"We really need to speed up our research. Without solving the problem of being unable to use magic, it'll be difficult for us to gain an advantage in this world."
Marco looked at Mystogan and sighed.
They had to rely on Mystogan for this matter since no one else could match his expertise.
"I'm working on it, I'm working on it." Mystogan gave a bitter smile.
He hadn't been slacking off at all; in fact, his research progress had been remarkably fast.
Over the past few years, he had not only quickly grasped the 'Super Hyperspace Magic Anima,' but his research on "Recovery Magic Pills" was also progressing steadily.
He hadn't expected such rapid advancements himself.
Mystogan believed that Marco's constant urging, reminders, and pressure whenever they met had played a significant role, making him more focused on his research.
Marco, however, didn't take credit for this.
Even without his pressure, Mystogan wouldn't have allowed himself to slack off in the slightest.
"Let's go."
The large crows took off, with Marco and Mystogan holding onto them as they swiftly flew eastward.
There were no airplanes to ride here—they hadn't brought any, which was a serious miscalculation.
The crows were indeed much faster than traveling on foot, especially compared to Mystogan.
Although Mystogan was accustomed to long journeys in the wild, he had no quick means of travel.
A journey that would have taken five or six days on foot was cut in half by the crows' swift flight, even accounting for rest breaks.
After all, Mystogan wasn't made of iron—it was impossible for him to hang in the air, exposed to the wind, without resting.
"The royal capital is quite bustling."
Flying high in the sky and gazing at the distant royal capital, Marco remarked.
The royal capital of the Edolas Kingdom was even more prosperous than the City of Flowers Crocus, and livelier than Magnolia.
"It gathers the essence of the entire world in one city, so it's naturally bustling."
Mystogan's expression was complex.
In truth, the royal capital had grown larger than he remembered, clearly still developing over the years.
When Mystogan left, the Edolas Kingdom had not yet unified the entire world.
But with continuous conquests and territorial expansion, the royal capital had naturally become increasingly prosperous.
In the entire world of Edolas, the royal capital was the place with the densest magical aura.
In other regions, even mentioning magic was taboo, and the use of magical tools was strictly forbidden.
Magic had been completely eradicated from people's lives, and anyone caught using it would be immediately arrested by the Kingdom's military.
Yet, in the royal capital, there were even performances using magic.
In the entertainment industry, many magical tools were permitted.
Of course, these individuals were all official personnel of the kingdom.
Their purpose in doing this was to make the royal capital stand out, attracting more people to contribute to its prosperity. It was a highly entertainment-oriented city.
Having secretly infiltrated the city, Marco and Mystogan were summarizing the characteristics of this capital.
Indeed, even Mystogan was observing and learning about this royal city.
He found it both familiar and strange, with many places having undergone changes.
"That royal palace, you should be quite familiar with it, right?"
Marco looked toward the tallest structure at the city's core - several towering spires with a dark-toned castle and fortress beneath.
That was the royal palace of the Edolas Kingdom, where the "King of Edolas" resided.
"Familiar, but... not entirely familiar."
Mystogan initially spoke with certainty, but after a moment's thought, he hesitated.
Had he truly been familiar with this palace during his childhood?
It was hard to say - what he had touched might have only been the surface.
"..."
Marco was speechlessness.
This guide was practically useless - he knew nothing when asked, and what little he did know might be incorrect or outdated by several years.
"Let's go take a look around."
Marco refrained from complaining about Mystogan, understanding there were reasons for his current state.
Having been away for so many years while circumstances here changed so rapidly, Mystogan was understandably disoriented.
"It won't be easy to approach. We're too conspicuous." Mystogan shook his head.
If they wanted to get close to the palace, they needed to appear more normal - their current attire was too likely to raise suspicion.
Marco glanced at Mystogan, who remained in his usual outfit, completely covered up with several staffs strapped to his back.
In comparison, Marco himself was relatively normal-looking.
Aside from the mask on his face, his clothing was quite ordinary. The mask was necessary since with his current appearance, he would likely be recognized by many people in this capital.
"Then let's disguise ourselves first."
Marco nodded, though mainly Mystogan needed to change his appearance.
"Never mind, you should head back first. I'll go check it out alone."
After some thought, Marco suddenly changed his mind.
Mystogan's main attention-grabbing feature was those staffs. But if he put them away and didn't carry them, Mystogan wouldn't have much combat capability and would only hold him back, its gonna be quite an awkward situation.
So it was better to have Mystogan lay low first while Marco scouted around the palace alone.
"Alright, be careful."
Mystogan didn't protest and immediately agreed.
He clearly understood Marco's reasoning and agreed with it.
Mystogan also needed to thoroughly conceal his face - his appearance was too distinctive.
In this capital, someone might recognize him. It was better to let Marco operate alone and share information after scouting the situation.
After parting ways with Mystogan, Marco headed toward the palace, toward those pointed spires.
As expected, security around the palace was extremely tight with numerous patrol teams and restrictions keeping ordinary people from approaching.
There was no helping it - this "King of Edolas" was ambitious and had accomplished too many great deeds, naturally requiring certain sacrifices.
He had conquered territories, gradually unifying the entire world, abolishing all Magic Guilds, removing magic from people's daily lives, prohibiting magic use, and concentrating all power in his own hands.
Anyone who dares to do such things would inevitably attract countless individuals seeking to kill him.
The palace's tight security existed precisely because it had been assaulted more than once.
Of course, as the world situation gradually stabilized, with nearly all nations annexed and the Edolas Kingdom on the verge of unifying the world and the Magic Guilds had been decimated until only Fairy Tail remained.
The palace's defenses gradually loosened, as enemies had almost been completely eradicated.
The king of the Edolas Kingdom was soon to become the undisputed "King of Edolas."