Lisana, Rhode's sister-in-law, is a serious person, unlike Lucy.
So they only have normal interactions, without any unexpected or inappropriate benefits.
The same goes for when they are alone; she's just a lively little sister.
To regain her reputation, Lisana handled everything herself today, from buying groceries onwards, determined to show off her cooking skills to her brother-in-law.
From the looks of it, Rhode enjoyed the meal.
Lisana put her hands on her hips, happy for a moment, but soon after, wondered if she had been tricked.
"Brother-in-law, you said that on purpose to trick me into cooking, didn't you?"
"How could I? I don't have such a cunning mind."
"But they say you're the Fairy Tail Strategist."
"A strategist's job is to deal with enemies, not to play tricks on their own family."
"But I heard you and Sister Mira tricked Lucy together many times."
"That's because tricking Lucy is more entertaining."
"…" Lisana put down her chopsticks and looked at Rhode, appearing as if she had something to say but hesitated.
Rhode paused with his chopsticks in mid-air: "Just say what's on your mind."
"Sister Mira once said that occasionally tricking me is quite fun."
Rhode: "…"
Would my wife actually say something that outrageous to her little sister?
It's possible.
"I swear on Hapi's wings, I did not deceive you."
"Oh." Lisana picked her chopsticks back up, sighed, and said, "So, brother-in-law really thinks my cooking is bad."
"…" How did the conversation loop back to this? This sister-in-law isn't as gullible as Lucy or as easy to coax as Wendy.
Rhode said earnestly, "I'll wash all the dishes today so you don't have to help!"
"It's a deal!" Lisana cheered up, but after just a few more bites, she turned to Rhode again,
"In our family, whoever doesn't cook is supposed to do the dishes, right…"
Correct.
Mr. Rhode failed in changing the concept and decided to shift the topic: "Warm, eat a little slower; Lisana hasn't tried that dish yet."
"Huh?" Warm looked puzzled while holding a spoon with its little claws.
"You'll be my dishcloth for a while as punishment."
"Purr?!!"
"Don't bully Warm!"
The usual family of five was now just the two of them and Warm, so causing a bit of a scene didn't seem so lonely.
But they didn't eat any less.
…
Mira, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla returned safely three days later; it was really just an ordinary task this time.
Mira said that before they came back, they went to a hot spring together and it was very relaxing.
Rhode complained that she went to the hot spring without her husband.
Next time together.
Then a month passed quickly, during which everything was calm; no one came to provoke them, no great disaster occurred, and no Star Spirits were causing trouble.
The previous incident seemed completely behind them, as no Star Spirit Mage had encountered any danger in the past month.
Occasionally, there were reports of certain guilds having Mages who coincidentally obtained powerful Silver Keys and were making a name for themselves.
Rhode asked Lucy to inquire with her Star Spirits and learned that those were normal Silver Keys without any issues.
The Mages were also following standard procedures to sign contracts with the Star Spirits, with nothing suspicious.
This month, Erza and Mira received several challenges, and the result was... Both of them reminisced fondly about the joys of beating up their companions when they were younger.
Of course, Rhode was also forced to take on Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and Li Li—unlike Hapi, the little black cat also had a dream of growing stronger and joining competitions.
According to Elfman, Laxus was also challenged, but half of them were intercepted by the Thunder God Tribe known as Laxus's Personal Guard.
The other half were initiated by the Thunder God Tribe themselves.
Except for Elfman, they weren't after the position, but rather, as the Personal Guard, they were unwilling to always stand behind Laxus and be protected by him.
The result of the challenges was unquestionable, which made Mira happy: "Were you enlisted into the Thunder God Tribe?"
Elfman retorted, "I never agreed; I just occasionally team up with them."
"Elfman, uh…" Rhode said meaningfully:
"I've learned the common language, and occasionally means infrequently. It doesn't mean 26 days a month with the Thunder God Tribe and the other 4 days with Ibarglin."
"I…" Elfman tried hard to argue, "I'm doing it for training! Recently we've greatly improved our strength…"
"Yes, yes."
The whole guild is aware of your situation.
Mira smilingly patted Elfman on the… arm, her little brother's frame was getting so big that patting him on the shoulder was a challenge.
Just then, a mailman came running in: "Mr. Rhode, there's a letter for you, please sign here."
"Oh, thank you." Rhode checked that the wax seal was intact, signed his name with a pen, and said, "Would you like a cup of water before you go?"
The mailman thanked him, "No thanks, I have many more letters to deliver."
Rhode did not insist, watched him leave, and then opened the letter.
"To the Honorable Duke Rhode:
Your people send you their highest regards, may the grace of the gods be with you…"
"Hiss~ Who is this, being so polite?"
Rhode glanced at the signature: "Written by the manager of a small town under your jurisdiction, Stuen, X791, May 24th."
Stuen seems to be the name of the town chief of the central town in his domain…
"Is the town chief always this humble?"
Mira curiously asked, "What?"
Rhode handed her the letter.
"It seems like a normal letter format, writing to a noble usually goes like this." Mira glanced at the beginning and end, then returned it to him, saying, "In more exaggerated cases, they might even refer to themselves as 'your loyal servant.'"
"Oh, the sinister nobility, what if one day somebody comes to resist my oppression…."
Mira chuckled, "Since when have you oppressed anyone, Duke?"
Rhode replied, "I haven't started my immoral noble life yet."
"How immoral is it?" Mira thought for a moment, tilted her head, and asked, "I've heard that a duke can have a subject's bride's 'right of the first night,' is it that immoral?"
Rhode gave her a helpless look: "… Where did you hear about that, it was abolished many years ago, wasn't it?"
"I heard it from Lucy while telling bedtime stories one night..."
Lucy can definitely be described as well-read, and only Reby surpasses her in reading volume in the guild.
Along with secretly researching for her novel, Lucy can effortlessly narrate various ancient stories, occasionally sharing them with her recent 'bedmates.'
"I'll deal with her later; she's telling my wife this sort of thing."
"Don't change the subject, you seem to know more about the 'right of the first night' than I do."
"I learned some legal clauses while studying common knowledge…"
Moreover, for some reason, this kind of knowledge is more memorable than other things.