The next morning, well before dawn, several of my Weed Slimes issued an alert. I rushed to the edge of the fields where they were stationed and discovered four Goblins that had already come to raid the crops. I captured them on the spot.
"Gigi!"
"Gyaa!!"
"Goga!!"
"Gaaa!!"
Their feet were pinned by the Sticky Slimes' adhesive and hardening fluids, causing them to trip. Their arms were soon stuck as well, leaving them immobilized on all fours. Only their heads remained free, which they turned toward me, desperately baring their teeth in a futile attempt at intimidation.
If possible, I preferred to form a contract with them rather than simply exterminating them. I wondered if they would calm down if I offered them something to eat. I reached into my Item Box and pulled out a handful of Mad Salamander jerky—a gift from the people of Shikumu Village—and held a piece out to the one snapped at me.
"Gaa! Go, fugh? ...!! Gi!"
"Gigi!?"
"Gi! Gigi!!"
"Gua!"
The Goblin snapped at the jerky for a split second, but as soon as it caught the scent and realized it was food, it skillfully bit onto the end and worked it into its mouth. The others watched with envious looks, their thoughts seemingly shouting that it wasn't fair. I offered jerky to the rest of them, and they all fell upon it with the same gusto.
I repeated this three times. Judging that they had finally calmed down, I exercised my Contract Magic on the fourth offering. I felt the connection snap into place, though the Goblins were too busy chewing to notice.
"Can you hear me? Can we communicate?"
『Gigi!?』
It worked. I could feel their confusion as my will was transmitted directly into their minds. To test the depth of our communication, I asked why they had come here.
(Want, food.)
(Searched.)
(Plenty, here.)
(Take, everyone, eat.)
The thoughts were broken and simple, but functional. Just as I was considering the potential, they seemed to remember they were still tied up and began to make a fuss, demanding their release. I gave them a light Intimidation. They immediately began to tremble and tried to bolt, only to panic all over again when they remembered they were stuck. It was a rather dim-witted display.
I had expected as much, but at least they didn't seem to be a serious threat. I moved on to the recruitment phase. I explained that I was the owner of these fields and that the Lord had entrusted me with this land.
『? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?』
They didn't seem to follow a word of it.
"Let’s try this. This place... my territory. Understand?"
They seemed to get that.
"The food here is mine. Understand?"
They followed that as well.
"You enter my territory and steal my food, I kill you. Understand?"
An aura of pure despair radiated from the four of them. Perhaps fearing the consequences of silence, they all began to nod their heads vigorously.
"But you haven't stolen anything yet. If you work here, I won't kill you. You work, I give you food, clothes, and a place to sleep. Understand?"
They looked at me, their thoughts projecting a mix of Is that true? and Are you sure?
"It's true. Now, which is it? Do you want to work, or do you want to die?"
( ( ( ( Work! ) ) ) )
The negotiations were complete. It seemed Goblins weren't capable of processing complex ideas, so I realized it was best to keep things brief, summarizing the main points into simple, one-word commands.
When I asked if they had any comrades, they revealed there were four more nearby. I had them lead me to the spot, captured the others, and contracted them using the same method. I now had eight Goblins in my service.
By then, the sun had begun to rise. I provided them with a meal and designated one of the suitable tunnels in the Abandoned Mine as their quarters, then had them help with the morning chores. I planned to fix the place up later to make it more comfortable, but Goblins had once infested this mine in massive numbers. For now, it was more than adequate as a habitat.
Once preparations were complete, I headed out for the day. My first task was to demolish the warehouse that had served as the Children’s Home and replace it with a headquarters for the Security Company using Sand Magic. I met up with Hughes and the other six guards to go over the room layouts they had requested.
"Hughes-san, Jill-san, these plans only cover the interior rooms. What did you want to do about the exterior?"
"Ah... sorry, I didn't think that far ahead," Hughes admitted. "We just focused on the rooms we needed."
