SUMMONER'S JOURNEY

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across Richard's room as he slowly sat up, rubbing his face. His head throbbed slightly—a consequence of last night's over-the-top celebration at the guild.

"Ugh… why did I let them talk me into that?" he muttered.

He barely remembered how Cana had drained an entire keg, and the moment the bill had landed in his hands, his soul nearly left his body.

With a deep sigh, he stood up, stretching his arms. First things first—visit bank.

After everything, he needed to visit the bank and deposit the money he had earned earlier as keeping money in his hand feels like it will slip away from his grasp at any moment.

---

After a quick wash-up and breakfast, Richard made his way to the Magnolia Grand Bank, a tall, stone building near the town square.

The bank was well-guarded by rune knights, and the inside was bustling with merchants and common folk depositing or withdrawing their wealth.

Stepping up to the counter, Richard handed over his Guild Member ID to the banker—a middle-aged woman with a calm smile.

"Welcome, Mr. Luminous. Would you like to make a deposit?"

Richard nodded. "Yeah, I want to deposit most of my recent earnings and check my current balance."

The woman gave a professional nod and started flipping through her ledger, checking his account details.

---

Richard mentally reviewed his total finances as the banker prepared his account summary.

Original Savings (Before Joining Fairy Tail):

✔ 5,000,000 J → Compensation from Dwarf Gear for his parents.

✔ 3,000,000 J → Inherited savings from his parents.

✔ 2,000,000 J → Saved from working part-time at Dwarf Gear.

✔ 7,000,000 J → Earned from selling his house.

✖ 2,500,000 J → Spent on buying Magic Artifacts.

Subtotal Before Fairy Tail:

14,500,000 J (already in bank)

---

Earnings from Fairy Tail Missions:

✔ 130,000 J → Earned from first mission (Boar Subjugation with Gray).

✔ 198,000 J → Earned from gathering mission (Selling herbs).

✔ 750,000 J → Earned from selling Earth Bear corpse.

✖ Expenses in Fairy Tail:

✖ 200,000 J → Monthly rent.

✖ 50,000 J → Groceries, food, and other expenses.

✖ 50,000 J → Spent on last night's guild celebration.

Total Earnings from Fairy Tail:

✔ 1,078,000 J

Remaining after Expenses:

✔ 828,000 J ( currently on hand)

---

Final Net Worth Calculation:

✔ 14,500,000 J (Original Savings).

✔ + 828,000 J (Fairy Tail earnings after expenses).

TOTAL: 15,328,000 J

---

The banker scribbled a few notes before sliding a neatly written document toward Richard.

"Your current total savings amount to 14,500,000 J. How much would you like to deposit today?"

Richard tapped his fingers on the counter, weighing his options.

After a moment of thought, he decided, "I'll deposit 600,000 J."

He preferred to keep a decent amount of cash on hand—just in case of emergencies or unexpected opportunities.

The banker gave a slight nod, quickly processing the transaction before setting the final receipt in front of him.

"Transaction complete. Your deposit has been recorded, and your funds are secure. You may withdraw anytime as needed."

Richard exhaled, feeling a sense of relief. With a large portion of his savings now safely stored, he wouldn't have to worry about carrying too much cash on him.

Not to mention—having that much money on hand made his fingers itch to spend it.

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

The banker offered a professional nod. "Anything else I can assist you with?"

Richard shook his head. "That'll be all."

Pocketing the remainder of his jewels, he turned and stepped out of the bank, the weight on his shoulders feeling noticeably lighter.

"If they ever find out I have more than 15 million J…"

Just the thought sent a shiver down Richard's spine.

The image of Cana demanding endless rounds of drinks, or worse—Macao and Wakaba trying to 'borrow' some for a 'business venture'—made him tremble.

"Yeah… no way in hell am I telling anyone about this."

That money was staying a secret. Forever.

---

After leaving the bank, Richard made his way back to Fairy Tail's Guild Hall, where, unsurprisingly, the usual chaos was in full swing. Laughter, shouting, and the occasional crash of furniture echoed throughout the hall.

"They are rowdy as ever ," Richard muttered with a smile as he stepped inside.

As he weaved through the rowdy crowd, dodging a flying chairs, he remembered something important—he didn't actually know much about magic in general.

Sure, he had Summoning Magic, and he trained with the guildmates to improve his combat abilities, but in terms of actual knowledge about magic, he was still lacking.

"Maybe I should ask Mira about it," he thought, spotting Mirajane behind the bar, serving drinks with her usual warm smile.

---

"Hey, Mira, can I ask you something?" Richard said as he approached the counter.

Mirajane looked up, smiling. "Of course, Richard! What do you need?"

"Well… I realized I don't know much about different types of magic aside from my own. I figured you'd be a good person to ask."

Mira's smile widened. "That's a great idea ! Knowing more about different types of magic can help you improve your own battle tactics."

Richard leaned on the counter as Mira started explaining.

"Magic is divided into two primary categories: Caster Magic and Holder Magic." she began.

"Caster Magic is the most common. It's magic that comes directly from the user's body. Things like Fire Magic, Ice Magic, Summoning Magic, and Take Over Magic all fall under this category."

