Oak town was a city steeped in history.
Massive, ancient walls encircled the settlement, remnants of a bygone era that gave the place a stoic, fortress-like atmosphere.
However, beneath this historical veneer lay a tension that only a Mage of Fairy Tail would notice.
At the very center of the city stood the imposing branch of the Phantom Lord guild.
Raizel stood at the city gates, looking up at the spires in the distance.
He frowned while scratching the back of his head.
"Speaking of which, aren't we stepping on Phantom Lord's toes by coming here?" Raizel muttered.
"This is practically their backyard. It's a bit provocative, isn't it? Instead of commissioning the nearby Phantom Lord, the client came all the way to Magnolia to hire Fairy Tail."
He sighed. "Should we say Fairy Tail's influence is growing, or that Phantom Lord is just losing their touch?"
Ultear and Erza, standing on either side of him, shook their heads.
They didn't care much for guild politics.
"We'll know the reason once we meet the client," Ultear said pragmatically. "Besides, money is money."
"Let's go in," Erza added, adjusting her armor. "If Phantom Lord has a problem with us, they can take it up with me."
This mission was specifically assigned to Raizel, with a reward categorized at the S-Class level.
However, Makarov had insisted the work itself wasn't difficult, merely sensitive, which was why Raizel felt comfortable bringing Ultear and Erza along for the ride.
...
The client was none other than Duke Grant, one of the wealthiest nobles in the region. His estate was a sprawling masterpiece of architecture, easily rivaling the Heartfilia Manor in scale and opulence.
However, their entrance was less than dignified.
"This way, please. Quickly, quickly!"
They were led through the servant's corridors and hidden garden paths by an elderly butler who was dodging and hiding behind bushes as if they were thieves breaking in, rather than invited guests.
"Is all this sneaking around necessary?" Raizel whispered as they ducked under a trellis.
" The Master wishes for your arrival to be a surprise," the butler hissed back.
Finally, they were ushered into a lavish reception room where Duke Grant was waiting.
He was a fat man with a kind face, currently wringing his hands in anxiety.
"Welcome, Mages of Fairy Tail! Thank you for coming!"
"Duke Grant," Raizel bowed slightly. "We received your request. About the mission details..."
"Yes, yes," the Duke nodded. "Tomorrow is my son Kevin's birthday. My request is simple: I want you to spend the day playing with him."
There was a moment of silence.
"What?" Raizel blinked, his jaw dropping slightly.
"The work is just... playing with your child for a day? And you're paying 5 million Jewels for that?"
Raizel was shocked.
5 million was the payout for hunting a Wyvern or dismantling a dark guild.
No wonder the Master had worn such a sly smile when he handed over the request sheet!
"Yes, here is the payment," Duke Grant pushed a check across the mahogany table. "Please accept it in advance."
"I... well, I won't say no," Raizel took the check, still bewildered. "But why me specifically?"
The Duke smiled sheepishly. "To be honest, last time I took my son on a trip near Magnolia, Kevin saw you from a distance. You were in the middle of a job, using your Take Over magic to fight a monster. After that... well, he became obsessed."
The Duke gestured to a shelf in the corner. It was filled with magazines.
"He constantly collects all kinds of your merchandise and weekly magazines. He's your biggest fan."
Raizel picked up a copy of Weekly Sorcerer.
There, on the cover, was a blurry but undeniable photo of him in his Jesmon form while creating a shockwave.
"I didn't know I had merchandise," Raizel muttered.
"The paparazzi are very skilled," the Duke laughed. "They set up cannon-like cameras from miles away. Your armor designs are very popular among children—they think it's the coolest thing in the world. Unlike traditional robe-wearing mages, you look like a hero from a storybook."
"So I have such an enthusiastic fan?" Raizel scratched his cheek, feeling a bit embarrassed.
He usually hurried back to Magnolia after missions to train, completely oblivious to his rising celebrity status.
"You're being modest," the Duke said warmly. "Tomorrow, I want to give him the best birthday gift possible: a day with his hero. But please, be careful when you leave. Don't let Kevin find out you've come today. It must be a surprise for tomorrow morning."
"Please leave it to me!" Raizel promised, pocketing the check. "My two companions here also have very interesting magic. We'll make sure he has a day to remember."
...
The three mages were carefully escorted out of the mansion by the stealthy butler, breathing a collective sigh of relief once they were back on the public streets.
"Somehow, it feels like we're doing something sneaky," Ultear sighed.
"Agreed," Erza nodded. "But 5 million Jewels... the Duke is generous."
Raizel suddenly stopped. "Wait. We forgot something. A birthday needs a cake!."
