The Council's emblem was carved into the grayish-white stone walls, and the towering spires cast long shadows under the sunlight.
The guards at the entrance stood straight. Seeing Riyao and Erza approach, they subconsciously puffed out their chests, but upon recognizing Riyao, they immediately bowed and scraped as they cleared the way.
Riyao moved through the corridors with practiced ease, turning a few corners before stopping in front of a carved wooden door.
He didn't even knock, pushing the door open and walking in as naturally as if he were returning to his own home.
The frog-man following behind was frantically wiping mucus from its Face. It had been sweating nervously the whole way, the cold sweat mixing with the mucus oozing from its green skin until its Face was a mess, looking like a drowned frog that had just crawled out of a swamp.
Poor froggy me, walking on thin ice my whole life.
Riyao raised a hand and waved, greeting with a grin, "Grandpa Yajima, I've come to see you!"
Inside the office, Yajima was sitting behind a large desk, his white hair combed back meticulously. A pair of reading glasses sat on the bridge of his nose as he held an official document.
Hearing Riyao's voice, he set down the document, took off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose, and sighed, "So Riyao came too..."
His tone carried a hint of helplessness mixed with affection, like looking at a grandson who always loved to join in on the excitement.
"It's not really a big deal, actually. It's just having Erza go through the motions."
Riyao walked unceremoniously to Yajima's desk, picked up a bunch of grapes from the fruit plate, plucked one and tossed it into his mouth, chewed, and then plucked another.
"I know those guys care about their reputation."
He spoke while eating grapes, his tone casual as if chatting about the weather.
"They don't want to admit they lost Lullaby, so they're looking for a scapegoat to take the fall. As for me, I'm just here to visit Grandpa Yajima."
He stuffed another grape into his mouth after speaking, his cheeks bulging, looking entirely innocent.
Watching Riyao's familiar behavior, Yajima couldn't help but laugh and nodded with satisfaction.
"Truly Fairy Tail's only good child."
He stroked his white beard, his tone tinged with emotion.
"Unlike those other brats who cause trouble every day. Old Ma doesn't have it easy, raising such a nest of little rascals."
Beside him, Erza scratched her cheek awkwardly, her gaze drifting elsewhere. She thought of the destruction she caused after every battle, the tables and chairs smashed when Natsu and Gray fought, and the guild hall walls that needed repairs every few days...
Well, she was one of those little rascals too.
The two chatted with Yajima for a while, and Riyao made off with half the plate of grapes before finally getting up to accompany Erza to the courtroom.
In the corridor, the sound of their footsteps echoed on the stone floor.
Just at the corner, a figure blocked their path.
Long blue hair, a gentle Face, and a faint smile playing on his lips—Siegrain, or rather, Jellal.
With a smile on his Face, his gaze bypassed Riyao and looked straight at Erza, completely ignoring Riyao beside her.
"Long time no see, Erza."
His voice was gentle and calm, like a spring breeze.
Erza's body tensed instantly. A flash of complex emotions—surprise, anger, and something indefinable—flickered in her reddish-brown eyes. Her voice carried suppressed fury.
"...Siegrain... why are you here?"
Siegrain said with a smile, his hands behind his back, his posture composed.
"Don't be surprised, I've only come to see you as a Thought Projection."
His gaze remained fixed only on Erza, as if she were the only person in the world.
"Arresting you this time isn't because you've truly committed a heinous crime."
Riyao had been watching the drama from the side for a while and finally couldn't hold back anymore.
He clicked his tongue, crossed his arms, and tilted his head as he sized up Siegrain.
"Yo, is Lord Siegrain trying to hit on our guild's Titania?"
His tone was full of teasing, his lips curling into a mocking arc.
"You have no sincerity at all. You won't even show up in person, just sending a Thought Projection? I don't approve of this union."
Erza facepalmed, her temples throbbing.
"Riyao, stop messing around. I just happen to know him."
Riyao completely ignored Erza's explanation. Like someone who had seen it all, he reached out to pat her shoulder and spoke earnestly.
"You don't understand. People like this are usually scumbags."
He held up a finger, analyzing with a serious Face.
"First, he only dares to meet via Thought Projection and doesn't show his real body, which means he has a guilty conscience. Second, he says 'it's not because you committed a heinous crime' but still arrested you anyway—classic hypocrisy. Third, look at his eyes..."
He gestured with his chin toward Siegrain.
"They're full of calculation. Nothing good will come of being with him."
Tsk tsk tsk, trying to PUA Erza in front of me? Not a chance.
These words provoked Siegrain enough to break his composure. His originally calm smile stiffened for a moment, his blue eyebrows twitched slightly, and his voice rose a notch.
"Shut up! Riyao! This is between Erza and me, it has nothing to do with you!"
Riyao's lips curled slightly, his eyes playful like a cat toying with its prey.
"He's getting worked up, he's getting worked up! That means I hit the mark."
Siegrain's expression shifted, his lips moved, and finally he only managed to squeeze out: "I don't know what you're talking about."
After saying that, he turned and left, his pace much faster than when he arrived. His retreating figure looked somewhat flustered and guilty.
Riyao watched Siegrain's departing back like a victorious rooster, puffing out his chest proudly with his hands on his hips: "Hmph, trying to take me on?"
