"Checking their identities is your business. As for my job form, should you not be signing off on it."
"I am still waiting to get back and turn this mission in."
Kai held the request sheet with a sour expression, staring at the captain of the city guard. With this kind of job, this was always the most troublesome part.
He did not have a fixed client. The request had been issued by the Magic Council, so after completion the local guards had to verify it on site and sign. Only then would it be counted.
If the guards did not complete the verification and sign, the mission did not count as finished. Even if the guild trusted him, they still could not formally close it.
"Well, it is not that we do not want to verify and sign, it is just that all of their heads were blown open."
The captain was sweating buckets. He was scared and for good reason. He did not want to die.
"Lucy, Lucy, I need you to help with something. Come help prove a few things."
"This girl is named Lucy. She was one of the ones tricked and captured. I saved her halfway through, and she is also a wizard. You can ask her about what happened."
Kai waved Lucy over so she could help with the testimony.
"Everything Mister Kai said is true. That man was using a banned magic called Charm, and he openly said he was going to sell us all as slaves."
Another year, just one more year and the guard captain would reach the retirement age. He planned to quit the moment he could. Whoever wanted this dangerous position could have it.
"And the people around him, this one, this one, and this one, all of them have criminal records."
The official in charge of checking identities finally brought the captain a piece of good news. Once he heard it, the man let out a long breath.
The guard captain signed the request sheet as fast as he could, then bent at the waist and bowed to Kai in thanks.
"All right, the rest is your problem. I am heading out."
Kai was ready to leave. The guild should not have closed yet, and Mira should still be on shift. If he went back early enough, he could turn the mission in on the same day.
He hurriedly looked around for Natsu and Happy, planning to ask if they wanted to head back together once he found them.
Lucy followed after him.
"Mister Kai, you really are incredible. That guard captain was so respectful to you."
At night she even dreamed about joining Fairy Tail. It was Fiore's number one guild. Of course it was amazing.
"He was not respecting me. He was respecting the truth in my hands, and he is guilty on top of that."
"If I fail a job, at worst I do not get paid. It is different for him."
"All those people went missing in his jurisdiction. If the traffickers had really succeeded and the families started making a fuss, he would be the one most responsible."
"Getting dismissed would be the best outcome. If things went badly, he could even end up in prison."
"I just saved his life. You tell me, is he going to be polite to me or not."
Kai chuckled. That beer-bellied middle aged uncle, sitting as the guard captain of a rich port city, and people wanted to say there was nothing shady behind that. Even Happy would not believe it.
Lucy nodded, then started talking about this and that. In short, she wanted to join Fairy Tail, but she was too embarrassed to say it straight.
Kai suddenly spoke up.
"Um, actually, I... yes, I want to join the Fairy Tail guild. I even dream about it."
At first Lucy had wanted to come up with some excuse, but in the end she gave up and just admitted what she really wanted.
Kai turned his head and looked at her.
"That is not really something worth getting excited over. Being a wizard is very dangerous work."
He shook his head. Newcomers always thought being a wizard looked cool, but every job meant walking with your head tied to your belt.
Any day could be your last, so it was not exactly something people should be thrilled about.
"Happy. Kai, Lucy."
"Kai, why are you here of all places."