"Next is... this one, then?"
In a basket large enough to require both arms were three types of fish. They resembled stonefish, pufferfish, and eels. To my eye, they all looked like high-quality delicacies, but...
"Just to be sure, you don't eat these around here, right?"
"Of course not! They're all poisonous. Eating poison is dangerous, you know?" Niki replied.
"You could remove the venomous parts and eat the rest. In my hometown, we had similar fish that people ate."
"Ah... well, if the weather is too bad to go out or we can't catch anything and run out of food, we might eat this."
Niki pointed to the eel-like fish. As it made up the bulk of the basket, it was clearly abundant and easy to catch regardless of the season.
"But this one isn't just poisonous in the blood; it smells incredibly muddy, it's full of bones, and it tastes awful. Plus, they have parasites this time of year... And this one with the venomous spines on its fins is so small there’s almost nothing to eat. As long as we can actually fish, there are much tastier things out there, so no one touches these. Oh, and this one that puffs up? That’s got poison strong enough to kill you. You absolutely can’t eat that one!"
"I see..."
I was tempted to try cooking them, but considering the parasite issue, I decided to pass for now.
"We can't help it if they get caught in the nets, so we sort them like this, but my dad and the others would rather not catch them at all."
"I suppose so. Though my slimes are certainly enjoying them."
The Poison, Medicine, and one of the Bloody Slimes—specifically the one that had reacted to parasites earlier—were all showing interest.
Between the venom and the parasites, I wonder if there are any new evolutions... I mused. But then I noticed something strange. "Hm?"
"What's wrong, Big Brother?"
"No, it's this Poison Slime."
One of the Poison Slimes was reacting only to the stonefish-like specimen. Upon closer inspection, it turned out the slime was eating only the venomous spines on the fins.
"Poison needles, huh... well, I’ll save that thought for later. What’s next?"
"Uhh, we've got shells. Both the poisonous and non-poisonous kinds."
"Let's start with the poisonous ones."
The Poison and Medicine Slimes recognized them as food, but nothing more. Unfortunately, it looked like they would just be regular feed.
"Then the edible ones, too."
"Sorry, Big Brother, these are empty... just the shells from our dinner."
"Oh well. I did say trash was fine. Besides, we already have some volunteers."
"Eh?"
At the feet of Niki, who was holding the bucket of shells, several Acid Slimes were already waiting expectantly. When Niki offered the shells, they happily absorbed them into their bodies, slowly dissolving them while producing small bubbles.
There was a possibility for Acid Slimes to evolve using shells. Furthermore, one of the reacting slimes was an individual that insisted on eating eggs every day. I wondered if that was a related trait. Eggshells and seashells were both primarily composed of calcium carbonate. I made a mental note to keep a close eye on them.
"And finally, we have... crabs."
There were two types: live crabs and just the shells. Sticky Slimes reacted to both.
"One for shells, the other for... well, this requires observation as well."
"Now for the trash other than the fish. Waterweed and algae."
Niki must have grown used to the routine. Just as I was looking for the next container, he brought it over with perfect timing.
"That's a big help... and this is probably... ah, just as I thought."
The Weed Slimes reacted. I had confirmed that some of them were interested in waterweed the other day, but it seemed others were specifically reacting to the algae.
"Here, this is the last of it."
"A tattered net... I wonder how this will go... Well, that's an unexpected result."
"What happened?"
"Hmm... the ones reacting are the Sticky and Metal Slimes."
I could see the logic for the Sticky Slimes since they could spit thread, but I hadn't expected the Metal Slime to show interest. Metal and nets... Wire Mesh Slime? I couldn't be sure, but I looked forward to seeing the result.
"These two are the real final ones!"
Niki held up two wooden buckets. one was packed with sand, the other filled with shards of broken pottery.
"I see... Stone Slimes reacted to both. And a Poison Slime is interested in the sand, too."
There was a single Poison Slime reacting to the sand. This was the same individual that had been eating charcoal and was already waiting to evolve. I wondered if it would become something that combined the properties of charcoal and sand, or if it was an entirely different path. For now, I just had to let it evolve and see.
If I gathered enough examples, I might find commonalities or evolution conditions beyond just food. If that was the case, I might need to increase my population of Poison Slimes and look for more charcoal-eaters... or perhaps just keep expanding the populations of any species that showed potential.
As for the Stone Slimes, I had a different plan and was already in the process of increasing their numbers. However, evolution experiments were equally important, so I decided to push for more. Surely, I would get some results before the abandoned mines in Gimul were completely leveled.
"That's all of them!"
"Yeah, you're right. Let's summarize the potential evolutions and their triggers. Item Box."
"Okay!"
I took out my writing materials and listed the possibilities for each species.
