Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 328: Something happened in the guild

Carla stirred from sleep before dawn. No... the timing felt right, but she couldn't breathe properly. Something soft and warm had her buried. She squirmed upward and squeezed her way through a gap between "mountains", only to find herself face to face with Mira's peaceful sleeping expression, and behind her, the equally unfortunate, though adorable Wendy.

Carla placed a paw on the "mountains" out of habit. Instinctive feline behavior.

She quickly pulled her paw back.

Wendy would probably be devastated again. Carla understood the girl's insecurities, but there wasn't anything she could do to fix it.

The best she could offer was to get up and cook a nutritious breakfast. Wendy was still young, there was hope.

Carla quietly slipped off the bed.

Mira, still half-asleep, sensed the movement and hummed softly, pulling her "pillow" tighter into her arms.

Now Wendy was the one being smothered.

Carla shook her head and left them be. Honestly... being hugged like that wasn't so bad.

Outside, Carla heard a rhythmic voice counting, "57, 58, 59..."

She peeked around the corner. Rhodes was doing push-ups—with Warm perched squarely on his back.

"Hulu~" Warm greeted her with a wobbly wag and slobbery grin.

"Morning," Carla replied, arching a brow. "Still sticking to that ridiculous routine?"

She remembered Rhodes and that exhibitionist Gray doing morning workouts like clockwork whenever they stayed over.

"Morning... the most important thing is... persistence..." Rhodes grunted out, pausing briefly between reps.

Carla noticed Warm's eager expression and quickly retreated before she could be licked again.

Breakfast time came. Everyone sat down at the table, but Wendy was noticeably quiet, her eyes downcast.

Rhodes glanced at her. "Didn't sleep well, Wendy?"

"No! I mean, yes—I mean, I slept fine!" she stammered.

In truth, she'd slept better than ever. It was warm and safe, like being held by her mother.

The problem was waking up to Mira using her like a body pillow.

Mira gently patted her head. "Sorry about that. I'm used to hugging pillows when I sleep. I didn't mean to smother you."

Hissss...

Rhodes practically sparkled with envy. 'To be used as Mira's pillow? Bliss.'

Without a word, Mira grabbed a fried egg and stuffed it into his mouth.

His face made it obvious what he was thinking. She'd hugged him plenty of times before. Why was he jealous now?

Rhodes munched with a groan of appreciation. Sure, she had hugged him... but not in her sleep... Hmm?

Now that he thought about it, hadn't she helped him sleep with her magic twice before? Had she ever done anything else while he was out?

Did he... miss his chance?

"No, really, it's okay, Big Sis Mira!" Wendy blurted out, trying to steer the conversation away from her humiliation. "Do you have any plans for today?"

"This is my first time staying at the Cait Shelter," Mira said, looking around with curiosity. "I'd love to explore a bit before heading back tomorrow. But I hope I'm not imposing..."

"Not at all!" Wendy beamed with joy. "I'll give you a full tour, Big Sis Mira! Oh, and the clothes here, especially the ones made by Pepel are really pretty. Do you want to try some on?"

"Can I?" Mira asked, her eyes lighting up.

"Of course!"

Mira was genuinely excited. Last year, Rhodes had given her a set of clothes from this very place as a souvenir. She only got to wear them once before the seasons changed. This year... she'd been thinking about altering them, but if she could find a perfectly fitting set right here, even better.

Naturally, Rhodes tagged along.

He wasn't allowed in the dressing area, of course, but he stood by ready to give his input. His fashion opinions mattered, at least in Mira's eyes and Rhodes basked in that small honor.

Sadly, the fun didn't last.

Just as they were about to begin what Rhodes privately dubbed "Project Mira Dress-Up," someone called out.

"Mr. Rhodes, Miss Mira, Master Roubaul wishes to see you."

It was Magna, a young man from the Nirvit tribe whom Rhodes had met before.

"Master Roubaul?" Rhodes asked.

Magna nodded solemnly. "Yes. He said it's urgent. Please come at once."

"Understood. We'll head over immediately."

Mira gently set down the outfit she had been admiring. She straightened the elegant purple dress she was wearing and adjusted the ornate golden necklace around her neck.

Before they left, Rhodes helped align the necklace properly, and Mira returned the gesture by neatening Rhodes' collar.

Wendy and Carla, worried about what might've happened, trailed along with them.

"Master Roubaul, sorry to bother you," Mira said respectfully as they entered the main hall.

They had skipped greeting him the day before at Wendy and Carla's suggestion. Now Mira wondered if that had been impolite after all. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

Roubaul was seated cross-legged on a slightly raised cushion, the aged tribal leader emanating a relaxed, if eccentric, air.

"Fools," he grunted in greeting.

"Huh?" Mira blinked in confusion.

Rhodes leaned in and whispered, "It's just something he always says. I think it's a quirk."

Mira nodded slowly, unsure but trusting him.

"I assume you called us because something urgent has come up?" she asked, gently cutting to the point.

Roubaul waved a hand. "Not from me. Your guild wants to talk to you. Fools."

Rhodes and Mira stiffened.

A direct contact from Fairy Tail, especially through long-range magical communication usually meant one of two things: something serious had happened in the guild, or a nearby companion was in danger and needed immediate help.

Roubaul pointed toward the large, curtain-draped tent at the rear of the hall.

"Magic communication crystal. Inside. Go."

Rhodes and Mira bowed respectfully and made their way behind the curtain.

Wendy couldn't help but ask softly, "Master... what happened to Fairy Tail?"

Roubaul shook his head slowly. "No idea. If you're that worried, go see for yourself. Fool."

Wendy took a hesitant step forward... but then stopped.

Even though she cared deeply, she wasn't an official member of Fairy Tail. It would feel wrong to insert herself into something that might be private guild business.

The communication crystal inside the Cait Shelter was enormous, nearly as tall as Rhodes himself. It was far larger than the compact crystals used back at the Fairy Tail guildhall.

But Rhodes knew size didn't always mean advancement. In recent years, the Magic Development Bureau had been pushing for miniaturization and portability.

Still, that wasn't important right now.

What was important was the face that appeared in the crystal.

Erza.

"I'm sorry, Mira. I'm sorry, Rhodes," Erza said the moment the connection stabilized, her expression grave.

Rhodes and Mira exchanged a worried glance.

"What's going on?" Rhodes asked.

Erza lowered her head, fists clenched at her sides. "I was too careless. I told Master Makarov I would look after the guild while you were gone, but... I failed."

Her voice trembled, not from fear, but from guilt.

This wasn't the usual self-blame Erza sometimes carried over trivial things. This was heavier. Sharper.

"Don't put all the weight on yourself," Mira said gently. "There are so many hotheads in the guild... you can't control every one of them by yourself."

But Erza shook her head and cut her off. "It's not that kind of mistake. It started the night you left. Natsu, he had Happy steal an S-Class request from the second floor."

"What?!" Rhode's eyes widened. Even for Natsu... that was insane.

That kind of act could get you expelled from the guild.

His immediate instinct was concern: "Is Natsu okay? Is he in danger?"

"No, he's safe," Erza said. "Gray and I chased him down, and we ended up completing the mission together. But when we returned..."

She paused. Her voice broke slightly.

"...the guild had been destroyed."

"What?!"

Mira gasped and covered her mouth in shock. Rhodes felt his head buzz as if someone had clapped their hands right beside his ears.

Destroyed?

This wasn't just some internal mess. Judging by Erza's expression, it wasn't an accident or a brawl gone too far.

This was an attack.

Rhode's voice was low but urgent. "Who did this?!"