After trekking through the forest for about two hours, the trees began to thin, revealing a meadow and an unpaved road cut through the earth. As we drew closer, I spotted a group of people wearing the same suits of armor as our four guards. Some raised their hands to their chests in a salute upon noticing us, while others paused their work to call out to their companions. They were undoubtedly affiliates of the Ducal House.
"Who are those people?" I asked.
"Those are the private soldiers of the Jamil Ducal House, dear. They regularly patrol the territory to ensure the safety of the main roads," the young lady explained.
"They have come as our escort this time, ho. Yesterday, I had them investigate this forest," Reinbach-sama added.
They gave me the explanation, but an investigation for what?
"Ryoma-kun, were you aware that monster sightings and reports of damage have been on the rise these past few years?"
"...? No, this is the first I've heard of it."
"I see. The monster population fluctuates in waves, but there has been an increasing trend recently. We have stepped up our patrols to improve safety. While sightings in this area have historically been low, we heard about you the other day."
About me?
"The fact that you were living here, Ryoma-kun. And the fact that when we visited before, you presented us with the pelt of a Black Bear—the strongest creature in this forest. We began to suspect that you might have been thinning out the local monster population without even realizing it. Just to be safe, I had them spend all of yesterday surveying the woods near the road."
So that was it. Wait, was that why my "souvenirs" yesterday were so numerous?
Just as I was about to ask Reinhardt-san for more details, a man wearing slightly more ornate armor than the rest—likely their leader—stepped forward. Reinhardt-san took Sebas-san with him and separated from our group to receive the report.
While we waited a short distance away to avoid interfering with their work, I saw Sebas-san use Space Magic to produce a carriage. I knew we would be using one, but he had actually stored the entire thing in magic? I didn't even know that was possible.
Watching Sebas-san reach into a void he had opened in the air, I realized it was likely the mid-level Space Magic, Dimension Home. It was a superior version of the Item Box that offered vastly more storage capacity and even allowed for living beings to stay inside. I had heard about the spell from the gods, but this was my first time seeing it in action.
As I watched, Sebas-san pulled out several more carriages in quick succession. Just how much capacity did that spell have?
While I stood there in shock, the young lady giggled like she had pulled off a successful prank.
"That is the carriage for us to ride in. Our luggage is separate and remains stored within Sebas’s Dimension Home, you know?"
There was still more? I offered a silent mental retort as the Madam took my hand and led me toward the same carriage as the four members of the Ducal House. The interior sat six; with the four of them and myself, that made five. After a short wait, Sebas-san climbed in as well.
The slimes were situated on the simple luggage rack attached to the roof. It was apparently intended for luxury items like wine and snacks to be consumed during the journey. After ensuring the slimes were secure and waiting for the final preparations to finish, the carriage began to roll.
Since we were sharing the same space, I decided to take the leap and ask Sebas-san about the magic he had used. He explained that he specialized in Space and Water Magic, and was considered one of the country's leading experts in the former.
Knowing he could use high-level Space Magic, I asked about one more thing that had been on my mind.
"High-level Space Magic... can you use... Another World?"
Sebas-san looked at me with a spark of genuine interest. "My, how did you come to know of such a spell?"
"Tamed monsters... people in town are often afraid of them. I wondered if Space Magic... could substitute for Summoning. I asked my grandmother... and she taught me."
"Can Space Magic really serve as a substitute for Summoning and Dismissal, Sebas?" Eliaria asked.
"It is possible. Monsters can survive inside a Dimension Home, and the same applies to Another World. By keeping your monsters inside, you can avoid causing unnecessary anxiety or fear among the common citizenry."
I felt a wave of relief. It would have been a major problem in the future if that hadn't been possible.
In this world, there is a magic called Summoning that is similar to the Taming Magic I use. Both involve contracting with monsters, but Summoning is considered far more convenient because the monsters can be called out and dismissed as needed. Consequently, Summoning has begun to replace Taming Magic as the mainstream practice. That didn't matter much to me, though.
The reason I had chosen Taming Magic during my ability selection before reincarnation was precisely because I thought I could use Space Magic to replicate the benefits of Summoning. Plus, choosing Taming Magic left me with enough capacity to pick another type of magic.
"The treatment of tamers varies by region, but they often have a difficult time of it," Reinhardt-san noted.
"However, there are complications," Sebas-san continued. "First, to use it as a substitute for Dismissal, one must be able to use at least mid-level Space Magic. Furthermore, only the mage who placed the monster inside can bring it out. Whether the tamer uses the magic themselves or hires someone else, if that mage should become incapacitated—or worse, if they should die—the tamed monsters can never be retrieved, regardless of whether they are dead or alive. This is a risk inherent to all storage-type Space Magic, but it ultimately depends on the user's philosophy. Some see the utility, while others find the risk unacceptable."
Come to think of it, even the gods were debating that point when I first consulted them.
"As for your question, Ryoma-sama, I can indeed use Another World. However, it is not a spell I am fond of. It is the pinnacle of Space Magic, and those who can cast it are held in the highest regard... but that is where the benefits end."
"Why is that?" I asked.
"It is incredibly impractical. There are three stages to the spell. The first is the creation of a vast, independent space. The size of this space depends entirely on the caster's mana capacity."
"So if you have a lot of mana, it becomes large... and if you have little, it stays small?"
