Rhodes didn't quite understand why a theater in trouble would turn to wizards.
If the shows were getting bad reviews, shouldn't they be hiring a better screenwriter or cast? What could a wizard do, use charm magic to trick people into filling seats?
Still, desperate as the client might be, it wasn't illegal or unreasonable. And as long as it fell within guild rules, they had a duty to complete the mission.
Helping ordinary people through magic and earning rewards in return, that was the foundation of a wizard's work.
Lucy was full of confidence. "For a theater troupe, Natsu's flames and Gray's ice magic can create amazing stage effects... I've got Lyra, who can sing beautiful songs. With all of us together, putting on a magical performance will be a breeze!"
"Then good luck," Rhodes said dryly. He could already see the flag being planted.
Lucy cheerfully ran off with the commission to find Natsu, eager to leave immediately.
But Natsu had other ideas, he dragged her to help haul bricks first, saying they had to meet their day's work quota before setting out.
Lucy groaned and accepted her fate.
Meanwhile, Rhodes and Mira made guesses about how Lucy's job might turn out, then headed to the guild's job board to post a few new listings.
Once that was done, Rhodes didn't head back to hauling bricks, instead, he slipped behind the counter to help Mira with the paperwork.
Elfman took over his share of brick-lifting and praised him with a thumbs-up. "That's manly!"
The three of them, Rhodes, Mira, and Elfman worked hard, determined to finish up and clock out early.
Mira, naturally, went along with them.
Before noon, they had wrapped up all the necessary tasks and were ready to leave.
They handed over the tavern duties to Laki, who accepted with a nod after Rhodes double-checked with her. As for the construction site, Mira left things to the care of the guild master, Makarov, and confirmed it with him personally.
Both backups gave the go-ahead. All was in order.
On their way back, Rhodes suddenly brought up, "I think we should consider hiring more servers."
Mira nodded. "Yeah, or we're going to be overwhelmed later."
After the guild's reconstruction, the tavern would be larger, with an open-air seating area outside. Not to mention the upcoming pool area, the chess and card room, the gym, there was no way the two of them could handle all of that alone.
They immediately began discussing whether they should recruit from within the guild or hire civilians from town, and debated who among their guildmates might actually be suited to the job.
Elfman, walking just behind them, sighed dramatically. "Can't believe I get off work early for once, and you two are still talking about work?"
"Fine, let's talk about life, then," Rhodes said with a smirk. "Like, who in the guild would make the best girlfriend for Elfman? What about Laki?"
Mira tilted her head. "If it were the old Elfman, maybe. But now that he's always yelling 'manly!' 24/7, she might run the other way."
Elfman looked wounded. "You're the one who always said I wasn't manly enough! I was trying to live up to your expectations, sis!"
Rhodes ignored the protest and continued thoughtfully, "How about Levy? She might go for someone like you, strong, reliable, makes her feel safe just by being there."
Mira tapped her chin. "But Levy's so small. She's not even as tall as Elfman's leg. If they stood next to each other, people might mistake them for father and daughter."
"That's harsh," Rhodes said. "The only one in the guild whose legs don't reach Elfman's knees is the master."
"Too far, man!" Elfman groaned.
"And why are we even talking about me?" Elfman demanded, throwing his arms up. "It's my sister's birthday! Shouldn't we be talking about her?"
"Alright then, let's talk about Mira." Rhodes was always easy-going when it came to conversation. "So, Mira, who do you think would make a good girlfriend for Elfman?"
"I think…" Mira tapped her chin, pretending to be deep in thought. "How about Erza? That way I could bully her at will."
"Hey!" Elfman groaned in defeat. "Aren't we supposed to be talking about you, not me again?!"
Seeing Elfman's frustrated expression, Rhodes and Mira burst into mischievous laughter.
Poor Elfman, what could a loving sister and her partner possibly be plotting? Nothing evil, of course. Just a little light teasing for their favorite "Ou Doudou."
