That night, just as Erza predicted, they didn't reach a town and had to camp in the wilderness.
In storytelling terms, this was what they'd call "missing the inn on the way"—the kind of situation that usually leads to unexpected events.
The two coachmen, understandably, were reluctant. They voiced their concerns about sleeping out in the open, especially with the risk of wild beasts lurking nearby. And with the cold weather, it wasn't exactly appealing.
However, after Erza made a sincere and surprisingly non-threatening request, they finally agreed.
Rhodes was relieved she hadn't resorted to unsheathing her sword. She had genuinely asked for help. That said, her version of sincerity still carried an overwhelming pressure that left the coachmen trembling.
To make sure it didn't count as unintentional intimidation, Rhodes quickly stepped in to promise their safety, and even offered to pay them extra.
With that, everyone was happy.
Erza pulled out an iron pot from her absurdly large pile of luggage and began setting up a camp stove.
Meanwhile, Rhodes pitched their tent. Thankfully, the tent-building skills he picked up from Gray came in handy.
When everything was finally set up and the fire was crackling, Rhodes looked forward to tasting Erza's cooking again.
That's when she broke the news.
"I didn't bring any ingredients," she said plainly.
Rhodes froze. "Wait, what? You brought kitchenware, spices, even this pot... but no food?"
Erza looked a little sheepish. "Well... space was limited, so I had to make some sacrifices."
Rhodes glanced at the second wagon packed to the brim with her luggage.
"Limited space," he repeated blankly. "What on earth is in all of that?"
As if reading his mind, Erza offered an explanation. "Mostly mission souvenirs, a few important gifts, and some general-use tools like tents. Oh, and the armor you gave me last time is in there too. I really liked it, so I wanted to keep it close. Want me to put it on and show you?"
If it had been any other girl, Rhodes might've mistaken that for flirting.
But this was Erza. Like Cana, she treated her close friends like family, like siblings.
She probably just genuinely appreciated the gift and thought it polite to offer.
Rhodes politely declined. "I'm glad you like it, but... let's stay focused. The real problem is what we're going to eat tonight."
He'd already eaten his rations at noon, food that Mira had rushed to prepare for him before his departure, and he'd shared half of it with Erza. Now, there was nothing left for dinner, and his stomach was not pleased.
"I'm sorry. I should've been more mindful," Erza said, clenching her fists and bowing slightly. "You can punish me however you see fit after the mission. I'll even give up part of the reward."
Rhodes sighed, one hand covering his face.
'Why does she get so intense about the weirdest things?'
"Forget it. Summon: Murk Wolf!"
In a shimmer of light, six wolves emerged, their sixteen glowing green eyes reflecting the firelight and sending shivers down the coachmen's spines.
"Go on. Find us something edible, rabbits, pheasants, anything you can hunt."
Rhodes recalled seeing hare tracks in the snow earlier that day when using his scouting spell through scuttle crabs.
Finding prey in the dead of winter wasn't easy, but Murk Wolves were surprisingly efficient. Not long after Rhodes summoned them, they returned with a small animal in their jaws that looked like a young deer.
"Isn't that too small to eat...? Oh—wait, it's a roe deer."
Rhodes let out a relieved breath. Judging by its size, it was fully grown after all.
Then came Erza's moment to shine. Several gleaming knives flew from her cart like a precision strike team. In one swift display of airborne mastery, she bled, skinned, deboned, and butchered the deer. It was fast, clean, and honestly a little terrifying.
She moved on to boiling soup and skewering meat for roasting.
After the two of them had eaten their fill, they generously shared the rest with the coachmen. While the drivers had packed dry rations for the journey, warm meat under a starry sky was an offer no one could refuse.
"Requip!" A flash of light burst around Erza as she swapped into lavender-colored pajamas.
Rhodes blinked. "Changing into pajamas... out here? In winter?"
Then again, he reminded himself, she was Erza. Magicians, especially S-Class ones, didn't follow the logic of normal people. She even had a cozy sleeping bag ready.
Rhodes's eyes landed on the pattern printed on her pajamas. "Hey, isn't that the symbol of Heart Kreuz?"
"Oh? Yes," Erza nodded, brushing her hair back. "The clothing quality is excellent. Most of my armor is from Heart Kreuz too."
"Wait, really?" Rhodes tilted his head. "I thought they were a fashion brand. They make armor?"
"They didn't originally," Erza replied with a matter-of-fact tone. "But after I had a little chat with them, they changed their minds."
Rhodes narrowed his eyes. "Dare I ask... how exactly did you 'ask' them?"
"Can you help me make armor?" Erza repeated her request, this time with a sudden surge of overwhelming pressure in her voice and posture, making it feel like the temperature dropped by ten degrees. She then casually returned to normal. "Like that."
"Haha... of course. Very persuasive," Rhodes muttered, managing a dry chuckle. "What reasonable business partners."
"Alright," Erza said, stretching. "Since we're in the wilderness, let's sort out night watch shifts."
"No need." Rhodes raised a hand. "Warm can stand guard."
With a small flash of light, Warm appeared, his sleepy eyes blinking under the firelight. He waddled up beside them, patted his belly, and looked determined.
He wasn't a fighter, not by a long shot, but he was alert and quiet. Plus, the magic required to maintain his summon was so small, it barely made a dent in Rhodes's mana reserves.
"Woo?" Warm looked up curiously.
Erza glanced at the chubby little creature and asked, "Can your magic handle having him active all night?"
"No problem. I can keep Warm summoned for a full 24 hours," Rhodes said confidently.
He stepped into his tent, gently stopping Warm with one hand as the little creature tried to follow him inside. "You're on night watch, buddy. I'll treat you to some Poro snacks when we get back."
"Woo!" Warm gave a soft sound and sat down proudly at the tent entrance like a snow lion... only rounder and fluffier.
Erza crouched beside him, gently patting his head. "We're counting on you. Wake me up if anything happens."
"Woo!" Worm nodded seriously. Though honestly, it was always a bit hard to tell where his head ended and his neck began.
That night passed in peaceful silence.
The next morning, everyone stirred as the first light of dawn broke over the snow-dusted plains. They used clean, warmed water conjured by Rhodes's Text Magic to wash up and refresh themselves.
"Text Magic is really handy," Erza said, emerging from her tent. With a shimmer of light, she swapped out of her pajamas and back into her usual armor in a flash of magical brilliance.
"Re-equip magic looks way more convenient," Rhodes said, adjusting his scarf. "Can you teach me sometime?"
"Of course. It's not a difficult spell to learn," Erza replied enthusiastically. As she rolled up the tent, she explained the basics of Re-equip magic.
If one wasn't planning to use it in combat, the magic was relatively simple, just a spatial storage technique for clothing. However, if you wanted to reach Erza's level, summoning and switching armors mid-battle with precision and speed, it took exceptional talent and relentless practice.
Rhodes didn't need to aim that high. He just wanted something practical for travel, less about weaponized wardrobe and more about avoiding awkward moments in the field.
Once they were packed, the caravan resumed its journey.
Rhodes sat beside Erza again, flipping through the mission notes Mira had compiled. Erza looked over and raised an eyebrow. "Not practicing the spell now?"
"Hm? Oh, I'll wait until we get back. Better to save my magic in case something happens on the road," Rhodes replied smoothly.
In truth, he was worried that a failed attempt would land him in a Gray Fullbuster situation, half-naked and humiliated. Better to experiment back at home, far from curious eyes.
...
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