Chapter 359: FTG Chapter 356: This Old Grandpa Is Not Simple...
The woods behind Fairy Academy were not a forbidden area, so many years ago, Gray and Erzi, along with Lyon, Cana, and the others, had thoroughly explored the inside.
In their impression, there were only trees in that forest and nothing else, let alone a small cabin where someone could live.
Hearing Weston say he lived inside at this moment, they couldn’t help but feel bizarre.
"Since when is there a small cabin in the woods? How come I didn’t know?"
"It was just built recently. You guys probably haven’t been in there for a long time, right? It’s normal not to know!"
Gray subconsciously nodded: "Is it really like that..."
He indeed hadn’t been to that patch of woods for several years. It wasn’t for any special reason, but purely because there was nothing but trees inside, which wasn’t very fun.
Erzi blinked and asked again: "Old grandpa, since you’ve already retired, why do you still stay at the academy?"
"Well... that’s because I have very deep feelings for this academy, so I thought about spending my final days here."
Natsu asked again: "What about old grandpa’s family?"
"My wife passed away many years ago, and the children all have their own things to do, so everyone rarely gathers together."
"But this is fine too, I enjoy the peace and quiet."
"During the day, I watch students like you go to and from school, study magic, and manage the library by the way. At night, I act as the academy’s night watchman, and from time to time come out for night fishing and barbecuing like right now. This kind of life is actually quite nice."
Hearing this, everyone felt a slight ache in their hearts.
The happy, joyful, relaxed, and comfortable life Weston described sounded to them like nothing more than an empty-nest elderly man forcing a smile.
"This old grandpa seems to live a very lonely life."
"Yeah, it sounds very pitiful!"
"How about we come to accompany him more often in the future..."
Weston: "..."
This is a complete misunderstanding!
But forget it, at least it shows they are all kind children...
"Do you guys want to come over and have some?"
Everyone’s eyes instantly lit up. Hunger and delicious food caused them to subconsciously throw their previous pity entirely to the back of their minds: "Eh?! Is it okay?!"
Weston smiled and nodded: "Of course it’s okay, there’s still plenty of food anyway!"
Anyway, these fish were all caught by Happy yesterday...
The culprit who stole Happy’s fish last night was precisely Weston!
It wasn’t for any special reason, but purely a prank pulled on a whim while happening to pass by.
Receiving Weston’s invitation, the group wasn’t polite either, coming to his side one after another and sitting down around the grill, eating while helping out.
As the food entered their stomachs, warmth and strength instantly flooded their entire bodies from their stomach sacks, and the several children gradually livened up.
"Old grandpa, you said just now that you act as a night watchman at the academy?"
"Yes."
"Does Headmaster Grandma know about this matter?"
"Of course she knows!"
Weston continued to grill with rapt attention, simultaneously speaking with his mouth: "She is the headmaster after all, so the matter of my living here naturally had to be reported to her!"
Erzi tilted her head: "Then did she open a salary for you?"
Weston’s movements stiffened, and a bizarre expression surfaced on his face: "Salary... this... uh... no, actually."
Whether it was watching over the academy library or keeping night watch, these were all things Weston himself wanted to do, rather than Erza specially hiring him back. Combined with the fact that Weston himself didn’t lack money, Erza naturally wouldn’t pay him a salary.
"No way?! Is Headmaster Grandma that stingy?"
"Too much!"
The group didn’t know the details, assuming that Erza was mistreating a solitary elderly person. They instantly grew greatly infuriated, voicing out one after another to protest the injustice on Weston’s behalf.
Erzi gritted her teeth: "Simply a black-hearted capitalist!"
Happy held a fragrant grilled fish, chiming in textually with a muffled voice: "Exactly, exactly..."
Gray looked at Erzi speechlessly: "I say, is it really okay for you to talk about your dad’s grandma like that?"
Erzi then snapped back to her senses, but after thinking about it, she said again: "Even if it’s an elder in the family, they can’t do such black-hearted things! I am merely carrying out the justice in my chest. Even if old dad and old mom find out, they will feel proud of me!!"
When the young girl spoke, her face was full of firm earnestness, bearing the absolute determination of generously sacrificing herself for a righteous cause and placing justice above family.
Natsu also stood up with a whoosh, spraying two columns of white smoke from his nostrils: "Old grandpa doesn’t need to worry. Tomorrow I’ll take you to settle scores with Headmaster Grandma, and definitely make her pay you a salary!!"
Weston was completely filled with black lines upon hearing this: "Ah... actually, it’s really not necessary."
"No need to be afraid!"
Gajeel pounded his chest, producing a "clang-clang" sound: "Since old grandpa treated us to barbecue, we will definitely help you with this matter!"
"Mmh, uh... al... alright..."
Forget it, whatever.
At most, when they are punished by Erza, he would step forward to help out.
After the topic dropped, Jellal, who had been silent since just now, suddenly spoke up: "Old grandpa, you said just now that you used to be a professor at Fairy Academy, so you must be very powerful, right?"
"Of course!"
"I’m not bragging or anything, but when I was young, I was capable of hunting down giant dragons!!"
Hearing the phrase "I’m not bragging or anything," Erzi shuddered all over as a conditioned reflex, and her evaluation of this old man’s strength subconsciously dropped by several levels.
But aside from her, the others, especially the several Dragon Slayers, simultaneously had their hearts skip a beat.
"Dragon hunting?!"
"Is it real or fake?"
Erik’s eyes flashed, and he subconsciously activated his sound magic, intending to listen to the inner voice of this old man before him to distinguish whether what he said was true or false.
However...
"Secretly listening to other people’s thoughts is not a good habit, you know!"
"...!!"
Erik’s heart leapt, and he subconsciously looked toward Weston, only to see that he didn’t have much of a reaction, still speaking to the others with a smile. It was only when his gaze swept across Erik that a trace of teasing meaning was added to his eyes.
That appearance seemed to say: "Brat wanting to listen to my inner voice, you’re still a hundred years too early!"
Ever since learning sound magic, Erik had never run into this kind of situation.
In the past, although sound magic had failed before, that was always under the premise that the opponent knew he possessed sound magic and was on guard.
Aside from that, even Headmaster Erza whom they met when they first arrived at Fairy Academy hadn’t been able to guard against it.
Yet with the old man before him, it was clearly the first time he had met him, but the opponent was able to guard against his sound magic...
What a terrifying fellow!
For a time, Erik somewhat believed the feat of "having hunted down giant dragons" that the other party spoke of.
Compared to Erik’s shock, Natsu and Gajeel were much more curious about the matter of "hunting giant dragons."
"Old grandpa, can you tell us about your experience hunting dragons?"
