Chapter 42: Dividing the Money
Erza hadn't expected Ren's first action upon waking to be demanding payment, but this was also the first time she had ever been involved in a quest with such a high reward.
"That's right," Erza said, standing from the bedside chair. Her own injuries had been treated, and her arm was now in a simple sling. "We've been delayed here for a long time, three days just for your recovery. It's time to go back. If we're any later, the Guild Master will really start to worry."
The two of them, now fully dressed and recovered, headed to the Royal Palace Hall together.
At this moment, in the Royal Palace Hall, the atmosphere was one of frantic, organized chaos. The opulent room, which had been pristine for the tournament, was now a makeshift command center. Ministers and knights hurried back and forth, their faces grim, carrying maps and damage reports. The King stood over a large table, sleeves rolled up, handling the affairs.
Magic Dragon Alazam's sudden attack had caught him completely off guard, and the entire city had suffered severe, catastrophic damage.
Fortunately, thanks to the tournament drawing everyone to the magically-barriered arena, and Ren's battle drawing the dragon away from it, there were almost no casualties among the city's residents. The country was now undergoing a massive reconstruction effort.
Most importantly, with the threat of Magic Dragon Alazam gone—a 400-year-old terror vanquished—the country was truly free from its ancient worries. They could now vigorously develop and exploit their existing resources without fear.
Just then, a minister reported: "Your Majesty! Mr. Ren and Miss Erza have arrived."
The King's tired eyes lit up, a genuine smile breaking through his stress. "Mr. Ren has arrived! Bring him in, quickly!"
Soon, Ren and Erza once again arrived in the Royal Palace Hall.
"Mr. Ren! You're finally awake!" The King greeted Ren warmly, walking over to clasp his shoulder—a very familiar gesture for a monarch.
"I apologize for making Your Majesty worry," Ren said with a polite bow. "My magic power was simply over-depleted, and I've recovered after a few days of rest."
"It's good that you've recovered! It's good that you've recovered!" the King said, patting his shoulder before stepping back.
"Your Majesty," Ren continued, "we've been out for a long time, and we've been delayed by my rest. We've come to bid our farewells."
"Farewells? So soon?!" The King looked genuinely distressed. "You could certainly stay for a longer period! You are the kingdom's saviors!"
Erza shook her head, her expression firm but polite. "No, Your Majesty. We must report back. If we stay any longer, everyone at the Guild will start to worry, and Master Makarov will have our hides."
"Is that so!" The King hesitated for a moment, a calculated look in his eyes. He clearly had one last gambit to play.
"Mr. Ren, Miss Erza," he said, his voice now serious and formal. "I have a proposal. I wonder if you would be willing to stay in the Kingdom of Sobelia. If you stay... I can appoint Mr. Ren as the permanent President of the Sword City Guild, and Miss Erza as its Vice President."
Ren and Erza were both experts, but the King's focus was on Ren. This man possessed the strength to slay a Giant Dragon. If he stayed in the Kingdom of Sobelia, he would be like a stabilizing force, a living, breathing ultimate weapon that would guarantee the nation's security for a generation.
The King's meaning was clear: he was telling Ren and Erza that if they stayed, money, status, and honor would all be within their grasp.
Ren, however, didn't even need to think about it.
"I apologize, Your Majesty, but I am a Mage of Fairy Tail."
Ren directly refused. He was bound to the Fairy Tail Guild, not just by the system, but by a growing sense of belonging. Forget 100 million, even if it were 1 billion or 10 billion, he would not stay.
This experience had also taught him a valuable lesson. Money was wonderful, but the power he had wielded—the power of Yoriichi and Ulquiorra—was on another level entirely. In this world, true strength was far, far more important than money.
"That's truly a shame!" Although he had already guessed this outcome, the King still felt a bit regretful. A leader had to try.
"Someone! Bring the items!" the King commanded.
Soon, several royal guards brought over two large, ornate boxes, placing them on the table. The boxes were opened, revealing neat, tightly-bound stacks of Jewel.
Ren's eyes went wide. He had never seen so much cash in one place. How much money was this?
"This is 100 million Jewel," the King said, gesturing to the boxes. "I know this is not enough to repay the contributions you two have made to the Kingdom of Sobelia. You saved us all. But with the capital city's reconstruction imminent, we can only pay this much for now."
Erza was also a bit stunned when she heard there was 100 million J. She had become an S-Class Mage a long time ago and had worked diligently all these years, but the combined rewards she had earned over those years didn't even amount to 100 million J.
Ren, however, snapped out of his daze and shook his head.
"No, no, Your Majesty, this is a bit too much," Ren said, surprisingly. "My championship prize was 20 million J, and the S-Class Quest reward was 30 million J. The total is 50 million J. Half of this would be enough."
"Mr. Ren, that is unacceptable!" the King insisted. "If the original plan had proceeded smoothly, it would have been 50 million J. However, there was a 100,000-strong monster tide and then the Magic Dragon itself, which far exceeded the level of an S-Class Quest!"
The King leaned in, his voice low and serious. "Mr. Ren, what you two completed was not an S-Class Quest. Just the words 'Giant Dragon' alone are enough to classify this as a 'Ten-Year Quest.' The reward for a ten-year quest starts at a minimum of 500 million J. So, this 100 million really isn't much. The most crucial point is that almost no Mage from any guild dares to accept a ten-year quest. Just like this time... even if one of the Ten Wizard Saints had come, they likely would have died."
