"The City of Lawlessness—what kind of place is that?"
Yuri and the others looked at Mavis in bewilderment after she spoke the name, then at Weston, whose face had turned grave.
"The City of Lawlessness…"
Weston thought for a moment, then explained, "It's where soldiers, Mages, assassins, and mercenaries who fled the battlefield during the last war gathered after their army was defeated."
"Sounds like a seriously dangerous place."
Everyone now understood why Mavis considered this request unusual. "So, Mavis and the Master, you suspect the Bandits in the request aren't ordinary Bandits, but villains holed up in the City of Lawlessness?"
"It's not that simple!"
Weston shook his head. "I think what worries Mavis is that this request might be a trap set for our guild members."
Mavis nodded. "Exactly."
"What do you mean?"
Yuri and the rest hadn't yet sensed the hidden danger, but the sharp-minded Precht already understood.
"In the last war, Fairy Tail rose to fame overnight, and Weston, who led our forces, became known as the Fairy Commander."
"But along the way, we made plenty of enemies."
"Had it not been for us, those soldiers, Mages, assassins, and mercenaries might have followed the two Princes to victory and reaped rich rewards."
"Instead, they lost—utterly and completely!"
"Honor, money—gone."
"Now those same people find themselves side by side, sharing a common foe. What do you think they'll do next?"
Even the slow-witted Yuri could see where this was headed.
"I get it!"
"You're saying the request is probably fake—no villagers, no Bandits. It's bait sent by that crowd to lure our comrades out one by one for revenge?!"
How filthy!
"Then we just ignore it, right?"
Precht shook his head. "We can't ignore it either."
"If the request is genuine, those villagers would keep suffering under the Bandits' harassment."
"If the villagers are innocent and don't even know the Bandits' true colors, yet are forced into danger because of us, how could we turn a blind eye?"
After hearing Precht's analysis, the guild finally grasped the dilemma. "So… accepting is wrong, refusing is wrong—this mission really is thorny."
"No, that's not the worst part!"
"That's not the worst part?!"
Yuri blurted, "Then… what is?"
The other guild members looked equally curious, turning to the three sharpest minds present.
This time it was Mavis who answered.
"The real headache is that this request is only the opening signal!"
"Even if we treat it as an ordinary job and complete it, we can't guarantee every future request we receive won't be a trap."
"And if we let fear of hidden enemies bar us from every outside request, that's impossible!"
Cut off outside requests, and Fairy Tail would cease to be a Magic Guild that helps others; it would become just another tavern.
"No need for such fuss."
With a slap, Weston slammed the request sheet onto the bar counter.
"This job—I'll handle it personally!"
"And while I'm at it, I'll pay the City of Lawlessness a visit and clean out any schemers lurking there!"
"If those people only want a place to lie low and live out their lives, I'll gladly look the other way."
"But if their actions threaten my comrades' lives, then as their Master, I won't let it slide!!!"
To Weston, the guild was his home and his comrades his family.
Anyone who laid a hand on Fairy Tail would pay dearly!
"Weston, going alone is too risky. Let a few of us come with you."
Precht, Yuri, Warrod, Zera, and others volunteered in unison.
"No."
"If this is a ploy to draw away our main force so they can quietly strike Magnolia?"
Oh… No one had considered that, yet they wouldn't let Weston fight alone over a mere possibility.
"Master, don't underestimate us!"
"We may not be as strong as you veterans, but after a year on the battlefield we can still protect the guild and Magnolia!"
"Right, right… just go without worry!"
Seeing their good-natured smiles—and some even flexing muscles right there—Weston couldn't help but relax.
"You've got a point."
"Since you insist… then Precht comes with me."
"Eh, me?"
Precht looked over in surprise.
"Of course you."
"Aside from Mavis and me, you're the only one with the strength, brains, and field experience."
"If not you, who?"
The flawless logic left Precht silent for several seconds. "True… there really isn't a better choice."
This guy… was he just secretly pleased?
One thing everyone in Fairy Tail knows: though Precht looks like a cool, taciturn man, he's a total show-off underneath.
Seeing Weston take Precht along set their minds at ease, yet they still asked, "Only Precht? You sure you don't want more?"
"Really, no need!"
Weston leaned against the bar, gazing at the comrades gathered before him.
"If it's a normal request, this much power is plenty; if it's a trap, we can handle it. Too many would only slow us down."
A year's experience had trained the guild to operate with small, elite teams, so when Weston said he'd take only Precht, they knew it was best.
They also realized Weston was right—Precht was simply their finest.
The extra question was just regret that the chosen one wasn't themselves.
The next day, Weston rented a carriage with Precht and set off toward their destination.