The guild hall had finally settled down after the earlier chaos. Leon leaned against one of the wooden pillars near the job board, watching as members chatted, argued, and planned their next big missions.
His gaze drifted to the massive board plastered with fliers—jobs ranging from monster hunting to helping old ladies carry groceries. Some were clearly out of his league, but others? Manageable.
"Alright," he muttered to himself. "Time to make some jewels."
The gnawing emptiness in his gut was practically shouting at him. His pouch was as flat as his hopes for a free meal.
He scanned the board until a small paper caught his eye:
Urgent: Help Needed in Magnolia Park!
Small monster causing a disturbance in the area. Not dangerous, but annoying.
Reward: 3,000 jewels.
Contact: Tessa, Park Ranger.
"3,000 jewels?" Leon muttered to himself. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get him something to eat—and stay a night at the inn. More importantly, it was close to home, and he wouldn't have to go far.
Leon plucked the paper off the board just as Mirajane walked by, carrying a tray of mugs.
"First job?" she asked with a warm smile.
He held up the flyer. "Figured I might as well get started. I'm not exactly swimming in jewels."
Mirajane chuckled. "You and half the guild. Good pick though. Just be careful. It's not always as easy as it looks."
With a quick wave, Leon left the guild and made his way toward the park. It was a short walk—thankfully.
By the time he reached Magnolia Park, the place was quiet—too quiet. The park itself was beautiful, with paths lined with flowers, benches tucked beneath the trees, and small ponds scattered throughout.
"Guess I'm supposed to meet Tessa here..." Leon muttered to himself as he looked around.
Suddenly, a woman in a green ranger's outfit emerged from behind a large oak tree. Her brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she had a no-nonsense look about her.
"Are you Leon?" she asked, looking him over.
"Yeah, that's me. Tessa, right?" He gave her a quick nod.
She didn't answer right away, instead looking past him toward the small patch of bushes at the far edge of the park. "There," she said. "That's where the little pest's been causing trouble. Keep your eyes peeled. It might look like nothing, but it's fast. It's been stealing food from the vendors and scaring people away."
Leon couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "A thief monster? Is it... cute?" He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or annoyed.
Tessa chuckled. "You'll see for yourself. Just watch out for its teeth."
He didn't like the sound of that, but he was already here, and he needed the jewels. "Alright, let's get this over with."
They walked toward the area she'd pointed out, and soon enough, Leon saw it. The creature wasn't particularly big—barely the size of a small dog—but its sharp, glowing eyes and pointed teeth made it look far more dangerous than it had any right to. It was a little green, scaly thing with long claws, and it was rummaging through a pile of unattended picnic baskets like it owned the place.
Before Leon could even react, the thing locked eyes with him, bared its teeth, and let out a screeching hiss.
Leon was about to chase it when the shadow of something huge moved overhead. Without thinking, he summoned his shadow creatures—Wooly and the Vulcan-like shadow—who appeared in a swirl of darkness, standing tall and intimidating between him and the little creature.
"Get it!" Leon commanded, his voice unwavering.
Both creatures lunged forward, chasing the small, speedy monster across the park with frightening speed. The creature tried to dodge, but Wooly was too fast, and with one mighty stomp, it trapped the thing underfoot, holding it down effortlessly.
Tessa's eyes widened. "What the—?"
Leon grinned. "Easy."
The creature stopped squirming, realizing it was trapped. Leon walked up to it, crouched down, and held out his hand.
"I'm not here to hurt you. Just want you to stop stealing food, alright?" he said calmly.
The creature's hissing stopped. It seemed to understand that it was beaten. With a sigh, Leon gently picked it up and placed it into a small cage Tessa handed him.
"Job's done," Leon said with a satisfied nod.
Tessa stared at him for a moment, then shook her head. "You really are something else, huh? Well, here's your payment. 3,000 jewels." She handed him a small pouch.
Leon took the pouch, opened it, and grinned. The weight of the jewels felt good in his hands. "Thanks, Tessa. I'll be sure to come by if there's another job like this."
Leon returned to the guild with the small pouch of jewels securely tucked away in his pocket. His stomach was still growling, but the weight of the pouch was a comfort.
As he pushed open the guild doors and stepped inside, the familiar ruckus of Fairy Tail hit him once again.
Erza spotted him almost immediately from her seat at one of the tables. She waved him over, and with a nod, Leon made his way to where she and Mirajane were sitting.
"Hey, you finished your job already?" Erza asked, raising an eyebrow, though there was a hint of approval in her tone.
"Yep. All wrapped up," Leon replied, tossing the pouch of jewels onto the table. "Caught the little guy causing all the trouble. Nothing too difficult."
Mirajane looked at the pouch and gave him a gentle smile. "Well done! You look a lot less... hungry than when you left. That's a good sign."
Leon chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, that was the first thing on my mind. But the job wasn't too bad either."
Erza leaned forward, her gaze curious. "What did you have to deal with?"
"A little green scaly thing," Leon explained, taking a seat next to them. "Nothing too big, but fast. It had been stealing food from vendors around the park. Took a bit to catch it, but nothing my magic couldn't handle."
Mirajane raised an eyebrow at the mention of shadow magic, but she didn't comment. Instead, she gave a nod of approval. "I'm sure the people of Magnolia will be glad it's gone. You'll fit in just fine here if you keep that up."
"Thanks," Leon replied, feeling a small sense of pride. It wasn't much, but it was a start.
Erza turned her head, giving him a knowing look. "How are you settling in here? Everything good?"
Leon nodded, though there was a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. "Yeah, just getting used to everything. Still feels a little... surreal, but I'm starting to adjust."
Mirajane grinned. "Fairy Tail's got that effect. It's hard to get used to the madness at first, but once you're in, you're part of the family."
Leon chuckled. "I guess I'm getting there."
"Don't forget," Erza added with a smile, "it's not just about being strong, but about sticking together. This guild is built on loyalty, even if things get a bit out of hand."
"I can tell," Leon said, his lips curling into a faint smile. "You guys sure know how to keep things interesting."
"Well, I'm off for the night," Leon said after a while, standing up from his seat. "I need to crash. It's been a long day."
Erza stood up with him, giving him a small nod. "Good job today. Don't forget, you've still got a lot to learn."
Mirajane, still sitting at the table, gave him a soft smile. "Sleep well, Leon. Tomorrow's another day. You're part of Fairy Tail now—take care of yourself."
"Thanks," Leon replied, giving them both a quick wave as he headed toward the door.
After a brief exchange, Leon excused himself, waving to the two women. The day had been long, and as much as he liked the people he met here, he needed some rest.
As Leon made his way back to the inn, the satisfaction of completing his first official job with the guild settled in.
A gnawing thought tugged at the back of his mind.
This won't do, he thought. Staying at an inn every night is not a long-term solution.
As much as he appreciated the food and shelter he'd gotten, Leon knew this kind of living was unsustainable. What happens when the job runs dry? Or when his luck runs out?
With a deep breath, he resolved to figure it out. Maybe he could pick up more jobs, get stronger, and see what opportunities came his way.
He would make his own path in this world.