Chapter 41
Chapter 41: That ti when not just clothes, even my body almost lted
TL: kizen
ED: Unedited
「My butt hurts」
There were so proper roads when we went to that large monster outbreak subjugation last ti . That is not the case this ti though since we’re headed for a swamp inside a forest .
Manning the roofless carriage was a person called Stillo who is a part of Fader’s party . This person is a calico cat-like cat-eared beastkin who’s also pretty good looking like his companion . If he was just a regular cat back in my previous world, he would most certainly end up in a research center because of how rare he is but when I asked him about it, it seems like there are a lot of males with calico pattern fur .
Well, this isn’t earth but trying to do a bit of surveying of the cats while I’m in town would probably alright .
Incidentally, it seems like he and Fader-san ca from the sa village and as adventurers, they take on subjugation requests from the guild .
「IyaーI try to choose a better lane as much as possible butー」
Since the carriage is shaking so much that it’s changing your voice, it might be better if you focus on the road to make sure things advance smoothly even just a bit .
「I can’t ride a horse so I won’t complain . And besides, after acquiring an undamaged sli’s core, we have to put it in a bucket full of water so we need to use a carriage . Rather than resent Stillo-san, I’m grateful to you for being our coachman」
While laughing, Fader-san, who is seated in front, kept checking on the rope that’s holding the barrel every ti the carriage shakes .
Judging from the sun’s position, it’s about to be noon soon . Are we just going eat our lunch after reaching the designated area I wonder?
Well, I’ll just let them decide .
「Fader, it’s about to be noon soon . What should do we doー?」
Stillo-san looked over for a mont and said loudly .
「What does Caam-san think?」
「I can still bear my hunger so I don’t really mind whether we continue forward or eat now to let the horses rest」
In my previous life, I used to spend long holidays training myself to survive for 3 days with only a layman’s knowledge, a day’s worth of food and 8 liters of water in a situation where a huge disaster happens and the supply lines get unexpectedly cut off . Compared to the hunger I experienced at that ti, getting lunch delayed by just a few hours is no problem .
「Then, I’m really sorry about this but can you wait until we reach the forest? With our speed right now, the sun would have lowered two spots from where it is right now by the ti we arrive」
「Understood」
「Did you hear that?」
Stillo just raised his hand in response .
A few hours later, a forest could finally be seen . Is that the forest with the slis I wonder?
「Ahー . We might have arrived later than planned because of the rough terrain but we have plenty of ti to hunt before it gets dark . Well then, let’s start preparing our al imdiately」
After eating my rye bread and dried at then washing it down with water, I started preparing my equipnt . Since we’re not dealing with humanoids this ti, I just wore my armor normally without turning it into my improvised ghillie suit then waited for the two to finish .
Even if we’re just trying to get an undamaged core, as expected, it would be rude if I don’t take any equipnt . 1
「Uhmー, why did you just take the shovel out from the carriage? Is that perhaps your weapon?」
Stillo-san ca and asked with a curious look .
「Eh? Is there sothing wrong with it?」
「「Eh?」」
「Eh?」
I’ll just have to show these guys how great the shovel is later .
As for the two’s equipnt, Fader-san has a long sword while Stillo-san has a short spear . Well, although I say short, it’s still 1 . 5 ters long .
Fader-san entered the forest first as a vanguard . anwhile, Stillo-san’s going to stay behind to guard the carriage . I want to get along with Stillo-san a bit more so I’ll just chat with him at dinner .
The inside of the forest isn’t what you could call thick since the sunlight can pass through the trees and you can even hear the birds chirping . There are hardly any monsters around so it’s not really that different from the forest that’s close to our village .
Also, you probably use this place to look for dicinal herbs if you took on that kind of quest since it seems like there are a lot of them growing here . I don’t know what kind of dicinal herbs these are though .
