Volume 1 Chapter 2
~Side Rheinhart Jamil~
That boy we met who gave us medicine for Hyuzu, brought us deep into the forest. I wondered to myself. Why is he in a place like this? And looking at him, I can see that he’s quite young.
“Is there really a place we can rest at if we keep going this way?”
“I don’t know. But the medicine he gave us didn’t have any poison and I can’t feel any hostility from the kid”
“It’s probably because he uses traps to hunt... that kind of hunter would make a safe zone inside the forest so he can hide easily. So it’s not too strange for there to be a camp deep here in the forest”
The other three that was with them also had their suspicions. After all no matter how you put it, even if there’s no hostility coming from the kid, a kid out here in the forest is definitely strange. Only, the clothes he’s wearing are too clean. So regardless of how cheap those clothes are, he shouldn’t be a bandit.
While thinking about various things, the kid suddenly stopped.
“Is there a problem?”
“Trap... Prey, caught... Will come... now”
“It’s good that you caught something but, what do you mean it will come–!”
All of the sudden, near the boy, a slime came out of the thicket. Immediately, I took my sword out and slashed at the slime.
But the kid went and stood between me and the slime. What are–! ...Ku!?
Like flowing water, he took out a dagger from his waist, pointed it diagonally downwards and parried my attack. And then he tried to hit my wrist with his dagger’s pommel.
Right after, the boy jumped back taking some distance, but at the same time he took with him the slime I tried to cut... The slime I tried to cut... then, perhaps?
“You bastard! What do you think you’re doing!? Rheinhart-sama please step back!”
“Wait! Kid, is that slime your slave monster?”
Hearing that, the kid nodded deeply many times.
“Sheathe your sword Jill”
“But!”
“Stand down! In this situation, the one at fault is me. This kid didn’t do anything other than protecting his slave monster from my attack. Also he didn’t try to attack me after protecting the slime. Above all, he never had any intentions to hurt me.”
Otherwise that one attack wouldn’t make sense. He didn’t use the blade but instead used the pommel. Clearly, he never had any intentions of actually fighting. But still... what the hell is this kid? Even though I’m like this, I still have confidence in my sword, you know?
“My apologies, I didn’t know it was your slave monster. But a slime, huh? That’s really nostalgic, when I first started out I also started with a slime“
“...Slave Magic... Practitioner?”
“Well, former Slave Magic Practitioner. A few years ago when I got married, my slave monsters grew too old to fight. I’ve never really tried to tame a new one ever since. Since I’ve already settled down. But, let me tell you, in the past I took with me beasts like Red Horse and Blizzard Ape.”
“... Amazing person?”
“You see, my household have been Slave Monster Arts Practitioners for generations. From the moment we were born, we are taught all sorts of things. It’s not like I’m particularly gifted at magic. Although when it comes to my sword arm, I do have quite a bit of pride.”
The kid took the rabbit the slime brought to him, put it in the pouch on his waist, and then we started walking again. From time to time we would stop, and slimes would come to bring him small animals. After a while we were finally able to see a cliff.
“Wait”
After saying that, the kid held his hand out towards the surface of the rock and used Earth Magic. A part of the rock broke down as if it were dissolving and an entrance appeared.
“Inside, welcome...”
“Thank you”
From the looks of things, this is his so called home. I see, using Earth Magic he created a cave inside the cave. Certainly, if it’s like this, then it’s probably safe. While thinking that, as we entered the cave, the boy used magic on the entrance. When Camil saw that, he couldn’t help but ask.
“Is this Barrier Magic? That’s some pretty unusual magic you’re using there, huh? Is the effect concealment?”
The kid nodded once and then answered.
“...Can run... You five... don’t worry”
“R–Right. Thank you”
I wonder if he noticed that we were still being cautious until now. After this, I definitely need to apologize. After walking deeper into the cave, we saw walls and surfaces smoothed out cleanly. Furniture made out of stone and wood decorated the room and the surrounding walls had glowing magic stones. Although we were inside a cave, the room had plenty of light.
“This is”
“What a surprise, it’s actually more of a house than I had thought”
“Here... wounded, sleep”
“Sorry about this. Hyuzu, go lie down. Pull yourself together.”
“Y–yeah”
“Potion... will, come”
As the kid said that, he entered a hole in the opposite direction.
