"Why are you at work alone today? Aren't you usually with Mira?"
Kana noticed Rhode bustling about by himself, feeling a bit puzzled, "Did you have a fight with Mira?"
"What fight? We just got engaged two days ago."
"Huh? Oh... cough cough cough..." Kana almost spat out her sake, choking and coughing instead.
"Take it easy."
Kana patted her chest, her pretty figure bouncing around. She asked in surprise, "When did that happen?"
"The day after you left, we even had journalists come to interview us that day. In a few days, you might see photos of my proposal in a magazine."
Rhode suddenly felt that his timing for proposing was perfect.
Originally, this news might have only spread around Magnolia for a short time, but with all this fuss, their engagement would be known throughout the entire Fiore Kingdom and even the whole Ishujal Continent.
He would also get a magazine to keep as a souvenir, something to show his children and grandchildren someday.
Rhode laughed, finding it amusing that he was already envisioning a scene of being surrounded by his descendants.
Kana downed a glass of sake, "Damn it, I missed such a big event!"
Rhode added, "Oh, by the way, you probably don't know that Bisca confessed to Alzack, right?
Last night, Mira and many of the guild's girls had a sleepover party at the dorms, so she might be late today."
Kana coughed again. Had she been gone for two or three days, or two or three years? It felt like she missed so much.
The sun climbed higher as Mr. Cook came over to prep the ingredients. Rhode greeted him and mentioned the sake.
He also ordered two breakfasts, one for himself and one to put in a thermos lunchbox.
Cook nodded, indicating that as long as he paid, it was fine. After all, the sake is brewed to be sold.
After a while, people started coming in for breakfast, and Rhode was dashing around like a spinning top.
Even Kana was reluctantly pulled in to help, and Warm along with the smaller Beaked Birds were recruited as makeshift smart carts.
Although it was amusing to have a bunch of animals deliver the food, everyone was curious about where the waitresses had gone.
Rhode was curious too.
He was even considering whether the excuse of 'being anxious about his fiancée's safety and sneaking into the girls' dormitory' could hold up.
But after thinking it over, he remembered he could ask Kana to check it out.
"I should have done this earlier!" Kana tossed her tray onto the counter and headed out, clearly not keen on playing waitress.
Just then, Mira and six other waitresses burst into the guild, with Lucy in tow.
"Sorry we're late!"
"Sorry!"
They ran in, apologizing as they hurried to gather at the counter, looking apologetic toward Rhode.
"Everyone's late, there will be a deduction in wages," Rhode shook up as the store manager today.
Laki wasn't afraid of his threat, smiling as she asked, "Even Sister Mira's wages will be deducted?"
"All of them," Rhode glanced at Mira, grinning as he said, "but since I did all the work, the deducted amount will compensate me."
Anyway, our family won't lose out.
Mira smiled secretly, and Laki glared at him.
Rhode pointed at the busy Beaked Birds and Warm who was sneaking a snack, "Hurry up and work, or you'll all be out of jobs."
The crowd dispersed, with Kana leisurely sitting down to continue drinking, and Lucy dazedly turning around to walk a few steps, then returning to the counter to sit down, looking puzzled.
"Lucy, what are you doing?" asked Kana curiously.
Lucy covered her face, "I instinctively ran over with everyone, thinking I was late for work too."
"Hahaha..." Kana laughed aloud, "You're so clueless!"
Rhode finally felt at ease and inquired, "Why did you come so late?"
"It got a bit too wild last night, so we rushed over this morning." Lucy slumped on the counter again, "I should have gone home for a nap."
She was a bit worried that her place had been illegally broken into again.
"Rhode, table 6 needs two beers, and table 7 needs three," Mira returned some tableware and asked Rhode to help pour the drinks.
"There sure are a lot of people who like drinking in the morning." Rhode grabbed some glasses and poured the beer, but before Mira could leave, he quickly stopped her, "Wait a minute."
"What's up?"
"I'll take it over, you have something to eat first." Rhode took out the thermos lunchbox.
Mira was delighted but was about to leave again, "I'll eat after we finish here."
Rhode pressed her shoulders to make her sit down, "I've already said I'll replace you. If you don't listen, I'll feed you in public one bite at a time."
"That's so cheesy..." Mira muttered softly, opening the lunchbox.
Not wanting to keep being a waiter, Rhode was once again doing waiter's work.
Finally, after the busy morning, Rhode curiously asked Mira about the activities at their party yesterday.
"Just some card games, drinking, chatting, and a few... interesting games." Mira thought for a moment and winked at him, "Lucy had a super sexy..."
"Ah, no... don't say it!" Lucy interrupted, her face turning red, "Everyone was supposed to have one, supposed to... why was it only me?"
"Yes, why's that?" Mira covered her mouth, laughing secretly.
Seeing her expression, Rhode instantly knew that Mira either tricked Lucy into thinking there were certain rules at the sleepover, using the opportunity to tease her,
Or Mira and everyone teamed up to play a prank on Lucy.
Anyway, his cunning fiancée must have been one of the masterminds.
At least it was just girls yesterday, so Lucy didn't suffer too much. Certainly not as much as that time in the theater.
No, no, what theater, Rhode saw nothing in that theater.
Rhode said, "I'm more curious about the topics you chatted about, and those 'interesting games'."
Lucy perked up, "The most interesting part was the truth or dare session! Miss Mira, she..."
"No way! You can't listen!" Mira quickly covered Rhode's ears, in her panic, she even buried his head in her chest.
Rhode felt a serene calmness within, realizing that the topic didn't seem that important to hear after all.
Wait, he couldn't be swayed by a tender embrace, he should be more curious about what prompted such a strong reaction from Mira.
Rhode took a deep breath of energy, barely breaking free with his willpower, removing Mira's hands, "What exactly was said?"
"We asked Miss Mira... mmm mmm mmm..."
"It's all girl-talk, don't ask!" Mira jumped behind Lucy, covering her mouth and dragging her away.
"Mmm mmm mmm..." Poor Lucy couldn't resist Demon Mira and was dragged all the way outside the guild.
Rhode increasingly felt that Mira was a repeat offender.
...