"Um… where are we going? Does Kabe-nii's house also lie outside the city?"
Sorano, who was leading the way, answered without turning back.
"Not just Kabe. Our homes are all at the edge of the Eastern Forest.
Otherwise, why do you think you were brought along?"
"So that means… I can not only live with Meredy and Sorano-nee, but also become neighbors with Kabe-nii?"
Lucy's eyes lit up at this unexpected good news.
They walked for about another ten minutes, and in the distance, the outlines of buildings gradually came into view.
At the center stood something that could no longer simply be called a house, but a vast, exquisitely designed European-style mansion occupying a large estate.
On both sides of it were two villas of similar style. Although there was a noticeable difference in size, their exterior decorations were surprisingly consistent.
At this moment, Meredy took the initiative to explain.
"The one on the right is our home."
"Currently, only me, Ultear, Sorano-nee, and Bisca-nee live there. With you included, it would be five people."
"It's a very beautiful villa. Thank you for allowing me to stay."
Lucy had lived in far larger estates before, but things were different now. She had chosen to become independent.
Until she found a suitable place to rent, staying in a place like this with Sorano and the others already felt more than enough.
Meredy continued her explanation.
"The large mansion in the middle is the most luxurious estate in Magnolia. That is Kabe's home."
"Lucky-nee, Cana-nee, Erza-nee, Mira-nee, and Juvia-nee all live with him."
"But that bastard has absolutely no sense of boundaries. He often shows up at our place without even saying a word."
Five women… plus Queen Jade makes six.
Lucy screamed internally.
On the surface, she only forced out a polite smile.
"I-I see… that's very impressive."
"The last one, on the left, is Lady Irene's residence."
"Brandish-nee, Heine, and Juliet-nee also live there.
Lady Selene also often stays here."
"W-Wait a second, what did you say?!"
Lucy's eyes widened.
"Even Lady Irene lives here? Is this place some kind of blessed feng shui land or something?!"
Only at this moment did she finally realize something.
Even without counting Kabe and Irene, there were already multiple S-Class mages like Erza, Mirajane, and Ultear concentrated in this area.
It was as if the entire region itself was filled with some strange magnetic force.
At this moment, Kabe, who had been mostly silent along the way, suddenly spoke.
"Lucy, if you haven't found a place you like yet, why not just stay here?"
"I remember Sorano and the others still have a few empty rooms. Renting one shouldn't be a problem."
"Eh? Is that okay? But I don't have much money. The rooms here must be expensive, right?"
Lucy had originally planned to rent a small apartment on her own.
But thinking about it, living together with guild members did sound appealing.
She was almost instantly tempted by the idea, only to be reminded again of her nearly empty wallet.
"Like I said before, you can stay temporarily. You can pay rent later once you've earned enough."
"Of course, this is just a suggestion. The final decision depends on Sorano and the others."
After saying this, Kabe and Lucy both turned their gaze toward Sorano.
Sorano looked at Kabe with a meaningful expression for a moment, then turned back to Lucy.
"It's just a guest room. At most, it won't cost more than a girls' dormitory."
"But the exact price still needs to be discussed later with Ultear and Bisca."
"Until then, you can stay here and take your time earning money."
"Not more than a dorm… that means around 100,000 J?"
"No problem. I can definitely afford that if I work hard!"
Lucy clenched her fist, encouraging herself.
She had to hold on for a little longer and take more difficult quests to earn enough for her living expenses.
Hearing Lucy agree, Kabe quietly smiled.
Of course, he had his own private intentions in doing this, partly related to keeping things convenient and maintaining emotional ties within the original group.
But at the same time, he really was helping Lucy solve her housing problem.
When both sides were considered together, everything seemed perfectly reasonable.