Three days had passed since the landslide. Since that day, the journey had proceeded smoothly without a single hitch. Perhaps because I had spent every waking moment around others lately, I was gradually regaining the ability to speak naturally. People still told me my tone was a bit stiff, but I could communicate without any problems. Today, we finally reached our destination: the town of Gimul.
"We’ve arrived. This is Gimul."
"So this is Gimul..."
My first impression was that of a peaceful town, nestled within high outer walls and surrounded by lush greenery. It was smaller than the town of Kereban where we had stayed previously, but it felt more settled. I had heard that the nearby mines made steel the primary industry here, so I had imagined a much noisier place, but this atmosphere seemed quite pleasant.
However, based on what Reinhardt-san had told me during the trip, the town faced a growing problem: iron production had been declining in recent years. One of his primary goals for this visit was to inspect a mine that had become unprofitable and decide whether or not to shut it down for good.
In truth, the closure was already a foregone conclusion. Reinhardt-san spoke as if the decision had already been made. "There’s more than one mine, after all," he’d said. "The town should be fine for another decade at least." He might have been trying to avoid burdening a child with heavy topics, but the reality was stark.
The mine in question had produced almost nothing for three years. The condition for its survival was the discovery of a new vein before this inspection, which seemed unlikely. Moreover, the town’s miners hadn't even set foot in that mine since last year. It made sense; everyone wants to work where they can actually see results, especially when their livelihood depends on it.
"Well then, let’s leave our luggage at the inn and head to the Tamer Guild to get you registered."
The Tamer Guild was an organization for those who commanded monsters—namely Tamers and Summoners. Its primary functions were mediating jobs and consolidating information. Members also received support like housing assistance for themselves and their monsters, as well as the ability to buy feed at a discount.
While there were also Adventurer, Magic, and Commerce Guilds, the Tamer Guild was significantly smaller. Tamers were generally less popular than other classes because their monsters often frightened the public. Consequently, branches were rare, but Gimul had one due to the constant demand for hauling heavy loads in the mines.
...Well, most of that information came from Madam Elise.
Elise was in exceptionally high spirits today. She hummed a tune as she led Eliaria and me by the hand. Once we had dropped our bags at the inn, a question occurred to me, and I stopped her before we headed to the guild.
"How much information should I actually give the guild?"
"Information disclosure is entirely at the discoverer’s discretion," she replied warmly. "You only need to tell them what you feel comfortable sharing, Ryoma-kun."
I see. In that case...
"Then I’ll register the evolution conditions for slimes, the method for contracting with a Big Slime, and the two new species I found."
"But you’ll keep the applications for Sticky Slime adhesive a secret?"
"Yes. If I intend to sell it as waterproof fabric, it would be a problem if competitors started appearing immediately."
"That’s a wise choice."
We were about to set off for the Tamer Guild when Reinbach-sama spoke up.
"Ryoma-kun, you’ve never been to a church, have you? Perhaps you should visit the church first to have your Status Board issued."
At his words, Reinhardt-san and Elise both looked like they’d just realized they’d forgotten something obvious.
They explained that the Status Board issued by the church was the tool used to view one’s own stats. Having one would not only allow me to monitor my growth but also simplify the registration process at any guild.
For instance, registering with the Tamer Guild required proof that one could use Taming or Summoning Magic. If the skill was listed on a Status Board, registration was instant. Without one, I’d be forced to wait for an official and perform a contract with a test slime right in front of them to prove my capability.
Thus, we changed our plans and headed for the Church of Genesis in Gimul. I left the slimes behind to watch the room at the inn. While I could have taken them to the Tamer Guild, I couldn't bring them into the church.
We were greeted at the church by an elderly woman in a nun’s habit, her face graced with a gentle smile.
"Welcome. Are you here for prayer today?"
"We’d like to request a Status Board for this boy. Due to certain circumstances, he hasn't had one before."
"I see. Please, come this way. I will guide you to the Chamber of Baptism."
I followed the nun into the depths of the church. Apparently, no one but the person being baptized was permitted inside the chamber, so I had to temporarily part ways with the others.
