3 days later.
Aside for that one landslide, our trip went smoothly. And because there was always someone with me around the clock, I gradually learned to talk normally. I’m still a bit stiff when talking, but people can at least understand me now.
Today, we finally reached our destination: Gimuru Town.
“We’re here, the Town of Gimuru.” [Elize]
“So this is Gimuru…” [Ryouma]
A quiet town surrounded by high walls and greeneries, that was my first impression of it. It was smaller compared to Kereban, the town we stopped by last, but because of that it appeared more stable.
I’ve heard it specializes in iron and steel because of a nearby mine, so I was expecting it to be a bit rowdier, but this is good too.
Along the way, however, Reinhart-san mentioned that the production of iron has been declining, and this year it has finally reached the point where they might have to close the mine down due to lack of profit. Seeing the state of the mine is actually one of the reasons the Jamil Household came here.
That being said, it seems they’ve already made their mind to abandon it. “There’s more than one mine, so it shouldn’t pose too big of a problem if we close one down,” Reinhart-san said. So they’re definitely expecting to close it down. It’s not really a topic to discuss with a kid though, so he might have left out some details.
The acquisition rate from that one mine has been mostly zero these past 3 years, so unless they find a new vein, they’re closing it for good. On top of that, the miners have already stopped working there since last year. Not that it’s surprising or anything, after all, I’m sure anyone would prefer to do work that actually gets results. When it affects your income, all the more.
“We’ll leave our luggage at the inn, and then we’ll drop by the tamer guild to register.”
The tamer guild is the guild in charge of monster tamers and conjurers. Its main function is to introduce jobs and gather information. It also introduces its members to lodging that they can stay at with their familiars, as well as provide feed for cheap. In other words, it acts as a support to affiliated members.
Other guilds also exist, such as the adventurer guild, the mage guild, and the merchant guild, but the tamer guild has the least members. Due to many people finding familiars scary, monster tamer as a profession is relatively unpopular. As such, the scope of the tamer guild is a lot smaller than others, and it also has fewer branches. Gimuru Town happens to have a mine nearby, so there’s a branch here due to the abundance of cargo work.
…I heard most of that from the madam, though.
The madam is in high spirits today, so much so that she pulled me and the ojousama along as she hummed…
But there was something bothering me, so I asked her a question.
“How much information should I give to the guild?” [Ryouma]
“Sharing information is up to the discretion of the discoverer, so it’s up to you to decide how much would be fine.” [Elize]
I see, then…
“In that case, I’ll register the information regarding the slime evolution conditions and the method to tame a big slime. I’ll also register the 2 new slime variants.” [Ryouma]
“You’re keeping the sticky slime’s sticky liquid’s usage a secret?” [Elize]
“Yes since doing so would raise the odds for counterfeit products appearing once waterproof cloths are introduced into the market.” [Ryouma]
“Well, that’s true.” [Elize]
We were originally planning to go straight to the tamer guild, but then Reinbach-sama said this.
“Ryouma-kun, you’ve never gone to the church before, right? In that case, I think it would be better if we go there first to get your status examined.” [Reinbach]
When he said that, Reinhart-san and the madam both made an ‘Oh, right!’ face.
Apparently, one will receive a status board after getting his status checked at the church, a magic tool that allows one to show his status. Having one would make registering in the guild easier, so it was advisable to get one first.
For example, if there was a requirement to know Monster Taming or Conjuration to register, so long as one has a status board, all he would have to do to prove he’s met said conditions is to show the column where his skills are located and he’ll immediately be able to register. Without one, one would have to wait for a while, as the clerk in charge would have to prepare a slime, so that the applicant may attempt a contract to prove that he’s met said conditions.
As such, we decided to change our plans and go to the Church of World Creation first. Also, we left the slimes to watch our lodging while we’re gone. We could have brought them if we were just going to the tamer guild, but it can’t be helped.
When we got to the church, the person who greeted us was an elderly woman dressed in religious garment.
“Welcome, are you here to attend the chapel?” [Nun]
“We’re here to get this child’s status board. Due to some circumstances, he hasn’t gotten his status board yet.” [Reinhart]
“Greetings.” [Ryouma]
“I see, follow me then. I will lead you to the baptism hall.” [Nun]
I had to follow the woman dressed in religious garment alone, as only people receiving the baptism could enter.
“Please enter.” [Nun]
“Excuse me.” [Ryouma]
The room she led me to had a crystal ball and pedestal just like the one I saw back at Kereban at the guard house. Everything looked exactly the same except for the vertical rectangular depression about as big as one’s hand on the pedestal.
