Makarov left the guild's infirmary and headed straight for the bar; he needed a stiff drink. Sitting down on a stool, he signaled to Mirajane.
"Mira! Give me a cold beer! I need to relax a bit."Mirajane handed him a frothy mug.
"Master, how is Erza? Did she come back in bad shape?"
"Erza is fine," Makarov replied. "The blood on her clothes belonged to the young man she brought back with her." He briefly summarized what had happened during the mission how the villagers withheld vital information, leading to a lack of proper precautions and, ultimately, a tragedy.
Mirajane had heard of cases where clients omitted details to keep secrets hidden harmless things that might cause embarrassment but this time, they had gone too far. It was a blessing that Erza was the one on the mission. If it had been anyone else, another tragedy like the one involving her younger sister might have occurred.
Mirajane sighed. "Erza must be going through a difficult time, isn't she, Master? It's good to hear she isn't physically hurt, but..." She trailed off; after all, she had her own burdens to carry.
Makarov understood her silence. "What you're thinking is true. Erza blames herself for the village's fate. Now, she seems determined to care for the boy until he recovers. Speaking of which, she asked me to find a house for them to rent something simple, enough for two people. Can I leave that to you, Mira?"
Mirajane was surprised by Erza's decision to care for a complete stranger, but knowing her, it seemed like a way to ease her guilt. "Understood, Master. Leave the house hunting to me."
Makarov nodded. "Now I have to head to the Magic Council to clarify what happened with Erza's mission. Those old geezers are going to nag me again."
After finishing his drink, Makarov looked over at his guild members. As usual, they were brawling over nothing. Before leaving, he had to ensure they would behave. He used his magic to grow to a giant size and bellowed, "Listen up, you brats! I'm going away for a few days. I don't want any trouble while I'm gone. Is that clear?"
Natsu and Gray, who were mid-fight, looked up at the Master. A terrifying aura surrounded him. Gray sensed the gravity of the situation and immediately straightened up. Natsu, however, had the brain of a lizard. He only thought about eating, fighting, and breathing fire. He didn't catch the old man's drift.
"But being good is boring! Where's the fun if we don't fight at least once a day?" Natsu shouted.
Gray looked at Natsu and thought: "Idiot."
Mirajane: "Idiot."
Cana: "Idiot."
Levy: "Definitely an idiot."
Elfman: "Natsu is a real man for talking back to the Master, but he clearly didn't understand the seriousness of Erza's situation."
Happy: "Natsu is dead. Aye"
The rest of the guild thought in unison: "IDIOT!!"
A vein popped on Giant Makarov's forehead. "These children of mine never learn the easy way," he thought. He raised a massive fist and delivered a "small" blow to Natsu. "Idiot! If I say 'no trouble,' I mean NO TROUBLE!"
A terrifying red light flickered in his eyes as he scanned the room for any other "idiots" who needed a fist to understand. Everyone began nodding their heads frantically.
"Good. Now, Erza is resting in the infirmary. You are strictly forbidden from bothering her! Levy! You'll make sure no one disturbs her. If anyone disobeys, they'll be scrubbing the toilets for a month!"
Makarov shrank back to normal size and marched out toward the Council. Once he was gone, the others swarmed Mirajane to ask what had happened. When she explained the situation with Erza, they finally understood the Master's temper. They decided, tactically, to leave Erza in peace.
....
The next day in the infirmary, Alex woke up feeling a pressure on his chest something soft and warm. Opening his eyes, he saw a beautiful woman with red hair. What the hell is going on? Why is this woman lying next to me? There's no one like her in the memories I have, Alex thought.
Erza woke up as he moved. She ignored the fact that they were in a compromising position. Normally, she would have found it improper, but she wasn't her usual self. Under the influence of a higher divine will, she had changed; her instinct was now to protect the man in her bed.
"How do you feel? Does anything hurt? Do you remember what happened at the village?" Erza asked.
Alex felt like he knew her. He had seen her before... but that was impossible. He had just started his second life. Confused, he replied, "I feel fine, though my limbs are a bit numb. Nothing hurts... and yes, I remember a bit about the village."
Erza sighed in relief, but her voice faltered. "About the village... I'm so sorry! It was my negligence. Some wolves went after the village while I was fighting the Alpha. If I had been more careful, none of this would have happened. I... I am so sorry!"
Tears began to fall against her will. She didn't want to cry, but the guilt was overwhelming. Alex didn't know what to say. The person who lived in that village was gone; he was a soul inhabiting a deceased body. He felt nothing for the tragedy.
"Well... I don't really have many feelings about the villagers," Alex admitted. "I was an orphan. My parents died when I was little, and I had to work since I was a child to survive. A neighbor here or there might have helped with scraps of food or old clothes, but that was it. I don't have good memories of that place. I'm just glad I don't have to work in a cave all day anymore. I can start over."
Erza had expected him to be angry, to scream at her for failing the mission. To her surprise, he was detached. It brought her a small sense of relief, but also made her sad. His childhood sounded as lonely as hers, but without friends to lean on.
She made her decision. "Since you've lost everything and have nowhere to go... let me help you. You can live with me. I will take care of you from now on. It's the least I can do to atone for my sin. Please, don't say no," Erza pleaded.
Alex hadn't expected the redhead to take responsibility for him so directly, but remembering the "gift" the divine voice mentioned, he realized she must be the one. "Then... I'll be in your care," he replied.
"I'm glad you accept. By the way, I still don't know your name."
"My name is Alex Weiss. You haven't told me yours either."
"How rude of me. My name is Erza Scarlet."
As soon as he heard the name, everything clicked in Alex's mind. "I'm in Fairy Tail."