The royal capital of the Fiore Kingdom, Crocus, was not merely a city; it was the vibrant, beating heart of the nation, a dazzling showcase of its economic might and cultural soul.
As Ankh, Erza, and Mirajane passed through the towering main gates, they were immediately enveloped by an atmosphere of refined grandeur that Magnolia, for all its charm, simply could not match.
Broad, immaculate avenues paved with pale, fitted stone stretched out before them, teeming with a well-dressed, bustling populace.
The architecture was a harmonious blend of elegance and strength, with spiraling towers and buildings adorned with intricate filigree and flowing banners.
But the city's true character was revealed in its namesake: flowers.
Vibrant blossoms of every hue and variety spilled from countless window boxes, climbed trellises on building faces, and flourished in manicured beds that lined every street.
The air itself was perfumed with a delicate, sweet fragrance, a constant reminder of the capital's title, the "City of a Hundred Flowers."
Mirajane, who had rarely ventured far from Magnolia in recent years, felt her breath catch.
Her eyes, wide with wonder, darted from one stunning sight to the next.
"So this is the royal capital!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine delight. "It's even more beautiful than I imagined! It's my first time being here!"
Erza, ever the prepared one, held a neatly folded tourist guidebook in her armored hand.
A soft, uncharacteristically gentle smile graced her lips as she took on the role of a tour guide.
"The guidebook says Crocus earned its nickname not just for the abundance of flowers, but for the unique and rare species cultivated here," she explained, her tone earnest.
"And according to popular urban legends, the city is personally blessed by a benevolent flower deity, which is why the blooms are so vibrant and never seem to wilt out of season."
Mirajane, snapping out of her awe, pouted and shot Erza a sidelong glance.
"Honestly, Erza, I never took you for someone who'd believe in such baseless fairy tales. How naive can you be?" she retorted, a teasing glint in her eye.
The gentle smile vanished from Erza's face in an instant, replaced by a familiar, steely glare.
She stepped closer, pressing her forehead against Mirajane's in a gesture of pure challenge.
"How pitiful," she hissed, her voice a low, dangerous whisper, "to be a delinquent girl who has closed her heart to legends and the deeper beauty they represent! You see only petals, but you are blind to the poetry!"
"What did you just call me?!" Mirajane's eyes blazed with anger, and she raised her arms, her fingers curling as if ready to summon her Take Over magic on the spot.
An invisible, crackling aura of competitive fury erupted between them, causing a few passing citizens to give them a wide berth.
From behind them, Ankh watched the scene unfold with an expression of deep exhaustion.
'What in the name of the gods was Master thinking?' he lamented internally.
He had been sent to the capital on a critical, covert mission to investigate and dismantle the White Devil Cult—a task that required discretion, focus, and tactical precision.
So why had he been saddled with these two? Their bickering was a constant, distracting soundtrack.
Even if he needed backup, Laxus would have been a far more logical choice.
The Lightning Dragon Slayer wouldn't have bothered with subtlety; he'd have likely electrified the entire cult into submission by now.
Then again, Ankh mused, a hulking, lightning-wielding man like Laxus might seem a bit out of place amidst the romantic, flower-filled elegance of Crocus.
With a weary sigh, Ankh stepped forward, physically inserting himself between the two clashing women.
"That's enough," he chided, his voice soft but carrying an undeniable authority that cut through their argument.
"We are guests in the royal capital. Your behavior reflects directly on Fairy Tail's reputation. Compose yourselves. Let's go."
In terms of seniority and raw power, Ankh commanded even more respect than Erza, the guild's Titania.
His words had a immediate, sobering effect.
Both women fell silent, though they turned away from each other with simultaneous, dismissive "hmphs!" and strode forward, pointedly ignoring one another.
Ankh rubbed his temples, feeling a headache beginning to form.
'These two are as naturally incompatible as Natsu and Gray...' he thought, wondering if this was some unspoken rule of guild dynamics.
"Excuse me, pardon our interruption," a formal voice called out. "Are you Ankh-sama of Fairy Tail?"
Just as the trio risked getting lost in the labyrinthine, grand streets, a squad of soldiers clad in the polished, ceremonial armor of the Royal Army approached.
Their leader, a man with a stern but respectful demeanor, addressed Ankh directly.
Ankh eyed the guards, his professional demeanor snapping back into place.
"I am."
The guard captain's face visibly relaxed with relief. "Excellent. On the orders of His Majesty, we have been dispatched to escort you and your companions to the palace. Please, follow us."
"Understood. Lead the way," Ankh replied with a curt nod.
With the guards efficiently clearing a path through the crowded streets, the journey to the palace grounds was swift.
Soon, they stood before the opulent, towering golden gates of the royal palace, which gleamed under the sun.
