The request board was a chaotic mosaic of jobs.

At the low end, there were tasks like finding lost cats or waitressing at restaurants. At the high end? Escort missions, monster hunts, even investigations into dark guilds and extermination requests. Truly, there was something for everyone.

"The guild master said my current strength is suited for C-rank jobs, so D-rank is out of the question."

Rayne recalled Makarov's words when he'd returned earlier. After their spar, the old man had clearly assessed his capabilities—and that was before factoring in [Boosted Gear]. With its power, even a B-rank mission might not be impossible.

To help mages find suitable work, requests were categorized by danger level: from the lowest (D-rank) up to S-rank. In Fairy Tail, the first-floor board only went up to A-rank.

Your rank as a mage wasn't always a perfect measure of strength—some low-rankers were deceptively powerful—but high-rankers? They earned their status.

Rayne also remembered the three legendary tiers beyond S-rank:

SS-rank. Decade missions. Century missions.

The last two were exactly what they sounded like—requests left unfulfilled for ten or a hundred years. The pinnacle of difficulty, reserved exclusively for Fairy Tail's second floor… where only S-class mages could tread.

"Better start with C-rank."

Suppressing his ambition, Rayne opted for caution.

Besides, Makarov had to approve all requests. Even if he grabbed a higher-ranked one, the old man might veto it.

With that in mind, Rayne ignored the D-rank cat searches and part-time gigs, focusing solely on C-rank postings.

But he'd returned too late.

Most of the good C-rank jobs were already taken. This wasn't a game; quests didn't magically refresh. And since C-rank was the sweet spot for average guild members, competition was fierce.

The leftovers were either tedious or underpaid.

Rayne sighed and began scanning the slim pickings.

"Hmm… an escort or a monster hunt?"

His eyes landed on one in particular:

Request: Escort for Herbalist

Rank: C

Details: Elderly herbalist requires protection while gathering Moonlight Blossoms—a rare flower that blooms only briefly in early autumn—in the Southern Green Hills. Recent rumors of monster activity necessitate a mage escort for one day.

Client: Master Herbalist Bartolo

Reward: 30,000J

Compared to the others, this one had clear advantages:

Same-day round trip (no overnight stays). Higher pay than the remaining options.

The other postings required travel, meaning he'd lose money before earning any.

"This is the one."

Decision made, Rayne plucked the sheet from the board.

"Guild master, I'm taking this job."

Makarov glanced at the request, then nodded. "Old Bartolo, huh? Alright."

After stamping the form, he handed it back with a warning: "Watch out for monsters in those hills."

"Got it. We're heading out, then."

With a wave, Rayne and Kanna exited the guild, bidding quick goodbyes to Caroline and the others along the way.

The new apartment was a fair distance from the dorms—east versus south. Caroline had personally scouted the place after hearing about his move.

The landlady was ruthless, refusing to budge on the 70,000J monthly rent. Thankfully, Makarov had covered the first few months—otherwise, Rayne would've been broke.

Now that he could take jobs? Money would be less of a worry.

With [Dragon's Origin], failing to earn cash would just be pathetic.

Still, it stung that he'd only slept there one night before vanishing for half a month. By his math, that was tens of thousands of J wasted—a painful thought for someone currently penniless.

Hand in hand with Kanna, Rayne walked along the canal, letting the cool breeze clear his mind.

Boats drifted lazily downstream, their oarsmen lounging on deck. Sunset painted the water in gold, scattering light like blooming flowers across the surface.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the apartment—a modest two-story building.

Caroline had mentioned the landlady lived on the first floor but rented out the second to avoid leaving it empty. A separate outdoor staircase meant no awkward intrusions through her home.

The wooden steps creaked softly as they ascended.

The unit itself was a standard studio: a combined living-bedroom space, plus a small kitchen and bathroom.

Cozy, not cavernous—exactly how Rayne preferred it. Empty rooms just felt… lonely.

Thankfully, two weeks of absence hadn't left much dust. Kanna "helped" clean, though the result was just her tiny body coated in grime.

Still, her antics made the chore oddly fun.

"Phew—"

Leaning on the balcony railing, Rayne exhaled, taking in the view.

The location was perfect: the riverfront, the streets beyond, the vast sky stretching endlessly.

"Rayne, Rayne! Lift me up!"

Kanna tugged at his sleeve, her cheeks smudged with dust. Standing on tiptoe in her white stockings, she strained futilely toward the railing.

"Sure."

He hoisted her up without bothering to wipe her face first. At this height—or even a hundred meters higher—falling meant nothing to a dragon.

But to avoid alarming passersby, Rayne kept a hand on her back as she swung her red-shoed legs, gazing curiously at the gilded clouds.

To her, sunsets were nothing new.

But now?

She wasn't watching alone.

Something about that felt… different.

She didn't have the words yet.

So instead, she memorized the scene—Rayne's view, Rayne's world—saving it for the day she'd understand.

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