Magnolia had a school, but it wasn't a magic academy—just a regular one, focused on teaching kids how to read and write, not casting spells.
In Earthland, magic was a specialized skill, and mages were a unique profession. Enrolling in a magic academy was like signing a kid up for an expensive trade school. Unless you were a prodigy with serious magical talent, you'd need to be a scholarship student to afford it.
Ever since Kira and the mayor overhauled Magnolia a few years back, the kids at the orphanage could attend school and learn to read for free. But magic? That was still out of reach. Magic books were pricey, there was no one to guide them, and the magic library wasn't exactly open to just anyone.
That's why Kira's main goal was to teach these orphans magic—give them a skill to survive in the world. Who knows? Maybe one day, a kid from the orphanage would turn out to be a world-destroying protagonist.
For convenience, the mayor had built the orphanage right between the church and the school. It was about the same size as Fairy Tail's guildhall, housing around twenty or thirty kids. Sister Maria, who looked after them, lived there too.
You could still see traces of the church's influence in the orphanage's design, like the massive cross atop the building.
Before Kira even stepped inside, he could hear the kids' laughter and chatter.
"Yesterday, the headmistress said Big Bro Kira's coming to teach us magic today!"
"For real? He hasn't been here in forever. Did he forget about us?"
"I heard Fairy Tail got into a big fight with another guild. Their hall got wrecked, and they only just rebuilt it. Big Bro's probably been super busy."
Kira's heart warmed as he nodded to himself. That's right, I've been busy!
"Busy? Nah, Kira's just been napping in his shop all day, not even showing up at the guild."
Who the heck was slandering him? Wait… that voice sounded way too familiar.
Cana!
That boozehound was badmouthing him again! Did she forget she still owed him money?
Kira's anger meter: +1, +1, +1…
"Why hasn't Big Bro come, then? He promised to teach me magic!"
Cana's laugh rang out. "Probably forgot. That guy's only got room in his head for money."
Enough's enough! My image with these kids is gonna be ruined!
"OK! STOP! ENOUGH!" Kira launched himself into the air with a burst of magic, soaring over the wall and landing dramatically in front of everyone. "I didn't forget my promise! I've just been really busy lately!"
Inside the orphanage, a dozen or so kids surrounded Cana, ranging from five or six years old to about twelve. Compared to the bustling main streets, the orphanage was a bit plain and quiet, but it was a far cry from the church of ten years ago. At least the kids had enough food and clothes now.
Kira couldn't help but think back to when he first arrived in Magnolia at age ten, facing the breakup of his adventuring party and a housing crisis. He'd initially planned to crash at the church for free—I'm just a kid, why not take advantage?—but after two days, he'd bolted to rent a place of his own. It was just too bare-bones.
Seeing these kids always reminded him of that time, of walking into the church's shelter and seeing faces just like theirs.
The moment they spotted him, the kids abandoned Cana and swarmed Kira, chattering excitedly under her resentful glare.
"Big Bro Kira, teach me magic today!"
"Boss, when can I go on a mission with you?"
"What movie are we watching today, Teacher Kira?"
Unlike the Fairy Tail guildmates who saw through Kira's quirks, the orphanage kids were pure and innocent, and he was still a hero in their eyes.
Who could resist a free magic teacher? Every time he saw their eager faces, Kira remembered his own early days, full of curiosity about the world and magic. That's probably why he kept coming back to teach them.
What a bunch of adorable little brats, Kira thought, smugly. Unlike that woman over there, who doesn't pay her debts and talks trash behind my back.
After calming the excited kids with a pre-prepared video magic crystal, Kira approached Cana. "Didn't you say you were off on a mission? Back already?"
Cana rolled her eyes. "That was ages ago. I've been back for days. Don't tell me you've been holed up in your shop this whole time?"
"Yeah, I've been busy—working on new magic tools, for real!"
Cana nodded. "Speaking of, a reporter came to the guild a couple days ago. Super enthusiastic guy. Thing is, he mistook Dispersal for you."
"What?!" Kira's stomach dropped. "That idiot didn't say anything stupid under my name, did he?"
Cana smirked mischievously. "Oh, nothing… Trust me, nothing bad at all!"
---
Two days earlier…
Ever since stepping into Fairy Tail, the reporter's excitement hadn't died down. As a diehard fan, he knew everyone in the guild, from the glamorous Mirajane who graced magazine covers to Elfman, who defined "manly" with "I'm a man!" He'd interviewed them all—except Lucy, the newbie, who kept getting overlooked.
"COOL~! Could this be… the one hailed as 'Fiore's most gifted mage,' who nearly became a Wizard Saint… the 'Sage' Kira?!"
Dispersal stepped forward confidently. "Yup, that's me!"
The reporter scribbled furiously, snapping photos. "COOL~~~! Rumor has it you defeated two Wizard Saints, Jose and Jellal, back-to-back. Any thoughts on the Council passing you over for the Wizard Saint title?"
"The Council's full of trash," Dispersal said casually, like he was talking about breakfast.
"Not even fazed by the Council! That's the pride of the strongest guild! So COOL!!!" The reporter pressed on. "What're you up to now?"
"Selling magic tools. This whole stall's mine!"
"What kind of tools?"
"Oh, you're asking? Now I'm awake!" Dispersal lit up, dragging the reporter over to show off. He had a commission on every sale, so this was prime advertising time.
"There's a disguise mask that changes your entire body, an invisibility cloak that hides your form and scent, a pocket watch that hypnotizes enemies in a flash, red and blue potions to restore magic, stamina, or mental energy, and even glasses that can detect how many times someone's… you know, done it…"
Dispersal was on a roll, eager to list everything. "But my top recommendation? Customizable life-sized doll toys! Elf girls, catgirls, you name it. I'm researching this stuff myself, and soon I'll have something everyone'll love…"
The reporter's "COOL" faltered. He gave an awkward laugh, turned, and bolted, leaving a confused Dispersal behind.
If things went as expected, the next issue of the paper would scream something like "Genius Mage Openly Sells Naughty Tools."
---
"That idiot!" Kira threw the newspaper Cana handed him to the ground. "I never should've left him in charge of the shop! I'm done for—my reputation's toast…"
"What's the big deal?" Cana shrugged. "You act like that at the guild all the time. By the way, what's with these elf and catgirl dolls? You making stuff like Bickslow's puppets or what?"
"Absolutely not!" Kira shouted. "I'm not making anything like that!"
"Then—"
To dodge the topic, Kira cut in. "Speaking of, I brought a movie magic crystal to teach the kids magic. You just showed up empty-handed?"
Cana grinned confidently. "Empty-handed? No way! I brought gifts!"
"What gifts? I'm warning you, don't go tempting the kids with booze!"
"What do you take me for?" Cana pulled out a card—handy as a spatial ring. With a poof, a stack of books spilled out, forming a half-person-high pile.
"Bought these in bulk from the bookstore. All magic-related. Heard they're popular these days."
Kira crouched down and picked one up. The cover read in bold letters: Magic Shatters the Sky.
Why does that sound so familiar?
He glanced at the pile. No way… it can't be that much of a coincidence, right?
Then he saw the other titles: The Black Mage and the Legal Loli's Love Story, I Was Born After 400 Years in the Womb, The Magic Merchant Mixing It Up in Fairy Tail, I'll Seal Your Darkness, I Want to Hear Your Voice, Where Did Daddy Go?, The Bankrupt Heiress, Transmigrated to a World Where Cats Are Gods, If There Were No Magic in the World…
Kira: "…"
Oh, come on! They were all books he'd written.
"Can't you at least check what you're bringing?!"
---