Chapter 541: My brother-in-law is really disappointing
"You bastard, messing with my memory again!"
Rhodes had just finished a full day of work and training. The moment he laid down in bed, he suddenly sat upright.
During his usual routine of "three self-reflections a day," he felt a strange tug in his mind, like a layer of fog had been lifted.
That was when he realized someone had planted a memory spell on him.
The implanted memories were disturbingly specific: "Mest is a senior member of Fairy Tail, very powerful, rarely seen around the guild. He took part in last year’s S-Class Exam but unfortunately didn’t pass..."
So when Lucy had chatted with him and Mira about Mest earlier that day, he had nodded along without hesitation, those fake memories slotting perfectly into place like puzzle pieces. At the time, he hadn’t questioned it at all.
Now that he thought back, it was clear what had happened.
That guy must’ve returned to Magnolia alongside Lucy, then secretly hidden somewhere near the guild to quietly cast memory magic, most likely to ensure that Lucy wouldn’t accidentally expose him by mentioning their journey together.
By the time the official candidate list for the S-Class Exam was released, he could simply show up again as if everything were normal, having prepared everyone’s memories in advance to accept his presence.
It was insidious.
But what was even more irritating was how well-crafted the fake memories were. Most of them were true or just slightly altered, which made them blend seamlessly into reality. That’s why Rhodes hadn’t noticed anything wrong. There had been no signs, no suspicion.
The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt.
Maybe he should report it to the Guild Master early and have that kid pulled out. If this kept up, he really might end up becoming a permanent undercover agent planted by the Magic Council right under their noses.
What if one day Mest went completely mad, erased his own memories of the Council, and rejoined Fairy Tail pretending to be a fresh new recruit? That would be a joke of legendary proportions.
What Rhodes couldn’t figure out was, Fairy Tail had just rendered a great service to the Council. Why, then, were they sending someone to dig up more dirt?
After brooding over the situation a while longer, he finally lay back down and closed his eyes.
...
Far from Magnolia, at a hidden temporary base, a communication magic crystal flickered softly.
"What is it, Lahar? You’re risking my cover the more we talk."
Mest, no, Doranbalt spoke in a low voice, peering over his shoulder.
Lahar’s voice came clearly through the crystal. "Return at once, Doranbalt. Org has decided this investigation is no longer necessary."
"And another thing. Fairy Tail may soon have a second Ten Wizard Saint. This is a delicate time. Continuing the infiltration now is..."
"Delicate?" Mest cut him off, his tone sharp. "You think this is about timing? During the S-Class Exam, all of Fairy Tail’s core members will be gathered in one place. There’s no better opportunity than this!"
"There are whispers," he continued, voice growing intense, "that Fairy Tail hides something darker beneath its surface. The dark side of the number one guild in Fiore. Don’t you want to know what it is, Lahar?"
His eyes gleamed with an obsessive light, and his lips curled in an unsettling smile. "I want to know. I need to know. If I uncover it... it’ll be a massive achievement."
If Lahar hadn’t known Doranbalt for years, he might have mistaken him in that moment for a dangerous villain.
This guy had always acted independently, rarely listened to orders, and regularly danced on the edge of what the rules allowed. Normally, it was tolerable.
But whenever Fairy Tail was involved, something in him snapped. He became relentless, fixated, as if the whole reason he’d joined the Council was to expose that guild’s flaws, no matter the cost.
Lahar knew ordinary persuasion wouldn’t work. So he pulled rank.
"Org..."
"Don’t bring up Org again!" Mest cut him off sharply.
He declared with conviction, "This time I’m definitely going to render a great service. But don’t worry, even if I do, I won’t take your captain’s seat."
"Should I thank you for that?" Lahar muttered under his breath, resigned. In the end, he could only caution, "Don’t make a move unless you find solid evidence."
"Relax, relax. I’ll report if anything happens. Later!" Mest cut the communication without waiting for a reply.
Winter was settling in fast. The heaters that Rhodes had bought a few days ago for the guild were already proving useful. The older ones from last year had been brought out as well. Whether it was upstairs, downstairs, or even in the underground gym and card room, Fairy Tail was now as warm as spring.
The outdoor seating in front of the guild remained mostly unused, unsurprising, considering how much everyone craved warmth in winter.
Strangely enough, the guild was busier than usual lately. Maybe it was because people were avoiding the cold streets and flocking indoors, making the place feel livelier than expected.
"Are you really not cold like that?" Rhodes walked alongside Mira, glancing down at her exposed calves.
Just like last year, Mira preferred skirts even in winter, showing a stretch of pale skin below her jacket, which was her only concession to the season.
She wasn’t the only one. Erza was even more extreme, striding around in her usual blue skirt without batting an eye. Lisanna and Lucy were also shockingly bold, wearing just T-shirts and hot pants, throwing on a thick jacket at most as a token gesture.
Mira followed Rhodes’s gaze to the other girls on the street and replied casually, "It’s fine. Everyone’s dressed like this."
"Hm..." Rhodes looked left and right. "I still think you must be cold."
Mira blinked at him, as if suddenly understanding his concern. Without warning, she leaned against him and lifted his arm to wrap around her shoulders.
"Then I won’t be cold like this," she said with a soft smile.
Rhodes, now enjoying the moment, still couldn’t resist teasing, "My fiancée is way too clingy."
Mira chuckled and gave him a playful push. "Then let go of me."
"Nope," Rhodes said, hugging her even tighter.
They bantered for a bit before Mira turned serious. "Feels like it’s been a long time since we took a walk together, just the two of us."
Since Lisanna had returned, the sisters had been inseparable. If Mira didn’t see her for a while, she grew anxious, afraid it had all been just a dream.
Lisanna mentioned that she now shared a bed with her sister every night, and on more than one occasion, she nearly got smothered in her sleep by Mira’s tight embrace.
The day Rhodes had taken Lisanna out shopping, Mira had accidentally broken two plates and a cup in a short span. He hadn’t even realized it until Laki told him later, laughing that it was Mira’s way of thanking him for the snacks he brought Lisanna.
That same evening, aside from feeling guilty, Rhodes had experienced a pang of conscience.
To make it up to Laki for tattling so sweetly, he asked Erza to help him place a custom order with the HEART KREUZ Clothing Company, for a leather whip.
Normally, HEART KREUZ didn’t make things like that. But after Erza explained the situation very persuasively, they made an exception.
Fortunately, over the past two days, Mira had gradually accepted that Lisanna was truly back for good. Her mood had returned to normal, and she no longer clung to her sister constantly.
Lisanna, like Elfman, had stopped walking to and from work with Mira. She often skipped evening training too.
She didn’t seem particularly ambitious when it came to becoming stronger. Instead of grinding through intense training sessions every day, she preferred spending time playing and relaxing with everyone.
Lately, Lisanna had taken to hanging out in the girls’ dorm after work. She was especially close with Juvia in Edolas, but after coming back, she noticed the Juvia here didn’t seem to have any real friends.
So Lisanna took it upon herself to keep Juvia company.
More importantly, she had recently started worrying that if she clung to her sister too much, she might never get to become an aunt.
While playing in the girls’ dorm, she overheard some truly scandalous gossip about Alzack and Bisca.
That made her that, her sister and brother-in-law were hopeless.