Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 325: Wendy’s Efforts

There was a lot to wrap up afterward. First came comforting the rescued children and escorting them home safely.

Next, they had to deal with the traffickers, tie them up and prepare for their return to the authorities. Fortunately, the Kingdom of Fiore had well-established laws for handling criminals like these, and Rhodes was quite sure none of them would be living comfortably after incarceration.

For security, if any of them regained consciousness along the way, Rhodes would summon the Two-Headed Wolf to glare at them up close. The intimidating beast usually scared them right back into unconsciousness.

If that didn't work, well... knocking them out again was always an option. Unfortunately, Rhodes wasn't having much luck with that today. Normally, one good hit would do the trick, but this time it took several attempts, and some of them kept waking up.

In the end, S-Class wizard Mirajane had to step in personally and take care of it.

But just capturing the culprits wasn't enough. Mira also used a Crab to travel to village to confirm that the real Black Bear had been intercepted before he could harm anyone and, thankfully, he hadn't even gotten close to the children.

She brought the actual Black Bear back with her and presented him to the client, the town mayor.

The mayor was clearly shocked when he recognized one of the traffickers as a local resident. Meanwhile, the captain of the town guard looked devastated. He saw these people every day and hadn't noticed a thing.

Rhodes actually thought that might've been for the best. If the guards had noticed something strange, they probably wouldn't be alive anymore.

Sure, Scorpio had taken them all down in one shot, but these were wizards. Against a surprise smoke spell and a transforming black bear, normal townsfolk wouldn't stand a chance.

Since this was a case of wizards committing serious crimes, the mayor immediately contacted the Magic Council.

Say what you will about the Council's behavior in other cases, but when it came to crimes like this, they knew how to handle it properly.

Rhodes and Mira, joined by the mayor, personally escorted the rescued children back to their homes and made absolutely sure no other children were missing from the town. Only after confirming everything did they officially wrap up the mission.

Even after receiving their reward, the pair stayed until the Council's agents arrived and took custody of the criminals. They didn't want to leave anything unfinished.

Mira understood Rhodes's caution, after everything that had happened with Liz, he couldn't help but worry about accidents, even now.

So she let him take the lead, as much for his peace of mind as for safety.

"But next time we run into that Celestial Spirit mage, you have to apologize," Mira reminded him gently.

"I know. If we ever meet her again," Rhodes muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

In that situation, Mira had been the only person he trusted completely. Honestly, if things had gotten worse, he'd been ready to double-check the children themselves to be sure there weren't any tricks. It was a messed-up thing to think, but that's what experience had taught him.

After a long, busy day, the two decided to rest in town for the night. The mayor, grateful and enthusiastic, insisted on arranging the best suite in the hotel for them.

So of course... they ended up in separate rooms, in the same suite. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

That kind of unnecessary enthusiasm.

It was comforting, really after a long day, they could enjoy something simple. After their bath, Rhodes and Mira took turns drying each other's hair, lounging in their pajamas and nightgowns, enjoying those small, tender benefits of companionship.

The next morning, they stood side by side at the sink to wash up.

Rhodes snored once and lazily splashed water onto his face.

Mira, of course, had to tie up her long silver hair first so it wouldn't fall over her cheeks. Only after securing it with a cute headband did she wash her face properly.

It was a peaceful scene—routine, but precious.

After breakfast, the two packed up their things and strolled hand in hand through the quiet town streets.

"If we're going to visit Wendy and Carla, shouldn't we bring a gift?" Mira asked, a bit regretful. "It's a shame we didn't prepare anything before leaving Magnolia. I got so caught up in the mission I forgot."

Rhodes smiled and said, "Don't worry. I've already brought Wendy the best possible gift."

"Oh?" Mira nodded, but her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Wendy's such a sweet girl. How lucky to receive the best gift."

Rhode immediately began sweating.

