That rusty sword, it's unclear if it has a curse after cutting someone, but it's likely unavoidable for tetanus.
The main issue is, although this guy looks like he's been drained by that sword, like a victim.
We can't just believe whatever he says.
His motive for finding the Cursed Sword is to destroy it, but who knows if that's true?
Motive is something you can't really provide evidence for... Maybe someone adept at interrogation has magic to discern lies.
"We can't verify the things you're saying, but what we know is, you took that sword, wore that armor, and injured over a dozen hunters and three mages."
Rhode glanced at Erza, then added, "You also damaged our weapons and armor, and caused a certain amount of panic in this area."
"As mages commissioned to investigate here, we need to take you back for questioning, can you cooperate with us?"
Xi didn't hesitate much: "I... am willing to take responsibility for my mistakes."
He had already become like this, and there was nothing he could do to resist whatever they planned to do.
Luckily, these two mages didn't seem like unreasonable people.
Rhode fished out a piece of chocolate and stuffed it into Xi's mouth, to replenish some energy, but to be safe, still cruelly tied his hands and feet.
Erza hesitated a bit: "Wouldn't this be a bit excessive?"
"I have no choice, strictly speaking, this guy is now a suspect..." Rhode thought for a moment, and asked, "Will there be trouble if we take someone from Sai Wen Kingdom back?"
He wasn't very sure if there were issues with cross-border pursuit here.
Erza said, "He injured people within the Fiore Kingdom's territory, and we haven't caused too much destruction by capturing him, there won't be any problems.
The subsequent matters are to be handled by government officials, foreign affairs aren't something we can interfere with."
"True enough." Rhode extended his hand, light flashed, and a cloth bag appeared in his hand.
Erza exclaimed in surprise, "Has your Requip Magic become this proficient?"
"There might still be some mishaps when changing clothes, but there's no problem storing and retrieving things now." Rhode took the cloth bag, gathered some pieces of shattered armor and fragments of the sword into it.
Erza also took out a pouch to follow and collect a bit.
These things would be almost enough as proof for task completion.
Rhode also received the Ancient Stone Beetle, and additionally collected some fragments, dispersed them deep underground, to eliminate any future troubles for the commissioner, lest they recombine or something.
After completing the cleanup work, Rhode summoned the surviving River Crab, carrying Xi back to the village.
By then, the sun had already set, but fortunately, Erza had brought a handheld lamp.
She even requipped a miner's safety helmet, with a headlamp, playing happily wearing it.
To be honest, Rhode wanted to try it out as well.
He actually had a bit of Text Magic that could light up, but he was a bit tired today, didn't feel like using magic.
The group trekked back under the light of the lamp.
"Rhode, look over there." Erza directed the headlamp to illuminate a direction.
"Is that wintersweet? Didn't notice on the way here, smells so fragrant."
Erza sighed, "Even in such a cruel battlefield, it might bloom after a hundred years."
Is it possible that two hundred years ago, this place was filled with countless wintersweets, all destroyed by war?
Rhode refrained from saying anything so spoiling, just silently appreciating it for a moment, then continued on.
"You're finally back... it's good that you're alright, just fine."
The village chief breathed a sigh of relief, when the previous two mages returned injured, these two were late, he thought something bad might have happened.
"Not only alright, we've completed the task." Erza handed over the cloth bag to the village chief, the rusty iron pieces inside making a metallic scraping sound.
"C-completed?"
"That's right, the Cursed Sword, along with a set of armor has been destroyed by us." Erza pointed to Xi, who was on the River Crab's back, "And the person behind these incidents is also here."
"Who is he?"
Rhode said, "The situation is a bit complicated, we'll explain it to you slowly."
"Yes, yes, it's my fault for being rude, please come to my house, you two haven't had dinner yet, have you?"
The village chief welcomed the two into his home, asking the family's children to prepare food.
Xi got a portion too, a suspect cannot be starved.
The two carefully explained the whole story to the village chief.
The village chief was fairly generous with money, but struggled over how to deal with Xi.
Later he realized such things weren't for a small village chief to worry about, passing him to the mayor tomorrow would suffice.
At night, naturally, they stayed at the village chief's house, who 'thoughtfully' arranged them in the same room.
Rhode dragged Erza's suitcase over, placing it between the two beds.
Lying in bed, he was considering if he should go on fewer long-distance missions with Erza in the future.
But partnering with Erza just required some support, thinking was much less taxing than partnering with others.
Earns money fast too.
These team missions are so tempting...
Rhode fell asleep amidst his dilemma.
Early the next morning, the two accepted the village chief's request to help escort Xi to the city.
However, Rhode suggested to Erza that they leave a bit later.
Erza just assumed he was tired from yesterday and wanted to rest a bit more, so she had no objections.
...
Because they set out late and had to handle Xi's matters along the way, by the time the two took the train back to Magnolia, it was already evening.
Rhode checked the time, "The guild's already closed by this time, right?"
Erza nodded, "Ah, let's report on the task tomorrow."
"So, shall we part ways?" Rhode asked, "Your girls' dormitory hasn't closed yet, has it?"
"Of course not." Erza pulled along her luggage cart, leaving, "See you tomorrow, also, it was a pleasure working with you."
"Me too, see you tomorrow."
Erza definitely didn't need him to walk her home, Rhode summoned Warm and headed home with it.
When he reached downstairs, Rhode noticed the light in his home was on.
"I shouldn't have forgotten to turn off the light when leaving..." Rhode had a hunch, running up the stairs with a thud, leaving Warm behind.
"Hulu?" Warm was puzzled, in such a hurry, was he rushing to catch a thief?
He took out the keys, took a deep breath, and opened the door.
In the living room stood a familiar figure, wearing a dark apron, a headscarf around her head, holding a small duster, on tiptoe trying to clean the dust off the picture frame.
It seemed like she heard the sound of the door opening, she turned around with a look of surprise, a smile blossoming on her face, she instinctively said, "Welcome home."
Rhode didn't know how to describe his feelings.
He could hear his own heart pounding, was it because he just ran upstairs?
No, Rhode was sure it wasn't because of that, but merely because of the person standing in the house.
The smile under the lamplight, as if time stood still for it.
He felt, he might remember this scene forever.