I kept the three children occupied while we waited, and before long, it was time to start. The woman in charge of the children took the lead, first thanking everyone for participating in the cleaning, and then assigning tasks one by one.
I joined in with the others, though I chose not to use my magic or the scavenger slimes this time. While it would have been significantly faster, it felt wrong to rely on them just for efficiency when all the other children were working so hard. I stuck to the traditional tools and cleaned alongside them.
Because of the church's size, the work lasted until well past noon. By the time I finished my lunch sandwich and settled into the rhythm of the group, it was already time for afternoon snacks. Rick was practically vibrating with excitement; he clearly looked forward to this part of the day.
I wondered if the snacks were really that good.
"Here you go. Thank you for your help today."
"Thank you as well," I replied.
The snack was a small bag tied with a ribbon, containing four cookies. Since the other children were digging in immediately, I tried one myself. It was delicious—the savory scent of baked dough, a delicate sweetness, and a dollop of fruit jam that packed a flavorful punch.
Once the cookies were gone, the children split into groups. Some started playing in the yard, while others loitered near the church entrance as if waiting for someone. Toll, Rick, and Leni were among those waiting.
Curious, I walked over to them. "What are you three up to?"
"Waiting for the old man!" Rick shouted.
That didn't tell me much other than the fact that they were waiting for a person.
"An adventurer comes by whenever the cleaning is finished," Toll explained. "He teaches us how to fight and how to use a sword."
"Fighting lessons?"
According to Toll, this former adventurer visited without fail after every cleaning day. He didn't just donate to the church; he volunteered his time to teach the orphans combat skills so they would be able to support themselves once they were old enough to leave the church's care.
Because these lessons were free, other neighborhood boys who dreamed of becoming adventurers had started joining in on cleaning days just to participate. While I doubted the training was particularly grueling given their ages, it was a noble gesture.
"I can see Rick wanting to join, but Toll and Leni too?"
Rick was a rowdy kid, so it made sense. But Toll didn't seem the type.
"There's nothing wrong with a girl knowing how to fight," Leni said firmly. "You never know when some creep might try to start something. Besides, I have to keep an eye on Rick."
"My mom told me I needed to toughen up," Toll added sheepishly. "I don't think I'm lazy, but..."
"It's because you're so timid!" Leni teased. "A bit of training will help you act more like a man!"
"I-I guess..."
I see. Poor Toll—already being bossed around.
As I was thinking that, the children near the gate started cheering.
"He's here!"
"Pops is here!"
"The scary-faced mister is here!"
I looked toward the entrance and saw a man with a truly formidable expression walking our way.
"Hey! Who said I have a scary face? That's uncalled for!"
"Oh..."
The man shouting was none other than Wogan-san, the Guild Master of the Adventurer Guild. The children were clearly used to him; rather than being frightened by his booming voice, several of them ran up and clung to his legs. As he swatted them away playfully, his eyes landed on me.
"Well, if it isn't Ryoma! What are you doing here?"
"My shop is closed today, so I was wandering the city when I heard about the cleaning day. I figured it was a good chance to mingle with the community."
"That's the spirit. Hey, since you're already here and you've got time, why don't you give me a hand?"
"A hand with what?"
"Here, lean in..."
He whispered his plan to me.
"...I see."
I agreed to help. While the children in the square were busy with their warm-up laps and basic drills, I summoned twenty scavenger slimes from my Dimension Home.
"Alright! Today, we're going to do something a bit more practical than usual! Ryoma, you're up!"
"Understood."
I led the scavenger slimes toward the children. They stared in awe at the twenty blobs following me. Even if they were just slimes, this appeared to be their first time training against actual monsters.
"You'll all be facing these slimes today," Wogan announced.
"I'll be standing by with healing magic if anyone gets hurt, so don't be afraid to give it your all," I added.
Though, in reality, the slimes were the ones who were safe. Between their natural physical resistance and the martial arts skills I'd taught them, they weren't going to be bothered by a few wooden swords swung by children.
To ensure the kids' safety, I ordered the slimes to focus entirely on evasion and limit their counterattacks to simple tackles. At worst, a kid might get knocked over and end up with a scrape or two.
"Is it really okay, Ryoma!?" Rick shouted, eager to go first.
Wogan gave him the nod, and I signaled a slime to step forward.
"Here I come!"
Rick gripped his wooden training sword and took a stance. The other children watched with bated breath as the boy and the slime faced off.
Rick swung his sword down from overhead with all his might. However, his technique was basic—his swing was too wide, slow, and full of openings. For a boy his age, it was expected, and the scavenger slime dodged it with ease.
Frustrated, Rick began a flurry of strikes. As his temper flared, his form fell apart, and he was soon just flailing the sword wildly. A few minutes of that left him winded. The moment he lifted his sword for another swing, leaving his chest wide open, the slime delivered a perfectly timed tackle.
Rick wasn't hurt, but the impact sent him tumbling onto his backside.
"That's enough!" Wogan called out. "Rick, you're still small and your training is just beginning. There's no shame in losing. But remember this: don't let your blood boil just because an attack misses. Once you lost your cool, your form became a mess. Focus on making every single movement deliberate and careful."