"Holder Magic relies on external objects to function," Mira explained. "For example, Celestial Spirit Magic requires Gate Keys, Card Magic like Cana's depends on magical tarot cards, and Gun Magic uses enchanted firearms. These wizards store their magic inside these tools and use them to fight."

"For example Maker Magic , an example of caster Magic"

"Maker Magic like the one that Grey uses?" Richard asked, tilting his head.

Mira nodded. "Yes that's Ice Make Maker. Maker Magic allows Wizards to control and manipulate an element or material, giving it form. Or, in some cases, taking form away."

Richard thought about it for a moment. "That sounds really useful"

"Exactly!" Mira said brightly. "Gray's Ice-Make Magic is a great example. He can shape ice into weapons, shields, and even living constructs. There's also Wood-Make Magic, like what Laki uses, or Earth-Make Magic used by some mages from other guilds."

Richard hummed in thought. "It does seem like a magic that reflects a person's personality."

Mira chuckled. "It definitely does! For example, Gray's ice magic is sharp, controlled, and precise—just like him. Laki's Wood-Make Magic focuses more on restoration and utility, reflecting her methodical nature."

Richard found himself fascinated. "Man, that sounds so convenient! You could create a chair to sit anywhere, or even a house to live in."

Mira giggled. "Some wizard do! Though it requires a lot of mana and control to maintain large structures for long periods of time."

As Richard processed this new information, he suddenly realized something.

"I never actually asked—Mira, what kind of magic do you use?"

Mira blinked, tilting her head with a mischievous smile. "Oh? You want to see?"

Before Richard could answer, she clasped her hands together, a playful sparkle in her eyes.

"Take a look! Transformation Magic: Groff Head!"

A puff of smoke surrounded Mira, and when it cleared—

"…What the—"

Richard stumbled back, staring in horror as Mira's head had transformed into a ferocious blood eyed, Groff head .

Richard paled. "M-Mira, what the hell?!"

Mira laughed, completely unfazed, before snapping her fingers again.

"Alright, what about this? Transformation Magic: Richard's Head!"

Another puff of smoke.

Richard's stomach dropped.

On the opposite side of the bar, Mira now had his exact face—the same amber eyes, same messy brown hair, the same startled expression.

Richard let out an undignified yell and covered his face. "PLEASE SPARE ME, MIRA!"

Mira burst into giggles, snapping her fingers once more and returning to normal. "See? Transformation Magic!"

Richard exhaled deeply, trying to calm his racing heart. "That was… uncanny."

Mira leaned on the counter, grinning. "You think so? I think I make a very handsome Richard!"

Richard groaned, running a hand down his face.

At that moment—

SLAM!

A handful of large bills hit the counter, drawing both their attention.

"Mira, a barrel of wine!"

Richard turned to see a tall girl with long brown hair, dressed in a bold crop top and tight pants, sitting casually on a stool, grinning lazily.

Mira raised an eyebrow. "Cana, drinking so early?"

"Hee~," Cana smirked, winking at her. "I was going to take a mission, but thanks to Makaco, I just won a bet!"

"Congratulations," Mira said, easily lifting a heavy barrel of wine and setting it on the counter.

Richard blinked in surprise.

He had tried moving those barrels before when he worked at the DRAWF GEAR guild—they were ridiculously heavy. But Mira lifted it like it weighed nothing.

"Is this what it means to be a Fairy Tail wizard…?" Richard muttered under his breath, watching as Cana pulled out the cork and started drinking straight from the barrel.

The way she chugged down liters of alcohol in seconds made Richard question reality.

As he sat there, slightly intimidated, he made the terrible mistake of glancing at Cana's outfit.

His eyes lingered on her toned waist, her bare midriff, and then—

'Wait. Is that a swimsuit? Or…?!!'

Richard snapped his gaze away, panicking internally.

Cana, however, had sharp eyes.

"Hoooh?" she smirked, leaning in slightly. "What's the matter You seem a little stiff."

Richard felt a sense of dread. "Uh—y-yeah."

Cana grinned wickedly. "Could it be… that you haven't had a girlfriend before?"

Richard froze.

Mira covered her mouth, giggling.

Cana laughed loudly, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "Hahaha! That reaction! Do you want me to take care of you~?"

Richard turned bright red. "T-That's not necessary!!"

Just when he thought he'd combust from embarrassment—

"Oi, Richard! Come here for a second!" Wakabe called from across the guild.

Without hesitation, Richard bolted.

Cana cackled as she watched him flee. "Hahaha! Look at him run!"

Mira smiled sweetly, resting her cheek on her palm. "Cana, don't tease him too much."

"Oh, come on, Mira," Cana pouted, swirling her drink. "It's rare to find someone this fun to mess with!"

Mira's innocent smile turned downright devilish. "Well, if you're really going to take care of him, should we start with a hug? Or maybe a kiss?"

"PFFT—!" Cana choked mid-sip, coughing as she smacked her chest, wine nearly spraying across the counter.

Obviously, her experience in some aspects may not be better than Richard, and bold clothing choice is just wearing bold clothes.

Cana cleared her throat, gulping down more wine before changing the subject.

Mira laughed sweetly, her halo of innocence absolutely deceptive.

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