Kana's combat techniques are different from those of Natsu and the others, focusing more on grappling and throws.
I wonder if her exaggerated strength comes from lifting beer barrels every day.
Moreover, during the fight, Rhode noticed Kana raised her hand twice as if to gouge eyes, and once lifted her leg as if to kick the groin, but fortunately she stopped in time.
Still, Rhode broke out in a cold sweat, thinking he must figure out how to counter such moves, as a guy must protect himself when out in the world.
Rhode took advantage of some free time to review the fight, silently raising the danger level of Kana by a notch.
Kana shook her empty beer barrel: "Rhode, a glass of beer!"
"Sure!" Rhode picked up a beer barrel from the corner, then paused, "Kana? Did you say a glass or a barrel just now?"
"A glass, just a glass! Why are you also so naggy?" Kana glanced at Macao, who was arguing with Wakaba about parenting experiences.
Rhode, confused, poured Kana a glass of beer, and saw that Kana's drinking pace had slowed down.
It was like she was sipping just to slightly satisfy her craving.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Want to fight again?"
"I'm okay with continuing the fight." Rhode didn't mind gaining more experience, "I just think you seem a bit off."
"I think so too." Mirajane, smelling gossip, suddenly appeared, "Could it be that Kana has a boyfriend?"
"Impossible." Kana flatly denied, raising her glass, "The beer is my boyfriend!"
"Then it must be someone she likes but doesn't have the courage to confess. Recently, the guys interacting frequently with Kana… let me guess…"
Mirajane got quite enthusiastic about these matters, and she immediately locked the target onto the person beside her, "It's Rhode!"
Kana breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Mirajane playing cupid as usual, she was reassured.
Last month, Mirajane said Wakaba had a good feeling about Laki… nonsense, that guy equally likes every pretty and gentle girl.
Mature guild members know to ignore and then question any gossip coming from Mirajane's mouth.
Rhode wasn't mature enough and immediately denied it upon being mentioned by her:
"Though being praised by you, Mirajane, makes me happy, my masculine strength was thrown to the ground by Kana's over-the-shoulder throw today."
He glanced at Kana sitting sideways at the bar with her legs crossed — almost kicked away by Kana's high-heeled sandals.
"If not Rhode, then who else could it be?" Mirajane pondered, "Did Loki make a move on you?"
"Would he dare?" Kana snorted, "And I don't like that kind of… why talk about such boring topics!"
Kana picked up her beer glass and strode off, pausing midway, her steps downsized, eventually sitting at the table with her drinking buddies Macao and Wakaba.
Mirajane pinched her chin, speculating, "Hmm... could it be Macao?"
"The more you guess, the more outrageous it gets, Miss Mira." Rhode admired her imagination, "Macao is almost twenty years older than her, right?"
"You never know." Mirajane chuckled, finally ending the topic, "By the way, accompany me shopping this afternoon?"
"Okay." Rhode didn't hesitate, he was just puzzled, "Isn't shopping Mr. Cook's responsibility? He seems to prefer selecting ingredients personally."
"Because Mr. Cook has agreed to go boating and fishing with his grandson this afternoon, so it's up to me."
Mirajane said, "He's already made a list, we just have to choose carefully."
For someone as serious about cooking as Mr. Cook, he can relax his principles for picking ingredients for the sake of his grandson.
He should be considered a pretty good grandfather.
"No problem, leave the carrying to me." Rhode had a clear understanding of his role; the high-difficulty task of selecting ingredients was definitely not his domain.
...
"Miss Mira, are you heading out?"
"Yes, there are some things to buy."
"Miss Mira, good afternoon!"
"Good afternoon."
"Miss Mira, will you appear in the next Wizard Weekly?"
"Sorry, I haven't taken any magazine work recently."
After leaving the guild, crossing the residential area, Rhode immediately realized just how popular Mira was.
Almost everyone who recognized her greeted her with a smile, some would offer a simple greeting, while others would seize the opportunity to ask a question or two.
"Your popularity is really high."
"Everyone is so enthusiastic." Mira chuckled lightly and sighed, "Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming."
"True, true, Miss Mirajane Strauss the big star, maybe you should consider wearing sunglasses and a mask next time you go out… to stand out?"
As they became more familiar, Rhode also became more casual when speaking to her.
"Good idea." Mira clapped her hands gently, "But to stand out, maybe I should try transforming into you — just the head."
"Spare me, I don't want to be featured on Sosala as 'Fairy Tail's cross-dressing mage'."
Rhode conceded defeat, noticing that Mira no longer directly corrected his verbal missteps.
Mira smiled and walked side by side with Rhode onto a stone arch bridge, crossing to the opposite riverbank. She pointed forward:
"After one more intersection, there's the shopping district, have you been there before, Rhode?"
Rhode shook his head, "Not yet, my activities have mainly been across the river, buying things at shops near the guild."
"Oh? You've been here for almost a month, haven't you wandered around town?" Mira asked, "Then what do you do after work?"
"Training physical fitness, practicing magic, meditating, reading, looking at magazines..."
Rhode thought for a moment, realizing that everything he's been doing these days is for survival and better survival.
The only leisure activity could be listening to a phonograph while doing laundry.
Even reading magazines is for understanding the world, collecting information.
Mira asked, "Don't you find it tiring?"
"It's okay, learning magic is quite interesting itself." Rhode said,
"And only through hard training can I feel a bit more secure… and have the ability to repay that large debt."
"Ah~ the debt issue does give headaches." Mira said, "But don't stress too much, the president rarely runs low on money."
"The more so, the more I want to repay it quickly. The president has taken care of me so much." Rhode felt helpless, often the pressure came from his conscience.
That seems to count as internal friction.
Mira smiled without speaking, the president regards Rhode and other members as his own children.
But Rhode seems unaware of this yet, or perhaps hasn't adjusted to it.
"Get out of the way! Don't block the path!"
The two entered the shopping street chatting, and had barely walked a few steps when someone rushed towards them.
"Everyone move aside! Don't meddle in my affairs!"
The person was holding a woman's handbag in one hand and brandishing a short knife to threaten others to clear the way.
People behind were shouting phrases like 'catch him' and 'bag-snatcher'.
Seeing the person approaching, Mira's beautiful brows slightly furrowed, raised an arm, and shielded Rhode behind her.
Rhode: ???
Hey, you said you weren't good at fighting, why are you protecting me?