He turned back to the gate, but the butler was already there, anticipating the question.
"Mr. Butler," Raizel whispered. "What flavor does Kevin like?"
"Lord Kevin prefers strawberry cake above all else," the butler whispered back before vanishing behind the wall.
"Strawberry cake," Raizel turned to the girls. "Shall we go buy ingredients?"
"Do you even know how to bake one?" Ultear asked skeptically.
She had seen Raizel grill fish and roast chicken, but baking was a different science entirely.
"No, not at all," Raizel shrugged. "But how hard can it be? I'll ask someone for guidance. We have two options: buy one, or make one ourselves. If the homemade one fails, we buy one as a backup. But since we took so much money, we should put in some genuine effort."
"That's true," Ultear conceded.
"I want to learn how to make strawberry cake too!" Erza raised her hand enthusiastically.
Her eyes sparkled at the mere mention of the dessert!
...
Two Hours Later.
The kitchen of the hotel suite looked like a war zone.
Flour coated every surface, eggshells crunched underfoot, and a suspiciously black smoke wafted from the oven.
"It's completely impossible, Ultear..."
Erza staggered over to where Ultear was sitting safely out of the blast zone.
Her arms drooped weakly, her face smeared with batter.
Despite her legendary coordination with swords, Erza had absolutely zero talent for baking. She had tried to whisk the eggs with such intensity that the bowl shattered.
"I tried to tell you," Ultear sighed, shaking her head. "All your talent is focused on fighting and eating."
Raizel, on the other hand, was faring slightly better.
He had basic cooking skills and, by strictly following the recipe book and asking the hotel chef for advice, he managed to produce something.
"Time was too tight, so it didn't turn out very pretty," Raizel admitted, pulling a tray out of the oven.
He had made two attempts.
The first was a dense charred brick that Erza and Ultear had already disposed of (by eating it).
This second one... was technically a cake.
It was lopsided, the frosting was uneven, and the strawberries were sinking into the batter, but it smelled right.
"It's just average," Erza commented, resting her chin on her flour-dusted hands as she stared at the creation.
As a connoisseur of strawberry cakes, her standards were sky-high.
"I don't want to hear that from you," Raizel shot her a flat look. "You failed at cracking the eggs. You tried to use Requip to summon a spatula and summoned a spear instead."
"The appearance isn't great, but the taste is actually okay," Ultear chimed in, stealing a bit of frosting from the mixing bowl.
"It's edible. Just write 'Happy Birthday, Kevin' on it. It's the thought that counts."
"Right," Raizel nodded, wiping sweat from his forehead. "We'll store this one and the backup store-bought cake in the hotel's cold storage."
After cleaning up the disaster in the kitchen, the trio headed out to explore Oak Town's night market. It was their first time in the northeastern city, and the atmosphere was different from Magnolia—more rustic, with savory scents of roasted meats and spices filling the air.
They found a table at an open-air food court and ordered coffee to wash down the day's stress.
"Do you think we should buy a gift?" Raizel asked, taking a sip of the bitter brew. "Just showing up seems a bit arrogant."
"He's your fan," Ultear tapped the table thoughtfully. "So if we're buying a gift, it should be related to you, right? Like one of those figures the Duke mentioned."
Raizel froze. "You want me to walk into a store, buy an action figure of myself, and give it to a kid?"
"Why does the idea of buying a gift for myself give me the creeps?" Erza shuddered, imagining buying a doll of herself in armor.
"Same here," Raizel agreed, rubbing his arms. "It feels narcissistic."
"Maybe it's better not to buy it then," Ultear laughed at their synchronized reaction. "Anyway, if he's truly your devoted fan, just seeing the real thing should be enough to make him happy, right? I've seen how fans act when they meet their idols. They usually just scream and faint."
"That's true," Raizel mused. "But I really didn't expect to be popular with children. I thought I was too scary."
"Those armors of yours are indeed beautiful," Erza said dreamily. "It's not strange that children like them. I like them too. Though I can't find any exactly the same in the shops."
"That's because mine are Take Over souls, not equipment," Raizel reminded her.
"It's because you rarely do missions," Ultear teased him while poking his arm. "If you actually went out more often instead of hiding in the forest, you'd be even more famous. You might even have a fan club by now."
"I do missions!" Raizel protested.
"Only when we drag you," Erza pointed out.
"Haha," Raizel laughed nervously. "As long as I have enough money to get by, I'm happy. Fame is a hassle. Just look at this mission—I have to be a birthday present."
They finished their coffee as the market lights twinkled around them, enjoying the calm before the storm of a five-million-jewel playdate.