Before bringing Lucy over, Rhode specifically asked her to summon Loki for confirmation.
Loki assured Lucy that it was okay to go, straightforwardly stating that Aquarius would definitely be happy.
The contract signing process afterward went smoothly and enviably well.
Out of the twelve golden keys of the Zodiac, she owned nine.
Six of them were collected during the span of just over three months after she joined the guild.
Only Capricorn, Libra, and Pisces were missing to complete the twelve, and this could hardly be described as mere luck.
Whose normal Star Spirit Mage increases their golden keys three by three like this?
Even if there were no rewards for this mission, Lucy still profited immensely—Blue Pegasus lost a super expensive Magical Bomb Strike Boat, while Lucy gained three golden keys.
Luck, such a thing really can't be reasoned with.
Gemini and Scorpio signed the contract first, then their figures disappeared, returning to the Star Spirit Realm.
Due to personality reasons, Alyes lagged a step behind them and signed at the very end.
"Please wait a moment." Rhode stopped Alyes before she returned.
Alyes seemed a bit afraid: "Sorry, may I ask what's the matter?"
Lucy quipped about her new Star Spirit: "Why do you keep apologizing?"
Alyes hurriedly bowed to Lucy: "Sorry! I'll do my best, sorry!"
"No, no, I wasn't criticizing you..." Lucy thought Alyes was mistreated too harshly by her previous owners, feeling a bit sorry for her.
After Lucy comforted Alyes a bit, Rhode asked: "Excuse me, I wanted to ask Alyes about your previous owner, Angel."
"I'm sorry, I can't disclose much information!" Tears shimmered in Alyes' eyes, "I'm too useless, sorry!"
"..."
The personalities of Star Spirits really are peculiar. Rhode spoke in a gentle tone: "Sorry, I don't mean to make things difficult for you, I just want to confirm, about two months ago..."
Rhode recounted the encounter with the Cloaked Lady, inquiring: "Was that person Angel? Does she frequently do such things? If you can't speak of it, that's alright."
"Yes, that was her. She occasionally does this, but... but mainly she's up to very bad things. Sorry! As a Star Spirit, I can't disobey the owner's command, so I'm unable to stop her, sorry!"
Alyes bowed repeatedly, worrying if she'd sprain her back.
"It's not your fault for such things..." Lucy comforted Alyes for a while.
Rhode followed suit in expressing gratitude: "Thank you, that's all I wanted to know, your answer is very helpful to me, thank you."
He planned to submit all this in a report to the Advisory Council, not out of pity or anything else, just as if he were writing on behalf of those rescued children.
"No... you're welcome... then goodbye, Mr. Rhode, Miss Lucy." Alyes remained timid, finished speaking and disappeared into starlight like escaping.
Lucy waved goodbye to Alyes, then raised the three newly acquired golden keys, grinning foolishly, the keys shimmering beautifully in the sunlight.
Rhode looked at her and said: "You've had it tough as well."
Lucy didn't quite understand: "What?"
Rhode said: "Trying to maintain good relations with these oddly quirky Star Spirits, isn't it difficult? Kyansa and Sajidarius are still considered normal, but among other Star Spirits, there are lecherous ones, hot-tempered ones, willful ones, those who enjoy abuse... all kinds of people."
"..." Lucy wanted to refute, but as Rhode mentioned each adjective, she could associate it with a specific Star Spirit...
She held her head: "After you said that, why do I always encounter oddballs? Even in the guild!"
Rhode thought Lucy probably hadn't heard of the saying 'birds of a feather flock together.'
He pondered for a moment and added: "Of the three newest ones, Scorpio and Alyes are fine, but Gemini seems quite mischievous. You'll have your hands full, good luck."
"It's... it's fine! Anyway, I rarely..." Lucy wanted to say she rarely played with the problematic children among the Star Spirits, but couldn't continue.
Because during the battle with Angel, she realized that besides increasing magic power through practice, Star Spirit Mages must have a thorough understanding of Star Spirits.
Understanding requires time for interaction and getting along, no matter how strange the Star Spirits are, it's unavoidable.
And she originally wanted to have good relationships with the Star Spirits.
Lucy sighed and asked: "Mr. Rhode, when it comes to your Summoned Beasts, don't you have any difficult types to deal with?"
"Of course I..." Rhode remembered the Mountain Sub-Dragon's aloof demeanor.
Previously thought it was just proud, but recently realized a significant aspect might be laziness, lazy to help, lazy to talk, lazy to be summoned.
Lucy saw Rhode's expression and knew the answer.
The two glanced at each other and simultaneously sighed: "Ah~~~"
...
Another day passed, and Wendy's matters were nearly settled.
All houses in the village had their windows and doors securely closed, the guild's tent now had its front curtain fixed down securely.
As for the flag with the Cat Transformation Inn emblem hung at the entrance, it was taken down by Wendy and carefully stored away.
A monument stood in the village center, inscribed with the names of all villagers, engraved personally by Wendy.
President Robin Lu called them false companions, but to Wendy, they weren't.
Seven years of companionship, she would never forget.
"Sorry for taking up so much of everyone's time, thank you all for the concern!" Wendy, having just had a moment of respite, bowed to everyone, then showed a sweet smile, as if telling everyone, 'Don't worry, I'm okay now.'
She's truly a child who's very considerate of others.
"If that's the case, we should probably leave as well. Please send my regards to President Makarov." Jura showed a gentle smile, such a well-behaved child, he even wanted to recruit her to Lamia Scale.
Erza nodded to him in acknowledgment.
"MEN~ Though it's sad, there comes a time to say goodbye." One Night maintained his unique elegance, "Miss Erza, Miss Lucy, I will miss your wonderful scents."
Lucy nearly exploded: "Please make sure not to miss that!"
She couldn't understand why One Night, clearly a decent person, behaved so eccentrically, feeling that such a peculiar personality wouldn't be out of place even in her own guild.
"!" Lucy was startled, what was she just thinking?
However, Rhode began to somewhat admire One Night, as he hadn't harassed Mira, Wendy, or Jie Li. He seemed to have principles.
Hibiki and Ive played the role of supportive companions, meanwhile inviting all the ladies to Blue Pegasus.
They especially emphasized 'Gentlemen need not come.'
But as soon as the words were out, One Night reprimanded: "Such a statement is inappropriate. I can already sense the fragrance of friendship among us all. If inviting friends over to play, why differentiate between genders?"
Hibiki and Ive praised: "Worthy of One Night-sama!"
Lucy quipped: "The honorific has changed again... and he only mentioned us two girls earlier, didn't he?"
Ren, the traitor, didn't join his two good brothers, being busy saying goodbye to Jie Li.
Awkwardly saying farewell.
Rhode watched them and reflected on himself, during moments of affection with Mira in the guild, did others also harbor such thoughts to hit him?
Should he intensify it in the future?
Then there was Leon and Gray, the two shirtless senior disciples, mocking each other for not wearing clothes.
Really wonder how their master raised such precious disciples.
The three guilds diverged in different directions, naturally unable to return together.
Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus took the land route, Fairy Tail chose the waterway.
Wendy gave the monument in the village one last bow, then followed her new companions on their journey.
A mix of anticipation and apprehension, would the people at Fairy Tail embrace her?