「Please stay vigilant because we’re going to reach the swamp where the slis are dwelling in just a bit」
「Roger」
Saying that, I equipped my shovel as we continued to walk . I’m told that slis are slow moving beings so we’ll be safe as long as we don’t receive a surprise attack from the shadows or it falls on us from above the trees . Still, the probability isn’t zero so it would probably be better if we just remained cautious .
After advancing for a bit, sothing that’s a ter in diater was bouncing around as it blended with the background . Even though it was bending with the background, you could imdiately tell that it’s there because of its translucent green color .
「That’s it, right?」
It can form so kind of shape but it can’t maintain it . If I had to compare it to sothing then it looks like a water balloon that’s been placed on the floor I guess .
「Yeah, that’s right . The thing we’re after that red core in its center . We need to get it without damaging it」
「Got it . I don’t know how you would normally defeat those though so please teach 」
「Sure, no problem . Those guys imdiately move their cores around once they get hit so it would usually require a really quick attack or two people attacking it from both sides . Well, just watch」
After saying that, Fader-san pulled out his long sword and swung it sideways while aiming for the core of the sli but the core just shifted upwards . He did it again but it just avoided it again .
After that, he ca back to where I was in a hurry to avoid getting attacked .
「As you can see, it would just move its core out of the way so that’s why it would usually take two people to hunt it」
「How about those thing’s thods of attack?」
「It hurls itself at its prey while stretching out its body in order to cover it」
「Does that an that our clothes would get dissolved if we get caught by it?」
「Eh?」
「Hn?」
I guess that was a weird question . I can’t help having the image of a female knight or adventurer getting caught by mistake and having all of her clothes dissolved after all .
「Never mind . What happens if you get caught by it?」
「You would suffocate and get dissolved by it until there’s nothing left」
「How big can those guys get?」
「That just depends on how big of a prey those guys are trying to consu . If it had tried captured back there then it would have just grown to accommodate my size . This it might be impossible but if they’re trying to capture an orc, an ogre, or a dragon, then it would probably grow to that size as well . Then, after it reaches a certain size, it would split into two . The split halves would just be half of their original size but they could just gradually grow back to their previous size again」
「Oh, I see」
Do they absorb their prey’s volu or sothing? I wonder if it would still grow as big if I just bring it so large monster’s corpse .
「How would you usually do it when you’re trying to get an undamaged core then?」
「You can freeze it and just shave off the outer part until you reach the core . However, if you overdo it and freeze the core as well then it would just break once it thaws . Finally, you can just gently scoop it out of its body then place it in water so that it won’t break . You need to use thick leather gloves to protect your hand but even those only last for 3 tries」
It’s probably getting destroyed because of the damaged cells when it gets frozen . It’s kinda like a frozen sashimi, isn’t it?
「Got it . I’ll manage sohow」
For so reason, the sli didn’t attack us while we’re talking . It’s kinda like those shows where they don’t attack the hero while he’s in the middle of a transformation scene . While thanking the strange sli, I attempted to extract its core while not damaging it .
It really looks like so kind of fluid with how jiggly and bouncy it is . I don’t know if it’s acidic or alkaline though .
『Well, compared to the brick mixture, it’s probably softer . 』
While thinking that, like that ti I was mixing the ingredients for making bricks, I loaded magic into the sli to disrupt the fluid in it . Having done that, the core in the center started moving so I just continued what I was doing . It was putting up quite the resistance but after a while, the core finally got really close to the surface so I wrapped it with a water ball, extracted it from the jelly-like part and made it float on top of my hand .
Halfway through, I heard sobody saying, 「Uhm, are you going to freeze it?」but I just ignored it and continued what I was doing .
「Phew . It was resisting quite a bit but that didn’t really use that much magic power compared to mixing bricks」
「Ah......okay」
It seems like Fader-san was quite astonished by what I just did . Did he think I was going to freeze it and just shave off little by little until I reach the core? I think that it’s probably made up of mostly water if it can be frozen so that’s why I was able to imdiately decide to use this thod .
