It wasn't long before the short, gruff old man Ulfheim and the bald, long-bearded Jura arrived.
Rhodes exchanged polite greetings with Jura, casually ordered a few snacks, and then quietly opened a book to read.
Jura, ever the good-natured type, could chat amiably with the boisterous Makarov and even hold a conversation with the perpetually irritable Ulfheim.
After greeting everyone, he brought up the topic that had been circulating through every guild and council chamber lately, the Celestial Spirit disturbances.
At once, all eyes turned toward Rhodes.
Each of the Ten Saints had their own sources of information, and they knew that although the official reports to the Magic Council came from Yukino and Lucy, both holders of Zodiac Keys, it was Fairy Tail that had first uncovered the issue and begun investigating.
And since Makarov's playful, easygoing manner didn't inspire much confidence in outsiders, most naturally assumed that this entire operation had been orchestrated by Rhodes.
Rhodes, calm as ever, spoke plainly.
"What I know might not exceed what you already know. Most of the key information has already been shared through the Council network."
"However," he added, "there are certain details related to our guild members' privacy that I can't discuss. What I can share is this."
He reached into his satchel and produced a thick stack of papers, each meticulously categorized and annotated.
The documents listed the rebellious Celestial Spirits by status:
Those confirmed to have returned to the Celestial Spirit Realm,
Those missing after being repelled,
And those who had yet to appear at all.
Further pages contained even more detailed data: their constellations of origin, magical attributes, recorded sightings, reasons for abolition, and eyewitness accounts, all arranged with scholarly precision.
The Council possessed a copy of this report as well, though whether they had kept it properly updated was another matter entirely.
"A small portion of this information came directly from the Celestial Spirit Realm," Rhodes explained. "But most of it was compiled thanks to Lucy and Levy from our guild."
Hyberion leafed through a few pages, nodding in approval.
"It's remarkably clear. If the Council employed people this organized, its efficiency would double overnight."
Jura's eyes gleamed with genuine admiration.
"This could almost serve as a professional treatise on Celestial Spiritology."
"Ha ha ha!" Makarov's laugh boomed through the room, simple and hearty. He was obviously delighted that his guild nurtured talents of every kind.
Rhodes took the opportunity to praise Lucy and Levy at length before steering the conversation back to the situation at hand.
"The problem now," he said, "is that they refuse to face us openly. It's troublesome. If only they'd come out and fight head-on."
Ulfheim snorted. "These sneaky pests dare to talk about ruling the Human World? They should be crushed!"
"That's exactly what makes it troublesome," Rhodes replied evenly.
"We can't fight what we can't find. What would you sugges, gathering all the Celestial Spirit Mages in one place and using them as bait?"
Ulfheim crossed his arms. "Actually, yes. That's precisely what I was going to say."
Rhodes blinked at him. 'Was this old man serious?'
"Absolutely not," Hyberion interjected firmly. "Any mistake in such an operation could lead to irreversible losses."
Jura added with concern, "If this stalemate drags on, people will start thinking the danger has passed. They'll let their guard down, and then the real tragedy begins."
"Hmph. If they're foolish enough to relax now, it's their own fault," Ulfheim said coldly. "If they don't die this time, they'll die the next."
Makarov slammed his hand on the table. "They're still lives! How can you speak so lightly of death?!"
The two old men, already known for their constant disagreements, instantly fell into another argument, voices rising with every sentence.
Hyberion sighed and raised his hand for calm. "Enough, both of you. We're not here to quarrel. Let's focus on finding an actual solution."
Ulfheim huffed, clearly unwilling to let it go. "Fine. But speaking of which, why haven't those two shown up yet? One of them's supposed to be the main guest today, isn't he?"
"Master Warrod sent word that he's occupied and won't be attending," Hyberion said. "As for Mr. Bryliens…"
"He's probably lost," Ulfheim muttered darkly, standing up. "I'll go fetch him before he starts wandering into the kitchen again."
The others exchanged puzzled looks as Ulfheim stormed off, muttering something about "that troublesome fool."
They could only wait in silence.
Moments later, through the eyes of his Crab familiar, Rhodes saw Hyberion returning, this time with a white-haired man beside him.
The newcomer looked to be in his forties, wearing round glasses, a beige magician's robe, and holding a staff slightly taller than himself.
The Saints went to the entrance to greet him, but there was something odd about the man's demeanor.
Rhodes observed closely. His forehead bore deep wrinkles, and his brows seemed permanently furrowed, as though his mind were always elsewhere.
He walked straight ahead but didn't appear to be watching where he was going, his eyes were distant, unfocused, as if his thoughts were still wandering in some other world entirely.
Hyberion stopped at the doorway and began the introduction.
"This is Mr. Bryliens, who was recently named one of the Ten Wizard Saints...uh…"
Before he could finish, Hyberion's mouth twitched, the newcomer had just stepped squarely on his foot.
Bryliens seemed completely unaware that he was supposed to stop and simply continued walking forward.
Wolfheim's arm suddenly bulged, muscle fibers swelling and skin turning a deep green as it transformed into a monstrous beast's arm.
With a single motion, he swung his massive fist down in front of Bryliens, stopping just short of impact. The strike's sheer wind pressure rattled the doorframes.
Bryliens snapped back to reality, his right hand tightening around his staff as a faint golden light flickered at its tip.
Realizing the situation, he hastily lowered it again.
Even that brief flare of magic made Jura nod in approval. That kind of refined, dense magic power was indeed worthy of a Wizard Saint.
"My apologies," Bryliens said softly. His voice was calm and almost gentle, which made him seem rather likable despite his odd behavior. "I was thinking about some calculations."
Hyberion cleared his throat and continued the introductions.
"You've already met Wolfheim. This is Jura, ranked fifth among the Ten Saints. This is Makarov, ranked sixth. And this," he gestured toward the seated man with the composed smile, "is Rhodes, ranked seventh."
"Good morning, everyone." Bryliens adjusted his glasses and turned to Rhodes. "Ah, Mr. Rhodes! I heard you're also a Holder-type magician, like me? Could I have the honor of studying your magic tool sometime?"
He gripped Rhodes' hand, shaking it enthusiastically while continuing in one breath,
"Don't worry, it's purely academic. I won't dismantle it, certainly won't break it! Of course, I can also pay a proper research commission. I just..."
Rhodes blinked, glancing sideways at the others as the man kept talking. 'What is wrong with this guy?'
Wolfheim snorted. "He's a research maniac. The moment he sees something new, he wants to take it apart. Once he sets his eyes on you, you'll never have peace again."
Hyberion smiled wryly. "Mr. Bryliens is an inventor specializing in magic tools. In his guild, Morning Sun, nearly every member's weapon or artifact was crafted by him.
"He's also produced several civilian-use items that have become quite popular on the market. However, due to his obsession with research, he's… easily distracted. And his communication style tends to be, well, overly direct."
Bryliens straightened his glasses, apparently taking that as a compliment. "I simply prefer efficient communication. So, Mr. Rhodes, please, do agree to my request."
"Oh, I see." Rhodes smiled pleasantly. "Then allow me to answer you just as efficiently."
He paused for a beat, then said cheerfully, "I refuse."