Fairy Tail: Collapsing Stars

Fairy Tail Collapsing Stars Chapter 344

August: Evan, You Tricked Me! (Part 1)

…

August couldn’t see the girl standing beside him with his eyes, after all, he wasn’t a member of the Fairy Tail guild.

But in his heart, he could feel her presence. Though his physical eyes couldn’t perceive the girl next to him, his soul, his blood, his very spirit, connected by lineage, allowed him to see her clearly.

That girl was pure and holy, like an angel from the heavens. Her skin was as white as snow, her bare feet untainted by any dust of the world. She wore a flowing white dress, and her long golden hair cascaded down around her. Her emerald eyes seemed to pierce the soul, filled with infinite wisdom.

August knew exactly who this fairy-like girl, who could be praised with every beautiful word in existence and still not be done justice, truly was…

He knew.

That was his mother.

His birth mother, Mavis Vermillion, founder of the Fairy Tail guild, and its very first guild master.

“August, you can’t see the person next to you, can you?”

Just as August was silently contemplating, using his heart to feel her presence, Evan’s voice suddenly rang in his ear.

“Hmm?!”

August froze slightly, unsure what Evan meant.

“Do you want me to give you a little help~?”

Evan smiled warmly at August, looking completely harmless and sincere.

“Hmm…”

August frowned slightly. That “harmless” look made all kinds of alarm bells ring in his head.

Based on what he knew of Evan, whenever Evan smiled like this, 80% of the time it meant trouble.

The other 20%? He just wanted to watch some drama unfold.

Either way, nothing good ever came from this kind of smile.

“Ah how hurtful“

“August, after all I’ve done for you, and you’re still on guard? Don’t forget, I’m the inheritor of your mother’s will! And also the person your father trusted most in this world.”

“Without me, who knows how long it would’ve taken for you to meet your mother? But because of me, you were able to fulfill your lifelong wish. And now you’re still suspicious of me? You doubt me? Truly heartbreaking, August~”

Evan clutched his chest dramatically, feigning deep sorrow, while continuing to guilt-trip the good-hearted August.

“Ugh…”

August began to sweat profusely. Though he still had his doubts, Evan wasn’t exactly wrong.

Everything he said was true, no exaggeration, no lies, just facts…

Evan was the inheritor of Mavis’s will. After all, he was a member of Fairy Tail.

He was someone trusted by August’s father, Zeref, having made countless secret deals with him, none of which were hidden from August.

And it was true, because of Evan, August had been able to see his mother.

Not in the chaos of war, but on a joyful day, New Year’s, where he could see her peacefully.

“What… exactly are you trying to do?”

August asked helplessly, eyeing Evan with suspicion.

“I’m going to give you the ability to see your mother with your own eyes, and also the power to speak freely with her! So, Mr. August… would you be willing to accept this?”

Evan’s voice echoed in August’s heart, sincere and heartfelt.

So much so that August’s expression wavered at those words.

“Is that so?! T-then… thank you!”

Despite his doubts, August couldn’t resist the temptation of truly seeing and speaking with his mother.

He finally relented and gave Evan a small nod.

“No need to thank me~”

Evan smiled back, then took out a prepared Fairy Tail guild emblem and, before August could react, pressed it directly onto the back of his hand.

“Huh?!”

August stared at the emblem now etched onto his skin, completely caught off guard.

“Wait…!”

Suddenly realizing what had happened, his face changed drastically.

So this was how Evan planned to give him the “power to see his mother”?!

Wasn’t this just a backstab?!

“Evan, you tricked me!!”

August cried out inwardly, feeling both frustrated and confused.

Yes, he did want to see Mavis.

But he never agreed to join the Fairy Tail guild!

Not because he hated the idea, he didn’t.

But because his father, Zeref, still needed him to support the Alvarez Empire.

If even he left Alvarez, then who would protect his father?

He cared for his mother deeply.

But he knew that Mavis had Fairy Tail, Evan, Irene, Selene. She was safe.

His father, on the other hand… had no such protection.

Yes, the Alvarez Empire was powerful, but only against ordinary mages.

Against people like Evan, Irene, and Selene, numbers meant nothing.

Remove August from the equation, and the entire empire couldn’t take down even one of those three.