「Uhm, should we go back to the carriage for now to store this......?」
「Ahー, yes yes . It would be bad if it get’s damaged after all」
Fader-san hid a thick leather glove in his pocket . Although I saw him put it away, I just decided not to ask about it .
*
Stillo-san who was guarding the carriage saw us coming out of the forest said .
「Ohー, that was fast . Were there any problems?」
「There were no problems but sothing different has co up . Take a look at Caam-san」
With that said, the two of them looked at who has a sli’s core floating on each hand . On our way back, we ca across another sli so I tried to see if I can do it with just one hand . I succeeded so that’s why we have two right now .
「Ahh, this is a really serious matter, isn’t it? We don’t have any more work left to do」
「That’s not it . He was able to do that even though I just gave him a simple explanation about the core and showed him how it moves when you cut the sli with a sword」
「Uhmー, could you please open the lid of the barrel? I’ll fill it with water using magic」
「......s-sure」
Using the sa trick with my kunai, I produced a waterball in front of , dropped it into the barrel, then slowly put the slis core in it .
「Although we just planned to get two, let’s just continue to get so more . There’s a high demand for undamaged cores, right?」
「Y-yeah」
It seems like what I did was completely beyond there expectations so they could only give a half-hearted reply .
「Uhm, could I talk with you for a second?」
What an awfully serious face you’re making .
「What is it?」
「It’s about your pay . Since we haven’t really done anything, at the very least, the rent for the carriage......」
「We’ll spit it between us of course . That’s what we discussed from the beginning after all . And besides, I didn’t think it would be this easy so I’d feel bad if I’m the only profiting from all of this」
You might say that I’m being too honest here and I do think that it may co back to haunt sooner or later but it’s better than getting resented .
Looking at the position of the sun right now, I thought about the ti it took for us to reach here . Considering how long it would take to go back with our luggage in tow, then it would seem like the gates are already closed by 8 pm . Since we’re going to camp anyways, we can still continue hunting for two more hours . Well, I guess I should just ask first .
「I thought about what you said yesterday and if we’re going to camp outside the gate, what do you think about going back inside the forest three or four more tis?」
「Please let us discuss it for a bit」
「Understood」
Saying that, the two of them moved a bit further away to discuss it . Well, I guess I’ll just eat my dried fruits for the anti .
□
「What you do an we’re camping outside the gates?」
「That was just sothing I said as a joke during our negotiations . I said that if we can get the necessary amount quickly then we’ll go back and camp outside the gates」
「Well, there’s nothing more we can do about what you just said but still, if we enter the forest 3 more tis, that ans we’re going to get 6 extra pieces right?」
「Ah, that’s right . However, I also said that if we couldn’t find any, we’ll have to camp in front of the forest while taking turns standing watch . Do you think we can use that as an excuse?」
「You won’t lose anything by trying so why don’t you try to negotiate with him」
「Got it」
□
Ah, he ca back .
「Are you done with your consultation? Ah, do you want so dried fruits?」
His face looks a bit cramped . Oh, oops . Was I a bit too familiar? Was it rude of to talk with sothing in my mouth?
「Uhm, you see, I am terribly sorry about this but as the result of our discussion, since it seems like it would we would earn more, would it be alright if we just camp in front of the forest like I said yesterday?」
「Sure, I don’t mind . I told our supervisor that I’m taking a slightly longer break from work after all」
「Oiiii, why is this person so easygoing? Are you really the Caam-san from the rumors?」
「Indigo blue skin, a day laborer making bricks, living in that den of weirdoes Clinochlore, he certainly fits that description right?」
I can hear you, you know......
「Then, we’ll leave it to you」
「Yeah, Ahー, I have a suggestion」
「Wh-what is it?」
「Can we increase our efficiency?」
「「Ha?」」
*
After that, we entered the forest and I had Fader-san pick out which sli’s core to get .
