"Master."
Rayn turned toward the familiar voice and offered a greeting. The others followed, calling out one after another.
"Yes," Makarov replied, nodding to everyone. With his hands behind his back, he descended from the second floor. After posting all the mission slips onto the mission wall, he continued, "Alright, you can choose for yourselves."
The moment his words fell, the crowd exploded into motion. Guild members surged toward the board like starving wolves pouncing on fresh prey.
Are they fighting over bento boxes? Rayn complained inwardly. He had witnessed this scene before, but it still made him speechless. Even so, he rushed forward with the others, tossing a quick instruction over his shoulder:
"Kanna, wait here for now."
Perhaps it was the intimidating weight of the greatsword on his back, but no one dared block his path. Rayn moved through the stampede with ease and reached the wall without resistance.
His eyes scanned quickly. Right now, he had only one requirement, money. If the reward didn't meet his expectations, he'd memorize the slip and move on. One mission after another was rejected, until one finally caught his attention:
Title: Investigate the Theft of Items
Mission Rank: C
Details: In Hill Town to the east, various items have recently been disappearing without a trace. From laundry hung out to dry to pottery sold in shops, everything vanishes without witnesses. Please investigate and find the thief.
Reward: 50,000 J
"East… and an investigation mission," Rayn murmured, frowning slightly. The town wasn't close, and tracking missing items sounded time-consuming. However, with Kanna helping, finding the culprit might be simple. Even if it wasn't, he could treat it as a chance to explore.
"This one."
He made up his mind quickly. If he hesitated, someone else would snatch it. He tore the slip free and squeezed back out of the crowd. With the greatsword on his back, everyone instinctively stepped aside to avoid being hit by the blade.
"Whoa, I didn't expect it to be this useful," Rayn chuckled, patting the sword before heading toward the bar.
"Master, I'll be taking this mission."
He handed the slip to Makarov.
"The pottery merchants in Hill Town are generous. Consider yourself lucky to grab this one," Makarov commented as he began the registration. A 50,000-J reward for a simple investigation was indeed rare.
"Here." He slid the stamped slip back. He didn't offer warnings this time, not out of anger over Rayn's recent spell-related incident, but because Rayn had already completed two missions. He would no longer treat the boy like a novice. Nagging him now would only show distrust.
"Goodbye, Master. I'll bring back some local specialties if I find any," Rayn said with a wave before walking back to Kanna.
"Forget it. Everything in that town is expensive," Makarov muttered, knowing the region well from his travels.
Rayn didn't respond. He waved once more and left the guild with Kanna in tow.
Since the journey was longer than his previous missions, Rayn didn't depart immediately. Instead, he returned to his apartment to pack clothes and seasonings. Even if he was heading to a town, he preferred to be prepared.
Before long, the black train whistled sharply and began rumbling eastward.
"Wow!" Kanna pressed her round face against the window, eyes sparkling. Compared to a horse-drawn carriage, a train was a brand-new adventure to her.
Rayn reclined against his seat with his greatsword standing beside him. Passengers nearby fell silent at the sight of the intimidating blade. Children who tried to make noise were quickly hushed by frightened parents. Their entire carriage became much quieter than the others.
Rayn didn't mind. Quiet was preferable.
"Rayn, that's where Grandma Porlyusica lives!" Kanna suddenly tugged his sleeve, pointing toward a distant forest.
Rayn followed her gaze. A dense stretch of trees lined the horizon.
"Do you think she'll see us?" Kanna asked, tilting her head.
"Grandma Porlyusica wouldn't care," Rayn replied, imagining the cold-faced old woman. "If anything, she'd probably complain that the train was too loud."
"I see." Kanna blinked, then happily returned to the window. Rayn leaned back again, eyes drifting outside. As the scenery flew by, he felt a moment of strange nostalgia, almost like glimpses from his previous life.
Hours later, the train pulled into Hill Town.
Rayn stepped off with a half-asleep Kanna leaning on him. No matter how exciting a view was, even a young dragon would tire after staring at it for hours.
"Let's get food and rest first," Rayn said, glancing at the dark sky. It was too late to visit the client.
"What does Rayn want to eat?" Kanna perked up immediately at the magical trigger word.
"You sure wake up fast when it's about food," he sighed, tapping her lightly on the head. "I don't know yet. We'll look around."
They exited the station and entered the lantern-lit streets of Hill Town. As expected of a commercial center known for pottery, shops displaying ceramics occupied every corner. Even from afar, Rayn spotted a pottery-shaped building glowing under the lights. The entire town radiated an artisanal charm.
Nearby were the usual inns and eateries, some things were universal across worlds. Before long, Rayn stopped in front of a lively tavern. Warm light spilled through the cracks of its wooden door, and the sounds of chatter and clinking glasses echoed from within. The atmosphere was rowdy, almost like a guild in full swing.
"Let's try this place," Rayn said. With items disappearing all over town, a tavern full of travelers and gossip was the perfect place to gather leads. With that thought, he pushed the door open and stepped inside with Kanna.
1,010 Words
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