MTLNOVEL Chapter 7: Money
The moment the plate was set down on the table, a wave of warm, savory fragrance filled Rhodes' nose. The scent of curry, mixed with the gentle sweetness of high-quality rice, made his stomach growl in anticipation.
He picked up his spoon and took in the sight before him.
On the left side of the plate was a deep brown-red curry, filled with tender cubes of beef, soft chunks of potato, and vibrant pieces of carrot. On the right, a mound of perfectly steamed white rice, looking even more pristine in contrast to the rich sauce.
The colors, the textures, the aroma—everything was so tempting that Rhodes found himself hesitating, unsure of where to begin.
That hesitation, however, lasted only a few seconds before his hunger took over.
Spoon in hand, he cut right through the middle, scooping up a perfect balance of curry and rice.
As soon as it hit his tongue, a medley of flavors exploded in his mouth.
Savory, rich, and aromatic, with just the right touch of heat to make his taste buds tingle. The spices wrapped around the tenderness of the beef, while the smoothness of the curry sauce blended seamlessly with the soft, fluffy rice.
Rhodes wasn't great with spicy food, and even this mild burn made his forehead bead with sweat.
But the moment the heat passed, another layer of flavor emerged—the subtle sweetness of the rice, the deep umami of the beef, and the gentle, comforting texture of the potatoes.
It was so good.
He couldn't stop.
Completely absorbed in the meal, Rhodes devoured each bite, utterly lost in the simple joy of eating.
"You always seem so focused when you eat."
Mirajane's soft voice snapped him out of his trance. "Watching you enjoy your food like this makes me feel hungrier myself."
Rhodes wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead and chuckled. "Of course, I love good food. I never really paid much attention to it before… but now, I think I've started really enjoying the process of tasting each bite."
After thinking for a moment, he added, "Maybe it's because I nearly starved the past few days. Or maybe… nearly dying makes you appreciate the little things more."
Mirajane's playful teasing faded, and in its place was the gentle, caring expression he had first come to know.
"In that case," she said warmly, "you'll have to work extra hard. Our menu here is very long."
Rhodes let out a lighthearted laugh. "I'll do my best… haha. Wait—'working hard' to eat? Or 'working hard' for eating? Either way, something about that sounds really weird."
The satisfying meal set him back 500J—but in Rhodes' opinion, it was absolutely worth it.
After finishing up, he asked Mirajane to settle his food expenses from the past few days.
With that, his wallet shrunk yet again.
Mirajane looked a little concerned. "Are you sure you'll be able to make it to next month like this?"
Rhodes waved off her worries. "I'll be fine. I just need to start earning soon. It's only natural to pay for the food I've eaten. I can't afford to cover the medical expenses yet, but at the very least, I should take responsibility for my meals."
"Well… those meals were meant as a gesture of support, so you don't have to rush to pay them back."
"The guild can't be expected to keep covering my meals forever, even if I did trick the Master into lending me some money."
Mirajane giggled. "It was a temporary loan."
"Oh, a temporary loan," Rhodes echoed, smirking.
He then took a serious look at the menu. If he was careful, he could get by with the cheapest options, which cost just a few hundred Jewels.
If he wanted to eat a bit more while sticking to basic food, a few thousand should suffice.
Of course, if he wanted to really enjoy his meals and order freely, there was no upper limit to what he could spend.
Rhodes, who very much wanted to enjoy his food, suddenly felt a heavy sense of pressure.
"Are there any jobs in the guild that don't require magic?" he asked cautiously.
Mirajane tapped a finger to her chin, deep in thought.
"If you're interested, you could work part-time as a waiter in the tavern. Since you'll need to leave time for magic lessons, the pay would be around 120,000 J per month. Would that be alright?"
"Of course! Thank you!" Rhodes agreed without hesitation.
For a wizard, 120,000 J wasn't much at all. Someone like Natsu could earn that in a day or two by taking on a bandit-sweeping mission.
Even lower-tier mages could make that amount in less than half a month by handling smaller, in-town tasks.
Only the absolute weakest wizards—those who could only take on minor jobs worth a few thousand J at a time—would stress over this kind of money.
Unfortunately for Rhodes, he wasn't even at that level yet.
Right now, he was a "quasi-magic apprentice"—lower than a beginner-level wizard.
Just being offered this job was a favor. Mirajane had even made sure to note that he should still set aside time to learn magic.
Another perk of the job? It included two meals a day.
After covering rent and essential expenses, it would take about half a year to fully repay the money he borrowed from the Master.
Of course, Hibiki's commission and Porlyusica's medical fees would take a little longer.
But Rhodes figured that after a few months, he'd be able to start taking on actual wizard missions.
Once that happened, he'd be able to clear his debts much faster.
The road ahead was long and full of challenges.
But, for now—since he had decided to take the waiter job—he stayed behind that evening to help clean up.
The tables and chairs needed to be wiped down and arranged properly, the floors had to be swept, and once it was confirmed that no one was staying behind, the doors had to be locked and the lights turned off before leaving.
As Rhodes worked, he was reminded of doing cleaning duty with his classmates back in middle school.
