Crocus, the capital of the Kingdom of Fiore, is filled with blooming flowers and competing colors all year round, earning it the nickname - the Capital of Flowers.
Riyao stepped off the train and took a deep breath of the floral scent wafting toward him, feeling his whole body relax slightly.
On this trip, he carried a request from the Fiore Royal Family. It only mentioned that a high-ranking figure in the royal family was unwell, but the specific symptoms were vague; he had to enter the palace and examine the patient in person to be certain.
He clicked his tongue inwardly and couldn't help but mutter to himself: "I hope I don't end up being killed to keep a secret later. Isn't that how all those TV dramas go? The imperial physician cures the emperor's unspeakable ailments and is immediately silenced afterward."
"Boss, two sticks of squid, extra spicy!"
Riyao took the charred and fragrant squid skewers and took a bite. The spice was satisfying, and he ate with a look of pure contentment.
He wasn't in a hurry to head straight to the palace, planning instead to wander around the Capital of Flowers and scout for some good food along the way.
As he walked, a strangely shaped figure suddenly darted out from the roadside, constantly muttering, "Man man"
Riyao's eye twitched, and he nearly spat out his squid.
Damn, it's Ichiya from Blue Pegasus.
That face was truly... so magnificent it seemed like divine craftsmanship, and it was full of impact.
He walked up slowly, took another bite of squid, and then spoke lazily, "Yo, Ichiya, what are you doing here?"
Upon hearing this, Ichiya immediately went through several suave poses in a fluid motion before turning his head. When he saw who it was, his eyes instantly lit up. "Man~, Riyao, the life aura on you is still so charming."
"Farewell!" Riyao turned and walked away without a second word.
"Man~, there's been a problem with the perfume I've been blending lately, and I was just hoping to ask for your advice!" Ichiya stepped forward quickly and firmly grabbed Riyao's leg.
"Let go! Don't hold my leg!" Riyao shook his leg forcefully, trying to shake the man off.
"Man~, this is the fated bond between us!" Ichiya held on even tighter.
Riyao raised his leg and slammed it down hard, intending to knock the man unconscious, but this strange fellow's physical constitution was actually quite strong; he was only dazed for a moment before letting go.
"Tsk, pervert Ichiya, this habit of yours is really disgusting."
Riyao took the opportunity to step on him, giving the other party no chance to counterattack or linger.
Just then, Ichiya's three disciples came running over in a hurry.
The leader, Eve, hurried forward and bowed repeatedly. "Lord Riyao! I'm so sorry! Master has caused you trouble again!"
Ren stood with his hands on his hips, shouting at Ichiya on the ground with a look of helplessness, "Master! Quickly let go of Lord Riyao's leg! This is scandalous in the middle of the street!"
Hibiki held his forehead and sighed, "We've been looking for you for so long. I didn't expect you to be being disrespectful to a senior from Fairy Tail again..."
Even while being stepped on, Ichiya didn't forget to maintain his pose, shouting muffledly, "Man~ this isn't disrespect! This is a resonance of souls! An embrace of bonds!"
Riyao applied a bit of pressure with his foot and frowned. "Resonance my ass. If you keep acting up, I'll force-feed you a bottle of Nullification Potion so you can't blend perfume for the rest of your life."
Ichiya froze instantly, his voice weakening significantly. "Man~ don't do that! Lord Riyao, I just wanted to ask you for the secret of harmonizing Life Magic with fragrances..."
Eve quickly stepped forward and grabbed Ichiya's arm. "Master! We're here to handle a request, not to harass people!"
Only then did Riyao loosen his foot, curling his lip in distaste. "If you have something to say, just say it. Don't get touchy-feely. If you grab my leg again, I won't be polite."
Ichiya was pulled up by his disciples, but he didn't forget to give Riyao what he thought was an elegant look. "Man~ then I will definitely pay you a visit another day to ask about the ultimate mystery of merging life aura with perfume!"
