Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 232: Jellal

Destroying two hills during battle wasn't considered a major offense, especially compared to the far greater accomplishment of defeating a demon.

The reason the Council dispatched such a large force wasn't due to the damage Fairy Tail caused. It was because of the demon itself.

That demon came from the Book of Zeref.

Just hearing the name Zeref was enough to put the Council on edge.

They knew all too well that the black magic cult's ambition to "resurrect Zeref" or "awaken Zeref" wasn't an empty threat, it was something dangerously possible.

Over seven years ago, the Council had destroyed seven towers constructed by a dark cult as part of their plan to bring Zeref back.

The Council was privy to many dark secrets related to Zeref and understood the catastrophic consequences his return would bring.

So, when a demon like Carniber awakened, paired with the recent surge in activity from dark guilds and cultists, the Council immediately sensed something ominous.

Tensions were high among the council members.

Until now, the investigation had stalled, partly due to their reluctance to use black magic to forcefully awaken the demon. But now that the seal had failed, they urgently needed answers.

In a way, Fairy Tail had done them a favor.

Of course, not all council members would see it that way. Some held long-standing resentment toward Fairy Tail's chaotic nature and weren't willing to show appreciation.

Nevertheless, the final verdict was, at least, moderately fair.

The Council acknowledged Fairy Tail's role in subduing the threat but reprimanded them for entering a restricted area without authorization.

Due to the sensitive nature of the incident, information about the demon was to remain classified.

To the public, the official story would be that an S-class adult unicorn-type monster, using earth magic, had appeared and been destroyed.

As compensation, the Council awarded Fairy Tail six million Jewels, the equivalent of a standard S-class mission reward.

This was, in fact, the baseline reward for the lowest level S-class request.

The Council also admitted that their Fiore branch was lacking in proper oversight and promised to strengthen their infrastructure and response efforts.

Regarding the tragic events in the two towns, they would send representatives to offer condolences and make amends.

In summary, the Council gave a mixture of praise, scolding, warnings, and self-reflection.

At the very least, they didn't completely dodge responsibility.

After the session, the projections of the council members disappeared one by one. Jella was the last to remain, casting a warning glance at Erza.

In truth, he had hoped to speak with her privately, but the situation offered no such opportunity.

Ironically, because he lingered a moment longer, Wendy, who had kept her head down the entire time, finally looked up and caught sight of him.

Her eyes lit up with surprise and excitement. "Jellal!" she cried.

Both Siegrain and Erza stiffened, visibly shocked.

"Wendy," Erza asked urgently, "where did you hear that name?"

Siegrain vanished from the platform and reappeared before Wendy in the blink of an eye. "That's what I'd like to know."

Erza immediately stepped in front of Wendy, shielding her. "Don't get any closer!"

"I'm only a thought projection," Siegrain replied, raising his hands to show he meant no harm. "You've nothing to fear. I just want to know, where did you hear that name?"

Erza's hand moved to her sword.

Siegrain's identity was still uncertain, so the others around the courtroom remained confused.

Still, if Erza was being cautious, then they would support her without question.

Rhodes leaned in and quietly asked, "Master, is there any magic that can strike the real body through a thought projection?"

Makarov glanced at him and subtly shook his head.

Such a question could only come from a Fairy Tail wizard, cautious to the core, yet bold enough to contemplate attacking a councilor mid-session.

Wendy, now visibly tense, wasn't sure why everyone was on edge, but since Erza and 'Siegrain' were asking questions, she did her best to answer honestly.

"About seven years ago, I got lost. A man named Jellal found me and helped me. We traveled together for a month... but then he said he had something urgent to do. He left me at the Cait Shelter guild and asked them to take care of me. I've been trying to find him ever since."

"I'm sorry," Siegrain replied coolly. "You've got the wrong person. I'm not the Jellal you're looking for. My name is Siegrain, and I'm a member of the Magic Council."

Carla frowned. "But if Wendy mistook you for Jellal, then there must be some connection between you, right?"

"As much as I dislike the association, Jellal and I are... twin brothers."

"Then—"

"Don't ask me where he is," Siegrain interrupted, glancing at Erza. "And honestly, the Jellal you're looking for likely isn't the one I know. That's all. Goodbye."

Siegrain paused, thoughtful. He was certain he didn't know Wendy. And seven years ago, that was the time Jellal had been most active, there was no way he could've vanished for a full month.

Still, it was unsettling. Was someone posing as Jellal?

But to what end? Jellal wasn't exactly a public figure back then, who would impersonate him?

Wendy's voice quivered. "Miss Erza... do you know Jellal?"

Erza hesitated, then answered gently, "The Jellal you knew can't be the same one I knew. That person, wouldn't have been anywhere near Cait Shelter seven years ago."

She recalled the last time she saw Jellal, twisted, lost in madness. It was impossible to imagine that version of him gently caring for someone like Wendy.

...

After the proceedings, they were dismissed from the Council chambers, but the group didn't leave right away.

Wendy's spirits were low, and everyone stayed behind to offer her comfort.

Natsu asked, "Wait, Wendy and Carla were summoned by the Council right after they returned to their guild?"

"We were called in after resting for a day," Carla replied calmly.

Though in truth, it hadn't felt restful at all.

Even after leaving the courtroom, the tension hadn't quite left Wendy. Now, she looked worried again.

"Hey, Carla, how about you both come visit Fairy Tail for a bit? Might be a good chance to relax."

Before Carla could respond, Wendy clapped her hands over her ears and exclaimed loudly, "I don't want to!"

She remembered what her guild master had told her before, and now she finally understood. The master had tried to prepare her to leave Cait Shelter.

But she wasn't ready. She didn't want to leave.

Everyone in Fairy Tail was kind and warm, but Cait Shelter was still her home.

"Wendy?" Erza tilted her head, puzzled.

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The others exchanged confused looks, unsure why she reacted so strongly.

"Sorry, everyone. I just... I don't really know how to explain it," Wendy said softly, her voice trembling.

"Was it those grumpy old council geezers? Or those weird frog guys? I'll go teach them a lesson right now!" Natsu declared, rolling up his nonexistent sleeves and storming toward the Council building.

The frogmen stationed at the gates stiffened in alarm. Was Fairy Tail seriously about to storm the Council building again?

Rhodes quickly yanked Natsu back by the collar. "Chill out. You just got out of there, and now you want to charge back in?"

Erza knelt beside Wendy and asked gently, "Did we do something wrong? Did we upset you?"

"That's not it," Carla quickly intervened. "We've just been out for a while. Wendy needs to rest back at the guild."

Of course, that wasn't the real reason. But no one had the heart to press Wendy further.

Rhodes quietly made a mental note: he'd visit Cait Shelter in a few days to check on Wendy. Maybe he could shamelessly stop by Polyusica's place and get a nice little gift to bring along.