pdf-ebookys Chapter 102 Has Josephine gone mad?
Chapter 102 Has Josephine gone mad?
Chapter 103 Has Joseph Paula Gone Mad? (Please Subscribe!)
Even after leaving the village, Juvia's thoughts continued to churn; the village chief's words had had a profound impact on her.
Along the way, the clouds gathered and dispersed intermittently, and the rain was sometimes heavy and sometimes light, making the weather very unstable, which showed that Juvia's mood was very complicated.
There were no carriages available for those heading out of the village, so the two walked back for several hours before they encountered a caravan heading to town and managed to hitch a ride for a small fee.
Juvia was physically exhausted, but she didn't feel tired at all. Instead, she was a little excited. The child had followed Moen closely the whole way, step by step, and even wanted to go to the toilet with her. Everything outside made her both curious and afraid.
"Let's go, Juvia, get in the car."
Moen led Juvia onto the train back to Magnolia, a smile on his face as he looked at the distraught Juvia.
Once the village chief comforted him, it seemed as if the dark cloud hanging over Jubia's heart had been torn open. Everything he had suffered in the village was an important part of the formation of that dark cloud.
Following this path, we might be able to completely dispel those dark clouds in the future.
Once the passengers were all seated, the train slowly started moving. Jubia looked out the window, his expression a mixture of fear and curiosity.
"Is this the train?"
Juvia found it fascinating that this steel box could actually move on its own!
Moen said she wanted to take the train back, but Juvia had never taken one before, or even heard of it. She had never even left the village, and nobody played with her there.
This was her first time leaving the village, her first time traveling far from home, her first time entering the city, her first time riding a train—so many firsts for her. Everything about the outside world was new and exciting to her.
Once inside the city, the clouds thinned out, and raindrops fell only intermittently, which undoubtedly proved that Juvia was in a pretty good mood.
"That's right, this is the train. Take a good rest, and you'll be back at Fairy Tail guild soon."
Moen smiled and patted Juvia's sea-blue hair, indicating that the little guy could take a good rest. The child had walked all the way by sheer willpower and was already exhausted.
Juvia had been forced to stay at home for a long time, so her physical fitness was naturally not very good. Starting with high intensity right away would definitely be tough, and the psychological excitement couldn't keep her motivated.
"Um!"
Juvia nodded seriously, deciding to listen to Moen. She was very obedient the whole way, doing whatever she was told, and was extremely compliant, afraid of being abandoned by Moen.
The little girl was really tired and fell asleep in her seat soon after, but even in her sleep, she clung tightly to Moen.
Looking at the sleeping Juvia, Moen reflected on his experience during the mission.
The person who impressed him the most this time was probably the village chief.
Is the village chief a good person? I think so.
He took care of Jubia and prevented the child from suffering too much persecution.
But there's a reason for doing this: the village needs the "Rain Woman," and Juvia's abilities as a protective barrier.
In fact, the legend of the "Rain Woman" was spread by the village chief. He was indeed a very clever person who made good use of Juvia, who did not actually know how to fight, to protect the village.
When bandits arrive, the village chief immediately notifies Juvia. Juvia, filled with fear and worry, activates her ability, and the bandits are instantly drenched and flee in terror. The village chief has truly mastered Juvia's "mechanics."
From this perspective, the village chief wasn't really a "good person" to Juvia; he was just using her.
But the village chief didn't intend to keep using Jubia; he was always trying to find solutions and raise funds.
The rewards for those tasks were painstakingly collected over the years, with the village chief taking the lion's share by emptying his own savings, all in order to solve the problem and liberate Jubia.
Using Juvia was merely a last resort, and the village chief felt guilty towards Juvia, believing that Juvia's current predicament was his doing.
This is a bit of a digression, but it also shows a high level of morality, because even without the village chief's instigation, Juvia, the culprit who kept causing rain in the village, would not have had a good ending. Without the village chief's protection, she would definitely have been in a worse situation.
Human nature is very complex.
If Moen were to give his opinion, he would still be willing to rate the village chief as a "good person," and a smart and responsible one at that.
The haggard middle-aged man did everything he could to protect, and was also trying to make up for what he owed Juvia.
In the end, Moen did not accept the mission reward, but considered it a moral bonus for the village chief, as he admired people like the village chief.
Making good use of limited abilities and resources without resorting to underhanded tactics is far better than playing a winning hand well.
Of course, Moen didn't intend to tell Juvia about these things. Let bygones be bygones. Just like the village chief said, Juvia can now pursue her own happy life. Let bygones be a nightmare.
The train continued its journey and arrived in Magnolia in the afternoon.
"Jubia, Jubia, we've arrived."
Moen shook Juvia, who was sleeping soundly against him. The train had arrived at the station, and the girl had slept the whole way.
"Moengo"
Juvia rubbed his eyes, looking completely bewildered.
It wasn't until Moen led her off the train and into the bustling Magnolia station that the girl's brain finally rebooted successfully.
"Splash splash splash~"
Magnolia, which had just been sunny, was suddenly shrouded in dark clouds and a torrential downpour began, soaking many people to the bone and causing chaos. Citizens fled, cursing and swearing, but fortunately, the rain was not very harmful.
"Don't be nervous, Juvia."
Moen smiled and reassured Juvia, who had become tense immediately after her brain reboot, clearly feeling overwhelmed about the upcoming Fairy Tail.
"Um"
Juvia responded softly, but the rain outside showed no signs of letting up.
Moen was a little helpless, but he knew what Juvia was worried about. She was worried that she would not be welcomed in Fairy Tail, or even be allowed to join at all.
Juvia knew very well how disliked she was, and she was terrified—terrified that all her hopes would be dashed, and terrified that Moeng would be affected by her situation.
Unfortunately, this ability was given to Juvia, a sentimental girl.
Moen sighed inwardly, hoping that the atmosphere of "Fairy Tail" could gradually change the girl's personality.
It's unlikely that she was born sentimental; her childhood experiences shaped her current sentimental personality. Fortunately, she's still young and can still change.
"Mount! You're finally back!"
While Moen was comforting Juvia, many people noticed him and gathered around him, their faces filled with excitement.
Moen wasn't surprised. He had been away for a week, during which time "Sherlock Holmes" had been successfully released, and his fame had soared even higher than before. He had already learned about this while on the train.
Along the way, many people on the train asked him to sign his book. With the support of huge traffic, the already high-quality "Sherlock Holmes" undoubtedly sold out. In just a few days, it became the best-selling book of the year, breaking a series of records.
Such a sensational event naturally made everyone in Magnolia proud, and it's quite normal for them to be excited to see him return.
Just as Moen was prepared to sign a bunch of autographs before he could leave, the excited crowd of citizens who surrounded him stunned him.
"Have the Phantom Lords come seeking revenge?"
Moen blinked, his tone incredulous. "Joseph Pola? Is he really going to wage all-out war against Fairy Tail? This...is it really that bad? Has that guy gone mad?"
(End of this chapter)