The tavern was as lively as ever. Erza's initial intimidation factor had significantly worn off the longer she stayed in the guild.
While she still stood up to lecture people when things got too rowdy, the saying "once the scars heal, the pain is forgotten" seemed to apply well to Fairy Tail.
There were always drunken brawls, shouting matches, and friendly scuffles breaking out at random moments.
This forced Rhodes to develop a keen sense of dodging flying objects whenever he worked in the tavern.
After surviving the morning rush, he left Warm behind and made his way to the library, eager to use the enchanted glasses to study magic.
History and geography? That could wait.
For now, he'd occasionally listen to Levy's stories instead.
As the enchanted lenses adjusted, page after page of words flashed before his eyes at an almost unnatural speed.
Rhodes finished an entire 700-page encyclopedia in just 20 minutes.
He now had a basic understanding of various types of magic.
It wasn't as if he could remember everything perfectly, but it was equivalent to careful reading in a fraction of the time.
A perfect tool for people who enjoyed learning but didn't need to study intensively.
The 32x reading speed was so exaggerated that Rhodes wondered if the glasses used time-related magic.
Whoever invented it was a genius.
After putting the encyclopedia back, Rhodes sat down, closed his eyes, and took a moment to meditate.
Once his mind was refreshed, he grabbed books on Ancient Magic and Spatial Magic, reading through them until noon when it was time for work.
As soon as he walked into the tavern, someone called out to him.
"You're Rhodes, right? I'm Max, I use Sand Magic."
A young man with messy split hair ordered a drink and took a seat at the bar, looking at Rhodes with curiosity.
"I've heard of your legend. It's amazing."
Rhodes blinked in confusion.
"Legend? What legend?"
Mira, who had just finished pouring a drink for Max, perked up at the conversation, intrigued.
Being the guild's resident gossip, she was just as curious.
What kind of "amazing legend" could Rhodes possibly have?
Marcus grinned and waved his hand excitedly.
"You know! Before you joined the guild, you single-handedly took down a beast tide and wiped out an entire forest!"
"A true Fairy Tail wizard! You fit right in!"
Rhodes almost spit out air at how outrageously exaggerated that sounded.
He tried to clear up the misunderstanding, but Max wasn't giving him a chance.
"Hey, what kind of magic did you use? Must be something powerful, right?"
"Not really, I just—"
"Wait, is it Fire Magic? Like Natsu's? If you want true destructive power, it has to be fire, right?"
"Then it's Earth Magic! That makes sense in a forest! I heard Jura—one of the Ten Wizard Saints—uses Earth Magic! And then there's also—"
Rhodes tried to interrupt several times but quickly realized that this guy didn't give him a chance to speak—just like those overly enthusiastic salespeople trying to get people to sign up for membership cards on the street.
Mira leaned in and whispered into Rhodes' ear, "Max is the host of various guild events. He loves chatting with people. And after a few drinks, he tends to be... well..." She paused, searching for the right word before continuing, "...a little too talkative. It's nearly impossible to get a word in."
Rhodes sighed. Compared to Laki, who collects torture instruments, a chatterbox like Max was actually one of the more normal guild members.
"If you don't want to listen, you can just walk away," Mira advised. "Here in Fairy Tail, if you dislike something, you can express it directly. There's no need to suffer out of politeness."
"It's fine," Rhodes shrugged. "I just want to know who started the rumor that I destroyed an entire forest."
He was clearly annoyed. He had been attacked by wild beasts—so how had that suddenly turned into him being the one wreaking havoc?
"Y-Yeah... I wonder who could have spread such a ridiculous story?" Mira smiled awkwardly.
Of course, she wasn't the one who started the rumor, she had simply told a few guildmates about Rhodes' arrival, completely truthfully. The beast attack and the destruction of the forest were real incidents. But somehow, along the way, the story had transformed into Rhodes effortlessly wiping out an entire horde of monsters and leveling the forest in the process.
Now, she wasn't sure if she was the source of the misunderstanding or just one of its many contributors.
Max continued his enthusiastic storytelling for nearly five minutes before finally pausing to take a sip of his beer.
Rhodes saw his chance to cut in, but before he could speak—
A beer bottle flew across the room and struck Max on the back of the head.
But honestly, in Fairy Tail, the answer to that question was always obvious.
