"Where is Mr. Jude?"
"Don't panic," Rhodes added calmly. "Take us to see him first."
Their reassurance allowed Lucy to settle down enough to lead them outside.
A red Magic Four-Wheeler was parked at the guild's entrance. To Rhodes, it looked very much like a rugged off-road vehicle.
Inside, Jude lay stretched across the wide back seat. His face was pale, his lips colorless, but in his eyes there was no despair, only joy.
Perhaps it was because the daughter he thought he had lost for six years had returned safely.
Seeing Lucy rush over with her companions, Jude struggled to rise, wanting to greet them properly. In his mind, after he was gone, Lucy would have to rely on these people. He wanted to leave her with allies who respected him.
But Rhodes quickly placed a hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him back down. "Please, don't strain yourself. Let us examine you first."
Jude gave a weary smile. "It's useless. I know my body. This is illness born from overwork. My life has simply reached its end."
"Don't say that!" Lucy cried, her voice trembling. "There has to be a way, there will be a way!"
Rhodes extended his hand and let several colorful auras pass over Jude's body. Then he channeled the healing magic he had once received from the Ocean Dragon. Red, blue, green, and violet lights shimmered faintly across Jude's skin, filling him with a soothing warmth.
"Perhaps you know your body," Rhodes said with a small smile, "but you don't know magic."
Jude blinked in surprise as vitality slowly returned to him. He didn't understand healing magic, but the warmth filling his body was undeniable. His breath steadied. His spirits lifted. He had seen this young man six years ago, now Rhodes seemed more reliable than ever.
And then that "reliable" man stepped aside… and motioned for a little girl to climb into the vehicle.
Jude: "…"
A moment ago, he was thinking this one was trustworthy. Was it all an illusion?
But Rhodes had his reasons. He knew how to treat injuries, even grievous ones, but when it came to illnesses… he was lost. The Ocean Dragon had never taught him about human diseases. To her, the very concept of sickness was strange.
Wendy, however, had been raised by Grandeeney, the Sky Dragon. Grandeeney had given her systematic knowledge of medicine, body function, and even the basics of pathology. While she didn't know everything, Wendy had the foundation to understand.
Rhodes knew this, which was why he handed the task over to her. He even recalled, with some annoyance, the Ocean Dragon joking that since Grandeeney raised Wendy as a foster daughter, then surely she, who had raised him for so long, was like his foster mother. The Dragon had laughed so hard at her own joke that Rhodes had shoved her right out of his thoughts with a dark expression.
Wendy placed her small hand gently on Jude and listened carefully, then spoke with unusual maturity:
"As Mr. Jude said, it's illness from long-term fatigue. Years of overwork… and I think also worry, sadness, stress. Irregular eating and rest have all weakened his body."
Lucy's heart tightened with guilt. She had sworn not to let her father worry.
Rhodes, however, felt some relief. If it were completely untreatable, Wendy would already be holding back tears, apologizing to Lucy for being powerless. Instead, she calmly reported her findings.
Sure enough, Wendy finally added, "Just relying on healing magic won't be enough. But if we ask Porlyusica for help…"
"Porlyusica?" Lucy blinked. She wasn't familiar with the name, only remembering Natsu and Happy's tales of the frightening old woman in the forest. But now, with her father's life on the line, she could only steel herself.
Rhodes didn't hesitate for a second. He jumped into the driver's seat of the Magic Four-Wheeler. "Let's go. Everyone, get in!"
Lucy scrambled into the passenger seat. Wendy climbed into the back to watch over Jude. The moment they were settled, the vehicle roared to life and sped off into the night.
The difference between this new model and the old Four-Wheelers was obvious. The older ones were clunky, rattled dangerously at high speed, and felt like they would fall apart at any moment. This one, however, was smooth and stable. Rhodes even thought, half-seriously, 'Maybe Natsu wouldn't get motion sick if he rode this.'
Back at the guild, Levy stood rooted to the ground, staring blankly at the departing car. "Wait… I didn't get in!"
