In the evening, Mira, Wendy, and Laki were responsible for sending Ginanna to the dormitory, while Rhode took Lisana and a few other staff members to do the final cleaning.
Laki originally said she could do it alone, but since they talked about interests and hobbies during dinner, Mira and Wendy thought it would be more appropriate to go together to help settle Ginanna.
"Why are you sneaking bites of the utensils again..." Rhode found a habitual offender while wrapping up, "Is the stir-fried screws not spicy enough, or is the deep-fried nails not fragrant enough? Do you have to make your own utensil salad?"
Mr. Cook really knows how to play, not only can he make flame dishes for Natsu, but he can also design fine iron dishes for Gajeel.
According to him, nails can also be fried to a crispy crunch, but after Warm tasted it and spat it out, Rhode dared not try it.
However, after Gajeel finished eating, he still liked to chew all the spoons and forks, sometimes not even sparing the iron rings on wooden beer mugs.
Li Li, turned into a little black cat, crossed its arms and spoke in a mature tone quite inconsistent with its body size: "See, didn't I tell you so long ago?"
"Nagging, I'll just pay." Gajeel had to admit the guild's cook had some skills, it was rare to taste such good-tasting iron.
It was just that he couldn't change his habit of many years. Without chewing on the iron utensils after a meal, he always felt something was missing inside.
"..." Let it be, in this guild, being a bit odd is normal, Rhode remarked, "Don't leave yet, follow me out of the city later."
"For what?"
"To fight."
"Hehe~" Gajeel grinned widely, "With you? Perfect, there really is a fight we haven't finished."
Gajeel had a combative nature, although Rhode's family member was quite scary, Rhode himself... after all, had never beat him at full power.
He felt he had made a lot of progress recently and should be able to spar with Rhode.
Rhode smiled: "As you wish, I'm just afraid that when the time comes, you might not want to fight me."
Gajeel thought Rhode figured he would be scared: "Don't underestimate me!"
Rhode waved his hand to show that he didn't mean that and continued his work.
But Gajeel obviously misunderstood, leaning arrogantly against the wall at the guild's entrance, waiting for Rhode to depart.
"I think you'd better be cautious, Gajeel." Li Li said, "Mr. Rhode seems to hold high prestige in the guild, and he's Miss Mirajane's fiancé. His strength should be strong, right?"
Li Li clearly remembered the time Mira easily knocked him out.
"How would I know without a fight?" The Iron Dragon had the hardest mouth.
Lisana asked quietly while working, "Brother-in-law, do you and Sister Mira always have dates at night?"
"It's training, very ordinary training." Rhode corrected, "Sometimes Elfman joins us too."
"What about when Brother Elf isn't there?"
"Training as usual, haven't you noticed Mira is stronger than before?"
"I haven't seen her fight in person... don't change the subject." Lisana insisted, "Besides training?"
"Hmm... stargazing, moon watching, talking about life?" Rhode said, "You can ask her."
"I did ask..." Lisana sighed, nothing special was revealed, but she always blushed when mentioned.
Lisana was very curious.
There must be something going on with those two. She suspected that it wouldn't be long before she would become an aunt.
Meanwhile, she also somewhat suspected herself, had she been taking up too much of her sister's time these past days?
"Why don't you come with us for a few days?" Rhode didn't know what Lisana was thinking, "It's been a while since you used magic in battle; you might be a bit rusty. Joining us for some practice would be good."
One sheep or two, might as well take them all, if Natsu weren't busy today, he would have been dragged along for a beating too.
Lisana hesitated a bit but nodded, she was truly curious about how her sister and brother-in-law usually trained.
After handling the guild's trivial matters, Rhode took Lisana, Gajeel, and Li Li out.
The doors to the girls' dormitory weren't accessible to Rhode and Gajeel, but Lisana and Li Li could go in to find people.
The girls' dormitory doesn't restrict male cats from entering; Hapi used to come here often to play, so Li Li naturally had no issues.
But recently, Carla seemed to have raised an objection to this point, so the rules about dormitory access might soon change to 'no male intelligent creatures allowed.'
Not long after, the Mira sisters came out with Wendy, all three wearing thick coats, and Wendy holding a Carla-brand warm baby.
It was near the end of November, winter was approaching, and the weather was getting colder and colder.
"I told you male cats shouldn't be allowed in the girls' dormitory," Carla clearly complained about Li Li, then incidentally vented her spleen at Gajeel, "Why are you here too?"
"Mr. Gajeel." Wendy was a bit puzzled about why he was here, but she politely greeted him nonetheless.
Gajeel replied sternly, "I'm here to fight him."
"Hmm?" Mira's gaze at Gajeel became visibly sharper.
Gajeel stiffened his neck... pretending not to see her.
However, Mira quickly realized Gajeel probably wasn't here to cause trouble, and her expression softened.
Right at that moment, Rhode's hand smoothly stroked her hair, which to Lisana, looked like brother-in-law had easily soothed her angry sister.
Is this the power of love?
...
Outside the city, the usual spot.
Rhode thought for a moment and still decided to call out the laziest Mountain Sub-Dragon.
He figured that both the Purgatory Sub-Dragon and Cloud Sub-Dragon had found dragon cubs they liked, and he ought to see if Gajeel is dragon-lovable.
The moment the Mountain Sub-Dragon appeared, Lisana, Gajeel, and Li Li were all stunned.
"Dragon... the legendary creature, actually exists?" Li Li knew about Dragon Slayer Magic, but always believed that dragons in Aslan had long been extinct.
Lisana hadn't seen Rhode summon a dragon while in Edolas, she thought that terrifying fluctuation of magic power just now meant her brother-in-law was going to summon the big spider again.
Rhode asked, "Didn't you tell Lisana about my magic?"
"There's too much to say, we haven't gotten to magic stuff yet. And..." Mira's smile was filled with happiness, "Even if I were to tell Lisana, I would need your permission anyway."
Issues regarding magic are not minor matters of romance, whether or not to tell Lisana couldn't be something she decides for Rhode.
Rhode smiled and pinched Mira's small hand, decided to give her a little reward later.
The Mountain Sub-Dragon yawned, habitually wanting to complain, but seeing a dragon cub, and a very cute dragon cub, it knew Rhode had a reason for this.
"Dragon..." Gajeel's reaction was quite similar to Natsu's when he first saw the Mountain Sub-Dragon, both were dumbfounded.
But once he came to his senses, realizing this was an ally, he quickly began to ask: "Hey, do you know Medalikana? Iron Dragon Medalikana!"