「That one is good」
「Understood」
「That one’s core is small so it’s no good」
「Understood」
What we did was instead of using the magic I used when mixing the brick ingredients on the slis imdiately after finding them, we gather them all first on a waterball2 floating in the sky .
Since it’s up there, there would be no problems even if they started struggling . I still have to be careful they don’t get too violent that they damage their own cores though .
After finding 10 of them, I start kneading them then we go back to the carriage to store the cores . After putting the cores in the barrels, I just dispose the large number of coreless jellies on a spot where the sun hits .
When I asked what I should do with those, they just told .
「Other slis would grow really big and multiply if they absorb those so please put them soplace that’s unobstructed where they can dry out vanish like ice」
After hearing that, I decided to limit our remaining trips inside the forest to 10 . I’m kinda scared that they’ll go extinct after all .
It’s already evening so it’s starting to get dark .
「This is the 36th piece, right?」
After putting the final sli core we collected inside the barrel I just randomly threw the leftover jelly remains of the slis back to the forest .
「We don’t have any barrels left」
「Even if we shove more in there, it might hit against each other and get damaged . It was a good thing we brought bit more barrels than usual」
「It can’t be helped . Who would have thought we would get this much」
「That’s right . Even I didn’t think it would go this smoothly . Well, the price would go down if we bring back too much so I guess this much is alright」
It’s the law of supply and demand after all .
「......That’s right, isn’t it? I think so too」
「Well then, since it would be dangerous to travel with the carriage in darkness, let’s just camp here」
「Uhm, I have a question」
「What is it?」
「Camping in front of the forest or a bit further away from the forest, which one is safer?」
「A bit further away from the forest would be the safer option but as expected, letting the horses travel like this would be dangerous」
「Could we travel for a bit if it’s bright then?」
Saying that, I looked at Stillo-san’s direction .
「Yeah . It’s possible if we just drop our speed」
「Then let’s get so distance away from the forest . I’m a good for nothing coward so I would feel better if we’re just a bit safer」
Why did they pull back after I said that with a huge smile? Isn’t it a fact that safer is better?
「But what about the source of light?」
「I’ll make it . Well, I haven’t tried this before so I’m not sure if I’ll succeed so please let try it once」
「Haa......」
『Image・a 300 ter tall・1 million cd3 bright spotlight・that disappears after 60 seconds・execute』
Well, it’s just sothing like a flare . I’ve seen it in videos before so it’s easy to imagine . I don’t know if there’s stuff like magnesium or sodium nitrate here but since I can produce a flashbang using magic, it’s possible to make sothing like that .
Using that image, a great light source appeared above, brightly illuminating the vicinity .
「Amazing . It’s like he made a sun」
「I haven’t seen anything like this before」
Looking at my test, the light gradually beca dimr until it finally disappeared .
「It was a success . Nocturnal monsters are scary so let’s go」
The two of them were giving the kind of looks that are saying 「What the heck is this guy saying」but I just decided not to mind it .
「Okay then . Shall we start preparing for our departure?」
After we finished with our preparations, I activated the short duration 【Flare】 then we departed .
A while later at a place where you can barely see the forest, Stillo-san said .
「If it’s here then we can clearly see our surroundings and it’s much safer compared to the forest’s vicinity-ssu」
With that said, we then started our preparations for camp .
They began setting up the bonfire using firewood that was probably gathered while we entered the forest . They were going to use the sparks from a flint to light it so they were glad when I produced a lighter-like fire on my fingertips instead . You got burned? 4
It has been decided that we’re going to sleep imdiately after eating because we’re going back first thing in the morning so my plan to mingle with Stillo-san was canceled . As for the night watch, we would do it in three-hour shifts decided by lottery . I was first .
While they were asleep, I took out a piece of sli that securely wrapped and placed inside my leather bag .
Of course, this is so that I’ll know how much you can lt with it .
