Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 296: Mr. Rhodes is too reliable

Romeo stormed out in tears, right after landing a solid punch on the Guild Master's face.

Makarov didn't chase after him.

He had his reasons. As a rule, he wouldn't order a rescue just because a mage hadn't returned on time.

Rhodes, however, watched the boy go and couldn't help but think, 'This kid's got a future.'

After all, it wasn't every day that someone punched a Wizard Saint out of raw emotion and got away with it.

"Seriously..." he murmured with a wry smile.

Makarov wasn't angry. If anything, he looked quietly troubled.

Still, unless Macao stepped up and personally requested help, intervening in another wizard's mission without permission could be seen as disrespectful. It might even imply that the other person was incapable of completing it themselves.

Besides, no one was sure if Macao was even in danger.

To most members of the guild, the idea that someone as experienced as Macao would struggle against a few Vulcans seemed absurd.

Rhodes agreed. The job request had included detailed information about the monsters, climate, and terrain. Nothing looked suspicious on paper.

And Macao was no amateur.

The guy was tough.

Still, if Romeo was that worried... Rhodes figured there was no harm in quietly releasing a few tracking familiars into the wild to scout the area.

Just to be sure.

"Mira, I—"

Bang!

Rhodes was cut off by a loud smack, Natsu had slammed a mission flyer back onto the request board with more force than necessary.

Nab, the guild's self-appointed job board guardian, looked visibly offended. But Natsu didn't even glance his way.

He was already walking out, fists clenched, shoulders tight with emotion.

"Natsu!" Happy called out, flying after him with a half-eaten grilled fish in his mouth.

Lucy had just been sipping a drink at the bar, about to ask Mira if there were any apartments for rent nearby.

But now she blinked, distracted. "What's up with Natsu?"

Mira leaned closer, folding her arms and speaking gently.

"Natsu's father disappeared without a trace too. Well... technically, his foster father. A dragon."

"A dragon?!" Lucy nearly choked.

Mira nodded and told her about Natsu's past, the tale of Igneel, the Fire Dragon who raised him and then vanished one day without warning.

"He gets like this whenever someone close to him goes missing," Mira said softly. "He just can't sit still."

Then she looked at Lucy with a warm, trusting smile.

"So Lucy... could I ask you for a favor?"

"You want me to go after him?" Lucy brightened instantly. "No problem!"

She turned around, put a hand to her mouth dramatically, and whispered to herself with a grin:

'Miss Mirajane personally asked me for help! If I succeed this time... maybe I'll finally replace Rhodes as the strongest new member!'

'Wait... he's not even a rookie anymore. That means I'd be the strongest rookie!'

Lucy beamed, already imagining the scene, herself in the spotlight, admired by everyone in the guild.

Rhodes sighed and glanced at Mira helplessly.

"I'm starting to feel like there's another idiot in this guild."

Are all protagonists this reckless?

Mira gave him a playful smack on the arm. "Don't say that."

Still smiling, she turned to Lucy and said, "In that case, I'll leave Natsu to you. And when you've got time, come over to my place, I'll treat you to something nice."

Lucy lit up like a Christmas tree. "Really? It's a deal!"

Her inner fangirl was still running wild. 'I'm going to Miss Mirajane's house!'

"Alright, let's get moving. I'll give you a ride," Rhodes offered casually.

"Huh? A ride?" Lucy followed him in a daze to the guild entrance.

"Summon—Scuttle Crab!"

With a burst of magical light, two giant green crabs materialized in the street, their sturdy shells gleaming.

Lucy's jaw dropped. "That's... Astral Summoning? But I have the Cancer Key already..." She glanced down at her keychain. "Wait, two summons at once?"

Rhodes replied, "My summoning magic isn't Celestial. I'll explain on the way. For now, we need to catch up to Natsu, he can't ride normal carriages, remember?"

"Oh, right..."

Mira called out with a teasing grin, "Be careful under your skirt, Lucy. Rhodes's crabs give him a full view of the surroundings."

"Wha—?!" Lucy yelped and clutched the hem of her skirt protectively.

Rhodes shot Mira an exasperated look. "That was completely unnecessary."

He tugged Mira's cheek lightly in retaliation, and added, "Besides, Mount Hakobe is a snowy mountain. She'll be in long pants and winter gear anyway, right?"

