Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 132: Planting New Seeds

"Tomorrow, I don't have any special plans."

There was no point playing coy—hesitation would only lead to defeat!

"I know a place. The food might be something you'd like." Mira gently tugged her jacket tighter. "Want to try it out together tomorrow?"

"Sure."

On the way home, Rhodes practically floated. It wasn't until he reached his front door that he remembered—he forgot to call Scuttle crab.

Oh well. Not a big deal. Just think of it as extra training.

Climbing the stairs and stepping into his room, Rhodes figured it was time for a quick cleanup.

"Come on out, Warm!"

With a soft poof, a fluffy white creature the size of a basketball appeared, sticking out its tongue. Its dark little eyes blinked as it looked around, but there was no food in sight.

No dining table. No snacks. Just, home?

"Hululu~" Warm wiggled in place, looking oddly excited anyway.

"Glad to see you've got energy," Rhodes said. "I was just about to start cleaning. You see—"

Fwoomp.

Warm flopped over dramatically, tongue hanging out, his face saying, 'This Poro is dead. Please don't disturb.'

"Fine, fine," Rhodes sighed. "I won't make you clean under the bed this time."

He got to work, wiping dust and sweeping corners. Once he finished, he scooped Warm up for a bath.

Cold showers this time of year were kind of a punishment, so he heated some water instead. His solid script magic could help, but it wasn't convenient enough—he made a mental note to buy a proper heating magic crystal tomorrow.

That night, Rhodes discovered a new use for Warm.

The little fluffball was warm. Cuddling it in bed was better than a hot water bottle. As winter got closer, Warm would make the perfect bed warmer.

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And hey—no matter how cold it got here, it still wasn't anywhere near as freezing as the Howling Abyss.

The next morning, Goodman didn't show up at the shop.

Maybe business had been too good lately and he was taking a break. Or maybe he was at home working on a new wood carving project.

Most of the festive decorations around town had already been taken down. The streets felt quiet now compared to the bustling Harvest Festival.

Rhodes changed into a more season-appropriate outfit: blue jeans, a white T-shirt, and a light beige jacket. The Fairy Tail insignia was printed neatly on his chest and again on the back of his jacket—Mira had printed them herself.

He briefly wondered, would he still need to roll up his sleeve and show the guild mark on his arm during missions?

"Morning, Rhodes. What's up today?"

"Morning, Max." Rhodes didn't want to say too much to this walking megaphone. "I'm practicing a new Take over transformation. Want to try it out with me?"

"Pass. You should ask Gray."

Rhodes sighed. "Gray's avoiding me."

He leaned against the counter. "He said he's been spending time talking with Loke lately. Said they're probably going to team up soon, so he wants me to keep my distance."

Max smirked. "Loke still avoids you, huh? Shame, he's actually really strong."

"Yeah, I just don't get him." Rhodes tilted his head. "Is he really that close with Gray?"

"Well," Max started, "they did go on a job once and ended up attracting a really bold, beautiful lady. Gray found it annoying, but Loke handled it perfectly. They've been tight ever since."

"Huh. That is so them." Rhodes gave a helpless chuckle. "One can't deal with girls, the other's made of flirting."

After that, Rhodes handled his usual chores—wiping tables, tidying chairs, small guild duties.

Mr. Cook even came into the kitchen just to find him. Apparently, he missed Warm.

Rhodes summoned Warm without hesitation. He still didn't know what Cook liked about the little guy.

Was it because Warm was good at begging for food?

Well, that was fine. Being on the chef's good side was never a bad thing.

Once Master Makarov arrived, Rhodes headed out to the training yard to test out a new Take over.

Mira joined him.

So, naturally, Rhodes stepped back a few extra paces—just in case.

Rhodes set his sights on his next target for Take over: the Krug—the ancient stone beetle. A curious thought crossed his mind: If I take over this beast, will I end up with two extra lives too?

He summoned the Krug and placed a hand on its thick stone leg.

