Thankfully, the train ride wasn't that long, despite the awkward silence and the tension in the air.
As soon as the train stopped, I immediately jumped out of my seat and began speed walking out of the train. Its the kind of reaction anyone would have to try getting out of an uncomfortable situation.
"Okay, so we're finally here!" I stated, looking over Magnolia while the other Quincy caught up -or just walked slowly. I know they can all outrun me if they wanted- to me.
Honestly, it was surreal. This was Magnolia, the place where Fairy Tail was and the town they called home. As an anime fan, I should be thrilled!
... But considering they're gonna be one of my biggest problems if I don't do this right, all I felt is anxiety.
I really should find time to relax and actually take in the fact I'm in a world of Magic. My emotional turmoil is probably the only reason I didn't have a bigger reaction to that.
"So, what now?" Bazz B asked.
"I guess we have to talk to the mayor?" Askin commented, scratching the back of his head. "Or chieftain? Or whatever you call the leader of this town."
"It's mayor, and yeah, that's a good starting point," I said as I began walking into the street.
It really wasn't hard to find a sign that directed you to the mayor's office. Especially since that sign was literally right outside the Train Station, which makes sense.
While reading the sign, I thanked God -guess it's the Soul King in this situation- that the mayor office sign was pointing at the OPPOSITE direction of the sign that said 'Fairy Tail'.
As we began walking down the road with the river being at our side, I started wondering on what exactly I'll do when I get to the mayor office.
I've met officials before, but this is the first time I'll do it as a... fellow official? I guess that's what Guild Masters count as?
Oh, and I'm a Guild Master. I still haven't got the chance to process that, too. I really need a moment to catch my breath.
Reaching the mayor's office, which wasn't as big as I expected, took a while. While finding it wasn't hard, Magnolia was quite big. It was big, but it looked like a small castle, or a big fancy house. The entire exterior was made from bricks, but the top was wood and pyramid styled, making it look like a mixture of a castle and a cabin in the woods.
It really made me curious on the architecture of this world, but that's for later.
Walking through the opened metal gates, I knocked on the door before opening it a second later. "Hello?"
The inside was rather fancy. There was an expensive looking carpet and painings on the wall. In front of the door by just several steps was a table where an elderly woman with her greying hair tied to a bun sat.
"Yes, how may I help you?" The elderly woman asked, sounding like a tired librarian.
"We're here to meet the mayor. I'd like to establish our Guild in Magnolia," I stated, hoping I chose the right words.
"Ah, yes, the Magical Council did inform us that another Guild is coming," the lady looked at a schedule she was holding before nodding. "Yes, the mayor is free at the moment. You may see him and explain your situation. He's in the office upstairs."
"Ah, thank you," I said as I walked past her while the others stayed behind.
I climbed up the stares and looked at the long hall with many doors. It wasn't hard to find which one was the mayor office since it had an actual sign that says 'Mayor Office'.
I knocked on the door a few times and waited for a response. "Come on in!"
When I opened the door, I was greeted by what anyone would expect from an office. A large desk in front of a large window. Several bookshelves and filing cabinets, and a few potted plants.
As for the mayor himself... I had to stop and blink at what I was seeing.
I, without exaggeration, was looking at a perfect copy of the Mayor of Townsville from Power Puff Girls.
Tiny body, large head, big nose, big monocle, one eye closed, tiny top hat, bald head, big mustache, and a purple suit. The whole deal.
"Uh... Hello, are you the mayor?" I asked, still processing what I was seeing.
I can't tell if this is a prank by Nyarlathotep or just plain coincidence created by Fairy Tail's weirdness and randomness. I'm actually leaning towards the latter since there's a man literally made of blocks walking around.
"Why, yes I am!" Same voice, too. His mustache moved when he talked, but there was no sign of his mouth. "I'm Mayor Pickles! How may I help you, young man!"
"I'm the Guild Master of the new Guild, Pentagon Cross. I came here to confirm establishing our Guild in Magnolia," I explained my reason to be here.
"Guild Master?" Mayor Pickles tilted his head with a confused frown. "You're a bit young, aren't ya?" He asked, which is probably a sign that I should get used to hearing that. "Well, I guess we all have to start somewhere! Come right in!" He added before I had a chance to say anything. Walking inside, I took a seat on a chair on the other side of the table and he slipped me a piece of paper. "Just sign here and your Guild is all set!"
I looked at the paper and read through it quickly. It was just basic agreements like agreeing to follow the local laws, avoid harming the citizens, and agreeing to help if the town needs it with compensation provided.
Man, I wish laws back home were this chill.
After signing my name, I handed Mayor Pickles the paper back. "Fantastic!" He cried out, taking the paper. "Tell me, do you already have a base for your Guild?"
"I've actually been meaning to talk to you about that. I was hoping you can give me advice on how to get one. Please understand that I'm rather on a budget, so I can't really afford anything pricy," I stated my other reason for being here.
Mayor Pickles hummed in thought before snapping his fingers. "I have just what you need!"
He turned his chair aside and actually jumped down before he walked around the desk and began heading out of the office with his hands behind his back. I saw that as I sign for me to follow him, so I did.
When we went downstairs as he kept walking, I stopped for a moment to motion to the other Quincy and our King. "Mayor Pickles, these are my Guild Members."
"Nice to meet you all! Please follow me!" Mayor Pickles stated as he gave them a friendly wave with a smile before he kept walking.