"I-I mean, it's not really a gift," he stammered, waving his free hand. "It's just... some news. We should still get a souvenir or two while we're here."

Mira giggled, clearly enjoying herself. She raised their joined hands and gave his a little shake. "But isn't the best gift already in my hand?"

"..."

'If you keep talking like that, I really will propose,' Rhodes thought helplessly.

Her words reminded him of an old cheesy love confession from some audio skit, but Mira's way of saying it hit far harder.

Rhodes, suddenly overwhelmed, scooped her up in his arms and spun around twice in the middle of the street.

Mira squealed with surprise and laughter, drawing stares and smiles from nearby passersby.

But he didn't care.

...

Every time Rhodes returned to the Cait Shelter, he felt a strange sense of nostalgia. It was as if the entire place had just changed seasonal decorations but remained frozen in time otherwise.

Despite being located in a remote corner of the continent, it was a wonder how the Cait Shelter, a guild that had existed for over 400 years managed to retain its ancient ways and peaceful lifestyle.

Today, Wendy looked more lively than ever. She wore twin ponytails with adorable red devil horn clips and a green off-shoulder dress that brought out her gentle complexion and bubbly charm.

Cute as ever.

When Rhodes and Mira arrived, Wendy was sitting with her neighbor Magna, learning how to weave.

Lately, Wendy had developed a deep interest in the ancient crafts and traditions of the Nirvit tribe. She often went door-to-door in the village, asking the elders to teach her whatever they could.

The villagers were more than happy to oblige. They taught her everything from weaving and tanning leather to wood carving, hunting techniques, and how to craft various handmade tools.

She'd never shown much interest in these things before, but the moment she asked, it seemed like everyone in the tribe wanted to pass their knowledge down to her.

Just a few days ago, Wendy had even put aside her magic training to fully dedicate herself to mastering these traditional skills. She became so busy that she was working day and night, barely taking time to rest.

In the end, it was Chief Roubaul, leader of the Nirvit tribe, who finally stepped in. He gently advised Wendy to pace herself, not wanting her dedication to end up affecting her health or her magical development.

Roubaul had guessed what was really going on with Wendy, but he chose not to say anything aloud. There was a quiet understanding between them.

Still, Wendy could be surprisingly stubborn. Even after agreeing to resume her practice, she insisted on continuing her cultural studies alongside it.

She hadn't left the village in several months now.

At first, Carla tried to talk Wendy out of overworking herself. But eventually, seeing Wendy's resolve, she began supporting her fully.

In fact, she even joined in.

"Mr. Rhodes! Miss Mira!"

Wendy looked up from her weaving in surprise. She'd been so focused on her work that she hadn't noticed them approaching. Now that she thought about it, it really had been quite a while since she'd seen them last.

Rhodes bent down and gave her a warm hug. "How've you been, Wendy?"

Wendy nodded with a bright smile. "I'm doing great!" Though her face was a little tired, it was clear she was happy. Even if it was hard work, she was doing something that mattered to her.

Mira gently took Wendy's hand and chatted with her. She couldn't help but feel a pang of worry at the dark circles under Wendy's eyes.

What was this child working so hard for? She reminded her of Rhodes when he pushed himself too far. Maybe that was why he cared for Wendy so deeply, they were alike in that way.

Rhodes turned to Carla with his arms open. "Carla, want a hug too?"

Carla immediately turned her nose up. "As if I would ever want a hug from you!"

Typical tsundere cat behavior. Rhodes just chuckled and summoned Worm instead. "Then play with Warm instead."

Without hesitation, Warm stuck out his big tongue and gave Carla a full slobbery lick, leaving her fur soaked.

"Eugh! What in the world—?!" Carla shrieked.

"Haha, sorry, sorry!" Rhode said quickly, waving his hands in apology.

Carla glared daggers at him as she furiously tried to wipe the drool off her face. "What on Earth are you feeding this thing? How did it get so big, so fast?"