The sight of my slime experiments had apparently marked me as a slime-loving eccentric in the eyes of the villagers. As a result, every time I passed someone on the way back from the beach, they would call out to me with names like "Slime Boy" or "the Slime Kid."
I didn't exactly hate it, but I couldn't help but feel a little slighted.
"I won't deny my fondness for slimes, but is 'eccentric' really necessary? If people only understood what slimes were capable of, surely they’d be more interested. The more I learn about them, the more fascinating they become. Take the Poison Slime, for example. People think they just produce toxin, but they aren't that simple. In a situation like this, they can actually fight with a wall of spears without using any poison at all. Depending on the species, they’re incredibly versatile and useful creatures."
"Maybe, but your average Poison Slime really does just have poison," one of the others countered.
"That's just a matter of untapped potential... If I can’t get people to see that, maybe I just lack the ability to give a good presentation?"
"I don't know about that. I think it’s something else entirely," Shin said, sounding unconvinced.
"Look at it this way," another added. "Most of the village knows who you are now, and since we got the formalities out of the way quickly, I’d say it worked out for the best."
That was a fair point.
Communication is vital in any operation. Whether it was my monster-based defense plan or any other unconventional method for the Mad Salamander subjugation, getting permission from the adventurer leaders and the local fishermen was essential to prevent chaos on the front lines.
Normally, I would have had to make the rounds to explain my plan to various officials, but because so many people had been gathered at the shore today, the process of getting their consent had been remarkably smooth.
Aside from a stern reminder not to let the Poison Slimes leak any toxin into the water, no one had raised any major objections. We had reached an agreement: tomorrow, my familiars and the members of Shikumu’s Pier would be solely responsible for defending the fish processing plant and its immediate perimeter.
If the hunt went well tomorrow, the other adventurers wouldn't have to worry about the processing plant at all. By narrowing their defensive responsibilities, they could focus entirely on the actual fishing and the safety of the main boats.
"Hm?"
As we walked and talked, Peiron suddenly came to a halt.
"What's up?" Sein asked.
"I heard someone calling."
Peiron’s answer was brief as he turned back toward the path we had just traveled. I followed his gaze and saw a young boy—likely no older than a second or third-grader—sprinting toward us at full tilt.
"Huh? Is that Niki?"
"Wait up! Slime Big Brother!"
"Wait, me?" I asked, confused.
I didn't recognize him, but since the boy was clearly calling for me, I reflexively turned to face him and took a step forward.
"Ah!"
"Ryoma, look out!" Shin and Kei shouted in unison.
"What—?"
"Here! Catch!"
The boy ignored the warning and hurled something at me. A small, round, green object sailed through the air in a neat arc. It looked like a mud-stained ball at first, but eight legs were fluttering wildly behind it as it flew. It was some kind of land-dwelling octopus.
"Whoa, oops!"
I instinctively caught the creature, but the moment my hands closed around it, the thing let out a massive spray of black ink.
"Agh, too late..."
"Are you okay, Ryoma?"
"Yeah, it’s nothing major."
"Hey! Niki!" Kai roared. "You promised not to pull your crap on people from outside the village!"
Seeing me covered in ink, the boy didn't stick around. He turned on his heel and vanished down a side street as fast as his legs could carry him.
"Oh, for heaven’s sake!"
Another voice called out. An elderly woman appeared from around the corner, looking winded.
"Oh, it's you, Grandma," Kai said. "Were you chasing Niki?"
"I knew it! Kai, that boy came this way, didn't he? Oh, young man, I am so sorry about your clothes."
The old lady looked genuinely distraught, so I quickly assured her it was no problem. I reached into my Dimension Home and summoned a Cleaner Slime. In seconds, the familiar had absorbed every drop of ink from my skin and clothes.
"My word... well, isn't that a handy thing," she whispered, her eyes wide.
"That's right, I forgot Ryoma runs a laundry shop," Sein said with a laugh.
"I forgot too," Peiron added. "I guess a little Octa ink isn't much of a challenge for him."
The mood lightened instantly. Once I showed the old lady that my clothes were perfectly clean, she finally seemed to relax.
"Well, I'd better be off then. I have to catch that little brat before he gets into more trouble. If he shows up again..."
"I'll catch him for you, Grandma," Shin promised.
"Thank you, Shin. Now, which way did the little devil go?"
"That way," Kei said, pointing down the street.
The old lady didn't hesitate; she took off running in the direction Kei had indicated. She looked quite elderly, and I couldn't help but worry about her exerting herself like that.
"Don't worry about her," Kei said, sensing my concern. "This happens all the time."
As we continued toward their house, they explained that Niki was the village’s most notorious prankster. His parents were busy working, so he was usually left in the care of the retirees who were too old for the heavy labor of the processing plant. Unfortunately, he was an expert at slipping away the moment his sitters turned their backs.
"It's strange for him to target an outsider, though," Kai mused.
"Right. You mentioned something about a promise earlier," I noted.
"Yeah," Kai replied. "We've hammered it into all the kids—not just Niki. They’re told that if they’re going to be mischievous, they have to keep it within the village. Don’t go bothering people from the outside."
"Part of it is just being polite, but it’s also for their own safety," Shin added. "You never know who an outsider might be."
"Exactly," Sein agreed. "Ryoma is nice enough to laugh it off, but if Niki pulled that on the wrong person, he could end up in real danger. We try to make the kids understand that there are consequences they might not be able to handle."
That made a lot of sense. As I thought it over, I felt something squirming against my wrist.
"Oh, right. What should I do with this?"
I was still holding the Octa.
"Hmm. No point in trying to give it back to him," Kai said. "Want to just eat it?"
