The quiet clink of porcelain against its saucer was the only gentle sound in the courtyard, a sharp contrast to the dull thud of Romeo getting launched into a pile of dry leaves for the fourth time that hour.
Rudra took a slow, leisurely sip of his tea, letting the steam warm his face as he leaned back in his chair on the porch. Ah, peace and quiet.
Over at the guild hall, the floorboards were undoubtedly groaning under the weight of flying tables, spilled alcohol, and Natsu and Gray attempting to tear the building down in the name of "celebration." Becoming the number one guild in Fiore was a monumental achievement for Fairy Tail, but to Rudra, the reward wasn't the trophy or the glory. It was the excuse to stay far, far away from the chaos.
Every time a guildmate had knocked on his door over the last few days to drag him into the revelry, Rudra had used his ironclad excuses:
"I'm still recovering from my injuries."
"Besides, I barely did anything during the Grand Magic Games anyway."
A blatant lie, of course, but effective enough to send the guilt-ridden guildmates shuffling back to the party without him. Since then, nobody had bothered him, granting him a blissfully mundane routine of home-cooked meals, quiet reading, and the occasional mentor duty.
"Again!" Romeo gasped, pushing himself up from the dirt, his clothes covered in scrapes and dust. His hands burned with faint flames as he glared at the figure standing ten feet away.
The clone didn't even blink. It adjusted its posture, expression impassive, then vanished in a blur of speed.
A loud crack echoed across the yard as the clone's sweeping leg caught Romeo's guard, sending the kid skittering across the dirt once more.
Rudra smiled into his teacup as the morning sun warmed the porch. No grand magic contests, no screaming crowds, and best of all, no flying furniture. Just the crisp morning air, a fresh brew, and the therapeutic sound of his student learning to keep his footwork light.
"Keep your chin down, Romeo," Rudra called out casually, not taking his eyes off the garden. "My clone isn't going to pull its punches just because you're tired."
"I... I know!" Romeo wheezed, pushing himself up with a fierce grin, reigniting his flames.
Rudra took another calm sip and closed his eyes, letting the morning warmth wash over him. Life was good.
The peaceful silence didn't last long. The soft brush of footsteps approached the wooden steps, followed by the rustle of clothing as someone sat down right beside him.
Without bothering to open his eyes, Rudra spoke up. "Is there something you need, Lucy?"
Lucy blinked in surprise. "How did you even know it was me?"
"Doesn't matter," Rudra replied, cracking open one eye to glance at her before taking another sip of his tea. "Just tell me why you're here. If it's to drag me to the guild hall, save your breath. I'm declining."
"No, it's not that," Lucy said, shaking her head. "It's... well, the Celestial Spirit King contacted me this morning. He said he needs to speak with you."
Rudra opened both eyes and turned to look at her directly. "What does that old guy want now? Didn't I already finish the task he dumped on me?"
"That's exactly what I told him!" Lucy said defensively, throwing her hands up. "But he insisted. He said he wants to hear the details directly from you."
She reached for her belt, fingers brushing against her keys. "Hold on, I'll summon a spirit to take us—"
"Stop right there," Rudra interrupted, his voice flat. "I'm not stepping foot into the spirit world. Time moves differently over there. I'm not leaving for five minutes only to come back and find out three days have passed. Tell him to come out here himself, or he can forget about it."
Lucy hesitated. Rudra's expression didn't budge, and she sighed and nodded. "Alright, alright. Give me a second."
She closed her eyes and reached through her bond with her spirits to relay the message. For a brief moment, the courtyard fell silent again, save for the muffled sound of Romeo taking another hard tumble in the background.
Then the air above the yard warped. Reality ripped open like torn paper, releasing a brilliant burst of golden light that illuminated the entire clearing. As the glare settled, the towering figure of the Celestial Spirit King materialized, his armor glistening under the sun.
"Greetings, my friend!" the King boomed, his deep voice echoing through the quiet yard.
Lucy bowed slightly. "Welcome, Spirit King."
Rudra didn't even stand up. He took another slow sip of his tea, looking up at the giant entity towering over his garden.
"You're blocking my light, old man," Rudra said calmly. "Shrink down so we can get this over with."
The Spirit King let out a booming laugh, his massive golden form compressing until he was human-sized. He stepped onto the porch and pulled up an empty chair next to Rudra. With a flick of his wrist, a delicate tea set materialized in his hands. He took an appreciative sip and exhaled with a contented sigh.
"A fine spot you have here, young friend," the King remarked, looking out over the quiet yard. "Peaceful."
"It's nothing compared to your palace," Rudra replied, staring straight ahead as Romeo hit the dirt again. "But it keeps the noise out."
"Still, it has its charm. Warm, quiet... cozy." The Spirit King set his cup down, the light atmosphere vanishing as his voice dropped an octave, low and serious. "So. What was Mundus planning?"
Rudra opened his mouth to answer, but Lucy was already pushing herself up from the steps.
"Well, since you're here, Spirit King, I guess my job is done," she said, giving a small, polite wave. "I'll give you two some privacy."
She walked toward the trees at the edge of the yard, where Rudra's clone was relentlessly drilling Romeo.
A frustrated sigh escaped her lips. She desperately wanted to stay and listen. Ever since the Grand Magic Games and the nightmare that had poured out of the Eclipse Gate, a dozen questions had been burning in her mind. Who was Rudra, really? And how deep did his connection to all of this go?
