The atmosphere fell silent.
No one spoke.
Mainly because Gildarts's explanation really was rather outrageous.
Of course, in this kind of atmosphere, it didn't actually matter how he explained himself.
As long as he apologized, that was enough.
Cana took a deep breath and pushed Gildarts away.
She knew nothing about the things Gildarts had just said.
How exactly her mother and Gildarts had separated was something she could not possibly know, because she had never met her father when she was young.
"It's fine. I was the one who deliberately hid it from you all this time. I'm sorry for being so selfish. Now that I've said it, the knot in my heart is finally untied. You don't have to blame yourself."
Facing Gildarts, who had lowered his head, Cana chose to believe.
But she did not believe in Gildarts.
She believed in her mother.
At least from her mother's mouth, Cana had never once heard anything bad about Gildarts.
No matter what had happened between them, no matter who had left whom, Cana believed that while they were together, they had at least been happy.
She believed there had been no hatred in her mother's heart.
That was enough.
Her mother was already gone, and before she died, she had told Cana to find her father, Gildarts.
There was no need for Cana to dwell on anything more.
"My daughter was right beside me all this time, and I..."
Gildarts knelt on the floor with his head lowered. This time, his self-reproach was real.
Anyone in his position would feel terrible.
"Don't be like that. I didn't say this because I wanted to force you to take responsibility or anything. We can just be the same as before..."
Seeing her tough-as-nails father looking like he was about to cry, Cana quickly spoke up.
She was afraid he would think she had come to collect some debt from him.
"I... just wanted to fulfill the dream I had when I was little."
As Cana spoke, her expression changed slightly, revealing a hint of inner struggle.
"It's just... even if it was only once, I wanted to say it at least once... I'm so glad I got to meet you... Dad..."
Gathering her courage, Cana finally said the words she had wanted to say since she first saw Gildarts as a child, after more than ten long years.
The moment those words left her mouth, Gildarts could no longer hold back his tears. Even the toughest man's heart could not withstand something like that.
Tears gathered in his eyes as he remembered scene after scene from the past.
Cana had been that little girl who smiled brightly and stared at him with admiration every time she saw him return.
When she was young, Cana had actually gathered the courage to speak to him before.
Every time he was about to leave for a job, she would wait at the entrance and say to him, "Do your best. Come back safely."
But too many people said those kinds of things to him.
Too many people looked at him with admiration and worship.
Gildarts had never paid special attention. He had only treated Cana as an ordinary member of the guild.
His attitude toward her had never been particularly different.
But now, after learning Cana's true identity, when Gildarts thought back to those past exchanges and remembered that little girl who had gathered her courage just to speak to him...
All he wanted to do was cry.
His heart was filled with regret!
Back then, Cana must have been so sad. After all, he had never recognized her.
"Cana!"
Thinking of all that, Gildarts could no longer bear it. He pulled Cana into his arms again, his face already wet with tears.
"I'll never let you have lonely memories again. Never again!"
Gildarts spoke through his tears, laying bare his feelings.
Cana began to sob too, and only then did the atmosphere gradually become what it should have been.
The watching guild members finally had tears in their eyes as well, one by one recovering from the absurd performance Gildarts had put on earlier.
"From now on, whether it's work or daily life... we'll always be together!"
Gildarts cried like a child, tears streaming down his face.
"That would be a little annoying, actually..."
Cana answered with tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips.
At that moment, she clearly had not realized that Gildarts was not merely saying it in the heat of the moment.
"So... please give me... the right to love you."
Holding Cana, Gildarts cried as he asked to reclaim his identity as a father.
As a father who had failed in his duty, he wanted to make up for his mistakes.
He wanted Cana's forgiveness.
"Waaah..."
Watching Gildarts like this, watching the touching reunion between father and daughter, the guild members—many of whom were either orphans or had grown up in single-parent homes—were all moved to tears.
They always said the guild was home, and that their guildmates were family. But in daily life, most of them were still peers.
They were more like playmates, brothers, and sisters.
The kind of care that came from a father or mother was something many of them rarely had the chance to feel.
Even their great guardian Makarov, was of their grandfather's generation.
In truth, over the years, Gildarts had often played the role of the guild's "father figure."
It was just that this father rarely came home.
Whenever Gildarts was away, they could only rely on Marco to act as the eldest brother who was almost like a father.
Since the true "older brother" was so unreliable, Marco had no choice but to illuminate the children's world himself and bring them warmth.
The emotional place Marco now held in the guild was the result of timing, circumstances, and people all aligning perfectly.
If Gildarts had always stayed home, he would definitely have been the one in the "father" role, greatly weakening Marco's influence.
If Laxus had been reliable enough, Marco's position in everyone's hearts would also have changed.
It could only be said that everything had been destined to happen this way.
Marco becoming the favorite of the older generation and the pillar of the younger generation was due to his own ability, yes, but also to outside circumstances.
Neither could have been missing.
Looking at Cana's happy face, Marco silently sighed.
This ending could be considered a happy one.
Cana truly had suffered a lot over the years, although much of that suffering had been something she had brought upon herself.
In Marco's opinion, she should have just revealed the truth earlier and gotten it over with.
Gildarts might have been a shameless womanizer, but he was absolutely not the kind of man who would refuse to take responsibility for his child.
If he had known he had a daughter, he would never have denied her.
But this was someone else's family matter.
No matter how close their relationship was, if Cana never brought it up herself, it was not their place to casually interfere.
Even the fairest judge could not easily settle family affairs. They still had to respect Cana's own wishes.
If Marco had not seen that Cana was about to be driven mad by keeping this bottled up, he would not have taken the initiative to reveal it.
Of course, the main reason was still that they were close.
If they had not been close, then so what if she bottled it up until she went crazy?
Who would meddle in such troublesome business?
Handle it badly, and both sides might resent you, leaving you covered in trouble for nothing.
"Let's start the banquet! Perfect timing! Now we've got another reason to celebrate!"
Natsu wiped away his snot and tears, then stood up and roared.
His call immediately received everyone's response.
The guild grew lively again, completely sweeping away the heavy mood from before.
Natsu truly had been deeply moved!
He wanted to find his father too.... he wanted to meet Igneel again.