Once the commission was posted, the only thing left to do was wait for a response. If no one accepted within three days, the request would be sent out again to a new set of guilds.
Of course, not everyone in Fairy Tail could just sit still. Some members accepted smaller jobs around the nearby town, hoping to stumble across new clues.
Gajeel, stubborn as ever, even dragged Lily off to the mountains for training.
Rhodes also returned to the inn whenever he could, attempting to summon Warm. The rest of the time he buried himself in his own work. Things continued this way until the third day after the request was sent.
That afternoon, Max, the guild's loudmouth, suddenly shouted:
"Rhodes! Someone's looking for you!"
"Finally?" Rhodes dropped his newspaper and notebook, striding toward the stranger who had just walked in.
It was a middle-aged man with short hair, a stubbly chin, and a plain gray coat. There was something… oddly familiar about him.
The man rushed forward, gripping Rhode's hand tightly. "Mister Rhodes, thank goodness you're safe!"
"..."
Rhodes blinked, completely blank. He hadn't placed the face yet. "Sorry, have we...?"
The man smiled knowingly. "My name is Karut. You've forgotten me, haven't you? Understandable, it's been many years."
Rhodes frowned, searching his memory. "Karut… the name rings a bell."
Karut continued, gently prompting him. "I used to be a coachman. Back then I was gravely ill and needed rare herbs from the snowy mountains. My wife entrusted Fairy Tail with the request. But while you and your companions were climbing, my two children, Jenny and Hunter, ran off up the mountain. If it weren't for you…"
"Oh!" Rhodes snapped his fingers. "That was you! Right, the Laban fur from that mountain, great stuff. I even had two coats made out of it."
Rhodes chuckled, then added, "No wonder I didn't recognize you. You were deathly pale at the time, you look so different now."
"Thanks to the herbs you brought back. And thanks for saving Jennyy and Hunter," Karut said warmly. "Six years ago, when we heard about your accident, the whole family worried. We feared the worst. I had business nearby today, so I couldn't resist stopping in. After seeing you here, alive and well, I'll be able to put Weis's heart at ease too."
"Thank you for coming all this way. Please, sit," Rhodes said, calling inside, "Elfman, an old friend is here! Laki, bring us something to drink!"
Though this wasn't the person Rhodes had been waiting for, he welcomed him with genuine warmth.
Elfman looked over, puzzled for a moment, then his eyes widened. "Mr. Karut?"
Rhodes raised a brow. "You remember him?"
Elfman nodded. "For me, not much time has passed. How are Jenny and Hunter? Still full of energy?"
Karut smiled proudly. "They're doing well. Jennyy just became a wizard earlier this year, and Hunter is studying at a magic academy."
Elfman's smile widened. "That's great news."
At that moment, Laki returned with three drinks. She blinked at the guest in surprise. "Mr. Karut! What a surprise. How did you find time to visit the guild? Do you have another request for us?"
Rhodes nearly choked. "Wait, you know him too?"
Laki nodded. "Of course. During the guild's hardest years, Mr. Karut sent us money and even helped bring us a few jobs. He was a real lifesaver."
"?"
Rhodes turned to stare at Karut in disbelief.
Karut waved his hands modestly. "Please, don't put it that way. That was your money in the first place…"
"At the time, our family couldn't afford the full payment. It was you and Elfman who allowed us to delay. I regret it took me so long to repay that debt."
He was right, Rhodes recalled that they'd left behind an IOU back then. If memory served, he'd handed it to Mira to keep safe in the guild.
Laki clapped her hands in realization. "Ah! That money technically belongs to you and Elfman. And actually, Mr. Karut isn't the only one. Over the years, a lot of people have especially looked after Fairy Tail because of you."
She began listing examples, like the village chief who used Take over Magic, and the townsfolk plagued by rats who still remembered Fairy Tail fondly.
So many had helped the guild during those difficult years, though too much had happened for anyone to tell Rhodes all of it at once. Of course, other clients had been loyal to different Fairy Tail members as well, but Rhode's "conversion rate" wasn't always as high, since some of those jobs had ended less… pleasantly.
After some more friendly talk, Mr. Karut made ready to leave. His visit truly had been no more than a chance stop while he was in Magnolia on business.
Rhodes personally walked him out. 'So many people had helped Fairy Tail while they were gone…' He resolved to find a way to repay that kindness.
Just before leaving, Karut climbed into a magic-powered four-wheeler with a cargo bed. Rhodes blinked in surprise. "Wait, that's yours? Pretty impressive, you've gone from coachman to owning a four-wheeler?"
He remembered how expensive those were. Ordinary families couldn't afford them.
Karut laughed and waved it off. "Not mine, just rented for freight. A few friends and I pooled together for transport work. Hardly a career change." He glanced at the setting sun. "Well, it's nearly time to gather. Until next time."
"Travel safe," Rhodes said, watching the man drive away.
When he turned back, a giant crab waddled into view, hauling a stack of packages on its shell. Mira and Lisanna trailed beside it, each carrying a small bag.
Rhodes walked up with a grin. "Got everything?"
Mira nodded, smiling sweetly. "Yes. The mall was having a big sale, we saved quite a bit of money." She looked pleased with herself, her homemaker instincts shining through. Rhodes sighed inwardly. 'She's becoming more and more like a perfect housewife…'
"I'm so,,," Lisanna cut him off by thrusting her bags into his arms. "tired! Mira-nee felt bad for Brother-in-law, so she dragged me along instead."
"Because someone had to stay at the guild to wait for news," Mira teased. Then she added with a knowing look, "And weren't you awfully happy while shopping just now?"
Lisanna stubbornly crossed her arms. "But in the end, everything we bought was for the guild or for you two!"
Rhodes raised an eyebrow. "So… all the personal budget Mira saved today is supposed to become your pocket money?"
Lisanna's eyes lit up and she threw her hands in the air. "Long live Brother-in-law!"
Before she could get too carried away, Mira gently pressed a hand on her head. "No. You can't be so extravagant."
"Mira nee~~~" Lisanna whined, clinging to her sister's arm like a child, before shooting Rhodes a pitiful glance. "Brother-in-law~ help me out here!"
Rhodes tapped his chin, pretending to think seriously, then nodded. "Your sister makes a good point."
"Boo…" Lisanna puffed up her cheeks, pouting. "You're both terrible!"
Rhodes was about to tease her again when he suddenly froze, his gaze shifting to the far end of the street. A girl with short white hair was walking toward the guild, her expression distant, almost blank.
At first glance, there was something achingly familiar about her.
"Lisanna?" Rhodes blinked in disbelief, then turned to Mira. "Wait. Do you… have another younger sister?"
"Of course not." Mira frowned, confused, until she saw the girl herself. Her eyes widened, her lips parting in shock. "But she… she really does look like Lisanna."
Lisanna's jaw dropped. "Eh???"
...
Stones plzzz
Read chapters ahead @