The next day, Rhode woke up early.
Ever since coming to this world, his habit of lazing in bed was corrected due to having to work every day.
The experience of sharing a room with Gray was alright; aside from his poor sleeping posture and preference for sleeping naked, there was nothing peculiar about him.
Unlike Natsu, who not only has an unsightly sleeping posture but also snores loudly, occasionally spewing small flames while snoring.
Sleeping with him always made one worry he'd have a nightmare and set the house on fire.
Gray also woke up quickly, lifting his blanket and standing up directly, rubbing his eyes as he prepared to head out.
"Don't move!" Rhode yelled, swiftly darting to the door, reaching the handle before Gray.
Gray, in a sleepy daze, said, "Rhode, are you heading to the bathroom too?"
"Bathroom my foot, put on your clothes first!"
Gray looked down: "Ah, I almost forgot."
It was almost a close call early in the morning.
After solving personal matters, the two went out for a simple morning exercise.
When they returned, Wendy was already energized, engrossed in reading a thick magic book, while Carla was... making breakfast.
Forgot to ask last night, was it Carla who cooks at Wendy's house?
"Good morning, Mr. Gray, Mr. Rhode."
"Morning."
"Good morning, Wendy. Why so eager to read that book?" Rhode said, "Don't forget what Granny Porlyusica said, don't force yourself to practice."
"Mmm, I remember. But this is the magic Grandeeney left for me. I want to learn it before I see her, or at least memorize it."
The little girl's expectant smiling face glowed brilliantly in the sunlight.
Perhaps in her heart, she's hoping that once she learns the Dragon Slayer's Secret Art, she'll be able to meet Grandeeney?
"Good luck."
"Breakfast is ready!" Carla called for everyone to eat, looking a bit low in spirits.
"Carla, didn't sleep well?" Asking the host if they slept well as a guest seemed odd to Rhode.
"It's nothing, just a nightmare." Carla glared at Gray.
Should she tell them she slept uneasily because she was worried about a certain pervert?
Gray was puzzled. This little cat holds grudges; wasn't it just a comment about a cat's tongue yesterday?
"Thank you for the meal, it was delicious."
"Hmph, it's not like it was specially made for you."
"Even so, we are grateful. See you in a few days." Rhode strapped on his backpack, taking his suitcase with him.
Gray also slung his bag over his shoulder and carried the tent borrowed from Carla: "Thank you for your hospitality."
After a few steps, Gray suddenly stopped: "Thanks for the tent, and breakfast was really good."
Carla's expression became quite lively: "Wha-What, suddenly... so annoying!"
Wendy also smiled and said, "Carla's cooking is really good."
"Wendy!"
Rhode looked back just in time to catch the excitement.
Dealing with tsunderes is best done head-on.
This guy Gray, not even ice magic can chill his warm heart.
...
The two left the small village of Hiluwein, each riding a river crab into the deep mountains.
Starting today, they would search while advancing into the mountains and camp there at night.
Rhode and Gray casually found a team from the Advisory Council to serve as their check-in.
They released river crabs and shadow wolves in front of them to search, and once out of sight, they released more wild creatures.
Rhode's current state was conflicted, diligently working while perpetually slacking off, which was the joy of being a Summoning Mage.
When bored, he could also spar with Gray for fun.
Gray had learned even more diverse combat skills than Rhode, from fists and grappling to throws and weapons like swords and spears; this kid knew a bit of everything.
The reason for learning these seemed to be to better complement his Shaping Magic.
P eople who can create their own weapons sure are willful.
With many people sent by the Advisory Council, the search progressed much faster than Rhode anticipated.
Unfortunately, nothing was discovered that day, but they did enjoy a great barbecue.
Using Text Magic to start a fire was convenient, and with Gray around, there was no worry about forest fires.
At night, they camped upon Kaptin's invitation, setting up tents among the Advisory Council's team.
"Stick, that one, hold it a bit, tie a knot here..."
Yeah, Rhode was clueless about setting up tents, entirely relying on Gray's guidance.
But that was alright; he learned a new skill.
Camping in the mountains meant being cautious of snakes, insects, and rodents, but the Advisory Council's team was well-prepared, bringing the latest insect repellent this year.
Rhode had seen it advertised in Wizard Weekly last summer but never bought it.
This time, he could mooch a bit; the stuff Gray brought could be saved for future use.
This routine continued until the morning of the third day.
Rhode used Three-Dimensional Text Magic to create water for him and Gray to wash up.
Then, with Kaptin, he snagged some bread for breakfast and started a new day's work.
He routinely released river crabs and shadow wolves, then played cards, fought, and meditated.
Close to noon, he suddenly felt a shadow wolf returning to the Summoner's Rift voluntarily.
This was a signal for discovering a suspicious target.
Unlike river crabs, shadow wolves couldn't share vision, so they had to communicate quietly this way.
Rhode immediately resummoned the shadow wolf: "How many people are there on the other side?"
The shadow wolf scratched the ground with its claws; it saw ten.
"What's the location?"
With some scratching and gestures, the shadow wolf indicated it seemed far.
"Let's go, report back, and prepare to wrap up."
Rhode recalled the other wild creatures, resummoned a river crab, and then called Gray to find Kaptin together.
Non-essential luggage was left at the previous camp, with Rhode only carrying a backpack.
Midway, he pulled out a magic book and two Bursting Magic Crystals, handing them to Gray: "You would know how to use these, right?"
Gray was startled: "The bag you carry around all the time, that's what's inside?!"
"Yup, just in case."
Gray was less cooperative than Mira: "Forget it, I won't use it."
"Alright, suit yourself." Rhode put the items away; after all, the fight wasn't their responsibility.
Kaptin, after confirming the situation, immediately gathered the team, asking Rhode to lead the way.
Kaptin instructed his subordinates, "Only ten individuals were discovered, but there could be more. The Zat Brothers might have brought the entire Guild, don't let your guard down!"
Rhode had the shadow wolf lead the way, while a river crab went ahead to gather more information.
He made sure to confirm one last time: "We're sure you don't need our help in the fight, right?"
"No need, once we confirm their movements, even if the entire Naked Bandage Man Guild is here, we have a way to handle it."
Kaptin seriously added, "Please ensure you follow the two additional requests, or the consequences won't just be about the reward."
"I guarantee we won't interfere," Rhode replied, not keen on inviting trouble.