Fairy Tail: Saint Seiya Magic Unleashed

Chapter 39: The Payment

"My apologies. It was my oversight," Mr. Deno said with a grim expression.

"I didn't expect that man would go so far—hiring a Dark Guild to sabotage me…"

It was clear he and this Haros fellow had a deep grudge. The kind of grudge where someone hiring criminals wasn't entirely surprising.

"That's none of my business, Mr. Deno," Moen cut him off, expression calm.

"I just want my payment—and the compensation."

He hoisted the bag in his hand and opened it, revealing the bulging stash of Magic Horns.

"Of course, of course. I was careless this time. The compensation will be delivered as promised.

You've worked hard, young man."

Deno's face brightened the moment he saw the Magic Horns. The worry and tension on his face melted away, replaced with genuine delight.

Any initial doubts he had about Moen had long since vanished. One glance at the tightly bound Dark Guild mages lying in his yard was all the proof he needed.

This boy—this teenager—wasn't just competent.

He was formidable.

In the magic world, strength spoke louder than words. The moment someone proved they had real power, their age stopped mattering—and people like Deno? They were smart enough to spot a rising star when they saw one.

Inside the manor, Deno quickly arranged for the payment.

They sat down and completed the transaction—Moen handed over the goods, and Deno handed over the money.CC

"Here's 800,000J for the job," Deno said with a grin, placing a thick envelope in Moen's hand.

"And an additional 200,000J for the… unexpected complications. That fair enough, little brother?"

"Next time you've got a job like this, feel free to call me again," Moen replied smoothly as he accepted the cash.

His face remained composed, but his heart? A little excited.

This was by far the largest payday he'd ever received.

1,000,000J.

It sounded like a huge amount, but in reality, it wasn't as impressive as it seemed.

It was just a hundred 10,000J bills. Not exactly a suitcase of cash.

In terms of real-world value? Roughly around 50,000 RMB, give or take. Considering the distance traveled, the monster subjugation, and the ambush at the end—it was hard-earned money.

Being a mage didn't mean easy wealth.

A lot of jobs were dangerous, and even high-risk assignments like this might only earn you a few thousand dollars.

Weaker mages had it even rougher.

They made ends meet by taking on all kinds of odd jobs—finding lost items, catching cheaters, chasing down creeps on trains, or even farming gigs like watering crops and tilling soil.

Most of those jobs paid under 100,000J—sometimes as low as a few thousand.

Moen had done a fair share of those small-time commissions back in town. And honestly? Those were the real bread and butter of most guilds.

Only a handful of mages had the strength to take on high-paying missions like this one.

After all, a 1,000,000J job?

Raise the price a bit more, and you might even attract an S-Class mage.

Of course, to be officially ranked as an S-Class commission, a job needed to offer at least 5,000,000J. But that didn't mean S-Class mages wouldn't take lower-paying jobs occasionally—especially if they were looking to make easy money.

In the end, Deno signed the completion form on the official contract, and that was that.

Moen just needed to bring the signed form back to the guild and the mission would be formally logged as completed.

As for the guild's commission?

That was already deducted when the job was first posted. The platform always gets paid—no exceptions.

If the task was canceled or failed beyond a reasonable period, the money could be refunded—but never after a successful delivery.

In the continent of Ishgar, both mages and ordinary folk lived under a well-established system of law.

This was not a lawless world—it had order, balance, and rules.

Even among magic and monsters, the wheels of society still turned.

After leaving Mr. Deno's estate, Moen didn't head straight for the theater.

Instead, he made his way to the local branch of the Magic Council in Oshibana.

"Boom!"

With a flick of his wrist, Moen tossed the human "meatball" bundle onto the council's front steps.

Four groaning figures tumbled at the entrance, tightly bound in thick black rope.

Within moments, several uniformed Council mages rushed out, tense and alert.

"Identify yourself!" one of them barked, hands hovering near his spell rings.

It wasn't often someone came crashing into the Council's doorstep—certainly not dragging bodies behind them.

"Relax," Moen called out, popping his head up from behind the "meatball" with a bright grin.

"Name's Moen Dolea, from Fairy Tail. Just bringing in a few Dark Guild punks."

"Fairy Tail? …Dolea?"

The moment those two words hit their ears, the uniformed mages visibly relaxed.

Fairy Tail.

The most infamous—and arguably most powerful—Mage Guild in Fiore.

And Dolea? That could only mean one thing: he's related to Makarov Dolea—one of the Ten Wizard Saints, a living legend.

Sure, Fairy Tail had a reputation for wrecking property and causing the Magic Council no end of paperwork.

But in the eyes of the common mages, especially local Council workers?

Fairy Tail was still a source of pride—a symbol of Fiore's magical strength.

Makarov might be a headache on paper, but outside that paper? He was a national treasure.

Moen had only truly realized how heavy the name "Dolea" was once he left the guild and traveled the broader world.

No wonder Laxus carried such weight on his shoulders. That name wasn't a cloak—it was a mantle.

"Mr. Dolea, this way please," one of the uniformed mages said respectfully.

With a nod, they led Moen inside the branch office and began processing the captured criminals.

"Kageyama, Piado, Karaka, and Reiyur… Yes, confirmed. All members of the Dark Guild Iron Forest."

Once their identities were verified, the Magic Council officially booked the four men.

Their crimes? Numerous.

Their fate? Likely not pleasant.

"Mr. Dolea, here is your bounty reward—150,000J. Please accept it."

"…Oh?"

Moen blinked, caught slightly off guard. He hadn't expected a payout for these four nobodies.

They're that worthless, and still worth fifteen grand?

Well… it wasn't a huge amount, but hey—it was more than zero. And totally unplanned.

Clearly, these guys had criminal records, and probably more than a few bounties hanging over their heads.

As expected of Dark Guild scum.

In the world of magic, scumbags were rarely clean—and always worth something when caught.

"Easy money," Moen muttered with a grin, pocketing the cash.

Another unexpected bonus.

And his day wasn't even over yet.