"As long as it works as a base, we're good," Jill added. "Can we leave the look to you? Just make it, you know... dignified. Something with some authority to it."
Left to my own devices, I searched my memories for something that looked "dignified."
"Whoa! This looks incredible!"
"The symmetry is magnificent."
The size was limited by the original warehouse's footprint, making it a bit small, but it was still grand enough to pass for a noble's manor. On that day, a building modeled after Japan’s National Diet Building rose in the middle of Gimul. I released the Sticky Slimes to apply a protective coating to the interior and exterior, and my first job was done.
"I’m heading over to the new Children’s Home site to follow up on yesterday's work. I’ll leave the slimes in your care."
Accompanied by Zeff and Camille, I returned to the construction site from the previous day. I worked alongside the hired laborers, and by noon, we had finished the entire first floor. We disbanded for lunch, after which I set out to meet a specific individual.
We headed deep into the slums, into a chaotic district where the shacks were particularly dilapidated.
"This place is even worse than the rest," Camille remarked.
"You said we're meeting a specialist for the waste processing plant," Zeff said. "Who exactly are they?"
"Everyone calls her the 'Trash Crone.' She’s apparently spent decades making a living picking trash in Gimul. They say she knows everything there is to know about the city's waste, and she has a lot of influence over the children and other pickers here. She’s very proud of her work, though, and can be quite prickly. I met her briefly the other day—"
"Well, if it isn't the rich boy."
I turned toward the voice. The woman we were talking about stood there, a large hemp sack balanced on her bent back.
"Hello, Trash Crone. Are you just getting back from work?"
"I had some time before our meeting, so I went for a stroll. I'm surprised you actually came to see a cranky old hag like me."
"As I said before, starting a new venture without the advice of an expert makes things much harder than they need to be."
"Are these two with you?"
"Yes. These are Camille-san and Zeff-san. They're helping me with the project."
"Nice to meet you," Camille said.
"Good to meet ya," Zeff added.
"Yeah, yeah. Just call me Trash Crone. That's what everyone around here calls me."
The two of them looked hesitant. For someone with a proper sense of manners, calling an elderly person "Trash Crone" felt incredibly rude. I understood the sentiment.
"She won't tell me her real name no matter how many times I ask," I explained. "That's why I've taken to calling her that as well."
"I see," Zeff said. "In that case, Trash Crone it is."
We went back to her home to discuss the collection aspect of the Waste Processing Plant. A plant is useless if there's no one to bring the trash to it, but that meant negotiating with the people already doing the work. Since they survived by selling what they found, a formal agency could be seen as a threat to their livelihood.
I had considered hiring them as employees, but not everyone would be willing to give up their independence, and sudden changes often caused friction. My plan was to focus on the areas the current pickers couldn't reach or were afraid to enter. We would build trust slowly by staying out of each other's way.
"Which areas do most pickers avoid?" I asked.
"Well," she began, "the Craftsman District in the west is a no-go. Depending on the shop, they handle chemicals and materials that an amateur can't touch without the right knowledge. There's an agreement that the craftsmen handle their own disposal."
Industrial waste. I’d need to confirm if we could safely process and transport those materials.
"Then there's the Residential District in the east. Adults don't go there much. Each area has its own Neighborhood Association that collects its own trash. Our rule is to leave it alone. Poor folk like us aren't exactly welcome there just for loitering. If we started raiding their trash piles, it would make things worse for everyone. Small children go there sometimes to pick up what's dropped on the road, but they never touch the gathered piles. That's an absolute rule."
"I see..."
"Most folks go to the Commercial District in the south. There are inns and restaurants, so there's always plenty of trash. The shop staff bring it to the collection points, and we carry it away. But lately, we've had a lot of outsiders who don't know the rules. They go directly to the shops or rummage through the bins by the back doors. It's a real problem. If they'd just come to ask me how things are done like you did, I'd teach 'em, but their behavior is going to bring heat down on all of us."