“This plate will become your status board. We’ll place this here in the depressed spot, and as soon as you touch the crystal ball, the baptism will end. The crystal ball will emit a powerful light upon touching it, but please don’t be alarmed.” [Nun]
“Alright.” [Ryouma]
The woman said as she showed me a transparent plate. After setting it inside the depressed spot, she urged me to touch the crystal.
“Please touch the crystal.” [Nun]
“Ok.” [Ryouma]
While feeling a little excited, I slowly approached the crystal and touched it. In that instant, a blinding light illuminated from the crystal. It was just like when I came to this world for the first time.
The light was so strong that I was forced to close my eyes. In fact it was so strong that it was not eigengrau that greeted me upon closing my eyes but a red color that gradually grew weaker as the light became fainter.
“U…? !?”
When the blinding light was gone, I opened my eyes, and what greeted me next was a space completely different from the earlier baptism hall.
This is the gods’…
“Hey! Ryouma-kun!” [Kufo]
“Over here!” [Gayn]
“Behind you!” [Rurutia]
Dazed, I turned around, and there I saw the three gods that sent me to the world of Sailfall standing. If they’re here, then that must mean that I really am in that place.
“Gayn, Kufo, Rurutia… Did I die again?” [Ryouma]
“Oh, no, not at all. We just stopped the time in Sailfall a little and pulled your soul here.” [Gayn]
“I didn’t think we’d actually meet like this again, but who would’ve thought you would actually pray everyday to that statue you made in the forest.” [Kufo]
“Remember how you did nothing for three years but train, research, and pray? On top of which you ate only enough to fill yourself? That’s actually just like a clergyman’s training.” [Rurutia]
Really?
“Because you’ve met us before you were able to believe from the bottom of your heart that we truly existed. And after praying to us everyday for three years, you’ve cleared more than enough conditions to receive the Oracle skill.
Going to the baptism hall just woke it up, and in fact, once you return to your body, you’ll realize that you’ve learned a new skill called ‘Oracle’. It should be about level 2 or 3.” [Gayn]
“I see… In any case, I’m happy to be able to meet you again.” [Ryouma]
There was a lot to digest even with just this short exchange, but everything was happening so suddenly that I couldn’t process them all.
“We’re happy too. Especially, since you came to church.” [Rurutia]
“It looks like you’re enjoying your new life. We’re always watching you, you know? And from what we’ve seen, it seems you’re always doing one interesting after another.” [Kufo]
“I never expected you to coop up in the forest for 3 years. It’s a short time to us, but it’s fairly long for you humans. To begin with, while that forest is relatively safe, it’s not completely free of danger. At most, we thought you’d stay there for one year…” [Gayn]
The three gods happily talked like that, but it felt like they were wearing a faint wry smile.
“Did you know? You actually managed to make quite the luxurious home with just your magic and skills.” [Rurutia]
“That house of yours might look simple, but it’s actually really amazing considering where it’s located. I mean despite being in the middle of a forest, it’s safe, it’s big, it’s clean, and it has a lot of facilities. Especially that bath of yours, which is actually a luxury in this world. On top of that, I think you’re actually the only one in this world with a toilet that clean.” [Kufo]
“You making that much progress with your slime research was also a surprise. There’s not a lot of people who research it to begin with… I was especially surprised by those two new variants you produced: the cleaner slime and the scavenger slime.[Gayn]
“…Ah, ahh. So they really are new. I thought that might be the case after hearing someone from a monster tamer family say that they’ve never heard of them.” [Ryouma]
“I created the slimes, but all I did was give it the ability to adapt to its environment and reproduce. Because of that its possibilities are endless. Unfortunately, it’s too weak, so it just gets preyed upon by other animals, and its numbers don’t increase much after birth.”
The slimes are born differently depending on the environment, so even I forgot about their potential. So, I say, you did a really good job!” [Gayn]
“You must be the first person to research slimes that much.” [Rurutia]
Did people ignore slimes that much?
“Well, I made the slimes and even I forgot about them… In fact, I think you might even know about them than I do.” [Gayn]
“So the possibilities of slimes go beyond even a god’s knowledge?” [Ryouma]
“Well, there are still a lot of things you have in mind regarding slimes, right? I took a peek at your research, and you just kept coming up with ideas I could never even dream of.
To begin with, I may be a god, but I’m not all-powerful. We gods each have our own specialties and things we’re bad at. There are times when the creatures we created do things that surprise us too.” [Gayn]
“For example, humans normally can’t hurt us because we’re gods, but if you were to try and beat us up now, you’d easily be able to. After all, we don’t have any combat abilities.
