https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-8-Open-the-Gateway-to-Another-World-/12809307/
Chapter 7: Money, Money, Money
Chapter 7: Money, Money, Money
The aroma of the Fairy Tail's special beef curry rice wafted through the air, inviting and mouthwatering from a distance.
When the plate was placed on the table, the scent of the fragrant rice immediately mingled with the rich curry, a clear sign that only the finest rice was used.
Rod picked up his spoon, his gaze falling on the deep brown curry sauce on the left, with its evenly cut pieces of beef, potato, and carrot.
On the right, the rice, made even whiter by the contrast with the curry, was a perfect complement. The colors and aromas were so enticing that Rod hesitated, unsure where to start.
This delightful dilemma lasted only a few seconds before Rod, driven by his hunger, decided to start from the middle.
The curry and rice entered his mouth together, a mix of salty, savory, and aromatic flavors, with a hint of spiciness that filled his mouth and made his tongue and teeth work involuntarily.
Rod wasn't particularly fond of spicy food, and even a small amount made his forehead break out in a fine sweat.
But once the spiciness subsided, he could better appreciate the sweetness of the rice and the rich, savory flavor of the beef.
Rod was so immersed in the delicious curry rice that he couldn't tear himself away.
"Rod seems to really enjoy his food. It's making me hungry too," Mirajane's voice chimed in. "Does Rod love good food?"
"Of course, I do. I never paid much attention before, but now I find myself increasingly enjoying the process of tasting good food."
Rod thought for a moment and added, "Maybe it's because I was so hungry a few days ago, or maybe it's because I almost died and now I value things I once took for granted."
Mirajane's gentle and caring demeanor returned, "If that's the case, you should really try harder. Our menu is very long and varied."
"I'll do my best... ha ha." Rod couldn't help but laugh. Effort for the sake of eating? It sounded a bit off, no matter how you put it.
A delicious plate of curry rice cost Rod 500J, but he felt it was worth every penny.
He then settled his food expenses for the past few days with Mirajane, further depleting his wallet.
Mirajane was a bit worried about Rod making it to the next month, "You don't have to rush to pay this back. Those meals can be considered a consolation."
"Fair is fair. I can't afford the medical bills yet, but I can't let the guild pay for my meals anymore... even if I did sort of take the money from the Guild Master."
"It's a loan."
"Right, a loan. Got it."
Rod carefully examined the menu. A simple meal would cost a few hundred J, while a larger, more ordinary meal would be around a few thousand J.
If he went all out and ordered the best of everything, the cost would be limitless.
Feeling the pressure to enjoy such good food, Rod asked, "Are there any jobs in the guild that don't require magic?"
Mirajane tapped her chin thoughtfully, "If you're willing, you could work part-time as a server in the tavern. Since you need time to learn magic, the salary is about 120,000J per month. Would that be okay?"
Rod didn't hesitate, "Of course, thank you!"
For a mage, 120,000J wasn't much. Someone like Natsu could earn that much in a day or two with a simple task like clearing out bandits.
Weaker mages could earn 120,000J in less than two weeks by taking on local, non-combat tasks.
Only the lowest-level mages, who could only take on small jobs that paid a few thousand J, would struggle with this amount.
Unfortunately, Rod was now in an even lower category: a 'quasi-magic apprentice.'
This job was a form of favor, and Mirajane even mentioned making time for him to learn magic.
Additionally, working as a server came with the benefit of two free meals a day. With this arrangement, after deducting rent and other daily expenses, it would take about six months to pay back the money he borrowed from the Guild Master.
The fees for Mr. Hibiki's commission and Porlyusica's medical bills would take even longer.
But Rod believed that after a few months, he should be able to take on some mage tasks, which would speed up the debt repayment process.
The road ahead was long and arduous.
---
Since he had decided to work as a server for a while, Rod stayed to help clean up that day.