The slum residents were following their own internal code to minimize the nuisance to the city. I decided it might be worth passing this information along to the Commerce Guild.
After gathering what I could from the Trash Crone, I promised to return soon and went back to the shop to handle some paperwork. Being in Gimul meant work didn't pile up, especially since Calm was being so proactive. Most of my duties involved simply checking and signing documents. It was so light it felt more like a break.
In my spare time, I sorted through some secondhand clothes meant for the slum children and found a few sets that would fit the Goblins. I chatted with the staff during their breaks to recharge my own energy, and before I knew it, evening had arrived.
I put on my best suit for my final task of the day. Accompanied by Hughes and Jill, I headed to the main Guard Force station. While there are small guardhouses and posts all over the city, this was the central headquarters.
"My apologies for the wait," a man said as he entered the room.
"Not at all. Thank you for making time for us."
"Wait... I know you. You're the boy who healed my subordinate with magic!"
The man was the same guard I had met on the day I returned to Gimul.
"I didn't realize the head of the Guard Force went out on personal patrols," I said, surprised.
"We were short-handed that day," he admitted. "I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself then. I am Manfred Dammeyer, the Guard Captain."
"And I am—"
"Ryoma Takebayashi-kun, right?"
"You know my name?"
"The subordinate you helped told me. He said you run a laundry shop and that we owe you quite a bit. But I never imagined you were the one behind the new security company. Two businesses at your age... though age is irrelevant, isn't it? My apologies. Now, what can I do for you?"
I got straight to the point.
"As you know, I’m establishing a temporary security company to provide protection services. I wanted to apologize first for encroaching on the Guard Force's traditional duties. Beyond that, I hope to cooperate with you to ensure the safety of Gimul's residents. It’s a bold request, but I would appreciate your support."
The declining public order was a serious issue for me both personally and as a business owner. I had worried that a private company might cause resentment among the professional guards, but Captain Dammeyer simply laughed.
"There's no need for an apology. As long as you aren't committing crimes or hurting people, we have no reason to interfere—especially since you're operating as a legitimate business through the Guild."
He smiled warmly.
"We take pride in being the ones who protect this city, but that's all it is. If you're acting in good faith, no one has the right to complain. The fact that you came here specifically to apologize shows you respect our position. I'll make sure the men know that."
"Thank you very much!"
The meeting was going much smoother than I had anticipated. Dammeyer seemed to be a very sincere, dedicated man.
"We know better than anyone the state Gimul is in," he continued. "We know we're spread too thin and that the people are anxious. Your company might be exactly what we need to help ease that burden. Bickerin' won't get us anywhere. Our priority is the safety of this city. Every guard might have their own opinion on a private company, but if they let their ego get in the way of their duty, then their pride is worthless. I'll make sure my men keep their grievances to themselves and don't cause you any trouble."
"I appreciate that. I’ll make sure my employees are instructed to work cordially with your men as well."
Hughes and Jill both nodded firmly.
"Then it seems we're in agreement. What specifically did you have in mind?"
"Two things for now: joint training and information exchange."
Since most of our guards would be new, I wanted to provide them with proper training. I thought joint sessions would be a good stimulus for both sides. As for information exchange, since we’d be doing patrols for advertising purposes, it made sense to coordinate. If we saw an incident, we would provide initial response and then hand the situation and any suspects over to the Guard Force as quickly as possible.
"We've just taken on some new recruits ourselves, so joint training sounds perfect. And the extra eyes on the street would be a massive help."
"We're a service provider, so if there's anything else you need, we're happy to expand our scope where possible."
We spent the rest of the time ironing out the details, and the meeting ended on a high note.
On the way back, I decided to stop by the Tamer Guild. It was late, and the lobby was nearly empty. The receptionist beckoned me over with a friendly smile, even though they were close to closing.
"Welcome! How can I help you today?"
