The next morning, when I entered the town of Gimul, I could tell the atmosphere had already begun to shift.
While the usual crowds hurried along the main thoroughfare, their expressions seemed noticeably brighter.
"Step right up, step right up!"
"Good prices here! Don't miss out!"
"Skewers, only five suut! Get 'em while they're hot at this special price!"
Even the calls from the stalls and street vendors sounded more energetic than usual.
As I continued walking and passed a small shop tucked away in a side street, I overheard a conversation.
"Good morning."
"Oh, hello! It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve seen you around here."
"Yes, well... it’s been a bit difficult to walk this way lately, hasn't it?"
"It certainly has. Not long ago, you couldn't move for all those people—heaven knows where they came from—sleeping right on the roadside."
"Exactly! I felt bad for them, coming all this way for work and finding nothing, but having them camped out on the street was such a nuisance. I didn't want to go anywhere near them."
"I felt the same. But since there wasn't a soul in sight today, I finally felt comfortable coming back this way."
"Oh, you too? I thought the exact same thing!"
"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen a single one of them all morning. There used to be at least one on every corner... I wonder where they went? I’d hate for them to come back, though."
The local women were chattering among themselves about the sudden disappearance of the homeless laborers.
As I walked further, I encountered others saying much the same thing, noting how the town felt much more pleasant as a result.
I didn't think those workers necessarily had bad intentions; most were likely just there because they had no other choice. However, the presence of large groups of desperate people inevitably changes the mood of a place and weighs on the hearts of those passing by.
For the record, the laborers who had vanished from the street corners had all been moved into the dormitories I prepared the day before. As of this morning, they should have already started their new roles at the security company, the waste processing plant, or the factory I built in partnership with the Morgan Company.
While those workers had certainly contributed to the decline of public order in Gimul, the vast majority had come here simply seeking a job, not looking to commit crimes.
Of course, everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Within the security company alone, a guard needs physical strength and combat skill, while a clerk needs to be literate and good with calculations. The required skills vary wildly depending on the department.
In my experience, when people are destitute and backed into a corner, they become anxious and lose their peace of mind. Their perspective narrows, and they tend to apply for anything available just to survive, regardless of their actual aptitude.
Yesterday’s interviews were designed to roughly gauge those aptitudes and place people where they could be most effective. They weren't meant to filter people out, but to find where they fit.
In total, we had hired 546 people yesterday.
I didn't know the exact number of laborers currently out of work in the city, but those 546 now had at least the bare minimum of food, clothing, shelter, and a steady job. Hopefully, with their basic needs met, they wouldn't feel driven to crime or cause further trouble for the town. That was my hope, at least.
"Whoops."
Lost in thought as I observed the town, I realized I had arrived at my destination: the security company headquarters. Training for the guard candidates had already begun in the courtyard, and I could hear their spirited shouts from outside.
Seeing the town’s mood improve, even slightly, filled me with a sense of relief and fresh motivation.
I made my way toward the hospital wing within the headquarters. I needed to deepen my rapport with the medical team who had just arrived, as I would be relying on them heavily from now on. I also wanted to discuss our future research and studies to ensure everything proceeded smoothly.
But when I arrived...
"Ryoma-kun! Tell us more about this serum!"
"The medicine slime comes first! The fact that it can refine fluids with such a vast range of medicinal effects is revolutionary! Think of the applications for remote villages or regions where supplies are hard to come acquire!"
"I’m more interested in hearing about these nutritional supplements."
"Alchemy... the real thing is incredibly efficient. We could simplify the entire pharmaceutical process, extract active ingredients we never could before... we might even develop entirely new drugs!"
"As an elven physician, I thought I had seen it all, but there is still so much unknown territory here. It’s truly fascinating."
I might have been their temporary employer, but as of today, I was also their student. To that end, I had requested to call Mafrar "Teacher," while the resident physicians and I addressed each other by name as equals. I thought I had done a good job of breaking the ice, but I had underestimated one thing: their insatiable thirst for knowledge.
Because they had been introduced by Reinhardt, I had felt comfortable consulting them about slime usage, alchemy, and nutritional research. They had grasped the concepts instantly and were now hungry for more.
They had listened patiently while I gave my overview, but the moment I opened the floor for questions, the floodgates opened.
Three of the five were practically tripping over each other to be heard, one was watching with a smile as if enjoying the chaos, and the last was already lost in deep thought.
I felt a certain kinship with them, but I wasn't quite sure how to handle the sudden intensity. Then, I realized it was already noon.
"Um... everyone, why don't we take a break? It's time for lunch."
"Good idea," Teacher Mafrar agreed. "Let's organize our thoughts over a meal."
The four residents calmed down and followed suit. We headed to the dining hall, but...
"Wow, it’s packed..."
The cafeteria was already swarming with 120 members of the first-term trainees. While there were a few scattered empty seats, there wasn't a single spot where the six of us could sit together.
"Ryoma-kun!"
I turned toward the voice and saw Cher waving a hand, pointing to the spot next to him. A group nearby had just finished their meal and was getting up to leave. Seeing me looking for a seat, Cher gestured that he would hold the space for us.
"We have a table. Let's go."
I signaled my thanks and went to get my food.
"Oh, you can choose between different meals here?" one of the doctors noted.
"Food is the source of energy, after all," I explained. "We found several former chefs and restaurant workers among the new hires and put them in charge of the kitchen."
Meals were free for employees. Today’s options were A-Lunch, which was sandwiches, or B-Lunch, which was bread with sausage and vegetable soup. Having only two choices was a limitation of bulk preparation, but it was only the first day. I figured I'd let the kitchen staff settle in before suggesting more variety.
I was in the mood for soup, so I grabbed the B-Lunch. Once everyone had their food, we joined Cher at the table he’d saved.
