A wind blade sliced cleanly across the yard, felling the weeds at their roots. Together, Rhodes and Mirajane gathered the straw into a neat pile, clearing a small open space.
Rhodes unpacked their picnic stove, utensils, and fresh ingredients, then went out to search for sturdy firewood. Mira stayed behind, tying on an apron and kerchief as she began setting up the stove and washing vegetables.
When Rhodes returned just a few minutes later, Mira blinked in surprise. "That fast?"
"The neighbor's place still had some dry wood stacked up. Plenty for us," he explained, setting it down. Since the houses had been abandoned, he hadn't gone far.
Following Mira's instructions, Rhodes then carried water from the river and soon had a fire crackling.
For the first time in years, a ribbon of cooking smoke curled above the deserted little village. Before long, the savory fragrance of stew filled the yard.
Mira stood by the fire, headscarf in place, ladle in hand, a picture-perfect housewife.
Before the stew was fully done, Rhodes slipped behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and begging for a taste.
With an exasperated smile, Mira relented. She dipped her spoon into the pot, blew gently on the steaming broth, and held it at shoulder height.
Rhodes leaned over her shoulder, took a careful sip, and let out a satisfied hum. "Delicious! How come I've never seen you make this before?"
"Because this is Mom's recipe," Mira said softly, tasting a little herself. Nostalgia flickered across her face. "Even though the ingredients are better now, neither Elfman nor I could ever quite match her cooking."
She didn't mention Lisanna, because Lisanna's cooking was even less reliable than Elfman's.
Rhodes thought Mira's cooking was more than enough, but he didn't argue. Instead, he held her a little closer.
"It's alright. Missing Mom doesn't hurt anymore, it feels more like happiness," Mira said gently, patting his hand to let her go. "Come on, let's eat. And remember, no leftovers."
"Leave that to me," Rhodes promised.
The two sat facing the bonfire, savoring their special dinner together.
Thud.
A dull sound came from the doorway, as though something had dropped to the ground.
Then an aged voice called out, trembling with emotion. "Mi...Mirajane? Is that Strauss's child?"
Mira froze, then quickly looked up. She squinted at the figure in the doorway until recognition dawned. "That… that's Grandma Annie?"
The woman standing there was well into her seventies. Her silver hair was tied into a loose bun, with a stray lock hanging beside her ear. Her back was hunched, but she stood without a cane. She wore a patched cotton jacket, and at her feet lay a rusty sickle, fallen from her hand.
Mira hurriedly set down her bowl and chopsticks, rushing to support her. "Grandma Annie, you…"
The old woman studied Mira's face carefully, her eyes welling with surprise. "It really is you. You've come back."
Her gaze shifted to Rhodes, who followed behind. "And your brother… he's grown so tall, and his hair…" She trailed off, puzzled. This boy looked so different, so handsome now. Had he dyed it?
Mira smiled warmly and explained. "He's not Elfman, Grandma. This is my husband, Rhodes. Rhodes, this is Grandma Annie, she used to check in on us whenever no one else was around."
Rhodes bowed politely. "Hello, Grandma Annie. Thank you for looking after my wife's family."
In this village, simply refraining from insults or stones had been an act of kindness.
"You're married already… of course, it's been more than ten years. Good, good." Grandma Annie's eyes softened as she looked Rhodes over once more. "You've found a good man. That's wonderful."
Mira turned her face toward Rhodes with a tender smile, then asked, "Grandma, why are you here all alone?"
"I'm the last one left in the village," the old woman admitted. "I saw smoke here and feared it was a fire… or bad people. So I came with this old sickle to check." She chuckled, shaking her head. "Never thought I'd find you instead."
Rhodes quickly stepped in to support the old woman from the other side. "Come inside and sit down. Have dinner with us."
"Yes, please, come sit," Mira added warmly. Together, she and Rhodes helped Grandma Annie settle by the bonfire, serving her a portion of their meal.
The elder tried to refuse at first, but after taking a bite, her face lit up. "It seems Mirajane has truly become an excellent wife. Your cooking is even better than Bonnie's."
Mira laughed, a little embarrassed. "Not at all, I still have a long way to go."
Bonnie, Mira's mother.
In Mira's memories, she was a perfect woman: a master cook, a capable homemaker, and even someone who once made a burglar break down crying after sneaking into their home. She was the shining example Mira had always aspired to become.
But in Rhodes's eyes, Mira had already reached that level. The only thing separating her from her mother was the absence of three children.
The three of them ate happily together. Grandma Annie recounted old stories of the Strauss siblings, praising Mira, Elfman, and Lisanna with genuine fondness. Mira, in turn, spoke about her life since leaving the village, modestly showering Rhodes with endless compliments along the way.
Rhodes just chuckled as he listened. Both women made the conversation feel light and warm.
Eventually, however, the topic shifted toward the village's present state, and Mira couldn't help but ask what had happened to leave it in ruins.
"After you left," Grandma Annie said slowly, "the village returned to calm. Not because you three were gone, —just that nothing unusual happened for a while."
Mira gave a small smile, showing she hadn't misunderstood, and encouraged the old woman to go on.
Grandma Annie's voice lowered as she recalled, "But as time went by, families started moving away. Then, six or seven years later, strange things began happening here."
"At first, every midnight, the dogs in the village would bark and howl. Everyone thought there were thieves, but for half a month straight, nothing was stolen, and no culprits were found."
"Soon, even the chickens and ducks would squawk in the middle of the night. The villagers organized patrols, taking turns to guard, but it changed nothing."
"Eventually, people noticed that all the dogs were barking toward one place, toward the church."
At that, Grandma Annie turned her gaze to Mira.
Mira raised her hand, opening and closing it a few times like she was recalling a memory. "That church?"
Grandma Annie nodded, and now Rhodes also understood which building she meant.
"No one dared to go near it," the elder continued. "But things couldn't go on. So more than twenty young men armed themselves and went to investigate, twice."
"The first time, they went in daylight. They said the church looked the same as always, nothing unusual at all. But the second time, they went at night, when the dogs were barking. That time… three never came back."
Rhodes's brows knitted tightly. Six to seven years after Mira had left… that was a very delicate time.
If it was six years later, that would have been X784, when everyone was still in Magnolia. If seven years, then X785, when Fairy Tail's core members were still sealed away on Tenrou Island.
Yet, in all the news he had caught up on, there had never been any mention of Mira's village. He was sure of it. If her hometown had appeared in any newspaper headline, he would've remembered, and he certainly would've told Mira.