Lepre, whom they had met before, appeared in front of everyone again, carrying two small trays.
The veil on her face seemed to have water or oil stains, with a small, noticeable mark.
If you looked closely, you would find a wine glass on one side of the trays she was carrying, and a piece of roasted meat on the other side.
Lepre gently swung the trays to keep them balanced.
Yukino didn't notice this at first, and asked about the task instead: "How is it?"
Lepre calmly replied: "Found it."
"?" Yukino was a bit puzzled. What does she mean by 'found it'? Did she find Leo of the Leo Constellation?
Lepre said: "The message has also been delivered. Leo said he wants me to stay and join the banquet as well."
Everyone saw the items on the trays she carried – so this is how the scales tray was used, both eating and carrying?
No, that's not the point. Rhode asked in confusion: "Banquet?"
Knowing Lucy was missing, Loki still held a banquet? Have they met a fake Loki?
Lepre said: "It's a banquet hosted by the Star Spirit King, inviting Lucy Heartfilia and her friends to celebrate the safe return of an 'old friend'."
"..." Rhode took a sip of tea to calm his anger, thinking about the time difference between the Star Spirit Realm and the Human Realm, he felt he had guessed the truth.
Sure enough, Lepre continued: "So, the missing person you're looking for has actually been attending a banquet in the Star Spirit Realm, celebrating exuberantly."
The empty tea cup in Rhode's hand made a cracking sound, covered in cracks.
Great, just great.
After all these days of running around, lowering their salary to help solve the task, searching for people everywhere, posting the task, and even getting tricked with 'hostage' bait, they've been attending a banquet?
Truly wonderful.
Rhode wasn't angry at all.
Neither were the others.
Everyone laughed 'hahahaha', with just a bit of black aura occasionally emanating from them.
A bead of cold sweat rolled down Yukino's temple, instinctively wanting to step back, but her pride as a member of Sabertooth supported her to keep calm.
—Fairy Tail, so scary.
...
Turnera Treionafria Town, Pomelo Hotel.
Erza, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Wendy, Hapi, Carla, and Warm suddenly appeared in the room that had been continuous for a week.
By Rhode's request, no one had moved the luggage in the room, and the hole on the floor was still unrepaired.
The few who had just returned were somewhat out of it.
Wendy still found it kind of unbelievable, dazedly saying "A week's time has just passed like this?"
Natsu jumped up, shouting: "You're kidding us! That Star Spirit! We played for two hours at most!"
Gray also felt a headache: "But Loki and that guy with the big beard both said a day in the Star Spirit Realm is equivalent to three months in the Human Realm, two hours… isn't that a little over a week?"
Lucy clenched her fist towards Balrog, who had sent them back, and questioned: "Why didn't you tell us beforehand!"
"Forgot." Balrog very straightforwardly admitted the mistake, then took a washboard from her skirt to kneel on, and pressed three bricks against her legs, "Princess, please punish me."
Lucy angrily said: "What's the use of punishment? Give me back my time!"
Balrog nodded earnestly: "If that's the case, please give me a harsher punishment."
Lucy just wanted to cry now.
All because of this unreliable Star Spirit suddenly drilling out from underground, telling her the Star Spirit Realm was facing a major crisis, asking them to go help.
In the end, they discovered that it was a celebratory banquet prepared for them by all the Star Spirits Lucy had contracted with and the Star Spirit King.
Upon hearing 'banquet', Natsu, Gray, and Hapi decisively joined without a second thought, and Warm also lost herself seeing so much food on the table.
Lucy, Wendy and Carla asked a few more questions but chose to follow the crowd.
Erza considered the task a bit more, but thought after a brief reflection that a banquet wouldn't take much time.
Having a lively few hours and then seeing the client would be just fine, how could they turn down the goodwill of these friends in the Star Spirit Realm?
Everyone ate and drank heartily, experiencing the unique delicacies and wines of the Star Spirit Realm, and before they knew it, two hours had passed.
Then suddenly three Star Spirits came looking for them, seeming pressed for time.
Loki introduced them as the Star Spirits of the Libra and Pisces constellations.
Just as they were about to properly greet and get to know these new friends, Libra solemnly said she was entrusted to deliver a message to Leo.
Lucy, who listened to the Star Spirit exchange the whole time, initially felt a bit tense – 'Someone in the guild is missing?'
Then she immediately relaxed – 'Turns out it's us who were missing.'
After Leo and Lepre finished their exchange, Lucy realized the seriousness of the problem afterwards – 'Seven days!'
If it were usual times, it might be better, but they were still amidst their task!
The group urgently called Balrog to bring them back, but there was no way to solve the problem instantly even upon returning.
Carla brought up the task first: "What happens if we don't see the client after the deadline?"
Hapi drooped his ears: "Aye, delaying this long, the client will definitely scold us, maybe even directly considering the task a failure."
