The following day, I decided to spend the entire day tending to the abandoned mine and burning charcoal.
I had been relying on my existing stock of charcoal until now, but the supply was finally running low. If I didn't burn a new batch before it was completely gone, my Deodorant Slimes would run out of food. Besides, the weeds I had cut a few days ago were likely dried to perfection by now.
"Oh, looking good."
The weather must have stayed clear. I had planned to use Alchemy to dry them instantly if they were still damp, but I found the grass already crisp and dry.
"Now then, time to test this out."
I used a brand-new pitchfork to gather the scattered grass into piles.
"Oh, this is impressive..."
This was a Magic Tool that activated Physical Strengthening magic whenever mana was channeled into the metal fittings on the handle. The effect was so potent it made the pitchfork feel as if its weight had simply vanished. I gathered the weeds with effortless ease, the work progressing at a brisk, satisfying pace.
Seeing the tangible results of such simple labor as I pushed the mounds into my Dimension Home was actually quite enjoyable.
"Next... I'll clear the grass for the next batch."
The tool I pulled from my Item Box next was a large Scythe. While they usually appeared as weapons in light novels, this was purely a piece of agricultural equipment. It was shaped like a massive one-handed sickle, but with two parallel handles protruding perpendicularly from the long shaft.
"I hold it like this, right?"
Since it had the same metal fittings as the pitchfork on its two handles, I took a firm grip. When I did, the massive scythe hung perfectly parallel to the ground. With the tip of the blade pointed forward, it remained suspended in a horizontal state. I didn't have much confidence since I had never used one before, but this seemed correct.
"Hup!"
I pushed with my right hand and pulled with my left. Most of the grass the blade struck was merely knocked over, but some was actually cut. My form seemed right; all that was left was to practice.
"Hmph, hmph, hmph... okay."
After an hour of repeated trial and error, my efficiency gradually improved. Much like with a sword, the secret was keeping the edge aligned. When swinging, it was better to focus more on the twist of the waist than the strength of the arms. My arms were really just there for support. The sweet spot for cutting was the section of the blade nearest the tip.
By keeping those points in mind, the grass touched by the tip of the Scythe was sliced away with a satisfying snap. Furthermore, by using my hips to power the swing, I could clear a much wider area at once.
Slowly but surely, I pushed back the boundary between the standing grass and the cleared earth. This was far more efficient than a one-handed sickle that only reached what was directly in front of me. Once I got the hang of it, it was quite fun. This had definitely been a worthwhile purchase.
"That should do it."
I stopped there and moved to the foot of the hill to fell some trees for the charcoal.
Naturally, I used my Magic Tool axe for this. An axe needs a certain amount of weight to be effective, but this tool was enchanted so that rather than making the axe itself lighter, it allowed the user to handle its weight effortlessly.
Personally, I found this sort of utility much more practical than Attack Magic.
Four or five trees would be enough. I fell into a rhythm of felling and transporting. All that remained was to strip the branches, split the logs into manageable sizes, and get them into the kiln... but before I knew it, the sun had reached its zenith.
I decided to take my lunch break and rest for a bit.
...? That sound...
"Look out!"
I shifted my body slightly to the side. An instant later, an iron sphere whistled through the space where my head had been.
"Watch where you're going!"
I called out a warning to the passing sphere—or rather, the Iron Slime—but it remained motionless where it had landed.
"You're free to go."
As soon as I gave the word, the Iron Slime resumed its spherical shape and rolled away toward the path leading up the mine.
Lately, the Iron and Metal Slimes had been showing some unexpected growth.
It started after they joined me for Monster Subjugation in the mine. Perhaps they remembered how I used to stroke their bodies into rounds, but when I had them practice Deformation, the Metal Slime was the first to successfully turn into a sphere, followed shortly by the Iron Slime.
At the time, I only thought they were making steady progress. However, a few days later, both the Metal and Iron Slimes had mastered the ability to move around freely while remaining in their spherical forms.
Upon investigation, it seemed that even though their bodies were made of hard, heavy metal, they could shift their internal cores quickly and precisely. They were essentially rolling themselves in whichever direction they wanted by manipulating their center of gravity. I suspect it started as an accident, but they had now completely adopted it as a means of High-speed Movement.
In fact, the two slowest species among my slimes were now competing for the title of fastest. To top it off, both had acquired a new skill called High-speed Movement Lv.1.
Granted, that only applied to flat ground. On a slope, they couldn't defy gravity and would inevitably go tumbling down.
The slimes themselves seemed to find it quite exhilarating, however. During the day when I let them roam, they frequently went careening down the hillsides. If they picked up too much speed, they would spin off-course and come flying through the air like just now. Since their bodies were solid metal, it was incredibly dangerous.
Furthermore, the number of Metal and Iron Slimes was increasing thanks to the abundant food I provided, and every single one of them was learning to roll.