Max turned around and immediately spotted the ongoing brawl in the middle of the tavern. Without hesitation, he dove in headfirst, becoming part of the chaos.
Rhodes, on the other hand, had excellent reflexes—he quickly dodged, narrowly avoiding being sprayed with beer.
Mira, completely unfazed by the mess, casually grabbed a rag and wiped down the counter. She then leaned back with a smile, watching her guildmates clash as if it were the most entertaining thing in the world.
The fight raged on until someone made a grave mistake—one of them knocked over Erza's plate.
For a brief moment, the air in the tavern went eerily still.
Natsu and Gray instantly sensed danger. Without missing a beat, they attempted to tiptoe their way out of the room.
"All of you... STOP!" Erza's commanding voice echoed through the hall.
In an instant, she moved at lightning speed. Her gauntleted fists struck each of the brawlers square on the head—Natsu, Gray, Max, and several others all collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain as they clutched their skulls.
Erza then cracked her knuckles, eyes blazing. "If you're so eager to fight, then I'll fight each of you until someone can't stand up anymore!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy, the blue cat, raised his paws, grinning mischievously. "They already can't stand up!"
Mira giggled at the familiar sight. "Hehe... yep, just like always."
The word again was key—Rhodes didn't need any further explanation. This scene told him everything he needed to know about Fairy Tail.
"Here," Mira said, placing a small dessert plate in front of him. A perfectly untouched strawberry pudding. "Bring this to Erza at the right moment."
Rhodes blinked in confusion. "What do you mean by the right moment?"
Mira simply pointed toward Erza and smiled without saying a word.
Just seconds ago, the Titania of Fairy Tail, the woman who had struck fear into everyone moments earlier, suddenly seemed to wither. She swayed on her feet before staggering back toward her seat, looking as though she had lost all will to live.
She didn't even sit—instead, she dropped to her knees, gently picking up shattered porcelain shards and ruined dessert from the floor.
"My... strawberry pudding..." she murmured, voice trembling.
In an instant, the once-dominant Fairy Queen looked more like a heartbroken little girl.
"Aww, Erza's so adorable when she's ," Mira mused, resting her cheek in her palm as she enjoyed the unusual sight.
"Is now the 'right time'?" Rhodes hesitated before cautiously stepping toward Erza.
"You imbeciles..." The air around Erza turned heavy, the pressure suffocating. She slowly turned to glare at the culprits still sprawled out on the ground.
A collective shiver ran through them.
"Miss Erza?" Rhodes called out, deliberately adding a respectful title.
Erza's head snapped toward him, her face partially shadowed. One of her eyes seemed to gleam an ominous red, like a beast ready to pounce.
The sheer intensity of her aura made Rhodes' heart skip a beat. It felt as if her mere gaze had dragged him into a swirling vortex of pressure.
"Y-Your pudding... It's strawberry-flavored too," Rhodes managed to squeeze out, his voice slightly strained. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹⟡𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⟡𝙣𝙚𝙩
For a brief moment, the terrifying aura lingered.
Then, just as suddenly, the Titania of Fairy Tail transformed.
Erza straightened up, brushed a hand through her crimson hair, and smiled—warmly, almost gently.
"Thank you very much," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.
Then, as if reflecting on her actions, she clenched her fist and sighed. "Honestly, I nearly lost my temper over something as trivial as pudding. I still have much to learn."
Happy flapped his wings and casually floated beside Rhodes' ear. Without hesitation, the little blue Exceed muttered, "You did lose your temper."
Rhodes turned to the feline, his expression one of pure admiration.
Brave little cat, do you have no regard for your own life?
Erza, however, ignored the remark and turned her attention back to Rhodes. "Speaking of which, you're Rhodes, right?" Her expression softened. "I'm truly touched that you're already looking out for your guildmates after just joining Fairy Tail."
A genuinely moved expression spread across her face.
Before Rhodes could react, Erza pulled him into a tight hug, pressing his head into her chest plate.
"This is what Fairy Tail should be like!" she declared.
Rhodes' forehead collided with the cold, hard surface of her armor. A sharp, metallic clang echoed through the tavern.
His vision blurred, and his head throbbed from the impact.
Dazed, he barely managed to glance toward Mira at the bar—who was watching with an amused smile and giving him a thumbs up.
'Was this all part of your plan, Miss Mira?'