The previous month, the remaining members of Crime Sorcière and Oración Seis had been freed of their charges from the Magic Council. Various debates amongst the new council arose, one sector voting for the arrest of the former criminals, while the other for their freedom. After several deliberations, the latter sector won, justifying that they played a vital role in the eradication of the evils caused by dark guild Tartaros. They gave valuable service for the citizens of Fiore with their action, which they thought had already equated to their supposed years of sentence.
Certain measures were still to be followed however, and they were allowed to be free, live amongst people, and be regarded as criminals no longer provided that: they swear to work together with the council to eradicate the remaining dark guilds in the country; never to allow themselves be part of dark organizations again; and not to engage themselves in law-breaking acts. Furthermore, they had to live together in the quarters that the council prepared, for security purposes.
He learned of this from Jura, who had become one of the jurors in the newly-reformed council.
"Thank you for delivering this package," the wizard saint, who was temporarily residing at Magnolia for his duties with the council, said to Lyon as the latter handed over a small parcel.
"It's no problem, Jura-san."
"I hope you and the others back in Lamia Scale are doing well."
Lyon nodded with a small smile. "We are. Though we quite miss your presence in the guild house."
"Duty calls for the new council, I'm afraid. But I should be back after all things are settled," Jura said while stroking his long beard, "For the mean time, I hope you won't mind if I ask you to deliver more packages in the coming weeks."
"Any time, Jura-san. It's a pleasure of mine."
As the two of them were about to bid their goodbyes, a booming voice was heard from behind the bald man.
"Jura-san, my friend! It's been a while!"
Jura appeared to recognize the voice and turned around, then greeting an enormous man with polygonal features and orange locks.
"Ah, Richard-dono, I'm glad to see you well! It's been years since we last saw each other."
The man gave out a hearty laugh as he reached out a potato from his bag. "Hohoho! Of course! Apart from your presence, I'd recognize that head anywhere!"
He also exchanged a friendly greeting to Lyon, which he returned politely. For the ice mage, he was also a familiar face. His past name had been Hoteye, a money-loving dark mage who once engaged in combat with the wizard saint when they fought Oración Seis. At present however, he was more of a prophet of love than anything else, making Lyon think that he'd easily get along with Sherry and Chelia.
"There you are, Richard!" another voice interjected, this time, female, "I've been looking all over for you!"
The voice was familiar, Lyon thought, as the three of them turned their heads in-sync at the source of the voice.
"Oh! Meredy-san! My apologies!"
Ah, it was her, of course. His favorite person of the previous day, who, at the moment, was carrying a paper bag seemingly full of vegetables. A big pillow also appeared to be strapped on her back.
Richard explained that he was shopping for groceries with Meredy that day and that the girl became too distracted with her youth that he lost her amongst the crowd.
"Hey, it wasn't me who got lost," the pinkette protested, "I was in the middle of choosing the fluffiest pillow for Macbeth when you suddenly disappeared!"
"Hohoho, you caught me," Richard admitted, fiddling his moustache nervously, "I actually caught a glimpse of a super potato sale in one aisle, and I couldn't let that opportunity pass! See?" He proudly displayed the sack of potatoes around on one of his arms.
"Which reminds me, Richard-dono," Jura interposed, "There is a delegation right now amongst earth magic users regarding a project funded by the Agricultural Committee, and as a wizard skilled with such, I extend my invitation for you to join us."
Richard grinned with much glee. "Of course! Of course! Anything for the benefit of love, youth, and all of Earthland! These groceries, however, which include essential toiletries such as Sorano's shampoo and Erik's favorite earplugs...! They need to be brought home immediately with Meredy-san!"
The polygonally-shaped man suddenly turned to Lyon.
With sparkling, dark eyes.
Lyon gulped.
In the end, they ended up together once more. With a bag of vegetables (and potatoes) in hand.
"Thanks for agreeing to help me with all of these," Meredy said, peeking at him sideways from the vegetables in front of her.
"Actually, I was going to volunteer anyway," Lyon said, who had his hands full of the groceries previously held by Richard, "It would be rather ungentlemanly of me to let you carry all of these all the way back home, right?"
Meredy chuckled at the familiarity of his words. "Charming, aren't you? I thought it was Richard's speech of love and youth which got you helping me!"
He smirked. "Where are we headed to, anyway?"
"Our home within the woods of Magnolia, just a few minutes walk from the entrance. The council situated us there, 'for security purposes,' they say. But I bet what they really want to say is 'we are still very wary of you!'" She sighed, displaying a sad smile. "Can't blame them, of course."
Lyon only observed her quietly.
"But I guess it's okay though, even though we're in monitored quarters, we're pretty much free to do whatever we want as long as we don't break our oaths. This is way much better than being on the run, I think."
"I see," Lyon finally responded, "I guess you just need to show them that you guys are really on the same side now."
The corners of her lips curved upwards in a happier way. "Yeah. Jellal, Richard and the others, they all just had unfortunate pasts which moulded them into what they had been, but deep down, they're really good people."
"Wouldn't that include you, too?" he thought of asking, but she continued to speak.
"Good people, they are, but really lazy too!" The vegetables inside the bag began to rattle with her sudden ranting. "My goodness, they're going to be the death of me!"
Lyon almost snorted with the shift of her mood. "What made you say that?"
"These groceries, I mean! No one but Richard was willing to go with me! Don't get me started on the cleaning duties! I swear, they got way too used to their sedentary lifestyles in prison!"
"How about Jellal, then?"
She shrugged. "He said he would be accompanying Erza in the park today. He wouldn't admit it's a date, though. So frustrating!"
He tried to suppress his laughter. "Well, why don't you assign them a task per week?" he suggested, as they took a turn towards one of the streets, nearing the entrance gates of Magnolia, "Like if they don't follow it, no food or supplies and the like."
"Ohhh, that is a good idea!" Meredy beamed as she hugged her bag excitedly. "I'll try that! I'd start delegating each task per week as soon as I get home. If they don't follow it, they can just go die of hunger or something!"
He tried not to be disturbed with the way her smiling face turned dark with her last statement.
Soon, they managed to reach their quarters. It was a relatively small building with simple structures surrounded by trees.
"You can leave them here," she said, pointing towards the doorstep, "Thanks for accompanying me again. It sure made my walk seem shorter, I almost didn't notice that we were already here!"
He had just placed the groceries by the door. "No problem. I'll be taking my leave, then."
"Wait!" she managed to say before he could turn around, as she reached out her arm to him with something on her hand.
A potato?
The questioning look on his face prompted her to speak.
"I did say I'll make it up to you yesterday, right? You're welcome!"
He shook his head in amusement as he reached out his hand to claim the brown vegetable. "You're only supposed to say that after I say, 'thank you.'"
She only grinned back as she waved him goodbye.
He stared at the vegetable in his hand. He could not help but smile.
Really amusing, she was.
Walking towards Magnolia again, his mind was too preoccupied that he did not notice Juvia and Gray walking the opposite direction.
"Is that...Lyon-sama?" the water mage asked, turning her head to the withdrawing form of the silver-haired male. "He seems very happy though! Juvia wonders why."
Gray did not miss the sight of the potato in his hand. Questions raised on his mind, but he decided to conclude, "I bet he's just going crazy."