- Sticky -> Crab Slime / Crustacean Slime / Net Slime
- Acid -> Shellfish Slime / Shellfish & Egg Slime
- Poison -> Charcoal & Sand Slime / Poison Needle Slime
- Metal -> Wire Mesh Slime
- Bloody -> Parasite Slime
- Stone -> Sand Slime / Pottery Slime
- Weed -> Waterweed Slime / Algae Slime
"Thirteen types in total."
"They started as only seven types, but they turn into so many different things!"
"They're just possibilities for now. Still, to find this many in a single day... And looking back, many of these triggers, like the crabs and certain fish, can only be found here. I can collect sand, pottery, waterweed, and algae to cultivate inside my Dimension Home, but I wonder if the poison needles and parasites are specific to the fish in this region..."
"Hey, Big Brother, wouldn't it be easier if you just moved here?"
"That’s one way to solve it, but I have work back home, you see..."
Even though I left most of the shop management to my staff, there were still documents to review and periodic patrols of the mines to conduct. Even if I assigned someone else to handle the research and reporting, Niki was still too young, and the members of Shikumu's Pier weren't Tamers.
Wait... if I built a branch store in this village and dispatched Koken or someone else... wouldn't that actually be a great idea?
Since a new environment had yielded so many possibilities today, I might find even more unique slimes if I traveled to other regions. It would take far too long if I were the only one doing the fieldwork.
If I expanded the laundry shop and established branches in various regions, I could use those locations as research bases. I could hire Tamers or researchers to study the local slime ecology on my behalf, then consolidate that information. That way, I could balance running the business with my slime research.
I definitely need to consult Caulm about this once I return!
"Hey, Big Brother, you're spacing out. I don't think you can do that right away, you know?"
"Yeah, it’s a plan for the future. ...Wait, was I thinking out loud?"
"You were. So, what do we do now?"
"For now, I'll let them eat their fill while I'm staying here. Before I head home, I'll collect what I can preserve without being a nuisance. After that, we just wait and see."
Slimes were generally omnivores; if their specific evolution triggers ran out, they would just eat something else. If they ended up evolving into something else entirely, that was fine too.
"They won't grow weak or die just because they run out of special food, and there's no rush to make them evolve this very second. I'll take it slow."
"I see. So, what's next?"
"Hmm... unfortunately, I think we're out of time."
Work at the processing plant had clearly finished. A crowd of women had gathered in the square to pick up their children. It was time for Niki to head home.
"Niki, it's time to go!"
"Mom!"
"Ryoma-kun, thank you for looking after my boy today."
"Not at all. Niki was a huge help."
"Mom, I helped take care of the slimes! There were so many kinds, it was so cool!"
"Is that so? I'm glad to hear it."
"Yeah! Oh, Big Brother, how long will it take for the slimes to change into the ones we found today? I want to see them evolve!"
"Unfortunately, I think it will take several months."
He had been such a big help that I wished I could show him while I was still here, but biology didn't work that way.
"Oh... well, can I help with the slimes again tomorrow?"
"I'd love that! It helps me out a lot."
"Yes! Okay, see you tomorrow!"
Niki grabbed his mother’s hand and waved energetically with the other as they walked away.
That night.
"—And that's how the day went."
As I recounted the day's events, cheerful laughter filled the living room.
"So you already made a promise for tomorrow."
"He's certainly taken a shine to you."
"Well, after what happened yesterday, it makes sense."
Kei, Mei, and Kai all agreed that Niki had grown quite fond of me. I had just been talking about my hobbies, but I was happy to hear it.
"Say, Ryoma-kun. Are you going to be gathering trash with him again tomorrow?"
"That’s the plan."
"Then please, take our household trash as well. That’s alright, isn’t it, Father?"
"..."
Prompted by his wife, the taciturn father set down his sake cup and nodded.
"Thank you for the help. I think the food is about ready, so I'll go bring it out."
I was in charge of dinner tonight. As a thank-you for Mei and the mother providing rice and various ingredients, I had prepared some Honenashi Daikon. Usually, it was made with yellowtail, but this "boneless" fish was a perfect substitute for a cold winter night.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!"
I moved the pot from the stove to the sunken hearth and served everyone their portions. The head of the house, Hoi, took the first plate, and everyone began to eat with great curiosity.
"Mmm! This is amazing! The flavor has really soaked in."
"Even the tough root vegetables are so soft. It's delicious."
"Oh, I almost forgot. Everyone, please use this as you like."
I provided some freshly grated Horas, which was similar to wasabi or mustard.
"It really tastes different when you don't just dissolve it in the soup."
"Not bad... Phew... This goes great with sake."
The father downed the sake his wife had poured in a single gulp. As the alcohol took hold, his voice grew louder, and the pace at which he ate the Honenashi Daikon and drank his sake quickened.
