Chapter 40: Oh No, Not Again...
Chapter 40: Oh No, Not Again...
Rod had just received his paycheck, but he knew he had to use two-thirds of it to pay the rent. His remaining balance was only 40,000 J.
Last month, the Guild Master had lent him 150,000 J. The cost for hiring Hippe to teach him the common language was 80,000 J, and there was also the medical fee for Porlyusica to heal his injuries. The Guild Master hadn't mentioned that Rod needed to pay for these, but Rod couldn't pretend he didn't know.
"I'll pay 20,000 J this month and keep 20,000 J for living expenses. At this rate, it will take me more than a year to pay everything off. But in two months, the seasons will change, and I'll need to buy a lot of new things. I should save more and pay it all off at once."
Rod reviewed his debts and earning speed, and the pressure immediately came crashing down on him.
"Based on the combat abilities of the Stone Shield Beetles and the Three Wolves, once I have the Toad and the Six Birds, I should be able to handle low-difficulty missions. Considering the possibility of unexpected situations, I should wait until I have either the Red or Blue Buff before taking on any missions. It would be best to team up with someone else."
Stimulated by his paycheck, Rod made a short-term plan that balanced urgency with caution. Technically, with the Guild Master's certification, he could already take on many missions, but he felt it wasn't safe yet and wanted to train for another one or two months.
At the guild's tavern, Macao had a few more ice-cold beers to cool off and was speaking louder than usual.
"Vakaba, did you secretly get a divorce?"
"Of course not," Vakaba replied, puzzled. "Why would you say that?"
"I haven't heard you complain about your wife for days," Macao said, feeling justified.
Vakaba was even more confused.
"I don't know why, but my wife has been really nice to me lately, like when we first got married... Besides being a bit more traditional in her style and a bit heavier, there's really nothing to complain about."
Macao burped and took a few more gulps of beer.
"Damn it, I thought you were as unhappy in your marriage as I am. Why are you suddenly so happy!"
"You're the one with an unhappy marriage," Cana interjected. "Didn't your wife divorce you because you were always working and never taking care of the house?"
"I'm a man, and I work hard to support the family!" Macao argued, his face red, but his tone then dropped. "But I've changed. I don't just focus on work anymore; I also take good care of Romeo... Damn it, I want a happy marriage too!"
Cana could tell Macao was drunk from his demeanor and didn't bother arguing with him. She clutched her small wine glass, glancing longingly at the large barrel in the corner.
"Hmph, you drink like that all the time and still tell me to drink less."
The drunk Macao continued to pester Vakaba. "Tell me, how did you do it?!"
"I've already told you, I don't know!"
Rod looked at Mira and nodded, giving her credit. Mira smiled but didn't say anything.
Cana, seeing that Macao was about to start a drunken rant, interjected, "Have you encountered anything unusual recently?"
"Unusual... about a week ago, I was robbed. Maybe that scared her?"
Vakaba explained, "You know, the robbers were caught by Rod and Mira."
To thank Rod, Vakaba had tutored him for several days. The experienced guild member's advice was invaluable to Rod.
He even told Rod which issues of Sorcerer's Weekly were the best.
Totally useless information!
Rod decided to write it down and sell the intel to other perverts later.
Macao was still pestering Vakaba.
Wakaba was driven to the brink of frustration and finally had to take matters into his own hands.
...
After work, Rod decided to visit a general store. He originally planned to buy some mosquito repellent, but ended up purchasing a mosquito net instead. The repellent would need to be replenished once it ran out, but the net could be used indefinitely—Rod’s little money-saving tip.
Just as he was about to head home, Rod remembered Mira’s reminder that tomorrow was the grand opening of Hanny’s Sweet Shop, and he needed to bring the experience voucher.
So, he detoured to a clothing store.
His money-saving plan was failing.
After leaving the clothing store, he walked a few steps before turning into a barber shop. Not only was he not saving money, but he was spending even more.
The sound of scissors snipping away at his hair filled the air as locks fell to the ground. Rod stared at his reflection in the mirror, calmly pondering whether he had been swayed by a momentary impulse or a genuine desire.
It wasn’t hard to determine.
The real question was how he appeared in Mira’s eyes. If he were to label himself from her perspective, he might be:
- Newcomer
- Companion
- Occasionally in need of care
- Calmer than Natsu and the others
- Quite diligent in training
After a moment of reflection, Rod realized he was probably on par with the other guild members, with only a basic level of goodwill from Mira. At most, their daily work interactions and frequent conversations had made them somewhat familiar.
Rod sighed, realizing he had a long road ahead.
This thought gave him an extra push to train harder.
...
The next morning, after some stretching and a few rounds of punching the heavy bag, Rod freshened up and prepared to head out. He told himself not to overthink things and to just maintain a normal relationship for now.
But his body had other ideas. He changed into a new outfit and spent a good amount of time in front of the mirror, carefully styling his hair.
After finishing the morning routine at the guild, the two of them set out together. Fortunately, the guild master was around, and Sherry and Izu were also working part-time, so Mira and Rod’s temporary absence wouldn’t be an issue.
The only downside was the uncomfortable feeling of being watched by Laki’s intense gaze. From her look, Rod could tell that Mira, who was always the one spreading gossip, was now the subject of gossip herself.
Mira was wearing a beige dress that just covered her knees. Because the sun was particularly harsh that morning, she wore a sun hat with a large pink bow, exuding a youthful charm.
Rod hadn’t noticed before, but now he realized that Mira was just a bit taller than his shoulder.
They made a good height match, he thought, but quickly shook the idea from his head.
As they walked side by side, a subtle fragrance wafted from her. In his previous life, Rod would have assumed it was from shampoo, cosmetics, or perfume. But he had read in a magazine that there were many magical products available for women—spells that could change the color of clothes or emit various floral scents.
Rod wasn’t sure if Mira was using any of these, but he had to admit that her outfit was beautiful, and the scent was delightful.
Mira seemed to be in a good mood. “Did you get a haircut?”
“Yeah, it’s been almost a month since the last one.”
He didn’t want to admit it was a deliberate choice, so he gave a plausible reason. He also wanted to hear her opinion and casually asked, “How does it look?”
Mira turned her head and examined him for a few seconds. “It suits you. You look handsome.”
“Really?” Rod smiled. “Thanks.”
He knew the compliment might just be a polite gesture, but the joy in his heart couldn’t be suppressed.
Oh no, oh no...
(End of Chapter)
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