“This isn’t trickery, it was your own consent~”

“I asked you first, didn’t I? As the great Magic King, August, you wouldn’t go back on your word, right? An eighty-year-old man, the Magic King himself, not keeping his promise? Imagine how embarrassing that would sound!”

“And besides! Now that the Fairy Tail emblem is on your hand, there’s no going back. Instead of resisting it, why not enjoy it? I hereby wish you and your mother a joyful holiday~”

Evan patted August’s shoulder and spoke warmly.

Then he turned to the rest of the guild,

“Everyone, I’ve been thinking…”

“This kind old gentleman, though not a member of Fairy Tail, shares the same heart and soul as us Fairy Tail mages!”

“But this is our guild’s group photo, so to avoid any gossip… I gave this kind uncle the Fairy Tail emblem!”

“From today onward, we’re all part of the same guild!”

After secretly manipulating August, Evan turned and officially announced to the entire guild that August, the Magic King, had joined Fairy Tail.

“Oh, is that how it is?!”

“Well, in that case… no problem at all!”

“Yeah! Exactly!”

“Once you’ve got the emblem, you’re family~”

The moment Evan finished speaking, the guild members who were previously suspicious of August all changed their tune.

Yes, if you wore the Fairy Tail emblem, you were one of them.

That was all it took to become a member.

That’s how simple the initiation was.

“Heh…”

Evan smirked as he looked at August.

After all, there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

Evan hadn’t gone to all this effort out of pure goodwill.

The truth was, with the way the current generation of Fairy Tail brats behaved, Makarov, as the third guild master, could barely manage anymore.

He already struggled one-on-one with Laxus.

Let alone wrangling an entire guild of chaos-bringing lunatics who could flip the whole world upside down on a whim.

At this rate, Makarov probably wouldn’t last much longer…

Which is why Fairy Tail desperately needed a powerful vice master, someone capable of instantly suppressing all the wild kids, and help ease the burden on Makarov.

And in Evan’s eyes, no one was more qualified than August to be Fairy Tail’s vice master, and even its fourth guild master in the future.

August had the strength. He had the character.

And he was the child of Fairy Tail’s very founder, Mavis.

There could be no better candidate.

So Evan had made up his mind.

Since he was already poaching from the Spriggan Twelve…

Whether he took one or both of the “Twin Pillars” made little difference.

So to Zeref, Evan could only say,

“Sorry, boss. But I’m keeping your good son.”

Yes, Evan hadn’t just poached from Zeref’s empire.

He’d practically stolen the whole foundation of his house.

…

August: Evan, You Tricked Me! (Part 2)

…

“Sigh…”

Of course, August knew exactly what Evan was planning. As the son of Mavis, he had inherited her near-monstrous level of wisdom.

All August could do now was sigh in resignation. Just as Evan had said, what was done was done. Even if he wanted to resist now, it would be pointless. He might as well just enjoy it quietly. After all, this opportunity was rare…

Thinking that, August turned to look at the fairy-like girl beside him. She was currently tilting her head, her angelic wing-like decorations twitching slightly as she studied him curiously.

“Heh… Just as beautiful as I imagined.”

August looked at the girl and finally smiled, an expression of relief. Until now, he had constantly worried, If one day his father truly intended to go to war with Fairy Tail, truly intended to take the heart inside his mother… who would he side with?

He had been in turmoil, torn between the father who raised him and the mother who gave birth to him. He didn’t want to disappoint his father, but he also couldn’t bear the thought of hurting his mother.

As the Magic King of the Alvarez Empire, he carried a heavy burden. If war truly broke out between Alvarez and Fairy Tail, for the sake of his beloved country and the people within it, he would’ve been forced to fight against Fairy Tail.

But now… things were different.

Now that August had another identity, a member of Fairy Tail, in addition to being Alvarez’s Magic King, he had a reason. A legitimate reason not to harm his mother. A reason not to fight Fairy Tail’s members.

So, if one day his parents, Zeref and Mavis, truly came into conflict…

Then it would be his job to stop them. After all, stopping your parents from fighting was part of a child’s duty, wasn’t it?

“You…”

As August turned to look at Mavis, she too was staring at him with her bright emerald eyes, her gaze filled with intelligence and curiosity.

