"Master." Mira handed over a towel.
Makarov waved it off, "No need, it's already clean."
Rhodes tugged at his clothes, "Is that really polite?"
Makarov, happy not to have to write a second reflection, laughed, "Hahaha, don't sweat the small stuff."
Mira reminded him, "But Master, there are words on your face."
"Oh?" Rhodes hadn't noticed it before, but now he did. He struggled to read, "Rep...ent?"
The letters were reversed, making it hard to decipher.
"Ah, I must have fallen asleep while writing my reflection!" Makarov wasn't embarrassed at all, casually taking the towel to wipe his face.
"Oh, by the way, Rhodes, come along with me. Porlyusica has already finished the antidote."
"Great!" Rhodes was delighted—having the antidote meant he could safely summon the magic swamp frogs again, which would raise the safety level further.
Of course, before going, he needed to go home and change clothes.
On his way back, Rhodes also bought a copy of Sosha's Tale.
His rank wasn't high enough to receive a complimentary issue—not like Mira, who always got one delivered to her doorstep.
The 15th-anniversary special wasn't an extra issue, just a thicker one than usual. The cover didn't feature a mage's portrait this time, but a beautifully crafted celebratory illustration.
Rhodes flipped through it. Mira, Jenny, and others who participated in the performance had their own dedicated pages.
As for "Fairy Tail's Strongest Newcomer," he was just tucked away in a corner in the back, with only a photo of him and the crab—no solo shot.
"From this angle, the crab sure looks imposing. This Mr. Laper Tull really has some talent for photography."
The interview itself didn't contain much distortion or embellishment—just added some lines about looking forward to Rhodes' future achievements.
Since it was only early afternoon, Goodman was still open. "Hey, isn't it Rhodes? Haven't seen you in a few days!"
"Brother Goodman, I had a task the past few days; it took a bit of time."
"Oh, becoming a real mage who can handle things on his own now? Impressive!"
Goodman had always heard Rhodes call himself an apprentice mage.
"Haha, sort of."
Because he might have to train seriously for a while again soon.
His home was the same as ever, but after a few days without ventilation, it smelled a bit strange—maybe just his imagination.
Rhodes opened the window, watered a few potted plants, hit the sandbag a couple of times, and then went to change clothes.
It seemed like the house needed a bit of cleaning—something to do in the evening.
…
Walking in the street with Makarov drew a lot of attention—the Ten Wizard Saints, one of the ten greatest mages on the continent, carried quite a reputation.
People unfamiliar with him always added an honorific like "Your Excellency" when speaking to him.
But for the people of Magnolia, Makarov's warmth far outweighed his dignity.
After all, he was just as lively in his younger days as Natsu was now.
With the Master beside him, people were very friendly toward Rhodes as well. If they rode on the crab, the tables would probably turn—it would be the Master getting attention because of Rhodes.
Once they were out of town, Rhodes hesitated for a while before finally asking, "Master, is there any magic in this world that can bring people back to life?"
Makarov turned and stared at him. "Why are you asking such a thing?"
"I heard about Lisanna a few days ago. Mira and Elfman were both deeply hurt by it. I thought if there was a magic that could revive Lisanna..."
"Cutting off the root of the problem" might not be the right term, but it was indeed a way to completely eliminate Mira and Elfman's pain.
"Don't pursue such things!" Makarov's tone was stern. "The value of life is immeasurable, and to desecrate it is a forbidden act! Not only legally, but the pursuit of resurrection magic itself is a taboo—it will lead you into an abyss from which there is no return."
It was rare for Rhodes to see the Master so serious, so he could only nod and promise to remember.
However, Makarov wasn't reassured—though Rhodes was usually steady, he had only just embarked on the path of magic and might not understand the severity of this issue[Note 1].
And sometimes, steady people could be even scarier when they lost control.
Makarov continued, "I've heard stories of someone who, after losing a loved one, tirelessly researched resurrection magic, ultimately touching on the taboo of life.
"As a result, that person was cursed by the god Ankhseram, and everyone they loved died."
"God?" Rhodes asked, "Do gods actually exist?"
"Of course. Ankhseram, the god of life and death, and Chronos, the god of time, are both recorded in history," the Master said. "But no one knows what they're really like, and they won't show themselves unless someone breaks a taboo."
Rhodes frowned. Dragons and demons were one thing, but gods too? This world's mysteries seemed deep.
But following typical patterns, gods were probably just another kind of powerful being, right? No point thinking about it—he couldn't provoke them anyway.
Listening to the Master, Rhodes realized his knowledge of magic was still insufficient. He needed to keep reading books.
Seeing that Rhodes seemed to have taken it in, Makarov breathed a sigh of relief and returned to the previous topic.
"Lisanna's situation... it was her choice. She stood in front of her sister and took that hit.
"She protected Mira and also awakened Elfman from his madness. Between her own life and her family, she chose to protect her family.
"I'm deeply saddened by her passing, but I'm also proud of Lisanna. She's someone I take great pride in.
"If I could, I'd willingly trade places with her, but I would never research forbidden magic—not only would it endanger myself, but it would bring disaster to the guild."
One moment he said that the value of life was immeasurable, and the next he was talking about trading his life for another's?
Rhodes asked himself—who would he be willing to risk his life for right now?
No, before considering risking his life, he needed to think about getting stronger first. Without enough power, it was meaningless to even think about sacrifice.
"Master, I want to learn Take-Over Magic."
"Huh?"
This kid—one moment talking about resurrection magic, and now switching to Take-Over Magic? How did his mind jump to this?
"Why do you suddenly want to learn it?"
"Because during the mission this time..."
Rhodes explained his reasoning, and Makarov said, "You're concerned about your safety while summoning creatures to fight? There's really no need."
"Why?"
"Because the quickest solution to that problem has already been tried," Makarov said. "Everyone has things they're good at and things they're not. If there's something you can't do well, leave it to your companions, right? Teaming up with companions is the fastest method—faster than learning any magic."
"That's true, but even companions can't stick together 24/7," Rhodes said. "I need to master some self-defense magic."
"…" Makarov sensed a different mindset in Rhodes compared to his own.
Why consider that? Even if you know defensive magic, can anyone stay alert 24/7?
Rhodes, this kid…
"Fine, if you want to learn, give it a try. But…"
Makarov thought about Rhodes' character and asked, "You're aware of the risks involved in Take-Over Magic, right?"
Rhodes nodded. "A little bit—I'll study more before I begin practicing. I won't rush into it."
Makarov nodded in satisfaction. He was confident in this; Rhodes was a careful child—he even wanted someone to supervise him when summoning Porro to mitigate risks.
But soon he was conflicted again. Was this kind of personality ultimately good or bad?