With the kitten in tow, the group decided to skip the restaurant.
Raizel took them to the market to buy ingredients, planning to cook at home instead.
The cat wasn't afraid of strangers at all.
Even with people bustling back and forth in the market, the orange cat stayed quietly in Kagura's arms, watching the world go by.
It remained calm even when Ultear and Erza stopped to pet it.
They headed back to Raizel's house first.
He planned to help them carry the cat supplies—food, litter box, and toys—to the girls' dormitory later that evening.
They also dropped off the plants they had bought.
They hadn't bought too many, just enough to carry comfortably.
Originally, Erza had waved her hand grandly, ready to buy the vendor's entire stock.
Raizel had to stop her, suggesting they start small since they weren't sure how well the plants would grow.
If they thrived, they could always buy more. Persuaded by Raizel, Erza settled for twelve pots.
Raizel and Ultear each bought ten pots of white flowers.
Raizel planned to place his by the floor-to-ceiling window, while Ultear intended to plant hers on the steps in front of the girls' dorm so they would be visible from the street.
While Raizel cooked in the kitchen, Ultear, Erza, and Kagura sat cross-legged on the floor, forming a circle around the orange cat as it ate its first meal.
Kagura stroked its fur gently, having set Archenemy down on the floor to focus on the kitten.
"Have you decided on a name?" Raizel asked, bringing out the food.
"Oyen," Kagura replied.
They had settled on the name while Raizel was cooking.
After considering many fancy options, they ultimately chose "Oyen" simply because of its fur color and make the name slightly cuter.
Raizel nodded.
Simple was best.
"That's a good name. Make sure to call her by name often. If she responds, give her a treat. She'll learn quickly."
"Okay," Kagura nodded, scratching Oyen behind the ears.
"In the afternoon, we have to wait for the vendor to deliver the trees, so we won't go out. We can stay home—meditate, read, or do whatever you like."
Although Raizel suggested meditation, he suspected they would spend the entire afternoon fussing over Oyen.
It wasn't just Kagura; Ultear and Erza seemed completely charmed by the little cat too.
Raizel had to admit, the cat was quite handsome.
It had neat markings and a face that looked delicate and clear.
...
In the afternoon, they didn't train.
Ultear sat on the sofa reading.
She enjoyed books about travel and folklore, often bringing them along on missions while Erza and Kagura played with the cat.
Raizel, for a change, brewed himself a cup of oolong tea, grabbed his fishing rod, and went out to the yard to fish in the nearby lake.
As expected, he caught absolutely nothing.
By the time Erza came to tell him the delivery had arrived, Raizel still hadn't seen a single bite.
If he hadn't seen fish swimming in the lake with his own eyes before, he would have suspected the water was empty.
"Four trees should be enough for your yard. Plant them near the entrance with equal spacing. Use three wooden stakes to support each one—these are tall Red Maple varieties, so they need stabilization against the wind."
The vendor, realizing Raizel was a gardening novice, enthusiastically explained the process while unloading the saplings.
He pointed out the best spots, explained the hole depth, and then left.
"Alright, let's get to work."
Erza used her Requip magic.
Flash.
Four shovels and four hard hats appeared.
Raizel just stared at her.
He really wondered what kind of random junk she stored in her pocket dimension.
With exactly four people present, they decided to dig one hole each.
Oyen stayed indoors, watching them safely from behind the glass of the floor-to-ceiling window.
The Red Maple saplings were currently just slightly taller than the wooden fence, but Raizel recalled the vendor saying they could grow over ten meters tall if cared for properly.
Ultear could have used her Arc of Time to fast-forward their growth instantly, but Raizel stopped her.
He preferred to watch the trees grow naturally over the years.
After planting the trees, the girls helped train the ivy along the fence.
Raizel had bought plenty—more than enough to cover the perimeter, with leftovers to hang indoors.
He also loosened the soil near the window and planted his white flowers there.
Dusting the dirt off his hands, Raizel declared, "All done! Tomorrow I'll help plant yours at the girls' dorm."
He couldn't let them do it alone.
The girls had bought so many plants that it would require a second trip to move everything.
After dinner, they sat cross-legged in the yard to meditate.
Even though they had played all day, their discipline remained. They never skipped practice.
Around nine o'clock, Raizel stood up.
It was time to walk them back. Grandma Hilda, the dorm matron, would worry if they stayed out too late without notice.
Kagura secured Archenemy at her waist while holding the cat in one arm and her bag in the other.
Raizel carried four potted plants, while Erza and Ultear carried two each.
When they arrived at the dorm entrance, they ran into Cana, who was just returning from walking her dog.
"Woof!"
The puppy recognized Raizel's group, wagging its tail and barking excitedly.
Cana's dog was the "perpetual puppy" type—it hadn't grown an inch since Raizel first saw it five years ago.
Raizel suspected Oyen would eventually grow larger than the dog.
Orange cats had a reputation for becoming... unsual.
Cana looked curiously at the potted plants and the cat in Kagura's arms.
She was surprised these battle-maniacs had bought such domestic things!
"There are more," Raizel explained. "Over a dozen pots are still at my place. We'll bring them tomorrow."
"I'll help carry them then. I'm free anyway," Cana offered.
"Good. We'll get Laxus to help too—I almost forgot about him." Raizel realized Laxus should be back by now, though he hadn't seen him since returning to the guild.
"What's the cat's name? Male or female?" Cana asked, peering at the orange ball of fluff.
"Oyen. Female," Kagura replied.
Her answer was characteristically brief.
"Hello, Oyen. This is Snowy," Cana said, bending down to pick up her puppy and waving its paw in greeting.
Oyen was curious about the strange creature.
She reached out a paw to poke the dog's nose but ultimately pulled back.
Seeing that Oyen wasn't hissing or scared, Cana beamed.
"That's wonderful! If they can get along, that would be great. I've always worried that Snowy gets lonely when I'm on missions. Grandma Hilda feeds her, but no one really plays with her."
"Alright, you lot, come inside to chat! It's getting late," Grandma Hilda called from the doorway.
Raizel placed the potted plants by the entrance, and the girls followed suit.
It was safe enough to leave them outside overnight.
"Alright, I'll be heading back now," Raizel waved goodbye.
On his way back, Raizel took a detour to visit the house Laxus had bought.
He knocked.
"You're back?" Raizel asked when the door opened. "Why weren't you at the Guild yesterday?"
"Went out for training," Laxus replied, leaning against the doorframe.
He looked tired but content.
"Come to my place tomorrow morning. I need help moving some heavy potted plants to the girls' dormitory."
Laxus didn't even ask why.
"Sure."
"Great. I'm off then. See you tomorrow."
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