It's hard to talk outside, especially since it's raining.
Rhode asked Lucy to take her father upstairs to have a seat, so they could have a private father-daughter conversation.
Although she wanted to ask about recent events, Lucy was somewhat resistant to letting him into the Guild, quietly reminding Rhode that this person used to want to destroy the Guild.
Rhode didn't mind, saying it was all in the past.
When the Heartfilia family was rich and powerful, no one was afraid. Now that they're in such dire straits, what's there to worry about?
After all, he's still Lucy's father, and probably her only relative. She couldn't just ignore him.
The father and daughter walked silently into the Guild and went upstairs, and it was clear Lucy wasn't in a good mood.
When someone in the tavern asked who that was, Rhode brushed it off casually.
Since Lucy had some business, her teammates naturally had to wait a moment.
Natsu, Gray, and Hapi peeked from the staircase, showing only half their heads, which looked a bit cute at first glance.
Erza grabbed Natsu and Gray by the collars and dragged them away, "This is too rude, sit down and wait properly."
Luckily, Gray was wearing clothes, or else she'd have nothing to grab onto.
The two had no choice but to sit quietly at the counter.
Mira took a dry towel and tiptoed to help Rhode wipe his face and hair, "Who is that, Lucy's friend?"
The others perked up their ears to listen.
Rhode sat blissfully enjoying the service, explaining, "That's Lucy's father. Didn't the newspaper report the Heartfelia Group's bankruptcy recently?"
Erza thought for a moment, then nodded, "I seem to have seen that news."
"That's Lucy's father? The change is too great, isn't it?" Gray, like Rhode, didn't dare to recognize him.
"When did Lucy's family go bankrupt?" Hapi apparently didn't make a habit of reading newspapers.
Natsu followed up, "What about that estate the size of a town?"
Rhode said, "It's probably gone. The newspaper said he mortgaged all his assets. Now he's probably homeless."
"So pitiful." Hapi immediately felt sympathy for him, completely forgetting that he used to be considered an enemy.
Mira, while wiping Rhode's head with the towel, poured him a cup of hot tea, then picked up a tray, "I'll take them a pot of tea and some food."
Rhode took off his coat and shook it, feeling uncomfortable with how wet it was, "Natsu, dry this."
"Got it." Natsu's body flared up with fire.
Rhode held up his coat to the fire, turning it over when he felt it was dry enough.
Natsu was really handy.
Erza said, "So, Lucy's father probably came to her for help."
Hapi said, "But Lucy can't even pay her own rent."
Natsu optimistically said, "She'll have money when she gets back!"
Rhode couldn't help but laugh, "I'm afraid when she comes back she'll be even less able to pay."
Suddenly, loud arguing could be heard from upstairs:
"A large sum of money? It's just 100,000 J, isn't it? You're my daughter, it's only right to help me out with such a small amount!"
Lucy argued, "Do you even know what you're saying? Ordinary people..."
"I'm asking for money! Your father humbly came to beg you, and you're still not giving me money!"
Then Mira's voice came, "Calm down Mr. Jude, and Lucy too, let's talk this through."
Many people downstairs heard their arguing, and Natsu immediately rushed upstairs because it sounded like Lucy was being bullied.
"Lucy, what's happening?"
Of course, everyone else followed.
Mira quickly stopped Natsu, worried he might start a fight, "It's okay, it's okay, maybe it's just a misunderstanding."
Initially, the two were talking fine, seemingly about to reconcile, but Jude suddenly asked to borrow a large sum of money, and then they both got angry.
Lucy turned away quietly, and Jude seemed to calm down a bit seeing so many people gathering around.
Mira smiled and said, "I might be overstepping, but let's take it as asking for Lucy, Mr. Jude, why do you need so much money?"
Jude was still a bit angry, "I'm going to the commercial guild in Agalifa, of course, I need travel expenses."
Mira nodded, "Of course, then what?"
Jude looked at her, confused, "Then? What then?"
Mira was a bit puzzled too, "I mean, after deducting the travel costs, what's the rest for?"
Jude was shocked, "There's going to be leftovers?!"
"..." Mira didn't know what to say for a moment.
Lucy took a couple of deep breaths, asking, "Are you... asking me for 10 J just as travel expenses?"
Jude thought they didn't understand why travel expenses were needed and explained, "I've been really tired lately, if I had to walk there..."
No one really listened to the rest because it just sounded like thunderous surprises—this was once the head of a major consortium?
Lucy sighed and started to complain about her father, "Your... your understanding of money is really lax..."
In this man's eyes, not giving him 100,000 J is probably like coming to his daughter's house and not even getting a glass of water, so understandably he's upset.
Lucy took out her wallet and flipped through it, asking, "Miss Mira, about how much does it cost to get to Agalifa?"
She didn't know where Agalifa was.
Mira thought for a moment, "Hmm... If you rent a decent carriage, considering rain surcharges, it should be around 2,000 to 3,000 J."
"Did you hear that? Please try to understand normal pricing, 100,000 J used on a carriage could take you from the southernmost to the northernmost part of the Fiore Kingdom and still have some left."