handle a little sugar?"
"Besides, the chairman already said our daily exercise burns it right off!"
Their faces were barely ten centimeters apart, four eyes clashing like crackling sparks.
Just as Weston was about to mediate, a fast, fierce fist came out of nowhere and smacked both arguing heads.
Thud, thud!
"Shut it!"
The newcomer looked thirteen or fourteen, delicate and blooming, a girl in the flower of youth.
Brown hair tied in twin tails, a standard "kitchen maid" apron, heavy cooking gloves on her hands.
Petite, she stood a head shorter than Weston, yet her aura felt six feet tall, eyes blazing as she glared at the noisy kids.
"Instead of bickering, get in here and help in the kitchen!"
"Don't you know we're swamped?!"
"If you two mess up tomorrow's anniversary festival, I'll never forgive you!!"
At the sight of her, the two arguing boys instantly shut up, their fire gone.
"Z-Zera…"
"Sorry, we're coming to help!!"
Side by side, the two bolted for the kitchen as if fleeing for their lives.
Halfway, they skidded to a halt and turned back. "So… for our cookies, sugar or salt?"
"Chili!!"
Heretic!
This woman was the absolute heretic!
Everyone present roared inwardly.
Even Yuri's trio, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but eye this girl with the unique palate in a new light.
Who puts chili in cookies?!
"Why are you two staring? Got a problem with my idea?"
Zera whipped her head around, dangerous gaze locking on them.
The boys hugged each other in fright. "N-no problem…"
"Then move it!"
"Yes, ma'am!!" ×2
Seven years had passed; Zera had grown not just in body but in strength and temper.
Under the influence of Flame God Slayer Magic, her personality had turned fiery—she'd smack people at the drop of a hat, no ladylike airs whatsoever.
Yet it was precisely this temperament that kept the rowdy, village-troubling, wall-scaling, dog-chasing brats in check.
"Honestly, as the chairman, why do you fuss over every tiny thing?"
"Where's your authority?!"
Having settled the cookie dispute, Zera spun and aimed her ire at Weston.
Weston clicked his tongue, wagging his head. "What do you know?"
"A Chairman's Authority isn't something you trot out on a whim."
"Only when a partner commits a grave offense or when the guild's survival is at stake—using it any other time just hurts feelings!"
"As for daily discipline… isn't that what you're here for, Ms. Disciplinary Committee?"
The title "Disciplinary Committee" made Zera's blood boil; she flashed behind Weston, fists grinding into both sides of his skull.
"Look at you, so lazy—where's the chairman's dignity? You should step down and let Mavis take the seat!"
"What?!"
"You treacherous wench, plotting regicide and aiming to enthrone another?!"
"I'll deal with you properly!"
Weston yelled, slipped free of her grip, spun round with a "hee-hee-hee" and pounced on her.
The two of them scuffled right there in the guildhall.