"Tie up the rest of them." Shun's voice cut through the stunned silence, jolting the two servants into action. They scrambled to bind the unconscious bandits with ropes from their supplies.
Zoltan, having recovered some of his composure, approached Shun cautiously. "Master Shun... what happened to the ones who disappeared?"
"They were sent on a little trip," Shun replied, not looking up from the magic lantern he was examining. "They should land at the front steps of the Magic Council branch in Magnolia in about three days. A delivery service, you could say."
He finally glanced at the merchant. "You should rest. Have your men take turns on night watch." His tone left no room for argument.
'Let's see what the loot is,' Shun thought, turning his attention to the small pile of enchanted items. 'Though I'm not expecting much.'
As the servants worked, he appraised the gear. The results were as underwhelming as he'd predicted: a sword whose "flame" was little more than a matchstick's worth of heat; a dagger that could induce a three-second paralysis—useful, but barely; a lantern that accelerated natural healing by a paltry ten percent.
'First-floor RPG trash loot,' he mused. 'But from a normal person's perspective, these are probably worth a fortune. I'll stash them and sell them later.'
---
The next morning, after a night of undisturbed rest and having recovered his magic power, Shun sent the remaining tied-up bandits on the same one-way trip to the Magic Council. The rest of the journey to Crocus was utterly uneventful. It seemed news of a wiped-out bandit group traveled fast on the plains.
Three days after leaving Magnolia, the spires and grand walls of Crocus, the royal capital, came into view. The city was immense, a bustling metropolis of nearly ten million people and the seat of the Fiore monarchy. Shun recognized it as the future stage for the Grand Magic Games.
After Zoltan finished the necessary formalities with the gate guards, their caravan rolled into the city.
"The mission is complete," Zoltan declared, beaming. He handed Shun a pouch significantly heavier than agreed. "I've taken the liberty of doubling your reward. For your exceptional service."
"Oh, thanks," Shun said, accepting it without fanfare. While he was already wealthy, more jewels were never unwelcome.
"What are your plans now, Master Shun?" Zoltan asked, his tone eager. "If there is anything you need, anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask."
"I'm going to rest here for a week or two before heading back," Shun said. "Since you're offering... could you use your connections to gather information? I'm looking for a specific dark guild. One known for kidnapping people and forcing them into labor."
Zoltan's eyes lit up at the chance to be useful. "Yes, of course! Consider it done. I will make discreet inquiries at once."
---
With that, Shun parted ways with the merchant and his entourage. He spent the rest of the day simply wandering the vast capital, a solitary figure amidst the crowds. He bought two new sets of practical but well-made clothes from an upscale tailor, then embarked on a culinary tour, sampling food from street vendors and quiet restaurants alike.
Eventually, he found a comfortable, mid-priced inn—7000 Jewels a day—and secured a room. As he sank into the plush chair by the window, a profound sense of exhaustion, both physical and mental, washed over him.
'It's truly been a long journey,' he reflected, watching the city lights begin to twinkle in the dusk. First, the disorienting transmigration, then five years of survivalist solitude on Tenroujima. A wry smile touched his lips. 'I guess working three years at that soul-crushing black company back on Earth did have one benefit: it taught me how to adapt to literally any terrible situation.'
He let out a long, slow breath, allowing himself to finally relax. His plans were already forming. After a solid two weeks of doing absolutely nothing, he would begin his search for the Tower of Heaven in earnest. His longer-term goals were clear: recruit talented individuals to Fairy Tail, form a powerful team, become an S-Class Mage, and maybe even open a high-end restaurant to monetize his SSS+ tier skill—Zoltan would doubtless leap at the investment opportunity.
'My ultimate goal is to become the Guild Master one day,' he thought, his gaze turning distant. 'To gain access to Fairy Tail's deepest secrets, its so-called 'darkness'.'
But for now, all of that could wait. The immediate future held only one priority: rest. The capital city spread out before him, not as a puzzle to be solved or a challenge to be overcome, but simply as a backdrop for a well-earned vacation.