After pondering for a moment, Makarov said, "You can have a vacation, but not right now."
"Why?"
"The Tower of Paradise matter; you might be needed to cooperate with the investigation."
"Didn't I write a report? I'll send it out right away."
"Still no, do you know what day it is today?"
"September 23rd, although it's almost the end of the month, we can... huh?" As Rhode spoke, he remembered something important, "Ah... the Harvest Festival is coming."
Early October marks the annual Harvest Festival, the most important holiday in Magnolia, as well as for Fairy Tail.
Just like 'After the Laba Festival comes the New Year,' preparations for the Harvest Festival also need to be made in advance, there's a lot to do.
However, in the next half month, everyone who went out will be returning one after another, and there will be a lot of backlog tasks at that time.
Rhode thought about grabbing some strong lads from the guild to handle them in advance, or taking the opportunity to solve some himself and earn a bit of extra money.
"That's not right, the Advisory Council is gone, you don't have any reports to write, you should be quite free, you should help us more with day-to-day affairs."
"How could that be? I still have to write reports once the council is operational again, I'm very busy."
"Where are you busy? Don't you always start writing just before the deadline?"
"Nonsense, I'm brainstorming, drafting my ideas."
"Oh."
"I'm serious, I'm really busy!"
"Uh-huh."
...
At the Demon Heart Headquarters, President Hades was speaking to a crystal ball: "Did you get the item?"
Inside the crystal ball was the missing Ultear: "Yes, during the Advisory Council's turmoil."
"Hehehe... an eight-year plan, everything proceeding in an orderly manner, truly worthy of you, Ultear."
"I actually had a lot of fun, Jellal is really adorable, for eight years he hasn't noticed 'Guidance of the Dead Jellal' is me playing the part."
"Because brainwashing while they're still a little brat is the easiest. By the way, I heard Jellal got caught, it might implicate you. We shouldn't attract too much attention now as we've just passed a turbulent period."
"Leave that matter to our 'allies,' Oracion Seis has always been looking for 'that thing,' haven't they?" Ultear smiled, "Luckily, the Advisory Council recorded quite a bit of useful data."
"Then, I leave the rest to you."
"Yes, President Hades."
Their communication cut off, Ultear toyed with the crystal ball for a moment: "Brainwashing while they're still a little brat is the easiest..."
A cold smile appeared on her lips: "Is that so, President Hades?"
...
That night, with only a crescent new moon overhead, Rhode and Mira were hurriedly making their way outside the city on the back of a River Crab.
The President was in a bit of a mood and refused to go with them.
After all, they had already summoned a dragon, summoning another wouldn't be a big deal.
"Where to this time?" Mira snugly leaned into Rhode's embrace, finding the most comfortable position.
"The usual place." Rhode wrapped his arms around her waist, one hand slipping inside her clothing, massaging her bellybutton area.
Mira didn't stop him; she even placed her hand over the back of his hand, finding the warm rubs quite soothing.
Especially when having stomach pains, she wished he would rub all day long.
"Isn't that far away?"
"Yeah." Rhode nodded, "But thinking of the commotion the Mountain Sub-Dragon caused last time, we should actually go a bit farther."
The moonlight was rather dim tonight, the farther they got from town, the darker the night sky grew.
Luckily, the River Crab had good eyesight and ran quickly, getting them to their destination in no time.
The ruins of the circular mountain basin that the Mountain Sub-Dragon had dismantled before leaving were still piled up here, with grass growing over them in the wind and rain over the past months.
Even with all the stones, grass managed to grow in just two or three months.
"Here it is." Rhode jumped off the River Crab.
Mira looked at him in surprise.
Seeing she hadn't come down, Rhode asked, "What's wrong... oh right."
His frail and delicate fiancée, Rhode chuckled and extended his hand, "Come on, I'll carry you down."
"It's nothing." Actually, Mira was surprised that Rhode, who often accidentally let his hand slip, was behaving so well today.
She wrapped her arms around Rhode's neck and didn't refuse being carried down.
"Ready." Once she was stable, Rhode took a few steps forward and grabbed the pendant, "Summon, Cyan Engraved Golem, Mountain Sub-Dragon!"
The five-meter-tall golem emerged, placing the Crown of Insight on Rhode, and out of habit, also placed one on Mira as there was no battle around.
It was always like this when sparring; Rhode never bullied Mira by relying on Magic Power recovery.
Soon, the massive body of the Mountain Sub-Dragon followed suit, looking as if it was asleep.
As it sensed the change in environment, the Mountain Sub-Dragon slightly propped up its body, shaking its head, a seemingly helpless expression on its dragon face: "Why not just summon it directly, why call me?"
"I wanted to ask if you had communicated well."
"We've almost been sleeping in the same nest, what do you think?" The Mountain Sub-Dragon's figure began to fade, "Hurry up, that one has a bad temper; it might get impatient and shout about smacking you as soon as it comes out."
'Sleeping in the same nest' isn't quite accurate.
Rhode could 'see' the little dragon pit in the canyon divided into two halves. One side was earthy yellow with stone-shaped yellow markings on the walls, where the Mountain Sub-Dragon continued to doze.
The other side was fiery red, with a red flame marking on the wall, and a red giant dragon standing on the ground.
The two sides seemed clearly demarcated, not interfering with one another.
This made Rhode worried about what to do with other dragons in the future. Would they end up squashed together like Nest Insect and Vanguard?
Judging from the Mountain Sub-Dragon's tone, this upcoming one might not have a good temper; Rhode gave Mira a reassuring look, then grasped the pendant, chanting the complete spell: "I am..."
"... summoning, Purgatory Sub-Dragon!"
Woosh~~
As Magic Power surged, it was like a breeze blew by, and the surrounding air suddenly turned hot.
On the pile of rocks ahead, the grass began to dry, then ignite into flames, and turn into ash.
"Roar~~~"
A loud dragon roar, filled with a scorching breath, echoed, and a sea of flames appeared before Rhode's eyes, immediately scorching the surrounding grass.
And soon, even the ground itself began to burn, as this ordinary plain wilderness seemed to transform into a fiery hell.
Rhode and Mira quickly leapt onto the golem's shoulder and had it retreat a dozen meters.
Standing farther back, it was easier to observe the gigantic creature before them.
A body similar in size to the Mountain Sub-Dragon, though slightly different in appearance, the Purgatory Sub-Dragon was entirely red, emanating an astounding heat as if its entire body were lava.
Only its neck, chin, and the framework of its wings were black, like obsidian amidst the lava.
The Purgatory Sub-Dragon flapped its wings, sending waves of heat.
However, it didn't take flight, instead looking around before finally fixing its gaze on Rhode, and slowly spoke:
"You're Rhode?"
The Purgatory Sub-Dragon's first spoken words came out in the local dialect; if transposed to Earth, it would probably sound exactly like a thick northeastern accent.
"That's me." Though it sounded like a challenge, Rhode couldn't not respond.
The Purgatory Sub-Dragon really seemed impatient: "What are you mumbling about? I've been waiting ages for you."
It pointed to the top of its head and said:
"Cut the talk, give me a punch first. Come on, use some strength, hit right here."