Rhode and Mira finished work together.
They were usually the last to leave, taking care of the closing tasks like locking up.
But now, the couple refuses to work overtime, handing over tasks to Laki and Ginanna right before dinner time.
The reason is for a walk and to accompany the pregnant wife for a walk.
This reason is too reasonable for anyone to object.
However, today it was Lisana holding her sister's arm for a walk, with Elfman and Rhode acting as the vanguard and rear guard.
These four walking through the streets looked somewhat intimidating, with people making way wherever they went.
Partly because their reputation is big enough, and people gave them face; on the other hand… anyone within a 5-meter range would find themselves being intensely stared at by Elfman.
Imagine a two-meter-tall muscle man exuding a beastly aura, glaring at you—what kind of pressure would that be.
Only the city residents familiar with Fairy Tail dared to come up and greet them.
Rhode wasn't as exaggerated as his brother-in-law.
He just kept a normal watch over street kids, drunks, burly people, any structures that might suddenly collapse, and potential falling objects from the sky.
This family of four walked for a while, and Mira helplessly said: "Aren't you two tired doing this?"
Elfman seriously responded: "It's a man's responsibility to protect my sister and her child!"
"I'm used to it," Rhode said nonchalantly, "Just consider it vigilance training, useful for future protection missions."
Lisana laughed: "Brother-in-law's fine, but Brother Elf's stance might be affecting businesses."
They were out for a walk and to buy groceries, but Elfman's intimidating presence surely scared away potential customers.
But he didn't listen.
Scary glares aren't illegal; otherwise, Gajeel would have been in jail all the time.
As expected, nothing untoward happened, and the family returned home smoothly for dinner.
Post-dinner entertainment involved beating Elfman and watching Rhode beat Elfman.
It wasn't bullying the brother-in-law but helping him master the power of the Rock Spirit Dragon.
So what's special about the Rock Spirit Dragon? It's obviously tough and thick-skinned, and Rhode hitting Elfman felt like hitting a rock lump.
Of course, he had to hold back, otherwise, even rocks wouldn't withstand a beating.
When Elfman couldn't get up anymore, Rhode stopped, cast a Healing Magic, and went upstairs with Mira's hand in his own.
Mira had been smiling all along, as if the one being hit wasn't her own brother.
Luckily, Lisana kindly helped Elfman up, laughing: "I heard from brother-in-law that there was a time when he couldn't defeat you."
Elfman sighed: "Feels like that was ages ago."
"Need any ointment?" Lisana curiously poked Elfman's face, which had felt like stone earlier but now seemed shattered from a punch.
"No need; I'll recover soon." Elfman momentarily couldn't tell whether his sister was showing concern or teasing him.
He just felt Lisana hadn't realized the seriousness of the situation.
Lisana asked puzzled: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Elfman reminded: "Did you forget? Once the Magic Crystal is implanted, you'll have to be with me."
Lisana's smile instantly disappeared.
Upstairs, Mira tipped her head, her damp hair hanging down her right side as she slowly wrapped it up with a thick towel while walking into the bedroom.
Coming in, she saw Rhode sitting at the desk reading a book.
Mira directly hugged Rhode from behind, looking over his shoulder at the open book pages, which seemed to be about the Magic Crystal implantation surgery.
She smiled: "Thinking about being the chief surgeon?"
Rhode smelled the fragrance of her shower gel, felt a cool drop of water from Mira's temple dripping on his ear, and a soft something pressed against his back.
"Aren't you nervous about your own sister having surgery?"
He closed the book, gently bumped his head sideways, only to hit a soft towel.
"Messed it up," Mira complained, raising her hand to rearrange the dislodged towel, "With Granny Porlyusica around, there's no need to be so nervous, right?"
This surgery's risk level is roughly equivalent to an appendix removal.
Considering there are Magic Potions and Healing Magic, Lisana could be bouncing around practicing magic as soon as the surgery is over.
For someone like Porlyusica with her medical prowess, it's like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
If not for someone persistently begging her, Porlyusica would prefer they went to a hospital for a regular surgeon to handle it.
"Still, I should know when to help stop the bleeding, right?"
"Sure, sure," Mira sat on the bed and winked playfully, "Should Lisana thank such a caring brother-in-law?"
Looking at his enticing wife, Rhode sighed, "With you like this, I might consider sleeping in separate rooms."
Mira made a pitiful face: "But if hubby doesn't hold me, I can't sleep."
"Holding you, I won't be able to sleep now."
"Really?" Mira's gaze shifted downward slightly, and she lightly pressed her foot where it mattered, "How about now?"
"..."
Rhode realized that since getting pregnant, his wife seemed to enjoy teasing him more than before.
Ultimately, the couple didn't sleep in separate rooms.
The next morning, the whole family duly arrived at Porlyusica's small cabin.
Yet, when Porlyusica opened the door, she was holding a medical kit.
Facing the group about to enter, she casually closed the door and said, "Let's go."
Elfman puzzled: "Where to?"
Porlyusica replied: "To the hospital, of course. I don't have an operating room here."
"..." It's logical and irrefutable.
But Rhode felt she purposefully didn't mention it earlier, just to make them run to the city outskirts for nothing.
They had no choice but to return to the city.
Yesterday, Porlyusica had already booked an operating room—
Because she occasionally sells potions there and handles some difficult cases, the hospital staff highly respected this skilled lady, so borrowing an operating room wasn't an issue.
Implanting a Magic Crystal was simple; there are just three steps:
Step 1, make an incision on Lisana's chest;
Step 2, place the Magic Crystal inside;
Step 3, stitch the wound closed.
Of course, anesthesia is a given, and there are specific techniques for making the incision and placing the Magic Crystal.
Only by performing these steps correctly can the Magic Crystal integrate like a natural organ, smoothly converting ordinary Magic Power into the Magic Power unique to a Dragon Slayer Mage, thereby aiding the recipient in using Dragon Slayer Magic.
Lisana's surgery was extremely smooth, with Rhode's Healing Magic and Porlyusica's potions, skipping the stitching step and going straight to healing scabs.
In a few days, when the scabs naturally fall off, a little treatment will leave no scars at all.
Lisana touched her chest, where there was still a faint tinge of pain: "So, this means... I can use Dragon Slayer Magic now?"