After finishing my morning routine, I headed straight to work.
When I met up with Yudum in front of the laundry shop, his eyes looked dead.
"Good morning," I said. "Did something happen?"
"It’s the same as always—or rather, maybe it's because it's the same as always. I’m starting to realize I don't even find your magic strange anymore, and that realization is deeply troubling."
Ah, I see.
Gathering a massive volume of water, floating a boat on top of it, and moving through the city while simultaneously cleaning and clearing snow from the roads for over an hour was a feat far beyond the mana capacity and technical skill of an average mage. Watching me do it so nonchalantly had apparently caused him to nearly ignore the absurdity of the situation.
It seemed he was finally getting used to me.
Since that wasn't exactly a problem, I quickly put away the boat and we set off toward the day's task.
Our workplace this morning was a stone's throw from my shop: the residential district in the eastern part of the city. We were here for manual snow removal. Although I had been making full use of Slime Magic since dawn, the heavy snow covered the entire city; places in desperate need of clearing were everywhere.
"It’s a bit late to ask, but if we’re going to shovel snow anyway, wouldn't it have been easier to keep the boat out?" Yudum asked.
"The task is fundamentally the same whether we use hands or magic, but even a small boat has trouble navigating these narrow alleys. Besides, if I tried to cover every corner of the city like that, my mana wouldn't hold out. I don't want to get into the habit of guzzling Mana Recovery Potions, either. I’ve decided to limit the boat method to the early morning on the main thoroughfares where foot traffic is light, or in areas with severe manpower shortages. Once the sun is up, adventurers from the guild and personnel from the Town Office arrive. The citizens also start working on their own, so there's no need for me to overextend myself."
"I suppose that makes sense. Wait, so you actually do run out of mana? You were acting so casual that I’d begun to wonder if the boat itself was a Magic Tool, or if you were hiding a Mana Stone somewhere as a power source."
"Goodness, I haven't gone to that much trouble."
"Right... you didn't look like you were using any gadgets. Man, it would actually be easier to accept if I were told you were using some kind of trick or a potion..."
Yudum continued to wrestle with his thoughts. I decided not to mention that I wasn't entirely without "tricks."
Snow removal is a deceptively dangerous job. Snow piled on eaves can slide off and cause injuries or pin someone down. When working on roofs, there’s the obvious risk of falling, but there’s also the danger of falling into a deep drift and becoming buried. Because there are so many potential accidents, taking precautions and always working in groups is essential.
While we discussed safety measures, we arrived at our destination.
"Let’s start here," I suggested.
"Roger that."
We began working on a residential street that hadn't been touched yet. First, Yudum skillfully started prying open the covers of the drainage ditches.
"I'm counting on you again today," I whispered.
I used Space Magic to pull out Filter Slimes to seal both ends of the trench, then introduced Sewage Slimes and Sludge Slimes from a water jar.
These two species were evolutions I’d discovered recently. Sewage Slimes evolved from Aqua Slimes that consumed toxic wastewater, while Sludge Slimes evolved from Mad Slimes that fed on filth. Much like Scavenger Slimes, they possessed the Foul Odor Release skill, but otherwise remained physically similar to their pre-evolution forms.
Just as people often assumed Ice Slimes were merely frozen Aqua Slimes, these two were often dismissed as simply being "dirty." It was a bit pitiful, considering they were actually quite distinct. They were the result of the extensive gutter-cleaning work I’d done before the cold wave, and they were perfect for this job. Since their primary diet was sewage and sludge, placing them in the ditches meant they would eat—and therefore clean—entirely on their own. Given a proper facility, they would be invaluable for large-scale wastewater treatment. Furthermore—
"Manager? Is everything okay?"
"Ah, no, I'm fine!"
I had to pull myself back. I was getting lost in the possibilities of slime utilization when I was supposed to be working.
I refocused and began installing the "Solar Water Heaters" I had recently pitched to the gods. These consisted of copper pipes fitted to the width of the trench, topped with Light-absorbing Heat Generation Plates—essentially black powder encased in Sticky Slime Hardening Fluid Plates.
These devices would melt the snow thrown into the ditch and heat the resulting water enough to melt subsequent loads. By turning the trenches into makeshift Snow Melting Tanks, we could drastically improve the efficiency of the cleanup.
The structure was incredibly simple: the plates absorbed light to generate heat, which the copper pipes then transferred to the water. Personally, I felt the design was still rudimentary. It wasn't nearly as sophisticated as the systems used back in Japan, and I knew I could improve it.
However, after preparing a prototype and consulting with Grisiela at the Commerce Guild, we had reached several conclusions:
First, the heat generation was sufficient for the current crisis, especially when augmented with Light Magic. Second, most workers—even those who weren't mages—knew the basic Light spell for illumination. Third, the simple design meant local craftsmen could mass-produce the copper pipe sections immediately.
We had decided to prioritize quantity over perfection. The Commerce Guild commissioned the pipes, and I produced as many plates as possible to lend to the guild. It was a temporary measure to manage the accumulation.
