Mira smiled and reminded, "Mr. Rhode, who wants to be 'prostrate', it's time to get to work."
Rhode nodded, "Okay, I got it, I used the word 'prostrate' incorrectly."
Mira said, "It seems not only magic, but your general language skills have also improved."
"Because you and Laki often correct me, and Reby and Marcus have been a big help..."
Rhode paused because the four people he mentioned, besides Mira, were now all lying in the yard.
"Are they okay?"
"No worries, they'll soon be back on their feet." Mira walked toward the hall, "Let's go tidy up inside first."
Rhode followed, glancing back every few steps.
Just as Mira said, the companions who had been knocked down by the president in the yard soon got up, brushing the dust off themselves.
As Laki was about to use magic to repair the wall, the president stopped her:
"Tell Macao and Natsu to fix the wall and window, no magic allowed!"
Laki supplied a pile of timber, gave Natsu and the others an apologetic look, and only went to repair the guild's damaged tables and chairs.
The president's anger was short-lived; a few minutes later, even when Macao and Wakaba got into another fight while wall fixing, he turned a blind eye.
Everyone had their tasks, only Natsu, after hearing about the earlier battle, shouted that he wanted another match with Rhode.
Rhode gladly agreed, eager to test himself against Natsu now.
After a busy morning, it was finally Rhode's most anticipated lunchtime.
The dishes seemed especially lavish today; in addition to the two vegetarian dishes Rhode brought out, Mira and Laki each carried out two more hearty dishes.
Pickled raw prawns, each prawn with its head inward and body outward, neatly arranged around the edge of the plate, capturing attention.
Pickled crab roe, distinctly different from steamed, red as if solidified.
The crab roe and meat lay quietly in the opened shell, mouthwatering.
Seafood pancake, covering a large platter like it was one piece, clam meat arranged around the edges with other shellfish meat piled in the middle, hinting at chives beneath.
The ingredients perfectly blended into the pancake, resembling a blooming sunflower.
Finally, the pot of crab roe and shrimp congee, once uncovered, its aroma was intoxicating, whetting the appetite.
Warm eagerly lay by the table edge; it was a polite Poro, never taking without permission.
At most, it stuck out its tongue, pitifully drooling.
Rhode could barely control his craving, "Is today a seafood theme? Why so sumptuous?"
Laki said, "Because Sister Mira wanted to celebrate you, she specially asked Mr. Cook to make his specialty dishes."
Mr. Cook, the guild kitchen's chef, has reportedly worked here for over twenty years; most delicacies Rhode enjoyed here were his handiwork.
"This... is quite an honor." Rhode's eyes were glued to the delectable spread, unable to look away.
"You mean 'embarrassing,' right?" Mira brought over three cups of azure liquors, sat down after setting them, "Three cups of Blue Starry Sky, courtesy of Kana."
Rhode and Laki looked to the nearby table; Kana sat on it, holding a barrel of liquor, gesturing a 'cheers' with them.
The three raised their cups towards Kana in acknowledgment, clinked them, and each took a small sip.
"Sweet?" Rhode tasted it; compared to culinary delights, his knowledge of liquors was limited. It resembled RIO but smoother and with a bit more alcohol taste.
Mira said, "This is imported from the neighboring country, Bosco; it's somewhat pricey due to transportation and tariffs but very tasty.
Its flaw is the low alcohol content, not to Kana's taste, but it's great if you like it."
"It's delicious, thank you!"
Rhode put down his cup and began tasting today's treats.
Starting with the pickled raw prawns, the meat was so tender that it almost felt sticky, completely different from steamed prawns.
The sweetness of the shrimp became more pronounced under the pickling concoction, tasting fresh without any fishiness, truly delectable.
The other dishes also had their unique flavors, and with each bite, he could feel the chef's passion infused into his creations.
As Rhode savored each dish, he couldn't help but praise them continuously.
"I think Mr. Cook would really like you," Mira chuckled; many in the guild enjoyed food, but few could articulate it like Rhode.
"Haha..." Rhode bashfully replied, "Actually... it's just that Mr. Cook seems too stern. I hardly dare speak when he's around."
"That's because Mr. Cook takes everything related to cooking very seriously. Moreover..."
Mira, reminiscing about old times, said nostalgically,
"When Happy was little, he once dragged Natsu into the kitchen looking for fish, and they accidentally knocked over spice jars, ruining much of the ingredients.
Mr. Cook chased them out with a knife for three blocks, giving Natsu a good beating.
Ever since then, Natsu and Happy dared not enter the kitchen again, and Mr. Cook developed the habit of vigilantly watching anyone who enters."
"...So that's why." Rhode nodded emphatically, impressed by Fairy Tail's chef.
He resolved to be more cautious in the kitchen and communicate through the serving hatch whenever possible.
Laki glanced at Mira, feeling a bit delighted; Sister Mira brought up those past events herself, indicating she might have begun to move on?
At the time, those looking for fish and running for three blocks weren't just Natsu and Happy.
...
In the afternoon, Rhode had another match with Natsu.
—Originally, he was supposed to face Kana, but she drank too much and was too unstable to stand, mumbling to her liquor barrel.
Natsu's destructive power far exceeds Jet's, a single 'Fire Dragon's Iron Fist' could break a Stone Beetle's leg.
A 'Fire Dragon's Roar' could send an Ancient Stone Beetle flying and even split it apart twice.
Going underground and launching surprise attacks only posed a minor inconvenience for Natsu.
But unlike Jet, who struggled when grappled, Natsu would ignite, using intense heat to dispatch the Stone Beetle quickly.
The stark contrast left Rhode momentarily unsure about the Stone Beetle's defense.
Is it strong or not?
Natsu's breath should be quite a formidable magic, right?
This fight resulted in Rhode's unprecedented victory, leveraging numbers to unbalance Natsu, nearly toppling him.
Unfortunately, before Rhode could press the attack, Natsu recovered with a handstand flip, countering with 'Fire Dragon's Claw' to defuse the crisis.
In close combat, Rhode was no longer entirely defenseless; he and Natsu exchanged a few earnest blows before returning to a brawny 'you punch, I punch' brawl.
This punch-for-punch thrilling battle moved even Elfman to tears, almost prompting him to jump in and join the fray.