25 Chapter 25 - Selfish Quest.

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Don't forget to check the auxiliary chapter about Adam. It's like an info chapter.

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[Adam POV]

I rushed back to Cordelia's house on the outskirts of Magnolia Town and filled her in on Porlyusica's offer to help with her disease, without going into any detail about the creation of an artificial body.

Mostly because I honestly didn't even know how to explain that one.

After filling her in, her skepticism was more than palpable, and I didn't blame her for that at all, she didn't know me, I mean, this was quite literally our second meeting ever, so it was more than understandable for her to be wary of anything I said.

However, before I could begin to convince her, a powerful wave of magic and emotion surged through the area, and I recognized the source immediately.

Gildarts.

His aura of conflicting emotions, a swirling mix of joy and sorrow.

I guess he tracked me down and figured things out.

"I appreciate your offer, but..." A deep sigh escaped Cordelia's lips as her eyes, dulled by illness and pain, met mine with an expression of utter exhaustion. "But there's no cure for what I have."

How could I help someone that has already given up?

...

Then again.

I slowly shifted in the direction of Gildarts, whose energy felt heavy and weighed down with sadness that at the same time clashed with his own joy.

Maybe I wasn't the one that could help her.

"I'll be back," I sighed, before disappearing out of sight with a Shunpo, zipping out of her house, and making my way towards Gildarts.

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[Gildarts Clive POV]

I watched Adam leave Cordelia's house in a blur of motion, before coming to a halt in front of me, his eyes meeting with mine, confirming what I had already suspected.

"I have a daughter, huh?" I chuckled, my voice trembling as tears rolled down my cheeks.

"You do," Adam nodded.

"How... How bad is Cordelia?" My throat tightened as I asked that question.

"I don't think she has more than a month left," Adam said, his voice somber.

"I see," I sighed, before turning my gaze towards the horizon, pondering my next move.

Perhaps I could save her?

I was no healer, but I was strong, strong enough to find anything Porlyusica might need for her.

"That being said, I think there might be a way to save her," Adam continued as if reading my mind.

"What?"

"I can't really explain, because I don't really understand the details behind it, but if we take her to Porlyusica and find what she needs, we might be able to save her," Adam replied with a tired sigh.

The brat had already gone to Porlyusica?

He barely knew Cordelia...

He really was a good kid, wasn't he?

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if everyone believed he was my brat.

My eyes lit up and my smile widened as I asked, "Then what are we waiting for?!" If there was still a chance to save my dear Cordelia, I was ready to take it without hesitation.

Adam's eyes locked with mine, and with a sigh, he replied. "That's the thing, Gildarts before we embark on that, we need to bring her to Porlyusica in order to extend her life as much as possible," he paused, glancing at the house behind us. "I tried to convince her, but I failed."

I looked at the brat and nodded.

That sounded like something Cordelia would do, he was describing my stubborn rose down to the letter.

I remembered too many times that I had to pull her out of trouble because she would refuse to take any help.

That being said, I would save her, even if I had to drag her kicking and screaming to Porlyusica's, even if she hated me for it, even if my own daughter hates me for it.

I would save her.

With or without consent!

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[Adam POV]

I watched as Gildarts approached Cordelia's house, and stomped through the front door like the FBI, his big boots thudding on the floorboards. He threw open the kitchen and marched towards Cordelia without a word, before grabbing her wheelchair and making his way out of the house to Porlyusica's house.

My eyes followed them until they disappeared around the corner, leaving a bewildered little girl with wide eyes and a quivering lip at my side.

"She will be alright," I rested a hand on Cana's shoulder and offered her a comforting smile.

She looked up at me, a hint of vulnerability in her dark eyes and after a moment of hesitation, she gave me the tiniest nod, and the corners of her mouth lifted into an unsure half-smile.

Cana remained silent for a moment, her brows knitted together, and her small hands clasping against her chest. Eventually, she took a deep breath and timidly asked, "Is... are they getting back together?"

I...

Hmm...

Maybe?

"Maybe?" I replied unsurely. I mean, it was a possibility, especially considering how much Gildarts adored Cana in canon the moment she told her she was his.

"What about your mommy?" Cana asked softly as if she were afraid that if their parents reunited, I would be left all alone in the world.

I reached out and gently ran my fingers through her hair, my lips curled up into a slight smile. "Don't worry about that, sweetheart. I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself"

Cana huffed, her tiny arms wrapping tightly around my legs. "I won't leave you alone!"

I guess she won't, huh?

"Let's take you to the guild, you need a place to sleep," I said, with a warm smile. Gently scooping up the little girl, nestling her close against my chest, feeling her cling tightly to me for comfort.

The guild might not be the best place for her if she's left all alone.

I might ask Lilia to take care of her.

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I watched as Makarov's frail-looking hands slowly rubbed circles on his temples. His time-worn eyes were closed, and his lips moved silently as he muttered under his breath. "Can you explain this all to me again?" he asked in a tired voice.

