"Ryoma, what are you doing out here?"
I was spacing out with the slimes in an area away from the carriage stop when Jeff called out to me. Behind him, the entire crew gathered for the cesspool cleaning had assembled.
"Not heading back yet-nya?" Miya asked.
"Good work today, everyone," I replied. "I was planning to take the last carriage and head back leisurely. The shared ones are a bit too crowded for my liking."
"You too, huh?"
"'You too'? Does that mean you’re all waiting as well?"
"Everyone’s exhausted," Jeff said. "Nobody’s in the mood to fight through that crowd just to get a seat."
"Seriously," Gordon grumbled. "I know we were hired for exactly this kind of situation, but today was brutal."
"It really was," Mizeria agreed. "A Goblin King on top of a horde that size... normally, that’s a job you only take on after weeks of preparation. While we were fighting, I couldn't stop thinking about that old cautionary tale—the one about never letting your guard down, even against weak monsters."
"Ah, the true story about the kingdom that fell when a hundred thousand goblins invaded?" Cher added. "I remembered that too. Honestly, it’s a miracle no one died today."
Was there really a story like that?
Gordon grumbled in agreement, rubbing his thick neck, while Mizeria nodded. I watched them, thinking about how drained everyone looked, when Cher turned to me.
"Wait, Ryoma, you didn't know that story? I thought it was common knowledge..."
"I don't recall ever hearing it."
"You were probably one of those kids who read nothing but academic tomes instead of fairy tales," Jeff joked. Everyone else seemed to find that explanation perfectly plausible.
It seemed my simple lack of world knowledge had been misinterpreted as a sign of being a total bookworm.
"It’s a tale about how soldiers and adventurers fought desperately to save their country, but they were eventually overrun because they couldn't cover enough ground," Gordon explained. "We can laugh about it now, but if it hadn't been for you and your slimes, the ambush unit would have ended up exactly like that kingdom."
Truly, there is strength in numbers. No matter how strong your individual reach is, it doesn't matter if the enemy simply flows around you.
"I have remembered!" Raypin suddenly shouted.
"What's the matter now, old man Raypin?" Jeff asked.
"Ryoma, would you mind showing me that Heal Slime again? I have only ever heard of them in passing!"
"Certainly."
I called over two of the Heal Slimes and held them up so he could get a closer look.
"Here you go."
"Fascinating! Much appreciated. Hmmm... the body is white and quite small for a slime species. I saw it use healing magic with my own eyes... it is exactly as the rumors described. Tell me, does it eat the same things as a standard slime?"
"Actually, it doesn't eat or drink anything except water. Cleaner Slimes don't usually eat meat either, but they will if I order them to. I think it’s a matter of preference... but Heal Slimes truly only consume water. That’s the most significant difference."
"What? Is that so?"
"How can it survive on just water?" Cher asked.
"It has a skill called Photosynthesis. It allows them to absorb light and produce the nutrients they need to live inside their bodies. Thanks to that, water is all they require."
"Such a skill exists?! Mmm, incredible... wait, I believe I recall seeing a plant-type monster in the encyclopedia that possessed a similar trait..."
"Is that slime strong-nya?" Miya chirped in, ignoring Raypin, who had already descended into a scholarly trance.
"No, it’s extremely weak," I explained. "It has no combat capability at all. In a straight fight, it would lose even to a common slime."
"That’s weak-nya..."
"That’s likely why they’re so rare. Even if one is born, it’s probably killed by other beasts or monsters almost immediately. Humans rarely get the chance to see them."
"That makes perfect sense," Raypin said, surfacing from his thoughts. "In the wild, the powerless cannot survive. Does the Heal Slime have no means of self-defense at all?"
"It specializes entirely in endurance. On top of its healing magic, it has the Vitality Strengthening skill. If it's attacked, it focuses on healing itself while trying to flee."
"So it just heals and runs?"
"They’re surprisingly tough, but they wouldn't last long alone. These little guys seem to realize that, too. Even when I tell them they’re free to roam, they refuse to leave my side or the side of my other tamed slimes. They're useful because they’ll immediately heal me or the others if we're hurt, but I keep them strictly on medical duty. I'd never let them fight."
"I see... I have been shown something wonderful today. My thanks, Ryoma."
"It’s rare to find someone who appreciates slime research," I replied. "It’s the least I could do."
"Umu. If you ever have questions about monsters, do not hesitate to ask me. I am confident I can answer almost anything. Furthermore, our conversations are quite stimulating—I find your discoveries very interesting. It is truly a pity that you don't receive the evaluation you deserve."
Asagi, the dragonewt, joined the conversation then. "I am not deeply versed in Taming Magic, but I have heard that managing more monsters becomes exponentially difficult. If you can command this many, surely the Tamer Guild would prize your skills?"
