The familiar scent of polished wood, parchment, and freshly cooked breakfast drifted out the moment I pushed open the doors of the Fairy Tail guild hall.
Unlike the lively afternoons when the guild became a battlefield of flying mugs and louder egos, the morning carried a gentler atmosphere.
Only a handful of mages had arrived this early.
A few sat around the long wooden tables, leisurely finishing their breakfasts while exchanging idle conversation over steaming cups of coffee.
Others stood before the ever-crowded quest board, quietly comparing requests, occasionally reaching up to tear down a notice before someone else claimed it.
Instead of joining the small crowd around the board, I made my way toward the counter.
“Morning, Dalia.”
The young woman behind the bar looked up from wiping a glass and greeted me with her usual warm smile.
“Good morning. You’re up early again,” she said.
“Want breakfast?”
I chuckled, shaking my head.
“Already ate before coming here.”
“Hm… then what’ll it be?”
“Orange juice would be great.”
“You got it.”
She disappeared through the kitchen door, leaving only the faint clatter of dishes and muffled voices from the back.
A moment later, she returned carrying a chilled glass bottle.
She uncorked it with practiced ease before pouring the bright orange liquid into a clean glass.
The fresh citrus aroma rose immediately.
“There you go.”
“Thanks.”
I slid fifty Jewels across the counter before picking up the glass.
“No tab today?” she teased.
“I’d rather stay on your good side.”
She laughed softly as she pocketed the coins.
The juice was refreshingly cold, washing away the lingering warmth of breakfast.
It wasn’t anything extraordinary, just simple orange juice but sometimes the simplest things tasted the best after an early morning walk through Magnolia’s streets.
Leaning against the counter, I took my time finishing the drink while quietly watching the guild wake up around me.
Someone celebrated claiming a quest with a triumphant grin.
Another mage groaned after discovering the request they wanted had already been taken.
A pair of veteran members debated which client paid worse.
It wasn’t loud enough to be chaotic, yet there was an unmistakable energy in the air, the steady rhythm of a guild beginning another day.
Just as I emptied the last of the juice, movement from the second floor caught my attention.
Guild Master Makarov stepped out onto the balcony before making his way down the wooden staircase, one deliberate step at a time.
Despite his small frame, the old man’s presence naturally drew attention.
A few members greeted him in passing, earning cheerful waves in return.
Rather than heading straight for the quest board, I waited near the counter until he reached the ground floor.
“Good morning, Master.”
“Mornin’, lad,” Makarov replied with an easy smile.
“Back for another day’s work?”
“As always.”
He folded his arms and gave me a knowing look.
“Don’t tell me…” His smile widened into a grin.
“You’re planning to clear another pile of D-Rank quests.”
“I am.”
“Oh?”
“They’re easy enough, and I actually enjoy doing them.” I shrugged.
“Most of them send me all over Magnolia. It’s a nice excuse to explore while earning a little money.”
“Hahaha!”
Makarov burst into hearty laughter, the sound echoing through the guild hall.
“I like the way you think!” he declared.
“Go right ahead! Those D-Rank requests have been piling up faster than the members can clear them. Every time we finish one stack, another takes its place.”
He gestured toward the crowded quest board with exaggerated exasperation.
“If someone doesn’t keep chipping away at them, the board’ll collapse under its own weight.”
A few nearby guild members chuckled at the comment.
“I’ll do what I can,” I replied with a small smile.
“That’s the spirit.”
After exchanging a few more words, I gave the old master a respectful nod.
“See you later, Master.”
“Stay safe out there.”
With that, I turned toward the quest board.
The collection of requests fluttered lightly as the morning breeze drifted through the open guild doors.
Dozens of papers overlapped one another, herb gathering, deliveries, farm work, fence repairs, missing pets, monster sightings, and countless other jobs that most seasoned mages would barely spare a glance for.
I scanned each request carefully, considering which ones could be completed efficiently or grouped together into a single trip.
Then a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
…Right.
I still didn’t have the proper tools.
There was little point in accepting gathering quests without a sturdy herb knife.
Chopping firewood with bare hands wasn’t exactly practical either, and hauling supplies would become far easier with a proper pack and rope.
I had been relying on whatever I could improvise until now, but if I intended to keep making D-Rank quests my primary source of income for a while, investing in the right equipment would save both time and effort.
With that in mind, I picked another herb-gathering request from the board.
Familiar work was the perfect way to ease into the morning.