"R-Right?" Lucy stammered. Her eyes darted around guiltily. She clearly hadn't thought that far ahead.

She didn't even bring cold weather clothes.

Rhodes facepalmed. "Seriously? Go grab them, quick. I'll get something else ready for you."

Behind the counter, Makarov, who had been quietly sneaking a drink, immediately closed his eyes and feigned sleep as Rhodes passed by with his arms full of supplies.

"Wait—Is this... a rare magic book?!" Lucy gasped when Rhodes handed her a beautifully bound volume. "This kind of thing isn't even sold in stores!"

"Use it if things get dangerous," Rhodes said firmly. "No matter how expensive a book is, your life is more important."

He paused, then added with a faint grimace, "If Macao had agreed to bring one, I wouldn't be this worried right now."

Lucy accepted the gift with a complicated expression, then climbed aboard the crab's back.

Today had been... a lot.

So much had happened, she wasn't even sure where to begin when she sat down to write in her diary later.

As Lucy set off, Rhodes finally felt a little more at ease. With his two crabs acting as mobile surveillance, he could stream Lucy and Natsu movements and let Mira or the Master know if anything went wrong.

Though there was one drawback, he couldn't hear their conversations.

To solve that, Rhodes sent out a small squad of Murk Wolves, slipping through the underbrush unseen. He instructed them not to appear unless there was combat, and when they did, they were to follow Natsu's orders without question and quietly listen in.

...

Meanwhile, Natsu had just finished arguing with a carriage driver and was sulking at the edge of town, when he spotted the approaching crabs.

His eyes lit up instantly. "Hey! The crab taxi!"

He had just been wondering how he'd afford a ride.

But...

"Why is it you? Where's Rhodes?" Natsu asked bluntly the moment Lucy arrived.

Lucy huffed. "What's with that tone? I came here to help you, you know!"

Happy didn't hold back. "Aye! Because Rhodes is way more reliable."

"I'm gonna pluck your whiskers, you smug little furball!"

"Hee..." Natsu chuckled. Even though Rhodes hadn't shown up in person, Natsu knew he was still keeping an eye on things. Rhodes being Rhodes, he probably had backup plans stacked on backup plans. But for something like this, Natsu didn't mind handling it solo—well, mostly solo.

He hopped onto the crab with practiced ease, gripping its long feelers like reins. "Let's go! Charge!"

"There are two crabs! Why are you squeezing onto mine?!" Lucy cried, stumbling as Natsu's abrupt mount nearly knocked her over.

She barely managed to latch onto Natsu's backpack, and the moment the crab bolted, she was whipped back by the wind, flapping behind him like a windsock.

"Slow down!" she shrieked, voice lost in the gust.

Meanwhile, Happy cruised alongside on the second crab and smirked. "Race you there, Natsu!"

"Bring it on, Happy!"

"Nooooooo!!" Lucy's horrified scream echoed through the snowy pass.

Back at the guild, Rhodes calmly reported to Mira through the magical feed.

"They're getting along fine. Playing games already."

Mira smiled. "That's great to hear."

...

The two crabs dashed through forests and foothills, eventually climbing into the frosty gusts of Mount Hakobe. The ride was much faster than a regular carriage, perhaps too fast.

Shivering in her puffy coat, Lucy huddled against the cold and muttered through chattering teeth, "Thank goodness I listened to Mr. Rhodes."

Natsu looked annoyed. "Did that guy give you a list of rules too?"

"No. He just told me to bring warm clothes, and gave me some emergency supplies." Lucy paused, then asked, "Is Mr. Rhodes always this... meticulous?"

"Rhodes would make a hundred contingency plans just to rescue a lost kitten," Natsu grumbled.

Although Natsu had teamed up with Rhodes a few times recently and found his thoroughness useful, it didn't mean he liked it.

Happy nodded in agreement. "Aye! Rhodes 's super reliable. When you're on a mission with him, you don't have to worry about anything except fighting. Even Natsu can't mess things up!"

Lucy was caught off guard by that last part. "That's actually... really reassuring."

"What did you just say?!" Natsu barked. "Next time you team up with him, I'll crash your mission on purpose!"

Lucy sighed, letting out a puff of white breath.