"Poro? Is that its name? What a cute pronunciation!" Mira seemed to really like the fluffy little Poro.
Rhode also found the Poro cute, but… what good was just being cute? He wanted a hero that could fight!
Rhode held the Poro up to his face, looking into its big, dark eyes. Could this guy fight?
The Poro's big tongue licked over, and Rhode instinctively leaned back, successfully dodging a face-washing service.
Makarov inquired, "Do you know this creature? Does it have any special abilities?"
"He's called Poro, and he lives in a very cold place. His abilities…" Rhode thought carefully.
"He can eat, grow when he eats, explode if he eats too much, and besides that, he can… act cute?"
Mira praised, "What interesting abilities! It seems like a wonderful contracted creature."
Rhode looked dispirited: "Ah, thanks for the encouragement."
"I see, so it's a decorative creature. Don't be disheartened, there are also decorative Celestial Spirits, such as Nicola of Canis Minor."
Makarov said, "Isn't it wonderful to have such a cute creature accompanying you?"
The Poro seemed to sense Rhode's disappointment; the pair of small horns on its head slowly drooped, and its extended tongue retracted, looking pitiful, like an abandoned puppy.
Rhode scratched its chin: "Just treat it like keeping a pet."
"Purrrr~" The Poro rubbed against Rhode's palm, making a comfortable sound, and its small horns stood up again.
Rhode pinched the Poro's small horns, stroked the Poro's head, and rubbed the Poro's heart-shaped belly, gradually growing fond of the fluffy, soft sensation.
The Poro seemed to enjoy it too, lying on the counter with its tongue hanging out to one side.
"Its appearance is very much like a lamb, but its personality is more like a puppy," Mira picked up a piece of chopped apple. "Want some?"
The Poro flipped over, escaping Rhode's massage service, and dashed straight for Mira's offering, its agility beyond imagination.
Does this guy have a setting where it recognizes food but not people? Rhode fell into thought.
Makarov cleared his throat, attracting Rhode's attention, and said to him:
"Regardless of the Poro's strength, when you just opened the door, did you feel a power flowing out of your body? That was magic power."
Rhode thought for a moment: "Now that you mention it, it seems I did…"
"Normally, after a Celestial Spirit Mage opens a gate, maintaining the Celestial Spirit's existence also consumes magic power, and I presume it's the same for you."
Makarov said, "Now, meditate as I instruct, feel the slowly draining magic power, search for its source, and then, understand your own power."
"Yes!"
Rhode sat down cross-legged on the spot, closed his eyes as the Chairman had taught him, and concentrated on feeling the power slowly draining from his body.
The noisy sounds in the tavern gradually faded, and the sounds of the Poro and Mira playing also receded, and the world became quiet.
In a complete darkness, Rhode saw himself sitting cross-legged, with tiny blue light points like mist.
Outside 'his' body, there was a faint, winding thin line composed of blue light points, floating towards his side; that should be the connection with the Poro.
And Rhode's main focus of observation was inside himself, within the mist-like blue magic power light points, there was a noticeable small vortex, slowly rotating in the center of his body, like a miniature galaxy.
It seemed that all the magic power in his body was emanating from within it, and at the same time, sparse light points were permeating from outside, converging towards the vortex.
Magic power was being consumed, but also recovering.
Rhode easily sensed this.
He could even feel the rate at which magic power was consumed to maintain the Poro's existence, compared to the rate of magic power recovery.
Expressed in a common way from online games, it would be:
MP -1
MP +99
The excess portion would probably be used to replenish the magic power consumed when opening the gate.
After realizing how low the Poro's magic power consumption was, Rhode completely gave up hope for its combat effectiveness.
Putting the Poro aside, Rhode focused on observing 'himself', trying to direct the light points in his body.
Although a bit clumsy, he could indeed simply control the flow direction of those light points, which were magic power.
And in the real world, as Rhode manipulated his magic power, his hair swayed gently as if blown by the wind, moving left and right.
The tavern was much quieter than usual today, because the Chairman was watching.
Whenever someone was about to fight, potentially affecting Rhode, the Chairman's palm would land on their head.
When Rhode opened his eyes, Makarov showed a satisfied smile; this child had good talent.
"Let's stop the magic power training here for today. You should pay attention to the Poro now."
Makarov reminded him, "Celestial Spirit Mages usually need to sign contracts with Celestial Spirits and maintain a good relationship. For you, you'll have to figure it out yourself."
"Okay, thank you, Chairman." Rhode stood up and looked at Mira, but found that the Poro was no longer with her.
"There." Mira smiled and pointed to the little fellow frolicking in the tavern.
Rhode followed her finger and then realized… his social skills were worse than a dog's.
He had only meditated for less than an hour, and the Poro had already become familiar with many people in the tavern.
It was constantly darting between tables with its tongue out, occasionally rubbing its fluffy body against people's calves.
When picked up by someone who liked cute creatures, it would act spoiled, its big eyes staring intently at the food on the table.
It was practically screaming 'feed me' with its face.
The most impressive thing was that after tricking someone into giving it food, the little guy would immediately run off, heading straight for the next target, showcasing utter ruthlessness.
In a very short time, everyone in the tavern remembered this cute creature, but only a few, introduced by Mira and Laki, remembered its owner's name.
Rhode waved.
The Poro trotted over on its short legs, but accidentally tripped, rolling like a ball of yarn to Rhode's feet.
This guy simply didn't get up, just lay down and rolled over to expose its belly, its tactics becoming more and more practiced.
Rhode couldn't help but rub its heart-shaped belly again before picking the Poro up and placing it on the counter: "You can understand me, right?"
"Woof woof~" The Poro tried its best to nod.
Rhode asked, "Do we need to sign a contract or something?"
The Poro shook its head vigorously, almost toppling itself over.
"Then if you go back, will it still be you that I summon next time? I remember there are many Poros in Howling Abyss, right?"
The little Poro nodded, then shook its head, a pleading look on its face.
Rhode guessed: "It will be you, but you don't want to go back?"
The Poro showed a happy expression.
Rhode looked at the Chairman, feeling troubled.
Makarov said, "If magic power allows and both parties don't object, it can stay as long as it wants."
"However, if it affects you opening the next gate, then just send it back when the time comes."
Rhode nodded: "Since you like it here, then stay for now."
The little Poro spun around happily.
Mira suggested, "Do you want to give it a name?"
Rhode said, "Its name is Poro."
"But Poro is a general term, right? Like 'dog' or 'cat' for a species. I mean its own specific name."
The Poro looked at Rhode expectantly.
"Hmm… I have trouble naming things…" Rhode looked at the Poro and thought for a while, "How about Little White? Dumpling? Furball?"
The Poro's small horns gradually drooped; it felt very perfunctory.
Rhode was stumped: "Chairman, Mira, do you have any suggestions?"
"How about Worm?"