...Maybe I should build a dedicated course for them in one of the tunnels.
I'd have to make a plan for that soon.
After lunch, I finally began the charcoal burning.
I packed the split wood into the back of the kiln first, then piled bundles of dry weeds and trimmed branches in the front. Then, I set them ablaze. I tried out the ignition Magic Tool I had received as a sample from Lord Dinome; the handle was a perfect length, keeping me at a safe distance from the flame at the tip. It was very easy to use.
I kept a fire going at the entrance for a while to let the heat circulate through the kiln. Eventually, white smoke began to drift from the chimney. I waited as the smoke grew thicker and more intense, tending the fire until the plume finally turned transparent and slightly bluish. Once the smoke changed, I blocked the flue and the entrance with stones and kneaded Red Earth to restrict the airflow.
It sounds simple enough when explained, but it had taken me a long time to get the timing right.
I had only started making charcoal after coming to this world. In my previous life, I lacked the environment and the time for it, so I had only ever watched the process on TV or the internet with a sense of longing. With nothing but those vague memories to guide me, I had accidentally burned my logs to ash or extinguished the fire too early more times than I could count.
Now, though, I was a seasoned hand at it. I knew from experience that it would be a while before the smoke changed, giving me the leisure to simply sit and watch. Still, it was a bit too long to just wait around doing nothing.
"...Time to think about strengthening my combat capabilities."
It was essential for the upcoming expedition to the Shulls Great Forest. I intended to gather information and continue with Monster Subjugation, but I couldn't say for sure that would be enough. Was there anything else I could do? Stopgap measures wouldn't cut it; I needed to focus on refining my skills.
After some thought, four possibilities came to mind.
Candidate 1: Strengthening my equipment. Regardless of whether I was in the Great Forest or not, my style was primarily close-quarters combat using my body and weapons. To that end, I should secure better weapons and armor. That was a basic necessity.
Candidate 2: Magic training and development. Setting aside daily utility magic, I honestly didn't think my skill in Attack Magic was particularly high. Although I could use All Elements, a specialized mage with more experience would easily outclass me. That was just the reality of it. I had no choice but to train and master the techniques.
However, I had the advantage of knowledge from my previous life. If I could use that to develop some unique magic, it might give me an edge. Of course, I'd need more information on the environment first... I suppose I was still waiting on the documents from the guild.
Candidate 3: Researching pharmaceuticals and poisons. I possessed the knowledge of Pharmacology I received when I arrived in this world. Until now, I had only used it for making medicine, but it was just as possible to create toxins. Between my Poison and Medicine slimes, I had access to a wealth of toxic expertise, and I could now order any materials I needed. Developing combat-oriented poisons was a viable option.
Fortunately, I had people like Grisiela-san, Fei-san, and Li Ling-san I could consult with.
Candidate 4: Developing new tools. Exactly what it sounded like. I could try to recreate survival gear or convenient gadgets from my previous life using materials from this world. If they already existed, great; if they didn't and proved useful, even better. I didn't have a concrete plan yet, but... ah.
A metallic clatter echoed from a distance.
"Did they fall again...?"
Which one was it this time? I knew those two were sturdy enough to handle a fall, so I wasn't overly worried, but I really wanted them to stop crashing. I understood they were excited about their new speed since mastering the spherical Deformation, but still...
"Wait a second. Just as other slimes can extend their bodies into tentacles, they are deforming their bodies into spheres. It's just that their species makes them metallic... which means..."
Could it be? If I gave them a specific shape to mimic, could they become blades or blunt weapons? The catalyst for them becoming spheres in the first place had been me rolling them up. If I shaped them with my own hands first and taught them carefully... there was definitely potential.
Once the idea took hold, I had to try it.
I immediately summoned the two types. While keeping an eye on the kiln, I began using my hands to mold an Iron Slime into the shape of a knife.
"Oh! It's working! This is actually working!"
It seemed the slimes' own control had improved significantly from being spheres every day. With my hands to guide it, the general shape came together quickly. All that was left was to refine the details and thin out the edge of the blade.
"How's this for a start?"
I commanded it to hold its form and performed a test cut on a bundle of dry grass.
"...I see."
I'm sure I had a smug grin on my face.
The sharpness of the Iron Slime knife was... lacking. The blade's thickness was uneven, and there were visible distortions. If I saw this in a shop, I'd call it a piece of junk.
However, it did cut the grass. I had to saw back and forth a bit to get through, but it definitely cut. If I refined the process and treated it like sharpening a real blade—if I could train them to correct these flaws—the possibilities were incredibly promising.
"Now that that's settled... let's get to work!"
Until the kiln was ready, I spent my time single-mindedly polishing and shaping the Iron and Metal Slimes.
I was so focused that I nearly ruined the batch of charcoal.