~Side: ???~
Following the personal guidance of Chairman Moulton himself, Ryoma and his companions made their way into the courtyard.
The establishment had been converted from a noble’s villa, and its courtyard was suitably expansive. To some, the space might have felt sparse, even desolate. What had likely once been a garden adorned with lush greenery had been leveled and covered in sand to create a practice ground. A brick wall stood in the center as a partition, flanked by targets meant for demonstrating proficiency in archery or magic. While guest seating had been arranged near the doors leading back into the building, the area remained large enough for slaves to run, maneuver, and swing weapons without hindrance.
Ten slave candidates stood lined up before the seats, already prepared. As soon as Ryoma and the others took their places, Moulton announced the parameters for the practical skills assessment.
"You shall now demonstrate your prowess... and your opponents shall be our distinguished guests."
Eyes turned toward the group—primarily toward Fei—as Moulton continued.
"Furthermore, you are presented with three choices for your opponent. The first is Master Fei. He is a former soldier of the Jilmar Empire and currently serves as the Head of Security for his employer’s shop. Those of you purchased today will be working directly under him."
While the candidates seemed curious about the "three choices," this part was likely within their expectations. The slaves remained collectively composed.
"The second choice is Master Ryoma Takebayashi. He is our client today and the owner of the business in question, but despite his youth, he is an active D-Rank adventurer."
A slight stir of surprise rippled through the line. D-Rank adventurers were not particularly rare, but considering Ryoma’s apparent age, even being E-Rank would have marked him as exceptionally talented.
"And the third choice... or rather, 'three creatures.' You may face three slimes, which are Master Takebayashi’s tamed monsters."
"Slimes!?"
"Surely you’re joking..."
Among the slaves told they would face a mere three slimes, several clearly felt insulted. However, Moulton raised a hand, and the line fell silent at his silent command to settle down.
"Allow me to continue. As I mentioned, you are given three choices. You hold the right to choose your opponent. If you feel an opponent is beneath you, you are under no obligation to fight them. Your task is to select one of these three options and demonstrate your true ability through a mock battle."
The core objective remained unchanged. Once he was satisfied that the slaves understood the situation, Moulton turned his gaze back toward Ryoma.
"Now then... judgment will be based on the quality of the match, though naturally, a victory will be viewed more favorably than a loss. However, be warned: if you choose an opponent whose skill far exceeds your own, the match may end in an instant, leaving you with little time to showcase your talents. Consider this carefully and show us that you are capable of working alongside us. Incidentally, please be aware that these tamed slimes are not ordinary specimens, but evolved high-tier species."
Moulton signaled to a male staff member waiting by the wall. "Everyone, return to the waiting room for a moment. You have five minutes to decide on your opponent, after which we will conduct the matches one by one."
As the ten slaves were led away and the door clicked shut behind them, Moulton’s demeanor shifted.
"Now, I wonder what answers they will provide. I am truly looking forward to this."
"You’ve finally stopped hiding your personality, haven't you?" Ryoma noted.
"Oh, Master Takebayashi, you proposed a test so perfectly suited to my tastes that I quite forgot to maintain my facade."
Moulton made no further attempt to conceal his true nature, leaving Ryoma to give a wry smile while silently insisting it wasn't his fault. The four older men remained unresponsive, as if deciding there would be no end to the matter if they reacted to every one of Moulton's quirks.
"Giving them multiple choices while stating that victory leads to a higher evaluation... this tests their ability to accurately gauge the difference in strength between themselves and their opponent," Reinhardt observed.
"More than that, we never know who might walk into the shop," Ryoma added. "Drunkards are one thing, but we’ve had suspicious individuals who seemed like they were hired by a third party before... Personally, I think the question of 'how would they act if they were being hired to defend' is the most important factor. The actual result of the fight is secondary."
"Oh? And what specific criteria will you use for your evaluation?" Moulton asked.
