Chapter 16: Scout, Swift Crab
Chapter 16: Scout, Swift Crab
After asking the question, Rod saw himself.
Not through his own eyes, nor as if looking in a mirror, but from a perspective looking up from below.
His hand was resting on the top of his head, his arm blocking a bit of his view, but with his eyes spaced far enough apart, he could still see his own face.
This is... the Swift Crab’s perspective?
The sensation of having two images in his mind was strange. Rod withdrew his hand and immediately saw the action from both angles.
When the Swift Crab stood up, the perspective subtly changed.
Rod directed the Swift Crab to turn around, and with their backs touching, he gained nearly a 360-degree field of view.
Makarov listened to Rod’s description and nodded. "So, it’s a scout-type summon. It should have a wide range of uses."
Next, the Swift Crab demonstrated its mobility.
After Rod climbed onto its back, the Swift Crab rammed through the guild’s wall and sprinted across the lake, performing a water-walking stunt. Its six legs moved swiftly, allowing it to move on the water’s surface as if it were solid ground.
Rod’s hands tightly gripped the crab’s antennae, which served as reins, feeling the strong wind and the occasional splash of water.
He wasn’t sure how fast they were going, but it was more thrilling than the speedboat ride he had taken at East Lake—maybe because he wasn’t wearing a life jacket.
"The speed is better than a regular horse or hippogryph. Being able to move on water is a significant advantage, though its destructive power is average. However..."
Makarov gave a rational evaluation, looking at the damaged wall. He then shouted at Rod’s back,
"...even so, don’t just go destroying the guild!!"
...
"I’m sorry, it’s my first time riding a crab. I didn’t know how it would move, and I didn’t mean to do it..."
Rod had stood up Levia, the pigeon.
They had originally planned to study at the library together, but now he was hard at work rebuilding the wall under the guild master’s supervision.
It didn’t matter that he didn’t know how to do it; the guild master taught him on the spot. Makarov knew a bit of carpentry and masonry—mainly because he had destroyed the guild as many times as anyone else, making him an expert through experience.
"It’s okay, it’s just a little damage to the wall."
Levia showed great tolerance, possibly because she was used to such accidents.
"Actually, I’ve found a good book on common knowledge. I can read some suitable parts to you while you work."
"That would be great, thank you, Levia!"
Rod was delighted. He used to listen to music or comedy shows on his phone while doing chores, and he was getting bored.
She really is considerate, no wonder Jett and Troy like her so much.
"First, let’s talk about this country, the Kingdom of Fiore, with a population of about 17 million. It’s located on a peninsula on the western side of the continent and was recognized as a neutral nation about 160 years ago..."
Levia’s voice was pleasant as she read and explained.
Rod continued to build the wall, and the mention of Fiore’s 17 million population made him think the country wasn’t very large.
Being a neutral nation was a good thing, though, as it meant less worry about wars, hopefully.
"The city we’re in, Magnolia, is located in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Fiore, not far from the border with Bosco. It has a population of about 60,000..."
Rod had heard Mira mention this once. Magnolia had been a city known for its magic for a long time and was considered one of the more prosperous cities in Fiore.
"Next is the important part," Levia emphasized.
"Magic was once feared, and mages were often persecuted. Additionally, conflicts between mages themselves often led to instability in the world."
"To change this, about 150 years ago, the first mage guild, 'Dragon of the Magic Circle,' was established.
Mages began to unite, using magic to protect themselves and their companions. They also worked to communicate with ordinary people, helping them solve problems and earning rewards in the process.
Since then, one wizard guild after another has emerged, and magic has gradually become an integral part of people's lives. This has slowly evolved into a harmonious coexistence between wizards and ordinary people."
"Then, 97 years ago, in the year X686, our guild 'Fairy Tail' was founded."
"'Do fairies have tails? Do fairies even truly exist? These are all unknowns, representing eternal mysteries and eternal adventures.'
— This is the meaning that the first Master, Mavis, gave to Fairy Tail."
As Levy spoke these words, her eyes sparkled, and it was clear that she truly loved the guild.
This was the first time Rod had heard the significance behind the name Fairy Tail, and it felt a bit romantic.
So romantic that he barely remembered much of the history of Fiore that Levy had recited.
But it wasn’t a complete loss. At least Rod understood that this was a country with a somewhat feudal and autocratic system.
There was a king, ministers, knights, and an army.
Naturally, there were also people within the royal family and those serving the crown who studied magic.
Wizards were generally respected in many places, but they were still citizens of the country, subject to the jurisdiction of the royal family. They did not enjoy the same privileges as nobles with titles.
To maintain stability in the magical world, there was also an institution called the Magic Council, which was responsible for monitoring the behavior of wizards and punishing dark guilds.
However, when Levy mentioned the Magic Council, her expression became strange, as if she didn’t like the organization and even seemed a bit afraid of it.
This left Rod puzzled. Why would you be afraid of an organization that punishes dark guilds? Isn’t Fairy Tail a legitimate guild?
Oh no.
Rod realized he had forgotten to ask about this—Fairy Tail… is it a legitimate guild?
...
Spending time with Levy was a delightful experience.
Whether explaining history and geography or the basics of magic, the young girl was thorough and clear.
Even for someone like Rod, who had almost no background in these subjects, her explanations were not difficult to understand.
She often cited many related stories during her explanations, and Rod was amazed at how extensive Levy’s knowledge was, even more so than his own during his senior year of high school.
By the time Rod had almost finished repairing the damaged wall, Levy was tired and looked at him with anticipation.
"…Oh, right, Chinese." Rod understood her look. "I should wash my face first?"
Actually, he wanted to take a shower and change clothes, as he felt uncomfortable from the mud and dirt after a busy morning.
"If you want to wash your face, I can help you! Solid Script: WATER!" Levy waved her arm, and her fingers wrote the word 'water' in the air.
The magical letters glowed as she wrote and then transformed into actual letters made of clear water.
Levy then manipulated the letters to float in front of Rod. "Use this."
Rod looked at the word 'water' made of water in front of him and tentatively reached out his hand…
Surprisingly, he could wash his hands as if in a basin of water, and even splash some on his face to freshen up.
"What a convenient magic, it's like… what’s the term, right, ‘Word as Law.’"
"Hehe… not that impressive," Levy blushed at the compliment. After Rod finished washing his face, she controlled the water letters to flow into the lake like a normal stream.
"And I’m not very good at it, I can only provide a bit of support during my comrades' battles."
"I think this magic has great potential."
Rod felt that Solid Script was similar to the scenes in some novels where characters write to cast spells, and it should have a lot of potential.
"Let’s start by teaching you the pronunciation of Chinese characters."
Rod took the light pen Levy had used and wrote the initial and final sounds of pinyin in the air.
After some thought, he added the basic phonetic symbols of this world and then taught her to read each one.
Levy enthusiastically read and took notes, only stopping when Lucy came to call Rod for work.
(End of Chapter)
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