Blue Pegasus was truly unlike any other guild, completely different from Fairy Tail, and even further from Mermaid Heel.
For an outsider, it was nearly impossible to tell whether someone entering was there to request a mission or simply to… enjoy themselves.
Because no matter who walked in, they were immediately greeted by an immaculate receptionist, always a handsome man or a beautiful woman.
By the time this flawless process of greeting, chatting, and serving drinks was complete, the task details were already discussed, and the client left in a perfectly good mood.
In this way, even before the job was finished, a glowing review was practically guaranteed.
Rhodes briefly considered whether this model could work back at Fairy Tail, then quickly dismissed the idea. If he copied it exactly, something disastrous would definitely happen.
"I'm back!" A youthful voice came from the entrance, Eve had returned from his mission.
His arrival immediately caused a commotion among the guild's ladies.
"Eve!"
"You've worked so hard! Are you hurt?"
"Why do you keep taking such dangerous jobs?"
A group of older women surrounded him in a flurry of concern, fussing over him like mother hens.
Eve handled it perfectly, smiling and addressing each of them as "Sister," even though several were clearly younger than him.
After calming the crowd, he spotted his respected mentor and rushed over. "Ichiya! The mission to drive away the giant flamingos has been successfully completed!"
"Excellent work, as expected of a Blue Pegasus wizard!" Ichiya declared proudly.
"It's all thanks to your guidance, Ichiya!"
"Then I have another task for you!"
"What is it?"
"To entertain our most important guests!"
"No problem, Ichiya!"
Rhodes quietly observed the pair striking poses mid-conversation. It was like watching a synchronized dance routine, two men communicating entirely through exaggerated gestures.
Even more incredible was that such stiff, ridiculous poses still managed to make the surrounding women scream and clap in delight.
Ichiya flicked his bangs with practiced flair, earning another wave of shrieks.
In the corner, a woman actually fanned herself, murmuring as if she might faint from sheer handsomeness.
Rhodes couldn't help doubting his own sense of aesthetics. 'Was Ichiya actually handsome?'
Vijiteer had once told him that he'd lost to Ichiya in a dance competition, completely defeated, both in popularity and in score.
Had Rhodes simply failed to perceive the unique, mystical charm hidden in every one of Ichiya's "MEN~" poses?
"So it's Mr. Rhodes and Miss Mirajane!" Eve smiled brightly. "Welcome to Blue Pegasus. How about I call you Sister too?"
Rhodes hooked an arm around Eve's neck with a grin. "Sure, but then you can call me Big Brother too."
"Ha… haha…" Eve laughed awkwardly. He was clearly better at dealing with women than with men.
After chatting for a bit, Ren approached holding a mission request. "Ichiya, please take a look at this."
"It's from the lady with the tangerine perfume who just left, right?" Ichiya asked. "What seems to be the issue?"
"Well, it's about a strange owl…"
Rhodes raised a hand. "Uh, should we maybe step aside?"
"No need. This isn't a confidential mission," Ren replied quickly, then, realizing how that sounded, turned her head away. "And I'm not asking you to stay either!"
"It's fine; this looks like an ordinary mission." Ichiya skimmed the paper with practiced ease. "It's about dealing with a strange owl that injured someone… it feels strangely familiar."
Ren nodded. "Yes, Ichiya, wasn't Eve's last mission also about a bird? A flamingo?"
Eve raised his hand. "That's right. The flamingo I fought had also attacked other mages."
"Hmm." Ichiya stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Another bird, huh? Maybe it's the season when bird monsters get irritable."
As soon as he said that, a low, magnetic voice echoed inside Rhodes's mind: 'Spring is here, nature awakens, and creatures seek to reproduce…'
Rhodes blinked. 'Really? That's your theory?'
Still, it was spring, though that hardly seemed like a reason for monsters to start acting up.
Nearby, Hibiki was already typing rapidly on his golden virtual keyboard, translucent screens flickering around him. A moment later, he looked up. "It's actually true. Many bird-type monsters have entered their breeding season recently."
Rhodes nearly choked on his drink. 'You've got to be kidding me. That's really it?'
Hibiki flicked another screen toward them. "During this time, owls may attack humans if their nesting grounds are disturbed. Monsters that resemble owls could be especially short-tempered."
Eve frowned. "But there weren't any nests near the flamingo I fought."
"Then it might have been searching for a new nesting site," Hibiki said. "Or maybe it became agitated after being separated from its flock. The two incidents might not be related."
Ren straightened. "Ichiya, let me handle this mission."
"MEN~" Ichiya's pose sparkled. "If it's an owl, Simon should go with you."
Jenny interjected, "But Simon went to Mermaid Heel this morning to visit his sister. Should we wait for him to return?"
Rhodes perked up at the mention. Those two siblings really were close. When he'd last been at Mermaid Heel, the sister had visited her brother, now it was the brother's turn.
Ren shook his head. "Let's not wait. It's better to handle monsters that harm people as quickly as possible."
Eve said, "Then I'll come with you. My snow magic works great on flying monsters."
"No, you just got back," Ren protested. He hesitated for a moment, then muttered, "Maybe I'll find a partner from another guild."
At that, laughter rippled through the Blue Pegasus members. Ren's tanned cheeks immediately turned red.
Jenny leaned toward Mira with a mischievous grin. "Oh, right, we can invite someone from another guild. What do you think of these two?"
Ren froze. "What?"
Jenny clung to Mira's arm, eyes glinting. "Rhodes and Mirajane both fly, their strength speaks for itself, and teaming up with them could strengthen ties between Blue Pegasus and Fairy Tail."
Hibiki nodded smoothly, ever the publicist. "Jenny's right. I've heard teaming up with Mr. Rhodes is always a pleasant experience."
"MEN~! Mr. Rhodes has a reliable scent!" Ichiya added grandly.
Eve chimed in cheerfully, "If they'd come a few days earlier, I would've wanted to invite them for my last mission too!"
Ren's expression twisted into something between embarrassment and surrender.
Mira understood the situation completely now, and the particular brand of "team invitation" that Blue Pegasus specialized in.
She smiled brightly. "It just so happens we're not in a hurry to return to the guild. A collaboration sounds lovely~"