"I intend to ask for the reason behind their choice before each match. It will depend on that. I want to see if their personal values and perception of their role align with our needs. There is no single 'correct' answer."
"I see, I see. I wonder how many of the ten will realize that... Though, Master Takebayashi, you are quite wicked yourself."
"The fact that I am a D-Rank adventurer is the truth."
"But you are well aware that your appearance, rank, and actual strength are completely disproportionate, are you not?"
The playful banter between the delighted chairman and the dutifully responding boy continued until time was up.
"What were the results?"
"Two chose the three slimes," Moulton's subordinate reported. "Five chose Master Takebayashi. Three chose Master Fei."
"Then, as planned, let's proceed in order of the fewest selectors. Bring out the first candidate."
"Understood."
As Moulton gave the order, Ryoma summoned three slimes from his Dimension Home and lined them up at the starting position. He draped a cloth over them to hide their forms until the match began.
The first man appeared, carrying a blunted training sword. He walked up to the five men and bowed without hesitation. "I look forward to working with you."
"Likewise," Ryoma replied. "Before we begin, please tell us about your enthusiasm for this role, as well as the reason you chose the slimes."
"Yes! I chose an opponent I am certain I can defeat! I will win, no matter what!"
"Thank you for your candid answer. Please, take your position."
He was young and full of spirit, which was a point in his favor, but Ryoma’s internal evaluation of the response was low.
Choosing the certain path is a plus, Ryoma thought. When entrusting the defense of a shop, I don't want someone who takes reckless gambles. Their priority must be protecting the employees who can't fight, so I want someone steady. Of course, there are times to risk one's life, but this isn't it. However, he claims he chose them because he is certain of victory... based on what? Probably just because they're slimes. Even after being told they are high-tier species, he didn't reconsider. He has spirit, but his judgment lacks a solid foundation. Personality-wise, he’s bright and seems to have good interpersonal skills. He’d probably get along well with the others. If he were in customer service, there wouldn’t be an issue, but as a guard... it’s a bit of a shame.
As the man reached a spot a moderate distance from the seats, Ryoma cut off his internal monologue and gave the signal. The prepared slimes slowly slipped out from beneath the cloth.
"Wait... what?"
The man’s eyes wavered. Under the brilliant sunlight, the three slimes possessed metallic bodies that gleamed with a cold luster. They were metal slimes—the same ones Ryoma usually used as his blade or sheath.
"Hmm, it seems he’s having second thoughts," Moulton remarked.
"Of course he is," Pioro said. "The boy’s weapon is a sword, and the files say he can’t use magic."
"Against a lump of iron, having only a weapon means terrible compatibility," Fei added. "Winning is nearly impossible. He has no way to land a decisive blow."
"None of the other slaves are particularly proficient in magic, either," Moulton said with a chuckle. "Hehehe... I said victory would be highly evaluated, but I never said I intended to let them win. Or perhaps that is exactly why a victory would be worth so much?"
"Please stop making it sound like I'm devious," Ryoma said. "I just thought I’d take this opportunity to see how far the combat ability of the metal slimes has improved on their own, without me wielding them."
"Isn't that a problem in itself?" Reinhardt asked. "Regardless, Ryoma-kun, you wrote about the metal slimes in your last letter, but if what you wrote was true, won't this be completely one-sided?"
Even as the staff member prepared to give the signal to start, the six men watched the agitated candidate and chatted. When the match finally began, it unfolded exactly as Reinhardt had predicted.
"Begin!"
The moment the signal was given, the three metal slimes burst into motion. One rolled straight toward the man, performing a tackle while kicking up a light trail of dust. Surprised by a speed that rivaled an adult's sprint, the man barely managed to brace himself and catch the impact with his shield.
"Gugh!?"
A metal slime was a dense mass of metal—essentially a sentient bowling ball. When momentum was added to that weight, the impact was formidable; even through the shield, the shock rattled his entire frame. The man faltered for a fraction of a second, and in that opening, the other two slimes circled to his flanks. He was instantly surrounded, besieged from all directions as the three slimes pounced in a relentless, alternating rotation.