"I’m just a newcomer with no real track record," I explained. "Besides, the Tamer Guild’s ranking system focuses on the raw power and rank of the tamed monsters themselves. Since I only use slimes, I don't qualify for a high rank. In fact, there's a strong prejudice against them. If I publicized my research, I’d probably just attract negative attention, so I keep it to myself."
"Many judge slimes as incompetent and worthless," Raypin sighed. "Ryoma has discovered two new species—the Cleaner and the Scavenger—and both possess incredibly useful abilities. Personally, I believe your rank should be raised several levels based on your research alone. However, as a researcher who knows the reality of the field, I suspect your knowledge would be unfairly dismissed if you shared it now. It is no wonder you aren't interested in going public. That perception of slimes being useless is deeply rooted, and not just in the Tamer Guild."
"Is that so?" Welanna asked. "Even an uneducated woman like me can see the value in those two species. I’d want them for myself if I could use Taming Magic."
"If more people judged without prejudice, perhaps you would receive a proper evaluation someday," Asagi said.
Everyone present nodded. Between the cesspool cleaning and today’s goblin extermination, they had all seen the practical value of the Scavengers and Cleaners. Seeing their reactions, an idea suddenly crystallized in my mind.
"I wonder if I could earn enough for living expenses if I opened a laundry shop..."
"A laundry shop?"
I hadn't realized I’d spoken the thought aloud.
"I just thought of it," I said. "I could use the Cleaner Slimes to handle laundry. I could advertise to adventurers: 'I’ll even get the goblin grime out for a low price!' Do you think that would be enough to live on?"
"Define 'low price,'" Jeff prompted.
"Let’s see... I’d provide special bags, and maybe charge one small copper coin per bag at the lowest, or one medium copper coin at the highest?"
"You could definitely make money!" the group shouted in unison.
"I know how clean they get things-nya," Miya said enthusiastically. "A medium copper for a whole bag is a steal-nya!"
"Especially for things like goblin blood and grease," Mizeria added. "Those are so hard to wash out."
"I always get depressed just thinking about doing my laundry after a job like this," Cher admitted.
"I usually just throw my dirty clothes away and buy new ones," Welanna noted. "The smell never really goes away. There are plenty of other beast-kin who earn decent money and have sharp noses who do the same. If we could get rid of the grime and the scent for a single medium copper, everyone would flock to you. It’s much cheaper than buying new gear."
The other beast-kin women nodded vigorously, confirming that their people were incredibly sensitive to odors.
"At that price, you'd get customers who aren't even adventurers," Jeff said. "Considering the time and labor involved in laundry, paying you would be faster and easier."
"I’d want to hire you starting tomorrow," Gordon said. "I’ve got a mountain of laundry piling up at home..."
"This one is also quite poor at housework," Raypin added. "I tend to neglect my chores when I'm deep in research. I hire help occasionally, but the wages are quite high."
"In Raypin’s case, he waits so long the stains are permanent, so he gets charged extra," Asagi joked. "But it is true that hiring domestic help is expensive. Only wealthy families or nobles can afford it regularly. At the price you mentioned, commoners could easily afford it as well."
The three men added their somewhat slovenly perspectives, and Asagi summarized. Everyone was far more interested than I had anticipated.
"If you're serious about this, you’ll definitely be profitable," Welanna said. "And we’ll be your first customers."
"But why the sudden interest in a business?" Mizeria asked.
I realized I hadn't filled them in yet. "Actually, I did a lot of thinking yesterday. I’ve decided to become independent."
"Independent? What do you mean?"
"As you all know, I came to this city with the Jamil family. They’ve been looking after me in so many ways... but I realized recently that I was relying far too much on their kindness. After talking it over with them, I turned down their financial support. I want to stand on my own two feet."
"You turned down the Duke’s support?!"
"Man, what a waste..."
"I still have a roof over my head for now," I continued, "and they’ve been wonderful, but I was starting to take it all for granted. I want to be ready to support myself by the time they leave the city."
"Most people wouldn't dream of doing that," Jeff said, looking impressed. "Most people don't even get the chance."
"It is an admirable mindset," Asagi added.
"Hahaha... well, the result is that I’ve promised to handle one specific job for them and keep in regular contact, but I’ll be staying here in Gimul. I've been looking for several ways to earn a living on my own. I plan to keep working as an adventurer, but because of the work I'm doing for the Duke, I have to return to the city regularly anyway. Preparing multiple income streams will give me some security if I ever can't go out on quests."
"I see. Well, good luck with it," Jeff said.
"If you are staying in the city, then we shall surely meet again," Raypin said. "I look forward to it."
"Likewise," I replied.
We spent the rest of the time chatting casually until the last carriage arrived to take us back to the city.
When I returned to the inn, I was summoned to the Jamil family’s suite.
"Welcome back!" Elia greeted me.
