The missing persons returned to the town the following afternoon.
The leaders of the three caravans stood at the inn's entrance, counting the number of people three times before finally confirming that no one was missing. Apart from the weakness caused by the prolonged draining of their magic power, none of them suffered any serious injuries.
The Northern Chamber of Commerce had already prepared to pay the compensation, but now even the list piled on the table has become superfluous.
"The goods are still in the canyon," the chamber of commerce representative said. "We'll organize a team to bring them back once they've recovered."
"The crystals in the rock wall have lost their magic," Lin Yuan said. "The dummies will no longer appear."
"It's best if we go in together," Mira added. "Several sections of the underground passage have lost their crystal vein support and may collapse later. The surface trade route is fine for now, but all the side paths need to be re-inspected."
The person in charge nodded repeatedly and signed the completion certificate on the back of the task sheet.
That evening, the two boarded a train back to Magnolia.
Mira slept against the car window the whole way. Lin Yuan sat opposite her, organizing the mission records, writing down the missing person's location, the crystal's ability, and the underground entrances that needed to be sealed. By the time he put down his pen, the familiar river and town rooftops had already appeared outside the window.
The two pushed open the guild door, only to find Natsu and Gray locked in a fierce fight over a quest.
A table flew in sideways.
Lin Yuan sidestepped, and Mira caught the edge of the table and casually placed it back on the ground.
We're back.
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Lisanna was the first to run over. "Sister, Brother Lin Yuan, did the mission go smoothly?"
"The missing people have all been rescued." Mira handed the mission sheet to Makarov.
After reviewing the record, the old man stamped the mission details. Having heard that the canyon could create clones of intruders, Natsu immediately abandoned his attempt to compete with Gray for the mission and squeezed in front of Lin Yuan.
Are there any moving crystals inside?
"No."
Where are the fragments?
"No."
Natsu looked regretful. "If I had brought one back, I could have dueled with myself every day!"
Gray chimed in, "It might learn how to dine and dash first."
When have I ever dined and dashed?
The day before yesterday.
"That's because I forgot to bring money!"
The two bumped into each other again. Makarov looked at the mission log that had just been stamped, then at the second table that had been overturned, and finally decided to protect his wine glass first.
The celebration after the mission was completed did not turn into another banquet. As dusk fell, Lisanna stopped Lin Yuan, who was preparing to return to his dormitory in the backyard.
"Brother Lin Yuan, come to our house for dinner tonight. My sister bought a lot of groceries before she left this morning, intending to cook them after the mission was over."
Lin Yuan looked at Mira.
"Why are you looking at me?" Mira had already picked up her coat. "It's just making one more serving."
The Strauss family's house was on the other side of town, about a twenty-minute walk from the guild. The exterior wasn't new, but the area in front of the door was very clean, and there were two potted plants that Lisanna had grown on the windowsill.
A group photo of the three siblings hangs on the wall, the cabinet is stuffed with training protective gear that Elfman bought in the wrong size, and there is an unrepaired crack in the corner of the dining table.
"I'll fix it today." Elfman pulled out his tools. "A real man makes sure the broken table stands up again!"
"You said the same thing last week," Lisanna exposed him.
Mira rolled up her sleeves and went into the kitchen.
The sound of chopping vegetables soon came from inside. She put the stewed meat into the pot and sprinkled the spices she had brought back from the north into the soup. Lisanna was in charge of setting the table, Elfman was halfway through repairing the table, was called by Mira to bring another chair.
Lin Yuan stood in the center of the living room, momentarily at a loss for what to do.
"Just sit down," Mira poked her head out from the kitchen. "Don't let Elfman nail the table legs through."
"Sister, I heard you!"
The last table leg was still slightly crooked.
When dinner was served, the stew had already absorbed all the broth, and the bread had been toasted slightly crisp by the stove. Lisanna started talking about what had happened in the guild over the past two years, while Elfman tried to explain that the table was tilted because of a problem with the floor, for which Mira tapped him twice with a spoon.
It wasn't as noisy as the guild hall, and no one suddenly attacked from another table.
Everyone knows where their things are, who sits on which side, and who is responsible for buying salt when the kitchen runs out.
It wasn't until he left that Lin Yuan realized he hadn't really looked at a place like this in a long time.
His room is still in the old dormitory in the guild's backyard. The bed, wardrobe, and desk are all there, and you can move in as soon as you open the door. But it's more like a place to rest than a house where dinner would still be left on the table if someone came back late.
The streetlights in Magnolia come on at night.
Lin Yuan didn't go straight back to the guild, but instead walked slowly along another street. When he passed a real estate agency that was already closed, he stopped in front of the window.
There were several house plans posted inside.
There are two-story buildings overlooking the river, as well as old houses with courtyards. The cheapest one is not far from the guild, with a courtyard large enough for sword practice, and several empty rooms inside.
Lin Yuan stood in front of the shop window for a long time.
He had lived in Fairy Tail for many years, but never thought of buying a house that truly belonged to him in Magnolia.
It seems like it's time to have a home.