This time, however, the requested herb wasn’t just Dewbell Flower.
There was another ingredient listed beneath it.
Verdant Mint.
“…I’ve never heard of that one.”
I could have wandered into the forest hoping to stumble across it by chance, but that sounded like an excellent way to waste an entire day.
Better to ask someone who actually knew what they were doing.
Or…
I could borrow a herbology book from the guild’s library afterward.
Either way, ignorance wasn’t something I intended to carry into the forest.
Turning around, I headed back into the bar front.
The lively chatter inside hadn’t changed.
Mages laughed over breakfast, mugs clinked together, and the scent of fresh bread mixed with the faint aroma of ale that somehow lingered even this early in the morning.
Behind the reception counter stood Dalia, sorting through a stack of completed request forms with her usual composed smile.
“Oh? Back already?” she asked, noticing me before I even reached the counter.
“Forget something?”
“I wanted to ask about a herb.”
Her expression brightened slightly.
“Of course. Which one?”
I pointed at the request.
“Verdant Mint.”
“Ah, that one.”
Without hesitation, Dalia reached beneath the counter and pulled out a well-worn field guide.
Flipping through its pages with practiced fingers, she stopped at a detailed illustration before turning the book toward me.
The drawing depicted a small cluster of vibrant green leaves with faint silver veins running through each blade.
“Verdant Mint is fairly common once you know what you’re looking for,” she explained.
“It grows in cool, shaded areas, usually near streams or beneath thick tree canopies where the sunlight doesn’t reach for long.”
Her slender finger traced the illustration.
“The leaves are brighter than ordinary mint, and if you rub one between your fingers, it gives off a refreshing scent with a hint of sweetness.”
She then pointed to the roots.
“When harvesting, don’t pull the entire plant out. Cut the stem just above the lower leaves and leave the roots untouched. It’ll grow back in a few weeks.”
I nodded carefully, committing every detail to memory.
Color.
Habitat.
Scent.
Proper harvesting method.
It was surprising how much information there was for something that looked like an ordinary weed.
Seeing that I was paying close attention, Dalia smiled with quiet satisfaction before closing the book.
“Oh, before I forget.”
She glanced toward the storage room.
“Will you be borrowing the gathering satchel and pruning shears again?”
I shook my head.
“No. I think I’ll buy my own.”
“Oh?”
“I already have… a bag.”
The words slipped out more quietly than I intended.
Instinctively, my hand rested against the plain-looking storage bag hanging from my shoulder.
To anyone else it appeared completely ordinary, but I knew better.
Drawing unnecessary attention to it would only invite questions I had no intention of answering.
Dalia followed my gaze before looking back at me.
A teasing smile slowly spread across her face.
“I see.”
“…”
“…You’re guarding that bag like it’s treasure.”
“It… kind of is.”
A soft laugh escaped her lips.
“Fair enough.”
Thankfully, she didn’t pry any further.
Some people simply knew when not to ask.
After thanking her for the lesson, I left the guild once more and headed deeper into Magnolia’s market district.
The rhythmic clang of hammer against steel soon echoed through the streets, guiding me toward one of the local blacksmiths.
The forge burned brightly despite the cool morning air, waves of heat spilling from the open entrance while sparks danced through the air with every strike of the hammer.
Rows of tools lined the walls instead of weapons alone.
Exactly what I was looking for.
I spent several minutes inspecting each item before making my choices.
A sturdy pair of harvesting shears with sharp, well-aligned blades.
A reliable woodsman’s axe balanced enough for chopping branches or splitting small logs.
A durable steel shovel that could handle digging through packed soil without bending.
A long coil of thick hemp rope, useful for climbing, securing cargo, or crossing difficult terrain.
And finally, a large waterproof tarp.
It wasn’t expensive, but something told me it would prove invaluable, whether for shelter during sudden rain, wrapping gathered materials, dragging heavy loads, or simply keeping supplies dry overnight.
Being prepared rarely seemed like a waste.
The blacksmith bundled everything neatly together before naming the price.
“Twenty thousand Jewel.”
I counted the coins onto the counter without hesitation.
It wasn’t exactly cheap.
Still, after testing each tool with my own hands, I could tell they had been built to last.
Quality tools weren’t an expense.
They were an investment.
With my newly purchased equipment secured and my preparations finally complete, I stepped back into Magnolia’s bustling streets.
