Getting a raise was always a good thing. Rhodes had been worrying about saving enough to eventually buy a house.
He once thought that holding over two million Jewels made him something of a "small-time rich guy," but after looking into housing prices in Magnolia… even affording one-tenth of that dream felt optimistic.
If he relied solely on his current wages, it would take twenty years just to save enough for a modest home.
Of course, the local banks offered loan services, and their policies for wizards were relatively generous, but in the end, it still meant decades of steady work.
Magnolia was a thriving city where magic was everywhere. For your average wizard, settling down here took years of effort and discipline.
Rhodes had it slightly better. He could take on tougher jobs and earn more. If he kept pushing himself, he could probably pull it off within a few years.
And if he shamelessly clung to Erza's coattails like he did last month, maybe he wouldn't even need two.
Then again, there were other options—like moving outside the city.
He could do what Natsu and Happy did: build a little house on the outskirts. Or go the eccentric route like Ms. Porlyusica and set up a treehouse in the forest.
It was cheap and completely free from interference, but definitely inconvenient. Even buying a bottle of milk could become an expedition.
There was also the option of moving back in with your folks, like the newcomer Tono. But his commute took three hours by carriage just to get to the guild. Adding the return trip? Pure nightmare fuel.
All things considered, Rhodes still preferred the idea of digging in and working harder to settle down in Magnolia.
If he could get even a bit stronger, maybe even qualify as an S-Class wizard, his earnings would skyrocket.
"What are you thinking about?" Mira asked, noticing him deep in thought, frowning slightly while holding his salary in both hands.
"Worried about how to spend it?"
"Close. I'm more worried about how to make more of it," Rhodes replied. "I've been thinking about settling down here in Magnolia, properly."
"Settle down?" Mira tilted her head. "You're thinking about buying a house?"
"Yeah. This city's amazing, right?"
"Of course it is." Mira completely understood his thinking but added gently, "Just don't rush. Trying to do it all at once will wear you out."
Rhodes nodded.
"This is a long-term goal," he said with a smile. "No need to push myself too hard all at once."
"Don't look at me like that while saying 'long-term goal'!" Mira muttered and quickly retreated behind the counter, a faint pink rising to her cheeks.
She could help him financially, a little at least, but… there wasn't really a good label for that. If...
'No,' she told herself, It's way too early to be thinking about that!
Laki's voice rang out across the hall: "Rhodes, two beers over here! Mira, we need a roast chicken!"
"Coming right up!" Mira called back.
"On it," Rhodes said, grabbing the mugs and pouring drinks.
Despite being known in the guild as "Mr. Rich" lately thanks to his big missions, Rhodes and Mira were still just two hardworking teammates making sure everyone had a drink and a hot meal.
Staying humble never went out of style.
Rhodes was still the same as ever. Whenever he had downtime at the guild, he would browse through the available job postings. From time to time, he picked out those long-ignored requests, often the ones with low pay or little excitement, just to lend a hand.
When Mira had some free time, she would join him. Together, they took on simple jobs that most guild members overlooked. Sometimes it was finding a missing cat or dog. Other times, it involved mediating neighbor disputes, which Rhodes never quite understood. Why would people hire wizards to settle arguments over fences and barking dogs?
These mundane tasks weren't profitable, and they certainly weren't glamorous. But Rhodes and Mira didn't mind. They treated them like themed dates, small adventures with a purpose.
Going out like that now and then was refreshing. It helped clear out old requests from the guild board and gave them an excuse to spend time together. It was a win-win for both the guild and themselves.
However, this habit came with some unintended consequences.
February 19th, Wednesday.
It was the release day of the latest issue of Sorcerer Weekly.
For the second time in his life, Rhodes found himself featured in the magazine, and in a way he didn't expect.
"Rumored Boyfriend of Famed Model Mirajane Strauss?"
That was the headline.
The article explained that their recent interactions had grown a little too close to be just friendly. There were eyewitness accounts of the two eating together, walking side by side while shopping, and even buying flowers on Valentine's Day, no less.
The picture showed the two of them from behind. Rhodes's face wasn't visible, but Mira was turned slightly toward him, smiling in a way that made her instantly recognizable.
As for Rhodes, the article reused a photo from six months ago, the one from when he was dubbed "Fairy Tail's Strongest Newcomer."
In truth, nothing dramatic had happened that day. At most, he hugged Mira a little longer than usual when dropping her off at her door.
Elfman didn't seem to care. He had already challenged Rhodes seriously once and considered things settled. He just hadn't expected one of the onlookers to turn out to be a gossip.
Rhodes wasn't upset about the article. But he was a little worried for Mira.
"Will this hurt your popularity?" he asked.
"Maybe," Mira replied with a small smile. "Jenny said it could affect things. But it doesn't really matter. I don't have to keep modeling. And…"
Mira glanced at Rhodes and said calmly, "I'm not following the same path as before."
She had already thought things through when she agreed to model for Heart Kreuz's new collection.
Recalling the theme Rhodes had chosen during her fashion face-off with Jenny in the capital, and the subtle feedback he'd given during the Miss Fairy Tail pageant, Mira had a strong feeling he wasn't entirely comfortable with her doing overly revealing or provocative modeling.
Although she had never been too bothered by it herself, she figured it wouldn't hurt to take his feelings into account moving forward.
Rhodes tilted his head, a little surprised. "Wait, even Sorcerers publishes articles that might hurt your reputation?"
Mira smiled faintly. "That's because it might not hurt my reputation at all. I haven't released anything new lately. A sudden article like this? It could actually have a positive effect. Even if it doesn't help my image, it'll boost magazine sales. That's enough to make it worthwhile."
Rhodes scratched his chin thoughtfully. "You know... I could just shut down the rumors."
"How? By announcing it's not a rumor but the truth?" Mira didn't even need him to say it out loud. She could already guess where he was headed.
So she gently raised the tray in her hands, eyes narrowing into a playful warning. "Say it out loud, and I'll hit you."
"Alright, alright, I surrender," Rhodes laughed, backing down with mock fear. "I'll change the subject. I'm heading out to train."
"No progress yet?" Mira asked gently. She knew he had been stuck recently, unable to summon a new beast.
"Not really. Maybe I'm lacking magical power, or maybe I just haven't studied the rift thoroughly enough," Rhodes replied, fingering the pendant he wore around his neck.
Based on his summoning pattern so far, the next creature should have been either the Rift Herald or the dragon.
But whenever he tried using his consciousness to explore Summoner's Rift, the fog of war around the dragon's den remained dense and impenetrable.
To make matters worse, the Baron pit was still crawling with voidgrubs. He wasn't even sure if the Rift Herald still existed, or what would happen if he tried to summon it.
Would he have to clear out all the void creatures first?
And if he summoned the Rift Herald now, would that prevent him from ever summoning the dragon later?
For now, all he could do was continue his explorations and keep increasing his magical output.
Based on how much magic he'd used to summon the Brambleback and Blue Sentinel before, the next beast, whichever it was, would likely require an even greater amount.
So, for now, there was no shortcut. Just more training.