Are You Sure You Want Me to Wear These?

After resolving the Eisenwald incident, Jiang Bai and his group finally returned to the long-missed Magnolia Town.

The sun was shining brightly, and the streets were bustling with people, full of the vibrancy of life.

"Hey! Jiang Bai! You're back!"

The owner of the weapon shop on the street, a bearded man, poked his head out and waved enthusiastically.

"It's in the newspapers! I heard you single-handedly took down another dark guild, well done!"

"Uncle Luote, you're really well-informed!"

Jiang Bai replied with a smile, "But I'm not alone, Erza and the others are too."

Greeting each other along the way, the group pushed open the familiar door to Fairy Tail.

"Xiao Bai, President, welcome back!"

Mira, wearing an apron and holding a wine glass, greeted him with her usual sweet and comforting smile.

"I'm back."

Makarov responded listlessly, then plopped down at the bar, radiating an aura of utter despair.

The thought of the flood of bills and complaint letters from Magic Council, and the tens of thousands of words of self-criticism he would have to write, made his heart ache.

Jiang Bai didn't care about any of that. He casually took a newspaper that had just been published that day from Mira's hand, glanced at it, and a playful smile immediately appeared on his face.

He held up the newspaper and waved it in front of Makarov.

"Hey! Grandpa, look, is the sun rising in the west? Our guild actually got Magic Council those old fogies in the council!"

"What?"

Upon hearing this, Makarov jumped up from his chair like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and snatched the newspaper.

The front page of the newspaper featured the headline in bold letters. "Fairy Tail performs another miraculous feat! S-Class Mage 'Infinity' Jiang Bai takes action and instantly annihilates the dark guild 'Eisenwald'!"

The report was filled with lavish praise for Fairy Tail, especially for Jiang Bai, who was lauded as "a solid bulwark protecting the kingdom" and "a paragon of righteous magicians."

Makarov read the report three times, his expression shifting from doubt to shock, and finally to uncontrollable elation and pride.

Although he couldn't Magic Council what those people in the council were up to, this was praising his child in front of the entire continent!

This made him even happier than being praised as one of the Ten Wizard Saints!

However, his joy didn't last long.

"Thump--Thump--Thump--"

Outside the guild, a series of uniform, heavy footsteps, like war drums, suddenly resounded.

The next second, with a loud "bang," the two huge wooden doors of the guild were violently pushed open from the outside by a rough force!

Outside the gate, squads of heavily armored knights, wielding long spears and exuding a chilling aura, had completely surrounded the guild.

It was the Rune Knights, the most elite enforcement force under the Magic Council!

The guild fell silent instantly.

Many newcomers who had only recently joined turned pale with fright upon seeing this scene.

The older members, like Cana, merely glanced at it before continuing to drink from their barrels.

Macao and Wakaba even set up a betting pool to wager on who they were there to catch.

"This is... the Knights of the Magic Council?"

"What are they doing here? Could it be...?"

Just as everyone was discussing this, an envoy dressed in a comical green uniform and resembling a human frog walked out of the knights with a haughty gait.

He cleared his throat and, in a brazen, businesslike tone, announced loudly, "I am an envoy sent by the Magic Council!"

"By order of the Magic Council, in connection with the 'Eisenwald' incident a few days ago, we have formally arrested Fairy Tail mage Jiang Bai on charges of 'malicious damage to public buildings' and 'serious damage to the Magic Council's public property'!"

"What?!" Lucy gasped, covering her mouth.

Wasn't he just praised in the newspaper? How come he's arresting people so soon?!

Makarov and Jiang Bai exchanged a glance, both showing an "I knew it" expression.

They all knew that those old men on the Magic Council were extremely concerned about their image.

Having suffered such a loss, it would be strange if they didn't resort to some underhanded tactics to make up for it.

To put it bluntly, it's just a formality. Even if Jiang Bai were actually brought there, they wouldn't dare utter a single harsh word; they'd just keep him listening to their rambling all day.

"You brat, come back soon." Makarov waved his hand impatiently.

"Knew."

Jiang Bai yawned, lazily stood up, and said to the frog messenger, "Let's go."

His relaxed demeanor, as if he were just going for a visit to a neighbor's house, made the frog messenger feel that his authority had been challenged.

He raised his head and shouted in a shrill voice, "Guards! Put anti-magic handcuffs on him! To prevent resistance!"

One of the Rune Knights immediately stepped forward, took a pair of heavy handcuffs flashing with magical runes from his waist, and was about to put them on Jiang Bai's hands.

The expressions on the faces of some of the guild's veteran members changed instantly.

Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow.

He didn't move, but his gaze lingered on the handcuffs for a second.

The next moment, the heavy magic-suppressing handcuffs seemed to be grabbed by an invisible hand, instantly breaking free from the knight's control and flying into Jiang Bai's hand with a "whoosh".

Jiang Bai weighed the iron lump in his hand, and it made a crisp clinking sound.

He looked at the frog messenger, whose face had instantly turned somewhat ugly, with a mocking expression, and tilted his head.

Are you sure you want me to wear this?

Makarov glanced at it, picked up his glass, and acted as if it were none of his business, completely handing the reins over to Jiang Bai.

"What... what do you want to do?!"

The frog messenger felt uneasy under Jiang Bai's amused gaze, but he still forced a fierce but weak croak.

"Do you intend to publicly defy the Magic Council's orders and openly rebel?!"

"Rebel?"

Jiang Bai seemed to have heard a joke.

He didn't even bother to speak again. An invisible Spiritual Pressure, like a flood bursting its banks, suddenly emanated from him, precisely enveloping the frog messenger and the knight who had just handed over the handcuffs.

"Thump!"

The two felt as if an invisible mountain had suddenly pressed down on them. Their legs went weak, and they uncontrollably knelt on the ground, covered in cold sweat, unable to move even a finger.

"Bring those old men from the Magic Council over here; none of them would dare speak to me like that."

Jiang Bai's voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority.

Who do you think you are?

Just then, a tall figure hurriedly walked in from outside the door.

He was the captain of a Rune Knights. He was only two steps late, but this new, foolish messenger had offended this most dangerous and unapproachable figure!

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Jiang Bai!"

When the captain saw what was happening on the field, he was so frightened that he almost jumped out of his skin. He quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply to Jiang Bai.

"They are all new recruits, unaware of your reputation, and have been quite offensive. Please forgive them, considering their inexperience!"

The captain was smart; he didn't say anything about saving face for the Magic Council.

Jiang Bai glanced at him and withdrew his oppressive aura.

The two people kneeling on the ground were immediately relieved, panting heavily, and their eyes were filled with pure fear as they looked at Jiang Bai.

"Remember, just this once,"

Jiang Bai casually tossed the anti-magic handcuffs back to the captain, saying lazily,

"I'm not a horse herder."

"Yes! Yes! Thank you for your magnanimity!"

The captain took the handcuffs, bowing and scraping repeatedly, then quickly stepped aside and respectfully gestured for them to be handed over.

"Lord Jiang Bai, this way please! The carriage is ready."