After arranging Laki's matter, Moen did not linger long in the guild.
He went straight to Magnolia's train station, preparing to take a train to the neighboring town to carry out a job request.
The world of Earthland also had trains, and even cars existed, though all of them were powered by magic. Magic's convenience really distorted the path of technology here.
"Magic Cars" were extremely expensive magical items, far from being widespread. So, in most cases, people either traveled by train or by carriage, leaving behind a strange sense of disconnection.
Other items like "Gale Force Glasses" or "Sound Pod Players" were also magical devices, each of them costly.
The trains in Earthland were roughly the same as the old-style green trains in Moen's memory, though slightly more refined—tables in the middle, seats facing each other.
"Not too bad, actually."
Moen sat by a window seat, turning his head to watch the scenery outside. This was, in truth, his very first time riding an Earthland train, and also his first true departure from Magnolia.
His previous trips to the outskirts or to East Forest did not count, since, strictly speaking, those were still within Fairy Tail's influence.
Because Moen's twelfth birthday was approaching and his strength had already reached a solid level, Makarov had finally allowed him to take this job. Before this, the old man had never permitted the children to accept jobs requiring them to travel too far from the guild.
This rule wasn't just aimed at Moen; all the other kids had to follow it too. It was for their protection. Only upon turning twelve would they be permitted to take on more distant missions.
Of course, it was also about safeguarding Fairy Tail's reputation. When people placed a job request with Fairy Tail, it was because they trusted the guild's strength. If Fairy Tail were to send a seven or eight-year-old kid, even if that child's power was real, it would be hard to inspire confidence.
To give the children work to do and help them grow familiar with the process of completing requests, guild members usually left the nearby, simple, and light jobs to them.
Riding the train, Moen soon arrived at Onibas. Of this city, Moen only knew that it was famous for its grand theater, where many renowned acting troupes came to perform. As a result, the train station here was fairly lively.
After stepping off, Moen followed the address on the request and found his way to a villa. Or rather, it would be more accurate to call it a manor.
A huge courtyard stretched out, filled with carefully pruned ornamental trees. A long stone-paved path connected to the main building. That luxurious main house was cream-white in color, with golden linings everywhere. The materials were lavish—luxury was clearly the theme.
Following the servant who came to receive him, Moen was led into the villa's main hall, where he finally met the client.
"Hello, I'm Moen, a mage from Fairy Tail. Are you Mr. Deno, the one who issued this job?"
Inside the spacious reception hall, Moen greeted politely.
The hall radiated gold and jade splendor. How to describe it… a little tacky, but undeniably rich.
Mr. Deno himself looked the part: plump, richly dressed, like some noble. He was obviously wealthy—anyone could tell just by looking at his home. Moreover, the reward he offered for this job was not small, something only a man of means could afford.
"Hm? So young? Still just a child, aren't you? What's the meaning of this, Fairy Tail?! Why send a child here? Do you take me for a joke?! Didn't I pay a very high fee?!"
When he saw Moen, Mr. Deno frowned deeply, his wineglass trembling slightly. His eyes filled with disdain and irritation. Moen looked far too young, nothing like the powerful mage he had been expecting.
"Please rest assured, Mr. Deno. Fairy Tail is very professional and our reputation is ironclad. Since I have come, your problem will definitely be resolved. We never gamble with the guild's name."
Faced with Deno's doubt, Moen remained calm. His expression was youthful, but the aura about him was steady and commanding. That inner confidence, born of true strength, was unmistakable.
"…Fine. I'll trust you, for now."
Mr. Deno muttered a few words under his breath, then reluctantly chose to believe him.
Or rather, he chose to believe in Fairy Tail.
As Moen had said, Fairy Tail's banner was incredibly well-known. Their job completion rate was also extremely high. They were the undisputed No.1 guild in Fiore.
True, they always seemed to cause unexpected collateral trouble, but that usually happened after they completed the job. The damages were never as important as whether the request itself had been accomplished.
"I saw in the request that the beast to be hunted is a Horned Lizard, correct?"
Seeing that the client had accepted him as the mage for the job, Moen began confirming the specific mission details.
This kind of meeting was essentially the two parties reconciling terms. The client paid money, so naturally he had the right to reject any mage he thought unreliable. At the same time, once a mage accepted a job, it was only proper to confirm every detail of the task, preventing disputes later on.
"That's right. I need the horns of the Horned Lizard. At least twenty of them. If you can bring me more, I will pay extra."
Moen's earnest and professional attitude dispelled much of Deno's earlier doubt. He thought to himself that Fairy Tail would hardly send a child to his death. After all, this was not some delivery or errand job—this was a hunt for magical beasts!
"Alright, I have no problem with that."
Moen nodded, thus finalizing the work agreement with Deno.
This was indeed his first real journey far from home. The Horned Lizards only lived in the Vast Forest, and that place was certainly not close.
After confirming the exact price Deno would pay for each additional horn, Moen left the villa and returned to the train station. This time, he rode all the way from Onibas to the terminal city, Clover.
Clover was also a place Moen had some impression of—it was here that the Guild Masters held their "regular council meetings."
And just north of Clover lay the Wass Forest, their true destination. Naturally, there were no trains leading into the forest. Moen could only rent a horse-drawn carriage, which carried him part of the way. But beyond that, the driver flatly refused to go.
After all, the Wass Forest was a largely untouched wilderness, filled with wild beasts and magical creatures. Ordinary folk would never dare to set foot there. Without true strength, one would hardly return alive.
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