I was only lending the plates because they were still experimental, and I wasn't ready to sell them yet. Once I had permission from Reinhardt and the others, I was thinking about using an improved version of these heaters to build a public bathhouse. Even in their current state, the copper pipes became hotter than the hood of a car on a summer day. If I refined the efficiency and added a furnace, it was a perfectly viable goal.
"Hup!"
Once the heaters were installed, the rest was pure physical labor.
Since it was simple work, I could keep my body moving while my mind wandered. I used a tool I’d fashioned from Hardening Fluid Plates—it looked like a manual bulldozer blade—to shove large mounds of snow into the ditch. The heaters, the water, and the slimes did the rest. The Filter Slimes ensured the water level stayed consistent without overflowing, and the work proceeded at a brisk, comfortable pace.
"Oh, good morning to you," a voice called out.
"Good morning, Grandmother," Yudum replied.
An elderly woman had stepped out of her house.
"You've already cleared the path in front of my door? Thank you so much... Well, I suppose I should get started on the roof."
"Grandmother, you’re going up there?" Yudum asked, concern in his voice. "That’s dangerous. Let me do it for you."
"Oh, I couldn't possibly! You've already done the front. Besides, my legs and back are still sturdy enough."
"Now, now, none of that. Manager!"
"Yes, I heard," I said, stepping forward. "We didn't want to intrude on private property without permission, so we stuck to the roads, but we’d be happy to handle the roof if you'll let us. We even have tools specifically for it."
Recalling the terrible snowstorms from my previous life, I had reproduced some specialized equipment I’d seen online. My favorite was a long pole with a metal cutting frame and a sheet of waterproof cloth; it allowed you to slice blocks of snow and let them slide down the fabric efficiently.
"This is an emergency situation, after all," Yudum added smoothly. "If you give us your signature, we can claim a reward from the guild as a follow-up report. The Town Office is providing subsidies for this, so it won't cost you a single copper. It's actually a help to us if you let us do it."
"Is that so?"
"Exactly. So don't be shy—leave the roof to the professionals."
"Well... if you insist, I suppose I'll accept the help."
As we prepared to climb up, Yudum leaned in and whispered so she wouldn't hear. "That grandmother seems like the type who hates being babied because of her age. We should keep an eye on that."
He had sensed her pride instantly and adjusted his argument to mention the subsidies so she wouldn't feel like a charity case. He could be a bit blunt at times, but he was fundamentally kind and remarkably sensitive to the feelings of others. I found myself thinking that more and more as we worked together.
"By the way, Manager," Yudum said as we started on the roof. "Has something happened lately?"
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know... I just got the feeling you were starting to get all prickly again."
He was incredibly observant. I hadn't intended to let my inner thoughts show on my face.
"It’s just a hunch," I admitted. "I don't intend to revert to the way I was before, but I can't help but feel a certain... tension in the air."
"Really? I thought things had been almost too peaceful lately. I haven't felt any suspicious gazes, and with this snow falling, I figured any enemies would be too busy dealing with the weather to plot anything."
"That may be true," I replied, trying to put my vague unease into words. "But if I were in the enemy's shoes, I think I would strike as soon as I was ready."
I paused to organize my thoughts.
"It’s been quiet, yes. But that quiet feels wrong. Like the calm before the storm. The enemy’s goal is to harass the Ducal House—a grudge or some personal vendetta, right? But instead of attacking the family directly, they’ve been trying to ruin the city to destroy the Duke’s reputation. Directly attacking us would be harder to cover up, sure, but what bothers me most is that whoever is directing this doesn't care about the city at all. They have no hesitation about involving innocent people to achieve their goals."
"Yeah... for the people living here, it's a nightmare. The atmosphere was terrible when I first arrived, and crime was on the rise. You're right—they don't care who gets caught in the crossfire."
"Exactly. Would someone like that just give up? I don't think so. Their efforts in Gimul have been suppressed, and Reinhardt is making moves in the Royal Capital. They’ve been backed into a corner where they risk being exposed entirely. They say a cornered rat will bite the cat. I think the possibility of them doing something desperate is actually quite high."
I felt that way because the more I tried to look at the situation from their perspective, the more logical a desperate strike seemed.
"The snow might have been a nuisance for them, but it’s a massive distraction for us as well. If they have nowhere left to run, they might go for one final, all-or-nothing gamble. It’s just a theory, though."
Yudum nodded, looking convinced. "It’s certainly possible they’d strike while we’re busy dealing with the disaster. I understand. I’ll sharpen my vigilance."
"Thank you. If nothing happens, then we can just be glad for the peace, but we should be prepared for anything. I’ve already asked the relevant departments to re-confirm their emergency manuals... for now, that's all we can do. As you said, it’s peaceful for the moment, so we might as well enjoy the calm while it lasts. Otherwise, I’d likely end up back in that dark state of mind again..."
I had no desire to return to the cold, obsessive person I had been during the previous crisis. Still, I was grateful that he took my baseless hunch seriously. It was because of people like him that I could remain calm now, rather than falling into the panic of the past.