Rick nodded regretfully and shuffled back into the crowd.
One by one, every student took a turn fighting a slime while Wogan provided feedback.
"Alright! Now, everyone find a partner and practice while keeping my advice in mind!"
We split the group up, pairing them with different slimes. For those who needed to work on the strength of their strikes, I brought out my iron and metal slimes to serve as sturdy targets.
I spent the afternoon walking the grounds, monitoring for injuries and applying healing magic where needed. Wogan moved from student to student, offering hands-on instruction. The session continued until the sun began to dip toward the horizon.
"Bye, Pops!"
"See you later!"
"Get home safely, you brats!" Wogan shouted back.
As the children left, Wogan and I finally had a chance to rest. I hadn't done much more than watch, but the constant vigilance required to ensure no one got seriously hurt brought a different kind of exhaustion than usual.
"Good work today," I said.
"Yeah, thanks. You were a huge help."
"I didn't have much else to do. I planned to take a day off, but I realized I don't really know what to do with myself when I'm not working. This was a perfect way to spend the time."
"Is that so? Well, if you're ever bored again, come help out. Your slimes are perfect for them. Hell, you should think about taking on some rookie training contracts at the guild."
"I don't know about that..."
Playing the "enemy" was fine, but acting as an instructor was a different story. I had experience training subordinates in my previous life, but I'd never taught anyone how to fight. Even in my areas of expertise, I didn't consider myself a particularly gifted teacher.
Besides, I felt that if someone was going to learn a skill they would eventually trust their life to, they should learn it from a seasoned professional.
But more importantly, whenever I thought about teaching, I thought of my father's methods.
My father believed in immediate practical application. We sparred constantly, and he never pulled his punches. If I fell, he attacked. If I stayed down, he attacked more. He kept going until I got back up. He never stopped. No pauses, no mercy, and no holding back. That was his way.
His philosophy was simple: an enemy on the battlefield isn't going to wait for you.
I still believe he was right, but if I tried to teach that way, I'd end up with a pile of casualties. I've never really learned how to "hold back" against human opponents.
"Really?" Wogan asked when I explained my hesitation.
"Well, I've only ever had one sparring partner. There's no point in holding back against your own master, is there?"
Whether in my past life or this one, a student who holds back against their teacher is essentially insulting them. And in a real fight, holding back is a death sentence.
"I guess so, but surely you've had a scrap with a friend or something? And you managed to capture those attackers the other day without killing them."
"I don't think techniques should be used for simple arguments. Dialogue should always come first," I said.
"Listen to you and your goody-two-shoes answers. You're right, though."
"As for bandits or attackers, there's no need for mercy. If I absolutely have to take them alive, I just aim for the limbs with full force. I was taught that it's much harder to accidentally kill someone if you focus on the arms and legs instead of the head or torso."
"Right... I remember. You were the one breaking bones left and right. Or pinning them down with those weird fluids."
As long as I knew where to apply the pressure, "holding back" wasn't strictly necessary. My family's teaching was that force should be either zero or a hundred. I won't say I've never tried to temper my strength, but in my previous life, most of my "fights" involved me simply taking the hits. In a society where fighting back only leads to more legal trouble, I never saw my lack of middle ground as a problem.
However, there were downsides. When I first started training my slimes, there were many accidental deaths. And even recently, I had a bit of a mishap when I was testing Dolce-san's skills as a guard.
"Thank you for your hard work today."
Two nuns approached us, carrying drinks.
"Wogan-san, thank you as always," the older one said.
"And thank you, Ryoma-kun. This is a small token of our appreciation," the younger one added.
"Thank you. I'll take it gladly."
After chatting for a while, I learned that the woman who had first processed my status board was named Betta-san, and the younger girl was Belle-san. I was shocked to learn that just the two of them managed this massive church. Between maintaining the building and caring for the orphans, the workload must be staggering.
"Aren't you short-staffed?" I asked.
"It is a heavy burden, but it is also part of our training as nuns," Betta-san replied.
"Thank you for your concern. We receive help from the children and many kind adults in the city, so we manage," Belle-san added.
They seemed determined to show they were okay. Eventually, the conversation shifted as they began peppering me with questions.
"Is it difficult to raise slimes?"
"Do we need to master Taming Magic first?"
It seemed the two of them wanted to keep slimes at the church.
I answered their questions as best I could before finally asking why they were interested.
"After watching them today, I simply thought they were quite charming," Betta-san said with a smile.
"If we can use magic to keep things safe, I think raising them would be wonderful for the children's character development," Belle-san added.
Raising slimes for character development... I suppose it's like keeping rabbits in an elementary school. I hadn't realized that concept existed in this world. They told me nothing was official yet, but they were seriously considering the idea.
"In that case, let me know when you decide. I'd be happy to consult with you anytime."
"Would you? Thank you so much."
The sun was low in the sky, and it was finally time for me to head home.
As I walked back, I reflected on the day. It had felt different from my usual routine. I had participated in a community activity, and everyone had accepted me without a second thought.
For the first time, I felt like I was truly becoming a part of this city.
Tomorrow, I'll work hard again.