Fairy Tail: This Healing Mage's hits hurt so much!

The council's emblem was engraved on the greyish-white stone walls, and the towering spires cast long shadows in the sunlight.

The guards at the door stood ramrod straight. When they saw Riyao and Erza approaching, they instinctively straightened their chests. Then, recognizing Riyao, they immediately bowed and made way for him.

Riyao navigated the corridor with practiced ease, making several turns before stopping in front of a carved wooden door.

He didn't even knock; he just pushed the door open and walked in, as if it were his own home.

The frogman following behind frantically wiped the slime off his face.

Along the way, it was so nervous that it was sweating profusely, and the mucus seeping from its green skin covered its face, making it look like a drenched frog that had just crawled out of a swamp.

I, a frog, have lived a life of constant walking on thin ice.

Riyao raised his hand and waved, greeting everyone with a grin.

"Grandpa Yajima, I've come to see you!"

In the office, Yajima sat behind a large desk, his gray hair neatly combed back, a pair of reading glasses perched on his nose, and a document in his hand.

Hearing Riyao's voice, he put down the official document in his hand, took off his reading glasses, rubbed the bridge of his nose, and sighed.

"So Sunrise is here too..."

His tone carried a hint of helplessness mixed with affection, as if he were looking at a grandson who always loved to join in the fun.

"Actually, it's nothing major, it's just Erza going through the motions."

Riyao walked unceremoniously to Yajima's desk, picked up a bunch of grapes from the fruit plate on the table, popped one into his mouth, chewed it, and then picked another.

"I know those guys care about their image."

He spoke casually as he ate grapes, as if he were talking about the weather.

"They don't want to admit they lost Lalabai, so they're looking for a scapegoat. I'm just here to see Grandpa Yajma."

After he finished speaking, he stuffed another grape into his mouth, his cheeks puffed out, and he looked completely innocent.

Yajima couldn't help but laugh at Riyao's overly familiar manner and nodded with satisfaction.

"As expected of Fairy Tail's only good child."

He stroked his gray beard, his tone tinged with emotion.

"Unlike other brats who are always causing trouble, Old Ma has it tough raising such a bunch of kids."

Erza, who was standing next to her, scratched her cheek awkwardly upon hearing this and looked away.

She recalled the destruction she caused after each battle, the tables and chairs she smashed when Natsu and Gray fought, and the walls of the guild hall that needed repairs every few days...

Okay, she was one of those little ones too.

The two chatted with Yajima for a while, and Sunburst took half a plate of grapes before getting up to accompany Erza to the courtroom.

The sound of their footsteps echoed on the stone floor in the corridor.

Just around the corner, a figure blocked their way.

Long blue hair, a gentle face, and a faint smile on his lips—Zekrein, or rather, Gerald.

He smiled, his gaze passing over Sunbeam and looking directly at Erza, completely ignoring Sunbeam beside him.

"Long time no see, Erza."

His voice was gentle and calm, like a spring breeze.

Erza's body tensed instantly, and a complex emotion flashed in her reddish-brown eyes—surprise, anger, and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Her voice carried suppressed anger.

"...Zekrein...why are you here?"

Zikrein said with a smile, his hands behind his back, looking relaxed.

"Don't be surprised, I'm only here to see you in my 'thought form' form."

His gaze remained fixed solely on Erza, as if she were the only person in the world.

"You were arrested this time not because you were truly guilty of a heinous crime."

After watching the show for a while, Riyao finally couldn't hold back anymore.

He clicked his tongue, crossed his arms, and tilted his head to look at Zikrein.

"Oh, is Lord Zekrein trying to seduce our guild's Fairy Queen?"

His tone was full of sarcasm, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"They have no sincerity at all. They're not even willing to send a physical entity, just a thought form? I don't agree to this marriage."

Erza rubbed her forehead, her temples throbbing.

"Sunlight, stop messing around. I just know him."

Sunlight completely ignored Erza's explanation, and with an air of knowing what was going on, he reached out and patted her on the shoulder, speaking earnestly.

"You don't understand, guys like that are usually scumbags."

He held up one finger and analyzed it in a serious manner.

"First, he only dares to meet you in his mental form, not in his real body, which shows he has a guilty conscience; second, he says 'it's not that you've committed a heinous crime,' but he still brought you here, a typical case of hypocrisy; third, look at the way he looks at you..."

He gestured toward Zikrein.

"It's all scheming. There won't be a good outcome with him."

Tsk tsk tsk, you think you can manipulate Erza in front of me? No way.

These words provoked Zeklay into a slight jolt. His composed smile froze for a moment, his blue eyebrows twitched slightly, and his voice rose a few decibels.

"Shut up! Sunbeam! This is between Erza and me, it's none of your business!"

Riyao slightly curled the corners of his mouth, his eyes playful, like a cat teasing its prey.

"Oh no, oh no, I was right!"

Zikrein's expression changed, his lips moved, but he only managed to squeeze out one sentence.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

After saying that, he turned and left, walking much faster than when he came, his back view showing a somewhat disheveled and guilty expression.

As Sunlight watched Zekelein's departing figure, he puffed out his chest like a victorious rooster, hands on his hips.

"Hmph, trying to mess with me?"

