As they spoke, the last bit of work in the guild was finished.
Rhode checked the time, clapped his hands, and shouted, "Alright, the competition officially starts in an hour. Those of you with nothing to do can go check out the festival first!"
"Ooh ooh!!!" everyone cheered and ran out, leaving behind the 7 contestants, Marcus the host, and the contestants' entourage.
They each went forward to Marcus, drew lots for the numbers, and received their badges, after which they were free to move around.
Kana was holding a bottle of liquor, feeling conflicted. Last year, she drank too much and passed out on stage, missing her chance to perform well.
This year, she wanted to win the 500,000 J prize for liquor money, so she was hesitant about whether to drink.
"Since I'm the first to go on, I'll hold off a bit longer." Kana left the guild, intending to walk around outside to distract herself.
Erza wanted to go out with her best friend Bisca. But Alzack, with a flushed face, had already taken Bisca's hand and was leading her outside.
This was one of the awkward things about having a best friend with a boyfriend while you're still single.
Jubia, without any hesitation, dashed out to find Gray.
She recently heard a rumor that if you go shopping with your crush during the harvest festival, you'll become a couple in the future.
This rumor was spreading in the guild, allegedly started by Mira.
Even Rhode himself didn't know that he had a hand in this rumor's creation.
He was talking to Mira: "What number did you draw?"
"Number 3." Mira showed a round badge to Rhode.
"It seems a bit early, but such an important position between acts is made for you."
"You're the smooth talker." Mira stuck the badge onto Rhode's chest.
This small badge was actually a magic tool, automatically attaching anywhere it was placed.
It was only lightly adhered, and could be easily removed.
Rhode wasn't in a rush to take it off; he mimicked Marcus's hosting style, announcing passionately, "Now entering is contestant number 3 for the Miss Fairy Tail Contest, Rhode!"
Mira cooperatively clapped: "Good luck, Miss Rhode!"
Rhode blew her a kiss: "Thank you, Mr. Mira! Please cast your precious vote for me, love you!"
A playful punch to the chest made Rhode cough.
Meanwhile, Jet and Troy were still arguing over who should invite Reby out.
Reby didn't really care: "Why not just go together as usual?"
Jet and Troy chorused: "Not today!"
The two refused to back down, pressing their foreheads together, then their hands, escalating into a fight.
Seeing it was just a brawl, no one bothered to intervene.
Reby looked around and decided to go out with Lucy: "Lu-chan, shall we go out together?"
"Alright!" Lucy had initially thought Reby would definitely stick with her team members and was considering whether to catch up with Erza.
Just then, the lovebirds stopped fighting, and Mira linked arms with Rhode and walked out together.
She asked curiously: "Didn't Lucy go with Natsu?"
Lucy replied with frustration: "Please, don't bring up Natsu again!"
"Didn't he come to find you again later? Did you guys have a fight?"
"It's more troublesome than a fight." Lucy sighed.
Due to Mira's teasing, Lucy seriously thought Natsu might have feelings for her, which made her overly sensitive, linking everything to him whenever she saw him.
Moreover, yesterday, somehow Natsu ended up in front of her, waiting at home for her to return. The shy Lucy, without asking for details, just chased Natsu out.
Only to hear Natsu's departing words: "I'll wait for you at the park later, I have something important to say, you must come."
Lucy immediately misunderstood, intending not to go but still ended up taking a bath, choosing suitable clothes, and even asking Kyansa to do her hair.
Every bit as if she was seriously preparing for a date.
However, when she went to the park with mixed feelings of shyness and hesitation, thinking about how to refuse, she found Natsu digging with a shovel.
Just as Lucy was puzzled, Natsu assuredly said someone had buried treasure under the tree, and he wanted her to summon Balrog to help dig it up.
Lucy, with a dejected expression, shared her embarrassing story, gaining Reby's comfort.
Rhode tried hard not to laugh, gently patting Mira's back, as she was partially responsible for Lucy's plight.
Mira was also struggling to suppress her laughter.
Jokes like 'someone or other likes you' were something she had said countless times and heard from others countless times.
But none were as interesting as Lucy, whose experiences coincidentally lined up.
Lucy sighed once again: "I feel like such a fool."
To which Mira nodded approvingly: "Yes, instead of running away, you should have found out what treasure was hidden in the park."
Lucy retorted helplessly: "Is that the point?"
Mira's focus was truly peculiar, prompting Rhode to ask: "So, what treasure was it then?"
"Even Mr. Rhode is doing this!"
"Lu-chan." Reby patted Lucy's back, feeling sorry she got caught up with these two.
But Lucy surprisingly thought back seriously:
"I seem to remember Natsu saying it was an album, something the President hid there before, full of embarrassing photos of many guild members."
Rhode became interested: "Wow, we have to dig that up then."
"Ah!" Reby recalled a legend, "Definitely don't dig it up!"
Having grown up in the guild, she figured any embarrassing photos would certainly include her as well.
"Shall we check it out sometime?" Mira suggested indifferently.
She had already shown Rhode photos of her younger self, so it didn't matter about embarrassment.
She was more interested in seeing what Rhode looked like when young, though it was obviously unlikely.
The conversation inexplicably shifted from Lucy's blunder to photos and albums.
As they chatted and walked out of the guild, Lucy was soon captivated by the lively scene, pushing the matter to the back of her mind.
The sound of hawking was continuous, the crowd bustling, making it easy to get separated if one was not careful.
Rhode had to hold Mira tightly in his arms in a bid to avoid losing sight of Lucy and Reby as they disappeared among the street performers, trying out various games, and quickly getting enveloped in the aroma of food.
Rhode dutifully summoned Warm, having promised previously when asking for a favor that Warm would get to feast during the harvest festival.
Warm, sniffing the air filled with various aromas, was as happy as a 200-kilogram child.
Mira sighed: "If we let Warm eat to his heart's content, it'll be a hefty monthly expense."
While she used to feed him frequently, she hadn't really calculated the cost before; now saving money made her think about it.
"Actually, considering basic needs, it doesn't need to eat much. Letting it eat its fill is like a bottomless pit."
Rhode shared that Warm's feeding costs were flexible, "Typically, leaving it in the guild and being fed by everyone suffices, only it doesn't like to come in the summer heat."
Warm's aversion to heat meant it could eat less and still not starve.
Warm pointed its paw at a stall, and Rhode, eager to please, paid for two ice creams.
One for Warm and one for Mira, who he then watched eagerly as she enjoyed it.
Mira didn't mind indulging his little desires.
They slowly walked, Mira taking a bite, then passing it to him for his turn.
A figure with familiar green hair flashed by at the entrance of an alley, and Rhode thought the hairstyle familiar: "Wasn't that Fried just now?"
Mira glanced but didn't see: "Maybe, I haven't seen the Thunder God Tribe for almost half a year now."
They didn't find it odd; it was a harvest festival, and the Thunder God Tribe's participation was quite normal.