Ren, however, remained firm and shook his head. "Since the quest has already been accepted, its terms cannot be changed. The subsequent unforeseen events are part of the risks involved in being a Mage. I cannot accept the extra money."
"What Ren said is correct, Your Majesty," Erza also agreed, stepping forward. "The quest's reward was confirmed the moment we accepted it from the board. If we were to accept more payment, it would violate our Guild's regulations and our own principles."
Hearing them say this, the King looked at them both—their faces firm and united—and he sighed. He finally understood the nature of Fairy Tail mages. Their pride was not for sale.
"Very well," the King said, no longer insisting. He had a guard close one of the boxes and remove it. "You are truly... honorable."
He had someone give Ren the remaining box, which was filled with 50 million J in payment.
Ren took the box, feeling its heavy weight, and his heart was suddenly filled with excitement. His 50 million! Although the work was exhausting, and he had died (metaphorically), all worries vanished the moment he received the money.
"Your Majesty, since our business here is concluded, we must return to our Guild," Ren said, holding the box protectively.
Seeing that Ren and Erza were determined to leave, the King knew it would be inappropriate to press them further. He laughed heartily, his mood restored.
"In that case, I won't keep you two any longer. I have already ordered a carriage to be prepared to see you off. I also welcome you two to visit the Kingdom of Sobelia anytime. The gates of Sword City are always open to you, and you will always be the most distinguished guests of the Kingdom of Sobelia."
"Your Majesty is too kind," Ren said with a grin. "If there are any more jobs like this in the future, please notify me. I can personally give you a 20% discount, you know."
"Pfft—!!! Hahahahaha!!"
The King burst into genuine, booming laughter upon hearing Ren's words. He knew that with this one statement from Ren, his preparations and his alliance with Fairy Tail had not been in vain.
"Good, good, good! If there are any more jobs like this, I will definitely notify you!"
The two arrived at the entrance of the Royal Palace Hall, where a luxurious carriage was already waiting. The King, along with his royal guard, personally saw Ren and Erza into the carriage, which made the two of them feel somewhat overwhelmed. If this were in Ren's previous life, it would be like a head of state personally seeing him off.
"Mr. Ren, Miss Erza, please do come and visit once the capital city is rebuilt!" the King said from the steps.
"Alright!"
"Giddy up!"
The coachman urged the carriage forward, and it began its slow journey through the city.
The carriage moved slowly, not because of ceremony, but because the streets were choked with rubble. As they looked out the window, they saw the true extent of the devastation. They saw the five massive, building-deep canyons that Alazam's first claw-swipe had carved through the city. They saw the pulverized ruins where the Dragon's Roar had blasted the city wall to dust.
But the streets were not empty. They were dense with crowds.
People stood on piles of rubble and debris, waving and cheering. Soldiers, knights, common citizens, and merchants—everyone was there. They were clapping, shouting, and many were weeping with joy.
"It's them! It's Mr. Ren and Miss Erza's carriage!!"
"Mr. Ren!!"
"Miss Erza!"
"They saved us! They saved our city!"
"That's him! I saw it on the magic screen! He's Yoriichi Tsugikuni!"
"He's both! The Sword Saint and the Demon-Winged Knight! He was both!"
Ren and Erza pulled open the curtains and looked out, stunned by the sheer number of people.
What Ren and Erza didn't know was that although these people were all in the arena, the magic screens had kept broadcasting. The system set up for the tournament had followed the greatest sources of power, broadcasting the entire war to the trapped citizens.
This was originally intended to show everyone the heroic posture of the swordsmen fighting against monsters, but it unexpectedly turned into Ren's personal show. They had seen it all: his Cero Oscuras, his transformation into Yoriichi, his impossible fight, his "death" by the Dragon's Roar, and his return as the black-winged demon to deliver the final, killing blow.
Ren was the hero who saved their Kingdom of Sobelia.
Ren and Erza, slightly overwhelmed, waved to the people on the street, which drew an even louder cheer from the crowd.
The crowd accompanied them all the way to the city gate before stopping. At the gate, Arthur, Clay, and Allen were waiting.
"Mr. Ren, Miss Erza," Arthur said, stepping forward. He bowed deeply, a gesture of profound respect from one Sword Saint to another. "You must come back to Sword City as guests when you have the chance. It was an honor to witness your swordsmanship. You have shown me... what the 'peak' truly looks like."
"Definitely, definitely!" Ren said with a wave.
After bidding farewell to everyone, Ren and Erza got back into the carriage, and it finally passed through the city gates, heading for home.
Inside the carriage, the roar of the crowd faded. Erza looked at Ren, who was already inspecting the box of money, and she smiled.
"How does it feel," she teased, "to be a hero?"
"It feels pretty good," Ren admitted, looking up from the Jewel. "But it would be better if they weren't so enthusiastic. I'm actually quite socially anxious."
"..."
Erza was speechless. She hadn't seen him show any social anxiety during the sword fighting tournament, nor when he was calmly explaining the principles of his attack to a Giant Dragon.
"Alright," Ren said, his eyes sparkling as he shut the heavy lid of the box. "No one's here now."
"Time to split the money! Split the money!"
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