"Right this way."
"Excuse me."
The room she led me into contained a crystal ball resting on a pedestal, much like the one I’d seen at the guard station in Kereban. Aside from a palm-sized, rectangular indentation in the pedestal, it looked identical.
"This is the Status Board. Once you slide the board into the pedestal and touch the crystal, the baptism will be complete. The crystal will emit a brilliant light, but please don't be alarmed; it's perfectly harmless."
"I understand."
She demonstrated how to fit a transparent board into the pedestal before stepping back to the opposite side.
"Whenever you’re ready, please touch the crystal."
"Okay."
My heart pounded with a mix of excitement and nerves as I reached out. The moment my fingers brushed the crystal, a light as blinding as the one that had accompanied my arrival in this world filled the room. I squeezed my eyes shut. Even through my eyelids, the world turned a brilliant, piercing red before the radiance finally began to fade.
"Ngh...?"
Thinking the light had stopped, I opened my eyes—only to find that I was no longer in the Chamber of Baptism.
There was no mistaking it. I would never forget this place. This was the divine realm where I had first met the gods...
"Hey there! Ryoma-kun!"
"Over here, lad!"
"Behind you!"
Startled, I spun around to find the three gods who had sent me to Seailfall standing there as if they were just hanging out. Since they were here, this was definitely that place.
"Gain, Kufo, Lulutia... Did I die again?"
"No, no, you’re fine," Gain chuckled. "We’ve just paused time in your world for a bit and pulled your consciousness here."
"I didn't think we’d meet again quite so soon," Kufo added, "but you did make those stone statues of us in your forest home and prayed to them every single day."
"You spent three years cooped up in that forest doing nothing but training, researching, and praying, didn't you?" Lulutia said with a kind smile. "Your lifestyle was practically that of an ascetic monk. That’s why this was possible."
Was it really that extreme?
"By meeting us in person before, you believed in our existence with all your heart," Gain explained. "Combined with three years of daily devotion, you met the requirements to be granted the Oracle skill. That moment in the Chamber of Baptism was just the final trigger. When you wake up, you’ll find you’ve acquired the Oracle skill at Level 2 or 3."
"I see... regardless, I’m just happy to see you all again."
I managed to get that much out. I’d spent so much time thinking about what I’d say if I ever saw them again, but the suddenness of it all had wiped my mind blank.
"We are, too. Thank you for visiting the church as promised," Lulutia said.
"It looks like you’re making the most of your new life," Kufo remarked. "We’ve been watching. You keep coming up with the most interesting things."
"I never expected you to stay in that forest for three years, though," Gain said with a slight, amused grimace. "Three years is a blink of an eye to us, but it's quite a long time for a human. Even if that forest was relatively safe, it wasn't without its dangers. We figured you’d last maybe a year at most..."
"But you used every skill and spell at your disposal to make your life comfortable," Lulutia noted. "You built an environment where you could have lived forever if you weren't picky."
"That house of yours... it looked simple, but it was incredibly well-designed," Kufo said. "It was safe, clean, and spacious. You even had a bath! In this world, only the very wealthy have baths. And I can guarantee you that yours is the only toilet in the entire world that is that clean and odorless."
"And your slime research!" Gain chimed in, his eyes bright. "I never imagined you’d go that far. Honestly, nobody really bothers to study slimes... I was shocked by those two new species, the Cleaner and Scavenger Slimes. Those are genuine new discoveries."
"I suspected as much," I admitted. "I asked a family of Tamers I met, and they’d never heard of them either."
"Indeed," Gain nodded. "I created the slimes originally, but I only gave them the ability to adapt and reproduce; I left the possibilities for evolution infinite. However, they were so weak that they were usually wiped out by other creatures. After a few base species were established, they stopped diversifying. Their evolution became locked to the environment they were born in. I’d completely forgotten that new species could still emerge. It was magnificent work!"
"I think you’re the first person in history to study slimes that deeply," Lulutia added.
Are slimes really that overlooked?