The man struggled to endure the continuous assault, but the slimes flattened their bodies into wheel-like shapes, increasing their velocity even further. He had no chance to turn the tide.
"What in the world is that?" Pioro muttered.
"This is... well, I don't know what to say. They are remarkably fast for slimes," Serge added.
"That hardness, that weight, that momentum... if they hit a vital spot, he’s dead," Fei noted.
"Did your Grace know about this?" Serge asked Reinhardt.
"I read about it in a letter, but this is my first time seeing it in person. To think slimes can achieve such high-speed movement independently... By the way, Ryoma-kun, are you the one giving them orders?"
"No," Ryoma replied. "I trained them so that when they fight alone, they surround the target to prevent escape and pounce one after another without any gaps. If I increase the number of slimes and use that same tactic, it actually makes for excellent training for me as well."
"Let me ask one more thing—how many metal slimes do you have in total?"
"I manage their diet to prevent them from splitting while maintaining their health, so I've kept the population at two hundred. I have the same number of iron slimes that can perform the same maneuvers... Is something wrong?"
Reinhardt scratched his head weakly. "I had a feeling something strange would happen the moment you said you were using slimes... but even considering the bad compatibility, three of them are holding their own against a Level 3 swordsman. It’s amazing how much can change with the right ideas and training."
The metal slimes were the very creatures Reinhardt himself had gifted to Ryoma. Seeing them now, he felt acutely aware that these creatures, which had once been within the scope of his common sense, had evolved into something else entirely. Ryoma, taking the observation as a compliment, spoke with a rare touch of pride.
"There was a bit of luck involved, but the slimes have worked very hard. I’ve been getting more work outside of adventuring lately, like the shop and other affairs, so I make sure to keep up with my training. I want to be stronger as an adventurer, and I want my tamed monsters to be stronger, too."
He had recently noticed that people in town were starting to see him more as a businessman than an adventurer. While he didn't mind the shop work or helping his neighbors, he considered being an adventurer his true profession. It bothered him slightly when regular customers expressed surprise that he was an adventurer or questioned why he felt the need to work as one. Perhaps Ryoma was simply at a sensitive age? Whatever the reason, the conversation quickly shifted back to his specialized interest.
"But they’re not finished yet. I think I can strengthen them even further if I take more time."
"There's more?" Reinhardt asked.
"Right now they run in a wheel-like shape, but I’m training them to make that shape thinner and the edge as sharp as a blade. I’m not letting them do it now because it’s dangerous, but since I’ve been using them as katanas, they’ve already mastered the transformation. The challenge is changing into a blade while they’re moving at high speed, or maintaining their momentum in that state. Sometimes they trip, or their trajectory veers off, or the air resistance saps their power. However, even now, they’ve managed to slice through cave mantises, and they’ve inflicted bone-deep wounds on horn rabbits during hunts. It took time to teach them to fight without direct instructions, but once I stabilize their form, I think these metal slimes can become much stronger."
"It’s natural to want to grow stronger, but..." Reinhardt trailed off.
"This sounds like it’s going to turn into something terrifying," Pioro said.
"Ryoma-kun. If keeping them ever becomes too difficult for you, please, consult me immediately," Reinhardt urged.
"Shopkeeper, everything in moderation, yes?" Fei added.
"Hehehe... You truly are exactly as the rumors described," Moulton laughed.
The adults, with the exception of the one having the time of his life, watched Ryoma with complicated expressions, caught between anticipation and anxiety for the boy's future.
Shortly thereafter, the match drew to a close. The exhausted candidate was sent flying—first his shield, then his sword, and finally the man himself—marking a decisive victory for the three slimes. Their coordinated movement at the end reminded Ryoma, and only Ryoma, of a legendary three-man mobile suit formation.