Morning in Magnolia

At the southern gate of Magnolia, two figures—one tall, one small—stood side by side, drawing curious glances from passersby.

The taller one was just a handsome young man. While he caught the attention of a few women, he wasn't the main attraction.

The smaller one, however, had horns, a tail, and an otherworldly outfit paired with an adorable face.

It was impossible not to stare.

Thankfully, Magnolia was a town steeped in magic. Strange sights were common, so no one panicked—though many couldn't help but smile at the drowsy little girl swaying on her feet, occasionally bumping into the boy beside her.

"Connie, maybe you should go back and sleep for a bit?"

Rayne glanced down at the half-asleep dragon girl and made his suggestion.

By "go back," he didn't mean their apartment—he meant her original world. That way, he could summon her anytime if needed.

Not that a C-rank mission should be dangerous, but still.

"No~"

Her voice was soft and dreamy, but her tiny fingers tightened around the hem of his shirt.

Sleeping in her own world? Boring. Staying here? Much more fun.

"Alright."

Rayne didn't push it. Instead, he scanned the bustling gate entrance.

Before long, an elderly man came into view—white-haired, slightly hunched, but with a lively energy about him. A woven basket hung on his back, similar to the ones Porlyusica used for gathering herbs.

"That must be Bartlow."

Rayne's gaze didn't go unnoticed. The old man's cloudy eyes flicked toward him, then to the request sheet in his hand—emblazoned with Fairy Tail's crest.

"You two took my request? This isn't a sightseeing trip, you know."

Bartlow hesitated when he saw Connie, still blinking sleep from her eyes.

Rayne? He could believe. But a child younger than his granddaughter? Was this safe?

"Don't worry, Mr. Bartlow. I wouldn't gamble with our lives."

Rayne's calm smile eased some of the old man's doubts.

"Connie's here because Master Makarov approved it."

Invoking Makarov's name worked like a charm.

Everyone in Magnolia knew Fairy Tail was… loud and unpredictable. But they also knew Makarov took his guild's safety seriously.

If he allowed it, then maybe it wasn't so strange after all.

"I see… Well then, I'll be counting on you."

Bartlow sighed but didn't argue further.

"Thanks for understanding."

With that settled, it was time to depart.

But Bartlow wasn't about to hike all that way on foot. Instead, the three boarded a horse-drawn carriage heading south—a common mode of transport between towns.

These carriages functioned like buses, picking up and dropping off passengers along the route.

Rayne's first thought when he heard about them? "So this world has public transit. Neat."

There were magic-powered vehicles—faster and smoother—but they guzzled magic energy like crazy.

Ten miles in a horse carriage? Just some hay and feed.

Ten miles in a magic wagon? Say goodbye to a few mages' worth of power.

So unless it was an emergency, most people stuck to horses.

Also, magic wagons were expensive.

But horse carriages had their downsides too.

Bumpy. Slow.

The roads outside towns were far from smooth, and every jolt sent passengers bouncing in their seats.

"Glad I'm not a Dragon Slayer. Motion sickness would suck."

Rayne grimaced as the carriage rattled along.

Connie, however, perked up almost immediately.

Kneeling at the carriage's front railing, she watched the scenery roll by with wide-eyed fascination.

"Rayne, Rayne! What's that?!"

She pointed excitedly at a creature in the grass—a snow-white deer with crystalline antlers, watching them with curious, tilted eyes before darting into the forest.

"Aww… it left."

Her voice was wistful.

"Ah, you're lucky, little one! That was a Glimmerstag—a rare magical beast. They say spotting one brings good fortune!"

Bartlow chuckled warmly.

Rayne, meanwhile, could only smile awkwardly.

He knew Connie's disappointment wasn't because the deer was gone—but because it wasn't in her mouth.

Still, the encounter made the sluggish trip more enjoyable.

Connie soon forgot about the deer, kicking her little legs idly as she propped her chin on her hands, watching birds soar past overhead.

Even the other passengers couldn't help but smile at her antics.

Slow as it was, the carriage eventually reached its stop.

An hour later, at a fork in the road, Bartlow led Rayne and Connie off the wagon.

Then—

"Rayne."

Connie tugged his sleeve, her voice casual.

"Someone's following us."

Like she was commenting on the weather.

Rayne blinked.

His first thought? "The Black Magic cult?"

But that didn't make sense. Those slavers wouldn't waste time tracking him down.

So who—?