Meanwhile, they were giving him looks of confusion and surprise. Even Yhwach raised an eyebrow at the Mayor. "Just... Just roll with it. This is the least weird thing you'll see here," I mumbled to them when the mayor was too far to hear.
I went back to following Mayor Pickles with the others following now. He walked us across town while greeting people along the way. The citizens really seemed to love him.
When we reached the destination he was guiding us to, he looked back at me. "This was originally meant to be a new hotel, but the family that built it went bankrupt and had to leave town to save face."
We were now standing in front of a large metal fence with a large building behind it. It, like the rest of the town, had a medieval feeling to it, and a couple of towers, too.
The two towers were in the back and looked there for either aesthetics or for bells because they were too small to fit rooms. The building itself was four stories with a large, double door at the front that even Gérard can walk through without a problem. Between the front gates and the metal ones was a garden. The top of the building was made up of orange tiles while the body itself looked like white paint.
At least, it used to.
The building had obviously seen better days. Many of the windows were broken, plant at the garden were out of control and even grew into the fence and wall, and some parts of the paint were peeling off.
"I know it's not exactly what you were hoping for," Mayor Pickles looked apologetic. "But it's the best we have to offer a new Guild on the cheaper side of things."
With a heavy, defeated sigh, I looked at him. "How much?" I can actually feel the others look at me in surprise at the thought that I'm actually planning to buy this place.
"Two hundred thousand Jewels. You can pay them up front or by pay-over-time with twenty thousand Jewels every month for the next ten months," the Mayor replied.
"I'll pay up front," I really didn't want to worry about paying what is basically rent for ten months.
"Very well, my boy!" The mayor began walking away. "I'll bring in the paperwork tomorrow. You take a rest for now. You do look quite tired!"
I looked up and noticed that the sun had already set. "Alright, thank you, Mayor Pickles."
"No problem, my boy! We take pride in our Guilds in Magnolia!" With that, the mayor was out of our sight.
"Uh, Tommy, are you sure you want to buy this..."
"Dump?" Liltotto guessed.
"Yeah, dump," Askin finished his sentence.
"You can't possibly expect his majesty to stay here," Jugram glared at me.
"Figures you worry about him more than yourself," Bazz B mumbled, but if Jugram heard him he didn't seem to care.
"Look, this-" I motioned to the hotel. "-is literally the best I can offer right now! After we pay for this, we'll only have ninety five thousand Jewels left, which I'd like to spend on necessities and making this at least liveable. So, unless any of you can summon the Wandenreich or Wahl Whelt castle here, then just accept this is the best I can do or cough up enough money to buy a better place!" I glared back at Jugram who didn't give in. With a sigh, I turned to look back at the Hotel. "Besides, this is actually not that bad."
"You're kidding, right?" Bazz B asked.
"No, I'm serious. I was an architect and I can honestly say this isn't that bad," I stated.
"Really?" They all, except Yhwach of course, asked in curious voices.
I nodded my head. "Yeah, most this looks like it's just low maintenance. Not actual damage. As long as the building's skeleton structure hasn't been affected, it shouldn't be hard to fix this," I sighed as I felt fatigue catch up to me. "But... that's for later. I honestly just want a good night sleep. Who wants to see our new home?" I asked, but it was rhetorical.
Pushing the rusty gates open, I walked to the front wooden ones and saw the key on the lock. Opening the door, I walked inside and, just as I guess it, the whole place was covered in dust.
The lobby was quite big. There was a few old, fancy chairs around and, at the back, there was a reception table with empty rows for keys behind it. On the side, there was the a flight of stairs.
"Urgh, the dust bunnies here have dust bunnies," Askin complained as the rest of the group walked in.
I just ignored them and went up the stairs to see the rooms. Each one had its key on the door. Opening the closest, I opened the door and sighed at seeing exactly what I expected.
The room was quite plain. A single bed with a window, door to the bathroom, and a closet. The whole place was covered in dust, and looked like it had seen better days.
"Well, guess this is good night," I mumbled to everyone.
"Hey, this room is still clean!" I immediately turned my head tp see Gérard standing at the other end of the hallway holding a door open.
Running up to him, I looked inside and found out he was telling the truth. The room was completely clean and new. Not only that, but it was obviously meant to be a VIP room or a suite.
A large double-bed, a window twice the size of the one in the one I picked earlier, two doors. One I assum for a large closet, the other I assume for an equally fancy bathroom.
"What the hell!?" Bazz B cried out before running to another door and opening it. He did the same to a few others before groaning and looking back at Gérard. "These are all filthy!"
"The one clean room here and he finds it," Liltotto sighed, shaking her head. "Typical. Just typical."
"His majesty can stay here," Gérard stated, looking at me.
I knew he didn't really need my permission. He was just daring me to say otherwise, and I can feel Jugram's stare at the back of my head. I just shrugged my shoulders and went back to the room I picked earlier.
"Oh, this one is clean, too!" Gérard stated as he opened a random door.
Are you freaking kidding me!? There are two clean rooms in the entire building and Gérard finds both?! The Miracle is such bullshit!
... You know what? I don't even care. I have an emotional breakdown to go through.
As soon as I closed the door to my room, I leaned back on it and slowly slid down while bringing my hand to cover my face. I needed a chance to just... adjust to everything going on.
God -I guess the Soul King in my situation- help me with this mess and the incoming madness.