Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master-Chapter 476: Because I am Mira’s fiancé

"You’ve been staring at Mira ever since you walked in, haven’t you?" snapped ’Lucy’. "Take this, you pervert!"

Without a second thought, she launched a high kick straight at Rhodes.

’So she’s the hot-tempered type here, too...’ Rhodes thought. It looked like this Lucy had completely misread the situation, probably assuming he was just another sleazy guy trying to cozy up to Mirajane, who, unsurprisingly, was still the most radiant beauty in the guild.

But Rhodes wasn’t caught off guard. He had stayed alert from the moment he stepped into the guild. He quickly raised an arm, blocking her shin mid-kick with solid form.

"Uh—look, I think you’ve got the wrong idea," Rhodes said, a bit surprised by the weight behind her strike. She was stronger than he expected.

Maybe it was the lingering instability in his own magic today, but he was now sure, this version of Lucy was no pushover.

The others were even more stunned than he was.

"He blocked Lucy’s kick? Just like that?"

"Are you serious?"

"That’s Lucy! One of the top contenders in the guild, right up there with Jet and Droy!"

Rhodes blinked in disbelief. "Wait. Lucy, Jet, and Droy are the strongest candidates here?"

Lucy lowered her leg and gave him a suspicious look. "You got a problem with that?"

"No, not at all," Rhodes replied quickly, relieved that she was at least willing to talk instead of attack again. "About that misunderstanding..."

He took a slow breath and began to explain.

"As I said before, I’m from a place called Earth Land. Over there, we also have a Fairy Tail guild, and I’m a member of it. Our guild has people who look just like all of you. Mira, Elfman, Gray... and Lucy too."

"That’s why I knew your names right away," he continued. "But judging by how you reacted earlier, you must be pretty famous here."

Lucy’s lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Of course I am. I’m the most wanted criminal in the kingdom."

Rhodes blinked again. "Wait, wanted criminal?"

She crossed her arms, clearly enjoying his confusion. "Yeah, is that so surprising? Our Fairy Tail’s a Dark Guild."

Behind a nearby pillar, hidden just out of sight, the Lisanna-lookalike who had let him in earlier stayed quiet, eavesdropping on the conversation with a conflicted look in her eyes.

Rhodes, meanwhile, calmly sat down at the nearest table by the door. He leaned forward, elbows on the wooden surface, and laced his fingers beneath his chin.

"Hmm... I get the feeling we might end up in that kind of situation one day too," he muttered with a soft sigh. "Alright, back to the main question, what exactly is magic to you people?"

Lucy answered without missing a beat. "Magic? It’s just a tool. Something anyone can use to make life easier."

A tool? That was so far removed from what magic meant in Earth Land.

But before he could say anything, Lucy tilted her head, a little smirk tugging at her lips. "Don’t tell me... it’s not like that where you’re from?"

"I’d say there’s a bit of a difference," Rhodes began. "Part of it is like the magic tools you mentioned, external devices that help people use magic. But the other part comes from within, people in my world can generate and use magic directly, through their own inner magic power. No tools needed."

Lucy’s eyes widened. "Inside their bodies? How could someone’s body contain magic power?!"

The others around her looked equally stunned. Their faces showed pure disbelief, like Rhodes had just claimed to turn rocks into gold.

"Only ten percent of the world’s population is able to use Magic," he explained patiently. "But if they never study or awaken their abilities, their magic power stays dormant their entire lives. Eventually, it fades away after death."

Rhodes wasn’t some rookie mage anymore, this kind of foundational knowledge came naturally to him now, and he explained it clearly, like a seasoned teacher.

Lucy’s expression darkened slightly. "That’s not how it is here," she said. "In Edolas, people don’t have magic power at all. It exists only in the world around us, as a limited resource. And it’s running out. One day, it’ll be gone for good."

Her voice dropped with those final words, and the mood in the room shifted with it. Everyone looked uneasy, as if reminded of something they all feared but tried not to think about.

"Don’t worry, Juvia," said a muffled voice from the side. "Even without magic... I’ll still protect you."

Rhodes turned and saw Edolas Gray, wearing more layers than he thought physically possible, looking like a walking bundle of winter gear. He was gazing affectionately at a woman sitting beside him.

And that was Juvia? Elegant, mature, and radiating self-confidence. So unlike the emotionally delicate, lovesick Juvia from Earth Land.

She scoffed lightly and waved a hand. "Juvia doesn’t need protecting. Juvia can take care of herself. You should worry about yourself first, Gray, maybe by not dressing like a woolen watermelon."

’What a twist.’ Rhodes couldn’t help but feel a little disoriented by how reversed everyone’s personalities were in this world.

