A Celestial Spirit Mage. Another Celestial Spirit Mage.
The pattern was becoming impossible to ignore.
Lucy's successful decoy mission, Doru's near-fatal injuries, the attack involving the Southern Ship constellation. One isolated case could be coincidence. But every single abandoned Star Spirit they'd encountered so far had appeared around a Celestial Spirit Mage.
It couldn't be random anymore.
Could their purpose for coming to the Human World really be… to target Celestial Spirit Mages themselves?
Carla frowned, her tail flicking. "Our decision to invite Lucy to this mission was made at the last minute. So it must've just been coincidence, right? There've only been two cases."
Rhodes shook his head. "No. There might be more that we don't know about yet."
He folded his arms thoughtfully. "I'll have to check the guild records once we're back, and maybe ask for reports from other guilds, too."
Then, more softly, he added, "In any case, Lucy, don't take on any missions alone for a while. Be careful."
"Mm." Lucy nodded hard. Despite her protests during battle, she was surprisingly obedient when someone cared enough to worry about her.
Rhodes straightened. "Anyway, since the Star Spirit King has guaranteed that those Spirits won't appear again, both of these missions are considered complete. Time to head back."
He looked at Gemini. "Jamie, Mini, you both worked hard."
Jamie puffed up his chest. "You're welcome."
Mini saluted. "It's our responsibility!"
"Then we should go, too," Jamie said.
"I heard there's a meeting," Mini added.
And just like that, the twins chirped their goodbyes and vanished in twin flashes of starlight.
Rhodes went to report the results to the village chief, assuring him that if the bees ever returned, Fairy Tail would not only refund the payment but resolve it free of charge.
The village chief hadn't even thought about "after-sales service." To him, Rhodes's confidence was proof of strength.
Overjoyed, he promptly settled the reward payment on the spot, and even tried to convince them to stay a few more days as honored guests.
Rhodes politely declined. "We still have work waiting at the guild."
The group then made their way to Phantom Wing to deliver their report, check on Doru and Phil, and warn them about the abandoned Star Spirits.
Rhodes's main goal was to personally tell Doru everything they'd discovered, and to advise him, as a fellow Celestial Spirit Mage, to be cautious in the days ahead.
Only after everything had been handled with care did Rhodes finally announce their return trip.
Lucy watched him finish up the paperwork and couldn't help but feel a little sentimental. "Mr. Rhodes, you're so meticulous with every step… It's kind of touching."
Rhodes chuckled lightly. "This is just basic procedure."
But truthfully, he'd once worked as an assistant to a guild master, so he knew better than anyone how much messy follow-up could pile up if you didn't close a mission properly.
Most mages were content to report "Job done!" and call it a day.
Rhodes wasn't like that.
Because if he left loose ends, it would mean Mira would have to deal with them when they got home.
And there was no way he'd let his wife work overtime because of his sloppiness.
Of course, he only mentioned the guild reputation part to others.
Carla gave Lucy a sidelong glance. "You get that emotional just because someone said you did a good job?"
"Of course not!" Lucy covered her mouth, her voice trembling with mock indignation. "You wouldn't understand!"
Teaming up with Rhodes wasn't just comfortable, it was efficient.
Every step of the mission, even the messy parts, had gone surprisingly smoothly. There were hiccups, sure, but every unexpected twist had been handled with calm improvisation or a clever backup plan.
And for once, for once!, nothing unnecessary had been destroyed.
Looking at the delighted expression on the village chief's face, Lucy had a hunch that if the man weren't so poor, and if he actually understood how difficult the mission really was, he would've added extra pay right then and there.
She clasped her hands together, tears almost sparkling in her eyes.
Meanwhile, Wendy and Carla exchanged knowing looks.
No, they understood perfectly.
Considering the size of the reward, the team wouldn't have to worry about rent or food for quite some time.
And unlike teaming up with certain people, where the expected reward of two or three million jewels somehow turned into exhaustion and another long mission just days later.
Teaming up with Rhodes was great.
The two girls and one cat shared a rare moment of perfect mutual understanding.
By the time they returned to Magnolia, the sun had dipped low behind the rooftops, and a cool evening breeze danced along the river.
"Would you like to come to our house for a bit?" Rhodes asked casually, then instantly froze.
A dangerous thought crossed his mind. 'Wait… bringing people home to Mira without warning… might actually be a death wish.'
He glanced at his companions: Lucy, Wendy, and Carla.
Alright, this should be fine.
Rhodes exhaled, his heartbeat settling back into place.
Lucy, however, looked uneasy. She still remembered that incident, the one where they'd almost wrecked the Strauss household.
"Uh, how about… we go to the guild first?" she suggested quickly.
"I think that's a good idea too!" Wendy chimed in. "Mira-nee probably hasn't gone home yet anyway."
"True," Rhodes admitted, nodding. Seeing his wife came first.
They turned toward the Fairy Tail guild.
As they passed by the riverside, Lucy, feeling lighthearted, stretched out her arms and balanced along the narrow edge of the stone embankment, one step at a time.
A passing boatman spotted her and cupped his hands to shout, "Lucy! Be careful up there!"
Lucy smiled, waving back. "I'm fine!"
She wobbled for a moment, then caught her balance again.
After thinking a bit, she summoned Plue, who toddled faithfully behind her like a little snowman guardian.
Wendy watched the scene with gentle admiration. "Miss Lucy seems really popular."
Lucy laughed. "My house is nearby. I see them every day."
She thought for a moment, her smile softening. "They used to call me 'little girl,' then 'Miss Lucy,' and now just 'Lucy.'"
It was such a small change, but it carried warmth. A sign that she had truly become part of Magnolia. Her home.
Thinking of names and titles, Lucy suddenly turned. "Oh, right, Wendy, you don't have to keep calling me Miss Lucy. Why not something a little friendlier?"
"…"
Wendy tilted her head, thinking hard. "Then… how about Lucy-nee?"
"Mm!" Lucy's face lit up. "That's perfect! Natsu and Gray probably think so too."
Wendy considered it seriously. When she first met Natsu, she'd felt an odd sense of familiarity, but she'd kept her distance out of politeness.
Gray and Erza were the same, kind, dependable, a little rough around the edges, but always family.
Had they already thought of her that way all along?
As memories of laughter, arguments, and shared battles flickered through her mind, Wendy's chest filled with quiet warmth.
I'm already part of Fairy Tail, she realized. A real member of this family.
Her lips curved into a bright smile. "I know now!"
She reached out and gently stroked Carla's fur. "We have to work hard too, Carla."
The cat blinked. "What are you suddenly talking about?"
Wendy just smiled wider.