After trimming away all the flowery greetings and pompous phrases, the letter's actual content was simple enough:
The Duke's Mansion has been completed.
The interior has been decorated exactly according to the original plans, and all staff, cleaners, cooks, gardeners, and gatekeepers, have been recruited.
The premises have been thoroughly cleaned and are ready for the inauguration ceremony at any time.
Naturally, such an important occasion required the Duke's personal decision regarding the date and process, hence the mayor's overly formal letter.
Rhodes relayed the gist to Mira, grinning.
"So, may I humbly consult the opinion of Her Grace, the Duchess?"
Mira gave a graceful curtsy, perfectly imitating noble etiquette."Everything shall be as His Grace commands."
Rhodes nodded solemnly, only to lean in close and whisper in her ear,
"All right then. Tonight, His Grace requests the company of Satan Soul."
Mira's cheeks flushed bright red as she elbowed him hard.
"Who said I was in charge of that?!"
"Ahem…" Rhodes clutched his stomach, pretending to cough, and finally grew serious.
"Since it's already built, we should definitely go inspect it. But holding a full-scale ceremony with invited nobles sounds exhausting."
Mira reminded him, "Actually, there aren't many nobles left in the Joya Kingdom these days."
Rhodes nodded. "That's true."
Most of the troublesome lords had been purged by the king, and the lesser ones implicated. Even if they weren't dead, their titles certainly were.
"Then let's just hold a small ceremony," Rhodes decided. "Something symbolic. Afterwards, we'll invite everyone from the guild to come celebrate."
He reasoned that most of the troublemakers had been beaten up recently, so this time the event shouldn't devolve into chaos, hopefully. His mansion might even survive the night.
Mira's eyes sparkled. "Let's make it the twenty-eighth. That gives everyone time to prepare. We can make it lively!"
As someone raised in Fairy Tail, she still loved a bit of noise and excitement at heart. And there hadn't been a good reason for a party in ages.
Rhodes gave up resisting. If his wife was happy, then a grand celebration it would be.
They discussed the arrangements together and quickly penned a reply to the mayor.
When the couple announced the news at the guild, Makarov was the first to leap up in excitement.
A quiet life was all well and good, but lately, with everyone too busy training to cause trouble, he'd been bored to death.
He immediately took this as an opportunity to gather everyone for a proper banquet, and even began plotting a Magic Parade.
Of course, he wasn't the only one who loved a good time. Everyone quickly adjusted their schedules, and aside from a few on long-term jobs, nearly the entire guild planned to attend.
The day of the celebration arrived.
Rhodes and Mira departed early, traveling via the Hex Gate to Joya Kingdom to officially see their new home.
Rhodes's first impression was simple: big and white.
It might not rival the royal palace, but it far outclassed any ordinary residence.
He wasn't even sure whether to call the building a mansion or a small castle.
The gleaming white marble walls shone under the sun, with delicate fairy sculptures crowning the roof. The upper floors were lined with tall windows, while the lower level was supported by so many ornate stone pillars that Rhodes gave up trying to count them.
The mayor was already waiting at the gate. Two rows of attendants in formal attire stood on either side, each holding a musical instrument. When the pair appeared, the mayor raised a hand, and solemn music swelled through the air.
"—"
To be honest, Rhodes preferred livelier, more cheerful tunes. But as local etiquette demanded dignity, he decided to play along, just this once.
Clad in elegant formal wear, he and Mira walked hand in hand through the gate after exchanging a few polite words with the mayor.
Neither paid much attention to the intricate carvings or gilded decorations overhead; they simply advanced together with calm steps.
The corridor ahead opened into a spacious courtyard. A staircase to the left led to the main hall; the right passage led to the side hall.
Lining the corridor stood tall statues of the gods, Ankhseram, god of life and death; Chronos, god of time; and Anemute, god of the sky.
Each had been sculpted in their current likenesses based on ancient portraits passed down through the ages.
Rhodes knew that many of these deities actually existed, but whether their real appearances resembled these statues was anyone's guess.
He wondered idly if praying to these stone figures could really reach the ears of gods.
Still, the true stars of today were not the deities. To ordinary people with little faith, these statues were simply exquisite decorations, art pieces, not idols.
The couple walked together down the corridor, entering a courtyard enclosed by surrounding buildings, though Rhodes preferred to think of it as an atrium.
The newly hired servants stood assembled in neat rows, their attire clearly revealing their duties: cooks in white, gardeners in green, maids in crisp uniforms, guards standing at attention.
As one, they bowed deeply. Mira returned their greetings gracefully before telling them to continue with their work.
Normally, there should have been a butler presiding, but the mayor had hesitated to appoint one without permission. Since Rhodes had yet to select a candidate, the poor mayor had been forced to fill the role himself for now.
It was admittedly a bit absurd, but the mayor seemed perfectly content with the arrangement.
After a short walk through the courtyard, the two entered the main hall through another grand door.
Their first stop was the master bedroom.
Though Rhodes now held a noble title, he'd led an ordinary enough life until recently. If he had to describe the room, he'd say only this:the furniture was beautiful, the carpet soft, the chandelier magnificent, and the large bed looked especially inviting.
Whether it was comfortable, of course, remained to be tested.
Despite all his previous insistence on "comfort first," the overall effect could still only be called opulent.
"I feel like Lucy's old room was like this," Rhodes commented thoughtfully. "Her Hartfilia one, I mean."
Mira raised an eyebrow. "And how would you know what Lucy's room looked like?"
"I… climbed her family's wall once with Natsu and the others."
At the time, they'd worried Lucy wouldn't come back to the guild. The plan had succeeded, but not without being caught.
By Lucy's own description, her family's courtyard alone had been about the same size as Rhode's entire fief before he became a Duke.
As expected of Fiore's wealthiest household. What a pity, really.
After a brief tour, the couple continued on to the banquet hall.
The guest list consisted mostly of minor nobles who'd survived the recent upheaval, a few high-ranking officials from neighboring cities, and some influential merchants who frequented the region.
Rhode had originally intended to simply go through the motions and wrap things up quickly.
But when the King himself unexpectedly arrived, with entourage in tow, to show his support, Rhode had no choice but to entertain them properly.
Before departing, the King had also confided that he'd chosen the next Queen and planned to hold an engagement ceremony early next year.
"I'll send you an invitation, Duke Rhodes," he'd said with a smile.
Rhode had smiled back and promised to attend, with his family, of course. After all, royal banquets always had excellent food.
When all the guests had finally departed, Rhodes and Mira returned to their room and collapsed onto the enormous bed.
"Talking to those people is exhausting," Rhodes groaned. "The guild's so much more comfortable."
"I feel the same way." Mira exhaled, her expression troubled. "It's so hard to blend into those ladies' circles. Do you think I'm a terrible wife?"
...
Bonus @800 PS
Read upto 30 chapters ahead @keepsmiling 818 P@reon