As expected, once all the secrets had been spoken, both those ant to be shared and those that shouldn't, Makarov fixed Rhodes with a grave look and declared:
"I want you to beco the next Master of Fairy Tail, the Fourth Guild Master."
Poor Macao, who had only ever been "acting" Guild Master, was quietly excluded from the count since his tenure had never been formally announced.
Makarov's eyes brimd with hope, and beside him Mavis smiled warmly.
Rhode looked at their expressions, weighed it all carefully, then replied in earnest:
"I refuse, I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master"
"…"
At first, Makarov thought Rhode was joking. His voice hardened. "Rhode, this isn't sothing to make light of. I'm growing old. The guild deserves to be led by a younger man, full of energy.
"This isn't so whim. Long before the S-Class Exam, I had already been considering this. It's a decision I've thought through carefully. In terms of ability, reputation, and character, there is no one more suited than you."
To Rhode, that was nonsense. Laxus could do it. Erza could do it. Even Mira, who had quietly managed guild affairs for years, was more than capable. And if Gildarts ever cared enough to shoulder the burden, he could lead Fairy Tail without question.
Rhode did not feel indispensable.
What troubled him more was the way Makarov's words seed to lift a massive weight off the old man's shoulders. For the first ti, Rhode saw the faint aura of twilight settle over him, the relief of soone who had given everything to Fairy Tail and now had nothing left to cling to.
The guild was Makarov's life. Though he complained about it constantly, if he truly stepped away, would he even know how to live anymore? Rhode worried that if he accepted, the old man's spirit might finally collapse.
So he frowned, choosing his words carefully. "I'm not ready for sothing this huge. Please, give ti. I haven't even co to terms with the responsibility of guiding the guild forward."
Makarov nearly told him how the Second Master had once vanished without warning, tossing the role at him with no preparation at all. But seeing Rhode's troubled face, he softened. "Very well. Think it over carefully. Tomorrow, or the day after at the latest, you'll take up the mantle properly."
"…"
Rhode left the guild with a heavy heart.
And then promptly ran away, with his wife.
Calling it a "honeymoon" sounded better than "fleeing responsibility," but in truth, both descriptions were accurate. He needed space to breathe before facing the burden of the Master's chair.
On the road, his thoughts turned again to what he had learned: not only the question of becoming Guild Master, but the revelations about Zeref and Mavis.
The tale had shattered his preconceptions. For the first ti, he felt sympathy for the so-called Black Wizard.
To love soone, only to kill them by loving them, what could be crueler? For a man who had just married, the thought was terrifying.
Unconsciously, his arm tightened around Mira's waist.
Mira paused in her packing, pressed her face against his cheek, then raised a hand to stroke his hair. "What's wrong? Is it really that serious?"
Rhode sighed. "Sort of… but I can't tell you everything."
He had sworn to secrecy. Until he decided whether to accept the Master's role, he wasn't qualified to reveal the truth, even to Mira. All he could do was hint at the edges.
Mira understood imdiately. If it wasn't a matter bound by secrecy, Makarov would never have pulled Rhode aside alone.
"In short," Rhode admitted, "the Master wants to retire. And he wants to take his place."
Mira didn't press further. She simply smiled. "How can that be considered harming you?"
"Of course it's harming !" Rhode protested. "Being Master of this guild, just being acting Master, even, will make you age ten years in one night. If you don't believe , look at Macao's hairline. Isn't that proof enough? How is that not harm?"
Mira touched Rhode's forehead with a teasing smile. "Oh dear, that would be terrible. Master really is cruel~"
"…"
Treated like a sulky child, Rhode rubbed her cheek in retaliation. "You're the cruel one."
Mira swatted his hand away with mock irritation. "Stop fooling around. Let change clothes, we're going out for a walk."
"Alright," Rhode agreed, settling down with the heavy to passed to him by the Second Master.
He had skimd it once before with the enchanted glasses, but now he took his ti. The book was thicker than any dictionary, packed with countless magics. Within its pages were spells like the Amaterasu-style magic he'd seen on Tenrou Island and the black chains capable of piercing even Makarov's giant body.
Each entry ca with thoughtful notes: the prerequisite magics, reference texts, and cultivation thods.
Rhode turned the pages one by one, morizing nas and formulas. He wasn't reading for himself, he was searching for magic that Mira could learn. Spells that didn't rely on Take Over, magic she could wield in her ordinary form.
The Second Master had specialized in dark-based magics, which, Rhode reasoned, would likely match Mira's affinity well.
After so ti, Mira reappeared, spinning playfully in front of him. "Ta-da! How do I look?"
Rhode closed the book and studied her with exaggerated seriousness before nodding. "Hmm. Not bad, not bad. As beautiful as my wife."
"Really?" Mira smiled, looping her arm through his and tugging him toward the door. As they stepped out, she added mischievously, "Then for today, forget about your wife and have fun with !"
Rhode chuckled. "That sounds wonderful."
The footsteps of a waiter passing by the corridor faltered almost imperceptibly. He quickly moved on, pretending nothing had happened.
Mira caught the nervous glance and flushed red. "Oh no… he must've misunderstood."
"Hahaha, it's fine. At worst, he'll just think you're my mistress." Rhode laughed so hard he nearly doubled over.
Mira puffed out her cheeks. "Then, Mr. Rhode, when will you abandon your wife and marry ?"
Rhode imdiately sobered, forcing down his laughter. "That's impossible. My wife is the best woman in the world, no one could ever compare."
Mira tried not to giggle but failed, covering it with a playful pinch to his waist before continuing down the street with a bright smile.
The two walked hand in hand, enjoying the bustle of the city. Yet before long, they both noticed sothing odd, whispers followed them everywhere.
"It's them."
"Rhode of the Ten Wizard Saints, and Demon Mirajane."
"The newlyweds blessed by the princess herself!"
"So envious…"
Rhode and Mira exchanged glances and realized the culprit: yesterday's newspaper.
Their wedding had been noisy and chaotic, sure, but nothing worth headlines. Yet the mont Princess Hisui appeared, it had beco front-page news.
And judging from the way people spoke her na with reverence, it was clear just how high a place the Princess held in their hearts.
...
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