It seems like the relationship between Natsu and Hapi is truly great, seeing them messing with each other reminds Rhode of his own brothers.
He asked, "Hapi, when did you meet Natsu?"
"When I came out from the egg, it was in 778."
"That's already five years... came out from the egg?" Rhode noticed the blindspot.
"Aye, I was hatched by Natsu, with the help of Elfman and Lisana."
"Cats are..."
Rhode wanted to say cats are mammals, but in the Magic Realm, cats not only speak but also fly, so it made sense.
"... Who is Lisana?"
Hapi's ears drooped, tears welled up at the corner of his eyes:
"Lisana is Mira and Elfman's sister, when she went out for work last year..."
Rhode was stunned, Mira's sister? And she's already... gone?
Did Mira have a sister?
Mira wouldn't bring this up proactively, and others, considering Mira and Elfman's feelings, also wouldn't mention it in the Guild.
So, Rhode was unaware.
Last year, last year...
That girl who faced all her companions with a smile everyday, had she experienced such sadness not too long ago?
Behind that kind of smile, was there a desire not to worry her companions, carrying such a strong heart?
"I'm sorry, Hapi."
Selfishly, Rhode wanted to continue asking, but Hapi's demeanor made it hard to speak.
"Natsu said, no matter what happens, we have to keep moving forward with strength. Lisana has left, so we should carry her part too with us."
Hapi rubbed his eyes and shook his head vigorously, "Aye... I'm also a Mage of Fairy Tail, I'm strong too."
"Hapi is very strong." Rhode patted Hapi's head, he's just a five-year-old kid.
Besides, Natsu could say something like that... it indeed sounds like something Natsu would say.
Rhode looked at Natsu, he seemed to have no reaction... could he have already lost consciousness?
"Natsu, Natsu?"
"Ugh..."
Not passed out, nor responding, just some unintelligible groaning.
Rhode suggested, "How about we stop and rest for a while?"
"No way, if we don't reach the village before sundown, we'll have to spend the night outside. And even if we stop, once we start moving again, it'll be the same situation."
Hapi objected, he's long used to Natsu being like this, instead of making him suffer multiple times, it's better to get it over with in one go.
Rhode asked, "Does he get like this when you fly him too?"
"Rhode, that's mean, I'm not a means of transportation!"
"Ah ah, sorry, I didn't mean it that way." Rhode said, "I meant, why not just fly Natsu straight there?"
"It's too far, Magic Power won't last long enough." Hapi said, "More importantly, it's very tiring, my arms would get sore."
The main reason is it's tiring? They are really good buddies.
Rhode thought for a moment and summoned back a River Crab that was responsible for scouting: "Wanna try this?"
The coachman and the horses were well-experienced and weren't frightened by the sudden appearance of a monster.
"It's a crab!" Hapi looked very excited.
Natsu couldn't offer any opinion, so Hapi, without asking for his opinion, directly took Natsu and flew onto the back of the River Crab.
The River Crab traveled alongside the carriage, and Natsu regained his energy in a few seconds, excitedly stomping on the back of the River Crab, not afraid of falling off at all:
"Oh oh~ is this for riding? So awesome!"
"You don't get dizzy on the River Crab, huh." Rhode poked his head out the carriage window, looking at Natsu, and asked,
"So why did you rent a carriage instead of just renting a horse?"
Natsu and Hapi were stunned, then simultaneously clapped their hands, "Oh, so that's another way!"
Rhode was shocked, "Is it because you didn't think of that!?"
In fact, not just that, but there are hardly any services in the market offering horse rentals alone.
Because it's hard to handle the return if it takes too long to come back, and leaving a horse with a novice is concerning.
Renting a carriage avoids those worries, with a coachman accompanying, everything's easier to manage.
Seeing Natsu and Hapi's joyful faces, Rhode simply let them control the River Crab through its antennas themselves.
With Natsu's shout of "Charge!", the River Crab instantly turned into a wild run, even using its own Acceleration Skill under Natsu's urging.
"Ah hahaha..."
The River Crab stormed back and forth, with Natsu and Hapi's laughter echoing across the plains.
The coachman started wondering, if you have such magic, why rent a carriage at all? That big crab can surely carry three people, right?
However, a few minutes later, Hapi flew back by himself.
Rhode asked, "Had enough of playing?"
Hapi languidly landed on the seat inside the carriage, slumping down with his tongue sticking out, "So hot~ only Natsu isn't afraid of the sun."
That's the reason for renting a carriage.
Natsu rode the River Crab crazily for quite a while before coming back, riding alongside the carriage, he excitedly shouted:
"Rhode, let's keep teaming up in the future too!"
Rhode asked, "Just so you can ride the River Crab?"
"That's right!"
"But we still need to take trains or boats to go faraway places."
Natsu laughed carefreely, "Then we won't team up when going far."
"You're too practical!"
Rhode snapped his fingers, and the River Crab disappeared, causing Natsu to unexpectedly take a big fall.
He jumped up, shouting towards the carriage, "What are you doing! Rhode!"
"Oh dear, ran out of Magic Power! (deadpan reading)"
Hapi actually backed up Rhode, "Ran out!"
"Natsu, just follow the carriage on foot! (deadpan reading)"
"Run it out!"
Natsu shouted angrily while chasing, "You two scoundrels, stop right there for me!"
Rhode and Hapi exchanged a glance, both couldn't help but laugh.
...
After some playing around, Natsu ended up sitting on the River Crab again, but his face was sullen the whole time.
That scoundrel Rhode... he has to figure out Rhode's weaknesses and play a good prank on him once.
And Hapi too, following along with Rhode's mischief, next time he'll snatch and eat his grilled fish.
Rhode and Hapi got along quite well, and taking advantage of the time on the road, he carefully inquired about Hapi's Wing Magic.
It was the magic Hapi mastered since he was born, Rhode asked to find out how long Hapi could fly, how much weight he could lift...
Information about comrades is important too.
Hapi suddenly asked, "Rhode, why don't you let Warm out to play?"
"Warm doesn't like the current hot weather, so..." Rhode froze,
"Oh no, I left Warm in the Guild's kitchen."
Because he was to collaborate with Mr. Cook on researching Poro Delicacies, Rhode had sent Warm to the kitchen in the morning but forgot to bring it when leaving the Guild.
Hapi quipped, "That's so lame."
"..."
No big issue, as Warm can return by itself, plus it's probably having a great time freeloading in the kitchen, not missing the abyss at all.