Chapter 91: Ikuto – I’m Not Much, But Please Take Care of Me in the Future!

"If it's about the machine exhibition, though we missed this one, I promise you'll see it next time."

A man suddenly spoke.

Everyone turned to look.

Edward was approaching with a large group of people.

Among them was a man wearing oil- and paint-stained overalls, his hair messy and greasy, clearly unwashed for days.

"Alex!" Natsu's eyes lit up, and Gray sat up eagerly.

Edward said, "To thank everyone, I've invited Mr. Alex to hold a machine exhibition in Magnolia Town, where your guild is located."

"No, it's not an invitation," Alex scratched his head, shyly adding, "It's my way of thanking you all. You're welcome to come when it happens."

"Great!" Jehfrit and the others cheered.

"Lucy."

Called by her name, Lucy turned around, stunned. "Father?"

It was indeed her father—Jude Heartfilia.

Jude examined his daughter—no serious injuries—and sighed in relief. His face remained stern as he said, "I'm here on business."

With that, he coldly walked toward Ikuto.

"Mr. Jude," Ikuto quickly called out.

"I'm late," Jude said apologetically.

"No, no one could have predicted this would happen," Ikuto shook her head.

"Wait, Father, what's going on?" Lucy asked, chasing after him.

"Miss Lucy, it's like this," Jude's assistant began explaining.

Ikuto added her part.

So that was it—

Not long ago…

While Jude was on a business trip, he was attacked by dark mages hired by his commercial rivals. By chance, Ikuto happened to pass by and saved him.

To repay her for saving his life, Jude offered to fulfill one of Ikuto's requests.

At the time, Ikuto had just taken on a mission to the Tower of Paradise.

She knew well that this journey would likely be her last.

So she sent a letter to Jude, asking him to support Rade and the others financially, ensuring they could live, study, and even afford treatment for Emily.

But before Jude could reach Aharnita Town, this incident occurred.

Fortunately…

The outcome was good.

"No wonder you chose to face death back then," Erza remarked.

She had fought Ikuto before. The woman was incredibly strong. If she had fought Erza to the death, it would have drained her significantly.

But unexpectedly, during the final blow, Ikuto hesitated, allowing Erza to defeat her.

"Excuse me," Edward interrupted. "Mr. Jude, I can't hand these children over to you."

Everyone looked at him.

"The new Aharnita Town will no longer be divided into East and West," Edward declared. "I'll serve as mayor. Rade and the others won't need to leave their home. I'll ensure they have a place to live, food to eat, and schools to attend."

Jude thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll invest in the town's schools and businesses."

"That's wonderful!" Edward beamed.

Ikuto exhaled deeply, leaned back, and fell asleep.

Her worries could finally be put to rest.

She couldn't fight the exhaustion any longer.

Aharnita Town suffered greatly from the battle.

But fortunately, Edward was a good mayor.

Especially since the Aharnita family left behind an immense fortune.

He was also a pragmatic leader.

After all, before the battle, the town was under the thumb of the previous mayor, John. After the battle, a barrier was erected, and during the fighting, weaker individuals wouldn't dare investigate.

Even if there were spies from the palace, they wouldn't know the details—especially not how much wealth the Aharnita family truly left behind.

Though John regularly paid tribute to certain individuals in the palace.

John made a decision—to give away all the Aharnita family's external assets, letting those people feast. If they wanted more—well, what he held in his hands was enough to keep them in line!

This money would be used to rebuild Aharnita Town.

The previous business model could be referenced, but resources would be allocated more reasonably. The East Town would be reintegrated, erasing the divide between East and West. To remove any lingering resentment, Edward planned to redesign the town's layout during the reconstruction, transforming the commercial street into a commercial city.

Sometimes, when big figures loosen their grip slightly, the trickle of benefits flowing through their fingers can bring unimaginable advantages to countless commoners.

And Edward wasn't taking a single coin from this fortune.

Not only that—

There was also Jude's investment.

Aharnita Town wouldn't decline after this battle; it might even prosper further.

Of course, by then, Aharnita Town would have a new name—Edward planned to request the palace rename it "Phelaxis" Town.

Natsu and the others were thrilled. For once, causing such chaos didn't result in reparations—it actually brought about something good.

The school hadn't been built yet, so Rade and the others stayed in the inn where Jehfrit once lived.

Though they hadn't started school, they were already using some leftover money to buy books and study. With Jude's investment, they naturally cherished this hard-earned opportunity.

Except for Emily, who hadn't enrolled in school.

Some time had passed since the battle.

In the inn.

Rade earnestly said, "Ikuto-nee, we're fine here. Once the school is built, we can move into the dorms. We'll all find our goals and work toward them."

"What's your goal, Rade-nii?" Emily asked curiously.

Her illness was cured. After resting for some time, though it was difficult, she could now stand and walk. She had gained some weight, and her cheeks regained a faint, healthy blush.

Rade replied, "I want to learn from Mr. Edward. I want to become the mayor of Aharnita Town!"

"You must work hard then," Emily encouraged.

"Emily, you must work hard too when you start learning magic," Rade said.

