62-63

Chapter 62: Childish!  

Rayne and Kanna, who had fully woken up at the mention of food, sat on one side of the table.  

Opposite them, Rick poured glasses of water before speaking, his eyes distant with recollection.  

"This is what happened—about a week ago, children in our town started disappearing one after another," he began. "We started searching, and what we found shocked us. Turns out, nearby villages had been experiencing the same thing."  

He exhaled heavily, rubbing his temples as if trying to soothe a headache.  

"Normally, we would’ve noticed sooner, but after winter hit, the heavy snow made communication difficult. We posted a request in the city, and a few mages took the job… but in the end, they were either badly injured or killed."  

"Still, they managed to uncover something: the dark guild [Toymaker’s Workshop] has been active in this area. But they’re not an enemy the northern regions can handle. The surviving mages suggested we seek stronger wizards from the south."  

After finishing his explanation in one breath, the mayor drained his glass to ease his parched throat.  

The northern frontier was a desolate place, rarely home to powerful mages. Ur was an exceptional case, but due to her daughter’s circumstances, she didn’t live in town—so few even knew she resided near Brago.  

It wasn’t surprising, then, that the mages had advised looking southward. In fact, most people here either traveled south or filed requests through the Magic Council when faced with serious trouble.  

As Rayne listened, his fingers tapped rhythmically against the table, like a pianist playing a silent tune. Then, abruptly, he stopped and looked up.  

"Did those mages mention where they encountered the dark guild members?"  

"I’ll fetch the map."  

Realizing that neither Rayne nor Kanna were locals, Rick hurried upstairs. Despite his age, he moved swiftly—proof of how deeply this matter weighed on him.  

Moments later, he returned with a rolled-up parchment and spread it across the table.  

"They clashed here, near the mountains," he said, pointing, "while our town, Bluepeak, is over here."  

Though magical maps with greater detail existed, such luxuries were beyond a remote town like his. Still, this was enough.  

After studying the markings, Rayne nodded.  

"Mind if I borrow this map?"  

Just because the guild had been spotted there didn’t mean they were still around—they could’ve relocated after the fight. Having a reference would make tracking them easier.  

"Please, take it."  

Rick agreed without hesitation.  

"Thanks." Rayne rolled up the map and tucked it away before continuing his questions.  

Only when Tia arrived with steaming bowls of stew did Rick pause, urging the two to eat while he and his wife excused themselves—likely to give them privacy or to discuss matters of their own.  

"Rick… are those two really capable?" Tia whispered, though Rayne’s heightened senses caught every word.  

"It’s fine. I’ve been researching that guild lately," Rick reassured her. "Fairy Tail is one of the top guilds, and that boy—young as he is—has even been featured in Sorcerer Weekly."  

His voice grew firmer, as much for himself as for his wife.  

"Hard to believe…"  

"Yeah…"  

Rayne tuned out the rest, focusing on the meal instead. Talk meant little—only action would prove anything.  

That night, Rayne and Kanna stayed at Rick’s home.  

The next morning, sunlight pierced the thick clouds for the first time in what felt like ages. Fresh snow glittered under its rays as Rayne strode forward, hands in his pockets, boots crunching against the frost.  

Meanwhile, Kanna, energized by the clear skies, darted ahead like an excited bird, arms outstretched. Occasionally, she’d pause, waiting for Rayne before tugging at his coat and walking backward, marveling at their footprints in the snow.  

Her azure eyes sparkled as she tilted her head toward the golden sun.  

"Fuuu—"  

A soft exhale sent a wisp of vapor swirling into the air, glowing faintly in the light.  

"Rayne, Rayne! Look!" She tugged his sleeve eagerly.  

"Hm?"  

Her morning cheer was infectious.  

"Fuuuu—!" She blew another puff, watching it rise.  

"Pfft. Mine’s way better."  

With a smug grin, Rayne exhaled a long, steady stream of mist, far surpassing hers.  

"Whoaa!" Kanna gasped, impressed, then immediately tried to outdo him.  

"These two brats…"  

Deep in Rayne’s mind, Ddraig sighed.  

Rayne was one thing, but Kanna was a dragon. A true dragon’s breath could level mountains and part seas—yet here she was, treating warm vapor like some kind of accomplishment.  

The Heavenly Dragon of Domination couldn’t fathom their logic.  

Unaware of Ddraig’s exasperation, the two continued their game, laughing as their breath danced in the cold air.  

Along the streets, townsfolk shoveled snow while children hurled snowballs at each other. As Rayne and Kanna passed, the kids paused, staring at the unfamiliar faces.  

Rayne recognized one—the black-haired boy from last night’s carriage.  

"Whoaaa! That guy’s carrying a huge sword!"  

"Are they from out of town?"  

"He looks scary…"  

Once the pair was out of earshot, the children burst into chatter.  

"Tch. I saw him last night," Gray boasted, hands on his hips. "He’s a mage!"  

The others turned to him, eyes wide with curiosity.  

Flushed with pride, Gray smirked.  

"And my dad said he’s…"  

Chapter 63: To Grasp the Truth, Even Death is Acceptable  

Compared to the breathtaking scenery seen from the train, reality was far less kind.  