He wiped down the tables and chairs, arranged them neatly, swept the floor, and made sure no one was left inside before locking the door. He blew out the lights as he left.
The task brought back memories of his middle school days, when he and his classmates would clean up after school.
After saying their goodbyes, everyone went home. Elfman usually waited for Mirajane if he wasn't out on a job.
Rod walked with the two for a while, and during their idle chat, he learned a shocking piece of information: "So Elfman is your brother? I always thought he was your older brother!"
"Ah, I haven't reached the age where compliments about my youth make me happy yet," Mirajane said, touching her cheek with her right hand. Despite her words, her smile never wavered.
Elfman seemed pleased as well: "A real man should be a bit more mature!"
Rod fell into deep thought, realizing that he had accidentally complimented both siblings. Could it be that I'm naturally good with words? Even I don't know.
Since Rod returned a bit late, the landlord had already locked up and gone home. Rod took out his key, opened the door, and stepped inside. The house was pitch black, so he used the moonlight streaming through the window to find the stairs and carefully made his way upstairs.
The house was entirely wooden, including the stairs. Fortunately, they didn't creak under his weight, suggesting they weren't too old. Once inside, Rod found some matches and lit a candle on the table.
The technological level here was quite low, with no electricity, and most people still used candles and oil lamps. While there were magic-powered lamps, and their prices had dropped in recent years, they were still more expensive than oil lamps. Therefore, the landlord hadn't equipped this old, long-abandoned house with any magical devices.
There was a convenient tap for water, but if he wanted hot water, he'd have to heat it himself. After washing up with cold water, Rod considered using the guild's bathroom.
"Looks like I need to get some household appliances—should I call them household magic items?"
"Money, money..." Rod, who had left his school in an unusual way, found himself worrying about his livelihood. Thinking about the wages from his bar job and the rewards from mage missions, he began to look forward to life after learning magic.
With endless hopes for his future life, Rod drifted off to sleep.
---
Rod opened his eyes to find sunlight slanting through the window and onto his face. He sat up abruptly: "I'm late!"
Outside, the sounds of vendors hawking their goods filled the air:
"Fresh apples, crisp pears!"
"Leeks are on sale!"
"Fresh cucumbers, take a look!"
The noise made Rod feel a bit disoriented. He lay back heavily, raising his arm to shield his eyes: "I guess I don't need to go to morning classes anymore. Hooray?"
After a moment of silence, Rod got up, washed up, and changed into a new white T-shirt and black capri pants. He ran his fingers through his hair and went downstairs. A moment later, he dashed back up to grab the necklace from his bedside table before leaving.
"Good morning, Mr. Rod. Did you sleep well?" the landlord, Goodman Riel, greeted him warmly.
"Good morning, Goodman. You're here early."
"Just arrived, getting ready to open up."
The first-floor window was a large wooden board, about two meters long and one meter wide. By unlocking a few clips inside, it could be pushed out and down, and two foldable wooden legs could be extended to create a platform for displaying goods.
Rod found it interesting; no wonder the door wasn't in the center but placed to the side. He helped Goodman set up the awning and prepared to leave.
"Wait a moment. Consider this a thank you," Goodman said, tossing a small keychain-sized item to Rod.
Rod caught it and examined it. It was a small wooden plaque, about two to three centimeters in size, with barely legible carvings and a red string tied in a beautiful knot.
"What is this?"
"A talisman. It's just a simple craft, but I carved the wooden plaque myself, and my wife tied the knot."
Goodman smiled, "I heard that mages sometimes take on dangerous missions. Be careful out there."
Goodman's shop mainly sold wooden carvings and woven decorations. He had made this talisman while restocking yesterday.
"Thank you." Rod thought about mentioning that it was too early for him to take on dangerous missions, but he kept it to himself and carefully accepted the gift.
He realized that the loneliness and unease of surviving alone in a foreign world had dissipated a little more.
(End of Chapter)
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