"My name is Laki Olietta. I specialize in Wood-Make Magic."
Laki introduced herself.
She was only ten years old, the same age as Cana and the others—another young girl venturing out into the world early.
After Marco brought her into the Fairy Tail guild, Laki quickly completed her registration and became a member.
The whole process was incredibly simple, largely due to her young age.
Of course, for now, Laki was only a probationary member.
Whether she could become a full member later would depend on her performance during the evaluation period.
She also didn't yet bear Fairy Tail's emblem.
"Alright, Laki. Airo-neesan will take you to the dorms later—just follow her. Oh, and I'm Marco. Marco Dreyar."
Marco nodded and handed the bespectacled girl over to Airo, who was standing nearby.
Marco's call of "Airo-neesan" delighted Airo.
Dressed in light, cool clothing with a wheat-colored complexion and a graceful figure, she was clearly born to dance.
Indeed, she was Fairy Tail's top dancer and the dream girl of many in the guild.
"Come with me, Laki."
Airo first affectionately pinched Marco's cheek, then smiled and reached out to take the little girl's luggage.
Seeing Airo's intimate gesture, the old man in the guild let out envious wails, wishing they were the ones whose cheeks got pinched.
In his excitement, Macao slapped the table too hard and accidentally snapped a bench in half—a common occurrence in the guild.
These rough-and-tumble guys never knew their own strength, especially after a few drinks, often wrecking guild property.
Macao, Wakaba and the others were already used to this.
No one batted an eye at the broken bench as they continued laughing and horsing around.
It was unclear why these married men were so worked up—Airo wouldn't pay them any attention anyway.
An overexcited Wakaba smashed off a corner of the table.
"Macao! Wakaba! Stop destroying guild property!"
Watching these bunch of old pervert cause endless chaos, Marco's eye twitched.
He raised his voice to remind them.
Marco detested such reckless damage to guild property.
As someone who aspired to be 'Guild Master', his sense of ownership was strong—this was the guild's hard-earned property!
"Relax Marco, we'll pay for it! Since when do you lecture your elders? You really aiming to be Master, huh?"
Macao brushed off Marco's warning and even teased him, making everyone laugh.
A vein popped on Marco's forehead.
This was the downside of being too close—these were the people who'd watched him grow up, always looking out for him.
It was hard to stay stern with them.
"These guys..." Marco shook his head helplessly.
The uncles were all like big kids, utterly unreliable and pure chaos when together.
But in a way, this was the truest essence of Fairy Tail—undefined, unrestrained, with each member forging their own path in magic.
The name 'Fairy Tail' embodied eternal mystery and endless adventure.
Of course, this was also why the guild had such a mixed reputation.
Too much freedom often led to trouble.
The lively commotion fascinated the newcomer Laki.
She could feel the atmosphere—a familial warmth.
This guild was like one big, harmonious family.
The members didn't just see each other as coworkers but as trusted partners, bonded heart-to-heart, treating one another like family.
"M-Marco, I can fix this furniture."
The atmosphere stirred something in Laki.
She wanted to belong, to truly become part of the guild—part of this family.
Hearing Laki's words, Marco's eyes lit up.
He looked at her eagerly, waiting for her response.
"Mm, I can restore them all to their original state!"
Under Marco's gaze, Laki declared confidently.
She was skilled in Wood-Make Magic, capable of not only repairing damaged furniture but even creating new pieces with her magic.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Laki."
Marco nodded, signaling for Laki to demonstrate her magic.
The guild members quieted down, all turning their attention to Laki, their eyes filled with the same anticipation as Marco's.
This intense expectation weighed on Laki, but with Marco's encouragement, she cast her magic.
Under the influence of Wood-Make Magic, the broken benches were restored, the chipped table corners seamlessly reattached and even the accumulated dents and scratches from years of use were fix!
As the magic concluded, the entire guild hall looked brand new—all the wooden furniture seemed as if it had been reforged!
The guild fell silent.
Everyone stared at the transformed hall, dumbfounded.
Laki nervously clutched the hem of her clothes, worried.
Why wasn't anyone speaking? Had she not done well enough?
Just as Laki began to fret, Marco stepped in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders and leaning in with a serious expression.
Marco called her full name, his tone solemn.
His demeanor made Laki even more nervous and she quickly responded.
"Starting from now... you're officially a member!"
Just as Laki thought she had made some mistake, Marco's expression suddenly shifted from stern to a bright, cheerful smile.
His radiant face, so close to hers, left Laki momentarily dazed—she barely registered his words.
As Marco's words sank in, the previously silent guild erupted into chaos.
The members roared, chanting Laki's name with broad smiles.
It took Laki a moment to process what had happened.
Her face flushed red, clearly overwhelmed by the situation.
In a daze, Laki let Marco guide her to the bar, where she numbly chose the color for her guild stamp and blankly pressed it onto her skin.
Just like that, it was done, she's truly a member of the guild now.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail!"
Marco beamed as he said these words to Laki, while the guild members' cheers continued in the background.
Clearly, everyone was thrilled to have her join.