https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-141-Me-Investigate-a-Dark-Guild-/12810347/
Chapter 151: A Million Plans
Chapter 151: A Million Plans
Rod had been so engrossed in his studies that he missed the big announcement of the "Miss Fairy Tail" competition results at the guild. Fortunately, he already knew the outcome.
Unsurprisingly, Mirajane took first place, claiming the 500,000 Jewel prize. Erza came in second, despite her unconventional performance, as some people enjoy a bit of excitement. The third place was unexpectedly taken by Cana, who seemed to have left a lasting impression on the audience despite not showcasing her magic.
But the rankings weren't that important since only the first place winner received a prize. The rest just provided a topic for everyone to chat about.
By the time Rod left the library, everyone had already gone home. Mirajane and Elfman were about to close the door when Worm, Mirajane's pet, spotted Rod and eagerly ran over. It seemed to remember its owner.
Elfman asked, "You're still here? Sister said you had a mission, didn't she?"
Rod replied, "I was just doing some research. I'll leave tomorrow morning."
"Mission..." Mirajane thought for a moment and said, "Be careful."
"Don't worry. It's just an investigation, so it shouldn't be a problem," Rod said, thumping his chest. The sound of the magic book inside made Mirajane giggle. He really did make her feel at ease.
The three walked together for a short distance before parting ways at a fork in the road. Elfman said, "Sister, since even Rod is going on a mission, I think I should find a suitable task for myself tomorrow."
"Why do you say 'even Rod'?" Mirajane was a bit concerned about the impression Rod was making on the others. "I just got paid and got a bonus, so we don't need to worry about expenses."
"Exactly because of that, I need to go out and work. A man can't rely on his sister all the time!"
"Alright, alright," Mirajane said, glancing back. She thought about pairing Elfman with Rod on a mission next time. That way, she wouldn't have to worry about him getting into danger or causing trouble. And...
There was no "and."
...
The next morning, the sun wasn't particularly warm, and a cool breeze made the air feel refreshing. Since he was going on a long trip, Rod not only carried a backpack but also a suitcase. He was considering learning the costume change magic to gain an extra storage space, which would make traveling much more convenient.
When he arrived at the station, Gray was waiting at the entrance with a small crossbody bag. Rod noticed that the boy was dressed in long pants, a shirt, and even a coat.
"Hey!" Gray raised his hand in a casual greeting.
"Morning," Rod said, and before he could finish, Gray's coat was already on the ground.
He was puzzled. "How did you manage to take off your coat and drop it without even touching your crossbody bag?"
"Huh? What are you talking about... Oh!" Gray hurriedly picked up his coat. "Ahem, let's buy our tickets first."
Rod said, "Shouldn't we wait for Wendy and Charle?"
"Mr. Rod!"
Wendy was running toward him, her backpack adorned with a small rabbit decoration. She waved as she approached. Then, with a thud!
Rod flinched. Did this kid have a natural talent for tripping on flat ground?
He helped her up. "Are you okay?"
Wendy brushed off the dirt and politely said, "I'm fine, thank you, Mr. Rod."
"Stop being so reckless," Charle said, walking up calmly with her hands in her pockets.
"It turns out Master Makarov was talking about you. Why didn't you say so earlier? I was worried it might be some strange person."
"Strange people do exist," Rod said, introducing Gray. "This is my teammate, Gray, the Ice Mage..."
"Kyaa!" Wendy covered her eyes, her face turning bright red.
Charuru fumed, "Hey, why did you bring a pervert along!"
"..." Rod turned around to see Gray in nothing but his boxers, causing everyone about to enter the station to give them a wide berth.
Their first meeting as a temporary team didn't seem to be going well.
After a minor incident, the four of them bought three tickets and boarded the train, sitting across from each other.
While the three of them treated Charuru as a person, the ticket vendor clearly didn't.
Rod's envious gaze made Charuru feel extremely uncomfortable.
The little white cat's face actually turned a bit red, "Don't look at me like that. I didn't mean to skip the fare!"
"I didn't say anything. Your weight is negligible, so it's covered by Wendy's ticket. The station is just greedy for not having a children's fare," Rod said.
Wendy managed a weak smile, "Um, Mr. Rod, I really don't want to be treated like a child."
"Ah, sorry. Wendy is a capable mage, not a kid."
Charuru retorted, "If you really think so, don't use that babying tone."
"..." There was nothing Rod could do about it. It was his first time meeting a child as well-behaved and cute as Wendy, and he couldn't help it.
Gray suddenly asked, "By the way, what race are Charuru and Happy?"
"Hmph! Just treat us as talking cats, pervert."
"Charuru, that's too rude," Wendy gave Gray an apologetic look.
Rod waved his hand, "It's fine, she's not wrong."
"Hey!" Gray glared at him.
Rod said, "Please try to restrain yourself. Really, at least don't strip in public."
Gray crossed his arms and turned his head, not saying a word. He didn't mean to.
"Bored? Take a look at this," Rod rummaged through his backpack and handed Gray the mission request and a few sheets of paper.
"Huh? Weren't the mission details already discussed yesterday? What's this?"
Gray moved the mission request to the side, revealing a rough map of the Southern Mountains on the first sheet.
The map was marked with the search area for the first day after arrival, the planned rest spots and search areas for the second day, and so on for the third day.
On the second sheet, it listed the venomous insects and fierce beasts to avoid, as well as the easily obtainable food.
For water, it simply stated that Gray's ice could be melted, or text magic could be used to conjure it.
The next page detailed how to track the target, which areas had terrain conducive to hiding, and how stone beetles could be used to blend in and create cover.
Following that was a contingency plan in case they were discovered while tracking, with escape and combat strategies labeled A, B, and C.
Finally, it noted, "Insufficient intelligence on the target, the Zato brothers. Unknown number of accomplices. Combat must be cautious."
Gray was speechless, "You did all this when you teamed up with Natsu last time?"
Rod shook his head, "No, I didn't have a plan then. I lacked experience, and I figured Natsu wouldn't bother reading it anyway, so I improvised and gave him a verbal briefing."
Gray didn't know what to say. He now understood why Natsu hadn't caused chaos during the extermination mission.
Gray, a veteran mage with over eight years in the guild, fell into deep thought. Was this how a mage's job was supposed to be handled?
Trivia:
In Fairy Tail, taking on a mission is often referred to as "going to work."
I often use the terms "work," "mission," and "request" interchangeably. I hope no one minds.
(End of Chapter)
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