Before leaving Aharnita Town, Jehfrit had already agreed to take Emily as his disciple.

"Of course! I won't let Master down!" Emily raised her fist determinedly.

"So…" Rade turned to Ikuto. "Ikuto-nee, you don't need to protect us anymore. You should pursue your own dreams."

"…" Ikuto's expression grew complex.

---

Underground Chapel.

The candlelight flickered dimly, illuminating a three-meter-tall stone statue.

Wings sprouted from its back, and it had eight arms.

Its face was compassionate and benevolent.

But in the next second—

The statue's eyes opened.

Blood-red irises, vertically elongated pupils.

These were definitely not human eyes!

---

Alex was a good man.

What he promised…

He would always deliver.

The Alex Machine Exhibition was held in Magnolia Town.

And every member of Fairy Tail received tickets.

Jehfrit and the others were thoroughly satisfied at the exhibition. After enjoying themselves, Jehfrit, Natsu, and Gray walked home together, arms slung over each other's shoulders, swaying unsteadily under the evening glow.

Lucy and Juvia followed behind.

Watching the three stumble and sway like drunkards, Juvia asked, "Lucy-san, are you sure they haven't been drinking?"

"They probably haven't," Lucy replied. "If they had, right now they'd be carrying Jehfrit home."

"It's hard to understand… The machine exhibition turned even Gray-sama into a child," Juvia shook her head.

She recalled how Gray, who usually clashed with Natsu, teamed up with him in a two-person mech suit to fight against Jehfrit and Happy's dragon knight mech on stage. Despite the upgraded gear, it still looked like kids playing in the sand.

She couldn't make sense of it.

"Well," Lucy chuckled, "Isn't it kind of cute?"

"That's true. It's rare to see," Juvia nodded.

"Emergency—Out of fuel—" Natsu spoke in a robotic voice.

"I—have some—" Jehfrit mimicked the same mechanical tone, pulling out a card and conjuring a drink.

"Thank you—Unit 003—" Natsu's arm stiffened robotically as he reached out.

"You're welcome—Unit 001—" Jehfrit handed it over with similarly stiff movements.

"I—need some too—" Gray chimed in mechanically.

Behind them, Lucy and Juvia covered their mouths, giggling.

At the end of the alley—

Jehfrit waved stiffly. "Goodbye—Unit 001—Unit 002—"

"Goodbye—" Natsu and Gray replied, turning and continuing their drunken stagger.

*Chuckle.*

Laughter came from behind.

Jehfrit turned back, startled.

A tall, pink-haired beauty stood there, holding hands with a little white-haired girl.

Both were covering their mouths, laughing.

Oh no…

This was a bit embarrassing.

But Jehfrit had a strong mindset. Pretending nothing was wrong, he said, "Emily, your body has recovered a lot."

"Yes, I'm all better now!" Emily ran over, hugging Jehfrit's arm and sweetly calling out, "Master~"

"And me too, Mr. Jehfrit," Ikuto added.

"What is it?" Jehfrit asked, puzzled. "Let's talk inside."

He led them into the house.

But as soon as they entered, Ikuto straightened her clothes, knelt down gracefully, bowed her head, and lightly pressed her fingertips to the floor.

She said, "Mr. Jehfrit, I'd like to apply for a job as a clerk in your store."

"Sure," Jehfrit nodded.

Ikuto smiled slightly. "I'm not much, but please take care of me in the future!"

"All right, get up," Jehfrit said.

Ikuto lifted her head, revealing a glimpse of cleavage that momentarily dazzled Jehfrit. Quickly, he tossed out a card, which transformed mid-air into a key, caught by Ikuto.

"It's the store key. Prices are listed. Handle it as you see fit," Jehfrit wasn't particularly invested in the shop.

His original purpose—

Was simply because he got bored sometimes, inspiration struck, and he created random things.

As they piled up, they filled the warehouse.

Throwing them away felt wasteful, so he decided to sell them. Surprisingly, the business did well.

"Yes," Ikuto nodded. She glanced outside at the darkening sky. "Mr. Jehfrit, shall I prepare dinner now?"

"No need," Jehfrit shook his head. "By the way, where are you staying?"

Ikuto replied, "Emily and I will also join the Fairy Tail guild. We've already spoken to Miss Erza, and she arranged a room in the girls' dormitory for us."

"All right, nothing much is happening today. You can go back now," Jehfrit said.

"Eh? Can't we stay and play with Master a little longer?" Emily looked disappointed.

"We can. Let's have dinner here then. I'm going to take a bath. Feel free to look around the shop, but don't go upstairs," Jehfrit instructed.

The first floor was the shop, with a courtyard behind it.

The second floor was Jehfrit's living area.

He valued his privacy and disliked others wandering into his bedroom, lab, or study.

"Yes," Ikuto and Emily nodded obediently.

Once Jehfrit went upstairs—

Ikuto and Emily cautiously surveyed their surroundings. Then Emily waved her small hand toward the empty staircase. "Hello, Miss Miko."

"Miss Miko, please take care of us in the future," Ikuto added.

They had heard from Mirajane that Mr. Jehfrit had an invisible assistant—a supposedly powerful demon!

