(26) Departure

Chapter 26: Departure

Looking at the mission request Mira handed over, Silver and Gray couldn't help but twitch their lips.

The mission Mira selected wasn't the kind of beast-elimination quest they had expected.

Instead, it was a task much better suited to Silver's magical abilities—an exploratory mission.

"Why did you pick this mission?" Silver carefully read through the request and asked with a puzzled expression.

Gray nodded vigorously, echoing Silver's inquiry.

"What? Is there a problem?" Mira raised an eyebrow.

"No, I was just curious," Silver quickly shook his head in explanation as soon as Mira's brow arched.

Mira explained, "Didn't I pick this mission for you? I chose it based on your magical strengths. Take a look and let me know if it's suitable. If there's an issue, I'll go find another one."

"Uh, no need. This one works fine," Silver shook his head in response.

"Great, then it's decided," Mira said with satisfaction, tucking the mission request away.

She then turned and headed toward the guild's counter, where the guild master, Makarov, was drinking.

Once Mira was out of earshot, Gray nudged Silver's arm lightly. "Hey, don't you think Mira's been acting a bit strange lately?"

"Yeah, you noticed too? Ever since Cana and I returned from the last mission, Mira feels… different somehow. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something about her has changed," Silver said with a troubled look, staring at Mira's back.

Hearing this, Gray shifted his gaze from Mira to Silver, studying his expression with surprise.

"What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?" Silver asked, uncomfortable under Gray's odd scrutiny.

"Nothing," Gray said, patting Silver on the arm with a smirk. "Good luck. If you succeed, one of the big obstacles looming over us might finally go away. I'm rooting for you."

Before Silver could react, Gray walked off, leaving him standing there, baffled. "What does he mean by that? What obstacle? What's he even talking about?"

As Silver stood there, confused, Mira, now near the counter, noticed him still rooted in place.

She furrowed her brows, then relaxed and called out, "Silver, what are you doing standing there? Hurry up!"

Mira's clear voice snapped Silver back to his senses. He quickly turned and jogged toward her, replying as he went, "Got it, coming now!"

When Silver caught up, the two approached the guild counter where Makarov was gulping down his drink.

"Hey, Mira, Silver. What's up?" Makarov greeted them with a drunken smile, looking up through half-lidded eyes.

"Seriously, old man? Are you sure it's fine to drink so much? Should I report this to—" Mira, hands on her hips and visibly displeased, began to chastise him.

Before she could finish, Makarov waved her off with a wide grin. "Relax, relax. My alcohol tolerance is way higher than this!" he declared, hopping up onto the counter and gesturing above his head to emphasize.

"Whatever. Don't say I didn't warn you when your body gives out," Mira muttered in annoyance, handing over the mission request.

"Let's see... An exploration mission for the forest ruins?" Makarov took the request, his expression turning serious as he read the details.

After a moment of consideration, he nodded. "Alright, I'll approve this mission. However, keep in mind that exploratory missions can be unpredictable. If you notice anything unusual, don't act recklessly. Don't hesitate to contact the guild for backup. Understood?"

"Excuse me? Are you implying I'm not strong enough to handle it?" Mira immediately crossed her arms at Makarov's cautious reminder.

"This isn't a matter of strength; it's a matter of experience," Makarov sighed, already feeling a headache coming on.

Among the guild's most promising members—Laxus, Erza, and Mira—Mira was the most headstrong.

If you gave her advice, she'd likely argue with you. If you didn't, she'd be prone to making mistakes.

Just as Mira was about to retort, Silver pulled her aside and assured Makarov, "Master, don't worry. I'll keep an eye on her. If something does go wrong, even if she doesn't agree, I'll contact the guild for backup."

"Hmm." Makarov looked at Silver, recalling his usually reliable nature, and finally nodded. "Remember, if you notice anything wrong, don't act recklessly."

With that, he waved them off, signaling they could proceed with the mission.

...

Leaving the guild, Silver and Mira returned to pack their belongings before heading to the train station.

The mission site was quite far from Magnolia and located deep within a forest.

This meant a long train ride followed by an extended hike to reach their destination.

Back in his room, Silver carefully considered all the items they might need and stored everything he thought of in his magical painting.

He placed the painting in his Spatial Gallery, then did one final check to ensure he hadn't missed anything before locking his door and heading to the agreed meeting point.

When he arrived, Mira was already waiting for him with her usual small suitcase for missions.

Seeing him approach empty-handed, she frowned and said, "Why did you come empty-handed? Our mission site is deep in the forest."

"Relax, I've got everything covered," Silver replied with a faint smile.

He reached into his Spatial Gallery and pulled out a painting containing various supplies. "Look, it's all in here."

"You're planning to use materialization magic?" Mira asked with a furrowed brow. "This mission relies on you as the main force. If you burn through too much magic, it'll make things much more difficult."

"No, you've misunderstood," Silver explained, understanding her concern. "Since becoming a B-Class Wizard, I've mastered storing items directly within paintings. I can retrieve them as needed without consuming significant magic. It's not the same as materialization."

"Really?" Mira scrutinized the painting Silver had brought out.

She quickly noticed it was indeed different from his usual materialization paintings.

There was something... more about it.