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We could use our divine powers to make it so that you can’t touch us, but we can’t win against you in terms of skills. Ah, but a god that specializes in combat won’t lose.” [Kufo}
“R-… I see.” [Ryouma]
I didn’t know that.
“Well, humans do tend to think of gods as all-powerful. But in any case, it’s good to see you having fun. Moreover, you actually made contact with that family.” [Rurutia]
Hmm? The gods know of the Jamil Household? Oh, but their gods, that shouldn’t be a strange thing.
“Is there anything special about them? Not societally, but from the gods’ standpoint?” [Ryouma]
The one who answered my question was Rurutia.
“Their ancestor was an otherworlder we brought over from Earth.” [Rurutia]
“Really!?” [Ryouma]
“Yep, she was a really good kid~ She wanted to become an animal trainer, but because of some circumstances, she couldn’t become one, so she asked us for the power to tame animals.”
“Could it be that’s the origin of Monster Taming?” [Ryouma]
“You’re half-right. Actually, there was a similar technique at the time, which she studied too. After combining that with the power we gave her, she created Monster Taming. After completing it, she went on to gain various achievements, gained a noble title, and ended up marrying a noble. She was pretty and fairly popular, you see. Oh, and it was a love marriage. After that, her lineage passed down her techniques and they became the official line of monster tamers.” [Rurutia]
“The current Jamil Household has also received many divine protections. Reinbach has mine, Reinhart has Kufo’s, and Elize’s has Rurutia’s. Their daughter Elia has also deeply inherited the blood of her otherworlder ancestor, so naturally, we know them well.” [Gayn]
“We watch them the most after you.” [Kufo]
“Hmm… Then the ojousama is very talented in Monster Taming?” [Ryouma]
“Talented, yes, but that’s something she inherited from her father’s side. The otherworlder blood she inherited actually comes from her mother’s side, a different otherworlder.
That otherworlder was your stereotypical otaku. He hated exercise and did not want to learn martial arts, so he asked to be made peerless in magic instead. Unlike you, he asked to be given more mana. As a result, he ended up with a powerful magic that could be cast repeatedly. It did take him a while to learn various magic, though.” [Gayn]
“It’s because he didn’t know how to take care of himself~” [Kufo]
“He’s a coward with no guts, so it’s already fortunate that he didn’t do anything bad. I was wondering what would happen after we bestowed him his powers, but he was paranoid to the very end.” [Rurutia]
Just how amazing was that otherworlder?
Still…
“It seems there are a lot of otherworlders, huh. Will I also meet one in my travels?” [Ryouma]
“One gets brought over every time we take mana from Earth, so of course, there’s a lot. But as for there being several otherworlders at the same time, it’s fairly rare. After all, there’s usually a 200 year gap between otherworlders, and that’s considered short.” [Gayn]
“Although there are times when mana consumption goes up – mainly because of war – and we have to bring more people than normal from Earth, but normally, more than one otherworlder at a time doesn’t happen. Presently, there’s no big war, so I think you’ll probably be the only one while you’re alive.” [Rurutia]
“If you want to know more about otherworlders, you should read books. Most of them have powers and skills similar to that of gods, so there are a lot of legends and fairytales about them. There are epics too.
For example, Elialia-chan’s matriarchal side’s peerless mage ancestor was summoned during wartime. That otherworlder came to be renowned as a brave warrior and a hero. There are also… Stories wherein the otherworlders get too arrogant and end up being treated like the demon king, causing other people to kill them. You’ve heard of the Alchemy King, right?” [Rurutia]
“Yes, is he an otherworlder too?” [Ryouma]
“That’s right. He was a reeeeeeeally annoying person though!” [Rurutia]
“He wanted to use alchemy, but when we told him there was no alchemy in the world, he said ‘Go make it then!’ He was really arrogant too, such that he had his subordinates call him ‘Alchemy King’ and had them spread word.” [Rurutia]
“It couldn’t be helped, so I had to figure out what alchemy was from him and from that I put something together halfheartedly.” [Gayn]
“Halfheartedly? Could that be why it’s so easy to use?” [Ryouma]
“That’s right.” [Gayn]
“I knew it! Write a simple magic formation, place the ingredients on top, apply mana… I thought it was a bit too easy, so that’s why! I found it strange because it didn’t need the careful balance of mana that the other schools of magic required.” [Ryouma]
“I didn’t want to waste time because of his selfishness, you see. I may have too much free time, but I’d rather that than be annoyed.” [Gayn]
“I agree with you there, but… How to put it…” [Ryouma]
“Even then, alchemy is still difficult for the people of this world. This world doesn’t have any knowledge of Chemistry, after all. The Alchemy King could use it easily because of his earthling knowledge, which allowed him to make a killing, but after that, no one else could use alchemy. The most people could do was separate some objects into their components.