"Even I, their creator, had forgotten about those possibilities," Gain admitted with a laugh. "I suspect you might actually know more about slimes than I do at this point."
"Wait, I have more knowledge than a god? Even if it's just about slimes, that’s a bit much..."
"But you’re still thinking of new things, aren't you?" Gain asked. "I’ve been peeking at your research, and you’ve come up with ideas that never crossed my mind. Being a god doesn't make us omnipotent, you know. We have our specialties and our blind spots. Sometimes, we’re just as amazed by the inventions of mortals as anyone else."
"For example," Kufo said, "we’re gods, so you can't actually hurt us. But if you were to try and fight us here, you’d beat us to a pulp. We have zero combat techniques. We can use divine power to keep you from touching us, but we could never match your skill. Well, unless you were fighting the God of War."
"I had no idea..."
"Most humans imagine gods can do anything," Lulutia said gently. "But we’re just happy to see you enjoying yourself. And we were quite surprised to see you get involved with that particular family."
"You mean the Jamils? Are they special to you?"
Lulutia nodded. "Their ancestors were transfer students from Earth that we sent here long ago."
"What!?"
"Yes," Kufo said. "The first one was a lovely girl. She wanted to be an animal trainer, and though she didn't quite understand what was happening at first, she wished for the power to tame animals before she crossed over."
"Is that where Taming Magic comes from?"
"Halfway right," Kufo explained. "Similar techniques existed, but she refined them by combining the power we gave her with her own knowledge. She performed great deeds, was granted a noble title by the king, and eventually married a noble she fell in love with. It's been a prestigious lineage of Tamers ever since."
"Moreover," Gain added, "I’ve given my protection to Reinbach, Kufo protects Reinhardt, and Lulutia protects Elise. And their daughter, Eliaria, is a 'throwback'—she’s inherited the blood of the transfer students we sent very strongly. There’s no way we wouldn't be watching them."
"We keep an eye on them almost as much as we do you," Kufo teased.
"Does that mean the young lady has a talent for Taming Magic?"
"She does," Gain replied, "but that’s not her strongest suit. Her Tamer talent comes from her father's side. The blood she’s inherited most strongly is from her mother's side—another transfer student. He was a typical otaku type. He hated physical exercise and gave up on martial arts entirely to focus on magic. Unlike you, he wished for massive mana reserves and power. He was a walking artillery piece. It took him a long time to learn a variety of spells, though."
"He had zero concept of self-restraint at first," Kufo laughed.
"He was timid and faint-hearted, though," Lulutia noted. "He never did anything truly evil, which was a relief. I shouldn't say this since we gave him the power, but we were on edge until the day he died."
Just how powerful was this guy? "I’d heard rumors, but are there really that many transfer students? Will I ever meet another one?"
"We bring someone over whenever we need to draw mana from Earth," Gain explained. "But there’s usually a gap of at least two hundred years between them. It's rare for two to exist in the same era."
"We had to bring someone over in a hurry during the last great war when magic combat went out of control," Kufo said, "but that’s an exception. There aren't any major wars right now, so I doubt we’ll need another one during your lifetime."
"If you’re curious, you should look for history books," Lulutia suggested. "Most transfer students were given high-level skills or special abilities, so they often appear in legends, hero stories, or fairy tales. For example, the magic-user from Elia’s lineage was a hero from that wartime era. On the other hand, an arrogant transfer student ended up being treated like a Demon King and was slain. And you’ve heard of the Alchemy King, right?"
"Yeah, during a conversation about alchemy. Was he a transfer student too?"
"He was," Lulutia said, her voice dropping. "And he was... incredibly! Infuriating!"
"He demanded the ability to use alchemy," Kufo recalled. "When we told him it didn't exist here, he literally ordered us to 'make it.' He even came up with the name 'Alchemy King' himself and forced his subordinates to use it. He was so bossy."
"I finally got fed up and just whipped something together for him," Gain admitted.
"Wait, you 'whipped it together'? Is that why alchemy is so... simple?"
"Yep. I just threw it together to get him off my back."
