Magnolia Market
It was past 10 AM.
The snow on the streets had been cleared, leaving the cobblestones wet but safe to walk on. The group chatted and laughed as they moved through the bustling market.
The formation was simple: Mira held Lisanna's hand. Kagura held Wendy's hand. Ur led the way, cross-referencing the menu Raizel had written with the shopping list Ultear had prepared.
Raizel and Gray walked in the back, acting as the designated pack mules.
Although it was Christmas, the merchants of Magnolia were business-savvy. Money still had to be made, and the stalls were fully stocked.
Since it was winter, fresh vegetables were scarce and expensive.
However, a "Meat Only" diet wasn't healthy, even for Dragon Slayers.
Raizel bought a generous amount of every vegetable he could find—potatoes, carrots, winter greens—and paid a little extra to have the crates delivered directly to the Guild hall.
Makarov had promised to reimburse him, but Raizel didn't plan on collecting it.
He had plenty of funds from his S-Class missions, and this was for his family.
Next came the meat.
Roast chicken was non-negotiable for a Christmas feast. Raizel led them to a popular stall he frequented.
"1960 Jewels per chicken. That's a steal for the holidays," Raizel muttered approvingly.
The stall offered eight distinct flavors: Cumin, Chestnut Stuffing, Apple Honey Glaze, Honey Rosemary, Crispy Skin, Spicy Demon, Scallion Oil, and Garlic Butter.
"We'll take two of each flavor," Raizel ordered. "Sixteen chickens total."
The shopkeeper beamed.
He packed the steaming birds in a magically insulated container to keep them hot and even rounded down the total price as a holiday gift.
Next was Ur's specialty: Grilled Fish.
Ur picked out two massive boneless fish, each weighing around 15 kilograms.
They were fresh and reasonably priced at 1200 Jewels per kilogram.
She planned to use the Guild's giant grill pan to make two different flavors—one spicy, one savory.
She also bought two smaller fish to steam specially for Oyen (Kagura cat) and Snowy (Cana dog).
"Here, Gray."
Ur handed the heavy bag of fish to her disciple.
"Got it."
Gray shouldered the load without complaint.
After months of Raizel's hellish training with weighted gear, carrying 30kg of fish was trivial.
He knew Natsu and Raizel would devour this in minutes, so they needed every ounce of it.
Mira's shopping was more intricate.
She moved from stall to stall, selecting specific spices, herbs, and cuts of meat. After tasting her porridge that morning, everyone had unanimously voted for Mira and Ur to be the Head Chefs for the evening.
In addition to the main courses, Ur and Kagura selected lean meat, fatty pork belly, and offal for hot pot and skewers.
They bought bulk spices and sauces, ensuring the flavor would be perfect.
"The ingredients should be enough," Raizel said, balancing the insulated container in one hand and several bags in the other.
"Time for desserts and drinks."
...
Food Plaza
Two streets away lay the Food Plaza, home to an upscale dessert shop where Ultear and Erza were practically celebrities (VVIPs).
The moment Raizel stepped inside, the staff straightened up.
"Welcome, Raizel-sama!"
"Hello," Raizel nodded to the staff.
He turned to the girls. "Mira, Lisanna, pick whatever you like. I'm paying."
He then turned to the counter.
"One Cheesecake. One Strawberry Shortcake. One Caramel Profiterole Tower. 30 Soufflés. 30 Gingerbread Cookies. 30 Brownies. And 30 Macarons."
The staff scribbled furiously.
Each cake was a standard 8-inch size, and the profiterole tower stood tall like a sugary Christmas tree.
"Oh? New items?" Raizel pointed to the display case.
"Yes, sir!" The shop assistant rubbed his hands together enthusiastically. "These are Banana Chocolate Muffins—delicate and refreshing. And these are Chocolate Mousse Tarts—smooth mousse on a buttery crust."
"50 of each," Raizel said, waving his hand grandly.
Kagura's expression didn't change; she expected this.
Erza would have ordered the same.
Ur, however, blinked rapidly.
She was stunned.
'Was this how sweets were supposed to be bought?'
Mira, Wendy, and Lisanna happily picked a few personal treats.
Ur and Gray decided to pass, feeling that Raizel had already bought enough sugar to kill a dragon.
"You can borrow this cart," the shop owner said, bowing deeply.
His staff had already loaded the mountain of boxes onto a sturdy pushcart.
"Looking forward to your next visit!!!"
As Ur pulled the cart away, the owner and his staff bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle.
They stopped by a beverage store to buy several crates of juice and soda, stacking them in the empty spaces on the cart.
They didn't buy alcohol since the Guild was practically a brewery already.
Raizel planned to bring two bottles of good red wine from his private collection for the adults.
....
Central Mall
This was Magnolia's largest shopping center.
"That's a huge cart you've got there, Erza!!!"
Natsu crouched on the floor, patting the wheels of the enormous luggage cart Erza was pulling.
It was the monster-sized wagon she usually used for her armor and luggage.
Since Raizel's list called for two Christmas trees, the Decoration Team had gone back to the Girls' Dorm to fetch it.
"Of course!" Erza declared, clenching her fist with intense seriousness. "If you are going to do something, you must do it to the best of your ability! Go big or go home!"
Everyone smiled wryly.
Erza treated Christmas decorating like a military operation.
"Let's get the small stuff first," Ultear directed. She had already mapped out the most efficient route through the mall.
"Whoa! Look at this!"
Natsu picked up an oversized toy gun from a display.
It was a Magic Snow Blaster.
You could fill it with snow, and a magic circle inside would compress it into perfect snowballs for rapid firing.
"We need this!" Natsu shouted.
"Agreed!" Even Elfman looked tempted.
They bought several.
They were still kids after all.
Next came the fireworks section.
"Sparklers... Ground spinners... Fountains..." Ultear checked them off the list.
"I WANT THIS ONE!"
Natsu held up a firecracker the size of a bazooka. It looked like it could blow a hole in a fortress wall.
Erza's eyes sparkled. "It is beautiful..."
"REJECTED!"
Ultear and Cana shouted in unison, crossing their arms in an 'X' shape.
"Are you trying to blow up the guild?!" Cana scolded.
Natsu and Erza drooped it, their arms hanging limply in disappointment.
They reluctantly put the WMD (Weapon of Mass Destruction) back on the shelf.
After grabbing bells, gold and red streamers, balloons, and Santa hats, they headed to the ground floor for the main event.
The Trees
The Christmas Tree display was right at the entrance.
Erza immediately zeroed in on the largest one.
The mall's ceiling was six meters high. The tallest tree was 5.5 meters.
"It's... big," Ultear hesitated.
"Raizel said to buy two," Erza reminded her.
"Let's buy it," Ultear decided.
When it wasn't about sweets, she was pragmatic. If Raizel wanted big trees, they would get big trees.
Laxus paid for them (grumbling about the price but paying nonetheless).
The mall staff helped wrestle the two massive trees onto Erza's luggage cart, securing them with heavy-duty ropes.
"Alright, muscle heads," Cana pointed to the cart. "You're up."
Natsu and Elfman grabbed the ropes.
"I'm fired up!" Natsu yelled.
With two strong boys pulling, the heavy load moved easily.
The Decoration Team marched out of the mall, hauling a forest behind them.