https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-51-A-Strategic-Analysis-as-Fierce-as-a-Tiger/12810266/
Chapter 50: Incomplete Mastery, Forced to Leave the Mountains
Chapter 50: Incomplete Mastery, Forced to Leave the Mountains
The area around them was once littered with disordered footprints, but recent rains had washed away most of the details, making it hard to discern the exact shapes.
"Master, you mentioned investigating the beast rampage. Have you found anything?"
"Nothing at all. Since the incident, there's been no trace of it," Makarov said, looking at Rod. "But I have a slight theory now."
"Me too," Rod admitted, feeling a bit guilty. "If it was really caused by my magic going haywire, how much would I have to pay?"
Seeing Rod's worried expression, Makarov chuckled.
"You don't need to pay anything. This area is unclaimed, so we can't go to the king and pay a fine for such a minor issue."
Rod let out a sigh of relief, narrowly avoiding a major financial crisis.
After walking a bit deeper into the forest, the two finally arrived at Porlyusica's treehouse.
Rod looked up at the bright red apples hanging from the trees and then down at the bag of apples in his left hand, feeling a bit redundant.
"Master..." Rod managed a strained smile, "You could have at least warned me."
"Hahaha... So you can make that face too, how amusing!" Makarov laughed mischievously, like an old prankster.
After he had his laugh, he said, "It doesn't matter what the gift is, as long as the thought is there!"
"Shut up!" The door to the treehouse was yanked open, and a voice barked, "I can hear your annoying laugh from a hundred meters away, Makarov. Can't you be quiet for once?"
Makarov smiled sweetly, "What's wrong with a little noise? It's rather lonely living here all by yourself, isn't it?"
Porlyusica noticed Rod, "Your injuries should be healed by now, right?"
Rod quickly replied, "Yes, I heard you like peace and quiet, so I didn't dare to disturb you. Thank you for your help and care!"
"Hmm?" Porlyusica was surprised by Rod's fluent Common Tongue but didn't press further. "Since you know, go back. I hate humans."
"Don't be so harsh," Makarov said, "This boy just wanted to thank you, so I brought him here. Look, he even brought a gift."
Porlyusica's eyes fell on the bright red apples, and she glared at Makarov, "Hmph, a fool's child is still a fool."
With that, she turned and went back inside, leaving the door open.
Rod felt a bit embarrassed.
But Makarov knew her 'hmph' wasn't directed at Rod but at his own silly behavior of bringing a child to a place full of apple trees just to tease him.
"Don't mind her, she always speaks like that," Makarov, accustomed to Porlyusica's manner of speaking, said. "Let's go in; leaving the door open means she's inviting us."
Tsundere?
No, no, that's too disrespectful.
Rod mentally scolded himself for thinking ill of his benefactor and followed the Master into the treehouse.
The treehouse was small and sparsely furnished, with hardly any space to move around.
The floor was cluttered with flower pots of herbs and bottles of various potions.
The only furniture inside was a bed, a desk, a bookshelf, and a cabinet carved into the wall, and a single wooden stool.
Rod looked around, unsure where to place the bag of apples.
Porlyusica glanced at the bottle in Makarov's hand, "You're here for that, aren't you?"
Makarov nodded, "Yes, this is some soil contaminated with poison. I want to see if you can find a solution."
Porlyusica immediately asked, "Is someone in the guild poisoned?"
"No, just being prepared," Makarov explained the situation, and at the end, he praised Rod, "This boy is very steady."
"Hmph, another fool who only knows how to chase after power."
Porlyusica, with a look of disdain, took out a petri dish, added a bit of soil, and carefully dripped in various potions.
Rod didn't pay much attention to Porlyusica's attitude. This old lady must have gone through something to make her say such things.
Maybe she had a companion who pursued power too recklessly and ended up hurting themselves.
After a series of professional tests, Porlyusica confirmed the effects of the toxin:
"A contact toxin. Once it touches the skin, it quickly seeps in, causing initial pain followed by numbness and slowed movement.
If the poisoning persists, the toxin will damage internal organs, and in severe cases, it can lead to death.
Low temperatures can slow its spread, and high heat can reduce its potency, though inhaling small amounts of the vapor has minimal effects."
After a thorough examination, Porlyusica went outside and asked Rod to release the Magic Toad. She needed to collect more samples of the venom, the toad's oral secretions, and study the mushrooms on its back.
"Come back in a few days to pick up the antidote. Don't misuse this monster in the meantime."
"Yes, thank you!"
"Don't bother, Makarov brought this on himself. He can come get it himself."
"Ah, okay."
Rod was about to say that it was his fault, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt it didn't quite fit.
Maybe 'trouble' referred to him, so Makarov was the one causing the trouble? It didn't seem like he could argue with that.
...
On the way back, Rod wore a troubled expression.
Makarov asked, "Are you really bothered by what Porlyusica said?"
"Not really. Porlyusica... how should I put it? She's always complaining, but she didn't skimp on the task you asked her to do. She must be a tough but kind-hearted person."
Rod shook his head. "I'm actually worried about something else. This month's living expenses seem to have exceeded my budget."
The money for the gift, the ingredients for the Poro delicacies, the new clothes he bought recently, and a few pieces of fitness equipment...
The cash in his pocket always seemed to slip through his fingers, and it was nearly two weeks until his next paycheck.
If it were back in his old world, he could have saved by skipping breakfast, but that wouldn't work now. Skipping breakfast would definitely affect his training.
"You know, you should start taking on some jobs," Makarov said with a sigh. "If you keep this up, you'll end up like Natsu."
Natsu was actually more determined than Rod, as he refused to work as a waiter.
"I do want to try, but the city jobs pay by the hour and might not be better than working at the guild's bar. And the jobs outside the city..."
Rod looked troubled. "I just feel like my strength isn't quite there yet. Going out there might not be safe."
"Being cautious is good, but at least half of the guild members are no match for you now."
The Guild Master sighed. "Have a bit more confidence in yourself. You're strong. Magic comes from the heart, and if you don't believe in yourself, your magic will weaken."
Rod was taken aback. "So even if I keep training hard, I might still get weaker if I go out there?"
"Is that the main point?!" Makarov couldn't help but shout at Rod. "Go back and have Mira help you pick a suitable job!"
Makarov suspected that Rod might have some lingering effects from the beast attack and needed to go out and build some confidence, gaining practical knowledge beyond what he learned from books.
"Oh..."
Rod reluctantly nodded. Logically, the Guild Master had no reason to lie to him or set him up.
Maybe he should go out and explore? He'd need to be cautious and have Mira pick a safe job, preferably one where he could team up with someone else.
(End of Chapter)
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