"Take over: Krug!"

In an instant, the Krug's body dissolved into shimmering light, enveloping Rhodes. When the glow faded, his form had changed drastically.

He now stood over two meters tall, his entire body coated in the tough, stone-like hide of the Krug. It looked as though he were clad in a full suit of ancient rock armor, marked by glowing blue lines that ran down his limbs and across his chest—giving him a high-tech, almost otherworldly appearance.

Rhodes summoned Scuttle crab, and connected to its visual feed to get a full look at himself.

"Hmm...the Hulk? No, his arms aren't this chiseled? The Thing from the Fantastic Four? Nah, not ugly enough. A lava beast? Too many spikes..."

He struck a few heroic poses, admiring his new look.

Tonk tonk.

He knocked on his chest, marveling at how much tougher it was than even the crab armor.

"Another tanky type," Makarov observed, arms crossed. "Earth-based magic, I take it?"

"Seems like it," Rhodes nodded. "Definitely defense-focused. As for any secondary spells, I think I can—"

Fwoosh!

Before he could finish, Rhodes suddenly dropped straight into the ground like a stone falling into water.

A few seconds later, a rocky head poked up from the earth. Though muffled, his voice carried a bright excitement. "Whoa! I can swim through the ground! This is amazing!"

As he "swam" around, he tested different strokes—breaststroke, backstroke, freestyle.

He couldn't help but think of that old cartoon gadget that let you swim through dirt like water. Doraemon would be proud.

It was like living out a piece of childhood fantasy.

Mira giggled from the sidelines, watching him enjoy himself. Just seeing him grow stronger made her feel lighter.

Makarov watched Rhodes burrow happily and shook his head with a smile. "Alright, I'll head back. Mira, keep an eye on him."

"Got it."

She stood watching Rhodes swim laps beneath the earth, then stretched out her hand, murmuring a spell.

Soft lights shimmered briefly along her fingertips, but faded. There was no change. Her magic still hadn't returned.

"Am I really the only one who hasn't moved forward?"

From behind came the familiar voice of Makarov: "Of course not. You've been moving forward every single day. Even if your magic hasn't returned yet, your heart has never stopped."

"Master," Mira turned around, surprised to see Makarov standing with his hands folded behind his back, smiling gently.

"The pain of losing someone you love," he continued, "is like a plow cutting across your heart. It hurts—deeply.

"But we're given a choice. We can let ourselves be buried in that pain, walk through life numb, and never love again, or we can plant new seeds in that pain, grow from it, and create space for love to bloom once more."

He looked at her, eyes filled with warmth. "Whichever you choose, it means you're still moving forward. Just remember—your guild, your family, we're always behind you."

"Master," Mira bit her lip, emotion welling in her chest.

Behind her, Rhodes had quietly lifted his Take over. He stood beside her now, his stone armor gone, just himself once again—gazing at the old man with a look that mixed admiration, and a little bit of playful bitterness.

Because behind her now was more than just Rhodes.

Behind her was the entire guild—Master Makarov, the noisy bar, their friends, and everything they loved.

Makarov caught the small smirk in Rhodes' expression and scratched his head. "Hey, I wasn't trying to make her cry, alright? It just came from the heart."

Rhodes gave him a look. "Yeah, sure. And if I didn't know that, I'd be reporting you to the Council for emotionally distressing Mira Jane."

"Hey now, that's not fair!"

"Alright, how about this? I'll tell the entire guild you bullied Mira. Let's see how long it takes before everyone starts booing you."

"Can we settle on just limiting my drinks when she's around?"

Mira smiled sweetly. "Master, you said it yourself."

Rhodes nodded solemnly. "Yup. I heard it loud and clear. I'll be your witness."

"Waaait, noooo—!" Makarov groaned, completely defeated.

"It's settled," Mira giggled.

She turned to look once more at the noisy, comforting warmth of the guild behind her, then at Rhodes standing beside her.

Sowing new seeds?