Moen couldn't help but chuckle. One was a "dragon's daughter" searching for her mother, and the other was a "rich young master" who couldn't make friends. To find them both wandering together in such a dangerous forest really was a strange combination.
"Moen. Moen Dreyar, a mage of Fairy Tail."
After answering Jellal's question, Moen slung his pack over his shoulders and turned to leave. He still had his own matters to attend to and didn't have the time to babysit these two children.
"Mm… Fairy Tail? What's that?"
Once Moen was gone, Wendy slowly woke up.
She had faintly heard Moen's words while half-asleep, and now, blinking at the figure vanishing into the trees, she turned to Jellal and asked.
"Fairy Tail is a guild."
Jellal replied slowly, his expression complicated.
"A guild? What's that?"
Wendy rubbed her eyes, confusion written all over her face.
"A guild… is a place where companions gather."
Adjusting his tone, Jellal explained gently.
"Then, Jellal, I want to join a guild too. Is that possible? If I do… then I won't have to be all alone anymore, right?"
Hearing his words, Wendy's eyes lit up at once. There was hope shining inside them, her face full of anticipation.
"Mm. I'll take you to find a guild."
Wendy's adorableness drew a faint smile onto Jellal's face. He agreed, promising to help her find one.
It was just as well. What he needed to do was too dangerous to bring Wendy along. If he could find her a suitable guild, that would be for the best.
At that thought, the first name that surfaced in Jellal's mind was Fairy Tail. Unfortunately, he hadn't pressed Moen further when he had the chance.
Elsewhere, after parting ways with Wendy and Jellal, Moen still found himself thinking about them from time to time. Especially Wendy. He couldn't shake the feeling that she and Natsu were somehow connected.
True, Wendy had said she didn't know Natsu. Her mother was a Sky Dragon, and Natsu's father was a Fire Dragon — on the surface, they were completely unrelated. But both had gone missing around the same time, and both dragon children had been left behind at nearly the same moment. That wasn't a coincidence.
"So… there really are dragons alive in this era."
By now, Moen had no choice but to believe it. It wasn't as if two kids like Natsu and Wendy could come up with such an elaborate lie together.
The Dragon Slayer Lacrima — forged from a dragon's heart — only proved that dragons had once existed in this world. But the very existence of children like Natsu and Wendy, raised directly by dragons, was proof that dragons still lived even now.
Strangely enough, these dragons seemed to have a peculiar habit: adopting human children.
Moen couldn't figure it out. Maybe he really should have brought Wendy back to the guild.
Unfortunately, when he had been with them, his attention had been too focused on Jellal's staff. He hadn't thought about it at the time and ended up forgetting about Wendy, who had been sleeping soundly.
Crack!
Moen tore off another Magic Horn and tossed it into his pack. He counted them — eighteen in total. He was close to his mission goal now. Once he hit the quota, he could decide whether to continue deeper or head back.
As for chasing down Jellal and Wendy… with the map he'd given them, they were surely far ahead by now. They might even have already left the Vast Forest. Tracking them down again wouldn't be easy.
[Ding! Mission Triggered!]
[Mission Name: "A Guild Is Where Companions Gather!"]
Mission Content:
Wendy and Mystogan are both comrades of the guild, yet they are currently separated. Go and invite them back! Bring your companions together again — in Fairy Tail, not a single one can be missing!
Mission Progress:
– Invite Mystogan to rejoin (Incomplete)
– Invite Wendy Marvell to join (Incomplete)
Mission Rewards:
– Invite one person: Receive a random Bronze Cloth.
– Invite both: Receive the Cloth Repair Manual.
Just as Moen was regretting not inviting Wendy to join Fairy Tail, the [Saint Seiya System] conveniently chimed in.
Seriously? Bro! When we first met you didn't trigger the quest, and only after I've already parted ways with them do you finally show up? You're lagging this badly? Switch to a different service provider, I beg you!
Rolling his eyes so hard they nearly flipped over, Moen grumbled inwardly. Still, his legs were far more honest than his words.
Moen immediately turned around and sprinted back the way he came. Jellal and Wendy had been following the route he drew. Wendy was just a child, her pace wouldn't be fast — he still had a chance of catching up!
Strapped with his pack, Moen charged through the forest while mulling over the system's nonsensical chatter. This mission carried a lot of hidden information.
First was the unfamiliar name: Mystogan. Paired with Wendy, it clearly referred to Jellal.
Why that name? Could it be his true name, hidden away?
Moen speculated. It wasn't impossible. Traveling alone, taking on an alias was only natural.
Then came the confusing part: both Mystogan and Wendy were described as guild companions.
Could it mean they'll join Fairy Tail in the future?
That seemed the only explanation. Judging from their ages, if they had already been members before, Moen should have met them by now.
Of course, there's always the chance the system's just spouting nonsense.
He stopped dwelling on the quest details, because the rewards drew his full attention. This mission actually came with two different rewards!
And both were incredible. A Bronze Cloth was no ordinary gift, and the Cloth Repair Manual was even better!
Yes, Cloths stored in their Boxes could self-repair, but except for a select few, this self-repair only handled minor scratches and dents.
If a Cloth suffered serious damage, specialized repair techniques were required. In the world of Saint Seiya, that knowledge had nearly vanished after the destruction of Mu's continent!
Here in Earthland, if his Cloth were ever badly damaged, Moen truly had nowhere to turn for help. But with this manual, he could repair it himself.
As for the materials needed, things like Stardust Sand — Moen actually already had some stored up, rewards from the oddball side-missions the [Saint Seiya System] had previously issued. At last, they might come in handy.
Filled with excitement, Moen barreled forward like a wild boar. Yet even after charging all the way out of the Vast Forest, he still hadn't caught sight of Jellal and Wendy.
"Looks like I really wasted too much time after all."
Standing at the forest's edge, Moen let out a helpless sigh. Along the way, he had run into two more Magic Horn Lizards. Out of professional duty, he had slain them and collected their horns, completing his commission. It had slowed him down slightly — though not by much. He couldn't blame it entirely on that.
Faced with this, Moen refused to give up immediately. He decided to search further into the outer regions. Perhaps he'd still run into them. He didn't believe Jellal and Wendy's pace could possibly be that fast!
[For additional chapters Patreon. Com/ALLISWELL123]
100 Power Stone = 1 Bonus Chapter
5 Reviews = 1 Bonus Chapter