"I knew it!" I groaned. "You just draw a simple circle, put the materials down, think about what you want to separate, and run mana through it. I always thought it was weirdly easy compared to other magic. It doesn't even require mana control. It’s like a cheat code."
"I didn't want to waste my time on such an unpleasant person," Gain shrugged. "Even if I have eternity, I’d rather be bored than annoyed."
"I can respect that," I muttered, "but still..."
"It’s still difficult for the people of this world, though," Gain reminded me. "They don't have Earth's knowledge of elements. The Alchemy King was a student on Earth, so he could use it to amass a fortune, but he was a greedy miser. He died without teaching anyone his secrets because he didn't want anyone cutting into his profits. The secrecy surrounding modern alchemy is just a lingering habit from his era."
"That explains a lot." The other transfer students really were a handful.
"You’re much more grounded than the ones who came before you," Kufo said warmly. "You might feel like you’re just going with the flow, but that’s not quite true. You make your own choices, follow the rules, and find your own way to contribute. To us—and to Seailfall—you’re exactly the kind of person we want here."
"Why the sudden heart-to-heart?"
"Heh. I am a god, you know. I figured I should say something god-like for once."
"I see..."
"Don't overthink it," Lulutia added. "Even if you lived for others in your past life, things are different now. And going with the flow isn't always a bad thing anyway."
"As long as you’re enjoying your life, that’s all that matters, right?" Gain asked.
"I suppose so... yeah. Thank you."
"Don't mention it! We’re gods; giving a bit of advice is part of the job," Gain laughed.
"You keep us entertained, so consider this a reward," Kufo said.
"It looks like your time is running out," Lulutia noted. "Before you go, here’s one last bit of news."
"Thank you. I know I don't have much of a vocabulary, but I really am grateful for everything."
"We know," Lulutia smiled.
"We’re all watching over you," Kufo said.
"Lately, even some of the other gods have been peeking in on you," Gain added.
"Wait, others?"
"The God of War and the God of Magic have taken an interest. They usually hate transfer students, so that’s quite a feat," Gain said. "We’re the ones watching most of the time, but the others drop in whenever they’re bored."
"That’s... slightly unsettling."
"Oh, it's fine! They won't interfere. Though it seems Tekun, the God of Technology and Crafts, has already given you his protection," Lulutia said. "Don't worry, it's a good thing."
"He said he loved the way you used to drink in your past life," Gain chuckled. "He’s also the God of Wine. He felt bad that you never got to enjoy your drinks back then, so he decided to reward your high tolerance. He also thought your 'Drunken Fist' practice in the forest was hilarious."
"Drunken Fist? I was just messing around based on old movies... I can't believe he was actually watching that."
"You never know what will catch a god’s eye," Gain said. "Besides, in the identity we gave you, your grandfather was a Dwarf. Tekun is the primary deity for Dwarves, so it actually makes your backstory more believable."
"I guess that works out then."
"It should. Well, it’s time. Your spirit is being pulled back."
"So soon? We just started talking..."
"Don't look so sad," Lulutia said. "If you come back to the church, we can talk again, even if only for a moment. This has been a wonderful surprise."
"I see. Until next time, then."
"See you later, Ryoma-kun!"
"You’re a real piece of work, lad. I’ll be looking forward to our next chat..."
As Gain’s voice faded, a soft light enveloped me. When my vision cleared, I was back in the Chamber of Baptism, standing before the nun.
"That was a magnificent light," she said, her voice filled with awe. "They say the brighter the light, the more the gods love you. You may have received a divine protection. You should check your Status Board immediately."
So, time really had stopped. But wait, wasn't she going to ask about the specifics? "Thank you. Um, aren't you going to ask me about the protection?"
"Divine protection is a gift from the gods to you," she replied gently. "No one but you and the deity has any right to it. I will answer any questions you have, but I will never pry. Besides, it is common courtesy to hide everything on a Status Board except for your name, age, and race. It is your personal information, after all. If you wish to hide something, simply focus on the information you want to conceal and think 'hide.' Go ahead, give it a try."
I nodded and turned my attention to the information displayed on my new Status Board.