After bidding farewell to everyone, the guild members headed home. When Elfman wasn't out on a job, he usually waited for Mirajane so they could leave together.
Rhodes walked with the two of them for a short distance, chatting casually along the way. That was when he learned something shocking.
"Wait… so Elfman is your younger brother? I always thought he was the older one!"
Mirajane lightly brushed her cheek with her right hand, smiling playfully. "Oh my, I'm not at the age where I'd be flattered by being called young, you know."
She said she wasn't happy, but that persistent smile on her face told a different story.
Elfman, on the other hand, looked pleased. "A real man should be mature!" he declared confidently.
Rhodes fell into deep thought. Had he just unintentionally complimented both siblings?
Am I the kind of person who's naturally good with words?
I don't even know myself.
By the time Rhodes arrived back at his place, the landlord had already locked up and gone home for the night.
He pulled out the key and let himself in.
The house was completely dark, but with the faint moonlight filtering through the window, he carefully made his way up the stairs.
The entire structure was made of wood, including the staircase. Fortunately, the steps didn't creak under his weight, which meant the place wasn't too old.
Once inside, he fumbled around for a match and lit the candle on the table.
The level of technology here wasn't great—there weren't even electric lights. Most people still relied on candles or oil lamps.
Magic-powered lamps did exist, and their prices had dropped significantly in recent years, but they were still far more expensive than standard oil lamps.
So naturally, the landlord hadn't bothered installing any magical conveniences in this old house that had sat vacant for years.
There was running water, at least.
But if he wanted hot water? He'd have to boil it himself.
After a quick wash, Rhodes dried himself off with a towel, shivering slightly from the cold water.
'Maybe I should just use the guild's bathhouse instead.'
He sighed and glanced around the dimly lit room.
"Looks like I'll need to buy some appliances in the future… Or, well—what do they call them here? Household magic tools?"
"Money, money..." Rhodes muttered to himself, sighing as he walked. Having been thrown into this world under such bizarre circumstances, he now had to worry about something as mundane as making a living.
Thinking about his earnings from working at the tavern and the potential rewards from wizard commissions, he couldn't help but look forward to the future.
With infinite hopes for what lay ahead, Rhodes drifted into a deep sleep.
When Rhodes opened his eyes, golden sunlight streamed diagonally through the window, warming his face. He bolted upright in panic.
"I'm late—!"
But instead of the usual morning rush of campus life, a chorus of street vendors greeted him from outside.
"Fresh apples! Crisp pears!"
"Motherwort, best prices in town!"
"Fresh squash! Come take a look!"
The lively sounds of Magnolia's morning market filled the air.
Rhodes blinked, his heart still racing from instinctive panic. And then, slowly, realization set in.
Lying back down, he draped an arm over his eyes with a heavy sigh.
"Right… I guess I won't be attending any morning classes anymore. Is that… a good thing?"
For a while, he lay in silence.
Then, shaking off the remnants of sleep, Rhodes got up and washed up, changing into the white T-shirt and cropped black pants he'd bought the day before. After quickly running a hand through his hair to fix his bangs, he headed downstairs only to stop abruptly, turn back, grab the necklace from his bedside table, and slip it over his head before leaving.
"Good morning, Mr. Rhodes! Did you sleep well?"
The familiar, enthusiastic voice of his landlord, Goodman Riel, greeted him the moment he stepped outside.
Rhodes returned the greeting with a nod. "Good morning, Brother Goodman. You're here early."
"Just arrived. I was about to open up," Goodman replied as he began setting up his shop.
The storefront was simple yet clever in design. A large wooden panel, about two meters long and a meter wide, made up the main window. Unlocking a few latches from inside, Goodman pulled it outward, letting it fold down.
As soon as he extended the two wooden legs attached to its sides, the entire panel transformed into a sturdy display counter.
Rhodes watched with interest. No wonder the shop entrance was positioned to the side rather than in the middle.
With a small smile, he stepped forward and helped Goodman set up the awning before preparing to leave.
"Wait a sec!" Goodman called out. "Consider this a little thank-you gift."
He tossed a small object toward Rhodes.
Catching it in his palm, Rhodes examined it curiously. It was a wooden charm, no more than two or three centimeters in size, with delicate engravings that he couldn't quite decipher. A beautifully knotted red cord was looped through the top.
"What's this?"
"A good luck charm," Goodman said with a chuckle. "Just an ordinary trinket, really. I carved the wooden plaque myself, and my wife tied the knot."
He scratched the back of his head. "I heard wizards sometimes take on dangerous commissions, so… well, just thought I'd give you something for good luck."
Goodman's shop specialized in handmade crafts—wood carvings, woven accessories, and the like. He must have made this one while preparing stock yesterday.
"Thank you," Rhodes said sincerely.
He thought about mentioning that he wasn't anywhere near ready to take on dangerous jobs yet, but in the end, he simply accepted the charm with care.
A warm, quiet feeling settled over him.
Perhaps… just perhaps, the loneliness and unease of suddenly being thrown into a new world didn't feel quite as overwhelming anymore.
...
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