“You’re a lot like me~”

After a long pause, Mavis gave him a radiant smile.

Her ability to see the truth beneath appearances let her recognize something in August that deeply resembled herself.

“Heh heh…”

Now that he was part of Fairy Tail, August could hear Mavis clearly. Upon hearing her say he was “similar” to her, he laughed, a warm, genuine laugh. Of course a son would resemble his mother.

“Really? You think I’m like you? Actually… you remind me a lot of my mother, when she was young.”

August thought for a moment, then responded in a roundabout way.

“Eh?! M-Mother?! R-Really? I’m like your mother?!”

Mavis’s face turned red. To her, the word “mother” was sacred. She saw it as a role reserved for women full of strength, courage, and love. She never saw herself as qualified to be one.

“Then… then your mother must’ve been a pretty unfit parent, huh?”

Mavis twisted her fingers together nervously, looking at August with shy curiosity.

“No! My mother wasn’t unfit at all…”

“On the contrary, she was brilliant, radiant, and as adorable as you are.”

August smiled as he shook his head. Then he gently reached out and patted Mavis’s little head, his eyes full of kindness and affection, his voice firm yet soft.

“Oh~”

Mavis’s wing-like head ornaments twitched again. She looked up at August, eyes sparkling with joy.

Because according to August… she, Mavis, truly did have what it took to be a mother, courage, love, and all.

“So you mean… I really do have the qualifications to be a mother?”

Mavis blinked her large, watery eyes at August.

“Of course! You definitely have what it takes. And you’ll even give birth to a wonderful child someday, one who inherits all your strengths and stands at the top of the world…”

August teased, half-joking, as he looked at her.

“Ooh! Really?! That actually sounds pretty exciting, Grandpa~”

Mavis beamed. Even though she knew he was probably just making things up, it still made her incredibly happy.

“G-Grandpa?!”

“Hahaha! Grandpa, huh?”

“Well… given our appearances, I guess I am pretty old…”

August laughed heartily, maybe more joyfully than he ever had in his life.

“Heh…”

Evan watched the scene unfold with a soft chuckle. With a flick of his finger, he used gravity magic to snap a photo of August and Mavis chatting and laughing.

Evan’s eyes were gentle as he looked at the smiling old man.

Maybe… for August, being able to talk to his mother like this was enough.

But for Evan, it wasn’t enough.

He had to keep getting stronger. He still had to face Ankhseram.

After the photo was taken, the guild members returned inside and kicked off a festive celebration. The entire guild was lively and full of joy.

During the festivities, August sat by Mavis’s side, chatting happily.

“Um, young man… I’m sorry.”

Precht seized the moment and quietly sat beside August, offering an apology.

“No, I’ve never blamed you. In fact, I’m grateful. Without you, I may never have even existed in this world.”

August smiled and shook his head gently.

“No… It’s I who should thank you. Thank you for surviving. That brings some peace to my heart.”

Precht shook his head, his tone full of emotion.

“Hahaha…”

At that point, both August and Precht shared a smile.

Just one smile, enough to let go of all past grievances.

Meanwhile…

In the royal palace of the Kingdom of Fiore, a certain man, with a Fairy Tail guild mark on his butt, received a congratulatory letter and the guild’s group photo.

“Ah… I’m not in this picture~”

“So love really does fade, huh?”

The mysterious old King Toma, guild mark on his rear, looked at the photo with a pang in his heart.

“No… Love doesn’t fade, it just changes form, right?!”

Especially when he saw someone unfamiliar in the photo, someone who wasn’t in any of his intelligence reports, standing at the center, laughing beside the first guild master, Mavis…

It made King Toma’s heart twist with jealousy.

He had been first, after all…

But then, Fairy Tail’s letter explained the situation,

Since King Toma was still officially king of Fiore, it would’ve caused issues if he appeared in the photo.

Once he stepped down, Fairy Tail promised to take a group photo with him properly.

“Sigh…”

“Since Fairy Tail put it that way, if I keep making a fuss, won’t it make me look petty? Not very kingly of me!”

“Servants! Prepare a royal gift for everyone in Fairy Tail!!”

King Toma set the letter aside and shouted joyfully to his ministers.

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