"Buy?" Erza's eyes widened slightly, looking a bit surprised.
"Yeah," Shane rubbed his temple, which was still throbbing faintly, his tone casual. "We need a place to land. Having our own place feels a lot more secure than living out of an inn."
As he spoke, he pushed open the glass door of the real estate agency, the bell above it jingling crisply.
Ding-a-ling.
The shop wasn't large and the furnishings were simple.
A middle-aged man, who looked sharp and capable, was hunched over a desk writing something. Hearing the sound, he immediately looked up, piling a professional smile onto his face.
"Welcome! Are you two looking for a listing? I'm the manager here. Just let me know what you need."
Shane went straight to the point. "We want to buy a house. It doesn't have to be huge, but we want it quiet with a nice environment."
The manager's eyes lit up. He enthusiastically guided them to a wall equipped with a magic projection screen. As he operated it, he gave his pitch. Three-dimensional images of several residences floated in the air, accompanied by detailed explanations.
As the town where the Fairy Tail guild was located, Magnolia had a booming commercial sector, but the population turnover wasn't particularly high, so the real estate market seemed quite stable.
Listening to the price points the manager quoted, Shane did some mental math.
He realized he might have been a bit too optimistic before.
Although housing prices here weren't as exaggerated as the big cities in his previous life, for someone with only 1.9 million Jewels on hand, buying a place in decent condition was still stretching it.
Tsk... He muttered inwardly. I wonder if mortgage loans are a thing here?
Thinking was one thing, but he still asked, "Are there... any cheaper options?"
The smile on the manager's face stiffened for a second, then turned a bit awkward.
He rubbed his hands together, his eyes shifting. "Well, as for cheaper listings, it's not that there aren't any, it's just..."
Seeing him hem and haw, Shane frowned. "Just what? Just say it."
The manager sighed. "There is one. Three bedrooms with a yard, and the building itself is well-maintained. The price is extremely low. But... rumor has it that someone died in that house. It's got bad vibes. Plus, the location is remote, right near the edge of the East Forest, so it's been vacant. No one wants to take it off our hands."
"Someone died there?" Shane's tone was almost indifferent. "We're Mages. We deal with danger every single day. Why would we be afraid of that?"
Coming from the information age, his tolerance for "stigmatized properties" was already high.
Moreover, in a world where supernatural things like Magic were real, he really couldn't think of a reason to be scared.
Seeing him like this, the manager breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly pulled out a slightly dusty dossier from under the counter and spread it open.
Inside were the floor plan and a few slightly faded color magic images.
The house in the image actually looked quite nice. It was a two-story cottage made of wood and stone with a bit of a rustic style. The roof was tiled in dark shingles, and there was a front yard surrounded by a low fence. It looked spacious and tidy.
"Look, this house actually has great bones. The previous owner took good care of it... it's just..." The manager was still trying to explain away that little "flaw."
Shane looked at the picture, genuinely tempted.
This house was better than he expected. However, after estimating the price—even with the "haunted house" discount—the money in his hand was probably still not enough.
He straightened his expression, ready to have a serious discussion with the manager about "down payment plus financing."
At this moment, Erza, who had been standing quietly beside him, suddenly reached out and slid the bag of money she received yesterday smoothly into the center of the counter.
"Count me in."
Her tone was as natural as if she were saying, "Nice weather today."
Shane paused and turned to look at her. "Erza? This is my business. I don't need your money."
He really hadn't planned on dragging Erza into this. If he had that intention, there would have been no need to split the loot last night.
Erza tilted her head, her long scarlet hair sliding off her shoulder with the movement.
"We're going to live there together anyway, right? It's only right that I pay my share." She paused, then added, "Besides, I don't want to keep moving around."
Her words were simple, but they carried a certainty that said this was how it should be.
Shane looked at her calm profile and was speechless for a moment.
He realized Erza wasn't being polite; she genuinely viewed "living together" as a premise that didn't need discussion.
The manager watched from the side, beaming with joy. He quickly smoothed things over. "This young lady makes a good point! Co-ownership is great! Less financial pressure, right?"
The manager's professional ethics were indeed solid; he didn't show the slightest disdain because of their age from beginning to end.
In the end, with Erza's funds added, and after a round of simple haggling, the price was quickly settled at 3.74 million Jewels. The manager immediately and enthusiastically offered to take them to see the house.
---
The house was located on the eastern edge of town. The closer they got, the fewer pedestrians there were, and the environment became quieter.
Just as the images showed, the house was well-maintained. Pushing open the door, the interior space was spacious and the lighting was good. Although it had been vacant for a while and gathered some dust, it would be ready to move in after a little cleaning.
What satisfied Shane the most was the yard, and the view of the lush East Forest visible right from the fence.
"This is the one," Shane decided with almost no hesitation.
Although it was out of the city center, this quiet, undisturbed feeling was exactly what he wanted.
The follow-up procedures were incredibly smooth.
Shane guessed it was largely due to their status as Fairy Tail Mages.
The guild's reputation and credibility in Magnolia were evident. A process that might have taken days or longer was wrapped up in just half a day thanks to the manager's expedited processing and the "halo" of the guild emblem.
The manager solemnly placed a scroll of parchment—the deed—into Shane's hands and bowed deeply. "Congratulations to you both! From today on, this is your home!"
He straightened up, seemingly remembering something, and lowered his voice to warn them. "By the way, one more thing... deep in this forest lives an old lady with a... uh, eccentric temper. She doesn't like being disturbed. If you two go for walks, it's best to stay on the outskirts. Don't go deep in and push your luck."
After seeing off the enthusiastic manager, only Shane and Erza remained in the yard.
The afternoon sun poured down without reservation, plating the cottage and the distant forest with a warm golden rim.
First escaping prison, then joining the guild, and now owning a tangible place in this somewhat unfamiliar city that could be called "home."
A heavy sense of stability permeated between the two of them.
---
It was already past two in the afternoon.
"We haven't been to the guild today," Erza reminded him.
"True. We should go show our faces, then head back to the inn to get our luggage."
The two walked toward the Fairy Tail guild with relaxed moods. They reached the familiar double wooden doors but hadn't entered yet when they saw Levy coming out, holding a stack of thick books.
As soon as she looked up and saw Shane, her eyes widened behind her glasses. she hurriedly jogged over and lowered her voice. "Shane! Don't go in today!"
"What's wrong?" Shane was taken aback by her nervousness.
"The summons from the Magic Council arrived this morning!" Levy looked miserable. "The Master has been locked in his office all morning writing an apology letter! His face is scary dark! He put the word out that the moment he sees you, he's going to grab you for a 'good talk.' You better lay low for a bit!"
Just then, a roar that sounded somewhat exasperated came from inside the guild. "Is that the kid, Shane? Get him in here!"
Master Makarov's perception was terrifyingly sharp. Shane could almost imagine a giant hand bursting through the door in the next second.
He instantly plastered an awkward yet polite smile on his face, his feet sliding backward imperceptibly.
"Ah-haha... I suddenly remembered I have urgent business. Levy, gotta run!"