Fairy Tail: Collapsing Stars

Chapter 385: August: For Mother’s Sake, Father Will Just Have to Suffer a Bit

”...”

Evan silently looked at August. On the surface, August had suddenly become the boss of both Fairy Tail and the Alvarez Empire on the western continent, but in reality, that was not the case…

The Magic King August, who seemed to have instantly become the boss of both sides, was merely working for their Fairy Tail and Zeref.

”Please give me some time to consider it first.”

August looked at Makarov and remained silent for a long while before speaking softly with tightly furrowed brows.

Yes, in the end, August still did not agree to Makarovʼs request. He chose avoidance…

Once he concurrently held the positions of regent of the Alvarez Empire and Guild Master of Fairy Tail Guild, he would risk exposing his identity. Furthermore, once placed in such a high position, if his father Zeref truly made up his mind to attack the continent of Ishgar, then he would no longer be able to avoid it and would directly face his mad father and his half-dead mother, directly confronting the enormous contradiction between the two…

Honestly speaking, regarding the grudges between his parents, Augustʼs first reaction was simply to avoid them.

Regarding the grievances between his father, the Black Mage Zeref, and his mother, Fairy Tailʼs First Guild Master Mavis, August believed such matters should not be handled by a junior like himself. Rather, they should be mediated by a suitable elder to reconcile the contradiction between his father and mother.

Thus, August cast an incomparably apologetic gaze toward Natsu beside him. Yes, for the sake of his father and mother, his uncle Natsu would simply have to suffer a bit.

”Alright…”

Makarov lightly nodded. He was not particularly anxious anyway. After all, he had already sat in the position of Fairy Tail Guild Master for so many years. Getting an IV drip and extending his lifespan a little, persisting for several more decades, should still not be a problem.

”...”

August helplessly looked at the somewhat silent Makarov. It was not that he did not wish to help Fairy Tail.

If it were merely a matter of needing money, then it was simple. Makarov could ask for however much he wanted, and August would simply provide it.

However, asking him to accept the responsibility of Guild Master from Makarov and become Fairy Tail Guildʼs Guild Master was something he truly needed to carefully consider further.

”Hehe…”

Evan coldly smiled as he looked at August, who rejected Makarovʼs request.

Evan slightly narrowed his eyes as though deep in thought. In truth, he had seen everything before him. Looking at August gradually calming down, a cold smile hung upon Evanʼs lips.

Naturally, Evan would not allow a perfect workhorse like August to simply leave Fairy Tail Guild just like that. Since August had already joined their guild, he should not even think about leaving without paying some kind of price.

Thinking this, Evan instantly appeared beside Mavis…

As for the powerful Magic King August, Evan naturally possessed methods to deal with him. He decided to use the anti-August Noble Phantasm, the spinning adorable First Guild Master Mavis. As long as he possessed the anti-August Noble Phantasm, then mere August would simply do whatever Evan said!

”First Guild Master…”

Evan quietly stood beside Mavis, his eyes narrowed into slits, carrying a trace of cunning.

”Oh, itʼs Evan? Do you need something?”

Mavis liked Evan very much. She sat barefoot upon the only remaining bar counter preserved by Evan within the ruins of Fairy Tail Guild, swinging her legs back and forth.

At the same time, Mavis blinked her watery eyes and asked Evan.

”In truth, Augustʼs identity is extremely unusual!”

”Guild Master Mavis, I believe you must have heard of the Black Mage Zeref, correct?! And that legendary Black Mage Zeref established an empire called Alvarez on the distant western continent.”

”This empire called Alvarez has always eyed our continent of Ishgar and Fairy Tail Guild greedily. After all, hidden within our guild exists something that even the Black Mage Zeref deeply covets…”

”As for August, he is precisely the regent king of the Alvarez Empire established by the Black Mage Zeref upon the western continent! He is known as the Magic King August and is also a spy personally sent by Zeref into our Fairy Tail Guild…”

Evan first directly backstabbed August and told Mavis Augustʼs true identity. After all, sincerity was the ultimate move~

”Youʼre saying August is a spy sent into Fairy Tail Guild by Zeref?!”

”And Zeref also established an empire on the western continent? And that empire is greedily eyeing our continent of Ishgar?”

”Is that so? Probably because of that thing, right?!”

Mavis froze. Her emerald-green eyes carried disbelief, and even the ahoge atop her head drooped down, as though Mavis felt incomparably disappointed by Evanʼs words.

Mavis could sense that Evan was not lying to her.

At the same time, Mavis had indeed sensed the feeling of the Black Mage Zeref within Augustʼs magic power. Based on Mavisʼs understanding of Zeref, she believed her senses would absolutely not be mistaken. In other words, perhaps Evanʼs words were truly not false, and August really was a spy sent into Fairy Tail Guild by the Alvarez Empire established by Zeref.

This made Mavis feel somewhat uncomfortable inside, because she truly liked and cared about August. It was precisely because of this that Mavis continuously cheered August on during his exam!

