"Protection, huh?"
"Just like how Sister used that power to protect us, now it's our turn to protect her."
The scene from back then is vivid in my memory, but the person who said that is no longer here.
And the power that child admired, which was supposed to protect her, is also gone.
Mira extended a hand, smooth and fair, but somehow not as comforting as that 'Devil Arm' from before.
Bzz~
Rhode was surprised to see patches of light flickering across Mira's body.
It was a precursor to activating Receiving Magic.
However, the lights flickered out quickly, and Mira's complexion turned a bit pale as her body softly collapsed to the side.
"Mira!" Rhode released the Receiving Magic, gently holding her, and asked with concern, "Why did you suddenly use Receiving Magic?"
Mira forced a smile and said, "As expected, I still can't do it."
Looking at her like this, it wasn't just the Receiving Magic she couldn't use; even her magic power was utterly depleted.
Magic is the power of the heart; you must believe to...
Rhode wanted to repeat the words the Guild President had said, but the words turned into:
"Don't push yourself; let's... go sit over there for a while?"
The agreed-upon restaurant was still far away, but fortunately, when Rhode was in the Swift Crab form, he noticed a café due to his panoramic view.
A little rest would be good.
Rhode had used his Receiving Magic too frequently today, and now he was also a bit weary.
The large consumption of magic power left Mira a bit unsteady, so she had to let Rhode support her as they walked into the café.
To outsiders, they seemed a bit like those intimate couples.
But in this situation, it was hard for Rhode to be happy.
"Welcome!"
"Could you help us find a quieter spot?"
"This way, please."
The two of them, following the server's guidance, sat down in a corner and casually ordered some drinks.
Mira seemed a bit down: "Sorry for suddenly troubling you."
"Haven't I been troubling you all along? No, wait..." Rhode cleared his throat, trying to mimic a broadcasting tone,
"It's my honor to serve Miss Mira, please feel free to trouble me.
Hmm, does that sound more considerate?"
Mira managed a weak smile: "When did you learn that from Loki?"
Rhode looked regretful: "Ah, I wish I could learn a few tricks from him, but unfortunately, he runs away as soon as he sees me."
"Come to think of it, Mr. Hibiki once considered teaching you this kind of stuff."
"When?!" Rhode was surprised, wondering if he'd missed out on some treasure.
Mira thought for a moment: "It was the day you learned the common language...
Oh right, back then you didn't understand what he was saying, so the President declined on your behalf."
Rhode 'lamented bitterly', exaggeratingly complaining: "Why did the President do this to me!
Is it still too late to request after-sales service from Mr. Hibiki?"
Mira finally laughed: "But Blue Pegasus is quite far."
"No problem." Rhode was unwavering.
"They might charge an extra fee."
"That's okay." Rhode remained undeterred.
"It could be a headache."
"Then forget it." Rhode immediately gave in,
"Flooding the brain with so much knowledge all at once is no fun.
If I had to choose now, I would definitely opt to learn from Miss Mira for a few more months."
Sigh, why was I in such a hurry to get that language pack back then? So foolish, I despise my past self.
Mira didn't respond, unsure if Rhode meant what she thought he meant.
Worried both that she might be right and that she might be overthinking it.
"Your coffee."
The server was always very timely.
Rhode didn't think so, adding sugar again and again.
"Isn't that a bit much?"
"I like it sweet, how much do you want?"
"Just one cube is enough; too much will make me fat."
Rhode couldn't understand why Mira would worry about that; can't us mages eat Weight Loss Mushrooms?
With a small spoon, Mira slowly stirred her coffee cup:
"You haven't told me about your last mission yet."
This matter was both professional and personal.
Professionally, Rhode should report the general outcome of the mission to the Guild.
Some rigid guilds might even require a detailed report. But Fairy Tail didn't have such rules; not reporting was okay.
Personally, Mira was a bit curious about what Rhode meant by 'unexpected surprises' during the journey.
In this situation, how much or little was said depended on whether there was time and if he wanted to tell Mira.
So, Rhode chose to start from when they left the guild door.
When he spoke of Natsu setting fire to a field just to fight some wild boars, Mira laughed and said, 'That's so like him'.
When Rhode talked about sending a Stone Beetle to help Natsu dig a firebreak, Mira said, 'That's so like you'.
But when it came to the Beast King, Mira's expression became unnatural.
Rhode hesitated whether to talk about it but remembered that day's conversation with the President and decided to go on.
The Beast King—life-threatening crisis—Receiving Magic—losing sanity—wanton destruction...
Mira grabbed her left arm with her right hand, feeling that the story was so similar it almost seemed like a fabrication by Rhode.
Rhode pushed himself to finish the part about Natsu waking up Chita.
"Is that so? He... he woke up, that's good." Mira was genuinely happy for Chita's family.
But recalling such scenes and Lisana's back shielding her, made sadness and regret flood back.
Mira also raised her left hand to hug herself, her body shaking uncontrollably.
This time, Rhode didn't have a jacket to offer; he instead moved around the table to sit beside Mira.
His hands lifted slightly and then lowered, over and over, as if they weighed a thousand pounds.
Rhode wasn't Loki or Hibiki; he couldn't casually drape his arm over her.
He gently patted Mira's back: "Can you tell me about Lisana?"
Mira quietly asked, "Do you already know something?"
"I've heard a bit, was she a cute girl, maybe a bit delicate?"
"No! She wasn't delicate at all! Lisana was..."
Mira caught herself and stopped abruptly.
The slightly raised voice had drawn scattered looks; Rhode stood and raised a hand in apology to them.
"Sorry, I wasn't trying to..."
"I know, it's because I misunderstood Lisana, right?" Rhode said,
"I'm the one who should apologize. What kind of child was she?"
Mira's tremors slowly ceased, her thoughts drifting from that painful night to a distant past:
"Lisana was a strong child, always was. When the villagers treated us like demons, she was always the one defending me..."
As he listened to Mira recount softly, Rhode's anxious heart calmed a bit.
The pain of losing a loved one can sometimes make you feel utterly shattered.
This feeling won't fully disappear for a long time, perhaps for the rest of one's life.
All we can do is try to accept it, to overcome the negative emotions, then gradually reconstruct ourselves.
Pain is, after all, a process of healing.
When she's willing to talk about the departed, it's the best start toward recovery.
Rhode wasn't sure if Mira resonated with Chita's story or if the past year had helped her find relief.
Or perhaps his 'misunderstanding' of Lisana briefly ignited Mira's instinct to protect her sister.
In any case, his long-debated plan for Mira's emotional healing had finally begun.