"I’d like to buy as much Sprint Rabbit meat as you can spare. I have Space Magic, so transport isn't an issue. Also, I captured some Goblins this morning and contracted them. I was hoping you could give me some advice on the best way to care for them."
"Understood. I'll have someone check the stock on the meat. Please wait a moment."
She sent a colleague to the back and turned back to me.
"As for the Goblins, what exactly will they be doing?"
"Mostly chores. I manage the Northern Abandoned Mine, so I was going to have them help with the fields and carrying supplies."
"I see. Goblins are omnivorous scavengers, so they'll eat just about anything. You don't have to worry about specific dietary restrictions, and they can handle food that's a bit old. However, there is one major thing to watch out for: overfeeding."
"Overfeeding?"
"Yes. If Goblins are fed too much, they tend to breed very quickly."
"I knew they were famous for their reproductive rate," I noted.
"Exactly. If they have a mate and enough food, they can conceive and give birth up to three times a month. They'll overrun a place before you know it. Also—and this isn't common knowledge—overfeeding Goblins makes it much more likely for them to evolve into higher species like Hobgoblins."
"Ah... so that’s why large hordes are so dangerous."
Numbers were one thing, but if they had the resources to evolve, it created a vicious cycle that strengthened the whole pack. I remembered the massive extermination mission I had joined at the mine; the high-rankers who went into the heart of the nest must have been dealing with exactly that.
"Oh, were you part of the spring extermination?" the receptionist asked.
"Yes. I spend most of my time working as an adventurer."
"Then you understand. Goblins are dangerous because they're so prolific. There are plenty of stories about tamers who realized too late that their monsters had increased beyond their control, or who couldn't handle an evolved species. If your tamed monster hurts someone, you'll be the one held responsible, so please be careful."
"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."
She still looked a bit skeptical, but I understood the concern. Hobgoblins were much larger and stronger. A tamer might be tempted to feed their Goblins well to make them better workers, only to end up with a monster they couldn't manage.
I’d have to keep a close eye on them and be ready to make tough calls if necessary. Still, I hadn't hit my contract limit yet, and Goblins seemed much easier to talk to than the Clever Chickens once you figured out how to simplify your speech. They were simple and honest in their own way. They were also less of a headache than the chickens, who were all talk and surprisingly dangerous in a fight.
Though even the chickens were behaving themselves lately, thanks to Kohaku’s hard work as their leader. I really wanted to do something to reward him, but I knew that giving him special treatment would just make the others jealous and cause him more trouble in the long run.
The male clerk returned and handed a slip of paper to the receptionist.
"We can provide up to fifty Sprint Rabbits," she informed me.
"I'll take all fifty. No need to butcher them."
"Right away."
The staff began bringing out the carcasses. They were hairless rabbits that looked remarkably like naked mole rats, only massive and incredibly muscular. They were rugged and lacked any of the typical "bunny" cuteness, though some might find them "ugly-cute." These were Sprint Rabbits.
"That's fifty. The total comes to fifteen hundred Suut."
It was incredibly cheap—only thirty Suut per rabbit, about a third of a single person's daily living expenses.
"They breed faster than Goblins do," she explained. "They're a tamer's best friend when it comes to feeding carnivorous monsters."
"At this price, it definitely helps. Just out of curiosity, can humans eat these? I've never seen them in a butcher shop."
"They aren't toxic, but I wouldn't recommend it. Some of the poorer rookies try it now and then, but they always say the meat is so tough you can't even bite through it. You can see the muscle on them; it's like eating a rock. I've even heard of people dislocating their jaws trying."
I figured there was a catch given the price. I stowed the mountain of carcasses in my Item Box, thanked them, and headed home.
Now that the Goblins were part of the team, I wanted to show them I kept my word. I’d give them a feast of rabbit meat and potatoes tonight. As for the evolution issue, I figured I'd start by just talking to them about it.