"No thanks."
Riyao took a bite of the remaining squid skewer and turned to leave. "If you keep pestering me, I'll let you smell a stinkweed scent that won't go away for three days."
The three disciples hurriedly apologized to Riyao repeatedly and dragged Ichiya away toward the other side as he continued to shout, "Man~ bonds!"
After shaking off Ichiya and his disciples, Riyao brushed the dust off his pant leg, held the remaining squid skewer in his mouth, and continued to wander the streets of Crocus.
The fragrance of flowers mixed with the aroma of snacks drifted everywhere along the streets. He bought things as he went, adding a skewer of grilled vegetables, a bag of sugar-roasted chestnuts, and a cup of steaming fruit ale to his hands. He took a bite or a sip every few steps, eating happily and long ago forgetting the unpleasantness of being pestered by Ichiya.
When he turned into an alley filled with snack stalls, Riyao was looking down and biting into some bread, not noticing the person walking toward him, and his shoulder accidentally bumped into them.
"Ooh, sorry, sorry!" He looked up hurriedly, food still in his mouth, speaking unclearly.
The young man before him was half a head taller than him, wearing simple but neat dark Mage's combat attire, with his black hair tied back cleanly. His eyes were steady; it was none other than Jura Neekis of Lamia Scale. At this time, he did not yet have the majesty of the Ten Wizard Saints, and his brow held the sharpness of a young Mage, yet he already possessed a stability far beyond his peers.
Jura also recognized him and was stunned for a moment. A hint of genuine familiarity appeared in his originally peaceful eyes, and then he shook his head gently, his voice deep and polite. "It's alright. It's Riyao, right? From Fairy Tail. Thank you for helping treat our guild's injured comrades last time."
Riyao swallowed the bread in his mouth and grinned, revealing two rows of neat white teeth, while still holding an unfinished sugar painting in his hand. "I didn't expect to run into you here! Speaking of which, how are those guys from last time? No allergies to the ointment I mixed, right?"
Jura waved his hand, his gaze falling on Riyao's hands covered in powdered sugar and breadcrumbs. A faint smile flickered in the depths of his eyes, and his tone remained steady but gained a bit of warmth. "They recovered very well; the effect of your ointment was even better than expected. Our guild took a request in Crocus to deal with some monster disturbances. What about you? You don't look like you're here for serious business."
"Hehe, I'm indeed in no rush" Riyao took a large bite of the sugar painting. "I took a medical request from the royal family, but since no one is rushing me, I'll just wander and eat first!" He shook the snacks in his hand, his tone cheerful. "This Capital of Flowers is too great; there's even more good food than in Magnolia! Last time I went to Lamia Scale, I thought your Berry Biscuits were pretty good, but unfortunately, I didn't get enough"
Jura raised an eyebrow slightly and didn't press for details, instead offering sincere advice. "Then I wish you success. The security in Crocus is decent, but try not to go to the alleys in the west of the city after dark. The lingering aura of monsters is heavy there; be careful wandering alone."
"Got it, got it!" Riyao nodded vigorously, taking Jura's reminder to heart. He took another bite of the sugar painting and said indistinctly, "You guys be careful with your work too, Brother Jura~ Once I'm done with the royal family's job, I'll find more good food and bring some for you! Consider it making up for the Berry Biscuits I missed last time!"
Jura nodded with a chuckle, the warmth in his eyes deepening. "Alright. Then I'll head out first. Let's chat again when we have time."
"Mm-hmm, goodbye, Jura!" Riyao waved his hand. Watching Jura turn to leave, he immediately turned his attention back to the snack stalls by the street, his eyes sparkling as he stared at some freshly baked honey pies. "Boss, give me two! By the way, do you sell Berry Biscuits here?"
The youth's figure quickly ducked into the bustling stalls, leaving behind only a trail of light footsteps and the sweet fragrance lingering in the air.