Even Erza couldn't help but lean against the wall, clench her fist, and lament: "I made such a mistake!"
Warm didn't understand why they were so upset. An hour or a week, it's more or less the same; why not stay in the Star Spirit Realm a bit longer to eat more?
Then Wendy hugged it—originally intending to hug Carla—but now, feeling uneasy, she grabbed the wrong target: "What should we do now, Erza?"
"We'll just have to bite the bullet and apologize to the client first, and contact the Guild too. At worst, we'll complete the task properly this time and forgo the reward."
Erza is indeed reliable, her approach to solving problems is somewhat like Rhode's.
She immediately thought of maintaining the Guild's reputation. Even if it means working for free, she was willing to do it for this reason.
"My rent..."
"My living expenses..."
Everyone uttered dejectedly, but no one blamed the Star Spirits.
Although the Star Spirits forgot to remind them about the time, they were, after all, inviting them over as guests with good intentions.
Since things have come to this, they could only try their best to make amends.
Just as they were about to set off, a blue flash lit up in Lucy's room, and out stepped a familiar figure.
"Rhode?" Erza almost drew her sword when she sensed the magic power, "Why are you here?"
"Do you wonder why the Star Spirits sent a message to Loki?" Rhode looked at his 'long-lost' companions with a forced smile, "Of course, it's because some idiots disappeared without a trace..."
Only now, without time to think, she realized the companions must have tried to find a Star Spirit Mage to help send a message?
And for Rhode to appear here, it means he must have spent time investigating... and perhaps others did something for them as well.
The bit of presence that Erza had taken out as a precaution vanished, and everyone else guiltily avoided eye contact with him: "Sorry, we caused you trouble."
"It's alright, it's alright, I just helped appease the client's emotions for you and incidentally completed the task at a discount. Just helped you apologize to the hotel, which had delayed rent and maintenance fees, that's all..."
With each sentence Rhode spoke, everyone bent forward a bit more.
Thinking about how they were enjoying themselves while their companions were busy finding people and dealing with issues for them, they all bent their bodies into acute angles.
Rhode savored his words, and finally sighed: "Forget it, forget it, let's get back to the Guild first. Everyone stand over here."
The group obediently stood beside Rhode.
Rhode drew a blue circle with his finger, enclosing them all.
Hapi was a bit curious: "What's this?"
"Ah!"
"Wow!"
The next second, everyone turned into blue light balls amid exclamations, passing through houses, forests, and mountains, reaching the Guild rooftop within seconds.
Rhode and Warm felt nothing unusual, but for those experiencing it for the first time...
Natsu was already covering his mouth with bulging cheeks, lying on the ground; Hapi and Carla staggered a few steps before banging their heads together and collapsing.
"..." Lucy covered her mouth, bent over as she felt an overwhelming urge to comment, but feared she'd actually throw up if she opened her mouth, waves of dizziness constantly assailing her mind.
Gray turned pale, couldn't help but clutch the pillar of the nearby clock.
"So uncomfortable, so uncomfortable..." Wendy's eyes turned into spiral shapes, sitting on the ground unable to move, completely forgetting she had magic to dispel abnormal states.
Erza was comparatively tough; swaying a little, she forced herself to compliment Rhode: "Is this... uh... Space Magic? Amazing."
Rhode smiled: "It's alright, I just used the party time others spent to learn magic."
"..." Erza had no rebuttal; she rubbed her forehead, confirming the discomfort had slightly faded, and casually changed the topic, "Let's head down quickly."
Rhode nodded: "Good idea, but I forgot something."
Erza asked puzzledly: "What?"
Rhode showed an 'apologetic' smile: "In the rush to come back, I left your luggage at the hotel, so we need to go get it again."
Erza's face changed: "I think..."
A somewhat recovered Gray hastily shouted: "We can go ourselves!"
Lucy also grimaced: "No, please!"
"I have no luggage there!"
Natsu: "Waaa..."
Rhode laughed: "Too late!"
The blue light enveloped everyone again, and a few seconds later, they found themselves lying in the room of the Pomelo Hotel.
"So uncomfortable..."
"Is it the Celestial Kingdom yet?"
"Ugh..."
After a moment, they sluggishly recovered, prompted by Rhode to retrieve their luggage.
However, seeing Rhode's circle drawing again, they suddenly realized they should have escaped while they had the chance just now!
Why did they obediently come back after getting their luggage?!
It must have been the two round trips that muddled their brains!
"Ahhh..." The belatedly realizing group was once again enveloped in light, forced to experience the enhanced thrill of a combination of roller coaster, giant swing, and drop tower.
Seconds later, they were once again sprawled on the Guild's rooftop.
But things weren't over; that demon-like voice sounded once again: "Sorry, I forgot something else again; the hotel room is still unchecked out, mind coming with me again?"
"Help!!!!!!!!!"
The blue light flickered, and the loud cries for help echoed through Magnolia, only to be abruptly halted.