Chapter 54: No Gate Guard Troubles - A Classic Scene

Eating and resting are often the times when it's easiest to be attacked by enemies, and Rhodes knew this well. So, during their meal and the subsequent sleepy period, he remained extra vigilant.

He ordered the crabs to patrol the canal diligently, occasionally extending their feelers to observe the situation on the shore more clearly.

Amidst such tension, they finally arrived at their destination.

The boatman maneuvered the boat to the shore and said, "Up ahead is Crocus. My boat isn't authorized to navigate freely within the capital, so please disembark here."

"Thank you for your hard work."

"Thank you."

One thanked him for his hard work, the other thanked him. The boatman watched as Rhodes placed the luggage ashore and then helped Mira disembark.

After pushing the boat away from the shore with an oar, he quickly rowed away, eager to distance himself from these two dangerous individuals.

Too thrilling—these two were carrying enough dangerous items to destroy a small village!

When he booked the boat yesterday, he thought the young lady was beautiful, but today he didn't dare look at her twice!

Living is good.

Next time he encounters mages from Fairy Tail, he must be extra cautious.

Rhodes looked at the quickly departing boat with confusion. "Isn't he going to take on more passengers or transport some goods for the return trip? Seems like a waste."

Mira adjusted her sunhat and gave a squeeze to the small crystal ball in her bag. She looked at Rhodes with a smile, "Yeah, I wonder why."

...

Compared to Magnolia, Crocus felt more like a grand city.

The entire city was built on relatively flat high ground, surrounded by thick walls.

A river flowed in from the southwestern gate, reaching the inner city—specifically the moat outside the palace walls.

The water then flowed out through the southeast drain, tumbling off the high ground into a small waterfall.

Rhodes and Mira arrived from the east and could see the rainbow-glimmering mist that enveloped the waterfall.

"It's beautiful." Mira couldn't help but stop and admire it.

"It is, but it doesn't match the city walls," Rhodes commented. He wanted to say the outflow resembled a drainage pipe, but felt that would ruin the atmosphere.

He dismissed the two standby crabs back to the Summoner's Canyon. "Swift crabs wouldn't be able to sneak in, so I'll summon them again once we're inside."

Mira stopped Rhodes from continuing his intense scouting efforts.

"It'd be too conspicuous to summon wild creatures in the city. This is the capital; there's no need to worry about security. Just relax."

"...Alright." Rhodes didn't insist further. His main concern was whether the guards would confiscate all the dangerous items he was carrying at the gate.

As it turned out, he was worrying too much.

The guards only asked a few questions about their identities and purpose.

Once Rhodes showed his guild emblem and Mira presented her invitation, they were immediately allowed through.

This lax "security check" made Rhodes doubt how good the public security here could actually be.

Then again, Fioré had been a neutral nation for over 160 years, with no internal uprisings and stable royal power. Perhaps they simply lacked a sense of crisis.

The streets of the capital were filled with flowerbeds, and every window of the houses was adorned with flowerpots, while small, meticulously maintained gardens decorated each doorstep.

That's why this place was called the Flower Capital—the air was filled with the scent of flowers, making it a paradise for allergy sufferers.

Of course, this was a magical world, so perhaps they had ways to handle such allergies.

Rhodes carefully surveyed their surroundings. "So, what's next? Miss Mira Janesenior?"

"Humph, according to senior experience, we should head to the inn first." Mira shook the invitation she'd used as their pass. "The magazine already arranged it."

Whether it was because Rhodes' gaze was too intense or not, they encountered no trouble or unwanted attention on their way.

Their destination was the Crocus Garden Hotel—one of the best hotels in the capital.

Looking at the beautiful fountains and towering building, Rhodes noted that its size was almost comparable to the Magnolia Cathedral.

"Quite impressive. Does the magazine have that much money?" Rhodes asked.

"Of course. After all, 'Sorcerer' is the most popular magazine these days," Mira replied.

The two walked into the lobby, where they were warmly welcomed by the staff.

A well-groomed male attendant offered to carry their luggage as he led the way to their room.

Rhodes politely refused, worried that this guy might unintentionally cause the hotel to go up in flames.

"This is your room. Please keep your key safe. If you need anything during your stay, don't hesitate to ask. Have a pleasant stay."

The attendant opened the door softly, handed the key to Mira, and then bowed as he left.

Rhodes blinked. "One room?"

"Well, the magazine didn't know I was bringing a companion, so they only booked one room. What should we do?" Mira showed a troubled expression, placing one hand on her collar, her voice suddenly sounding vulnerable. "Rhodes wouldn't take advantage of this situation, would he? Something like... a late-night attack?"

Devious. Drama queen.

Rhodes, the righteous gentleman, immediately put Mira's suitcase down. "I'll go book another room."

"Just kidding—it's a suite. We each get a room."

"Hmm, I was joking too. I definitely couldn't afford this kind of hotel."

Mira sighed with a smile. "Blame Cana. Rhodes isn't as fun as before."

"How much do you enjoy seeing others embarrassed?" Rhodes said. "Does that mean I should thank Cana?"

Honestly, Cana never treated her comrades differently, especially once she got drunk—she'd sling her arm around anyone without a second thought.

At first, Rhodes wasn't used to it, but as time passed, they became good friends.

Embarrassed? Not unless she caught him in a headlock—unless she was wearing armor.

"Rhodes? What are you doing?"

Mira had just finished putting her suitcase in her chosen room when she saw Rhodes moving around checking the bathroom, kitchen, and living room.

"I'm checking for any surveillance magic crystals," Rhodes replied. "In case there are any perverted journalists trying to get the scoop on you."

"That's..." Mira actually thought it was possible. She found that Rhodes was indeed very qualified as a bodyguard.

They carefully checked every corner but found nothing suspicious.

Mira asked, "The celebration starts tonight. Should we rest first?"

Rhodes glanced at the small bag hanging at Mira's waist and the sunhat in her hands—it was obvious she wanted to go out.

Stretching his arms, he said, "After sitting on the boat all day, I want to stretch my legs. How about you?"

Mira smiled. "Since we're here, I'd love to explore the capital a bit. Want to come along?"

"Of course. I'm your bodyguard after all—I'll follow the client's orders."