Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 226: The Cruel Truth

The joy of victory faded the moment Wendy spoke.

In fact, Wendy herself looked more devastated than any of them. She had been the first to discover the truth, and now tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.

"What do you mean Liz has been dead for a long time? Isn't she the girl we're here to help? The one who needs treatment?" Natsu asked in disbelief. He hadn't even met Liz yet, but the idea alone was hard to accept.

Erza and Rhodes struggled even more. They had seen Liz earlier, before nightfall. Wendy had spoken to her. She had seemed so real—a sweet, adorable child they could see and touch.

Wendy wiped her tears and tried to explain what she had discovered.

"My Dragon Slayer Secret Art, Galaxy, lets me hear the voices of dragon souls... but it can also help me sense the souls of people. At first, I thought Liz's condition might be due to something wrong with her soul. But when I used Galaxy... I realized..."

Wendy's voice trembled as she finished, "The Liz we've been seeing is only her soul."

The words struck like a hammer to the heart.

Such a young, innocent girl... a ghost?

Rhodes wanted to believe Wendy. He trusted her. But the truth was so strange and painful, it was hard to fully accept.

"No... souls are supposed to be invisible, intangible. You'd need special magic to even see one. And Wendy, didn't you say that even you can only detect a soul by using Galaxy? Then how is it that Liz... we all saw her with our own eyes? And we never sensed any magic around her."

"Maybe it's because of her heart," Erza said solemnly. Her voice grew softer as she recalled something.

She remembered what an old man once told her when explaining the essence of magic.

"Magic starts with the heart. Belief, hope, and faith... they can all become magic. Miracles that only those who believe can experience."

Erza closed her eyes briefly and continued.

"Maybe Liz was already... gone when she escaped the Black Magic Cult. But she didn't realize it. All she wanted was to go home to her parents. That longing, that will... it's what kept her here. It gave her form. She stayed by her parents' side, not knowing the truth."

Wendy was crying openly now. Carla turned away to wipe her eyes, and even Happy was sniffling as tears welled up.

All of this... just because a little girl wanted to go home.

Natsu's hands trembled. His anger burned, but there was no enemy to fight. The Black Magic Cult was gone. The demon was already defeated. But what about Liz?

"This isn't fair. If something like belief really has the power to create miracles... then let that child live!"

"Don't be foolish, Natsu," Erza said quietly.

She stared downward, voice heavy with emotion.

"I once saw Grandpa Rob fall protecting me. I wished so many times that he'd rise again, smile again... but life doesn't work that way."

"Life is fragile. Once it's gone, it can't be brought back."

"Damn it!" Natsu shouted, slamming his fist into the ground.

Rhode fell silent. This mission had left him feeling more helpless than any before.

Not just in terms of battle, but in life itself.

A lack of combat power could always be compensated by comrades. But a loss of life, how could that ever be restored?

Truthfully, every cautious step he had taken, every effort he had made so far, had been to avoid exactly this kind of tragedy, for himself and for the people he cared about.

If he wanted to stop what had happened to Liz from happening to others, he would have to wipe out every dark guild and every black magic cult across the continent.

But that wasn't something he could do alone.

At best, he could try to crush every dark force he came across.

Rhode sighed. "How am I supposed to tell Mr. Jopa the truth."

The air grew heavy. Everyone looked disheartened. It was already devastating for them to learn the truth. How much more crushing would it be for Liz's parents?

Even so, some truths had to be faced.

...

Early the next morning, the group arrived silently at the client's doorstep.

Mr. Jopa hadn't slept the entire night. He and his wife had remained by Liz's bedside all night. Though clearly exhausted by morning, he still cleaned himself up early, intending to head to the hotel to consult the wizards again about follow-up treatment.

But the moment he opened the door, he found all the wizards already standing in a neat line right outside his home.

Stunned for a moment, he stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you all for your help. Liz woke up early last night. It's the first time she's woken up early after one of her fainting spells. Please continue helping with her recovery."

The group exchanged glances, a complicated mix of emotions clouding their hearts.

Erza stepped forward gently and asked, "Mr. Jopa... may I ask, what time did Liz wake up?"

Jopa gave them the time.

The group quietly did the math. It lined up almost exactly with the moment Carniber had dissipated.

There is probably a connection between the two, but that isn't the most important thing right now.

Rhode spoke solemnly. "Mr. Jopa, I need to speak with you privately. Please... step outside with me for a moment."

The joy on Mr. Jopa's face slowly faded. Seeing the serious and sorrowful expressions of the others, a terrible suspicion formed in his heart.

...

Rhode carefully chose his words as he explained where they had gone the previous night, revealing the painful truth piece by piece.

Finally, Erza added her now fully formed speculation. "The blood-drawn magic circle we saw on the altar that day... it was probably hers."

"At that time, the summoning ritual may have only been half completed. The demon consumed Liz's flesh and blood, but her soul escaped."

"Because of that, the demon didn't awaken immediately. It lay dormant, and only after some time did it begin to struggle against the seal."

"Based on what we've just discussed, each time Liz fainted... it was likely when the demon was attacking the seal. Now that the demon is gone, she..."

Erza paused. It was rare to hear hesitation in her voice. "She won't be affected by the demon anymore."

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The words hung heavy in the air. No one dared to meet Mr. Jopa's eyes.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't speak. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a cigarette case and a box of matches.

Snap. Snap... His hands trembled, and the match wouldn't light.

Natsu silently extended a finger and lit it with a small flame.

Mr. Jopa didn't say a word. He crouched down in the corner and smoked in silence.

Wendy was the first who couldn't hold back. She bowed deeply in front of him.

"Mr. Jopa, I'm sorry!"

Her long dark blue hair slipped forward over her shoulders, and her tears were the first to hit the ground.

Wendy not only sympathized with Liz's suffering, she also blamed herself for being unable to help.

Mr. Jopa looked up at her, his eyes bloodshot and swollen.

She was a very sweet girl. That was the thought that came to him the first time they met. He had once believed that when his daughter grew up to Wendy's age, she would be even more adorable.

But now, there was nothing left.

...

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