Rhode explained: "This is a type of space magic, maybe it should be considered subspace magic. With this magic array, I can 'fly' back from a faraway place."
Mira squatted down to examine the complex magic array on the ground, and asked: "So convenient? Can we fly directly to the Bosco Kingdom tomorrow then?"
Rhode shook his head: "That requires me to first go over there and draw a similar magic array."
Unless necessary, he wasn't very keen on doing that, recklessly drawing teleportation arrays in unfamiliar places without any view, flying over might easily lead to being ganked.
"Oh~" Mira seemed a little disappointed.
Rhode comforted her: "The experience of using this thing isn't great, if you want to try, I'll take you in a few days."
Mira tilted her head: "Can't we do it now?"
"There are more important things to do now."
"What?"
Rhode lifted Mira up amidst her exclamation and laughed: "Your towel is loose, let me loosen it some more."
"You..." Mira symbolically shook her legs, "Don't we have to get up early tomorrow?"
Rhode put her down, found a round object underneath the towel, and grinned mischievously: "Then you better try harder, so we can finish up and go to sleep sooner."
"Mm... turn off the lights, and... quieter."
"Shouldn't you be quieter?"
"..."
The next morning, Rhode followed Makarov to rent a small flying ship.
He heard it's called the MGⅢ High-Speed Passenger Ship, about ten meters long and over three meters high, brown, and overall spindle-shaped.
Not sure what the designer was thinking, it really looks like a small fishing boat.
Surprisingly, when this thing is rented, they still check if you have a driver's license, if not, you must hire a pilot.
Obviously, neither Makarov nor Rhode had one, so they had to hire someone.
After confirming the two were seated steadily, the pilot illuminated a magic array beneath the small ship to lift it up, then the ship's stern nozzle flickered with a magical glow, and the small ship whooshed away.
The cabin inside wasn't spacious nor cramped.
Rhode yawned and fell asleep.
Makarov watched the landscape below swiftly retreating for a while, wanting to chat with Rhode, only to turn and see him sleeping with his mouth slightly open.
"..." The young man's sleep quality is so good, it's enviable.
You can't feel time passing while sleeping, Rhode had just dreamt of smacking around Ten Wizard Saints when Makarov nudged him awake.
"Wipe your drool, we're almost there."
"Oh." Rhode wiped his mouth and looked out the window.
The exotic scenery... doesn't seem much different.
Probably because Fiore's architectural style is too mixed, you always see familiar buildings abroad.
Rhode questioned a bit puzzled: "Now that entering a country with a flying ship is so easy, isn't the Bosco Kingdom worried about invasions?"
The pilot explained: "Because we Fiore are a neutral country. Aboard ships capable of cross-border flying there are special magic crystals that send unique signals to nearby watchtowers when crossing the border."
Oh... there are special identification codes.
Meaning illegal entry could be attacked.
Among the hills and woods, Rhode saw a tower with a dark red tip, with gray stone beneath it.
As they got closer, Rhode discovered there were four identical towers distributed around the main structure.
The center seemed like a castle—more befitting for a vampire.
The ship landed at the square in front of the castle, two medium-sized ships were already there, one of them slightly familiar in shape.
It's the same style as the flying ship from Lamia Scale he saw a few days ago, but much smaller, judging by the marks on it, it should be another ship of Lamia Scale.
Is everybody in other guilds so wealthy? If Fairy Tail doesn't count 'inheritance', they don't even have one flying ship, yet Lamia has at least two.
Makarov and Rhode disembarked.
The pilot left immediately after, it was agreed beforehand it's a one-way trip, he planned to see if there's any business nearby. People from Fiore are still quite popular here.
'Dagulos Mountain Resort Hotel'
Rhode felt like he had something to say when he saw this sign, this castle-like hotel couldn't be owned by Hayberion, right?
Wasn't he mainly active in the Pegrandi Kingdom?
"Hurry up, I heard they have hot springs and great wine here." Makarov urged.
Rhode followed him into the castle, greeted immediately by a tree.
No, it was a person.
"Vorod Sinker! No… Mr. Vorod." Makarov said the name of their counterpart somewhat excitedly.
Though he is a senior in the guild, he hadn't seen him much since growing up.
This is one of the guild's founders, absolutely a figure worthy of his respect.
Is he really Mr. Vorod? Rhode found it hard to match the tree-like person before him with the photos he had seen.
This great senior remained very low-key after retiring, to the point Rhode had never seen his photos in old age.
"Wahaha..." Vorod burst into laughter upon seeing the two entering, though his skin really looked like tree bark, he exuded a vibrant energy.
"You are here!"
If Rhode wasn't mistaken, he was spinning and floating around just now, expressing his happiness in every move.
Vorod laughed heartily: "You're Rhode, right? I've been wanting to meet you, I'm thrilled the guild has a promising young person like you!"
Such praise from a guild senior should have made Rhode very happy.
But he was patting Makarov's shoulder gently as he spoke.
"Um..." Rhode wondered how to remind him.
While Vorod looked at Makarov, continuing to laugh and say: "Hahaha, indeed just as young as I thought!"
"..." Rhode was at a loss for what to say, compared to him, the president is young, but…
It's awkward, if only he had brought Lucy along.
Makarov coughed: "Ahem, Mr. Vorod, I'm Makarov, he's Rhode."
"Just joking, just joking!" Vorod opened his arms, spun around, happily turning to Rhode, "Wahaha, I certainly know you're Makarov, you've grown a lot!"
This time he was patting Rhode's shoulder.
Makarov: "..."
Rhode: "..."
Seeing these two silent young men before him, Vorod laughed to himself again: "Hahaha, just joking, just joking!"
It's confirmed, this person is definitely Fairy Tail's great senior.
"Alright, since you're new here, I'll take you to the lounge where you can soak in wine and enjoy hot springs."
Understand, it's another joke.
Rhode really wanted to summon a Marine Sub-Dragon to chat with him now.