He glanced at the ornate scabbard strapped to Lucy’s hip. With his trained eye, it was easy to tell, it was a magic weapon, likely imbued with a specific spell. Thinking back on what she’d said earlier about the criminalization of magic, he began to connect the dots.

So that’s why just possessing magic tools was treated like a crime, because magic here wasn’t something you could generate. It had to be extracted from the world itself. And once it was gone, it was gone.

He looked back at her. "So... is that why you became a Dark Guild? Because you were using magic without permission?"

Lucy’s voice sharpened with frustration. "Something like that. The King wanted to monopolize all the magic in Edolas. So he ordered all Mage Guilds to be disbanded. Anyone who refused became outlaws by default. Dark Guilds."

Rhodes nodded slowly. From what he’d seen so far, these people weren’t lying. And they didn’t seem dangerous, at least not in the way the word "dark" usually implied. It felt more like they were survivors, rebels forced into the shadows.

Which meant... he could probably trust them with what he was about to say.

"Actually," he started, "I ended up here by accident... I was with our Mira and Elfman, from Earth Land, and we were paying our respects to Lisanna when—"

Lucy’s expression changed instantly. "Wait—what do you mean by paying your respects to Lisanna?"

Rhodes hesitated for a breath. "Well... in our world, Lisanna passed away. It was an accident. Two years ago."

"Sorry," Lucy said softly, her expression finally losing some of its edge. But something felt off. She glanced over her shoulder to check on Lisanna, only to find the space behind the pillar empty.

Unseen by the others, Lisanna had already dropped to a crouch, hiding behind that same pillar. Her hands were clamped tightly over her mouth, trying desperately to hold in her sobs. Tears streamed down her face. She couldn’t bear to cry out loud. Not now.

Across the room, ’Mira’ was approaching with a tray of tea, but her hands trembled as she walked. One of the cups rattled in its saucer, nearly tipping over.

She stopped in front of the table and slowly set the tray down. Her voice was gentle, but there was an unmistakable tension in it.

"Excuse me..." she asked. "What kind of person was Lisanna in your world? And you... were you close to her?"

Rhodes shook his head. "No... I joined the guild after she was already gone. I’ve only ever seen her in photos. But I heard Mira talk about her, oh, I mean—"

"Your Mira," ’Mira’ finished for him softly.

He nodded. "Yeah. She said Lisanna was kind-hearted, always thinking of others, though a little reckless sometimes. Elfman said she was the best little sister anyone could ask for."

Behind the pillar, Lisanna’s tears kept falling. She clutched at her skirt, trying to wipe them away, but nothing helped. Her chest felt tight. She couldn’t breathe. And she couldn’t understand why hearing someone from another world speak about her like this hurt so much.

"That’s not right!" Droy suddenly snapped, suspicion still blazing in his voice. "If you never knew her, then why would you go with Mira and Elfman to visit her grave?"

Rhodes replied without hesitation. "Because I’m Mira’s fiancé."

Silence.

Not even a whisper. The entire guildhall froze as if someone had cast a time-stop spell.

Then—

"EEEEHHHHHH?!!!"

A chorus of shocked voices exploded through the treehouse. The floor practically shook from the uproar.

Behind the pillar, Lisanna’s tears stopped altogether. ’What... what did he just say?’

’Mira,’ standing right in front of him, slowly lifted both hands to her face in a daze. Fiancé?! Her counterpart in Earth Land... was engaged? She wasn’t sure if she felt proud, flustered, or deeply confused.

The other girls in the guild exchanged wide-eyed glances, leaning closer and whispering amongst themselves. A fiancé? And kind of a good-looking one at that? Their Mira didn’t even have a boyfriend! Would she get one like him someday?

One member spoke up suspiciously. "Hey... you’re not just saying that to win our Mira over, are you?"

Rhodes groaned lightly. "Come on... how could I lie about something like that?"

He reached instinctively for his Magic pocket space, he usually kept photos of Mira there. Pictures of the two of them together. Proof. But... his magic still wasn’t working.

He sighed and raised his wrist instead. "I don’t have any solid proof right now. Just this."

He showed them the hair tie Mira had given him, a simple accessory, but clearly important.

"Believe me or don’t," he said calmly, "it’s up to you."

And somehow... it didn’t sound like a lie.

The guild quieted again, but this time with thoughtful looks and a few murmurs of acceptance. Most of them believed him. Their questions quickly shifted from suspicion to curiosity.

"Wait, so how’d you confess?"

"Did Mira say yes right away?"

"Did you have to fight Elfman for her?"

"Was it love at first sight?!"

Lisanna was also hesitating whether to come out and ask for clarification.

...

Bonus Chapter

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