Back in her room after dinner, Layla had fully recovered her physical strength. However, feeling the scant amount of magic power remaining within her body, she decided to simply sit quietly and meditate in her room.
Meanwhile, in Mavis's room, Mavis was wondering whether to invite little Layla out for a stroll. But figuring that Layla was probably still recovering her magic power, she decided to wait a little while longer before going.
Afterward, Mavis went out to find the innkeeper and asked about various things regarding Hargeon. Returning to her room, Mavis took out a map of Hargeon and began marking key locations on it: the train station, the port. Most importantly, she heavily circled the locations of the magic shop and the seafood barbecue street.
"Alright, time to go ask Layla to play!" Having finished her planning, Mavis checked the time and got ready to go find Layla.
Layla, who was in the middle of meditation, was interrupted by a knock on the door. She walked over, opened it, and saw Mavis standing in the doorway.
"Layla, do you want to go out and play?" Mavis wanted to go look around to see what had changed in Hargeon nowadays, and she also wanted to check out what new items might be in the magic shop.
"Sure, let me get my things together." Layla turned to grab her backpack, which contained a few items—mostly because she had a feeling Mavis would end up buying a lot of things and she was worried she wouldn't be able to carry them all. What worried Layla most of all, though, was whether even her backpack wouldn't be enough to hold everything in the end.
Since Layla and August had taken the train from the west to Magnolia, and Hargeon was located south of Magnolia, Layla had never been to this city before. Naturally, she also wanted to look around this place—the very place where their story had begun when they first met.Hargeon nestles at the foot of a mountain, backed by lush green forests and facing the deep blue sea. The town's primary industry is fishing, and the port is a vital part of the community, serving as a place for fishing boats to dock and cargo to be loaded and unloaded.
The town's streets are clean and tidy, carrying a strong scent of the ocean. Restaurants and snack stalls built along the streets offer a wide variety of seafood delicacies, attracting tourists and food lovers from all over. In the center of the town lies a bustling fish market, the main distribution hub for seafood trade, where people can buy fresh fish, shrimp, crabs, and other marine products.
Most importantly, fishing matters far more here than magic, which is why there is only one magic shop in town. Layla and Mavis came to this very shop.
The owner's hairstyle was quite peculiar; with just one glance, Layla was reminded of future events. She couldn't help a small smile. To think he already had this hairstyle at such an early stage—it must be hereditary. He had a receding hairline and wore a hat adorned with a star pattern.
"Well, hello there, young lady. Are you bringing your little brother here to buy something?" the shopkeeper asked, looking at Mavis and the seven- or eight-year-old boy, who was Layla.
"Ah, yes. I brought my little brother to have a look around," Mavis replied with a smile, then glanced back at Layla and gently patted Layla's head, her smile full of innocence. Layla helplessly pulled Mavis's hand down from the top of her head.
"Shopkeeper, go ahead and tend to your business, we'll just look around on our own first," Mavis said to the owner as other traveling Mages entered the shop, before she and Layla began wandering around the store.Just inside the magic shop, a bookshelf stood right by the entrance, stocked with various Sorcerer magazines alongside publications from other press agencies. On the opposite side stood a display rack: the top shelf held magic books, the second held Lacrima, and the remaining shelves were filled with magic potions. Hanging on the wall to the right of the entrance were several daggers, swords, and a guandao, accompanied by a suit of armor with a placard detailing its specifications. In the center of the shop sat several display cases containing Celestial Spirit keys and magical accessories such as rings and necklaces. Hanging from the ceiling were magic brooms, a magical kettle, and an assortment of other eccentric curiosities.
Although the shop was rather small, it truly lived up to its reputation as the only magic shop in the city, boasting a remarkably wide array of goods. What impressed Layla the most was a shelf to one side displaying over-ear headphones. Looking closely at the accompanying description, she learned they were called "Sound Pods"—magical music items into which a music-storing Lacrima could be inserted for playback.
"So this is a Sound Pod. The design is so modern; it looks just like the one Laxus wears." Layla held the Sound Pod in her hand, then put it on. A classical melody drifted from the device, its tone graceful and melodious. Layla found it quite fascinating and thought she might buy one for Laxus as a gift later.
Seeing Layla pause in front of the Sound Pods, Mavis walked over and asked, "Do you like this very much?" Hearing Mavis's voice, Layla replied, "It's all right, I just think this Sound Pod is rather interesting."
"If you want it, I'll buy you one."
"Really, First Master?"
"Of course. When an older sister takes her younger brother out for the day, how could she possibly make him pay?" For some reason, Mavis always had the urge to pat Layla on the head, and her hand involuntarily moved toward Layla's hair.
"That's wonderful, thank you, Big Sis!" This time, Layla naturally offered no resistance.
Afterward, Mavis and Layla made a few purchases and returned to the inn. Since they had accumulated quite a few items—and Layla hadn't wanted much aside from the Sound Pod—Mavis had bought a multitude of books instead, which Layla felt was a slight miscalculation. Layla managed to slide some books into his backpack while still holding a stack in his arms. He remembered that the First Master had loved reading since childhood; back on Tenrou Island, she had read far more books than the average person, practically acting as a walking library. Naturally, the very first important task upon coming out for such a long time was to buy more books to read.
Fortunately, Mavis subsequently went to a store and bought a suitcase, finally freeing Layla's hands. Thus, they returned to the inn and deposited all the books in Mavis's room. Realizing it was getting late, Mavis and Layla headed to the seafood barbecue street for dinner. Living up to the city's reputation as a thriving fishing port, the seafood barbecue here was truly sublime.
Whether influenced by this body or perhaps by the anime itself, Layla's appetite was astonishing. He ordered a bowl of shrimp noodles, grilled scallops, grilled lobster, grilled crab legs, grilled fish, and some fruit. Mavis ate much less, ordering a small portion of noodles, a serving of crab egg custard, and two desserts. Compared to Mavis, Layla's table manners left much to be desired, though thankfully not to the point of sending food flying everywhere.
After a thoroughly satisfying meal, they strolled along the street, taking in the cool and tranquil evening air. The harbor at night was exceptionally quiet. Moonlight gently spilled over the calm sea surface, reflecting countless starlight twinkles upon the rippling water as a ship slowly glided past, stirring up concentric waves.
Leaning against the railing, the young girl quietly gazed out at the sea. The moonlight cast a glow behind her, and her golden hair was gently stirred by the sea breeze. At that moment, a profound sense of tranquility spread like ripples from the depths of her heart.