Rhode thought it would be a while before seeing Loki again, but unexpectedly, he saw him the very next day at the guild.
Loki looked slightly better than yesterday and was at the front desk asking, "Is that task still available?"
Rhode said, "It's there, but is your health okay now?"
"Lady Porlyusica has already given me medicine, and as long as I take it on time, there shouldn't be any problem," Loki said, smiling sheepishly. "It seems like it will take quite a while to heal, so I need to work hard to earn enough for medical expenses."
Makarov waved his hand, indicating to Rhode, "Let him go."
"Alright."
"Sorry, Loki," Mira apologized to him. "About yesterday..."
"No worries, I made you all worry," Loki flashed a sunny smile. "I'll cooperate well with the treatment from now on."
Rhode handed the task sheet to him, finally asking, "Want to try teaming up?"
"Maybe next time, let me have the spotlight this time," Loki waved the task sheet and turned to leave.
Rhode looked at the president.
The president shook his head, "It's fine; he knows what he's doing."
Makarov appeared quite calm until Erza came over with her team:
"President, we want to take this task."
"No way!" Makarov instinctively wanted to refuse, but there wasn't a reason. "Ahem, what kind of task is it?"
Erza handed over the task sheet: "Exterminate the thief group appearing near Impatiens Village, the Danpeng Clan."
An extermination task, Makarov frowned.
Mira looked it over and smiled, "Doesn't seem to be a problem, President."
Makarov sighed, let them go, considering he didn't get any complaints last time from the theater incident.
Rhode also remembered the incident: "Didn't you just earn a big sum a few days ago?"
Erza replied, "Because my rent is high, and there's something I want to buy."
Understood, after all, she rented five rooms alone, and she loves collecting clothes, armor, weapons, and other super expensive stuff.
"Don't worry, President, the thief's hideout is far from the village," Rhode knew what was troubling the president.
Bad news, the Strongest Squad is moving out again.
Good news, it shouldn't affect the nearby village.
Speaking of which, Impatiens Village is a famous tourist spot with wonderful hot spring inns.
Rhode made a mental note to visit when he had time.
He reminded, "Loki is heading somewhere close to you guys, if you move quickly, you might catch the same train as him."
"Oh? Then let's set off quickly," Gray had been a bit worried about Loki's condition lately.
"I don't want to take the train!" Natsu finally remembered his motion sickness, "Rhode, lend me the giant crab!"
"Stop the nonsense, let's go," Gray grabbed Natsu's arm and dragged him away, thinking of an excuse to persuade Erza, "Since we're teammates, we should act together. Motion sickness is something you just endure!"
Erza nodded in agreement, "Don't worry, Natsu, if you really can't handle it, I'll find a way to help you."
"No way..."
Lucy and Hapi followed, chuckling without any sympathy.
...
After waiting two days, no news came from the Strongest Squad.
Makarov anxiously left to attend a routine meeting, praying nothing major happened.
Just after he left, a few people returned.
Erza casually handed over the task, stating everything went smoothly, while Lucy silently ordered lunch, sitting quietly at the counter in a daze.
Natsu and Gray were another story, covered in wounds, with bandages on their heads and bodies, looking as if they'd been through a battle.
Rhode pointed to the two competing fellows, "Are you sure everything went smoothly?"
"Hm? You mean them, that was from playing pillow fights," Erza waved it off indifferently, "I'm going to buy some stuff, see you."
Was it normal to be injured playing pillow fights like that? Rhode thought of the time Mira hit him with a pillow. Yep, pretty normal.
"You fire flame idiot, can't you accept losing?"
"Ha? You're the one who lost!"
After a kindergarten-level argument, both turned, "Lucy, I won, right?"
"Shut up," Lucy rarely showed a fierce expression.
"Sorry..." The two clumsy guys were actually stunned by Lucy's demeanor and temporarily stopped arguing.
Lucy sighed, her mind full of Loki's issues. On a mission, when they encountered him, Loki suddenly said he didn't have much time left...
Although he immediately claimed it was a joke, Lucy couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't that simple, and Loki gave her a strange feeling.
"Mr. Rhode, Miss Mira, do you know what illness Loki has?" Lucy had heard Rhode had carried him for treatment the other day.
"No idea, the old lady wouldn't tell me," Rhode only knew it was troublesome and wouldn't be cured in a day or two.
Mira asked, "Did something happen?"
"Ran into him yesterday..." Lucy shook her head, "Maybe I'm overthinking it."
Suddenly, a group of girls burst into the guild, all types and quite pretty.
As soon as they entered, they were noisily looking for Loki, some strangers, some familiar with each other.
Quite a few in the tavern were immediately attracted by the girls, and after hearing who they were looking for, silently cursed Loki as a bastard.
This might be what they call when it rains, it pours.
The girls crowded to the counter, pushing and shoving, asking chaotically:
"Is Loki here?"
"He..."
"Has Loki been here?"
"Lo..."
"Where is Loki? Why did he break up with me?"
"Me too, I'm not resigned!"
Rhode tried to interrupt several times but couldn't find an opening, this group of young ladies gave him a headache.
Some even started crying as they spoke.
Helpless, Rhode could only shield Mira in front of him, letting women communicate with women.
Actually, Mira wasn't good at communicating with this group of girls, either.
She already recognized some as girls from town, and all of them were ordinary people.
From what they were saying, it seemed like Loki suddenly broke up with all his girlfriends at once.
Mira didn't understand the pain of a breakup but could imagine it.
She didn't know how to comfort these people, should she suggest they cut Loki into pieces to share?
Unable to think of a better idea, Mira 'had to' seek help, "Lucy, do you know where Loki is?"
"Eh?"
Lucy froze, and the next moment she was surrounded by the group of girls.
"Who are you?"
"Could she be Loki's True Destiny Celestial Maiden?"
"Damn, is Loki breaking up with us because of this woman?"
"On closer look, she's quite cute, isn't she?"
"No way! But I can't deny the cuteness (softly). Miss Mira, don't pass your problems to me!" Lucy fled wildly.