The group passed through the center of town and arrived at West Hill. There were some houses along the base, but they headed straight into the mountains. The hill was covered with all sorts of vegetation, not just medicinal herbs.
About halfway up, the climate was still tropical—but the higher they climbed, the more temperate it became. At the summit, it was likely subarctic. Noel, being well-versed in herbal medicine, recognized the shifting flora.
The mountain was home to many well-known spices, rare medicinal herbs, and an abundance of unknown weeds.
"So this is West Hill… But nothing seems out of the ordinary," Hibiki noted, surveying the surroundings. Everything appeared completely normal.
"Same over here. Nothing strange," Ren added.
"I've got nothing either," said Ichiya, emerging from a bush covered in dirt and leaves.
"I did find signs of cultivation," Eve said calmly. "And I spotted footprints—someone's been through here frequently."
"I found something odd, too," Noel said. "Birds that fly into the area abruptly turn back. It could mean something."
But Noel hadn't dared to investigate alone. Just in case something dangerous lurked ahead, he'd returned to regroup.
"We've got two suspicious areas. I suggest we check the cultivated one first. It might give us some clues," Eve proposed rationally.
Everyone agreed without objection. Eve led the way, and the others followed closely behind.
Eve had already scouted the path, so he moved smoothly. The others, less familiar with the terrain, moved more cautiously and slowly.
There was a real sense of jungle exploration—at any moment, a snake could've slithered out of the underbrush.
Noel noticed overlapping footprints on the ground—clear evidence of frequent activity in this area.
But this wasn't the kind of place where people lived. Those who lived in the mountains usually built homes at the base—not halfway up.
"We're here," Eve announced.
Before them was a wide clearing, with scorched earth and blackened patches—evidence of a recent fire. Most likely the handiwork of the Magic Council.
Noel scooped up a handful of soil. The earth was rich and fertile—ideal for growing anything.
He dropped the clump and noticed something white glinting inside—a seed.
"I think I've found something." Noel bent down and picked up the small white seed.
The members of Blue Pegasus quickly gathered around.
"What did you find?" they asked, looking eagerly at Noel.
He tore a small piece of cloth from his clothing and wrapped the seed carefully inside.
"A seed? What's that good for?" Ichiya asked, puzzled.
"Could this be a seed of the Flower of the Underworld?" Noel speculated aloud.
The others exchanged uncertain looks. None of them had actually seen what the Flower of the Underworld's seed looked like, so they couldn't say for sure. Still, the seed might be worth studying later.
They continued exploring the area. The flower field was quite large, though it had clearly been burned down. It was hard to say if they'd missed anything.
While regrouping in the center of the field, a single white flower stood proudly amid the ashes—still in full bloom.
It looked nearly identical to the red sample flower from earlier.
"This flower growing here is kind of strange…" Ichiya muttered, reaching out to touch it.
"Don't touch it!" Noel smacked Ichiya's hand away.
Ichiya froze mid-movement, his hand inches from the bloom.
"It's just my theory, but this could also be a Flower of the Underworld… just a different color. Let's not take any risks," Noel explained quickly.
"Such a pure and beautiful flower… I was going to pin it to my chest!" Ichiya sighed in disappointment. He had planned to present it as a gift to Erza.
"I remember hearing a legend once," Eve suddenly said, recalling something.
"It goes that if a demon flower survives the flames of hell, it can transform into a sacred bloom—the legendary Angel's Flower. This might be it," he guessed.
"The Angel's Flower?" Noel was increasingly bewildered. Are heaven and hell just jokes in this world?
"Yes. I've also heard about the Angel's Flower's flower language—it means 'a letter from heaven,'" Eve continued.
"So someone's actually seen it before?" Noel asked skeptically.
"No. I only read about it in ancient texts back at the Council," Eve admitted.
"Then what should we do with this flower?" Ichiya asked the group, trying to coordinate their opinions.
"I think plucking it might be dangerous," Ren said. "But if we use magic, we could harvest it without touching it."
That actually seemed like a smart and safe idea, and Noel—being capable of that kind of magic—could handle it.
But Eve immediately shot down the plan.
"No. The moment it's detached from its stem, the flower might wither instantly. We don't know what kind of consequences that might have. Better not to risk it."
"Then maybe we should just burn it, like the Council did," Hibiki suggested.
"Wind Magic: Exchange—Fire."
Acting quickly, Noel summoned a flame in his palm. It danced like a sprite and landed on the flower.
But instead of burning… the fire weakened—slowly absorbed into the bloom.
"The flower is… absorbing the flame?" they exclaimed in shock.
Now completely at a loss, they weren't sure what to do. It couldn't be burned, and they didn't dare touch it.
"How about I use a sealing technique? That way, it can stay intact and growing, but won't fall into the wrong hands," Noel proposed reluctantly.
Given the circumstances, sealing it was their safest option.
"That sounds like a great plan. I'll leave it to you," Ichiya agreed.
"Alchemy: Seal."
A golden light radiated from Noel, encircling the Angel's Flower. Intricate magical runes swirled through the faint golden aura, forming a containment spell.
Once the flower was sealed, everyone finally felt at ease.
The group exchanged glances, and all eyes turned to Noel.
He understood it was time to take the lead.
"Stay close behind me. Don't wander off," Noel instructed.
Getting lost on a mountain like this could be dangerous—even for wizards.
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