Fortunately for everyone, no one had to worry about waking Gray up, because the guild's disciplinary committee returned right on time.
Erza stepped through the door, her presence slicing through the chaos like a blade.
Within seconds, her crisp reprimands echoed across the hall.
Every brawler stood at attention. Every splintered chair was lifted. Every overturned table was restored.
Even the air seemed to hold its breath.
And as for Gray's indecent state…
Erza's glare landed on him like divine judgment. "Gray. Clothes. Now. Or I'll make you wear a skirt."
Three seconds later, Gray miraculously found his missing shorts and trousers, and even managed to snatch Jet's shirt along the way.
His own top was nowhere to be found. Most likely, it had vanished somewhere between "fight start" and "table crash."
Watching this, Rhodes quietly mused to himself: 'If I ever fall so poor I can't afford food, I'll just follow Gray around.'
He pictured it vividly, gathering the almost-new clothes Gray discarded daily and opening a men's clothing store.
He'd call it StripStyle.
A guaranteed fortune.
"Hey, what's with that look?" Gray frowned, shivering slightly under Rhode's stare. "You're looking at me like you want to strip me yourself!"
Rhodes blinked innocently. "Nothing. I just have a question about your mission."
"Huh?" Gray blinked back. "Look, I already reflected on it, the Master chewed me out, and the compensation's been paid! Do we really have to?"
"I'm not blaming you," Rhodes interrupted mildly. "You're just very experienced in these situations. I figured you'd have the details."
Gray stared. "You make that sound like a compliment and an insult at the same time."
Rhodes just shrugged. "This guild's hopeless anyway."
Gray sighed. "Fine. What do you want to ask?"
Rhodes turned the mission logbook toward him. "That reindeer you fought, the 'Ghost Reindeer.' Describe its appearance, abilities, and how it disappeared after you defeated it."
Gray recounted everything carefully.
Lucy listened attentively, nodding in thought. Judging by the disappearance method alone, she could tell, it matched the pattern of a Celestial Spirit vanishing after defeat.
It had to be the Reindeer constellation's Star Spirit.
Gray, sensing the weight of the conversation, added, "After I beat it, I stayed nearby for two days, just in case. But it never appeared again. That's when I confirmed the mission was done and came home."
He paused. "I even asked Chico about it later. She said ghosts don't vanish like that, not unless there's something special going on."
Rhodes nodded. As expected, Gray might be scatterbrained about clothes, but he was meticulous when it mattered.
Lucy leaned forward. "Did you encounter any Celestial Spirit Mages nearby?"
"Love rival."
"Eek—!!"
Lucy jumped. The elusive Juvia had materialized from nowhere, her face flushed and dreamy.
But before she could get another word in, Erza's hand clamped down on her collar like a steel trap.
"Important guild matters," Erza said firmly, dragging her away. "No eavesdropping."
"Important matters?! Could it be Gray-sama's wedding?!" Juvia wailed dramatically as she was hauled off. "With Lucy? Or Wendy?! Or Carla?!"
"It's none of those," Erza declared without mercy, dragging her out of the room like a mother cat carrying a kitten.
Lucy sighed in relief. "Erza's really reliable sometimes."
Gray rubbed the back of his neck. "Anyway, I didn't see any Celestial Spirit Mages there, but I did find a Celestial Spirit Key."
Lucy's eyes widened instantly. "Really?! Which constellation? And where is it now?"
Gray frowned, trying to recall. "It was called… Orion, I think. Belonged to a Celestial Spirit Mage from a nearby guild. I returned it to them after the fight."
He added, "Apparently, they dropped it when they were attacked by the reindeer. They were still hospitalized when I visited, so I never met them in person."
Lucy's smile faltered.
'It really is targeting Celestial Spirit Mages…'
She hugged her arms, a shiver running down her spine.
"I don't want to go on any jobs for a while."
Rhodes chuckled softly. "If you don't want to take on missions for a while, then rest. Are you still short on money?"
Lucy froze for half a second, then suddenly brightened.
