"Mira, do you have any more detailed information?"
"Hold on a second." Mira quickly searched for more information about the client, "The client is Mr. Yopa from Pepi Town..."
Mira remembered, Pepi Town was one of the small towns where Rhode and Erza went to deal with the Black Magic Sect's kidnapping of children.
So it seems like this girl named Liss should be the one who escaped home alone...
"It's her." Rhode's heart tightened.
Back then, the mayor of Pepi Town swore that Liss had safely returned home, she was just too young and scared to describe her escape.
The mayor even assured them repeatedly that he had seen Liss with his own eyes, so Rhode and Erza didn't think much about it, and focused on feeling relieved.
Now it seems, they might have made a mistake somewhere last time.
"Mira." Rhode looked at Mira, seeking her opinion.
Mira nodded, realizing that Erza should indeed know about this matter. She called out for Rhode:
"Erza, can you come over for a moment?"
Erza looked a bit puzzled, but she put down the fork she was using to eat cake.
"What is it?"
"Take a look at this first." Rhode handed her the information.
Erza quickly skimmed through it: "Liss?"
Rhode nodded: "It's most likely that Liss."
"Did we miss something in our work?" Erza furrowed her eyebrows and thought for a moment, then said, "I plan to go back and take a look, what about you?"
"That's my plan too." Rhode said, "At the very least, we need to determine if the Black Magic Sect has remnants or if the Advisory Council's team failed to seal that demon."
Erza nodded: "Alright, I'll get ready now."
"Wait a moment." Rhode stopped her, "Before going to Pepi Town, I want to stop by the Cat Transformation Inn."
"The Cat Transformation Inn, why?"
"Because the best-case scenario is that Liss is genuinely suffering from a strange illness and not a curse, so we would need a Mage who can heal.
I only know Wendy from the Cat Transformation Inn who understands Healing Magic, she visited our guild during the Harvest Festival."
Erza seemed to remember: "She was with a small white cat, right?"
"Yes, she's called Carla, and just like Hapi, she can fly."
Upon hearing the keyphrase, Hapi dropped the fish he was holding for Warm onto his plate: "Are we looking for Carla? Count me in!"
Mira said, "Hapi, don't cause trouble, Rhode and Erza are going for work."
Hapi decisively said: "Just team up with me, I can help out, and I won't ask for any payment!"
Mira asked: "What about Natsu?"
"I'll go ask him, I'm going anyway!" From such a close distance, Hapi refused to walk and directly flew to find Natsu.
Mira asked: "Should we take them with us?"
Rhode showed a look of reluctance, as Natsu tends to be very destructive. Also, Natsu has said he doesn't want to team up with Erza.
But Erza said: "Bringing Natsu along might be good because in the worst-case scenario we might have to face a demon, and an extra bit of power would help."
"Hapi, stop pulling me! I don't want to team up with Erza!"
"Hurry, Natsu, if you don't move soon, they'll set off without us!"
Hapi yanked on Natsu's scarf, forcefully dragging him over.
Perhaps Natsu was worried about the scarf getting damaged, so he didn't fully resist Hapi.
Erza seriously said: "Natsu, we have a mission and might need your strength, come help us."
"Aye!" Natsu made the sound of Hapi.
Rhode gave him a disdainful look.
Natsu insisted: "I'm only agreeing for Hapi's sake... what's the mission exactly?"
Erza said: "I'll explain on the way, for now just pack your bags, we'll meet at the station later."
"I'll have the River Crabs take you guys."
It was fine for Erza, who lived in the female dorms, but Natsu and Hapi lived outside the city, which was far, so Rhode summoned two River Crabs to help.
Watching the two of them and the cat leave, Mira grabbed Rhode's arm with both hands: "Why don't I go too? If the opponent is a demon..."
"The President will be attending a meeting in a few days, and we don't know how long we'll be away. If you're not there, the guild would really fall apart."
If Mira were still S-Class, Rhode wouldn't hesitate, but now... Although Mira has experience dealing with demons, she can't even use Receiving Magic, how could Rhode rest easy taking her along?
As for using a demon's stimulation to help her regain her power... there's no need to take that risk.
Besides, they might not even encounter a demon for sure.
Rhode hugged Mira, lowering his head to rub his cheek against her hair: "Wait for me at home."
"Okay." Mira placed her hands on Rhode's back, gently exerting a bit of force to hold him, "Be careful on the road."
...
"Help, let me down..."
As soon as the train started moving, Natsu looked like half of his life had been taken.
"I want to ride a crab or run there... anyway, just let me down..."
Rhode sighed: "In a bit you'll have to take a boat for at least half a day, Natsu, you're in for a treat."
Natsu looked as though he'd lost all hope.
"Sorry, Natsu, it's all because of my caprice." Hapi felt a bit guilty.
Unlike the usual work outings, this time, Natsu had to endure the pain of motion sickness because of him.
Natsu, acting quite manly in such times, said: "It's okay... Hapi, since I've agreed, I'll stick with it... Ugh."
Erza asked Hapi to move aside, then patted the spot next to her, "I can't help it, come sit here."
"Aye..." Natsu awkwardly moved over to sit next to Erza.
Just then, Erza decisively punched Natsu in the stomach, and he fell unconscious lying across Erza's knees.
"Natsu!" Hapi was startled.
"Hey..." Rhode was also stunned, thinking this girl was a bit too resolute in dealing with her team.
Was it because she was used to hitting?
Erza naturally said: "This way Natsu won't get motion sick."
"Of course, now he's knocked out." Rhode quipped, "What about explaining the mission on the road? How do you plan to do that now?"
Erza was taken aback and made a 'regretful' face, clenching her fist: "I was careless, I should have briefed him first... let me wake him up now."
"No, no, no! The train will reach the station, we can wait till we're on the boat to explain it to him." Rhode hastily stopped her.
Goodness, waking him now, only to knock him out again after explaining the mission?
Natsu doesn't deserve that!
"Alright." Erza nodded, this way was indeed more reliable.
Hapi noticed a blind spot—Rhode dared to contradict Erza's decision and easily got her to change her mind!
He tugged at Rhode's clothes and whispered: "Rhode, aren't you afraid of Erza?"
Rhode asked: "Why should I be?"
Although he was initially intimidated by this strong lady's aura, because of Mira, Rhode soon discovered her goofy side, her enjoyment of debates, and even her love for cosplay, and he had tasted her cooking.
Plus, after working in a team and fighting side by side, there wasn't much to be afraid of.
After arriving in Harujion, Erza explained the situation to Natsu.
Natsu excitedly responded, 'I'm fired up.'
But once on the boat, he returned to a half-dead state.
"Rhode... how much longer until we arrive..."
Natsu weakly slumped over the railing, seemingly ready to throw up at any moment.
"If we're lucky, we'll arrive by nightfall. If not, we have to spend the night on the ship."
"I want to swim over..." Natsu struggled, trying to jump overboard, with Hapi pulling at him from behind.
Rhode patted his back: "Hang in there, soon I'll lend you the River Crabs."
"Please... lend them to me now!"