"Thanks, Cher."
"No problem. Good work today, Ryoma-kun. So, who are your friends?"
It was a natural question. There was no reason for secrecy, so I introduced the medical team to him and then introduced Cher to them.
"Cher is an excellent adventurer," I told them. "He’s highly trusted by the town and well-regarded by the guild."
"Hey, stop that, Ryoma-kun. You’re overstating things."
Cher tried to brush it off, but I genuinely held him in high esteem. Despite being physically younger than him, I felt he was remarkably mature for his age.
"I mean, as far as being an adventurer goes, you’re way more impressive than me," Cher continued. "You haven't even been registered for a year and you've already caught up to my rank."
It was true that we were both D-Rank, but I never sensed any trace of resentment or jealousy in his voice. From the moment we met, he had accepted my abilities without ego. I found that incredibly rare and admirable.
I had served as a rookie instructor at the Adventurer Guild before, and the looks I received from the participants weren't always kind. Some seniors had even gone out of their way to avoid me after seeing my combat skills in mock battles.
I didn't blame them, though. In a world that prizes strength, being outstripped by a younger newcomer is a blow to one's pride. It's only human to feel a bit bitter.
To accept that gracefully while continuing to work hard on oneself... that’s what a person "should" do, but humans are emotional creatures. Actually doing it is difficult.
In my past life, I had been passed over by subordinates and met countless people more talented than myself. I certainly remember feeling my fair share of frustration.
When I conveyed this to him in a roundabout way, Cher scratched his cheek.
"Hearing you say that makes me feel a bit embarrassed... I don't have much natural talent, so I just have to keep at it. I definitely get jealous of others. Honestly, I wondered if someone like you ever felt like you were losing or envied anyone else."
I wondered how Cher really saw me.
"I mean, you're strong, you know everything, and you're brilliant," he added.
"I don't intend to lose when it comes to strength or combat," I admitted. "But in almost every other area, I was average or even below average. Especially when it came to people."
I had spent nearly forty years figuring out how to navigate life, and the "me" standing here today was the result of all that trial and error. Of course, he couldn't see any of that looking at my current body.
"Besides, I think 'knowledge' and 'intelligence' are two different things. Knowledge is like a tool, and intelligence is how well you know how to use it."
There were plenty of people smarter than me. As for my knowledge, I had the benefit of a modern education and a university degree. I'd had opportunities for a wide range of experiences, access to experts who would answer my questions, and the internet to look up anything that piqued my interest.
Putting it all together, I said, "I think I was just blessed with my environment."
"I see... maybe I should try a bit harder, then."
Personally, I thought being recognized by the guild and the town meant he was already working hard enough, but if he was motivated, I wasn't going to stop him.
"By the way, Cher, what would you say is your weakest area?"
In my experience, he seemed like a versatile, stable all-rounder.
"Well, for some reason, I have a body that just won't put on muscle. I've never had much confidence in my raw strength or speed. Even the Guild Master told me to focus on technique rather than power."
As we talked more, I learned that the reason he was so trusted was that when he first started as an adventurer, he had so little strength that he took every odd-job and chore request in the city just to survive and build up his stamina.
His versatility was the result of years of grunt work. Realizing that, I thought I might actually be able to help him.
"Sorry for all the questions, but what kind of training are you doing? Also... I suppose 'protein' isn't a thing here..."
I hadn't heard the term since arriving in this world. I asked the five doctors just in case, but none of them recognized it.
"Is this protein some kind of drug to strengthen muscles?" Cher asked, falling for the common misconception.
"No, it's not a drug. Protein is just... protein. It's the material that builds the human body—not just muscles, but organs, skin, hair, and nails. It’s found in everyday food. It’s not a medicine with side effects."
"So, we can think of it as a type of nutritional supplement?" Clarissa asked. She had been the most interested in my nutritional research earlier.
"Exactly. It’s a vital nutrient for both gaining muscle and maintaining overall health. If you want to build muscle properly while staying healthy, you need a significant amount of it. If you try to get that all from meat, you'll end up consuming a lot of unnecessary fat as well, and you'll get full before you can reach the required amount. That's where technology comes in—to extract just the protein you need. That's what I mean by protein."
"So you strip away the extras and get just what you need? Like packing light for a long trip," Cher said, putting it into adventurer terms.
I explained that if you timed your protein intake with the right training methods, you could significantly increase the efficiency of muscle growth.
"That sounds incredible. But are you sure it's okay to teach me all this?"
Cher was already helping me with my work, and this knowledge could also be used to train my new security guards. My mind started racing—could I combine healing magic with the supercompensation phase of muscle growth?
I’d heard that putting on too much muscle on a child's body could stunt growth, so I’d rather not experiment on myself. Having a willing test subject would be a huge help.
When I explained my thoughts, he silently offered his hand. I took it, and we exchanged a firm handshake.
Suddenly, another voice broke in.
"Please, let me participate in this research too!"
It was Tinto, the athletic resident physician. He had a look of pure fire in his eyes.
"I’d appreciate the help, but why the sudden intensity?" I asked.
"Before I became a doctor, I wanted to be a knight for the Royal Family. I fell off a horse during training and had to give up that dream because of my injuries. That’s why I chose medicine—I wanted to help people so they wouldn't have to give up on their dreams. Muscle reinforcement might not be 'treatment' in the traditional sense, but I’m fascinated by the possibilities!"
That explained his booming voice. He had been the most interested in the serums earlier, likely because of his own history.
"I have no reason to say no," I said. "I look forward to working with you."
"Thank you!"
And just like that, I had a new research subject and a new collaborator.
"You two," Teacher Mafrar interjected gently. "Everyone is staring."
I looked around. We were in the middle of a crowded dining hall, and half the room was watching us, wondering what all the shouting and handshaking was about.