Stepping onto the snow-covered mountain peaks made one thing abundantly clear—some things, like beauty, are best admired from afar.  

After days of relentless snowfall, the mountains were buried under thick layers of snow. Even though the weather had cleared up for now, the knee-deep drifts showed no signs of melting anytime soon.  

Kanna, who had initially been overjoyed—rolling and playing in the snow—now wore an expression of pure disdain. The heavy snow reached nearly half her height, clinging to her body and melting against her warmth.  

While her draconic physique meant she wouldn’t catch a cold, the constant dampness annoyed her to no end. She even briefly considered unleashing her breath attack and obliterating the entire mountain range.  

Of course, Rayne had no intention of letting her do that.  

Not out of some noble concern for nature, mind you. He, too, had long lost his initial excitement for the snow. Unlike Kanna’s dragon-scale attire, his clothes weren’t so easily dried.  

Now, soaked to the bone and battered by the icy wind, his mood had soured considerably.  

Destroying the mountains outright would require more magic power than Rayne could spare. So instead, he simply scooped Kanna up and perched her on his shoulders before trudging forward.  

With his current physical strength, carrying a greatsword and Kanna was no burden—he could’ve hauled a few more beauties without breaking a sweat.  

Once Kanna was settled, Rayne picked up the pace, his boots sinking deep into the snow before kicking forward, sending powdery bursts flying with each step. The spectacle was almost like a monster charging through the wilderness.  

Before long, they arrived in a silver-cloaked forest.  

Though most traces had been buried under the snow, the haphazardly fallen trees hinted at a past battle. A quick scan allowed Rayne to vaguely reconstruct the scene in his mind—but with the snow covering everything, he couldn’t discern the magic used.  

Finding any clues at all was already a miracle.  

He could melt all the snow away, but that would be a waste of time. Instead, he decided to consult the ever-reliable all-knowing Kanna-chan.  

A slight turn of his head brought his left cheek against something warm and soft. Her white-stockinged legs, plump and smooth, remained unaffected by the cold.  

"Kanna, sense anything nasty around here?"  

"Left. Two kilometers. Smells disgusting," she answered immediately, already attuned to the task. Over time, she’d grown used to playing the role of Rayne’s "eyes and ears"—not in battle, but in situations like this.  

"Two kilometers…? Bold bastards, aren’t they?"  

The proximity caught Rayne off guard before a grin spread across his face.  

For mages—hell, even for ordinary people—that distance was nothing. A slight misstep, and they’d be found. Yet even after defeating the first wave of pursuers, these guys still hadn’t fled.  

Were they banking on the "hiding in pRayne sight" strategy? Or were they just that confident in their strength?  

Either way, it worked in Rayne’s favor. At least he wouldn’t have to comb the entire mountain range.  

"Hold on tight, Kanna."  

Once she steadied herself, Rayne shot forward, snow exploding in his wake as he carved a straight path through the wilderness. Nothing stood in his way.  

"To grasp the truth, even death is acceptable."  

Confucius once said that—or at least, that’s how Rayne interpreted it.  

If you know where the enemy is, you better kill them before nightfall.  

Especially when they’d made him suffer through this freezing trek while they were probably lounging by a warm fire. The thought alone made him pick up speed.  

"Rayne. Someone’s watching us."  

Kanna’s voice cut through the rushing wind effortlessly. She hadn’t sensed it earlier, but as they closed in on that foul presence, the weight of unseen eyes became undeniable.  

"Yeah, I feel it too."  

Rayne had noticed it shortly after Kanna spoke. It wasn’t a physical gaze—more like a magical surveillance.  

They must’ve been monitoring the forest. If a famous mage took the job, they’d flee. If it was some nobody? They’d crush them without hesitation.  

"Pfft—so they’re not completely reckless, huh?"  

Rayne smirked, amused by their caution. Even knowing they’d been spotted, he didn’t slow down. Instead, he raised a thumb toward the direction of the watchers—then flipped it down, his grin turning downrigh provocation .  

This wasn’t just petty taunting.  

Dark guilds were notoriously hotheaded. Even if they’d considered retreating earlier, this blatant disrespect would ensure they stayed to fight.  

Inside a dimly lit cave, illuminated by flickering flames—  

"BOSS! That little shit’s asking for death!"  

"I’ll skin him alive, I swear—!"  

"Just two brats, and they dare mock us?!"  

Rayne’s taunt had ignited the dark guild’s fury, their voices dripping with bloodlust.  

"That guy… I think he’s one of Fairy Tail’s rising stars. ‘Crimson-Armed War Demon’ or something?"  

Someone who’d read Sorcerer Weekly recognized him.  

At the mention of Fairy Tail, the uproar died instantly.  

Those in the underworld knew better than most just how dangerous legal guilds could be—and Fairy Tail stood at the top. Provoking them risked drawing the wrath of Saint Makarov… or that monster, Gildarts.  

All eyes turned to the gaunt, pale-faced man sitting deep in the cave.  

Even in the firelight, his sickly pallor was unmistakable. Dressed in an old-fashioned, deep-gray overcoat lined with numerous bulging pockets, he looked more like a craftsman than a mage.  

Yet the guild members waited in tense silence.  

This was the leader of [The Toymaker’s Workshop]—Marion.