In the Capital City of Crocus, there were a lot of businesses and establishments to which the structures of each and every building would be designed by the same architects that were appointed by the Kingdom. The image of the town is what the head of the Royal Family wishes to maintain, prosperous rich and simply wonderful but that was something that the Magus didn’t like but choose to go with it.
Instead of having his building designed in his own way, he had to make it so that it wouldn’t stand out and if so, it would have captured the attention of the Rune Knights easily.
The name of the establishment was Garan no Dou, a contract based agency whereas most of its contractors are usually guildless mages, there were many of its branches across the world and most of them are set in Fiore. In the Crocus branch it wasn’t where one would seek out information that the Rune Knights haven’t covered but rather something more of a shop filled with magical items and good toys for the children who belonged to high classed families. There were even books about the basics of magics as well as magical theories authored by famous Mages and as it stands the Branch of Garan no Dou here has become the source of Crocus’s human resources.
It also has a small clinic to boot.
On the second floor was the workshop which was protected by a barrier preventing anyone from
“passing by the second floor” as they come up stairs, making it look like the second floor was an illusion or there wasn’t any second floor to begin with, despite the building looking like it has three floors. This was to prevent any undercover Rune Knights from discovering his workshop regardless.
Of course the Magus himself used to be part of the Research team and development in Era but that was all in the past now as during that time, he had so little freedom to do field work.
Not only that he knew something went wrong within the hierarchy of the Rune Knights but he didn’t even bother to investigate, knowing that any involvement might cost him greatly.
The Third floor was the main office where the Magus himself would sit down as he would take notes of everything that is happening in Crocus right now, he had to pass down the strange reports coming from Hargeon about an unidentified creature a few square miles off the coast. It was the most urgent report that needs to be passed to Era immediately.
“Robin… do make haste with this one, it’s important that you must deliver this to Era immediately to both the Harbor master, Infinity Hydra's Guildmaster and the Prime minister of Defense.” Robin stood up tall, his usual hunter’s uniform, as he received and put the letter away, his robe flutters as he left the office leaving the Magus and his assistant, Kyrie. The Magus couldn’t help but stand outside the window looking at the entire block and seeing people pass by, his expression wasn’t his usual one, it almost looks like he was recalling a sad memory.
A few weeks ago in the festival where the Guildmaster of Fairytail played host, within the mass of crowds the Magus saw his little niece… or someone that just looks like her but a gut feeling tells him he cannot be wrong. He was confused and he didn’t want to assume but as the party of Magnolia was about to close, she was already gone leaving Merlin to perform the ritual to harvest and collect the excessive amount of mana generated by the party itself. Luckily no evil man had the same idea as his.
He couldn’t even sleep afterwards and it took him an entire day’s worth of lecherous behavior and shenanigans to put it off his head.
“Master? Are you alright Master?” Kyrie asked, voicing out her concern.
“Are you afraid that Mr. Hans is doing a bad job advertising down there?” Well Hans said he wanted to do something useful so he was appointed to advertising Garan no Dou but of course that wasn’t a very simple task, Hans was a former Garou Knight who has thought to have died but due to some circumstances, he’s living another life and looks just as he was years ago. Any of the Rune Knights would recognize him immediately so in order to fit the situation Hans has to put a ridiculous costume on, surprisingly it worked and he captured the children’s attention but both of them know he hates the position he’s appointed to right now.
Well it was better than guarding the Archives all the time, he was getting tired of being idle.
“Kyrie… do me a favor and prepare tea and crumpets…” The magus’s voice sounded sad and Kyrie was concerned.
“Yes master.” Kyrie bowed as he heads to the staff room.
As Robin went downstairs, he passed the clerk and waved his hand telling him that he’s leaving out in a hurry. Hans was outside wearing that ridiculous costume that attracted the children’s attention. Hans intended to stop Robin and ask to trade places with him but Robin doesn’t stop. He was in a hurry as his mission was too important for him to hesitate. He almost bumped into someone along the way but he moved so fast that there was not time to say sorry to the blonde he passed by.
God dammit… alright.. keep it together, I served under the King’s orders for awhile now, became a proud man and leader of the Garou knights but now I serve under the Magus who once also served his highness and if I cannot do a simple task like this, I’d disgrace myself. Hans thought to himself as he continued to do his job to advertising Garan no Dou. He was doing a great job to which all those who know him would be completely surprised. Merlin would be laughing in amusement but unfortunately Merlin isn’t in the mood to watch Hans work right now.
Across the street was a blonde who looked like she was lost in the big city and so happened to passby this block, for a moment time stopped and Hans would have received the order from the Magus through
“intent” to get her attention.
Hans knew nothing about this blonde, only Kyrie, Robin and Ms. Colchis knew of her as he guarded the Archives the entire time he came back to the world. Upon closer look Hans’s cheeks were tinted red but of course nobody could see his ridiculous face with that costume on. His costume was Cotton, Garan no Dou’s little fury animal. One rule is that he wasn’t supposed to speak while in costume as he tried capturing her attention by communicating the children through means of body language, telling them to pull her over here. And so the children did.
“Hey Missa! Cotton-chan wants to talk to you!” Says the little children as they giggled and run around orbiting Seru.
“Kyrie go down the first floor…” The magus said. Kyrie looked at her master’s face telling her that this is urgent. Merlin’s back was turned and was looking out the glass pane. She wasn’t so sure why but perhaps there’s someone coming to the store? Who could it be to caused her master to make that face?
As Kyrie descends down to the store, the Magus could only sit on his chair , drawing his pipe and sitting down, looking forlorn as he tries to come up with a scenario on how to deal with her, well first impression is everything to him of course. In case of course that she wasn’t he person he thought she was, hiring her to Garan no Dou would probably be best.
And as the children were to pull her towards Hans in a Cotton-chan suit, Cotton-chan grabbed her shoulders from behind and pushed her into the store.
Hans from his life of eliminating criminals… he has long forgotten how to socially interact with other people, or perhaps he didn’t care and just do was he was told.
Cotton-chan, Garan no Dou's Symbol and Icon