The three walked through town cheerfully, chatting and joking as they bought groceries for Mira's birthday lunch. Mira's favorite ingredients, broccoli and sardines, went into the basket first.
Despite it being her birthday, Mira insisted on picking up beef for Rhodes and spare ribs for Elfman too.
The birthday cake had already been ordered by Rhodes and Elfman the day before, and would be picked up later.
Naturally, the party venue was Mira's house.
—
Rhodes and Elfman washed up and started prepping the ingredients in the kitchen. Even though Rhodes had gotten a lot better recently, he still earned the occasional disapproving look from Elfman, who corrected him now and then.
"Don't forget to clean out the gills and gut the sardines properly," Elfman reminded while chopping vegetables.
Outside the kitchen door, Mira leaned against the frame with a smile, watching the two most important men in her life preparing a meal for her. Her heart swelled with happiness.
She noticed Rhodes struggling a little with the fish and asked softly, "Want me to help?"
Rhodes, sleeves wet and hands covered in sardine scales, waved her off using his shoulder and back. "Nah, we've got this. You go change into something nice and maybe put on a little makeup."
Mira chuckled as she was gently nudged away and walked upstairs.
So many strange things were happening today. She'd been kicked out of her own kitchen, and Rhodes was actually listening carefully to Elfman's instructions?
It was a miracle.
...
Finally, after some clumsy yet determined teamwork, the Elfman and the "almost brother-in-law" finished cooking the last dish.
Meanwhile, Mira had taken Rhodes' suggestion seriously. She changed into a soft, elegant outfit and sat patiently at the dining table, awaiting their arrival.
When Elfman stepped out of the kitchen with a steaming plate in hand and saw his sister sitting there, his eyes went wide, and he nearly dropped the dish.
"S-Sis…?!"
It wasn't that Elfman was overreacting, Mira's current appearance was just that overwhelming.
Her long, silvery-white hair was tied back in a high ponytail with a dark red headband. She wore a daring black vest that accentuated her figure and a pair of matching crimson shorts. Her legs were wrapped in black knee-high socks, finished with sleek high heels.
It was a full return to her "Demon Mirajane" look, bold, fierce, and commanding. The moment she crossed her legs and glanced up with that old glint in her eyes, Elfman could almost hear himself getting scolded like in the old days.
"You're dragging your feet again, Elfman!" she snapped, voice sharp like a whip. "Bring the food over. Now."
"Y-Yes, Sister!" Elfman responded instinctively, his tone and posture reverting to his childhood self on the spot.
"And you," Mira turned to Rhodes and pointed to the seat beside her, slapping the cushion lightly. "Sit. Here. Now."
"Coming, ma'am," Rhodes grinned as he slid into the seat beside her, unfazed by the act. He playfully bumped shoulders with her, entirely at ease.
Elfman gave him a sympathetic look as he turned back toward the kitchen to grab more dishes.
Maybe it was better to stall a bit longer… clean up… maybe reconsider some life choices.
Mira planted her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Rhodes.
"What's with that look? Huh? You got a problem with me?"
"Not a single one," Rhodes replied smoothly, still smiling. There was no fear, how could there be? Mira's mock-intimidation only made her more adorable in his eyes.
Not to mention... those legs. That waist. Everything.
He wasn't sure where to look first.
"What are you staring at? Today's my birthday, my birthday. So, where's my gift?" Mira's voice trembled for a second, betraying her flustered heart. She trailed off awkwardly, realizing she'd just demanded her present outright.
Rhodes didn't miss a beat. With a flick of his hands, a small gift box shimmered into existence, presented with a grin.
Mira huffed, but her eyes sparkled with anticipation. She opened the box—and inside was a delicate necklace she had admired once during a shopping trip.
She'd seen it before, thought it was lovely, but didn't buy it. Said it didn't suit her.
But this guy, this guy remembered.
Come to think of it, hadn't he docked his own pay last week with some lame excuse?
Her cheeks flushed pink.
So that's what it was for.