Elfman had set out early in the morning. His job site wasn't far from home, about an hour's walk at most.
Still, if he didn't head back soon, his sister would end up doing all the housework herself. And on top of that, she had the guild to look after. It was too much for one person.
But in weather like this, it wasn't easy to rent a carriage at dawn, so Elfman made the decision to walk all the way back.
"A man faces the snow head-on," he muttered with resolve, trudging through the drifts.
By the time he arrived in Magnolia, most of the streets had already been cleared. Every few blocks, he could spot a familiar guildmate helping shovel paths or fix rooftops.
He even saw Master Makarov in giant form, using his enormous hands to repair an entire roof in just two swipes.
"What a manly mistake... I should've come back sooner."
When Elfman finally reached his house, he found the path to the front door already swept and the snow from the roof neatly piled along the road.
His sister must've done it all herself. She must be exhausted.
Feeling guilty, he opened the door with quiet determination.
"Elfman, you're back?"
"Welcome home, Elfman!"
As soon as he stepped inside, Elfman was met with an odd scene.
Rhodes was sitting comfortably on the living room sofa, flipping through the latest issue of Sorcerer Weekly with a cup of tea in hand. Mira had just returned from the kitchen with a plate of cookies, smiling as she sat down across from him.
The warmth in the room, the tea, the cookies, the casual chat—it all painted a cozy domestic atmosphere.
Elfman blinked.
'Did I walk into the wrong house?'
He backed up a few steps and looked around. No, this was definitely his home, not the guild.
"I'm back," he mumbled, still a little dazed.
"You look frozen. Come sit down and warm up with some tea," Mira said with a gentle smile. "Did you eat anything this morning?"
"I was in a hurry... I didn't have time."
"I'll make you something, then," she said, already getting up. "Rhodes, stay seated."
Rhodes watched as Mira quickly tied her hair up into a ponytail, slipped on an apron, and headed into the kitchen. From the fridge, she took out bread, eggs, lettuce, and milk. Her movements were practiced and elegant.
The way she moved, confident and composed, apron tied neatly behind her, it was enough to make Rhodes feel like he'd married the perfect wife.
Oh. Wait. He hadn't married her yet.
Across from him, Elfman sat down with a scowl, glaring hard enough to crack stone. The scar across his face only added to his intimidating presence.
Unfortunately for him, Rhodes had grown immune. After so many face-to-face beatings, he'd gotten used to it.
With an easy grin, Rhodes poured Elfman a cup of tea, nudged the snacks his way, and said shamelessly, "Come on, don't hold back. Make yourself at home."
"Thank you. This is my home!" Elfman nearly snapped, barely keeping his composure. "What I mean is, why are you here?"
Rhodes straightened up and replied earnestly, "I came to help out. Mira's been busy all morning. She didn't even have time to shovel the snow around the house."
"I meant," Elfman gritted through his teeth, "why you specifically?"
"Based on our friendship," Rhodes said, placing a hand over his heart with exaggerated sincerity, "is it really that strange for me to help?"
It wasn't exactly strange, but the scene Elfman had walked in on was definitely weird.
He'd expected to find Mira tired and maybe cleaning up, not Rhodes lounging on his sofa with tea and cookies like he belonged there.
It felt like… he was losing his sister.
Sure, Elfman had long accepted that someday Mira would probably start dating someone. But that "someday" felt like it was supposed to be way, way later.
'How did things escalate this fast? Rhodes went on one mission with Erza and came back practically glued to Mira. Did Mira and Erza swap places while he was gone and Mira went on the mission instead?'
'No… Something else must've happened.'
Elfman wasn't the kind of guy to overthink things, but now, he was staring Rhodes down, sizing him up like he was deciding the best moment to throw a punch.
And while Rhodes was certainly no slouch in a fight, the ever-manly Elfman refused to lose ground. Not when it came to this.
"It's breakfast time," Mira announced, setting two plates and mugs down in front of them.
It was a simple meal: sandwiches and milk, quick and easy to make.
She knew Rhodes usually ate his breakfast at the guild, but today, since he'd followed her straight from there without stopping, she figured she might as well make something for him too.
"Thanks!" Rhodes grinned brightly and took a big bite, thoroughly enjoying the food.
Elfman, meanwhile, ate in complete silence. His expression didn't change once.
Mira sat nearby, resting her chin in her hands, elbows propped on her knees. She watched the two of them from the side, smiling quietly.
It had been a long time since they'd had a guest over. In fact, the last time the three of them sat down for breakfast like this was well over a year ago.
This peaceful scene, though simple, warmed her heart.
Mira glanced left and right at the two sitting across from her and quietly thought to herself that if life could go on like this warm, simple, and full of small comforts, it wouldn't be such a bad thing.
But... did Elfman really have to glare so intensely?
Was his relationship with Rhodes still that awkward?
...
After breakfast, the three of them left home together to join the others in town.
The entire Fairy Tail guild had rallied to help with snow removal efforts in Magnolia.
Master Makarov had given strict instructions. Aside from a few people he personally approved, no one was allowed to use magic. This wasn't a commission or a paid job. it was something the guild did out of their own goodwill.
The focus was on helping the elderly and anyone who didn't have others around to support them, just like Rhodes had done earlier that morning. Next came important roads, bridges, and public gathering areas.
Even though there was no reward involved, everyone worked with full effort.
Watching it all unfold, Rhodes felt like he finally understood something.
Fairy Tail might be known as wild and reckless, but few people in Magnolia truly disliked them.
That affection wasn't just because they were strong or famous. It was built on things like this, their willingness to step up and help with small acts of kindness.
They genuinely cared about this town. And in return, the townsfolk welcomed them with open hearts.
Crash!
The sound of breaking glass rang out from a nearby house.
A furious voice followed. "You little ***! That snowball broke my window!"
"Sorry! I'll pay for it!" Marcus called back, pulling out some jewel coins like he'd done this before.
Rhodes looked up at the gray sky and sighed.
Yeah. The guild and the townspeople definitely had a... special kind of relationship.
The peaceful days went by quickly, and before long, January had passed. Winter was still hanging around, but signs of warming had started to show.
Rhodes felt especially warm when he received his paycheck.
There was something about getting paid that just filled the heart with joy.
"Wait... why is this so much?" Rhodes blinked, looking down at the amount.
He usually earned 120,000 J per month. And during mission periods, he wasn't paid for his tavern work.
But last month, he'd gone on three long-distance missions. Now his paycheck read 150,000 J.
"Because you helped the Master with some of his duties last month," Mira explained with a little smile. "Your salary got bumped up. I was going to tell you, but I got a little busy at the end of the month and forgot."
Rhodes narrowed his eyes.
Suspicious.
Busy? He remembered perfectly well she had at least two dates that week. She didn't look busy.
Maybe she was just avoiding guild talk after hours.
He leaned in close, shoulder to shoulder, and whispered near her ear, "Are you using your authority for personal gain?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Mira replied calmly. "It's a standard salary adjustment. The Master approved it himself."
She gave him a firm shove. "And if you really don't want the extra, I'll gladly take it back."
Rhodes thought for a second, then grinned. "I guess you can hold on to it for me. But isn't it a little early to be handing over my entire salary?"
Smack.
Her fist hit his chest, loud and solid.
The tavern went quiet for a moment before someone sighed.
...
BOnus Chapter