"Gildarts had a kid with his ex, one that he didn't know about, which is the little girl you met a few moments ago, and she needs a place to stay for the time being, why? Her mom is dying as in she will die in a month or less, and Gildarts and I will try to find a way to save her with the help of Porlyusica, who I stabbed through the chest to transfer her with the knowledge I have but didn't know how to use," I replied, making a quick summary of everything so far.

Makarov's eyes slowly opened, the right one twitching in a nervous tic. "Is that all?"

I nodded.

Makarov's hands shook slightly as he brushed a strand of gray hair from his face. He exhaled heavily; a deep sigh of resignation. "I'm getting too old for this," he muttered, but he knew he didn't have a choice. "You can count on the guild to keep her safe."

"I left Lilia as her babysitter, that being said, make sure to... check on them," I replied, unsure Lilia had what it took to take care of a kid.

Lilia suddenly materialized in a blaze of lavender, her golden eyes twinkling with determination as she bowed deeply and exclaimed, "I shan't fail you, Adam-sama!"

I...

I'm not sure I will get used to that any time soon.

"Alrighty," I clicked my tongue and spun on my heel. "I'm off!"

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I made haste towards my destination, my body flickering in and out of sight as I Shunpoed through the East Forest, quickly arriving at Porlyusica's house.

As I arrived at the door, I could hear from the outside Gildarts and Cordelia in the middle of a heated argument.

"You don't have any right to drag me here!" Cordelia argued angrily.

"I don't care!" Gildarts shot back, like a kid.

"That's enough!" Porlyusica barked, as the loud of something cracking sound filled the room.

A broom over someone's head if I had to take a guess.

Pushing that thought aside, I pushed the door open; the echoing creak of the door announcing my presence.

"Kid, ready?" Gildarts asked.

I nodded, turning my gaze to Porlyusica. "Do you have the list of things we need?"

Porlyusica sighed and glanced away, her face drawn with exhaustion, as she wrapped her fingers around the edge of the counter beside her and hung her head. "Yes, it was hard to make," she said in a low voice.

I feel a 'but' coming.

"But, some of the things we need aren't easy to get, and involve terrible risks." At this, her voice grew heavy, and her eyes darkened with seriousness.

Oh.

That was the 'but'.

I thought she was going to say that some of the things we needed didn't even exist.

But that?

I already suspected getting the materials would involve some manner of risk.

I mean, that's basically a fucking given when it comes to these things, I had played enough RPGs to know that.

"Ok," I shrugged.

"Look, I appreciate the--" Cordelia opened her mouth to speak, but Porlyusica stepped forward and pressed a strip of gray tape over her lips.

Porlyusica loomed over the young girl, eyes blazing with fury. She slammed her wooden staff onto the ground, sending dirt and pebbles flying. Her voice was deep and rumbling like thunder as she snarled, "Listen here brat and listen well, in here, you obey my rules! Whether you like it or not, and I will heal you, is that clear?!"

This woman was scary.

"Ha!" Gildarts beamed at that.

"As for you," Porlyusica turned to Gildarts who shrunk under her gaze. "Next time you bring a terminally sick patient to my house like she's a sack of potatoes, I will give you a colonoscopy with her wheelchair! Have I made myself clear?!"

Fucking scary indeed.

"Yes ma'am!" Gildarts nodded frantically, using both of his hands to cover his backside.

"Now leave!" Porlyusica growled, using one of her brooms to kick us out of her house in the only way she knew, with violence.

"Is it me, or is Porlyusica downright terrifying?" I asked after a moment of silence.

"No, it's not only you, that woman fucking terrifies me, and the old man, and everyone who has met her," Gildarts replied with a small shudder.

Good to know I'm not the only one.

"So, the list?" I asked, gazing at Gildards.

"Here," Gildarts said as he pulled a crumpled sheet of paper from his pocket, unfolding it.

Peering at the list, both of our eyes widened at the seemingly endless rows of items, each one carefully written in an immaculate hand, with very detailed instructions.

"You do half, and I do the other half?" I asked, thinking of a way to save time.

"That would save us a ton of time," Gildarts nodded slowly. "Let's make a copy of the list, and tackle this shit together."

I hummed at that, breaking the list in half for each would save us some time, however, we could do better than time. "What if we... subcontract some of the guild members to collect the items marked as easy by Porlyusica?"

"That... would save us a lot of time, at least eighty percent of the list is marked as common with little to no level of threat," Gildarts nodded, approving of my idea.

"I'm pretty sure together we have more than enough money to pay the guild for that," I nodded, looking over the list. "And with that out of the way, we could focus on the... red items of the list."

The ones marked down as downright suicidal to collect, according to Porlyusica.

"Thanks," Gildarts smiled softly, his usually hard expression shifting to reveal a vulnerability that was so uncharacteristic of his usual demeanor that it took me by surprise.

He seemed like he'd shatter if I touched him right now.

"Don't mention it," I replied with a shrug.

I wasn't doing this for the thanks, I honestly had no reason behind my actions other than... why not?