"You can eat these?"
"Yeah, boil them up. They’re great."
"Now that you mention it, I'm starting to get hungry," Sein said.
"Me too. But one that size isn't going to feed all of us," Peiron noted.
"In that case, I have just the thing!" I said.
"The thing?" they asked in unison.
We were standing in the middle of the road, so we hurried back to Kai’s house. Once we were in the kitchen, I reached into my storage and pulled out a heavy iron plate covered in round indentations.
"Whoa, where'd that come from?"
"It has mana stones. Is it a magic tool?"
"It is. It's a takoyaki plate I commissioned from a friend," I explained.
Since I was now guaranteed a steady supply of eggs thanks to the Clever Chickens, I had been looking to expand my repertoire. I’d consulted with the Dinome Workshop to create a few specific tools. This plate was one of them. I also had plates for taiyaki, imagawayaki, and even a large flat one for yakisoba. When I had been sketching the designs for the workshop, I had accidentally drawn them based on the large-scale equipment used at Japanese festivals, so they had all turned out to be industrial-sized.
"Do you have enough ingredients?" Kai asked. "Use whatever we’ve got in the pantry."
"Thank you. I have most of the basics, but I could use something for the dashi."
"For dashi? Try these," Kai said, pulling several types of dried fish from a cupboard.
"And you’ll want this too," he added, holding up a glass bottle.
"What's this?"
"Fish sauce. We use it for soups and all sorts of things."
"Fish sauce... could it be?" I asked. "May I try some?"
"Go ahead."
I uncapped the bottle and let a few drops fall onto the back of my hand. The liquid was thinner than I expected. I licked it off quickly.
My eyes went wide. The saltiness hit first, followed by a unique, deep umami. It was definitely fish sauce! The pungent kick wasn't too overpowering, and since the smell of fish sauce tends to mellow out with heat, it was perfect. I used to use it as a secret ingredient all the time back on Earth.
Maybe this was why the soups I’d been eating in the village tasted so nostalgic? Regardless, with this fish sauce and the dried fish, I could make something incredible.
I quickly killed the Octa and gave it to a Cleaner Slime to strip away the mud, ink, and slime. While it worked, I started the dashi and brought a pot of water to a boil. I salted the water and tossed in the cleaned Octa. Its legs curled into perfect spirals, and its skin changed from a muddy green to a brilliant, appetizing red. It looked exactly like a regular octopus.
I turned to the others, who were already making themselves comfortable in the living room. "Do you catch many Octas in the nets? I didn't see any this morning."
"What? You don't find Octas in the water, Ryoma. They live in the forest," Kai said.
"The forest...?" I blinked. "Wait, the forest?"
"Why the surprise? That’s where they live," Sein said.
"Up in the trees, in hollow logs, sometimes in the mud," Peiron added. "They’re land creatures. I saw you cooking it so naturally I just assumed you knew."
"Are the ones in your hometown different?" Shin asked.
"Very," I admitted. "Where I come from, they live strictly underwater."
So, they were a land-based convergent species. Interesting. I checked the Octa with a skewer and, seeing it was done, pulled it from the pot. I chopped it into bite-sized chunks and prepared a batter using plenty of eggs, flour, and a bit of wheat starch—Jin-ko—that I had secretly refined using alchemy to give it the right texture. I mixed it all with the dashi, and I was ready.
I activated the takoyaki plate's magic stones. Once it was hot, I poured the batter into the holes and dropped a piece of Octa into each. Because the batter was so soft, I used chopsticks to expertly flip them, shaping them into perfect spheres. I could feel the fluffy, light texture through the chopsticks.
Once they were golden brown, I plated them and served them with a side of hot dipping broth seasoned with the local fish sauce and some fresh herbs.
"Sorry to keep you waiting! Here is the Akashiyaki!"
Since I didn't have any traditional brown sauce, I decided to serve them the Akashi style, meant to be dipped in broth. I was a little nervous about how the local ingredients would hold up, but I needn't have worried.
"Hoh. It's so soft... and it's shaped like a slime again," Sein noted.
He was the first to dig in, boldly dunking a whole sphere into the broth and popping it into his mouth.
"Hot—! Mmph! Oh, man, this is good! Burned my tongue for a second, but it's worth it!"
"That’s what happens when you don't wait," Shin teased before trying one himself. "You're right, though. This is excellent."
"It's like it melts the moment it hits your tongue," Peiron said, his face actually showing a hint of a smile. "The flavor is deep, and the chewiness of the Octa is a nice contrast."
"Hey, Ryoma, I think you've got a winner here," Kai said, pointing at Peiron.
"It’s a very gentle flavor," Kei added. "Perfect for a snack."
Even the stoic Peiron seemed to be enjoying it, and Kei was practically inhaling them. I took one for myself. The rich umami of the eggs, the dashi, and the fish sauce blended perfectly. The texture was light and comforting, warming me from the inside out. It was the perfect meal for a cold day.
"Is Hoi there?! Kai! Kei!"
A voice shattered the peaceful atmosphere. It was filled with a desperate, frantic energy, and someone began pounding violently on the front door.
I nearly choked on my bite as the sudden tension filled the room. Kai and Kei looked at each other, confused, and rushed to the door. Standing there was the old lady from earlier.
"Grandma? What's wrong? You're out of breath," Kai said, trying to steady her.
"Calm down," Kei added. "We can't understand you."
"Is he... is that boy here? Have you seen Niki?" she wheezed.
"No, we haven't seen him since we ran into you earlier," Kai replied. "He didn't come here. Why? What happened?"
The old lady took a shuddering breath, her voice barely a whisper as she spoke the words.
"He’s gone. He’s completely vanished."