A few minutes of walking brought me to the eastern forest outside Magnolia once again.
The familiar woodland welcomed me with the gentle rustling of leaves overhead as shafts of morning sunlight slipped through the emerald canopy.
Dew clung to the grass like scattered crystals, and the cool air carried the earthy scent of damp soil mixed with the fragrance of wild herbs.
Unlike yesterday, the once-unfamiliar forest no longer felt like an endless sea of trees.
The landmarks I had unconsciously memorized—the crooked oak with its split trunk, the moss-covered boulder beside the narrow stream, and the cluster of white mushrooms near the trail—guided my feet without hesitation.
Before long, I arrived at the patch where I had found the Dewbell Flowers the previous day.
“So this is where they were.”
A faint smile tugged at my lips.
Yesterday had been nothing but trial and error.
I had spent more time searching than actually gathering, carefully comparing every plant to Dalia’s description, terrified that I might pick the wrong one.
Today was different.
Experience truly was the best teacher.
My eyes immediately recognized the white, bell-shaped blossoms swaying gently beneath the shade of larger shrubs.
Instead of wandering aimlessly, I moved from one cluster to another with practiced efficiency, selecting only the healthiest blooms.
My fingers carefully pinched each stem at its base before cutting it cleanly, ensuring neither the flower nor its roots were damaged.
Within minutes, the small field that had taken nearly an hour to harvest yesterday had already yielded enough flowers.
One by one, I laid the Dewbell Flowers inside my sling bag.
The flowers wouldn’t rot anytime soon, especially this early in the morning, but that didn’t mean I could simply toss them together carelessly.
Delicate medicinal herbs easily bruised under pressure, and crushed petals often lost part of their value.
Taking no chances, I unfolded a small square of clean cloth, gently arranged the blossoms inside, and wrapped them snugly before placing the bundle into my bag.
Safe, organized, and protected.
Satisfied with my work, I brushed the dirt from my hands and pulled out the second item on today’s list.
Verdant Mint.
Remembering Dalia’s instructions, I searched near the damp, shaded patches where moisture lingered beneath the trees.
She had mentioned they rarely grew alone.
She wasn’t kidding.
It didn’t take long before I spotted an entire carpet of vibrant green leaves stretching across the forest floor.
Their fresh, invigorating aroma reached my nose before I even crouched beside them.
Unlike the fragile Dewbell Flowers, the mint grew in dense clusters, spreading wherever the soil remained cool and damp.
Well…
they’re mint.
I suppose that’s exactly what mint does.
There was no reason to uproot every plant.
I selected only the largest, healthiest stalks, harvesting just enough to fulfill the request while leaving plenty behind for the patch to continue thriving.
It was a habit Dalia had emphasized repeatedly; never take everything nature offers.
As I finished wrapping the fresh mint and secured it beside the Dewbell Flowers, something caught my attention.
Again.
The ground nearby was marked with several familiar paw prints.
Large.
Four-toed.
Fresh enough that the edges hadn’t yet crumbled beneath the morning breeze.
Grey wolves.
Just like yesterday.
My eyes silently followed the trail disappearing deeper into the eastern forest.
There were more tracks than I remembered, crossing one another in several places as if a small pack had passed through recently.
“…Master still hasn’t found them, huh?”
Either the wolves were exceptionally good at avoiding people, or they simply hadn’t wandered close enough to the areas Master usually sent a search team.
I crouched for a moment, memorizing the direction of the tracks before standing once more.
I’ll mention it to Master later.
There was no point chasing them alone.
Not yet.
After making a mental note of their location, I tightened the straps of my sling bag and gave its contents one last check.
The herbs were secure, neatly wrapped, and undamaged.
Perfect.
With everything packed away, I turned toward the road leading back to Magnolia.
The quiet forest gradually faded behind me as my footsteps carried me home.
.
.
.
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<Hey!
New Author here!
i just want to tell anyone who is reading this, thank you for taking a little time for reading my creation, this is just a little hobby for me.
hope you enjoy it and any comment, suggestion and opinion don’t be shy to tell me.
just be kind as much as possible that’s it thank you and i hope you have a nice day!>
<Also the comment and opinion you guys/gals/it?
makes me know how to improve my writing.
I am using AI for the grammar since English is not my first language but thank you really guys for letting me know where i need to improve!
much appreciate it!
Enjoy and have a nice day!
this additional chapter cause its weekend and i don’t have anything else to do!
hahaha>