The Pict Magic Of Fairy Tail

Chapter 38: Journey to the Beast Forest

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

Early in the morning, Mira and Elfman were already waiting at the train station.

"Ugh, where is that iron-clad woman, Erza? Why isn't she here yet?" Mira muttered impatiently, crossing her arms and tapping her foot rhythmically on the ground.

"Sis, there's still plenty of time before the train departs..." Elfman replied with his usual wry smile, trying to calm her down.

Before long, Cana arrived at the station with a backpack slung over her shoulder.

Spotting Mira and Elfman from afar, she waved enthusiastically and called out, "Hey, Mira! Elfman!"

"Sis, it's Cana," Elfman said, noticing her approach.

As Cana got closer, Mira's eyes gleamed mischievously. Smiling sweetly, she asked, "Cana, what kind of battle plan did you come up with yesterday with that iron-clad woman Erza?"

Cana chuckled apologetically. "Sorry, Mira. As much as I'd love to tell you, this is a critical moment, so I can't share that."

Mira wasn't surprised by her refusal. Waving her hand dismissively, she said, "It's fine, I expected that. After all, you're teaming up with that iron-clad woman."

"I didn't think someone like you, a crop-top girl, would care about our plans," came Erza's voice from nearby. She was pushing a cart loaded with luggage as she approached.

"Hmph, I'm just curious. Planning for the S-Class Wizard Promotion Exam only shows that your strength isn't up to par. Look at me—I don't need any elaborate plans. I'll just find that green wyvern and take it down," Mira replied smugly, spreading her arms as if to emphasize her ease.

"Let's see whose strength is lacking when the mission is over," Erza retorted with a slight smirk but a serious expression. "How about this: the loser must fulfill one request from the winner. Do you dare to accept?"

"Why wouldn't I? It's settled then—the loser agrees to one condition from the winner," Mira replied without hesitation, her impulsive nature taking over.

As soon as the wager was made, a middle-aged man behind them chuckled. "Is it really a good idea to make a bet like this? The loser won't just fail to become an S-Class Wizard but will also have to grant the winner a request."

Startled by the voice, everyone turned around to see Gildarts, one of the guild's veteran S-Class Wizards.

"Gildarts! You're late!" Mira complained upon recognizing him.

"Ah, sorry, sorry," Gildarts replied, scratching his head like he was pacifying a child.

While Mira, Elfman, and Erza were chatting with Gildarts, Cana, standing at the back, looked at him with a mix of anticipation and hesitation.

She seemed eager to approach but held herself back.

Mira noticed Cana's unusual behavior and turned around, asking, "What's wrong, Cana? Why aren't you saying anything?"

"It's nothing. I'm just... really happy," Cana replied, her excitement evident but tinged with inner conflict as she struggled with how to act.

"Is that so..." Mira gave Cana a puzzled look before turning back to Gildarts. "By the way, Gildarts, why are you back? And where's that old man?"

"The Guild Master? He's still back at the guild," Gildarts answered with a hearty chuckle. "Originally, he was supposed to accompany you all, but considering his age, it's better that I take over and oversee the exam results."

"That's true. The Guild Master is already 80 years old. We should take some of the burden off him and make sure he doesn't overwork himself," Erza said, crossing her arms. Internally, she resolved to enforce better discipline within the guild and keep its members from causing unnecessary trouble.

Mira, however, scowled slightly. "Tch, he may be old, but he's always clinging to his wine barrel and never listens to anyone..."

Her tone sounded like a complaint, but the underlying care was unmistakable.

As the group chatted, a train pulled into the station in the distance. Once it came to a halt, Elfman reported, "Sis, the train has arrived."

"Yeah, I see it," Mira replied casually.

Once everyone boarded the train, Mira noticed that Erza's luggage was taking up a significant amount of space. Curious, she asked, "Hey, Erza, you always seem to bring a ton of luggage on missions, huh?"

"That's right. Why?" Erza replied, puzzled.

Seeing Erza's confusion, Mira continued, "Your Requip Magic lets you summon weapons and armor from another dimension, right? So why do you still need to carry all this stuff?"

"This luggage contains essential items without which humans would struggle to survive in this world," Erza replied with a grave expression, as if the matter was of utmost importance.

"Seriously? That sounds a bit exaggerated," Mira said, her face full of doubt.

Erza didn't respond verbally. Instead, she reached into the pile of luggage and pulled out a random suitcase, placing it in front of her.

The rest of the group watched curiously as Erza opened the case. When its contents were revealed, everyone fell silent.

After a long pause, Mira finally broke the silence, exclaiming, "Don't tell me all these suitcases are full of cake! Come on, humanity doesn't need cake to survive, does it?"

"Sis, I think what Erza meant is food, not just cake. Humans can't survive without food," Elfman said, gently tugging at Mira's arm as he explained in a soft voice.

"I know, I know. I was just messing with her," Mira replied nonchalantly with a quick nod.

While the three continued their banter, Gildarts had already leaned back in his seat and dozed off, his exhaustion evident.

Having just returned from a mission, he hadn't had time to recover before being assigned to accompany and protect Mira's group during the S-Class Wizard Promotion Exam.

Taking this opportunity to rest was crucial, as any issues during the exam could leave no room for regret.

Meanwhile, on another seat, Cana quietly observed Gildarts, her eyes filled with a mix of anticipation and hesitation.

Her gaze lingered, revealing an inner struggle of wanting to reach out but holding back.