Worried about sparking conflict between the two guilds, Yukino did her best to explain Sabertooth's philosophy and current situation.
But no matter how she tried to soften it, Rhodes and Mira could still sense it, Sabertooth looked down on weaker guilds, especially Fairy Tail, the former number one.
It was normal for one or two people to be ignorant, but for an entire guild to hold such an attitude? That was far too strange.
To Rhodes, it was reminiscent of those Dark Guilds that had once dared to challenge the Ten Wizard Saints, they had no self-awareness of their own weakness.
Well, a good beating at this year's Grand Magic Games would solve the problem. Or perhaps, during his honeymoon, he and Mira could swing by Sabertooth's city and give them a "chance to show off." Either way, it was an easy matter.
Still, he muttered to himself, "I just can't let Yukino be caught in the middle of it."
"Hm? Did you call me?" Yukino looked over in confusion.
Mira, however, had heard him clearly and could guess what kind of reckless plan her husband was cooking up. With a sweet smile, she said, "If Yukino isn't happy in Sabertooth, why not come join Fairy Tail?"
Rhodes immediately gave his wife a thumbs-up. What a perfect idea! If they could welcome Yukino into Fairy Tail, then he wouldn't have to worry about Sabertooth's pride at all when it came time to stir up trouble.
But Yukino politely declined. "Thank you for your kindness, Mirajane, but…"
Rhodes quickly suggested, "No need to stand around here. Why don't we sit somewhere and talk?"
Seeing that Dobengal wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, Yukino nodded. She also had some questions she wanted to ask.
The group found a coffee shop and sat down. The waitress glanced curiously at the man being carried by the shadow wolf, but Rhodes smoothly explained that he had simply drunk too much.
Thanks to his newfound "celebrity" status in the capital, his words carried weight, and the waitress accepted the excuse without doubt.
So, a Sabertooth mage had been drinking since morning? She tucked the juicy bit of gossip away with a knowing smile.
After ordering coffee, Mira asked, "You didn't get a chance to say earlier, what exactly brings you to the capital? Do you need our help?"
Yukino nodded gently. "We're here looking for someone. Do you know of any nobles in the capital?"
Nobles… that was quite the topic. Rhodes nodded. "I've heard of a few. Who are you searching for?"
"Baron Cooper and Baron Elion," Yukino answered.
"..."
Rhodes and Mira exchanged glances. "You mean those two? They're probably sitting in prison right now… maybe their whole families too."
"Eh?" Yukino blinked in surprise. After a moment's thought, she nodded slowly. "No wonder Dobengal said we were too late."
Seeing their puzzled looks, she explained, "This connects to our mission. Yesterday, we arrested a slave trafficking ring. After handing the criminals over to the local enforcement team, our mission should have been complete."
Her gaze hardened. "But I wasn't convinced, so I dug deeper. I discovered there might be ties to two nobles in the capital. That's why I continued investigating."
"Today, Dobengal and I split up to track their whereabouts, and then.."
She didn't finish. But it was clear enough: they had barely uncovered anything before being struck down for daring to pry.
Mira's eyes widened in realization. "So that's why they were arrested so quickly after that brawl. Princess Hisui must have uncovered something during the interrogation."
Rhodes added, "Then the girl those two barons' sons were fighting over might have been one of the slaves they kidnapped?"
It might have seemed too petty for two young nobles to fight over a single slave, but pride, or sheer arrogance, could make them act on impulse.
After all, those two nobles had been ruthless enough to openly bring a slave girl into a private dining room.
Yukino suddenly shot to her feet, her hands gripping the table tightly. "What kind of girl was she?!"
Her voice was so sharp and urgent that it drew curious stares from all around.
A beautiful girl loudly demanding of a man, "What kind of girl was that?", especially with another stunning woman sitting beside him, immediately sounded like juicy gossip to the bystanders.
Realizing her gaffe, Yukino flushed, bowed apologetically to the others in the shop, then sat down again. She fixed her wide, desperate eyes on Rhodes. "I'm sorry… but this is very important to me."
"It's alright," Rhodes said gently, and described the girl's height, clothing, and general appearance.
When he mentioned the brownish-gold color of her hair, Yukino's expression crumbled. Her brief spark of hope vanished.
Mira leaned close, her voice soft and warm. "You're searching for someone very dear to you, aren't you? Would you like to tell us?"
Yukino hesitated, but under Mira's sisterly gaze, her defenses broke. "It's my older sister. We were separated when I was very young. She was taken by bad people… to protect me."
She had an older sister?!
Rhodes and Mira were both taken aback. Yukino resembled Lisanna so closely, could her sister perhaps resemble Mira?
"What kind of people took her away?" Rhodes asked carefully.
"They wore black robes," Yukino whispered, "and called themselves followers of Zeref."
Rhodes and Mira exchanged grim looks. Another crime committed in Zeref's name…
"I've been searching for her ever since. After joining a guild, I made it my mission to take jobs connected to kidnappings, abductions, or slave trafficking…"
Her voice trembled as she gripped her left arm with her right hand. "Sabertooth is the strongest guild. Only there could I find the most information, take the most missions of that kind. That's why I stayed. This time was the same, but..."
But she still hadn't found her sister.
A single tear slipped free and fell into her coffee, rippling the dark surface.
Mira leaned forward and embraced her. Yukino resisted for a moment, staying strong for two seconds before she broke down and pressed her face into Mira's chest, sobbing quietly. The pain of missing her sister poured out at last.
No wonder she clung so tightly to Sabertooth. Beyond the prestige of being the strongest guild, her true reason was this desperate search.
No wonder she had insisted on continuing the investigation even after completing her mission.
To Rhodes, her story carried a haunting familiarity. He thought of Simon, who had been taken to protect his sister Kagura… and of Wally, torn from his brother.
In both cases, their siblings had searched tirelessly for them, never giving up. Though their paths had been filled with suffering, even prison, they eventually found their way back to family.
Mira gently patted Yukino's back until her sobs subsided.
Yukino wiped her eyes, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Mirajane. I lost my composure."
"It's alright," Mira said warmly. "Until you find your sister, you can think of me as your big sister." She stroked Yukino's hair tenderly. "By the way… what's her name? We'll help you keep an eye out."
Yukino's answer was immediate. "Sorano. My sister's name is Sorano Agria."
Rhodes's brows furrowed. That name sounded oddly familiar.
Mira's eyes widened. She pressed her hand to her lips in shock. "No way?"