A magic merchant infiltrating Fairy Tail

Cana's eyes reddened, Lucy's face was filled with envy, Natsu and Happy were speechless with shock, but the one with the strongest reaction was Erza. She had never received such a big request in all her years. The piece of paper in Kira's hand was thin, but it greatly aroused her competitive spirit.

Kira frowned as he looked at the text on the request and slowly said, "The client's name is... Thomas E. Fiore!"

Upon hearing this, the guild, which had been noisy due to the high reward, fell silent once more, so quiet that one could almost hear everyone breathing, their heartbeats, and the sound of swallowing.

“Fiore…isn’t that the name of a country? That means…”

Is the client a member of the royal family?

Kira continued to bombard the enemy with bombshells: "Not just a member of the royal family, Thomas E. Fiore is the name of the current king!"

Chapter 377 The 2 Million J Commission

At this moment, everyone in the guild's brains were racing: The current king has issued Kira's special mission and prepared a mission reward of 2 million J. What does he want Kira to do?

This actually involves several issues:

What troubles might the royal family encounter? They possess the highest power, the greatest wealth, and the strongest military force in the entire kingdom. What problem can't they solve with all that?

If power, wealth, and the military can't solve the problem, and they have to turn to mages, then it must be related to magic! So what kind of magical mission is worth 2 million?

Since they're willing to offer 2 million in reward, it means this matter is very important! If it's important, why not seek help from an official organization like the Magic Council, or from more senior mages like Gildarts, Makarov, or Jura of Boa Hancock's Scale, instead of choosing Kira? These are two current 'Team Ten' and a powerful figure who has been famous for over twenty years and whose strength is no less than that of the 'Team Ten'!

With just a little thought, it's clear that there's a big problem here.

Makarov asked in a deep voice, "Kira, what do you think of this request?"

The task details are not written on this request. Kira will only be told the specific details of the request after he arrives at the meeting place, which is the royal capital Crocus, and meets with the requester, the king.

Kira stared at the commission for a long time before saying, "I think..."

"What do you think?" Makarov held his breath, waiting for Kira to make a choice: answer or not? Knowing his personality, he'd probably answer, right?

"I think we can rule out any requests for finding a son-in-law or something similar..."

Everyone: ...? ? ! !

Kira made a serious deduction: "Although everyone knows how handsome I am, and my reputation resounds throughout Fiore, it's normal for the king to know me, but he shouldn't be the kind of person who would marry his only daughter to a commoner mage!"

"Uh... um..."

"Then we can also rule out the possibility of me writing a novel or making a movie based on him, because..."

Makarov yelled impatiently, "Are you going to answer it or not?!"

"Accept! You absolutely must accept!!" Seeing that the old man seemed angry, Kira quickly straightened his back and answered, "But who knows what might happen after I get there. Just in case, shouldn't I make an insurance policy and a will first... Ugh! Pshaw! Why am I making such a big deal out of nothing?"

That's 2 million!

Kira felt that even if she really wanted to marry off her daughter, she could consider it; she wouldn't lose out!

……

When Kira arrived, he realized how strange this request was, because in addition to himself, the client had invited another mage. In other words, this was a group request.

It is very rare in the Kingdom of Fiore to issue a commission to two guilds at the same time, because it can easily cause disputes between magic guilds. Therefore, even if the commissioning guild and mage need to be changed, the commission will be cancelled first and then re-commissioned. Of course, commissions that have been unfinished for a long time, such as ten-year commissions and hundred-year commissions, are exceptions.

But who can blame them when the other party is royalty? Royalty has this privilege! They can send the message to as many guilds as they want, and invite whichever mage they want.

Some arrogant mages might be unhappy about this: Teaming up with people from other guilds? Are they looking down on me? Or on our guild?

But Kira doesn't care about any of that. As long as you pay enough, you can invite as many people as you want! Inviting cats is no problem at all!

Fortunately, they didn't invite a cat, nor some trashy mage from a trashy magic guild, but Jura, the face of Boa Hancock, one of the 'Ten Wizard Saints,' a balding uncle who wasn't even thirty.

The royal castle and palace of Crocus, the capital city.

Seated on the throne was King Thomas E. Fiore, the client of this mission. The king had a center-parted hairstyle and a small mustache. Perhaps due to years of handling state affairs, despite being in his forties or fifties, two long forehead wrinkles had already appeared.

Beside the king sat his only daughter, Princess Emerald, who sat gracefully in a chair, her hands clasped together in front of her, dignified and natural. She wore a red agate headband and a black gemstone necklace, and her long green hair cascaded down her body, falling onto her exquisite and expensive white princess dress, making her skin appear even whiter, smoother, more delicate, and more flawless... almost translucent.