The Alchemy King was obsessed with money, so because he didn’t want to have anyone taking away his profits, he never passed down his knowledge and abilities. The secretive nature of current alchemists is also due to his influence.” [Gayn]
“So that happened, huh…” [Ryouma]
He sure did whatever he pleased, that otherworlder…
“You’re actually really docile compared to the otherworlders until now… It may seem like you’re just being swept by others, but that’s not actually the case. You can make decisions for yourself, you follow rules you’ve set, and you try out various things. To us and to Sailfall, you are the best kind of otherworlder.” [Kufo]
“What’s this all of the sudden?” [Ryouma]
“Fuffu~n, we may act like this, but we’re still gods. Gotta act the part from time to time.” [Kufo]
“Ahh, I see…” [Ryouma]
“You don’t have to think too hard about it. Even if you just go with the flow like you did in your previous world, you won’t end up like last time. Besides, it’s not that bad to just go with the flow.” [Rurutia]
“It’s enough to enjoy life, no?” [Gayn]
“That’s right… Yeah. Thanks.” [Ryouma]
“Don’t mind it, we are gods, after all. The least we can do is give advice.” [Gayn]
“Consider it as thanks for making our lives more eventful.” [Kufo]
“…We’ve almost reached the time limit. I’ll give some advice before our time is up.” [Gayn]
“I’ve lost the words I knew in my past life, so this is all I can say for now, but… Thank you.” [Ryouma]
“You’re welcome.” [Rurutia]
“It’s because everyone is watching over me.” [Ryouma]
“Actually, the other gods have also been recently watching you.” [Gayn]
“Huh, other gods?” [Ryouma]
I opened my eyes wide at that sudden drop.
“The god of war and the god of magic both have their attention on you. It’s rare since they usually hate otherworlders.” [Gayn]
“You’ve only met us so far, but you’ll meet the other gods too when the time comes.” [Rurutia]
“I never heard anything about that…” [Ryouma]
“Don’t worry about it, it’s not like they’re going to ask you to do something. Ah, but it seems the God of Art and Craftsmen has already given you his blessing. It’s not a bad thing, so don’t worry.” [Kufo]
“He said it’s because he likes the way you drank liquor in your past life. That guy is also the God of Liquor, and while you may not have drunk happily in the past, being able to drink that much is still worthy of admiration.
He also mentioned that he’d like to see your Drunken Fist once.” [Gayn]
“Drunken Fist? You mean that thing I copied from the movies in the forest? He was watching that? Who would’ve thought someone would like that stuff…” [Ryouma]
“You never know what’ll happen in life. And with your grandpa who supposedly raised you in this world being a dwarf, well, Tekun, the God of Liquor, also happens to be mainly worshiped by the dwarves.” [Gayn]
“That does make sense.” [Ryouma]
“Anyway, we really are out of time now, so we have to go.” [Gayn]
Eh!? Ah, right…
I just went along with the flow and chatted, but before I knew it, our time is already up.
That light started to glow around me again.
“It was nice seeing each other again…” [Kufo]
“Don’t make such a glum face. We’ll be able to talk again when you drop by the church. Although, we honestly weren’t expecting this.” [Rurutia]
“… I see. Then, until next time.” [Ryouma]
“Yep, until next time.” [Kufo]
“You really are an interesting person. I eagerly await the day we meet again. I’ll watch over you throughout your days.” [Gayn]
As Gayn said that, a soft light flowed out, and when the light ceased, I could see the woman in religious clothing again.
“Wow, that was an amazing light. The brighter the light, the more the gods love you, so you might one day receive a blessing from the gods. Check it with your status board later, ok?”
Looks like the time here really did stop just like Gayn said. Maybe I should ask about blessings?
“Thank you very much. Is there anything I should know regarding blessings?” [Ryouma]
“A blessing is something a god bestows on you. No one has the right to say anything about it except you and your god. I’ll answer if you have any questions, but I won’t ask you anything. Also, it’s normal to show your name, age, and race on your status card, but you should hide everything else. That’s private information, after all. You can hide or show information by thinking about it. Try it.” [Nun]
When she said that, I looked at the information shown on my status board.