"Ryoma-san, thank you for your hard work today," Elise said.
"Work ended early today, didn't it?" Reinhart asked. "Is everything going smoothly at the mine?"
"Wait, hasn't the news reached you yet?"
"We were at the town office today inquiring about the mine's management," Reinbach explained. "It seems it’s been neglected for a long while. Did something happen?"
"We found a goblin village today and wiped it out. There was a Goblin King involved, so it turned into quite the ordeal."
The room erupted in shock.
"A Goblin King?!"
"Are you alright?!"
"Fortunately, my role was finishing off the stragglers, so I was never in any real danger," I assured them. "And luckily, there were no fatalities among the other adventurers either."
"I see. That’s a relief..." Reinhart sighed.
"However, the nest was large enough to house a King and Knights. About two thousand goblins fled and came toward our position. Since we did so much heavy lifting, we were told to dispose of the corpses and head home to rest."
"It’s a miracle no one was killed by a horde that size," Reinbach remarked.
"The high-rank adventurers handled the King, and the rest of us managed the others with traps. Also, there’s one more thing I wanted to discuss."
I told them about the six rookies I had met and their struggle now that the cesspool cleaning work had been taken away. The mood in the room darkened slightly.
"I see..."
"What is the current situation at the town office?" I asked. "If it’s alright to share."
"We’re currently handing down punishments and restructuring the staff," Reinhart said. "The ringleader of the corruption is already behind bars, and we’re investigating his other crimes now."
"Today’s revelation will certainly be added to his list of offenses," Reinbach added. "And you say the Guild is handling the cesspool work now?"
"Yes. I accepted it as a quest again after our talk."
"The Guild wouldn't want to keep a client waiting, I suppose."
"I told those six that they can take the job through the Guild now and that they’ll definitely be paid," I said. "They seemed skeptical, but they looked like they wanted to work."
"I apologize for the oversight," Reinhart said. "I’ll speak to the new official in charge to ensure measures are taken from our end as well."
The conversation trailed off for a moment.
"Well, enough of the heavy talk," Elise said with a smile. "I’m just glad you’re safe."
"You must be starving after a job like that," Reinhart added. "Would you like something to eat?"
"I would, thank you."
"The slimes worked hard too, didn't they?" Elia asked. "What about them?"
"They ate more than enough goblins today," I said. "They’ll probably all undergo division again tonight."
"Oh? Which ones are increasing?"
"The Acid, Poison, and Cleaner slimes, and probably the Sticky ones too."
"That’s quite the explosion in numbers," Elise noted.
"They ate a massive amount," I said. "It’ll help with combat, waterproof cloth production, and my cleaning work, so it’s all good... but the amount of mana I need for the taming contracts is getting a bit taxing."
"You have so many now, it’s only natural," Elise said. "Don’t push yourself too hard."
"I won't. If it’s too much for one night, I’ll split the contracts over a few days."
"Good."
As we ate, they asked more about my plans for the future. I explained that I intended to continue as an adventurer while also exploring other ways to make money.
Come to think of it, I hadn't actually asked how much longer they’d be in town.
"How long are you all planning to stay in Gimul? I realized I never asked."
"Did we not mention it?" Reinbach asked. "Until the Grel Frog mass outbreak is over. As long as there is time before Elia has to leave for the Academy, we will remain here."
I remembered hearing about Grel Frogs. "Those are the monsters whose skin is used for armor, right?"
"Indeed. Their skin makes excellent armor, and their internal organs are used in medicine. Every year at this time, they appear in massive numbers in the marshes nearby. I plan to take Elia there."
"The marsh is in the forest, roughly halfway between the city and the abandoned mine," Reinhart added.
"Are you going to hunt them?"
It didn't sound like a training exercise this time. They would practice, of course, but the real objective was a flock of bird monsters called Rimul Birds that arrived during the outbreak.
"Rimul Birds have beautiful blue feathers," Elise explained. "They’re very popular because they look and sound lovely, and they fly incredibly fast. But they’re so hard to catch that you rarely see them as tamed monsters. They gather at the marsh in such numbers that they practically cover the water. You should definitely come see them, Ryoma. It’s worth the stay."
I suppose not all monsters are things to be feared. But if they were coming for the frogs, they had to be carnivorous. I couldn't help but picture crows rummaging through trash, though based on the description, maybe they were more like peacocks? I was curious.
"I’d definitely like to see them."
"Then you should come with us," Reinbach said.
"Please do! Let’s go together when they arrive!" Elia insisted.
I made the promise to Elia and headed back to my room after dinner.
Before sleeping, I started the process of slime division and taming contracts. I ran out of mana about halfway through, so I decided to finish the rest tomorrow. I still had a few mana recovery potions left, but I didn't want to waste them when a good night's sleep would do the trick.