"Actually, it's our fault." Reby explained the whole story with some guilt.
After Rhode, Mira, and Elfman left, Lucy had her eyes on a task from the Magic Classroom, but she was too slow, and someone else grabbed it.
This time, the one who took the task sheet was Gajeel.
Lucy, who hadn't been able to take on a desired task for several days, couldn't help but argue with him a bit, but Gajeel had no intention of relinquishing it and left with the task smugly.
After all, his actions weren't against the rules, he just took a task he liked.
Lucy had no choice but to angrily go home.
But Jet and Troy couldn't stand this guy being so arrogant in the guild, so they went after him, planning to settle old scores together.
Reby didn't want them to have a conflict, and though she was a bit scared, she followed along.
Afterward, Jet and Troy started fighting Gajeel fiercely, while Reby could only hide behind a tree shouting things like "Stop fighting."
Who would have thought Laxus suddenly appeared, sneering a bit before attacking Gajeel directly.
If it was within the bounds of a fight when Jet and Troy made a move, Laxus's action was almost to the point of wanting to kill.
After a couple of moves, Jet and Troy thought it was enough because Gajeel hadn't resisted at all from the start.
Whether they hit him, or Laxus hit him, he was just taking it without fighting back.
But when they tried to stop him, a furious Laxus directly shot a bolt of Lightning Magic at Reby.
If Gajeel hadn't shielded Reby, she might have been lying in the infirmary by now.
Someone considered a comrade attacked Reby, whereas someone seen as an enemy or foe protected her.
So Jet and Troy had very mixed feelings.
The President often said that fighting is also a way to understand each other.
Now through fighting, they've come to understand Gajeel's inner thoughts—though stubborn, he is certainly apologetic deep down and actually wants to fit in.
But they weren't sure what Laxus was thinking.
Maybe he really didn't want to regard them, these weak guys, as comrades, just like he said.
The protected Reby felt a bit guilty: "If it weren't for us, Gajeel might not have met Laxus, and he wouldn't have gotten so seriously injured."
"Don't take all the blame onto yourself." Mira reached out and rubbed Reby's head,
"It's quite normal for you to go for a fight because you dislike someone in our guild, right? You just encountered something a bit unexpected."
"Hmm..." Reby looked into Mira's eyes and nodded, then took her hand away, "I'm not a child anymore."
That being said, Gajeel is really tough all over, especially his mouth.
Rhode thought for a moment and asked, "How did it end afterwards? Did Laxus stop?"
Reby said, "Yeah, Laxus said it was boring, then walked away, still seeming very angry."
The beaten one silently walked away, while the beater got angrier the more he hit.
"However, Laxus has been getting increasingly out of line lately." Mira said angrily, "He used to just be a little cold, then he started sneering, almost caused a conflict a while ago, and today, he actually attacked Reby directly."
"The President has said so many times he wants to talk to him, but it seems to have had no effect." Rhode felt a bit sorry for the President.
In such matters, the most difficult part must be for the old man, but he can't keep this from him.
This isn't ordinary fighting or sparring; it's a simple and direct attack as if treating someone as an enemy.
In other guilds, it's not clear, but at least in Fairy Tail, this is a very serious violation.
Maybe not enough to expel from the guild, but punishment is certainly unavoidable.
At the lightest, he'd receive a stern warning and reprimand from the President or a thorough beating—at worst, he'd be prohibited from taking tasks on top of that, essentially under observation.
An apology and admission of wrongdoing are also included, but given Laxus's personality, he would likely rather quit the guild than apologize.
"I'm sorry, Reby." Makarov personally apologized to Reby, "I won't easily forgive him for this incident."
"You don't have to say that…" Rebby had always been soft-natured, even if bullied, she'd quickly choose not to dwell on it.
But Makarov wouldn't let it go like that.
All the guild members were his children, and as the President, he couldn't show favoritism towards his grandson.
The next time Laxus returns, he must give Reby and Gajeel an explanation.
For the moment, the matter was set aside as Rhode and Mira returned to their posts.
The guild door was soon kicked open again.
"Laxus is back?" Natsu, who hadn't shown up for several days, charged into the guild, yelling, "Come out and duel me!"
Macao said, "You're at it again, did you forget how badly Laxus trashed you last year?"
Natsu shouted, "Last year I was just a kid, it doesn't count!"
Macao couldn't understand his logic, "Last year you were, so you aren't this year..."
Natsu ignored him, glanced around, and ran to the counter, "Rhode, have you seen Laxus?"
Rhode said, "No, he seemed to have just come back for a look and then left, he didn't come to the guild at all."
"Darn it! I heard he came back!"
"Aren't you always training in the outskirts? Your information is quite up to date."
"Aye! It was when I went to buy fish that I heard someone saw him." Hapi flew over, "What do we do, Natsu, should we go back?"
"We're already here." Natsu didn't want to just go back, he punched his palm, "Decided, let's go play at Lucy's place!"
Natsu's mood came and went quickly, and after thinking of a good idea, he turned and ran.
Hapi wholeheartedly agreed with his decision, "Aye! Haven't been there in ages!"
"Wait!" Rhode reached out to grab, but couldn't catch Natsu and grabbed Hapi's tail instead.
Hapi said anxiously, "Let go of me, we'll be late to see Lucy tease Natsu!"
"So you're treating her teasing as fun." Rhode handed a newspaper to Hapi, "Take this to Lucy, remember to show her some concern."
"Aye!" Hapi grabbed the newspaper and flew out without even looking at it.
Rhode didn't feel this matter was necessarily his responsibility, because beneath Natsu's careless exterior was a very sensitive heart.
Or perhaps it was a beast-like instinct.
Anyway, whenever a comrade was feeling off, even if it wasn't obvious, he always managed to detect it keenly and then make an exceptionally fitting decision.
In this regard, Rhode felt inferior; he could usually sense Mira's emotions at best, but his concern for others wasn't as much.