Relieved that everyone enjoyed the meal, I watched them until Kai spoke up. "Ryoma, don't just sit there, eat! It'll be gone before you know it."
"You're right. Well then, let's eat!"
I started with the fish I was most curious about—the Honenashi. My chopsticks slid through the flesh effortlessly, releasing a savory juice.
It was called Honenashi—Boneless—because the bones dissolved completely when cooked. The bones that had definitely been there when I started the stew were truly gone. The texture was almost unnervingly melty, but the flavor was rich and wonderful.
"Phew... mmm!"
Next was the daikon. Warm steam rose from the bowl, the comforting aroma tickling my nose. The moment I bit into it, it fell apart, releasing the deep, seafood-rich dashi. It was a job well done, even if I said so myself.
I took another piece, this time with a bit of the spicy mustard... Yes! That sharp kick was perfect.
...Alright, I decided. I was going to open that.
"If you'll excuse me... Item Box!"
"Oh? Is that sake?"
"Yes. It was a gift from a dragonewt friend of mine."
It was the Daiginjo I had received from Asagi a long time ago. I’d been saving it because Daiginjo felt too fancy to open on just any occasion, but tonight felt right.
I brought out cups and poured the first round. The taste was clean and pure, followed by a pleasant warmth that drifted through my nose. Eating the savory daikon and following it with a sip of this Daiginjo...
"Phew—delicious! It might be even better served hot tonight."
I set up the magic stove to boil some water. "Would everyone else like to try some?"
"Oh? You're sure? Then I won't say no!"
"Don't drink too much, Kai," Mei warned.
"...Boy, I didn't realize you were a drinking man," Hoi noted.
"My master was a Dwarf. I also have the Divine Protection of the God of Wine."
"The Divine Protection of the God of Wine! Well, that explains it. In that case, while we wait for that water, why don't you try some of this? It's nothing fancy, just a local brew."
"I’d be honored."
The father was becoming quite talkative. He handed me a cup of the local sake. It was white and thick, almost like milk. It looked just like Japanese doburoku. When I tasted it, I felt the texture of fine grains—the raw ingredients—along with a slight acidity and a potent sweetness. It reminded me of amazake, but there was a faint, familiar bitterness hidden in the finish.
"Is this sake made from Kotsubuyarikusa?"
"You can tell? Exactly right."
"Wow... I'm impressed. I had no idea you could make alcohol from that."
It hadn't shown up in my Appraisal, and despite having eaten it for years, I had never noticed the potential.
"Well, you can't do it with Kotsubuyarikusa alone," Kei explained. "You have to use the grass that turns it into sake."
"There's a specific grass for that? Where do you find it?"
"It’s not rare at all. It grows everywhere."
As soon as he said it, Kai headed for the door. He stepped outside for only a second, leaned down to pluck a weed from the dirt, and came right back.
"Brrr, it's freezing! Here, it's this stuff."
He really had just grabbed it from the doorstep. It looked like a generic weed you'd find in a corner where a dog might relieve itself. It didn't match any of the medicinal or poisonous plants in my mental database.
"It's just a weed to us, really. Its only use is for brewing."
"Mixing weeds with food to make sake... I wonder who first came up with that."
A weed... if I fed it to a Weed Slime, could I cultivate it? That was one more experiment to add to my list. And if I could produce my own sake from Kotsubuyarikusa, it would be a massive help. My Drunk Slimes' upkeep costs would vanish, and I wouldn't have to restock in the city anymore.
"Is there someone who could teach me how to make this?"
"Are you that interested? I can show you how tomorrow, then," the mother offered.
"Wait, Mom, you know how?"
"Mei, what kind of woman would I be if I couldn't even brew Shirozake?"
According to her, this Shirozake was a staple in every household up until her mother’s generation. It was an essential skill for any bride. However, because it required a specific knack and was quite labor-intensive to get right, as the village grew wealthier, people began simply buying it from the families who were best at it.
"I haven't made it at home in a while myself... I suppose I’ll use this chance to pass down our family's flavor to Mei."
"It's the first I'm hearing about us having a 'family flavor,'" Mei joked.
"Well, if it were better than the stuff we're drinking now, we would've opened a brewery ourselves."
"Then I guess I shouldn't get my hopes up!"
The father's dry comment sent the room into another fit of laughter.
In the meantime, the hot sake was ready.
"Alright, let's eat and drink! Here, Kai."
"Thanks... Gulp! Whoa, Kei, this stuff is incredible. You have to try some."
"Really? Then... maybe just a little."
"Of course."
We sat there, the conversation flowing as easily as the sake, enjoying the Honenashi Daikon together. It was a bitter cold night outside, but we were warm in both heart and body. Perhaps it was the satisfaction of finding a new source of slime food, but as soon as I crawled into bed, sleep claimed me instantly.