Although Mavis herself did not know why she cared about August this much, she simply did…

At the same time, Mavis did not feel particularly surprised regarding Evanʼs statement that Zeref established an empire on the western continent and that the empire he established greedily eyed Ishgar and Fairy Tail Guild. After all, Fairy Tail Guild indeed possessed something even Zeref deeply longed for…

”Exactly…”

Evan lightly nodded. First, he laid all the cards on the table with Mavis, so that when Mavis eventually learned Augustʼs identity herself later, it would not affect the relationship between mother and son. In order to prevent the relationship between Mavis and August from breaking apart, Evan directly stepped in and solidified Augustʼs identity as a spy.

Regarding this point, Evan could only say to August: ”No need to thank me!”

After all, Evan was simply such a helpful person…

”Damn it, this truly infuriates me! I never expected that although August looked righteous and dignified, he would actually be a spy sent into Fairy Tail Guild by the enemy! However, since August is a spy sent into Fairy Tail Guild by the enemy, then he must be expelled from the guild. Otherwise, if August threatens the guild one day, the consequences would simply be unimaginable…”

Mavis looked at Evan with disappointment. She truly liked August and possessed a strange feeling toward him. However, for the sake of the Fairy Tail Guild she founded, and for the children within the guild who regarded Fairy Tail Guild as their home and the guildʼs Mages as family!

Therefore, Mavis would not allow herself to be confused by personal emotions. For the future of Fairy Tail Guild, she could only expel August, who had infiltrated Fairy Tail Guild as a spy and undercover agent sent by the Black Mage Zeref.

”Guild Master Mavis, I believe those words are incorrect. Perhaps we should not expel August.”

After hearing Mavisʼs words, Evan shook his head, looking as though he possessed a better idea.

”Oh?!” After hearing this, Mavisʼs eyes instantly lit up. The ahoge that had originally drooped immediately stood upright again as she excitedly looked at Evan and asked, ”Evan, do you have a better solution?”

Clearly, if possible, Mavis also did not wish to expel August from Fairy Tail Guild. Perhaps because somewhere in the unseen world she possessed some kind of connection with August, or perhaps because of the magic power within August different from the Black Mage Zerefʼs that inexplicably felt familiar to her.

In short, for various possible reasons, Mavis hoped to give August a chance and allow him to remain within Fairy Tail Guild…

”Of course I have a better solution…”

As Evan looked at Mavisʼs pure and spotless eyes, his heart carried a trace of apology toward her. Although he also very much wanted to tell Mavis Augustʼs true identity, in order to avoid tragedy from occurring, Evan decided it was still better to continue hiding it and properly keep Augustʼs true identity secret…

After all, in the original story, the deaths of Zeref and Mavis happened because the two understood what love was and used the power of love together with the loophole in the Curse of Ankhseram, mutually loving each other and mutually killing each other…

Although Mavis was technically dead right now and would not trigger the curse! Who knew whether once Mavis learned Augustʼs identity, her emotions might suddenly erupt?! If Mavis suddenly went crazy and accidentally loved her son August to death, then that would become troublesome.

Surely they could not have Boss Zeref resurrect August the same way he resurrected his adorable younger brother Natsu, shouting: ”Revive, my beloved…”

No, rather, shouting: ”Revive, my son!”

Then resurrecting August as a demon, right?!

”Guild Master Mavis, in truth, there is no need for us to expel August from Fairy Tail Guild. We can instead choose to turn him against them!”

A glimmer of bright light flashed within Evanʼs eyes, wisdom radiating from them.

There was no helping it. Everything was for Fairy Tail, for August himself, and even more for Boss Zeref and First Guild Master Mavis! Everything Evan did was for the sake of others. There was no helping it, Evan was simply this selfless, this kind-hearted, so let him tell one little benevolent lie!

”Turn him against them?”

After hearing this, Mavisʼs eyes lit up. She suddenly felt Evanʼs words made some sense. If August could truly be turned against them, then that would indeed be a good thing for Fairy Tail Guild.

”Exactly, turn him against them!”

As Evan lightly nodded, he fabricated a story within his mind.

No, in truth, it could not really be said that Evan fabricated the story. It was merely a product of Evan polishing and embellishing a real story…

”Guild Master Mavis, to be honest, August is actually also a pitiful person. He had an incomparably tragic childhood! And the reason August had such a tragic childhood all began with Augustʼs scumbag father! In truth, Augustʼs very existence was entirely an accident…”

Evan tightly furrowed his brows, beginning the storyʼs tragedy.

Sadness filled Evanʼs eyes, instantly drawing Mavis into the pain.

”It was a tragic relationship, a forbidden love! Augustʼs father was a learned and talented Great Mage upon the continent of Ishgar, possessing incomparable prestige and terrifying strength.”

”This Great Mage left behind countless works across the continent and accepted many disciples, among whom four were the most outstanding! Among these four most outstanding disciples, the youngest was a beautiful and obedient-looking young girl! Naturally, this young girl became the center among the four disciples, and the other three disciples all greatly liked this little junior sister.”