On either side of him stood Defense Minister Dutton and Sakura Knights Commander Arcadios. These two uncles were ugly and old, and there was nothing to say about them.

The four of them looked at Kira and Jura standing below the steps with curious, expectant, and scrutinizing eyes.

They are the two strongest mages of this generation, both of them are of the "Ra" generation, both are among the "Ten Wizards", both come from well-known magic guilds, and... although one of them doesn't look quite like it, they are both young men in their twenties.

Young and promising!

"Ahem... I'm very grateful that you two accepted my invitation! I know it might be a bit inappropriate to entrust two guilds' mages with this task at the same time, but this task is indeed of utmost importance, so I hope you two can work together!"

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty! Fairy Tail is the most professional magic guild in the entire Kingdom of Fiore. Once we accept a mission, we will definitely complete it!"

Defense Minister/Knight Commander: 'I've heard that the people in this guild are all pretty reckless...'

Jura, naturally, respectfully explained his actions to the king, then asked curiously, "What kind of task is this, which requires Lord Kira and me to complete together?"

King Thomas said with distress, “The situation is like this: a few months ago, the Kingdom of Bosk, which borders our eastern territory, suddenly mobilized a large number of troops to the border between the two countries, strengthening the military defenses there, and there is a hint of war.”

Upon hearing this, Kira's heart skipped a beat, and Jura's expression changed.

"According to the investigation by the Minister of Defense and the Knight Commander, the Kingdom of Bosk has not only entered a state of military preparedness, but has also secretly sent some mages to infiltrate the Kingdom of Fiore, with no clear purpose. However, some time ago, my daughter, the Emerald Princess in front of me, was kidnapped by the Dark Guild."

'It's what happened at the hot spring inn last time!' Kira's heart skipped a beat.

"Does His Majesty suspect... that it was done by the Kingdom of Bosque?"

"exactly."

Jura asked in a deep voice, "Could it be that they have declared war on the Kingdom of Fiore? And even hired mages to fight them?"

“That’s not the case! The Kingdom of Bosk wouldn’t dare to really start a war!” Thomas shook his head, then began to recount the past, “In fact, during the Second Trade War a hundred years ago, a terrifying rumor reached Ishgar. In Aragitasia, which is the western continent, a huge power was gradually growing stronger. It was a magical empire that had absorbed hundreds of magic guilds, called the Alvarez Empire.”

"In order to counter it, the Council has increased its personnel in the Kingdom of Fiore every year since then, and issued a regulation that 'mages from other countries must not disturb the regime of the Kingdom of Fiore.' Thanks to this, the Kingdom of Fiore has been able to maintain its neutrality and be free from the war of other countries."

So that's how it is. Mages from different countries are not allowed to participate in the war... so they hired their own country's dark guilds? Truly, "You have your clever plans, but I have my countermeasures!"

Thinking of this, Kira asked, "So, is our job this time to find these infiltrators?"

It's probably only with such demanding requests that two of the 'Ten Saints' would need to act at the same time. But they don't know the number of people, their strongholds, their contact methods, or their approximate strength. Finding them is like looking for a needle in a haystack!

Unexpectedly, King Thomas shook his head again: "Of course not, that seems a bit unreasonable!"

“A month ago, the other party invited our country to send an envoy to attend their magic tournament under the guise of exchanges between the two countries, and I decided to send my daughter. This request is for the two of you to protect her safety during this time.”

Chapter 378 I have experience with this kind of thing

So that's how it is, they want us as bodyguards! But the name "Demonic Cultivation Tournament"... doesn't it sound familiar? Is this plagiarism?

Kira's sky-blue eyes darted around, as if deep in thought.

To ensure Kira and Jura were aware of the importance of the matter, Thomas explained the true meaning of the "Magic Tournament" to them: "They say they're inviting us to the Magic Tournament, but in reality, they're showcasing their country's strength so they can gain greater influence in the future."

Got it, it's just like the "Chunin Exams," I've seen it in Naruto!

"Besides protecting Princess Emerald's safety, there is another commission."

Hmm? There's more?

Under their watchful eyes, the King continued, "The Kingdom of Bosk and our Kingdom of Fiore have long enjoyed peaceful relations. This sudden action must mean something has happened within our country! I hope that you two can investigate the reasons behind this mission. I will reward you accordingly based on the value of your efforts—of course, the safety of my daughter will be the top priority throughout the entire process!"

This... isn't entirely unexpected. As a monarch, one cannot simply react passively to such a situation; taking the initiative is the only way to prevent future changes.

