Fairy Tail: I Don't Want to Be the Guild Master

"Good morning, Miss Mirajane, Miss Laki."

When Rhodes arrived at the guild, Mirajane and Laki were already busy wiping down the tables.

Even though they had cleaned them the night before, they had to give everything another wipe-down before opening for business.

"Good morning, Rhodes," Mirajane greeted him with her usual bright smile. "Also, no need for the honorifics. Just call me Mira, like everyone else does."

"Same here! Just call me Laki," Laki chimed in.

"Mira… Laki?" Rhodes hesitantly repeated, then added somewhat formally, "That feels a bit overfamiliar."

Mira chuckled and corrected him, "That's not the right context for 'overfamiliar.'"

Laki, on the other hand, dramatically held her face in her hands, her long purple hair partially covering them, as she struck a self-indulgent pose.

"Maybe Rhodes just sees us as princesses or queens?" she mused, pretending to be flattered.

"Sorry, no such thing," Rhodes deadpanned, immediately shutting that theory down.

After helping out a little, Rhodes sat at the counter to have breakfast—just a simple combination of milk and sandwiches.

It was far cheaper than the curry rice he had the night before, but the taste was excellent.

For some reason, though, he couldn't shake the feeling that food tasted even better the morning he woke up at the guild. Maybe it was just because he had been starving back then.

Leaning lazily against the counter, Rhodes enjoyed his meal while watching guild members trickle in one by one.

The variety of clothing styles in this world was unexpectedly diverse. Some wore traditional cheongsams or tang suits, while others sported Japanese kimonos and yukatas. There were also elegant European dresses and formal tailcoats.

Modern casual wear—like what Rhodes was currently wearing—wasn't uncommon either.

But beyond that, there were also some… truly unique outfits.

Like the girl who had just walked in.

She had a pair of curved horns on her head, a long tiger-print dress with high slits, matching tiger-print arm sleeves, and tiger-print boots—complete with soles shaped like tiger claws.

She looked like a fierce little tigress, exuding a wild, untamed energy.

"That's Mickey—Mickey Chikentiger," Mira informed him. "She's known as the 'Ghost Princess.'"

"Huh?" Rhodes blinked in surprise.

Mira's eyes gleamed mischievously. "You've been staring at her for a while now. Could it be that…?"

Before Rhodes could protest, she leaned in conspiratorially and offered him some unsolicited advice, clearly enjoying herself.

"Mickey loves a good fight. If you're interested in catching her attention, just challenge her. If you manage to win, I guarantee she'll start seeing you in a whole new light."

Rhodes nearly choked on his milk.

"No, no, absolutely not!" He had a lot to say about that, but he needed a moment to collect his thoughts.

"I just thought her outfit was… unusual. And… isn't everyone here a mage? Why do so many people enjoy physical fights?"

Mira tilted her head curiously. "Shouldn't mages be good at fighting?"

"Magic..." Rhodes fell silent. Wait… am I the one with the wrong perception here?

Thinking back over the past few days at the guild, he had indeed seen plenty of brawls—people throwing punches, knocking each other around.

Just yesterday, he had witnessed Makarov slam two rowdy guys straight through the floor with a single punch after they overturned a table…

'Could it be that the mages in this world were all some kind of battle-hardened magic warriors?!'

The morning shift at the guild's tavern was relatively slow, so after Makarov arrived, Rhodes finally began his first magic lesson.

"Generally speaking, in order to use magic, you need something called magic power," Makarov began.

"Magic power is a special kind of 'energy', something that exists both within our bodies and in the world around us."

"When the energy inside us resonates in harmony with the energy in nature, magic is born."

"But to do this, one needs a considerable amount of mental focus and concentration."

Since Rhodes had zero knowledge about magic, Makarov had to start with the absolute basics.

More advanced concepts—things related to emotions, the soul, and the power of the heart—would have to wait until Rhodes made progress in his practice or naturally came to understand them on his own.

"Do I even have magic in my body?" Rhodes asked, his biggest concern gnawing at him. I mean… I'm not even from this world.

Makarov, however, reassured him with a knowing smile.

"Of course you do. You just haven't learned how to sense it yet."

"For most ordinary people, discovering and strengthening their internal magic power isn't easy. The most common method used to cultivate it is meditation."

"But for you… we'll try a different approach first."

Rhodes straightened up, intrigued. "What do I need to do?"

"First, focus on your pendant and try to establish a connection with it in your heart. Then, recite the incantation I modified from Celestial Spirit magic."

Makarov carefully taught Rhodes the incantation, guiding him through it word by word.

Rhodes, like a parrot, repeated each syllable with utmost concentration.

"Once you've memorized it, give it a try."

"Here?" Rhodes hesitated, glancing around the tavern uneasily. "Will it… cause any problems?"

Makarov chuckled. "Don't worry. With your current magic level, you won't be summoning anything too powerful. Even if you could, you wouldn't be able to maintain it."

"..."

'Why does that sound so insulting?'

Still, since the Guild Master assured him it was safe, Rhodes decided to go ahead with it.

Clutching the pendant tightly, he focused his gaze on its gold-and-blue emblem. After a few seconds, he swore he could feel something—a faint, distant connection.

Heart pounding, Rhodes began chanting the spell:

"I am the bridge between two worlds. You, a being from beyond, heed my call and step through the gateway!"

The pendant pulsed with a golden and blue glow. Magic surged in the air, crackling with energy.

Feeling the surge build, Rhodes tightened his grip and called out the final command:

"Open—The Gate to the Other World!"

BZZZZZZZ!

A deep, resonating hum filled the tavern as a swirling blue vortex burst into existence before Rhodes.

Stars flickered within its depths, their distant glow shimmering like constellations.

Beyond the vortex, a chilling breeze howled through what seemed to be a vast, frozen abyss. The whistling winds carried a sense of mystery… and danger.

Something leaped forth from the portal!

The magic light show, combined with the heavy atmosphere, had already drawn the attention of nearly everyone in the tavern.

"This must be a powerful, legendary creature!"

Everyone thought so.

Rhodes thought so too.

But when the vortex vanished, leaving only a small, round, fluffy white thing on the floor…

Silence filled the tavern.

"…Woo-woo-woo?"

The tiny creature let out a confused squeak, its round little body trembling slightly as it took in its surroundings.

But before long, the tiny creature locked eyes with Rhodes.

Then, without hesitation, it stuck out a big pink tongue, waddled forward on its stubby little legs, and latched onto his calf.

Rhodes blinked in confusion, staring at the small, fluffy creature clinging to him.

Why does this thing look… familiar?

Curious, he bent down and gently picked it up, turning it over in his hands for a better look.

It had round black eyes, a chubby little body, and soft, fluffy white fur—almost like a miniature sheep.

On top of its head were two curved horns, and its long tongue lolled out of its mouth like an overexcited puppy.

Rhodes placed the tiny furball on the counter and hesitantly patted its head.

To his surprise, the little creature flopped over onto its back, exposing a pink, heart-shaped belly as if asking for belly rubs.

"Poro?"

Rhodes' brain finally caught up, and his eyes widened.

This soft, round little creature—he recognized it!

Back in Howling Abyss… it was a Poro!

"Woo-woo-woo~!" The tiny Poro let out a joyful squeak, wiggling its little paws in the air, clearly delighted beyond belief.

Rhodes stared at it, his expression frozen.

"Did I just summon a Poro with magic?"