She stomped her foot in frustration. Sure, she couldn't help with medicine, but she could at least comfort Lucy-chan! How could they just leave her behind? Huffing in indignation, Levy turned back into the guild. "Fine! I'll just tell Mira-nee that Rhodes ran off with another girl!"
Later, when Mira asked anxiously what had happened, Levy hesitated… then decided she couldn't bring herself to lie and told her the truth.
Meanwhile, in Porlyusica's treehouse…
Though she clearly disliked being disturbed at night, Porlyusica still gave Jude a proper examination. After carefully checking him over, she brewed medicine with practiced hands.
When she was done, she pressed a bundle of instructions into Lucy's hands. "Make sure he takes it on time." Then, true to her nature, she promptly pushed them all back out the door.
Still, even before Jude had swallowed the medicine, he was already able to walk on his own.
If not for seeing Lucy's desperate expression, Porlyusica might have assumed Rhodes had dragged Wendy over simply to play a prank on her.
"Dad, are you still in pain anywhere?" Lucy asked, relief and joy flooding her face as she made one final check.
Jude, however, was full of embarrassment. "I… I think I'm fine now."
Just earlier, he had been convinced he was on death's door. Now, after a single visit to Fairy Tail's eccentric healer, he felt as though life had returned to him. Magic truly was incredible.
'If only this magic could erase the moment I was about to say my final words…' he thought ruefully.
But his musings were cut short when Lucy threw her arms around him.
His heart tightened. When had he last embraced his daughter like this? He couldn't even remember.
He hadn't been a good father before, but he vowed he would work harder from now on. For Lucy's sake, and for Leila's memory too. Surely, his late wife would be happy to see this.
Looking up at the first star glittering in the night sky, Jude smiled softly. "Lucy… in a few days, let's visit your mother together. What do you say?"
Lucy pressed her face into his shoulder, her voice muffled but steady. "Okay."
Father and daughter held each other in the quiet night.
By the time they remembered Rhodes and Wendy, the two had already slipped away, leaving them alone.
When they returned to the guild, the celebration was still in full swing. After a few questions about Lucy, Rhodes and Wendy gave a brief explanation, and the matter was settled.
The night dragged on with laughter and chatter until, one by one, people began to disperse.
Rhodes left with Mira and her siblings. After washing up separately, he followed Mira upstairs to her room under Lisanna's teasingly ambiguous gaze.
Mira turned on the light, while Rhodes casually closed the door behind them.
The lamp was an older model, casting a dim yellow glow over the room. It had already been cleaned earlier in the day, and new bedding and pillows had been laid out. Lisanna had personally chosen the set, pink with heart-shaped patterns and the word "LOVE" stitched here and there.
Mira's cheeks warmed with embarrassment at her sister's little prank, but Rhodes thought it was charming. He made a mental note to give Lisanna more pocket money in the future.
Aside from the new bedding, the room looked much as it had years ago, except for a few differences. There were now clothes for two in the closet and a desk had been added beside the dressing table. A few boxes of Rhodes' books sat unopened, waiting to be sorted, but at this moment he had all but forgotten about them.
His eyes were fixed entirely on Mira.
She wore a sleeveless beige nightdress that reached just past her knees, decorated with small Heart Kreuz logos. The neckline was modest yet still revealed just enough to suggest the treasures hidden beneath. Her silver hair, freshly dried, spilled loosely over her shoulders, her bangs falling lightly across her forehead and making her eyes appear larger, brighter, more mesmerizing than ever under the lamplight.
Rhodes' breath quickened. He took a step closer without even realizing it.
Mira, flushed from the intensity of his gaze, felt her heart racing. The heat in her cheeks spread all the way to her ears. Flustered, she blurted the first thing that came to mind. "I—I'll help you tidy up those books."
Before she could move, Rhodes pulled her into his arms, silencing her with a kiss.
The only thing that needed tidying up now wasn't the books, it was the tangled emotions between them.
The moment their bodies pressed together, Mira understood that completely.
A brief separation had made their reunion sweeter than any honeymoon.
For Mira, it was only a short absence. For Rhodes, it had been six long years of longing.
The light went out. This night, it was probably destined to be anything but quiet.
...
Bonus @800
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