Chapter 138: Me? Fairy Strategist?
Sunflower Village was nestled northeast of Magnolia, not far from the rugged terrain of Kroba Canyon, close to the border of the Kingdom of Fiore.
However, the client for this mission wasn't the village chief of Sunflower itself, even though it was the closest settlement to the bandits' hideout. Instead, the commission had been jointly filed by several surrounding villages and towns.
A single village simply couldn't satisfy the plundering appetite of a bandit gang this large. Over time, other nearby communities and passing merchants had become targets as well.
Worn down and desperate, the villagers had pooled their resources together, hoping that a group of professional wizards could finally bring them peace.
In theory, this should've been a job for the local city guard—or even the regional military stationed along the border. But Fiore was a permanently neutral nation. Whether it was the result of prolonged peace or the dominance of magic in society, conventional troops weren't exactly the country's strong suit.
They were good enough for keeping order in the towns... but storming a mountain to face a well-entrenched group of bandits? That was asking a bit too much.
In the end, the people turned to the guilds—specifically, the wizards of Fairy Tail.
After covering the travel expenses, the trio of wizards arrived in town and quickly found a nearby inn.
"The innkeeper said there are only two rooms left," Rhodes said casually. "Not much of a choice. I'll take one room. You two can share the other, yeah?"
Alzack and Bisca immediately flushed a bright red, their expressions nearly matching the maple leaves in late autumn.
"S-S-Share a room?! The two of us... in one room?" they stammered in unison, practically steaming with embarrassment.