Kabe nodded in understanding, then took the request sheet and went back with Erza to stand in front of Makarov.
After confirming there was nothing wrong with the request, Makarov added a bit more detailed information for them.
"This request was posted by the mayor of Magnolia. It is just a routine cleanup job, so there is no need to rush. Take your time. The main thing is to keep yourselves safe."
For once, Kabe was serious. He and Erza nodded together and promised,
"We will be careful, Master."
...
After saying goodbye to the Master and giving Cana and Gray a quick word, the two of them left the guild together.
They walked out under Gray's envious gaze and Cana's worried expression.
Once they stepped outside, Erza did not head straight for the city gates. Instead, she led Kabe to a magic item shop he had visited a few times before and pushed the door open.
"Welcome."
As soon as they stepped in, a warm greeting floated over.
Erza nodded toward the young man behind the counter, who looked to be around twenty, and replied,
"Big brother Nate, I brought Kabe to buy some supplies for going out on a job."
Nate did not brush them off just because they were only kids. On the contrary, he came out from behind the counter with genuine enthusiasm and personally started picking things out for them.
"I see, so little brother Kabe is already going out on jobs, huh. Then we really do need to get you properly equipped."
As he spoke, Nate reached up to a shelf and took down a small brown leather pouch. He began stuffing things into it at high speed, explaining as he worked.
"This new model spatial canteen can store a full liter of fresh water. These two vials are antidote, basically essential if you are heading into the wild. Here is a coil of rope that can extend and retract on its own, a compass that will never lead you astray, a signal flare you can fire for help in an emergency..."
Watching Nate keep cramming items into the pouch, Kabe wanted to reach out and stop him, but every single thing really was something you would want when going out on a job. Not a single piece was something he could call unnecessary.
Just as he was agonizing over how to tactfully hint that he did not have a single jewel to his name, Nate closed the pouch, now stuffed full, and handed it to him with a grin.
"These are all cheap little tools anyway. Just take them as a gift to congratulate you on officially becoming a mage. Once you start making money, remember to come shop here often."
For a moment, Kabe was speechless and did not know whether he should accept it.
In the end, he took a deep breath and accepted the pouch with both hands, his tone earnest.
"Thank you, big brother Nate. I will definitely come by often in the future."
"That is all I need to hear. Be careful out there on your job and make sure you protect yourself."
They waved and said goodbye as Nate walked them to the door.
Outside, Kabe weighed the pouch in his hand. It was practically weightless. He sighed softly and slung it onto his back.
"Great, now I owe someone else a big favor. Feels like ever since I came here, I have been relying on everyone's kindness."
Erza chuckled and explained,
"Big brother Nate is always like that. He says it is to tie customers to his shop better, but anyone who buys from him will always get the best price."
"Yeah... he is a good person."
...
Once they had settled their feelings, the two of them finally set out and left the town for real.
By coincidence, the forest to the east where their job was located was the very same forest Kabe had woken up in when he first arrived in this world.
The only difference was that he had been on the outskirts back then, while this time their job would take them deep into the woods, where they were far more likely to encounter Grian.
The moment they entered the forest, Erza drew the knight's sword at her waist. Kabe also raised his guard, watching their surroundings carefully and ready for an ambush at any time.
Amid that tense atmosphere, Erza scanned the trees with her sword in one hand, then suddenly spoke.
"Kabe, let me make one thing clear first. I am not someone who needs protecting. When the fighting starts, I will go in first. You can support from the side."
"Huh? So you have been sulking all this way just to worry about that?"
Kabe had already noticed that Erza had something stuck in her chest she wanted to tell him. He just had not expected this to be the cause.
He sighed and answered as if it were obvious.
"Of course you should go in first. When it comes to fighting monsters, you are the senior here. I do at least understand that much."
Erza quietly let out a breath. She did not want her comrades to think she was weak or fragile.
"But..." Kabe added.
"If you really do get in danger, then as your big brother, standing in front of you and protecting his little sister is only natural. Got it, Erza, my dear little sister who is one year younger than me."
"You..."
Hearing him actually use age as an argument, Erza was about to snap back in outrage when she saw Kabe suddenly dash toward a nearby tree, as if he had found something.
She could only swallow her irritation and follow after him at a quick pace.
They stopped before a tree as thick as an adult's waist. Kabe reached out and touched the deep overlapping claw marks carved into the trunk, analyzing with a serious face.
"Some of these are old and some are new. Whoever made these must come here often to sharpen their claws. It all lines up. This has to be from Grian. Next, all we need to do is search the ground for droppings or footprints and we will be able to track them down."
After his confident analysis, he promptly bent over, butt sticking out, and began poking around the forest floor for tracks.
Erza examined the claw marks on the tree carefully, then cleared her throat and quietly reminded him,
"Ahem... Grian do not have a habit of sharpening their claws like this. And because their intelligence is close to that of humans, they usually only relieve themselves near their nests."
Kabe froze in place mid-crouch, then stood up as if nothing had happened and patted the dirt off his knees.
"Let us keep going. We are still a long way from their nest. If we are lucky, we can at least find one today and finish one tenth of the job."
Watching Kabe's stiff back as he tried to act calm, Erza could not help letting out a soft laugh.
For the sake of his pride, she chose not to expose his clumsy performance. She was just about to step forward and follow when she suddenly felt a faint tremor through the ground beneath her feet.
Her expression changed at once. She brought her sword up horizontally in front of her chest and shouted,
"Careful, something is coming!"