https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-373-The-Strongest-Team-s-New-Mission/12951419/
Chapter 372: Fairy Tail Branch
Chapter 372: Fairy Tail Branch
Marco's words proved prophetic as they ended up spending the night here.
Some were sprawled on tables, others lay on benches, and a few leaned against the counter.
Rod was among those leaning against the counter.
Mila was covered by a blanket, snuggled up against Rod, her soft body easily felt through the thin nightgown.
When Rod woke up, he found himself tightly hugging Mila, perhaps to keep her warm. And Mila, in turn, held him tightly, perhaps genuinely cold.
Rod recalled the large body pillow on Mila's bed and wondered if he had been mistaken for it or if the pillow had been mistaken for him.
Either way, it was a good thing.
Mila also seemed to wake up, rubbing her face against Rod's chest before opening her eyes. Her puzzled expression seemed to ask why today's pillow wasn't as soft.
Her bewildered look was adorable, making him want to kiss her.
Mila snapped out of her daze as her forehead was attacked, looking around anxiously to ensure everyone was still asleep before relaxing.
She patted Rod's cheek and then got up.
As she stood, Rod felt his shoulder stiffen, and just as he was about to reach out to rub it, he first pulled the blanket she had kicked off back onto himself, his expression a bit flustered.
Mila blinked a few times, quickly understanding the reason.
She had seen this before when they shared the same room, waking up to such a sight in the morning. And on more than one occasion during their intimate moments, she had felt it too.
It was probably a very normal thing.
If one had to say, once or twice, it was Rod's mental issue. Three or four times, and both parties shared the responsibility.
If it happened more frequently, Mila should reflect on whether she hadn't done something right.
Anyway, even if she hadn't, it couldn't be done here.
Mila, with a soft smile, gently massaged Rod's shoulder, whispering, "Does it hurt?"
Rod shook his head, "I'm enjoying it."
Her soft yet strong hands worked his shoulders, a pleasure he didn't want to interrupt.
Rod adjusted his mindset and state before putting away the blanket, and together, they gazed at the rain-soaked morning outside the tent.
Inside, Bisca quietly opened one eye, gazing enviously at the two figures.
Why didn't Alzack come last night? If he had...
Even then, he probably wouldn't dare.
Bisca sighed inwardly, wondering when she could reach the level of intimacy between Mila and Rod. These two were already saving up for their wedding room, so they must be close to getting married, right? So envious.
As the sun peeked out, the sky was a pristine blue, its rays shining down on the tarpaulin-covered hills.
The construction site's ground was muddy, with scattered puddles of yellow water.
The morning after a summer rain—a sight unseen.
But it didn't matter; the most beautiful scenery was right beside them.
Mila pulled Rod's face away from her chest, looking at the figure rushing towards them, "The Guild Master is here."
"Oh no! Wood, cement! I forgot to cover them yesterday!"
The old man ran, lamenting his oversight of such an important task.
He leaped over various obstacles, hopping over puddles with agility unbefitting his age.
Mila reminded him, "Guild Master, slow down, be careful of the slippery ground."
"Huh?" Makalov slammed on the brakes but failed to stop, colliding with the temporary counter with a loud bang.
The tent's occupants were startled awake, "Who is it? So noisy this early!"
"You're the noisy one!"
A group of irritable folks grumbled and crawled out of bed, almost ready to fight the moment they opened their eyes.
As if they hadn't been the ones enjoying each other's company the night before.
Makalov extricated himself from the counter, elated, "Great! You guys are so reliable!"
Natsu's home was a self-built cabin in the outskirts, so he arrived a bit later.
The crowd (excluding Gray) was dressed for a pajama party, and Natsu complained about not being invited, claiming it was such a fun event.
Happy kindly explained, "You see, Natsu sleeps so soundly that even thunder can't wake him up."
Natsu protested, "What about Lucy? She didn't come either!"
"That's because..." Lucy couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.
The reason was that she had just returned from an outing and was a bit tired. Plus, it was a rare occasion when Natsu and the others weren't causing trouble, so she had slept very comfortably.
She felt a bit uncomfortable with the unfamiliar feeling of relaxation.
"I wanted to join too," Lucy admitted, as she loved spending lively times with her companions.
Mira suggested with a smile, "Then let's have the party at Lucy's house next time."
"I agree!" Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Elusa immediately voiced their approval.
Mila clapped her hands, "Then it's settled. We'll set the date for..."
Lucy raised her hand and shouted, "Wait! Don't decide until I agree!"
Rod patted her shoulder, "Give up, Lucy. Your house is practically becoming a Fairy Tail branch."
Lucy was on the verge of tears, wishing to object, but she couldn't bring herself to say the words.
...
Days passed with laughter and hard work, and by mid-August, the first floor of the guild was completed, and they began working on the second floor.
As the guild neared completion with everyone's efforts, the enthusiasm of the workers grew.
The skilled craftsmen who came to help occasionally suspected that these people were trying to keep them on their toes, working tirelessly to ensure they didn't slack off.
But the truth was that everyone was simply excited.
That day, Elfman followed Rod around like a shadow. Whatever Rod carried, Elfman carried too. When Rod drank water, Elfman did the same, and when Rod went to the bathroom, Elfman accompanied him.
Finally, as they washed their hands side by side, Rod couldn't hold back any longer, "Is there something you need?"
Elfman looked at him, "Today is the 16th."
"Hmm? I know that."
"Don't tell me you forgot what tomorrow is."
"How could I forget... It's Mira's birthday on the 17th," Rod said. "Let's go out for a bit. We need to buy something."
"If we go together, won't Mira notice right away?"
"We can call her out when she's busiest. If she's too busy, it'll be natural for us to go together." This was Rod's trick for sneaking out to buy flowers.
After some thought, Rod added, "It's not that we need to hide it. Mira knows us too well. She'll figure it out with a little thought. We just need to express our intentions sincerely."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
