Barn had returned to the Sabaody Archipelago. After a period of growth, the FFF branch stationed there, nominally a subsidiary, had become their main base thanks to Adam and Barn. The moment Barn stepped into the Guild, Lia's roar greeted him.
"Rayleigh, you old geezer, pay your bar tab! Or I'll tell Aunt Shakky!"
Dressed like a delinquent, Lia viciously grabbed the collar of the man who had once stood at the pinnacle of the world and snarled at him. Rayleigh could only smile apologetically.
"Hey, hey, hey... Lia... if your master were here, he certainly wouldn't put an old man like me on the spot..."
At Rayleigh's words, Lia haughtily let go of him and folded her arms. Without even looking at him, she turned her back and said,
"Hmph, I'm about to get married, and that old geezer of a master still hasn't brought me a master's wife after all these years. I bet there's something going on between you two!"
Rayleigh's eyebrows twitched erratically at Lia's words. He was fine, but Ayusa, standing behind the counter, turned bright red.
"Honestly, Lia, you know you're about to get married. Why don't you show even a little awareness that you're going to be someone's wife...?"
Rayleigh said wistfully...
"What did you say, you old geezer?!"
Well, our lovely Lia had bristled again...
"Hmph! Aunt Shakky is my role model!"
Lia spoke again, her words almost turning into a tangible arrow that struck Rayleigh right where it hurt. His face immediately turned an ugly shade of purple.
"Ah, I'm really starting to miss Barn..."
Once he had recovered a little, Rayleigh spoke again...
"And you still say there's nothing going on between you and my master?"
Lia immediately glared and roared at Rayleigh's words.
Just then, a fairly quiet cough