"Oh, right! I'm not short on money anymore!"
She practically sparkled at the realization.
But that light quickly dimmed again as she recalled the Star Spirit King's words, those grave instructions Gemini had relayed.
No matter what, she couldn't just hide away now.
There were still rogue Star Spirits loose in the world. If she didn't take action, who would?
Lucy exhaled and nodded to herself. "Let's… wait until the investigation's clearer before deciding."
Rhodes could tell from her eyes that she'd already made up her mind. "Alright," he said. "For now, let's leave it at that. Lucy, spend the next few days gathering everything you can about the abandoned Star Spirits. Keep an eye out for any news from the Star Spirit Realm as well."
"Got it." Lucy nodded determinedly. Though, after a moment of thought, her brow furrowed slightly. "But… that's a lot of information. I'm not sure if the guild archives will have it all."
"Then ask Levy to help," Rhodes suggested easily. "She's the best when it comes to research. You two will make a great team."
Before Lucy could respond, Mira smiled from beside him, her tone sing-song sweet. "Levy might not be available right now~."
"Eh? Why not?"
Mira leaned in, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Because she went out with Gajeel yesterday. Alone. Without Jet and Droy."
"Ehhh~?! Those two?!" Lucy gasped. "When did that happen?!"
"Fufu~" Mira's smile deepened, clearly enjoying this too much.
Wendy and Carla, sitting nearby, immediately perked up and scooted closer, eyes wide and ears twitching in unison.
Within seconds, the four of them were whispering excitedly, the air filled with laughter and speculation.
Rhodes, wisely recognizing the danger zone that was his wife in gossip mode, decided to redirect his focus. He turned toward Makarov instead.
"Master, I'll leave the inter-guild coordination to you. Please remind everyone to keep their Celestial Spirit Mages cautious for the time being."
Makarov nodded without hesitation, surprisingly serious this time. "Understood. I'll send word through the Local Guild Alliance."
He began walking off, only to pause mid-step and turn back. "Oh, right, there's a Saint Ten Council meeting next month. They plan to introduce some new members."
"I've already heard from Hyberion," Rhodes replied calmly. "Do we know when and where yet?"
"You met him?" Makarov raised an eyebrow, but let it slide. "The meeting will be held in Era, second week next month. Try not to stir up too much trouble this time."
Rhodes smiled faintly. "No promises."
He made a mental note of the date, his thoughts already shifting. 'One month in the Human World… only a few hours in the Star Spirit Realm. Hopefully, they'll have sorted things out by then.'
That evening, when the guild quieted and twilight draped Magnolia in gold, Mira received a package from her husband.
Inside
A bee costume.
Mira blinked once. Twice.
And then, she smiled.
"So this is what you meant by 'gift,' hmm?" she teased softly, holding the outfit up.
It shimmered faintly under the light, the same honey-gold and black-striped pattern Lucy had worn on the mission.
After a long look at her husband, Mira sighed dramatically, but still disappeared into the back room.
A few minutes later, she re-emerged, dressed in the outfit, adjusting the tight bodice with mock annoyance.
"It feels a little snug," she murmured, tugging lightly at the chest area before slipping into his arms with a gentle smile. "My dear husband… did you perhaps misremember my size?"
Her tone was light and teasing, but the warmth in her eyes was unmistakable.
Then, she leaned closer, her breath brushing his ear. "Also, why does this outfit smell faintly of Lucy's perfume?"
The air turned sharp, like killing intent wrapped in silk.
Rhodes froze. "Actually, actually, it's from the Star Spirit Realm. Gemini tried it on… while transformed as Lucy."
Mira arched an eyebrow, amused. "I see. So you did see something."
She looked down at herself, thoughtful. "But I remember Lucy and I are about the same size."
Rhodes tilted his head, reaching out to trace the line of her waist with a grin. "It must be my mistake then."
"Hmph. Pervert." Mira giggled, pressing a finger to his lips.
Though they'd only been apart for two days, their reunion felt like a quiet second honeymoon.