Chapter 102: Try Saying One More Thing
Erza's expression darkened the moment she heard Dino's words. Above S-Class missions were SS-Class missions, and above those were SSS-Class missions.
Beyond that lay the Ten-Year missions, and at the absolute pinnacle were the Century missions—quests that hadn't been completed in over a hundred years.
The most difficult mission she'd ever undertaken was SSS-Class, and she'd done it alongside Dino. It had been incredibly dangerous. If he hadn't been there, she probably would've died.
Even though her strength had improved significantly since then, she couldn't say with certainty that she could complete a Century mission. Hell, even S-Class quests were genuinely life-threatening.
"Name your price! As long as it's reasonable, I'll pay whatever you require," King Thomas E. Fiore declared magnanimously.
The Kingdom of Fiore was a permanently neutral nation within Ishgar. Thanks to its advantageous geographical position and well-established governmental systems, poverty was virtually non-existent.
Anyone willing to work hard could live comfortably in this prosperous nation, and as the ruler of such a wealthy kingdom, Thomas certainly wasn't hurting for funds.
Dino's eyes practically sparkled. "Now that's what I like to hear! A king who doesn't pinch jewels!"
"Wait just a minute, Dino!" Erza interjected quickly. "Shouldn't we discuss this with the Master first?"
She knew Dino well enough by now. If he said this mission was as dangerous as a Century quest, he wasn't exaggerating. Even Ten-Year missions could be fatal.
Sure, Dino had earned his reputation as Fairy Tail's strongest wizard, but "strongest" and "invincible" were two completely different things. She'd personally witnessed him sustain serious injuries before.
A mission this perilous couldn't be accepted on a whim. Besides, marking something this dangerous as merely S-Class? That was basically false advertising.
Thomas E. Fiore hadn't ruled for decades without learning to read between the lines.
"Miss Erza," he said urgently, "millions of people call the capital home. We had no idea this mission would prove so hazardous. If we don't handle this situation promptly, everyone in the royal capital will be at risk!"
"Relax, Erza," Dino said with a dismissive wave. "Yeah, the danger level's technically off the charts, but at least I've got some experience dealing with this kind of thing."
He crossed his arms, his expression turning serious. "And honestly? If I don't take care of this and they send in people who don't know what they're doing, the danger could multiply exponentially. Wouldn't be surprised if not just the capital but the entire kingdom got wiped off the map."
The color drained from Thomas's face. "Truly that catastrophic?!"
Arcadios, the Captain of the Holy Knights, scoffed. "Your Majesty! Don't let this man's fear-mongering influence you! The Holy Knights can enter that location at any time and eliminate whatever monsters lurk there!"
Dino shrugged. "Believe me or don't. Makes no difference to me."
"I believe you!" Thomas declared immediately.
"Your Majesty!" Arcadios protested.
Dino gave the king an approving thumbs-up before turning to Erza. "So, how much do we need to cover all the damages from our little… incident earlier?"
"About thirty-five million Jewels."
"Let's round up to an even forty million then."
"You insolent brat!" Arcadios snapped. "Don't push your luck! That's not 'rounding up'!"
While forty million Jewels was pocket change for the king, Arcadios couldn't stand watching some rough-mannered wizard extort His Majesty. Having the audacity to blackmail royalty—it was an absolute disgrace!
"Fifty million," Dino said casually, tilting his head as though Arcadios's voice had left his ear dirty.
"What?! You're openly—"
"Sixty million." Dino's grin widened.
His mouth was already forming the next number, making it clear that if Arcadios uttered even one more word, the price would immediately jump to seventy million Jewels.
"Silence, Arcadios!" Thomas commanded sharply.
He turned to address the wizards directly. "Dino, Miss Erza, I'm entrusting this matter to you both. I'll prepare sixty million Jewels as compensation for this quest!"
Snap! Dino's fingers cracked together. "You've got yourself a deal!"
"Your Majesty, please reconsider—"
"Arcadios, you've surveyed the area multiple times. I want you to escort Dino and Miss Erza to the location."
The knight captain's jaw tightened. "…Yes, Your Majesty."
Arcadios wanted to argue further, but the king's word was absolute. As leader of the Holy Knights, he had no choice but to comply.
"Perfect! Let's get moving then," Dino said, already heading for the door. "If we wrap this up quick, we'll still have time to check out the capital. I haven't been here more than a handful of times."
Thomas nodded to Arcadios.
The knight captain gestured stiffly for them to follow.
Just before crossing the threshold, Dino paused and glanced back over his shoulder. "Oh, right! Fair warning—if it really is who I think it is down there, the capital might get leveled during the fight. You might wanna consider evacuating."
"Absolutely not!" Thomas declared, standing tall despite his somewhat rotund frame. "As king, I will never abandon the people of this capital to save myself!"
Dino studied the man for a moment, genuine surprise flickering across his face. No wonder the people of Fiore lived so well—having a decent king actually made a difference.
Princess Hisui E. Fiore, who'd remained silent throughout the entire exchange, spoke up once Dino had left. "Father, why did you trust him so readily?"
King Thomas looked at his daughter thoughtfully. "Do you believe he was lying?"
Hisui fell silent, considering the question carefully before shaking her head.
Despite Dino's rough demeanor and his audacious willingness to extort the crown—which should've made him seem completely unreliable—something about his tone and expression rang true. He hadn't been lying. Or rather, he seemed like the type who'd consider lying beneath him.
"Exactly. And don't let his youth fool you, my dear. Dino Maxim is an extraordinary wizard."
Princess Hisui's expression grew contemplative at her father's words.
Nearly an hour later, after traveling by airship under Arcadios's guidance, Dino and Erza arrived near their destination.
From above, a massive stretch of mountainous forest had been corrupted by black magical energy, twisting the landscape into something unnatural and wrong.
"There," Arcadios announced, pointing downward.
Dino grimaced. "Tsk. Yeah, that familiar stench… it's definitely that bastard. Guess I should knock first."
White spherical auras of compressed air materialized around both his fists as he clenched them. "Let's see if anyone's home!"