Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 357: Accidentally Helping the Master Make a Decision

Saying "a hundred years" was easy.

In reality, both Rhodes and Mira were starving, so they had no choice but to pause the moment and find something to eat.

As they walked, Rhodes noticed something else. Mira's hair wasn't quite the same as before. It seemed rougher, likely damaged during the battle.

She had already trimmed off the scorched ends herself, but it left the overall look a bit uneven, less natural than usual.

'Did I hit Jose too hard...?'

Rhodes made a mental note to ask one of Lucy's Celestial Spirit to help Mira take care of it and trim it properly.

After they finished eating, they ordered the last of the supplies: paint. On the way back to the guild, they also stopped at several of the stores that had been damaged during the battle to apologize and offer compensation.

To their surprise, the shopkeepers were extremely understanding. They told them not to worry about paying right away and even asked if Fairy Tail needed help with rebuilding or how the injured members were doing.

Fairy Tail's reputation in Magnolia was still strong, built on years of bonds, protection, and good faith.

Rhodes and Mira gratefully left compensation behind anyway, refusing to take their kindness for granted.

Rhodes could have paid the full amount on his own. He had more than enough, and the guild would reimburse him soon anyway. But Mira insisted on covering half.

It clearly meant something to her.

By the time they returned to the guild, the temporary construction site was already in full swing. Everyone had fallen into their roles and was working with purpose. No one was standing idle.

The most eye-catching figure, of course, was Master Makarov. The 88-year-old guild master was bursting with energy.

He used Titan Magic to enlarge himself and moved through the ruins with incredible efficiency.

While others needed multiple trips with wheelbarrows to carry sand or debris, Makarov simply bent down and scooped it up by the handful.

Erza, too, was working hard. She had naturally assumed the role of foreman. Wearing a construction uniform and a bright yellow safety helmet, she not only worked alongside the others but directed them with her usual sharp focus.

Cana, having been held back for days under investigation, seemed to be letting loose. The moment she was cleared, she drank half a barrel of wine in celebration and didn't sober up until noon. But once she got to work, she was a beast—outpacing even the guys.

Jet, Droy, and Macao couldn't keep up. The combined effort of the three still fell short of Cana's output.

Frustrated, Jet activated his magic, just to keep pace while pushing a loaded cart.

Naturally, Elfman was in full "This is man's work!" mode, loudly challenging Natsu, Gray, and anyone within arm's reach to a construction duel.

Loke had worked through the morning and lasted a few more hours into the afternoon. But as soon as he saw Rhodes and Mira return, he politely greeted Erza and asked to leave.

Gray, balancing a wooden beam on his shoulder, raised an eyebrow. "You're not trying to slack off and sneak out on a date, are you?"

He turned sharply, suddenly sensing something.

But there was nothing there.

Gray had been feeling lately like someone was watching him. A faint presence, always just out of sight.

Normally, Loke would have fired back with a flirtatious quip, but this time he looked distracted. "No slacking. I just... haven't been feeling well."

"Your injuries still bothering you?" Erza asked, concerned.

"If that's the case, take a proper rest. We've got things covered here."

Gray nodded, seeing the color drained from Loke's face. "Go see Granny Porlyusica. If it's something deeper, she'll know."

Loke smiled weakly and promised to go. Then he turned and left, walking faster than usual.

Lucy stood nearby, watching his back with a strange expression.

Mira had only just gotten back but immediately noticed her friend's gaze. "Hmm... could it be that Lucy was just dumped by Loke?"

"There was an affair! Tsk tsk tsk!" came the ever-chiming Happy, swooping in with a wink.

"No!" Lucy blurted out loudly, then added with some concern, "I just feel like something's off with Loke. Didn't you notice, Miss Mira? Or you, Mr. Rhodes? I've had this feeling for a while now, I just don't know how to explain it."

The more she spoke, the more it sounded like she had feelings for him.

But clearly, that wasn't what Lucy meant.

"Maybe he's troubled about something," Rhodes replied, his tone thoughtful but neutral. He hadn't noticed anything unusual himself, so he could only assess it logically.