Watching Romeo barely dodge a sharp strike from the clone, Lucy shook her head, letting out another weary sigh.
Back on the porch, Rudra watched her leave before turning back to the Spirit King.
"Mundus was using a celestial mage to force the Eclipse Gate open," Rudra explained, his voice low and even. "His goal was to drag Sparda into this timeline so the two of us would tear each other apart. Either way, Mundus wins. If Sparda dies by my hand, I lose Yamato with him, and his past self is never around to seal Mundus in the first place. If I die, he uses Sparda from the past to undo the seal—setting him free without lifting a finger."
The Spirit King's jaw tightened. "That bastard is as shrewd as ever." He glanced sideways at Rudra, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You know as well as I do... even if he failed this time, he won't stop. He'll scheme again."
Rudra took a slow sip of his tea, his voice calm, an edge beneath it. "Let him try. It doesn't matter how many times he pulls this bullshit. As long as I'm alive and breathing, he's not getting what he wants."
The Spirit King looked at him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Fair enough."
The tension dissipated as quickly as it had arrived. The King refilled his cup, and the two shifted into idle chatter, swapping dry observations and complaints about the chaos of the mortal world, passing the time without any rush.
Hours slipped by until the sun stood directly overhead. With a nod of farewell, the Spirit King vanished back into the Celestial Realm, leaving the porch quiet once more.
Lucy came back onto the porch, brow furrowed, staring down at him.
Rudra raised an eyebrow. "What?"
She hesitated, then blurted out, "Can you tell me your full name?"
Rudra blinked. "My full name? It's Rudra Sparda. Why?"
Lucy nodded slowly to herself, as if a piece of a puzzle had finally clicked into place. Before Rudra could press her, she pointed toward the far side of the yard. Romeo was sprawled out on the dirt, breathing hard, exhausted from hours of relentless combat against the clone.
"Shouldn't you let him rest?" Lucy asked, throwing him a sympathetic look. "He's been fighting non-stop all morning."
Rudra glanced over, watching the kid struggle to push himself up. He nodded slowly as he stood. "You're right. It's about time he takes a break..." A sharp smirk played on his lips. "...right after his final lesson for the day."
Lucy sighed, throwing her hands up. "Just spare the poor kid, Rudra! He's dead on his feet."
"Can't do that," Rudra replied, cracking his knuckles. "It's time for the kid to finally become a man."
Lucy froze. Her mouth dropped open.
"W-What?!" she stammered, stepping back and waving her hands frantically. "A man?! Rudra, he's a kid! You can't just take him to a brothel! That's—that's completely inappropriate!"
Rudra stopped mid-step. "A... a what?"
He blinked once. Twice. Then the realization hit him, and a mischievous grin spread across his face.
"A brothel?" Rudra chuckled, shaking his head. "Damn, Lucy. I knew you read those romance novels, but I didn't realize your mind was that dirty."
Lucy's face flushed crimson. "Hey! You're the one who said 'it's time to become a man'!"
"I meant it's time to teach him how to unlock his second origin and stop crying like a baby when he gets hit," Rudra scoffed. "Get your head out of the gutter."
Before she could hurl an insult back, Rudra vanished from where he stood in a blur of motion.
A split second later, he reappeared right above Romeo and grabbed the exhausted boy by the back of his collar before he even realized what was happening.
"Time for round two, kid," Rudra said.
With a flash, both of them vanished, leaving behind only a faint swirl of dust in the courtyard.
Lucy stood alone on the porch, cheeks still burning. She crossed her arms, let out a loud huff, and turned on her heel, heading off toward the guildhall.
A few kilometers outside Magnolia, the air shifted as Rudra materialized in a rocky glade and dropped Romeo onto the grass.
The boy stumbled, caught his balance, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He looked around at the dense forest and steep rock faces, confused. "Why are we out here, Rudra? What about training?"
Rudra dusted off his coat, his expression unreadable. "I told you. It's time for you to become a man."
A slow blush crept up Romeo's neck, spreading to his ears as a goofy, sheepish grin broke across his face. "Wait... a man? Out in the middle of nowhere? You don't mean..."
PAK!
A sharp smack echoed through the glade as Rudra's hand connected with the back of Romeo's head.
"Ow!" Romeo yelped, rubbing the fresh bump.
"Get your mind out of the gutter, brat," Rudra scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Your cherry isn't getting popped anytime soon, trust me."
Romeo flushed darker and pouted. "Then why did you say it like that?! Why are we here?"
Rudra turned, gesturing toward the dark, yawning mouth of a deep cave carved into the cliffside. "Because it's time you learn how this world actually works."
Romeo stared at the cave, waiting for elaboration.
Rudra closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. With a long, weary sigh, he looked back at the boy.
"You've fought monsters before, Romeo. You've burned beasts, beasts born of wild magic and primal instinct," Rudra said, his voice dropping into a quiet solemnity. "But inside that cave is the most dangerous, vile monster this world has to offer."
The lighthearted air vanished. Romeo straightened, his expression hardening, fists clenched as faint flames licked at his knuckles.
"What kind of monster?" he asked. "A Demon from Zeref's books? A rogue Wyvern?"
Rudra looked down into the young mage's eyes and said a single word.
"Humans."
Romeo froze. The color drained from his face as he stared up at his master.