1.3 Billion J!

Plates were stacked layer upon layer around the long dining table.

Jiang Bai put down his empty wine glass, casually pushed the seventh slice of roasted monster meat onto Erza's plate, and handed the peeled crystal fruit to Mirajane.

The two young women ate their food with their heads down, their movements elegant and composed.

A series of heavy, slow footsteps came from the other end of the red carpet.

The current king of the Kingdom of Fiore Toma E. Fiore, wearing a heavy golden cloak, personally carried a pure gold tray covered with red velvet and stepped forward to stand in front of Jiang Bai.

The old king steadied himself and, in front of all the mages present, bowed deeply to Jiang Bai.

"Your Excellency Jiang Bai, please allow me, on behalf of the millions of people of the entire kingdom, to once again express our sincerest gratitude to you."

"If it weren't for your heroic act of turning the tide and slaying the dragons, the capital would probably be in ruins today."

Jiang Bai leaned back in his chair and waved.

"Old man, let's skip the pleasantries. All this formality is pointless. Let's get straight to the point."

King Toma knew Jiang Bai's temperament and showed no displeasure. He straightened his back and reached out to lift the red velvet cloth from the tray.

In the very center of the tray lay a deep purple magical check bearing the royal magical anti-counterfeiting seal.

King Toma held the check with both hands and respectfully handed it to Jiang Bai.

"This is the payment for the batch of ancient dragon scales, horns, and bone materials that we acquired from you seven days ago, totaling 300 million J. The settlement has been completed."

Makarov, who had been frantically gnawing on a chicken leg, suddenly choked, dropped the bone, pounced on the table, grabbed the edge of the table, and stared intently at the long string of zeros on the check.

Jiang Bai reached out and took the check, without even counting it, and casually stuffed it into Makarov's large robe pocket.

"Old man, as agreed before, you get 20%."

Makarov clutched his chest with both hands, swaying unsteadily on the spot, muttering, "I'm rich! I'm rich!"

After completing the payment for the dragon scales, King Toma did not leave.

King Toma turned around and waved to someone behind him.

Arcadios, wrapped in thick white bandages, walked up with stiff steps, his abdominal wound throbbing slightly.

When he was two steps away from Jiang Bai, Arcadios knelt down and slammed his forehead heavily against the granite floor.

"Lord Jiang Bai!"

"Previously, I was foolish and short-sighted, almost causing an irreparable disaster, and even offended Your Majesty's divine might with disrespectful words!"

"Your punch has served as a wake-up call. I am completely convinced of your guilt and have come here to apologize!"

After speaking, Arcadios lay on the ground, not daring to raise his head.

Jiang Bai looked down at the bandaged man and waved his hand.

"Alright, get up."

"My anger subsided immediately after that punch; I didn't have time to hold a grudge until now."

Upon hearing this, Arcadios felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders and thanked the king profusely before retreating behind him.

King Toma clapped his hands, and the captain of his guard immediately brought out a second tray.

This time, the tray held a pure black Supreme Crystal Card, its surface inlaid with dazzling magical diamonds.

King Toma pushed the black card in front of Jiang Bai.

"Your Excellency Jiang Bai is magnanimous, but the royal family must not be ungrateful."

"Though the Eclipse Gate was destroyed, it preserved the life of the entire continent."

"Here is an extra one billion J as a reward, representing the royal family's modest respect for the savior. Please accept it."

One billion J.

The entire banquet hall instantly fell into a gasp.

An ordinary mage wouldn't accumulate even ten million J in a lifetime of missions; one billion J is equivalent to nearly one-fifth of the royal family's annual fiscal surplus.

Gray, standing behind, dropped his wine bottle with a clatter to the ground; Natsu got a piece of meat stuck in his throat; and Lucy was clutching her hair, questioning her very existence.

Makarov rolled his eyes and collapsed, exhausted, against Elfman's leg.

Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow, reached out and picked up the heavy black card, casually twirled it a couple of times between his fingers, and then stuffed it into his pocket.

"Okay, I'll take the money."

A huge sum of money delivered to your door—why not take it?

With this 1.3 billion J in income, Jiang Bai could easily renovate the entire town of Magnolia three times over. Of course, Jiang Bai wouldn't even consider doing that.

With the large sums of money settled between the host and guests, the banquet entered its second half.

Mages from various factions and nobles moved about, wine glasses in hand.

Merchants' representatives lined up to discuss commercial endorsements with Blue Pegasus, local lords crowded around Lamia Scale to solicit defense commissions, and the liaison officers left over from the Magic Council were running around probing the strengths and weaknesses of the various guilds.

The entire magnificent Hisui Hall was filled with the sounds of people exchanging toasts and engaging in friendly conversation.

Jiang Bai leaned back in his soft chair, watching the group of people insincerely flatter each other, and felt utterly bored.

This kind of tug-of-war with interpersonal relationships is more torturous than fighting a seven-headed dragon at 10,000 meters in the air.

Half an hour later, the music in the hall gradually stopped.

According to the centuries-old tradition of the Kingdom of Fiore, such high-level state banquets must end with the king delivering a concluding speech as a way of taking the curtain down.

King Toma ascended the high platform at the front of the hall and delivered a long, impassioned speech on unity, courage, and future reconstruction.

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience, with members of various guilds clapping until their hands went numb.

After King Toma finished speaking, he did not step down from the platform. Instead, he held the magical megaphone and pointed his palm directly at the black-haired youth in the center of the long table.

"Tonight's glory belongs not only to the royal family, but also to the man who saved everyone from dire straits!"

"Now, let us welcome with the loudest cheers Lord Jiang Bai of Fairy Tail, the strongest warrior of the Kingdom of Fiore, to the stage and say a few words to us!!"

With a thunderous roar, the entire audience erupted in applause.

The entire Sabertooth team stood up, Blue Pegasus One Night led the male model group in shouting loudly, and Jura of Lamia Scale also clapped vigorously.

For any mage, delivering a speech in the highest hall of the royal palace to the entire nation is an unparalleled honor worthy of being recorded in history.

Jiang Bai, who was sitting in his seat, remained motionless.

Jiang Bai sighed, feeling that this was completely pointless and unnecessary.

Jiang Bai's strength has long been evident; he doesn't need to stand on a high platform and recite a few grand-sounding lines to prove his worth.

Jiang Bai was about to wave his hand in refusal when he looked down and saw Makarov standing next to him.

The little old man stood on the chair, head held high and chest puffed out, his two white mustaches sticking up high, his two little hands clapping frantically, his whole face filled with indescribable pride and self-satisfaction.

Erza gently tugged at the back of Jiang Bai's suit jacket, a gentle yet proud smile playing on her lips.

Mirajane reached out and gently pushed Jiang Bai's back, urging him softly.

"Go on, Xiao Bai, everyone's watching you."

Looking at the proud smiles of the two girls beside him, and then at the old man's triumphant expression.

Jiang Bai rubbed his temples helplessly.

"I just can't do anything with you guys."