When he woke up early that morning, the first thing Rhodes did was turn his head to the right.
Beside his pillow lay another one, perfectly paired, though Mira had adjusted the stuffing herself, making it slightly lower than his.
She was lying quietly on her back. Her long white hair was loosely braided into two plaits that spilled over the quilt. One hand rested near her ear, the other tucked beneath the covers.
Ever since her belly had begun to show, Mira's sleeping posture had improved dramatically. Compared to her previous "eighteen grappling techniques," she now looked like a completely different person.
Rhodes wasn't sure whether this was maternal instinct at work, or simply the result of too many nights where she couldn't sleep and had no choice but to lie still until dawn.
He watched her for a while, then carefully sat up to get out of bed.
Mira's lips immediately pouted.
Rhodes leaned down and kissed her lightly.
"When did you wake up?"
"At the nineteenth second of you staring at me," she said calmly, without opening her eyes. Then she lifted one arm high, waiting for him to pull her up.
Rhodes laughed as he took her hand.
"That precise?"
Mira blinked, then smiled.
"Just kidding."
"You should've said you were watching my every move," Rhodes teased.
"That even in your dreams, you could feel my gaze, full of love."
Mira made a face.
"That's disgustingly cheesy."
Then she tilted her head, eyes sparkling.
"But if that's what my husband wants to hear, I can say it. Actually, I've always been paying close attention to your..."
Rhodes raised both hands instantly.
"Stop. I surrender."
"Then your punishment," she declared smugly, "is to carry me downstairs on your back."
"That's too dangerous," Rhodes said seriously.
"I'll carry you in my arms instead."
After washing up, the two went downstairs for breakfast.
Elfman and Lisanna were already finished, wearing identical blank expressions. After a brief greeting, they left together.
Recently, her sister and brother-in-law were always arriving late and leaving early, rarely sticking to normal hours. Lisanna, however, still had work to do and couldn't afford to wait around.
Besides… sometimes she felt like she simply couldn't stay in that house.
They really needed to ask someone at the guild, someone experienced: Is it normal for a couple married for almost a year, about to have a baby, to still act this lovey-dovey every single day?
The guild itself was no longer in its busiest period, so Rhodes and Mira being late didn't affect anything.
Everyone had grown used to it.
But today was different.
Makarov was standing right at the guild entrance.
The moment he saw Rhodes, he said,
"Come with me for a bit."
Rhodes frowned.
"Where to?"
"The Council."
Rhodes hesitated instinctively.
"Did you, I mean, what did they do this time?"
Makarov coughed awkwardly.
"Well… it's slightly related. But mainly, we're meeting someone."
"Alright."
Rhodes escorted Mira inside the guild, then left with the Master, riding the Crab.
Once they were outside the city, Rhodes summoned the Hextech Dragon.
The Council Headquarters was an international journey, flying would be much faster.
On the way, Makarov taught him a small spell.
More accurately, a key, a spell designed to undo memory erasure.
"Mest," Makarov said. "You remember him, right?"
"Of course."
"This is the key he left behind when he erased his own memories. Activate it, and his memories will return."
"So we're meeting an undercover agent," Rhodes said.
"Have you decided when to bring him back?"
Makarov sighed.
"I tried. Seven years ago. And again half a year ago."
Seven years ago, Mest had insisted on accomplishing something meaningful before returning.
Half a year ago, when his memories were restored and he learned what had happened to the Tenrou Team, he'd cried uncontrollably.
And then, after crying, he'd insisted on continuing his undercover work anyway.
He believed the guild needed his intelligence more than ever.
Makarov had no way to force someone like that.
Last month, when they needed information on Tartaros, Makarov contacted him again at Rhodes's request.
That only made Mest more determined to stay undercover, at least until Tartaros fell.
Makarov felt Mest had already done more than enough… but he couldn't persuade him.
So this time, he brought Rhodes along.
Partly to hand over the role of contact.
Partly to wash his hands of the whole mess.
As for Rhodes, he seriously considered having the Hextech Dragon accidentally drop the Master from midair.
He'd been promised more time off.
And now the Master was trying to pile more responsibility on him.
But since he was already here, he might as well see it through.
To avoid drawing attention, Rhodes had the Hextech Dragon land several kilometers away from the Council Headquarters.
They switched back to the Crab in the valley.
The Council Headquarters sat in the southern bay of the Pergrande Kingdom, mountains to the north and west, the sea to the south, flatlands to the east.
The southern port was packed with sailboats, steamships, and airships of all sizes.
Air and sea routes were the Enforcement Unit's main arteries; land travel was secondary.
Approaching from the west, they rounded the mountain's base, and the Council's imposing architecture came into view.
Apparently, their surveillance wasn't lacking.
The descent of the Hextech Dragon had already been spotted. Lahar had led a team out to investigate.
Rhodes clicked his tongue, eyeing the lavish structure in the distance.
"Is this new? It's almost grander than Fiore's royal palace. They're rich."
"It's a rebuild," Makarov replied.
"Funded by Pergrande after Ultear destroyed the old headquarters. It's been..."
BOOM!!!
The world exploded.
Before Rhodes and Makarov's eyes, the Council Headquarters detonated.
The top of the towering palace erupted in a deafening roar, as if it had been packed with explosives.
The central ten-story hall, along with the taller spires flanking it, flashed with fire in a single instant, followed by thick clouds of smoke.
The entire structure became a colossal firework launcher, hurling shattered stone in every direction.
A heartbeat later, the "launcher" itself failed.
Cracks raced downward. Walls collapsed unevenly.
The building began to crumble from top to bottom.
Every window shattered. Metal frames twisted outward, hanging uselessly from broken walls.
Chunks of stone flew straight out or arced through the air, raining down across the grounds.
The solemn statues before the gate were battered beyond recognition. Manicured hedges and lawns were reduced to wreckage.
The shockwave rolled across the nearby bay, sending ships bobbing violently against their anchors.
Lahar, who had just stepped outside, shouted for everyone to hit the ground the instant the blast sounded.
When they finally stood again, he and his subordinates could only stare in disbelief.
The Council…
Had been blown up.