"I really have it rough... I just got back to the guild yesterday, and now I have to go out again today. And Erza, how are you going to complete the mission with so many cakes?" Raizel carried his own bag with a look of melancholy.
"I'll just store them in my Requip Space," Erza replied seriously.
The Requip Space could hold anything except living beings.
But with Erza's growing collection of armor, there probably wouldn't be room for much else later on.
"Are you sure you won't accidentally summon a cake into your hand and throw it during a fight?" Raizel imagined a scene where Erza was hurling cakes at enemies with both hands—and with horns growing from her head no less.
"No, there's no way I would throw cakes," Erza clenched her fists, then seemed to visualize the terrifying scenario of cake-throwing and began muttering to herself.
"I can't throw them, I can't throw them, I can't throw them."
"Don't worry, Erza. If you do throw them, I can restore them for you," Ultear said, holding a crystal ball in her hand.
"Arc of Time really is the best magic!" Erza looked at Ultear with envy.
"Your Requip is pretty great too. I'll leave my luggage in your care as well," Ultear entrusted her belongings to Erza.
"Leave it to me," Erza said excitedly, reassured that her cakes would be safe.
"Alright, let's head to Dewinter City," Raizel declared.
They had accepted several missions this time, but the one in Dewinter City was urgent.
A faction of the Dark Magic Cult was causing trouble, having attacked an orphanage and kidnapped children.
They needed to resolve the situation quickly.
These two girls were eager for their first mission, but Raizel knew the reality of hunting cultists was grim.
Makarov wasn't worried as long as Raizel was supervising, but Ur had given Ultear a list of safety instructions long enough to be a novel.
"I'll be observing from the sidelines during this mission," Raizel reminded them. "I won't intervene unless your lives are in immediate danger. This is your test. And I won't take any of the reward—you two can split it to pay back your debts."
"Understood," both girls nodded firmly.
....
Dewinter City.
Upon arriving, Ultear immediately took charge.
"The first step is to meet the client," Ultear said, checking the request form. "Mayor Warren Williams."
Erza unfolded the map. "City Hall is this way. Follow me."
She led them confidently through the bustling streets.
Raizel followed a few paces behind, acting more like a guardian than a leader.
They arrived at the Mayor's office without issue.
"Welcome," Mayor Warren Williams, a portly man with a nervous tic, greeted them. "Thank you for coming so quickly."
Raizel, Ultear, and Erza raised their left hands, showing their guild marks to verify their identities.
Erza's mark was red, matching her hair; Ultear's was black; Raizel's was orange.
"Ultear Milkovich, Erza Belserion, Raizel Bael," they introduced themselves.
"Here is the situation," the Mayor wiped sweat from his brow. "Our town has a thriving commercial sector, and while there is a local Magic Guild, its strength is insufficient. Although the Council has stationed troops here, they are often powerless against powerful Mages. This time, the Dark Magic Cult has been causing trouble here—they attacked the orphanage outside the city and took the children. There hasn't been any news about them since.."
"Understood. We'll set off immediately. Please provide us with the orphanage's address," Erza said, her eyes burning with anger.
Having been an orphan herself, she despised nothing more than those who preyed on children.
"Thank you." Ultear took the paper, then stood up with Erza.
...
"Angels Home." Ultear compared the name on the paper.
The orphanage was a somber sight.
The outer walls were scorched black by magic fire, and several windows were shattered.
A woman in a nun's habit was sweeping debris in the courtyard.
"Hello," Ultear approached gently. "We are Mages from Fairy Tail, commissioned by the city lord to inquire about the missing children,."
"Sister Elsa," the woman introduced herself, looking relieved. "Thank you for coming."
She led them to a bench. "I happened to be away on the day of the attack. The priest and two other nuns were here and were assaulted while trying to stop the children from being taken. They are now recuperating in the hospital. However, I've already spoken with the priest about the situation. Please feel free to ask any questions you have."
"How many were taken?" Ultear asked, pulling out a notebook.
"Nineteen," Sister Elsa's voice trembled. "All of them."
"Our orphanage had 19 orphans in total, and all of them were taken."
"Were any of the children injured when they were taken?"
"According to the priest, no. They only used magic to attack the building to frighten the children and force them out of the house. The priest and nuns were attacked when they tried to intervene."
"Did the leader or any of their members have any distinguishing features, or was there anyone particularly notable?"
"One of them had a scar over his left eye."
It seemed these questions had been asked many times before, as Elsa answered quickly.
"Which direction did they leave from?"
Elsa pointed to the west, where there was nothing but forest.
After finishing their questions, the three bid farewell to Elsa for the time being.
"This forest is too vast." Ultear and Erza gazed at the dense woods west of the orphanage—thick with intertwined branches, leaves, and trunks, so dark it was impossible to see far inside.
"What should we do?" Erza looked at the forest with a troubled expression.
"Let's try fishing." Ultear raised an eyebrow at Erza.
"Since Warren said the military is still blocking the area, and according to the map, the innermost part of this forest is a mountain, if there's no other exit, the Dark Magic Cult members should still be inside. Even if they could escape, it's unlikely they could take so many children with them."
Understanding the idea of "fishing," Erza agreed to try Ultear's method.
The two changed into ordinary clothes, used onions and chili peppers to make their eyes slightly red, dabbed on some water, and used magic to temporarily cover their Guild Marks.
Raizel didn't follow them directly, instead moving through the trees within their line of sight.
The advantage of having many trees was that unless someone looked up, they wouldn't notice him, and any slight noises could easily be mistaken for small animals.
Ultear and Erza continued walking through the forest, checking along the way for any passing footprints—preferably those of children.
They didn't know how long they had been walking.
To make their act convincing, they hadn't eaten anything along the way, their eyes filled with confusion and fear, acting like a lost children desperately searching for the forest's exit.
They walked from afternoon until night, a full three hours, yet there was still no sign of the Dark Magic Cult.
Ultear began to cry, "I want my mom, Mom, Mom!"
Each cry for her mother grew louder than the last.
"Tia, we'll definitely find our way out." Erza didn't use Ultear's real name, sticking to their act as she gently patted Ultear's back to comfort her.
"But I'm scared!" Ultear sobbed louder.
Unable to console her, Erza started "crying" too.
The two of them stood in a clearing, wailing loudly enough to wake the dead.
Up in the tree, Raizel covered his ears.
'Wow,' he thought, impressed.
'They're really going all out with the performance. If they weren't mages, they could be actresses.'