Chapter 12: The Magic Encyclopedia
Chapter 12: The Magic Encyclopedia
Rod had just witnessed another mage’s close-quarters combat and managed to return safely.
Cana had already left, cradling a barrel of ale. On the counter, Worm was sprawled on its back, snoring loudly, and Makarov was sitting cross-legged, drooling.
Rod gently rolled Worm over, but it didn’t wake up. He waved his hand in front of Makarov’s face, but there was no reaction. “Why are they both so out of it?”
Mira chuckled, covering her mouth. “Cana got them both drunk.”
Rod glanced at Cana, who was holding a barrel and looking for Macao to taste some ale. “That’s harsh.”
“Ha ha, actually, Cana...” Mira wanted to give Rod a hint about Cana’s true nature to avoid any misunderstandings, but then thought it might be more fun to keep it a secret. “She’s a really good person.”
“...I guess so.” Rod tried to believe Mira’s words.
“By the way, is there a spell that can instantly remove clothes?”
“Sure, there’s the Change Magic.” Mira explained, “Basic Change Magic is something many girls know, and it’s very convenient for changing clothes when you’re out and about.”
“But if we’re talking about someone who’s really skilled with Change Magic, even to the point of changing magical armor and weapons in the middle of a battle...”
“Isn’t it Gray?” Rod chimed in, remembering that Gray was part of the main group and must have some special skills.
He had just seen Gray’s shirt vanishing act, so it made sense that he was the one skilled with Change Magic, especially in combat.
Rod felt his analysis was logical and well-founded.
But Mira shook her head. “No, it’s Erza.”
“Huh?”
“Gray is an Ice-Make Mage, and his habit of stripping is just a bad habit he developed while learning his magic.”
More Ice-Make magic? So he makes ice sculptures for fun?
“Erza, on the other hand, is the one who uses Change Magic... Speaking of which, Erza should be returning soon.”
Mira continued, “Incidentally, Erza is the strongest female mage in the guild, and she’s also very beautiful. You should look forward to it.”
“And if you’re thinking of pursuing her, I have some information.” Mira’s tone suddenly became more animated: “The last person to try was Loki, and he ended up half-dead. Maybe Rod is her type...”
“Spare me.” Rod sighed, exasperated.
Mira, your perverse sense of humor is getting more and more obvious. And you seem to have a penchant for gossip, don’t you?—
Being a bartender was a mix of calm and chaos, with the occasional burst of excitement.
If you didn’t react quickly enough, you might get caught in someone else’s brawl. But if you stayed out of the way, you often had a front-row seat to the action.
Of course, you had to be careful of flying bottles and chairs.
At noon, Rod unlocked a small perk of being a bartender—free lunch.
Today’s main dish was the Fairy Tail Special Cassoulet.
Rod had never heard of this dish before and wasn’t sure what to expect, but the moment the lid was lifted, his nose and salivary glands made their decision.
“Smells amazing...”
The aroma was so strong that even the drunk Perro and Worm opened their eyes and followed the scent to beg for a bite.
Chicken legs, pork, sausages, white beans, and other ingredients were arranged neatly in a rich, savory broth, topped with a layer of crispy, golden-brown crust.
When Levy and Mira took their seats and signaled it was time to eat, Rod couldn’t wait any longer. He eagerly scooped up a spoonful of the broth.
The rich, flavorful broth was so good that Rod was ready to pound the table in approval. “This... if you mix this with rice, it would be divine!”
“Wow, the chicken leg is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and it’s even better with a bit of the broth...”
“Wow, the pork is amazing too... and how can the beans be so delicious!”
Rod turned into a “Wow” monster, having so much to say about each ingredient, but he also felt that talking would slow down his eating.
After some deliberation, Rod decided to indulge in a hearty meal first!
Twenty minutes later, both Rod and Worm had their bellies full, and they let out a satisfied sigh in unison.
Rod pointed at the empty casserole dish. "Is this really the staff meal? It seems like it would take a lot of effort to make this dish."
Mira thought for a moment and said, "It's not that complicated. It's just a thick stew made with white beans, onions, carrots, tomatoes, thyme, and pork skin.
"During the process, the chicken thighs, pork, and sausages are fried.
"Then, all the ingredients are layered in the casserole dish, the stew is poured over, and it's baked for a while before it's ready to serve."
Is this not considered complicated? As Rod petted Worm on his lap, he couldn't help but feel like he was in a scene where Wang Xifeng was explaining the preparation of eggplant to Grandma Liu.
Well... Grandma Liu it is. Rod savored the taste of the meal and said rather ungraciously, "Mira, I want to stay here as a waiter forever."
Laki chuckled. "It seems Rod is very satisfied with the contents of his stomach."
Contents of his stomach? Rod thought for a second. Is that how you express being full?
Mira noticed his confusion and quickly waved her hands. "No, please don't learn common phrases from Laki."
"Laki-nee~" Laki pouted, "That's really unfair. My way of expressing things is actually quite poetic."
"Sure, sure~" Mira conceded, "But Rod's language skills haven't reached the level where he can appreciate your poetic expressions. Just leave him alone."
"Fine," Laki pouted and started clearing the table.
---
In the afternoon, Rod had some free time and decided to follow the Master's advice to read at the library.
Earlier, Elfman had pushed Rod to tour the guild's library.
The lighting inside was rather dim, and the room was filled with bookshelves that towered higher than a person. Next to the shelves were mobile ladders to help people reach the books.
The afternoon library was as quiet as usual, with the air filled with the distinct scent of books.
"Uru?" Worm didn't seem to like the place much.
"Shh..."
Rod gestured for Worm to be quiet, then lifted him onto his shoulder, taking care to walk softly.
Following the signs on the shelves, Rod found the magic section and began searching for relevant books by their titles.
Unfortunately, there was no book titled "Celestial Spirit Magic."
"The Master said there are related materials in the library..." Rod thought for a moment, "They must be included in a broader category."
He retraced his steps and found an "Encyclopedia of Magic."
Flipping through the table of contents, he saw that the entries were clearly divided into two main categories: Ability-based and Item-based.
In simple terms, one category involved using magic through one's own abilities, somewhat like psychic powers.
The other category required the use of magical tools, which had a more technological feel.
According to the Master, Rod's magic belonged to the Item-based category and was very similar to Celestial Spirit Magic. Therefore, he just needed to find Celestial Spirit Magic in the Item-based section.
Before doing that, Rod followed the standard procedure for reading a book—flipping to a random page to see what it contained.
(End of Chapter)
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