"I'd like to take this mission, Master." Ur said as he walked up to Makarov, holding a mission flyer he had just pulled from the board.
Makarov glanced at the flyer and hesitated for a moment.
"You sure about this one? If you really want to take it, I recommend finding a partner. This one might be a bit tough to handle on your own."
"No need. I can do it by myself."
Makarov looked into the boy's steady eyes, then gave a small nod.
"Alright then."
This was only a D-Class mission. Technically, a bit more challenging than most, but nothing dangerous or impossible. Since Ur was determined, Makarov saw no reason to stop him.
If the kid was eager to work, Makarov wasn't going to stop him.
"Thank you. Then, I'll be on my way."
"Be careful out there."
The Fairy Tail guild was based in the city of Magnolia, a long-standing hub of magical commerce. It was a city with history, and Fairy Tail was the only mage guild within its bounds.
The guild was deeply trusted by the locals; they were the first ones people turned to for help. The town had once undergone a massive transformation, all because a certain orange-haired uncle in the guild had a "whim."
"Or maybe that's just because they don't have any other options," Ur thought skeptically.
It took Ur over three hours of walking until the soles of his feet were sore and blistered before he finally reached the mission location.
What? Why not take a carriage or ride something?
Sorry.
In the world of broke people, there was no such thing as "transportation."
Knocl. Knock. Knock.
"Anyone home? I'm a Fairy Tail mage—here to bring you some warmth and kindness!" Ur stood in front of a small, standalone house and knocked on the gate.
Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing an elderly woman with white hair and a kind smile.
"Are you the mage who accepted the mission?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Well then, please, come in!"
As Ur followed her into the home, the elderly woman suddenly asked, "Young man, have you eaten yet?"
"Nope." Ur answered honestly and without hesitation.
"Hehe… In that case, why don't you eat something first before starting?"
"…Okay!"
He felt a bit guilty saying it, but one of Ur's reasons for accepting this mission was to mooch a free meal.
Since leaving the orphanage, free food was officially a thing of the past.
Inside, the house looked spacious but oddly empty. Ur noticed that despite its sizable appearance, it felt eerily quiet. It seemed the old woman was the only one living there.
"It's not much, but help yourself to whatever's on the table."
The old lady came out from the kitchen carrying several piled-high plates of food.
Ur froze.
His eyes widened as he stared at the steaming stacks of roasted meat, whole grilled fish, and massive portions of food.
It was like someone had dumped an entire feast onto the table.
This was NOT "just a little something."
If this wasn't considered good food, then what was?!
The lavishness of the spread felt like a direct assault on Ur's sense of reality.
And just as he tried to mentally recover, the elderly woman returned—this time with even more plates.
In no time, the entire table was buried under a small mountain of food.
"Eat as much as you want, dear. If it's not enough, I'll make more," she said, smiling warmly.
Ur stared at the tower of meat, his eye twitching. "This… this feels like going back to Lunar New Year at Grandma's house."
A distant childhood memory surfaced.
Grandma: "Have you eaten?"
Ur: "I'm full already—"
Grandma: "Nonsense. Eat more."
Ur: "..."
To be honest, the first thought that crossed Ur's mind when he saw the feast was, "Is this food poisoned?"
After all, the body was still that of a teen, but the mind inside it was a full-grown adult—cautious, logical, not one to trust blindly.
Don't harm others, but always be on guard!
That's just survival instinct.
But after a few seconds, he dismissed the thought.
Because there was absolutely no reason to target him.
For money?
No way. Just one glance at him, and anyone could see he was flat broke.
At this point, the only thing separating him from a beggar was that he refused to admit he was one.
Kidnap him?
Also pointless.
At his current size and age, he was more of a liability than an asset.
So, after a moment's thought, Ur decided, "Screw it. I'm eating."
If the food hadn't been laid out, he could've held back.
His stomach had declared war on him, growling with thunderous protests.
And his resolve crumbled immediately.
Thanks to one of the passive effects of his system's Void Hunger.
So Ur took it as a challenge: waste nothing.
What followed was a meal that lasted several hours.
He ate and digested in a continuous loop, slowly devouring every last bite on the table.
The elderly woman, for her part, didn't seem to mind. She sat beside him the whole time, smiling and occasionally chatting.
Eventually, even Ur, with his shamelessness, started to feel a little awkward.
So the moment he finished swallowing the last bite, he quickly stood up and said, "Grandma Isse, I'm full. I'll start the work right away!"