Kira and his companion readily agreed. After all, they were just herding one sheep or two, and they could even get paid if they found out the cause. Why not?

……

A few days later, Kira, along with Jura, disguised themselves as guards of the Emerald Princess and traveled to the Kingdom of Bosk.

To conceal their identities, they disguised themselves as ordinary soldiers, complete with helmets, clothes, armor, pants, boots, spears... the whole outfit practically screamed "I'm an extra."

We have to change our identities. If people find out that we sent two 'Holy Tens' as guards, they will definitely hide everything. How will we lure them out then, and how will we find out why they have suddenly become so brave?

"I never expected these clothes to be so comfortable..."

Kira adjusted his collar, tugged at his sleeves, and turned his helmet, constantly adjusting his clothes. This soldier's uniform reminded him of the school uniform he used to wear in high school. Although it wasn't very good-looking, the material was really comfortable, and if well-maintained, it could last for more than ten years.

"It's just that one's temperament is hard to hide... There's really no way to hide it. You can't just copy others and put dirt on your face, can you?"

"Lord Kira, shouldn't you tone down your actions a bit? This really doesn't seem like something an ordinary soldier would do..."

Jura's deep voice rang in his ears. Kira turned his head and looked, and tsk tsk tsk... This is just too perfect! He looks like a veteran who has been a soldier for more than ten years. His eyes reveal fatigue and helplessness, his face shows responsibility and honor, and his bald head, which is faintly visible, exudes a strong sense of vicissitude.

You don't look like an 'ordinary' soldier either! Could it be that Uncle Jura has some hidden talent like being a 'natural clothes hanger'?

Although he really wanted to say that, Kira was someone who respected his elders... oh, I mean, his seniors, so he swallowed his words and said, "I understand!"

Because of his mature appearance and strong physique, Jura became the captain of the guard, and Kira was the vice-captain. The elite team consisted of 50 people, plus the main envoy, Princess Emerald, and a diplomatic official, which made up the entire exchange team.

The group traveled in royal vehicles and arrived in the Kingdom of Bosk in just half a day, reaching the reception area.

Although the situation between the two countries has been tense recently, the show of respect and goodwill on the surface has been well done. The other side greets people with a smile and is warm and helpful when needed. There are no brainless and idiotic scenes like those in novels where someone jumps out to mock the Kingdom of Fiore and belittle the princess. People who don't know the inside story might really think this is a friendly exchange.

This made Kira, who had lived in the Fairy Tail guild for 10 years, very uncomfortable. You see, he used to fight and kill without a care in the world, cheat people and sell them for money, help good people when he met them, and swindle bad people when he met them. He had never experienced this kind of treacherous social interaction.

Fortunately, diplomats were on hand to manage the entire trip, and the Jade Princess was there to lend her influence, so everyone was able to "dutifully" slack off and do their part in ensuring safety.

This state continued until nightfall.

As night fell, four figures gathered in the exquisitely decorated room of the visiting envoys, discussing their next move.

"According to the plan, I will infiltrate their palace next to investigate the reasons for the recent changes in their defense." Kira volunteered, intending to cause a ruckus in their stronghold.

Upon hearing this, the unknown diplomat frowned, but instead of directly refuting Kira's suggestion, he said worriedly to Princess Emerald, "Princess, isn't this a bit inappropriate? I've heard that the mages of Fairy Tail are all very powerful. What if their magic is detected by them? It could be disastrous for the kingdom..."

Listen to this! They can even describe "renowned for their destructive power" as "being so powerful that they are easily captured by magic." No wonder they're diplomats!

"Don't worry, diplomat! Unlike the others in the guild, my magical activity is negligible! Besides, investigating the reasons for the changes in the Kingdom of Bosk is also a major part of our mission!"

“Uh…a diplomat?! Kirasan, my name is…”

Princess Emerald wasn't a pedantic person, and she didn't reject Kira's suggestion. However, she solemnly said, "Since it's a royal palace, the security must be very tight. Is it alright for Lord Kira to come alone? Why don't you have Lord Jura accompany you as well?"

"No, Jurasan needs to stay here to protect the princess!"

Kira shook his head and said, "Besides, Jurasan's magic is too noisy and not suitable for spying; finally, it's more convenient to be alone, both when infiltrating and retreating."

Princess Emerald glanced at Jura, who nodded to her: "Lord Kira makes a good point! The only problem is that we don't know the palace's security or layout, let alone whether it contains the information we need. What if we encounter a trap..."

“Don’t worry, Jurasan, I have experience breaking into people’s homes to find things—uh… I mean, I’ve dressed up as Santa Claus and delivered presents to children on Christmas Eve!”