"Could be guilt about not protecting the guild, or maybe he's worried that his many girlfriends are mad at him after the whole week of interrogation."

He did think Loke looked physically worn out lately.

After a moment of thought, Rhodes added, "Let's keep an eye on him. If he still looks off in a few days, we'll tie him up and take him straight to Granny Porlyusica."

"I'll handle it!" Mira volunteered cheerfully.

"No, no, no—" Lucy frantically waved her hands. "If Miss Mira ties him up, he might not survive the trip to Granny Porlyusica!"

Just then, Lucy pointed across the lot, her voice returning to normal. "Sister Mira, someone delivered another batch of lumber. That pile over there. Also, this stack here, I sorted and stacked it myself. And that one's from the demolition, still reusable."

"Thank you for your hard work. I'll count everything right away," Mira replied warmly, then turned to Rhodes. "Could I see the materials list?"

Rhodes nodded and handed it over, but then looked over at Laki, who was covered in sweat from the day's work.

"Need a quick recharge?" he offered kindly. "I can help restore some of your magic."

Laki crossed her arms protectively in front of her chest. "No thanks! You're just trying to squeeze every last drop of value out of me! I want to rest... with a clear conscience."

"That's not quite how surplus value works," Rhodes replied, a bit amused. "And 'resting with a clear conscience' doesn't really match the economic metaphor."

Unconsciously, he found himself correcting people's word choices more often lately.

Laki gave him a look. "Instead of nitpicking my phrasing, why not put that big brain of yours to solving our real problems, Mr. Strategistr?"

"Real problems? Like what?"

"Rent," Laki said plainly, raising a finger. "It's the end of the month, and a bunch of people still haven't found a way to pay for next month's rent."

She looked out toward the camp. "Sure, everyone's full of passion right now, working hard to rebuild the guild. But if this keeps up, we'll be homeless next month, and won't even be able to feed ourselves."

Rhodes nodded. "Yeah... that's a real issue."

It was now July 29. The Council's review had dragged on for over a week, and if they hadn't provided meals during that time, some guild members might have starved.

Suddenly, Lucy clutched her head in panic. "Oh no! My rent! I completely forgot about it!"

She quickly started counting on her fingers. It had been nearly a month since she joined the guild.

She'd taken on a few challenging missions in that time, but only managed to earn two Gold Keys—precious, yes, but not something you could trade for cash.

When she thought about it more carefully, she realized that those missions had nearly cost her her life, and yet she didn't make a single jewel. In fact, she had spent money on travel and supplies.

The only actual income she'd made was from those "custom-fit" jobs that Rhodes had set up for her and the others. But even from those, she had only received 50,000 J.

And after deducting daily expenses...

Lucy looked like she was about to cry. "Mr. Rhodes, help me!"

The daughter of Fiore's most powerful industrial family, the heiress of Heartfilia Konzern, was actually struggling to pay her 70,000 J monthly rent.

But Lucy's plea wasn't fake or theatrical. It was honest, sweet, and a little silly.

This was the Lucy everyone wanted to protect. Not as the heiress, but as a true companion.

Rhodes scratched his head. "Let me think..."

After a moment, he offered a suggestion. "I can talk to Master Makarov and see if we can temporarily pay everyone like regular workers. But the guild's finances are tight right now. We'll need to wait for the Council to approve funding before we can actually give out any payments."

"That could take forever," Lucy sighed. "I heard the Council's reimbursement procedures are a nightmare."

"Then we'll have to prioritize jobs for anyone who's short on cash," Rhodes said, already slipping into problem-solving mode. He pointed toward the middle of the construction site. "Let's clean up that area and set up a temporary job request counter."

Then he turned to Laki. "Can you whip up a simple bulletin board when you have time? We'll create a shift schedule too, so people can rotate." freewёbnoνel.com

"These next few days, there'll probably be clients sending job requests by mail," he continued. "I'll sort through them and post the urgent ones first..."

Rhodes tapped his forehead lightly. "And then I'll ask Master for final approval."