”Among those three disciples, two of them were even so deeply in love with their little junior sister that they could not pull themselves free! However, none of them dared confess to their junior sister because they did not wish to destroy the friendship between fellow disciples. Thus, everyone hid their feelings and happily continued living within the town…”

Evan was not lying. Augustʼs father truly was a Great Mage renowned upon Ishgar, though it was infamy and fear. At the same time, Zeref did indeed leave behind countless works, works frantically sought after by the world and known as the Books of Zeref, with each book representing a demon.

As for Zerefʼs four disciples, they were naturally Fairy Tailʼs four founders. Precht and the others truly liked Mavis, and Mavis truly was the goddess within Precht and Warrodʼs hearts.

”Just when everyone believed life would continue happily like this forever, something no one expected happened. In truth, Augustʼs father was actually a hypocrite! Although he appeared kind on the surface, secretly he conducted countless forbidden experiments. He was a complete devil! At the same time, this devil was also a pervert, scumbag, and lolicon! This devil had long lusted after the beauty of his disciple.”

”Finally, one quiet night, the devil lured his adorable disciple out alone, deceiving her into a forest! At the same time, the devil coveted his discipleʼs beauty, and ultimately his beastly desires erupted. Ignoring morality and ethics, he made a move against his own disciple and committed atrocities against his adorable disciple within the silent forest!”

”After being violated by her scumbag teacher, the devilʼs disciple fell into pain. She even intended to die together with her scumbag teacher! Unfortunately, she failed, and at the same time discovered she was pregnant, naturally with the scumbagʼs child. Thus, several months later, August was born…”

”After giving birth to August, Augustʼs mother never once looked at him and unfortunately passed away from excessive exhaustion. Fortunately, August was ultimately delivered by his motherʼs senior brother. However, Augustʼs motherʼs senior brother deeply hated the child before him.”

”Because this child was the forbidden offspring born between the teacher he respected and the junior sister he cherished. He neither dared confront his teacher nor could he hate his junior sister, so he vented all his anger upon this child! In the end, the pitiful newborn August was mercilessly abandoned by his motherʼs senior brother.”

”When August was abandoned, he had only just been born. Although he possessed endless potential, potential that had not yet manifested and genius that had not yet grown held no meaning! In his infant state, August was like any other infant and could not mobilize any power. Fortunately, however, Augustʼs parents truly were extraordinary, allowing the young August to already possess endless wisdom!”

”But even so, in order to survive, August endured an incomparably painful childhood. Until he encountered Zeref. Not understanding what a father truly was, August mistook the Black Mage Zeref for his own father and worked hard for Zerefʼs ideals!”

As Evan spoke this far, his expression carried a trace of emotion.

”Damn it! Augustʼs father truly isnʼt human, heʼs simply a beast…”

At this moment, Mavis, who had continuously listened to Evanʼs story, already had tears filling her eyes. She deeply sympathized with Augustʼs experiences. Although when Mavis first heard Evan tell the story, she felt it sounded strangely familiar…

”However, what August doesnʼt know is that Zeref is no different from his biological father! Zeref is also a devil, a demon! Therefore, Guild Master Mavis, I hope you can save August. In truth, only you can save August, because August lacked motherly love since childhood! Therefore, the only thing capable of persuading August back onto the right path is motherly love! And you, as Fairy Tail Guildʼs First Guild Master, are like a mother to all of us! Only you can properly guide August…”

Evan lightly nodded as he looked at the crying Mavis. This was precisely the effect he wanted, and now that effect had already been achieved.

Next, Evan continued wildly brainwashing Mavis.

Evanʼs words sounded wildly melodramatic, yet every single thing was truth, even if it sounded ridiculously dramatic, these things had indeed once happened in this world.

”Eh? Me? I canʼt do that…”

After hearing Evanʼs words, Mavis stopped crying and blushed slightly. She did not believe herself qualified to be someone elseʼs mother, nor did she believe she could change August.

”Guild Master Mavis, there is no need for you to overthink things. Believe me, you will definitely do very well. As long as you follow what I say, you will absolutely be able to handle this matter…”

Evan slightly narrowed his eyes, cunning light flickering within them.

”Hmm?!”

Mavis froze slightly as she widened her emerald-green eyes toward Evan.

Not long afterward…

”Sigh…”

August stood amidst the ruins helplessly sighing. Right now, he felt very troubled. On one side was his father and the empire where he had grown up, while on the other side was his mother and the place where he had been born. Even August found it difficult to make a choice.

”August.”

Just as August stood absentmindedly, Mavis silently arrived beside him, smiling beautifully like a fairy as she looked at August.

”Hmm? Guild Master Mavis?”

Augustʼs body slightly trembled as he looked at Mavis before him.

”Stay and become Fairy Tail Guildʼs Guild Master, okay?”

Mavis revealed a bright smile as she softly asked August.

”Then naturally… it absolutely must be okay!”

The previously calmed-down August raised the corners of his mouth, his eyes filled with disdain.

August coldly laughed. Did this kind of thing even require consideration?! It required absolutely no consideration whatsoever!

For the sake of his beloved mother, he could only apologize to his father…

Farewell, Alvarez Empire. From now on, his identity would be different.