Aside from Jehfrit, no one had ever seen her!

Only a few people in the guild knew, and due to mutual unspoken understanding, Mirajane could only confirm that besides herself, the master and Gildarts were aware. As for others, she wasn't sure.

But even without full details, over the years, people had guessed some things based on anomalies.

Still, everyone tactfully ignored it.

Since they would interact more with Jehfrit in daily life, it was better to introduce themselves beforehand.

"Eh?" Emily suddenly gasped, feeling as if her head had been gently ruffled—but she saw nothing!

Though the touch was light, it startled her into freezing. Ikuto tensed up too.

But nothing else unusual happened, and both relaxed. It seemed they had gained her approval.

---

Steam-Filled Bathroom.

Jehfrit was soaking in the tub.

Suddenly, it was as if someone was speaking to him.

"…"

"What?" He listened closely, then exclaimed.

"95-64-95?!"

"That big?!"

"…"

"Stop, stop, stop! Don't say anything else!" Jehfrit hurriedly said. "I'm in my teenage years—I can't handle this, and it's someone's privacy."

"…"

"Shut up! Even four hands can't cover your mouth, huh?"

"…"

"Emily's abilities are indeed impressive, very rare," Jehfrit chuckled. "She might genuinely inherit my Deception Magic."

"In case my descendants are too dumb to inherit the Deception Magic, when I die, you can form a contract with her."

"…"

"Everyone dies. But I've got a long way to go—I plan to live at least a hundred years," Jehfrit said nonchalantly.

"…"

"No, don't curse me. I've never had any desire for immortality." He accepted the idea of dying naturally and had no intention of seeking eternal life or artificially extending his lifespan. Perhaps it was because he was young and healthy, so he didn't need to think about such things.

If he became more attached to life when he aged and changed his mind, that would be seventy or eighty years from now. He'd deal with it then—by that time, he'd surely have touched the forbidden boundaries of life.

"…"

"Why are you crying now? All right, my bad. I shouldn't have talked about death."

"…"

"Oh no, if you cry more, I'll splash water on you."

"…"

"Come in here!"

Jehfrit jumped out of the bathtub, grabbed something, and leaped back in, splashing water everywhere.

"Hahaha—"

After finishing his bath, Jehfrit dried his hair and came downstairs.

By now, it was dark outside.

Ikuto and Emily sat obediently, both reading books.

The difference was that Emily was reading a magic book, while Ikuto was reading… *Evil Shopkeeper, Stop It!*

When Jehfrit came down, Emily put her book aside, while Ikuto quickly hid her novel behind her back.

"Let's eat," Jehfrit pulled out three cards and tossed them onto the table. Three steaming dinners appeared.

As Jehfrit sat down and started eating, Ikuto and Emily followed suit, albeit a bit awkwardly.

"This is delicious!"

The food barely touched their tongues before Emily and Ikuto exclaimed.

"Mm," Jehfrit nodded approvingly. Then he said, "Emily, come find me every day at 5 PM. If I'm not home, you can do whatever you like."

"5 PM?" Emily asked. "What about the daytime?"

"My magic is called Deception Magic," Jehfrit explained. "There's not much to learn directly from me. It's mainly about practice and accumulating knowledge. As for knowledge…"

Jehfrit pulled out a card and tossed it.

*Bam!*

A massive bookshelf appeared, fully stocked with books.

With a wave of his hand, the bookshelf shrank back into a card, which he placed on the table. "Just read and roughly understand these."

"So many…" Emily swallowed nervously. The bookshelf was taller than a person, wider than her arms could span.

"After all, it's not a combat-oriented magic," Jehfrit laughed. "From beginner to mastery, it requires extensive theoretical knowledge. Without understanding theories down to neurons—or even smaller—and delving into emotions and the soul, you can't use this magic."

"That's why I told you to think carefully earlier. Spending this time learning another magic would be easier."

"No!" Emily picked up the card firmly. "I will definitely learn this magic, and I will definitely master it!"

"Mm," Jehfrit nodded, then turned to Ikuto. "Tell me your requirements later. I have some materials and can forge a good sword for you."

"How can I trouble you with that?" Ikuto was delighted but tried to refuse.

"It's a small matter. Consider it your first month's salary. That's final," Jehfrit's tone was firm, leaving no room for refusal.

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Jehfrit," Ikuto said happily.

---

Nighttime

Jehfrit lay in bed as an invisible presence pulled the blanket over him.

It seemed someone said something to him, and he replied with a smile, "Ikuto is indeed remarkable. She's strong, skilled in swordsmanship, steady-handed, and agile—a rare talent."

His voice carried a hint of anticipation.

"What's rare is her humility. Many strong individuals at her level are proud and opinionated, but Ikuto appears strong on the surface yet feels quite insecure… Oh, and she's especially fond of 'sacrifice.'"

"At first, I did it casually, but unexpectedly, I gained a great benefit—"

"She'll definitely excel as my magic show assistant!"

Jehfrit's tone was cheerful. After all these years, he had always envied performers with assistant girls, but he had none. Ikuto seemed perfect for the role!

His magic performances would reach new heights!

Just thinking about it made him excited!