He secretly plotted: the main purpose of this trip was to confront Geralt, who was always thinking about persecuting Erza. He planned to trap him in a sack and knock him out with a club.

Yajima: I've become the clown?

He turned to look at Erza, who was standing there, her gaze somewhat unfocused, lost in thought.

Without saying a word, Riyao reached out and grabbed Erza's wrist, pulling her toward the courtroom.

"Let's go, let's stop spacing out, let's finish this quickly and go home."

Erza stumbled as she was pulled, but when she came to her senses, she reluctantly followed.

As the courtroom doors opened, a solemn and oppressive atmosphere swept over us.

Beneath the towering dome, rows of stone seats are arranged in a semi-circle, where the councilors sit upright with serious expressions.

The judge's bench was set up in the very center, and the defendant's seat was below it.

Riyao strode in, showing no sign of nervousness whatsoever. He looked around and waved to the council members.

"Hey, grandpas, it's been a long time!"

His gaze swept across the crowd and suddenly stopped on one spot—Urutia.

She sat on the council panel, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders, her face refined and elegant, a faint smile playing on her lips.

She was wearing the Council's uniform, but the uniform somehow gave her a unique charm.

Riyao walked over with a smile, hands in his pockets, his tone relaxed.

"Oh, it's been a long time, Ultear."

He looked her up and down a few times, his gaze sweeping over her before finally settling on her face, lingering for a moment.

"You've gained quite a bit of weight."

Ultear's lips twitched slightly, but she quickly regained her elegant composure, covering her mouth and chuckling softly.

"Lord Sunrise is still as fond of joking as ever~"

Her voice was sweet and composed, but a barely perceptible glint of coldness flashed deep in her eyes.

Erza stood to the side, silently watching everything unfold—she could clearly see Sunlight scrutinizing Ultear.

She silently made a mental note: when she got back, she would have Mirajane teach Riyao a lesson.

Riyao withdrew his gaze and sighed inwardly: This courtroom is a melting pot of all sorts of people.

Almost all the influential forces have infiltrated the council.

Even Fairy Tail sent an undercover agent in, which was of little use, but it was still proof of their status as a top-tier power.

The Gates of Tartar bribed Councilor Crawford Him to try and detonate Fez, plunging the world into the Age of Pyromancy—a byproduct of this scheme.

Ultear, the undercover agent from Devil Heart, is sitting on it, probably to provide cover for Devil Heart. It couldn't just be for the purpose of destroying the council building, could it?

That would be too degrading.

Gerald is considered to belong to the Oración Seis forces, since Brian was the mastermind behind brainwashing Gerald.

The legislators on the platform began a long trial.

"Erza Scarlett! You and your companions caused serious damage to public facilities during your campaign against the Iron Forest!"

A bald congressman slammed his fist on the table, spitting as he spoke.

"You've practically razed Croba Station to the ground!"

"Not only that!"

Another fat councilor chimed in, his face trembling.

"Your Fairy Tail guild's acts of destruction over the years are simply too numerous to count!"

He opened a thick notebook and began to read: "Last July, vandalism occurred in Hajruwong Public Square..."

He became more and more agitated as he read, his voice growing louder and louder, as if he had personally experienced all this destruction.

Some members of parliament also spoke up for Fairy Tail.

"Iron Forest is a dark guild, and Fairy Tail has done a great job this time."

"Without their intervention, Lalabai might have actually succeeded in the assassination."

But these voices were quickly drowned out by a chorus of condemnation.

Most of those who oppose Fairy Tail are older council members. They've long disliked Fairy Tail; these unruly brats cause trouble every day, which is practically a challenge to the council's authority.

Riyao sat in the audience, arms crossed, speechlessly watching the group of old men spouting nonsense.

He secretly decided: he wouldn't take their orders next time. If he got the chance, he'd trap them in a sack and beat them up.

The trial lasted a long time, and Riyao's patience was gradually wearing thin.

Several times he wanted to stand up and confront these old men, but each time Erza stopped him with a look.

Erza sat in the dock, appearing dignified, but in reality, she kept one hand on the direction of the sun, ready to grab him if he stood up.

Fine beads of sweat seeped from her back, fearing that Riyao might overturn the entire courtroom if he was displeased.

finally--

Speaker Crawford Sim banged the gavel, the dull sound echoing through the courtroom.

"alright!"

His voice was old and dignified, suppressing all the noise.

"In the Iron Forest incident, Fairy Tail's merits and demerits cancel each other out."

He paused, then added.

"However, we need to pay for the maintenance of Croba station."

When Riyao heard this, he almost rolled his eyes to the sky.

Merits and demerits cancel each other out?

They saved all the presidents' lives, and now they have to pay compensation?

These old guys have skin as thick as a city wall.

He took a deep breath, just about to stand up and say something.

Erza's hand shot out like lightning, grabbing his shoulder with a force as strong as an iron clamp.

She stared straight ahead expressionlessly, but the hand pressing on Riyao's shoulder was trembling slightly.

"Don't...speak..."

She squeezed out three words through gritted teeth.

Riyao glanced at Erza's ashen face, then at the group of old men still whispering on the stage, and finally swallowed back the words he was about to say.

Forget it, I'll put a sack on it another day.