The structure was a masterpiece of architecture, with soaring spires and vast, stained-glass windows.
'This place is ridiculously luxurious...' Ankh thought, his gaze traveling upward with a mixture of awe and a faint, undeniable tinge of envy.
'Seems like the life of a king isn't so bad after all...'
They were guided through the gates and into a grand marbled entrance hall, where their official escort was waiting.
A man in the decorated uniform of a high-ranking general turned to greet them.
"General Carteus?" Mirajane stared at the man in surprise.
Erza glanced curiously between them. "You know him?"
Mirajane nodded. "He was the client for my very first mission after joining the guild."
A faint, nostalgic smile touched her lips before she added, almost offhandedly.
"Ankh went with me by the way."
Upon hearing the latter part of the sentence, Erza's eye twitched.
A familiar, irritable heat flared within her.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" she asked, her voice deceptively calm. "Are you showing off about how long you've known him? Flaunting your shared history?"
Mirajane's smile turned sweetly venomous.
"What's wrong, Erza? Feeling insecure? Don't worry, even with our history, I'm sure someone like you could never become my sister-in-law."
"Y-You...! A delinquent like you? Absolutely not! Never in a million years!" Erza sputtered, her composure cracking.
Ankh, however, was no longer paying attention to their whispered war.
His focus was entirely on General Carteus, and a flicker of deep suspicion ignited in his eyes.
The man before him wore Carteus's face and uniform, but something was fundamentally off.
"General Carteus," Ankh began, his tone carefully neutral and calm. "This is an unexpected honor. What brings you to us personally?"
After years apart, the man who looked like Carteus offered a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"The King sent me specifically to ensure you are escorted to the conference hall without delay. He is most eager to speak with you," he said, his voice respectful but carrying a hollow note.
"Thank you for the trouble," Ankh replied, his own smile a mask of polite gratitude.
As the false general turned to lead them deeper into the palace's ornate corridors, Ankh's mind raced.
"Seram," he mentally reached out. "Do you feel it? This Carteus... he seems different. Wrong."
When they had first met years ago, Carteus had possessed a refreshing, straightforward, and righteous aura that left a strong positive impression.
The man walking ahead of them now was shrouded in a gloomy, complicated presence that felt heavy and oppressive.
After a moment of silent assessment, Seram's voice echoed in his mind, cold and certain.
[Of course he is different. This is not the man you knew. He is a shell, a puppet. Though he hides it with skill, the stench of filthy Magic Power clings to him. It is the mark of the White Devil Cult.]
Ankh's internal suspicion crystalized into cold, hard certainty.
'Just as I thought. The Cult's reach is longer and more audacious than we feared'.
The mission brief had spoken of the White Devil Cult infiltrating the capital and carrying out several brazen terror attacks, even successfully assassinating several ministers.
But to have replaced the King's own trusted general? That was a move of staggering boldness.
Ankh kept his expression perfectly neutral, deciding to play along with the charade.
To expose the imposter now would be to snap the only thread they had.
If this fake Carteus was here, it meant the Cult had a larger plan in motion.
Ankh would watch, and wait, and follow this thread straight to the heart of the infestation.
As his strategy solidified, the imposter led them to a set of massive, engraved double doors.
The guards flanking it snapped to attention and swiftly opened them.
The fake Carteus entered and announced in a clear, formal tone.
"Your Majesty, may I present the newest Wizard Saints member Ankh and his two assistants from Fairy Tail."
'Assistants?'
The word hung in the opulent air.
Who was he calling assistants? They were both legitimate, fully-fledged S-Class Mages, each a powerhouse in their own right!
Mirajane and Erza's faces, momentarily united in their outrage, darkened identically.
They cursed the imposter wildly in their hearts, their previous quarrel forgotten in the face of this shared insult.
Ankh's attention, however, was already ahead.
He looked up the carpeted steps of the grand conference hall and saw the ruler of the kingdom seated upon the throne.
He was a gray-haired old man, and to Ankh's private amusement, he appeared to be about the same height as Master Makarov.
He sat with a forced dignity that couldn't quite mask a natural, grandfatherly air.
'Hiss...' Ankh drew a quiet, sharp breath. 'I originally thought the Master's physique was one of a kind, but it seems there's another one here.'
This was the King of Fiore, Toma E. Fiore.
Having no prior interaction with the monarch, Ankh knew to comport himself with respect.
He stepped forward and bowed slightly, a gesture of courtesy from one powerful figure to another.
"Your Majesty," he said, his voice clear and steady in the vast hall. "I am Ankh Seram of Fairy Tail."
He then gestured to his companions, ensuring they received their due respect.
"These are my comrades, Erza Scarlet and Mirajane Strauss. They are not my assistants, but fellow S-Class Mages of our guild, and they are here to ensure the success of your commission."