"Wooo… wooo… wooo…"
Amid the whistle, the announcement echoed through the carriage:
"Next stop: Port City—Hargeon Station. Passengers disembarking, please take your belongings with you. Thank you."
Arlen slowly opened his eyes. He had already heard several such announcements along the way. On the map he carried, Hargeon was clearly marked—a port city where fishing had flourished since ancient times, far more prominent than magic. According to rough statistics, less than ten percent of its population were mages. It mainly served as a transit point for traveling mages.
After a moment's thought, Arlen stood and got off the train.
Though he originally wanted to head straight to Fairy Tail, his stomach had begun to protest. Since Hargeon was famous for its fishing industry, the seafood must be excellent. And since he was already here, there was no reason to miss out.
After all, Duke As wasn't wrong—beneath Arlen's noble exterior lay the soul of a foodie.
Stepping out of Hargeon Station, Arlen immediately noticed the moisture in the air—it was far richer than in Crocus, likely due to its proximity to the sea.
"Grrr… grrr…"
His stomach let out a desperate growl. Arlen glanced down at it, then cautiously looked around. Seeing no one had noticed, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
He had planned to stroll around the city, but clearly, feeding himself came first.
Stopping a random passerby, he politely asked for directions to a restaurant. After thanking the man, he quickly headed toward the place indicated.
"'Fisherman's Hunt Restaurant'? What a strange name… well, whatever. Food comes first," Arlen muttered as he looked up at the signboard.
Pushing open the door, a crisp bell chimed, followed by a cheerful voice:
"Welcome! How many in your party?"
Looking at the waitress, Arlen replied expressionlessly, "One. I'll have some of your signature dishes."
"Of course, sir. Please follow me."
The waitress was clearly a bit smitten, but her professionalism held strong. She guided Arlen to a window seat, carefully poured him a glass of water, then walked toward the kitchen—glancing back at him more than once along the way.
While waiting for his food, Arlen casually observed the restaurant. It was quite spacious and bustling with diners. The walls were decorated with various marine specimens—unusual, but certainly distinctive.
Just as he was about to withdraw his gaze, a conversation from a nearby table caught his attention.
"Hey, did you hear? Deliora has appeared near Brago in the Northern Ice Plains," Mage A whispered to his companions.
"What? Deliora? The legendary immortal demon created by the Black Mage Zeref?" The others' expressions changed instantly, fear flashing across their faces.
"How do you know it's in the Northern Ice Plains?" Mage B asked skeptically.
"Hah, you didn't know? I just got back from a guild job up there. Of course I know. They say Deliora has already destroyed several cities—countless people are dead. I even went to see one of the ruined cities… it was horrific," Mage A sighed heavily.
"That's huge news. Didn't the Magic Council send anyone?" Mage C frowned.
"They did—but only enforcement troops. And you know how they are. They can handle small fries like us, but that's Deliora! An immortal demon! What are they supposed to do, throw themselves at it? In the end, all they could do was clean up the aftermath," Mage A said indignantly.
"Then I guess the Council will send the Ten Wizard Saints to suppress it," Mage D said, his face filled with admiration at the mention of them.
"I doubt it. By the time I left, Deliora had already disappeared. Probably retreated deeper into the ice plains. That place is enormous, filled with monsters and magical beasts. Even the Ten Wizard Saints would be searching for a needle in the ocean. And they're all busy—surely they can't just stay in Brago indefinitely if Deliora doesn't show itself. Sigh… I just feel sorry for those who lost their homes," Mage A said.
"Yeah… well, this isn't something B-Rank mages like us can get involved in. If the sky falls, the strong will hold it up. No point worrying about it," Mage B quickly changed the subject.
"Right, right. Let's eat," Mage C chimed in.
Arlen withdrew his gaze and looked out the window, murmuring softly:
"The Northern Ice Plains… Deliora, huh? Looks like my trip to Fairy Tail will have to wait."
He was very interested in the legendary Deliora.
He had read numerous documents and magical records his father obtained from the Magic Council—detailed records of the continent of Ishgar. Among them were clear descriptions of every demon created by Zeref, including Deliora.
A demon from the Books of Zeref—an immortal calamity that brought devastation wherever it went. It was said to possess overwhelming power, capable of destroying an entire city in less than a day.
Even Arlen couldn't help but marvel at Zeref's terrifying ability—creating something like an immortal demon. The infamous Black Mage truly lived up to his reputation.
Just as Arlen's thoughts spiraled, the aroma of food interrupted him. Setting aside his musings for now, he began enjoying his meal.
"Mm… that guy wasn't lying. This place really is good," Arlen thought.
His movements were swift yet elegant, and he quickly finished everything before him.
After paying the bill, Arlen left the restaurant and visited several shops, purchasing food supplies and storing them in his Requip space. Since he had decided to change his plans and head to the Northern Ice Plains, proper preparation was necessary.
Back on the train, Arlen found a window seat. This time, the carriage was much emptier—at least half the seats were vacant.
It made sense. The Northern Ice Plains were extremely cold. Unless one was a mage on a mission, a resident of the region, or visiting acquaintances, ordinary people rarely traveled that far.
"Wooo… wooo… wooo…"
As the whistle sounded, the train slowly began to move. Watching Hargeon fade into the distance, Arlen withdrew his gaze and took out a map, spreading it across the table.
"Sigh… I originally planned to explore Hargeon a bit before heading straight to Magnolia. Guess that's not happening now," he muttered.
His destination now was the Northern Ice Plains—and Deliora.
He wanted to witness the strength of this legendary immortal demon firsthand. After all, challenging the strong was an essential part of his path of growth.
And if possible… he wouldn't mind slaying this demon that slaughtered indiscriminately.
Though he knew well—
It would be far from easy.