March came along with a warm breeze.
The temperature started to rise, the ice and snow gradually melted, and in some places, hints of green were already visible.
Rhode's account only increased by 200,000.
The main reason was that Erza was too laid-back last month. Didn't come to team up with Rhode (not really).
It was because Rhode didn't take on any high-difficulty missions last month, just did some small ones here and there.
The highest earnings were still from the escort mission with Elfman.
This is the normal earning pattern for a regular mage; saving 200,000 yen a month after rent and daily expenses is pretty frugal.
At the counter, Hapi and Warm were engaged in serious negotiations.
"Warm, Hapi wants to trade grilled fish for your fried fish."
"Hululu." Warm shook his head earnestly.
"Why?"
"Hulu…" Warm showed his little paw.
"Oh! Hapi can help you remove the fish bones."
"Hulu!"
The major deal was completed.
Today, Natsu wasn't causing any trouble, so the tavern was rather peaceful.
Perhaps it was because Erza was sitting in a prominent spot eating.
Bisca was talking to Erza across the table, her face slightly flushed.
After Erza made a gesture of encouragement, Bisca went to the notice board to look at missions.
Today, Macao didn't seem to be getting along with Wakaba, so he went to drink with Kana.
Kana had already moved on from her previous failure and had been diligently taking on missions for the past two months, even reducing her alcohol intake once again under Macao's persuasion.
Macao, this guy who's bad for tavern business...
Loki's been showing up at the guild less frequently lately. According to Gray, Loki has been feeling unwell from time to time, so his work frequency has decreased as well.
Rhode maliciously speculated that Loki might be dating too many girls at once and couldn't handle it physically.
But then Gray mentioned that when he forcibly took Loki to the hospital last time, that scoundrel shamelessly thought of using his weakened appearance to attract female attention.
Not even five minutes after entering the hospital, Loki was already chatting with a nurse leaning on him.
And recently, it seemed Loki has his eyes on a new target, claiming it's very challenging.
So much so that Gray is too lazy to bother with him now.
Rhode's malicious speculation didn't hold up naturally, but Rhode did increasingly wanna punch him.
This bizarre line of thinking is like an otherworldly version of Joey Tribbiani.
"Hey, Mira, we want this mission." Bisca handed the request form to Mira. "I'm teaming up with Al... Zack."
"Let me see." Instead of checking the task immediately, Mira first glanced at the two of them. Just now, Bisca meant to directly call him 'Al', didn't she?
The two were made uncomfortable by her gaze, and Bisca urged, "Hurry, hurry up, it seems like a pretty urgent task."
"Okay~" Mira carefully looked over it, "Disguise as a couple to infiltrate a ball and stop the rivals who want to sabotage it?"
Disguise as a couple? Mira immediately caught the crux of it, Bisca is quite bold.
Rhode also immediately caught the point, placing a hand on Alzack's shoulder: "Hey buddy, how about letting us take this mission?"
"Uh? This… this…" Alzack was torn; of course, he didn't want to give it up, but he still owed Rhode a favor.
"No trouble-making," Mira pushed Rhode away, confirmed the mission's difficulty, and registered the duo for it.
"Good luck, in all aspects," Mira cheerily bid them farewell.
After leaving the guild with blushing faces, Bisca then thought she should've responded with a 'you too' just to see Mira's reaction.
"What a pity, such a good mission, and I didn't notice it first." Rhode lightly shook his head as he flipped through the mission details.
Mira rolled her eyes at him: "The regular meeting is coming soon again; have you thought about how to handle it this time?"
"I have to go out of town this time! It's such a hassle when the President gets drunk." Rhode didn't want to go to the meeting with the President again.
Last month, he had to go because he was having too much fun with Mira and forgot about it. He can't be sloppy about it again this time.
But the little fan of Mira who wanted an autograph will have to be stood up again... the President can bring it over.
Rhode said, "Why don't we have a meal together before I go? Any place you want?"
He'd already eliminated the option of 'not going', so Mira thought about it: "I decided last time, you decide this time."
"How about dumplings? We have a saying back home: dumplings when you get on the car, noodles when you get off."
"Sure, I know a place where both noodles and dumplings are great. We can go there again when you get back."
"No problem."
"Why is it still the place I decided?"
Rhode chuckled: "It's all the same; you know this place better, after all."
Mira naturally skipped over this topic: "By the way, the forsythias at South Gate Park will be blooming in a few days, wanna check it out?"
"Sure," Rhode readily agreed, "I remember there are cherry blossoms in the park too?"
"Yeah, but it'll fully bloom by April. Our guild will organize a cherry blossom viewing party, a lively event."
"Is it like a Harvest Festival?"
"No, just an internal guild event. Mr. Cook will prepare lots of delicacies, along with various contests and lottery events."
"Sounds exciting, but it's still a while away." Rhode said, "So when we go to see the flowers, how about having a picnic?"
Mira saw through his little scheme: "Okay, but who's going to prepare the food?"
"Well... my cooking skills are limited to grilling meat... if it comes to that we could pack some from the guild." Rhode looked expectantly at Mira, waiting for her to argue back.
Mira refused to counter: "Hmm, sounds like a plan."
Rhode's face visible filled with disappointment from anticipation.
This person clearly wanted to eat her cooking.
Mira chuckled for a moment and then offered, "Alright, I'll prepare the food."
"Great!"
"But you have to come grocery shopping with me."
"Even better!"
Mira hummed twice: "Maybe you should go alone after all."
"Fine, but you know me, there's a chance I'll buy onions thinking they're carrots."
Mira didn't buy it: "It's okay, no matter what you buy, I know what to make with it."
"Sigh…" Rhode sighed with a smile, "You're so hard to trick…"
Just then, as he flipped to a commission that hadn't yet been posted on the board, the smile gradually froze.
"What is it? Has something happened?" Mira noticed the change in Rhode and looked at the document in his hand.
It was a commission looking for a doctor for a daughter.
A little girl had fallen ill with a mysterious disease, and over the past two months, her parents had searched for doctors nearby but couldn't even identify the illness, let alone cure it.
The doctors suspected it might not be a disease but some kind of curse and advised them to seek help from a mage.
Just from the content of the commission, Mira couldn't see anything special, only that the little girl's name seemed familiar.
—Liss, where had she heard this name before?