The outwardly tough and intimidating Erza, was she really so thoughtful to bring souvenirs for her friends?
Rhode was somewhat curious about what was inside the gift box... It couldn't be armor, right?
"I'm opening it now!"
Laki placed the gift box flat, gently tugged the ribbon tied with a bow, and lifted the lid.
"What is this thing?" Rhode couldn't recognize what was inside at first glance.
It wasn't armor, but it was definitely made of metal. It looked like a woman's statue?
No, the statue shouldn't have strange seams and handles.
While Rhode was puzzled, Laki had already pulled the handle and opened the 'metal statue,' revealing its ferocious spikes inside.
To his surprise, Laki's expression was not one of horror, but of delight: "Ah! It's an Iron Maiden!"
She caressed the cold metal, a blush appearing on her face: "This is fantastic!"
"Iron...Iron..." Rhode's tongue was a bit tied, his mind buzzing as he subconsciously stepped back half a step.
This thing is a torture device! Wasn't this supposed to be a souvenir? What kind of place considers torture devices as souvenirs?
Why give someone an Iron Maiden as a gift?
And Laki managed to bring this thing back without batting an eye, was she born with divine power like Kana?
The biggest question is, young lady, why are you so excited?
Mira, on the other hand, was smiling: "Oh my, Erza really put her heart into choosing this gift."
Put her heart into it? More like she had ulterior motives?
"No, um, Mira..." Rhode carefully chose his words, "Are you sure this is a gift, and not a death threat of some sort?"
"Of course not, Laki loves all sorts of torture devices. This finely crafted Iron Maiden is the best gift for her."
Mira tilted her head, "Oh, didn't I ever tell you? Laki has a big collection of torture devices in her room."
"..." You only mentioned to me that Laki's collection was interesting, and that I should take a tour if I have the chance.
Rhode realized a serious problem: the girls in the guild, like Mickey, Kana, Laki, Erza...
Each one was more beautiful than the last, but also more intimidating.
Only Reby was sweet and had a good temperament, Mira was a bit mischievous, but mostly very gentle.
He just wasn't sure if there was a side he didn't know about yet.
-----------------
With a leisurely afternoon, Rhode found some time to practice his magic.
Erza seemed to have nothing to do and was chatting with a green-haired girl at the guild.
Thanks to her, the tavern was unprecedentedly quiet.
But according to Mira, it would only stay quiet when Erza just returned; soon, everyone would be lively again.
Reby, with a little notebook, was reviewing the pronunciations she learned in the morning. Every time she saw Rhode take a break from practice, she would come over to learn a few Chinese character strokes from him.
During this time, Makarov also helped Rhode make some adjustments to his Summoning Spell.
Typically, Star Spirit Mages call upon Star Spirits by shouting their names while using the corresponding key.
But Rhode only had one pendant, which connected to different summoned creatures. For now, he could only distinguish them by calling their names.
Once his magic becomes more proficient, he could omit most of the lengthy spell chanting, only needing to shout the name.
The initial spell would be used only when he sensed a new summoned creature.
"Toad, Three Wolves, Six Birds, Rock Monster..." Rhode counted on his fingers, considering the wild creatures he might summon next, feeling there was a long way to go before he could summon the Little Dragon and Big Dragon.
Although he didn't know if any of those ordinary wild creatures were particularly strong, judging by the River Crab's size today, even creatures like Three Wolves and Six Birds—which are weak in games—could be formidable beasts just based on their size when summoned.
For Rhode, the most important thing right now was to increase his Magic Power and improve his magic proficiency.
In terms of Magic Power, the time he could meditate each day was limited, so he couldn't rush it. Consequently, practicing magic was all he could do.
Rhode grabbed Warm, who was freeloading in the tavern, and began practicing the 'Closed Gate' magic, which cancels the summoning.
"I am the one who bridges the two worlds; obey my will and return to the abyss, Poro!"
With the completion of the Closed Gate spell, Warm's figure gradually became transparent and eventually vanished completely.
"Success!" Rhode was delighted to succeed on the first try.
He immediately started chanting the summoning spell again:
"I am the one... Traverse the gateway! Open the gate of the abyss, Poro!"
A whirlpool of magic appeared and disappeared, and Warm reappeared before Rhode.
"Great, one more time!"
"...Return to the abyss, Poro!"
"...Open the gate of the abyss, Poro!"
"...Return..."
"...Open..."
Rhode tirelessly practiced the magic over and over, and Warm could only comply.
At first, it was fine, but after a while, it got boring, and the little creature became more and more casual.
It would appear standing at one moment, sitting at another, and then lying on its back trying to cross its legs but failing...
Warm felt it was quite vexing, but Rhode had no choice, as it consumed the least amount of magic.
If he switched to summoning the River Crab, with his current Magic Power, he would be exhausted after only two attempts, making repeated practice impossible.
"Ah~ah, a...ahchoo~~~"
After countless practices, when Warm appeared again in the tavern, it sneezed hard.
Its long tongue was retracted, and a long strand of snot was hanging down.
Rhode's first reaction was: "So you have a nose."
Warm sniffled hard, turned around to show Rhode its behind, and the little horns on its head drooped—it was a bit angry.
While the Wailing Abyss was a harsh winter, the Fiore Kingdom had already entered summer, making the repeated switches between cold and heat a real chore for even Poro, causing it to almost catch a cold.
"Ah, sorry, it's my fault."
What to do when Poro gets angry?
Rhode thought for a bit and tentatively said, "Mira, I want a fried egg..."
Warm's drooping little horns perked up.
"...And a bowl of tomato and egg soup?"
Warm turned around in a flash, stuck out its tongue again, happiness written all over its face.
While Rhode had not fully figured out Warm's preferences, eggs were definitely one of its favorite foods.
"Easily appeased." Rhode deftly extended his hand to pat its head, scratch its horns, tickle its chin, and rub its belly.
Mira smiled as she took his order, but a somewhat jarring voice spoke from above:
"Finally quiet, huh? You, you've been noisy for a while now."
Rhode looked up, the speaker was a blond young man with a lightning scar over his right eye.
He was wearing something like headphones and a brown-yellow jacket with a coat draped over it—even though it was summer.
At this moment, he was leaning on the second-floor railing, looking down at Rhode with an unfriendly expression.