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Chapter 129: Back Home
Chapter 129: Back Home
After accepting a bizarre agreement, the two left Robin Lo's tent in a daze.
Rod grumbled, "Do all older people speak in such riddles?"
Gray furrowed his brow. "Something about a destined decline and how light magic will shine brightly... I have no idea what he meant."
"Whenever we ask, he either refuses to answer or gives us vague responses. It's so frustrating..."
Rod knew that Wendy was likely to join Fairy Tail in the future, which meant that Cat House might face some kind of crisis.
As Robin Lo had said, it might be unable to continue.
Was it an economic issue, or perhaps an attack by a dark guild like the one led by the naked bandage guy?
Regardless, the disappearance of Cat House would be too cruel for Wendy. He wondered if there was any way to prevent it.
Even if it meant she wouldn't join Fairy Tail... so what?
Wendy's favorite place was Cat House, and they could still be friends even if they weren't in the same guild.
Later that evening, Charle approached Rod and Gray while Wendy was reading. "The Master talked to you about Wendy, right?"
"How did you know?" Rod asked.
"Because he talked to her a few days ago," Charle explained. "How did you respond?"
Gray replied matter-of-factly, "Of course, we have to respect Wendy's wishes. Joining a guild is a personal choice."
"Hmph, you're not so bad," Charle glanced at Gray, then quickly looked away. "If you would just wear your clothes properly."
"Wh-What?!"
...
The next morning, despite Wendy's reluctance, Rod and Gray had to leave.
Rod decided to buy some local specialties to bring back as gifts.
The village was known for its textiles, fabrics, hand-woven items, and wooden crafts, all made using ancient techniques that had been passed down for centuries. These items held great sentimental value.
The villagers, being very kind, wanted to give them away for free, saying they had produced so much that the small village couldn't use it all. But Rod didn't feel right about taking things for free, so he only accepted a few gifts from Wendy and Charle, paying for the rest.
He even borrowed some money from Gray, planning to pay him back with his next reward.
He felt like he had been receiving so much help and hadn't done anything to repay it. It was a bit like getting your first paycheck after graduation and wanting to buy a gift for your family.
During their previous trip to the capital with Mirajane, they hadn't had enough money to buy gifts, and he hadn't wanted to ask her for a loan. And when he teamed up with Natsu, the small village they visited didn't have anything special. This time, the opportunity was perfect.
Gray, being a seasoned veteran, didn't have the same concerns. He found it awkward to bring gifts for specific people and had little interest in textiles and clothing.
When they left, Rod had brought a backpack and a suitcase, but now he had an additional, larger suitcase.
Gray complained, "Why do I have to carry your stuff?"
"I'm just not very handy," Rod said, handing him the small bag. "Can you help me with this one?"
Gray chose to stay a bit further away, not wanting to carry a bag full of explosives.
Wendy, Charle, Master Robin Lo, and a few villagers accompanied them to the village entrance.
Master Robin Lo simply watched them with a smile, not saying much.
Wendy's eyes welled up with tears. "Mr. Rod, Mr. Gray, will you come back?"
Rod patted Wendy's head. "I'll come visit again, and you can always come to Magnolia to see us."
Gray squatted down to talk to Charle, glancing at Rod and Wendy with a chuckle. "Do you need some comforting too?"
Charle huffed. "I don't need it. Stay away from me, and put your clothes on properly, or the city guards might mistake you for a pervert."
Gray sighed. "You really have to say that now, don't you?"
Rod interjected, "It's not Charle's problem; you really should put your clothes on, and your pants too."
"..."
Rod felt exhausted. He had said the same thing so many times that it was starting to lose its impact.
The sentimental atmosphere of their farewell was completely ruined by this person.
The journey back was uneventful, with the biggest challenge being how to keep an eye on Gray.
After several failed attempts and being mistaken for a pervert's accomplice, Rod decided to keep his distance.
The two of them, one constantly wary of the other's potential to explode and the other of the other's tendency to strip, finally grew tired of each other's company once Wendy and Charle were no longer around.
To avoid causing a disturbance, Rod summoned Worm and instructed it to follow Gray and pick up any clothes he dropped.
A reasonable setup for a pet to help with dropped items.
However, Worm was not pleased. After being ignored for so many days, it was now expected to work?
Rod offered Worm a 'salary,' and they reached an agreement.
---
"Welcome back!"
After several days, seeing Mira's sweet smile again was a comforting sight.
"I'm back!" Rod placed all his luggage on the counter. "It feels like I've been gone for a year, and I'm completely drained."
Gray remained calm. "It's not that bad, and we were mostly playing around the last two days."
"You wouldn't understand. This is called travel fatigue, and it needs to be healed with the smiles and care of family."
Rod relaxed, resting his chin in his hand, using this as an excuse to look at Mira a bit more.
"You've worked hard." Mira poured two glasses of water and pushed them toward Rod and Gray, watching as they both drained their glasses. Then she called upstairs, "Master, Rod and Gray are back!"
Makarov nimbly jumped down from the second floor, not acting like an eighty-seven-year-old man at all. "Hey, you two did a great job."
"Master, please use the stairs," Mira pouted from behind the counter, looking adorable.
"I know, I know." Makarov's dismissive tone was like a student being scolded by a teacher.
"I already know how the mission went. You two did an excellent job. I actually..."
Makarov wiped away a tear. "I actually got praised by the Council. Sob... It's so good, you did such a great job!"
Rod was surprised by the Master's reaction. "It's not that big a deal, right?"
Mira chuckled, covering her mouth. "Master was happy all day yesterday. Even his walk had more bounce to it."
The more Mira said, the more Rod felt a pang of sympathy for the Master. He decided to cause less trouble for him in the future...
Yeah, first, he needed to return the Explosive Magic Crystals in his bag before they blew up.
Gray felt a bit ashamed. He had a part to play in the Master's reaction and resolved not to strip in public anymore.
Rod decided to let the Master have his moment, picked up his backpack, and headed to the storage room, saying as he left, "Gray, your clothes."
"Right."
(End of Chapter)
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