"Liar!" Lucy pointed an accusing finger at Rhodes.
Rhodes feigned innocence. "Who, me? All I did was make a bet with you."
Lucy paused, then smirked. "That means I won! There wasn't any such task, after all!"
"But our bet wasn't about whether the task existed, was it?" Rhodes replied calmly. "The wager was whether you'd get money. And you did, didn't you?"
"…"
Lucy couldn't argue with that. She really had received the money, 600,000 J, to be exact. Enough to cover eight months of rent. She wouldn't need to worry about bills or side gigs for a while.
Still, it annoyed her that Rhodes had turned her reward into a gamble!
"I'll honor the bet," Rhodes said cheerfully. "The shop's over by—"
"I know!" Lucy huffed, stomped her foot, and marched out of the guild with the money safely tucked away.
But the moment she stepped outside, she let out a helpless laugh.
It was the most she'd ever earned at once, and it wasn't so bad treating Mira to something sweet.
Still… if she didn't hold back, she'd probably end up buying a treat for everyone.
Decision made: she'd buy two desserts. One for her, one for Mira. And that guy could just stand there and watch them eat.
Naïve Lucy hadn't yet realized what it truly meant to "show affection."
So when she came back and saw Mira and Rhodes sharing dessert and smiling at each other, the one she bought didn't taste so sweet anymore.
Later in the afternoon, Gray dropped by the guild for a short rest. Erza also stopped in briefly to keep the rowdier members in check before heading out to pick up her armor from repairs.
Her battle had left it in rough shape.
Rhodes handed out the rewards to Gray and Erza in a perfectly normal fashion, no jokes, no bets, which made Lucy shoot daggers at him from across the room.
He ignored her glare and asked, "Where are Natsu and Happy?"
Lucy replied, "Sleeping at home. Every time Natsu gets hurt, he eats a ton and then crashes hard."
"When do you think they'll wake up?"
"I don't know! Why are you asking me?"
Rhodes tilted his head. "Because they're probably sleeping at your house."
"No way…" Lucy paused, then her face fell. "Wait, actually… maybe."
She sighed and muttered, "Do you know where I can buy some good door locks?"
Rhodes grinned. "Want anti-theft windows too?"
Lucy slumped against the counter in defeat. "Just add a moat while you're at it…"
Around four in the afternoon, Rhodes and Mira decided to take the rest of the day off.
There weren't many clients picking up missions this late, and the tavern was calm for once. After saying goodbye to Laki and the others, they slipped out before sunset.
Mira wore a pair of dark blue jeans and a light pink sweater with a white Fairy Tail logo stitched across the chest. The heart-shaped neckline showed off the necklace Rhodes had gifted her, and her silver hair was left loose, flowing naturally down her back.
The slightly cropped sweater and high-waisted jeans made her legs look even longer than usual.
As they stepped out of the guild, Mira glanced at herself in a compact mirror and asked, "Should I try wearing a white beret next time?"
Rhodes glanced at Mira's silver-white hair and mused, "Would black suit you better?"
"You'll know once I try it," Mira replied with a smile, putting away the mirror and slipping her arm naturally through his.
The weather had cooled with the arrival of late autumn. Mira's outfit struck just the right balance between warmth and style, and their close posture made it feel even cozier.
The streets of Magnolia were blanketed in golden leaves. The city workers had swept them up that morning, but by evening, a fresh layer had already fallen.
They were out to check on a property listing, but neither was in a hurry. The past few weeks had been a blur of battles, paperwork, and guild business. This quiet stroll through the heart of their town was the first real moment of peace they'd had together in a while.
They walked slowly through winding streets and across arched bridges, pausing at quaint shop windows or lingering at the docks to watch the ferry pull in.
Rhodes and Mira looked less like an engaged couple shopping for their first home, and more like an old married pair simply enjoying the season.
Eventually, they arrived at the address Chico had given them, Strawberry Street.
