After Rhode finished paying his respects, Mira squatted in front of Lisana's tombstone and spoke softly.
Rhode gestured to Elfman, quietly retreating to wait outside the cemetery.
After a while, he saw Mira stand up, reluctantly touch the tombstone for a moment, and then leave.
The three of them walked together on the way back to the Guild, the atmosphere somewhat silent.
"I'm okay," Mira said.
"Hmm." Rhode nodded lightly.
Mira said, "I thought you would say it's all in the past and tell us not to be sad."
Rhode shook his head, "I originally intended to, but even standing in the cemetery made me feel the sorrow."
Lisana's tombstone read X768~X782, meaning she was only fourteen when she passed away.
Even by this country's law, she would only be considered an adult this year.
This should be called an untimely death, something that deeply grieves family and saddens others, especially considering the circumstances.
Looking at the sorrowful expressions of Mira and Elfman in the cemetery, Rhode couldn't even say words of condolence.
As for now, Rhode took a deep breath and then exhaled: "The President said that sorrow comes from life and love, and I can't stop you from expressing your love for Lisana."
"'However, we remember the departed not to immerse ourselves in grief but to remind us to cherish life and motivate us to continue moving forward firmly. That would probably also be what Lisana would want to see.' If there were more words, the President would probably say this." Mira looked at the sky, "What do you think, Elfman?"
"As a man, no matter what happens, you must strive to live and continue moving forward firmly."
Rhode said, "Nothing could be better than that."
If things were truly as simple as the brother and sister said, they wouldn't have struggled with Receiving Magic until now.
As they neared the Guild, Mira resumed her usual smile: "Thank you, Rhode."
Rhode shook his head, "Just don't blame me for being reckless."
"Why would I?" Mira smiled. It was rare to see him reckless once.
Moreover, wasn't he not reckless at the cemetery just now? Didn't he pay his respects properly?
She thought for a moment and asked, "It's going to be busy soon. Can you help me a little more?"
"Sure, Tavern Waiter Rhode gets promoted to Assistant of the President's Assistant." Rhode said, "Will I get a raise?"
Mira said, "There's no such position in the Guild, so no raise!"
As the three of them stepped into the Guild's door, Rhode continued:
"Promotion with no raise, I want to complain."
Mira regained some liveliness: "The complaint has been received and dismissed!"
Rhode raised a hand: "I will continue to appeal, all the way to the top management, the audit team, the finance department's head!"
"Those are all me, dismissed again!" Mira knocked down his arm, laughing, "But as compensation, I can treat you to coffee."
Rhode pulled a pained face: "Even more ruthless, force me to work overtime and treat me to coffee. Doesn't that mean working late into the night?"
"What about being ruthless, after all, I am a Demon!" Mira made a fierce expression, but it wasn't fierce at all, "So, going?"
"Yes." Only a fool wouldn't go.
Suddenly Elfman stopped: "Rhode, let's have a fight?"
"Huh? Why?"
"I don't know why, suddenly felt like fighting."
The tavern inexplicably became agitated, with a bunch of people waving their fists:
"Beat him up, Elfman!"
"Go, Elfman!"
"It's up to you, Elfman!"
"What's it to you guys!" Rhode shouted, then said, "We can fight all we want in the evening training."
The crowd felt deflated. Just when it was confirmed that Mira and Elfman were fine, so some fun could be had, it was postponed.
Everyone was a bit upset, so a wine glass flew out; if you don't want to fight, find trouble to fight, it's just sitting idle anyway.
Rhode raised a hand casually to bat the glass away, using the other hand to push Mira's back slightly, telling her to go to the President first to avoid it.
Probably that move angered some people, and in turn, made them less wary, so what followed were plates, wine bottles, and various miscellaneous items.
Rhode picked up a stool and deflected the items with a spin, then set the stool down, stepping on it with one foot, boasting, "Regarding flying objects, I have a little expertise."
"Rhode! You bastard!" Gray climbed up from the ground; that stool had been pulled from under his butt.
Rhode didn't even spare him a glance, looking up at the sky—not because he was arrogant, but because: "I don't fight with naked men."
Gray looked down: "Since when?"
"At a time like this, who cares about such trivial matters, beat him up!"
Gray found himself pressed down by someone and an entire crowd rushed at Rhode.
Experience with flying objects was one thing; how about flying people?
"Hey! You guys have no martial virtue!"
Someone landed a punch on him, anyway, he kicked back. Someone else kicked him, and he threw back an elbow.
A one-against-twenty-plus real man's battle officially broke out, and the scene turned chaotic.
Gray, initially pinned down, got stepped on several times. By the time he climbed up, he had already forgotten about Rhode and just grabbed the nearest guy to start fighting.
Elfman, who wanted to fight Rhode, mysteriously got hit a few times by others, also forgetting his initial target.
The battle, originally meant to gang up on Rhode, quickly turned into a free-for-all. Nobody knew who they were hitting or who hit them; everyone just swung aimlessly.
Until someone couldn't hold back and was ready to use Magic, many prepared to unleash a serious fight.
"Enough, kids! You want to tear the Guild apart?"
"Stop right now! Thunder Emperor's Spear!"
Makarov and Erza's voices rang out together, followed by a giant hand and a bolt of azure Lightning.
Most were slammed into the floor by the President's hand, while the rest were shocked into spasms by Erza's Lightning.
Rhode belonged to the group slammed into the floor.
"Oh my, oh my..." Mira watched the spectacle nearby as usual, also watching everyone have a hard time, focusing especially on a certain person lying regretfully in the crater.
Because that person had pushed her toward the President earlier, today she wasn't hit by a flying wine bottle or knocked over by Elfman.
A few minutes later, Rhode sat in front of the counter, looking sulky as Mira applied ointment to his face.
"I underestimated it, should've quietly slipped out before the President got angry." Rhode reviewed his mistake, mainly because he wanted to punch a bit more for payback, got greedy for output.
"Don't deliberately review for things like this," Mira gently patted his shoulder, went into the kitchen, and brought out two boiled eggs, shell removed.
"Turn around and tilt your head up."
Rhode complied, leaning his head back against the counter, discovering that Mira looked quite good from this angle too.
The eggs were gently placed on his eye sockets, rolling slightly, warm and soothing.
This bunch had hit too hard, his eye sockets were bruised.
It hurt a bit, but Rhode surprisingly burst into laughter; this fight, after all—he didn't lose, not in any sense.
Recalling why the group wanted to fight, seeing this scene made them angrier.
Usually, even with a bump on the head, a swollen face, or knocked-out teeth, it wasn't uncommon.
This kind of minor injury couldn't even be considered an injury, when did Mira ever show them such care?
Damn Rhode!
Let's go another round!
"Hmm?" Dressed in Thunder Emperor's Armor, Erza's gaze swept across, silencing everyone.
Nevermind, next time.