Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 259: Heavy Lifting: The Weight of Love

Rhodes replied with a mock-serious tone. "Yeah, a little. Feels like at least thirty kilos."

The first half made Mira want to swat him, but the second half made her giggle. "That's too light. Stop joking."

"Then what's your actual weight?"

"4.... that's a secret."

He smirked. "I can guess anyway."

Once you went shopping for clothes together, you learned the important measurements. Weight was just another number.

Thanks to all his physical training, carrying her like this was easy.

Actually, he thought it might be fun if Mira, with her strength and speed, carried him sometime.

"Are you thinking something weird again?" Mira asked, suspicious.

Rhodes answered smoothly. "We're already at the point where I can carry you through town. Why would I need any weird ideas?"

"Oh? So you used to have weird ideas?" she teased. "Like that time you handed me the key?"

"That was a brilliant idea," he said with a grin.

"Heh. Starting tomorrow, you're in trouble."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm turning up the difficulty on your training."

"You're not going to use Satan Soul, are you?"

"Correct."

Rhodes sighed. "Alright."

He usually didn't want to spar with Mira, but if she needed this to get stronger again, he was all in.

It was training. Not a fight.

Mira leaned her cheek against his shoulder and whispered, "If you manage to beat me, there's a reward."

Rhodes lit up. "Then I'm winning for sure."

It wouldn't be easy. But it was worth it.

If he wanted to reach S-Class, there was no better partner to test himself against.

When they reached Mira's door, Rhodes hesitated. He didn't really want to let go just yet.

He stood still until Mira gave his shoulder a playful tap, prompting him to finally lower her to the ground.

It seemed Mira didn't want him to come inside.

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Rhodes sighed and gave her a small wave. "See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow." Mira opened the door, then paused to glance back, only to find Rhodes still standing there, watching her quietly.

In the next instant, she turned around and ran straight back, throwing her arms around him as if jumping into his chest. She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest.

"It's wonderful," she whispered.

Her voice was so soft and muffled that Rhodes couldn't hear her clearly. "What did you say?"

Mira looked up at him with a bright smile that melted his heart. "I said, it's wonderful that I met you."

The soft glow from the doorway cast their silhouettes long across the floor, their shadows overlapping into one.

From this close, Rhodes could clearly see the subtle blue gleam in her eyes. It reminded him of blooming butterfly lilies under the moonlight, delicate, luminous, and beautiful.

He gazed at her in awe. "I feel the same. Meeting you is the best thing that's happened to me."

Their eyes locked in silence, and both of their breathing grew shallow, heavy with emotion.

Mira was the first to flinch under the weight of the moment. She quickly looked away and gave his chest a gentle push. "You should go now."

But Rhodes didn't step back.

A bold idea had already crept into his heart, though he could tell Mira wasn't quite ready to accept it just yet.

Still, ending the night like this felt too ordinary, too boring for such a magical moment.

He suddenly remembered something. "You know, back when we went on that picnic... you still owe me."

Mira tilted her head. "Owe you?"

Rhodes nodded seriously. "You promised to bonk me on the head, remember?"

Mira giggled, covering her forehead with a finger and pouting. "You're really going to bring that up now? Isn't that a bit of a cheap shot?"

Rhodes smiled. "Actually, I was thinking... maybe we could change it into something else."

Her heart skipped. "Change it to..."

Of course, she already knew what he meant.

Mira slowly lowered the hand that had been covering her forehead, her cheeks burning red. "Just the forehead. Got it?"

"Okay," Rhodes answered softly.

Mira closed her eyes, tilted her face slightly, and nervously twisted her fingers together.

Rhodes could feel his heart racing. He gently wrapped one arm around her shoulders and raised the other to support the back of her head.

Her hairstyle is really convenient for this kind of thing, he thought for half a second, then quickly pushed the silly idea out of his mind.

Leaning down, he pressed his lips gently to her forehead.

That night, Rhodes didn't sleep well, but not because of nightmares.

For the first time in his life, he truly understood what it meant to wake up smiling from a dream.

Though... there were also times he bolted upright in a cold sweat, wondering if the dream had all been too perfect to be real.

Rhodes sat up, looked at his hand, then opened and closed it a few times. The memory of touching Mira's demonic hand was vivid, and the warmth of her delicate fingers just as real.

They say you can't dream of sensations you've never experienced, right?

If that's true... then it really happened.

Oh man, he thought, collapsing back onto the bed, I finally got together with Mira. Now what do I do? File a report?

He reached under his blanket and tugged out Warm, who had morphed completely into an oversized living pillow during the night.

The blanket barely covered it now.

"Warm, you agree with me, don't you?" Rhodes muttered, lifting the drowsy creature.

Warm blinked sleepily, gave Rhodes a blank stare, then silently disappeared back into the Howling Abyss.

'Insane,' Warm thought.

'Doesn't sleep at night, won't let the warm sleep either. I'm doubling my food tomorrow for emotional damages!'

...

Despite his restless night, Rhodes walked into the guild the next morning with a fresh spring in his step.

He couldn't hide the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth every time he glanced at Mira.

Mira wasn't much better, her expressions flickered between warmth and subtle panic. Eventually, she glared at him in mock sternness.

"Don't look at me like that. Go clean up the corner table first. I'll handle the front desk."

"Yes, ma'am," Rhodes saluted playfully. He had hoped they could work together today, but seeing her flustered expression was enough to convince him not to push it.

They were more efficient splitting up anyway.

Laki, sweeping nearby, narrowed her eyes.

"Something happened between you two, didn't it?"

Normally, both Mira and Rhodes would deny it on reflex, playing innocent, dodging questions, acting like nothing had changed.

But this time...

Neither of them said a word.

Laki's eyes widened. "It actually happened?!"

The guild hall was beginning to fill up, and her sudden shriek caught several ears.

Rhodes gave a sheepish smile but stayed quiet. Mira waved her off with a gentle tone, "Keep it down. We'll talk later, okay? Let's focus on work first."

Laki watched the two of them with wide eyes, her brain already spinning wild scenarios.

...

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