"Exactly. Furthermore, performing this first step completely exhausts the caster's mana, leaving them utterly fatigued or even unconscious for several days. And if the first step fails, the space simply isn't created, and you must start over."
What a waste of effort.
"Once successful, the second step is creating an entrance between the new space and your current location. This also consumes a massive amount of mana and can fail. These first two steps are merely the preparation. The third step is the actual usage—opening the gate. Each time you open or close that gate, it consumes between five thousand and ten thousand units of mana. To put that in perspective, a mage must possess roughly ten thousand units of mana just to be considered for a position as a Court Mage. It is a spell that can make a master mage collapse after a single use. It simply cannot be used recklessly. Furthermore, there is the question of what one would even put in such a space."
Eliaria looked puzzled. "What do you mean? If it’s large, couldn't you store far more things?"
"Technically, yes. But for ordinary furniture or travel luggage, a mid-level Dimension Home is more than sufficient. For a space to require Another World, you would be talking about something the size of the Royal Palace or a fortress. At that point, the logistics of getting such a thing inside become the issue. It ends up being a massive waste of mana for no practical gain."
"I see..." she murmured.
It sounded like it had its fair share of drawbacks. My immediate goal would be mid-level Dimension Home anyway. My monsters were only slimes, after all.
Sebas-san offered a small follow-up. "However, there are species of large-scale monsters with bodies as massive as castles. If one were to contract with such a creature, the spell would be quite useful."
"I see... thank you very much."
"Not at all. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask."
"Speaking of which, Ryoma-san, what magic attributes can you use?" Eliaria asked. "I know about Earth and Space, but you were heating the bath with magic too, so Fire and Water as well?"
I figured it was fine to share my attributes, so I answered her honestly. "My grandmother said... I have All Elements."
"All Elements? That’s quite rare," Reinhardt-san said. "Are there any specific attributes you’ve been focusing on?"
"Mainly Earth and Space... the others are Fire and Water... mostly focused on things useful for daily life. I've practiced them... evenly."
"I see. And you use Taming and Barrier Magic as well? Be careful, Ryoma-kun; those with All Elements often fall into the trap of being a jack of all trades and master of none."
"I understand."
The gods had told me the exact same thing.
"...Did I say something strange?" Reinhardt-san asked.
"Eh?"
"You were smiling a little just now, Ryoma-kun," the Madam noted.
I suppose it had shown on my face. "My grandmother... said the same thing to me long ago. I also dabbled in... Healing Magic and Alchemy."
"Ah, I see. I thought I'd offended you for a moment."
"Still, Alchemy is an unusual interest to have, ho..." Reinbach-sama remarked.
I had noticed there was very little information about it. "Is it that unusual?"
"You rarely see Alchemists these days. Their numbers plummeted after a wave of frauds who claimed they could create gold. Long ago, a man known as the Alchemy King was said to have made a fortune, but there haven't been any success stories since," Reinbach-sama explained.
Sebas-san added, "Some say the Alchemy King’s work was the true foundation, and the Alchemy practiced today was merely an inferior attempt by those seeking to replicate his wealth. It has fallen so far that it is now mostly used as a front for scams. The art is barely clinging to life."
"Alchemists have a very secretive, unsettling reputation, dear," Eliaria said. "While other magic guilds are private, Alchemists take it to an extreme."
Judging by their reactions, the craft didn't have the best reputation. It sounded remarkably similar to the history of alchemy on Earth.
"Should I... avoid mentioning that I learned it?"
"Yes, ho. That would be the wisest course of action."
"I understand."
The young lady then looked at me curiously. "Ryoma-san, what do Alchemists actually do?"
I wasn't quite sure how to answer that generally. "I don't know other Alchemists... so I'm not sure. All I could manage... was refining rock salt."
"Rock salt? The rock salt from that area is poisonous and has no value. Is there something you can do with it?" Reinhardt-san asked.
"It contains minerals from the soil... which are toxic to humans. If you remove those minerals... it becomes edible. That was what I did... removing the mineral toxins... so I could eat it."
"You can do that!?"
"I can. The food you ate at my house... all the salt used in it... came from the cliff."
Reinhardt-san looked momentarily excited before a look of realization crossed his face. "That’s incredible! If that’s possible, we could sell it as a product... no, that won't work. The fact that the rock salt in this area is poisonous became common knowledge years ago. No one would buy it."
"Is it that famous?"
"Yes. Years ago, an adventurer found the rock salt deep in the forest. He didn't report the discovery and instead sold it while lying about where it came from. Hunting and gathering are generally free, but if a noble finds rock salt in their territory, they’ll often monopolize it. He likely wanted all the profit for himself. But the salt he sold made a great many people sick, and he was eventually caught and executed. It was a massive scandal. Now, everyone in the country knows that the salt from the Gana Forest in the Jamil territory is dangerous. Fortunately, we didn't sell salt ourselves, so it didn't hurt our reputation."
Even in this world, people falsified the origins of their goods.
"That cliff... only produces a small amount anyway. It couldn't meet a large demand. If I sold it... it would probably lose to cheaper, safer sources. But for just the Jamil house... and the nearby villages... there would be enough."
"I see. That is a shame."
Our idle chatter continued to yield new and useful information. Lulled by the comfortable swaying of the carriage, I settled back and listened to the conversation as we moved toward my new life.