He plotted secretly in his heart: This trip was mainly to roast this Jellal guy. He spends every day thinking about persecuting Erza. One of these days, I'll throw a sack over his head and beat him with a club.
Yajima: Am I the clown here?
He turned to look at Erza, who was standing still, her gaze somewhat dazed as if lost in thought.
Without a word, Riyao reached out and grabbed Erza's wrist, dragging her toward the courtroom.
"Let's go, let's go. Stop daydreaming. Let's finish this and go home early."
Erza was pulled into a stumble, snapped back to her senses, and followed helplessly.
The doors to the courtroom pushed open, and a solemn, oppressive atmosphere rushed toward them.
Under the high dome, several rows of stone seats were arranged in a semicircle. The Councilors sitting there were all upright and serious. The judgment platform was set in the center, with the defendant's dock right below it.
Riyao walked in grandly, showing not even a hint of nervousness. He looked around and waved at several Councilors: "Yo, old grandpas, long time no see."
His gaze swept through the crowd and suddenly stopped on one seat—Ultear.
She sat in the Councilors' section, her long black hair draped over her shoulders. Her Face was exquisite and elegant, with a faint smile on her lips.
She wore the Council uniform, but on her, the uniform somehow carried a different kind of charm.
Riyao walked over with a smile, hands in his pockets, his tone relaxed: "Oh my, long time no see, Ultear."
He sized her up, his gaze circling her body before finally landing on her shapely rear, lingering for just a split second.
"You've gained quite a bit of weight."
Ultear's lip twitched slightly, but she quickly regained her elegant posture, covering her mouth with a light giggle: "Lord Riyao still loves to joke as much as ever~"
Her voice was sweet and composed, but an imperceptible cold light flashed deep in her eyes.
Erza stood nearby, silently taking it all in—she had clearly seen the look Riyao gave Ultear's rear.
She made a mental note: When we get back, I'll have Mirajane deal with Riyao.
Riyao withdrew his gaze and sighed inwardly: This courtroom is truly a mixed bag.
Almost every major power had infiltrated the Council. Even Fairy Tail had sent an undercover agent—though he wasn't of much use, it was at least proof of being a top-tier power.
Tartaros had bribed the Chairman, Crawford Seam, attempting to detonate Face and bring the world into the era of Curses. Those byproduct bastards.
Grimoire Heart's mole, Ultear, was sitting up there, likely to provide cover for them. Surely she wasn't just there to destroy Council buildings? That would be too beneath her.
Jellal could be considered part of the Oración Seis faction, since Brain was the mastermind behind brainwashing him.
The Councilors on stage began the long trial.
"Erza Scarlet! You and your group caused severe damage to public facilities during the subjugation of Iron Forest!"
A balding Councilor pounded the table, spit flying everywhere.
"Clover Station was nearly leveled by you!"
"Not only that!" another fat Councilor chimed in, the fat on his Face trembling. "The destructive behavior of your Fairy Tail Guild over the years is simply too many to count!"
He flipped open a thick record book and began reading: "Last July, destruction of the Hargeon public square..."
He grew more excited as he read, his voice getting louder as if he had personally experienced all this destruction.
Some Councilors also spoke up for Fairy Tail.
"Iron Forest is a Dark Guild. Fairy Tail performed a great service this time."
"Without their intervention, Lullaby might have actually succeeded in the assassination."
But these voices were soon drowned out by a wave of condemnation. Most of those opposing Fairy Tail were the older generation of Councilors. They had long been annoyed by Fairy Tail—this group of rule-breaking brats who caused destruction every day was simply a provocation to the Council's authority.
Riyao sat in the gallery, arms crossed, watching speechlessly as these old geezers ranted above.
He secretly decided: I won't accept their requests next time. If I get the chance, I'll sack them and use the club.
The trial lasted a long time, and Riyao's patience was wearing thin. Several times he wanted to stand up and roast these old fogies, but each time he was stopped by Erza's gaze.
Erza sat in the defendant's dock, appearing upright and composed, but in reality, one hand was constantly reaching toward Riyao, ready to pin him down the moment he tried to stand. Fine beads of sweat broke out on her back, fearing Riyao would flip the entire courtroom if he got annoyed.
Finally—
Chairman Crawford Seam struck the gavel, the dull sound echoing through the courtroom.
"Enough!"
His voice was old and majestic, suppressing all the noise.
"In this Iron Forest incident, Fairy Tail's merits and faults cancel each other out."
He paused, then added another sentence.
"However, you must pay for the repair costs of Clover Station."
Riyao almost rolled his eyes to the ceiling when he heard this. Merits and faults cancel out? They saved the lives of all the Masters, and they still have to pay? The thickness of these old guys' skin was truly greater than a city wall.
He took a deep breath, just about to stand up and say something.
Erza's hand shot out like lightning, pinning his shoulder with a grip as strong as an iron vice. She stared straight ahead expressionlessly, but the hand holding Riyao's shoulder was trembling slightly.
"Don't... say... a word..."
She squeezed the words out from between her teeth.
Riyao looked at Erza's livid Face, then at the group of old geezers still whispering on stage, and finally swallowed the words at the tip of his tongue.
Fine, I'll just sack them another day.