I placed a piece of the sli that’s the size of making a ring with your thumb and index finger on top of a cloth place at the back of my hand . After 5 seconds, it made a hole through the cloth and I imdiately started feeling pain on my skin so I hurriedly flung it away .
Looking closely, there’s a circle-shaped scald on the back of my hand .
A-ahー, if it’s like this then it’s impossible to just lt through clothes . I wonder what would happen if I dilute it in water? How much pH level does it need to have for it to just lt clothes but not the skin anyway? Even if you enter an alkaline or acidic hot spring with a towel, your skin gets smoother but the towel doesn’t dissolve after all .
The cloth would start to fade if you kept doing that for a few years though...... This is seriously useless . Also, slis are unexpectedly scary creatures .
While thinking that, I healed the scald-like marks on the back of my hand using recovery magic then stayed by the fire as I continued staying vigilant for any presence while waiting for the bowl of water with a small opening that’s used to tell ti empty out .
After confirming that the bowl has emptied out 12 tis, I woke up Fader-san who was next .
「Fader-san, it’s ti」
「Hnn...... Ah, sorry . You can go to sleep now」
While yawning and taking off his blanket, he looked at to make sure I was asleep .
*
It seems like nothing happened after that since Stillo-san, the last one to stand watch, greeted .
I slept on a different bed today so I woke up in a bad mood .
「Good morniーng」
「Morning-ssu . Nothing in particular happened-ssu . Here’s so tea . 」
「Thanks」
I put in a slightly larger amount of sugar into the tea to wake up . After that, I took so bread, dipped it into the sweet tea then ate it .
Stillo-san was giving a strange look . What’s wrong? I just sweetened the tea and made the hard bread softer right?
This makes feel like I’m drinking sweet black tea while eating so softened rusks right now . Well, I’m actually drinking tea but I don’t have anything to soak the bread with though . It can’t be helped, let’s just eat it as is .
While I was nibbling on my bread, Stillo-san went to Fader-san to wake him up .
「Oi! Wake up」
「Arghー, I got it already」
After he was violently woken up, he t eyes with and said .
「Ahー, good morning」
Did eting eyes with cause to him to fully awaken? He returned to the usual way he speaks .
Since it was still dark, the three of us surrounded the campfire while idly passing the ti by . Once the sun started peaking out of the mountain, we started moving out . After putting out the fire and confirming the conditions of the sli cores, the carriage slowly started moving . We’re going to take it slow on the way back . That’s good since I won’t have to worry about my ass hurting this ti .
*
「The town’s protective wall can finally be seen-ssu」
「It’s almost overー!」
I just confird that it doesn’t matter if we’re traveling slow or fast, my butt still hurts . Even Fader-san seems like he’s in pain . I guess I should make a cushion next ti .
「Well, we still have to get the goods examined at the gate but it will be all over once we reserve the requested amount and give the rest to the guild so just be patient okay?」
He’s been cycling through sitting down and standing up for a while now so it seems like it really hurts for him .
「Next! What’s this? You guys ca back really quick . You finished everything in just a day?」
After saying that, he started checking the goods .
「Oi, aren’t these undamaged sli cores!? Getting this amount in just a day...... Ah, so Caam was with you . I now know why . You can go ahead and enter then」
With that said, we peacefully entered the gate .
「Soone you know?」
「The repairs for the protective wall is done outside the gate after all so he rembers my face from passing here all the ti . That aside, we get involved with each other quite a lot so we’ve gotten close」
「Reallyー? I wonder if I can be on good terms with any of the gatekeepers as well」
「It’s pretty convenience you know?」
「Caam-san . Getting too friendly with him to the point that he starts getting sloppy with the inspection is going to be a problem you know?」
「Right . If we had just left it to you back then, that guy would have just let us in without asking us anything」
*
「Well then, shall we sell the rest of the subjugation materials then?」
「Understood」「Ou」
After saying that, Fader-san put let the carriage to the back of the guild .