The house stood two stories tall and looked fairly ordinary from the outside. It was a bit narrower than Rhode's current place, which made him instinctively feel it might not be ideal. Still, since they'd come all this way, they decided to at least take a look.
Rhodes knocked gently.
The door opened to reveal a spry older man, probably in his early fifties, with short gray hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He had a warm and energetic presence.
"Hello! We heard this place was up for sale and wanted to take a look," Rhodes said politely.
"Oh! Please, come in!" the man welcomed them enthusiastically, calling over his wife to make tea.
The four sat down in the cozy living room and began chatting casually.
Midway through the conversation, the uncle suddenly leaned forward, his eyes widening. "Wait a second… Aren't you two from Fairy Tail? Miss Mira and… Mr. Rhodes, right?"
The aunt gasped in recognition. "Ah! It's you! I heard from Mrs. Millgana you were engaged, is that true? When's the wedding? Oh my, are you looking for your new home together?"
Mrs. Millgana, as it happened, was Wakaba's wife.
Rhodes could see it instantly, that gleam in the auntie's eyes. The unmistakable sparkle of a seasoned gossip on the scent of a juicy story.
Mira and the aunt hit it off immediately, diving headfirst into conversation. From guild gossip to wedding plans, to family life and even children, the two women chatted as if they'd known each other for years.
Meanwhile, Rhodes and the uncle could only sip tea in quiet resignation, entirely unable to get a word in.
Still, listening in had its perks. Rhodes picked up quite a bit of useful information without having to ask. Apparently, the house was being sold because the couple planned to move to the capital. Their son had recently found success in business, opened a shop, and purchased a farm on the outskirts of the capital. The plan was for the elderly couple to relocate and help him manage the property, and hopefully settle into a quieter, slower life.
Magnolia, they admitted, had become too noisy and lively for them.
Rhodes winced a little at that. The "noisy and lively" part was definitely Fairy Tail's fault.
He also learned a few things about the neighborhood. The house to the left belonged to a grocer, the one on the right was a rental property, and someone a street over kept a large dog that barked too loudly. The aunt had a detailed opinion on each neighbor, who was friendly, who wasn't, and who watered their plants with salt water by mistake last spring.
By the time the conversation finally slowed, Rhodes had an impressively complete picture of the area, and he hadn't said a word. It occurred to him that Mira's "gossip habit" was more than just a quirky trait. It was a skill.
At the uncle's gentle nudge, the aunt led them on a full tour of the house. It was neat and clean, but Rhodes couldn't shake the feeling that it was too narrow. The walls felt close, and the space upstairs was a bit cramped.
Mira caught the hesitation in his eyes. She didn't argue. Before they left, she simply told the couple they'd think it over.
The uncle didn't press them but did mention that someone else was interested in turning the place into a café. The aunt, meanwhile, invited Mira to go shoe shopping on the commercial street sometime soon.
By the time they left, the sky had already darkened.
They walked side by side along the riverside path, heading back to the guild for the evening shift. A kind boatman in the canal called out to them, warning them to watch their step on the damp stone walkway.
Rhodes and Mira waved in return, thanking him with warm smiles.
The breeze was gentle and cool, stirring ripples on the canal's glassy surface. Mira tugged slightly at the collar of her sweater. Without a word, Rhodes draped his coat over her shoulders and drew her into a quiet embrace.
"Am I being too picky?" he asked softly.
He used to think those house-hunting dramas on TV were staged—unrealistic couples nitpicking the smallest flaws. Now that it was his turn, he realized that no matter how friendly the seller or how nice the offer, something always felt... off.
Mira looked up at him and smiled. "Because it's our future home," she said, resting her head against his shoulder. "It's okay to be picky."
Then she added with a playful glint in her eye, "Besides, I know two more listings. We'll go check them out tomorrow."
Rhodes chuckled. Of course she did.
Mira always had her own secret channels for everything.
...
Bonus @1600
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