「Iyaー, Caam-san really was a huge help . Who would have thought we would be able to complete it that quickly . I also can’t believe we manage to get that much」
「 too . I couldn’t believe that slis would be easier to deal with than mixing bricks」
「Would it be okay if we invite you again next ti?」
「Sure, as long as it’s not dangerous . Don’t count on too much though . I want to live a safe and carefree life after all . 」
「Hahaha! As expected, I wouldn’t know what’s safe and what’s dangerous for soone with that kind of amazing magic, would I?」
「Iyaー, isn’t it kinda awkward if you say it in front of the person himself? And besides, I’m a coward and don’t want to die so I don’t like battles . That’s not good now, isn’t?」
「Well, I’ll tell our leader to not invite you as much as possible . That guy’s just the leader of a two-person party though」
Stillo-san is pretty interesting .
「I’m back . Out of 36 pieces, we only need two so I sold the other 34 pieces . They sell for 5 silver a piece so I got 1 gold and 7 large silvers . I asked for it to be changed into silvers so I got 170 silvers in total . If we divide this between us then...... 」
「It’s 56 silver, 6 large copper, and 6 copper coins right?」
Well, you can’t divide it evenly though .
「You calculate really fast, don’t you?」
「Thanks」
「Let’s divide it between us imdiately then . Hmmー . I don’t have anything other than silver so I guess I’ll have to go and exchange them again」
「Then let’s do it like this . That amount is just for the subjugation materials you sold, right? To make thing simpler, let’s just change my daily wage to 4 large copper and 4 copper coins so that all you have to give is 57 silver . If we do it like that then the two of you would get 56 silver and 5 large copper coins each . If we divide it like that, you would also be paying my wages at the sa ti」
I don’t want to cause any misunderstanding by just explaining it orally so I took a stick and wrote my calculations on the ground .
「If Caam-san is fine with that then I don’t see any problem with it . 」
「 too-ssu . But still, aren’t you losing out on that deal?」
「I already earned in one day what I would have earned in 70 so you won’t hear any complaints from . You can just think of those 4 large copper as so kind of handling fee . And besides, that’s a pretty cheap price to pay for getting so connections . Ah, I already told Stillo-san this earlier but please don’t invite if you’re going to a battle」
「......I see . If that’s what Caam-san says then」
Fader-san looked pretty troubled while saying that . Well, being a money grubber would just invite resentnt after all . I’d rather get comrades here rather than make enemies .
「Then, I guess it’s ti for us to split our ways . Though I want to celebrate, I think it would be bad if I don’t hand these over to our acquaintance right away」
「Yeah, that’s true . If I have the opportunity, let treat you guys next ti」
「Thank you very much . We look forward to it . Till we et again」
「Thank you very much」
「Thank you as well」
After saying that, I imdiately entered the guild and decided to deposit the 57 silver coins . I don’t want to be walking around with all that money on after all .
Ahー, I still have to ask the landlady about the price of making duplicate keys . Because of that, instead of depositing it all, I decided to leave a bit more on hand .
It’s still dayti but I felt sluggish so when I reached my room after taking a bath so I went to sleep .
~Idle Talk~
After coming ho and handing the undamaged cores to their friend, the two of them entered a bar .
「It’s true . Caam-san really asked if there was a sli who only lts clothes」
「Is he really sobody who’s famous?」
「I don’t know but when I told him there wasn’t, he looked really disappointed」
「Seriously? Isn’t he a massive pervert then?」
「He was really generous though . He can use magic, defeat a high goblin and is clever as well but it’s kinda disappointing the way he thinks though」
「It’s because of that . He lives at a place that’s called a den of weirdoes so he’s bound to be a bit different from us」
「......I guess that’s right . Let’s just forget about all of that」
「That’s right . Let’s just drink to forget . We earned a lot after all」
After saying that, the two who just earned so money drank until late at night .
Because of that, without a doubt, a new strange rumor will start to spread around .
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