“Well... in any case, we made it in one piece”
“Yeah, our luck was good”
“I’m grateful to him”
“...”
“Something the matter, Zeff?”
“Don ‘cha think this room is a bit weird? Look, there are few traps, signs of living for a long time, and the furniture are enough only for 1 person.”
“Now that you mention it... is that boy living here all by himself?
“Finding out he could use Slave, Barrier, and Earth magic at that age had already shocked me. But living deep in the forest all by himself, he’s not normal.”
“He may be older than he looks... Only, he’s definitely not an elf.”
While talking about such things, the kid came back with his poison slime carrying a large number of potions.
“Potion... Came”
“Thank you, I’ll definitely repay you someday”
“.. Don’t mind... can make, as much... as I want”
At those words we couldn’t help but stare alternately at the boy and at the bottle. Camil, unable to hold, exclaimed.
“You made this potion!?”
Although at the strength of that voice he shook momentarily, but he quickly nodded his head. Now that he mentions it, the number of potions he has is definitely too many. Clearly not an amount he could afford.
“Water”
Said the kid. The slime behind him filled a vessel made of rock with water and then offered it to us.
“Thanks”
“I’m saved”
"Thanks boy”
“Thank you”
“... Ah...”
“Hmm? Something the matter?”
“Name... Ryouma”
And then, it hit. We got all the way here without giving our names.
“Ryouma? I suppose that should be your name, then. My apologies for the late introduction, I am Rheinhart Jamil, the feudal lord of the Jamil duchy. For lending me your hand to save my subordinate, I offer you my thanks.”
“!? Pardon... my behavior !”
“No no, please don’t be apprehensive. You are my benefactor. Please continue to speak as you always have”
“... Thank you”
“Good. And this here from the right is my subordinate Jill, a swordsman. Zeff, the scout. The magician, Camil. And the sleeping one over there is the spear user, Hyuzu.
“Name’s Jill. Because of you we were saved. Sorry about my behavior before”
“Vigilance... obvious”
“It’s Zeff, nice to meet you”
“And I’m Camil. A pleasure to meet you. But seriously... I ran out of mana and couldn’t use any healing spells. If you hadn’t come, we’d be knee deep into the trench by now. So thank you, really, thank you.”
“... It’s, fine”
“We took a detour on the edge of the forest by horseback. Over there we were attacked by some bandits.”
“Bandits alone ain’t a problem but... while we were going at it a black bear came biting out of nowhere. Hyuzu got taken by surprise and was done in”
“We managed to defeat the bear but Hyuzu’s wound was worse than we thought. Seeing how we probably wouldn’t make it to the village, we tried to go through the forest.”
Hearing that, the kid started nodding showing he understood.
“That aside... kid what are you doing here? I heard that thing about you hunting but it seems like you’ve been living here for quite some time. And hunting at your age and even using magic and making potions, I’m really shocked.”
“Grandmother, Grandfather... learned... Former, adventurer”
Oh, so you had former adventurers for your grandparents?
“And where are they? Did they go somewhere?”
Hearing those words, the kid cast his eyes downward, and said.
“... They’ve passed”
“I see, sorry.”
“It’s fine... 3 years, already”
“No–... 3years ago?”
“3 Years!?”
Exclaimed the 4 men in unison.
“J–Just wait a second, you mean they didn’t pass just a few days ago or something!?”
“You, since when did you start living here!?”
“3 years ago... village, left ... 1 ... because... outsider”
To think there was such an exclusive village... More or less there should be something like that, but really... to think there’s such a cruel place.
“You weren’t chased out on the village and left on your own?”
“Villagers, Opression... 95%... took”
“95%!?”
“Oh boy, that’s a helluva crazy village you got there, huh? Even for a cold village, that’s just pushing it.”
“You did pretty good, living until now.”
“Grandparents... Medicine and, Weapons... Good stuff... High... Living, Was able... but, they already... not here... can’t make... they, said.... Different village... go, so, village... left... here, live... because... can live”
I see... so he stopped trusting humans after being oppressed by the village.
“I understand your reasons but. I really can’t recommend it. In the forest, there are many powerful beasts. To a kid your age, this place is just too dangerous.”
“It’s ok... Lived... 3 years”
“But”
“Oh right! Wait a sec”
All of th4e sudden Camil started searching his bag.
“Ah, found it, found it. It’s this.”
“What this?”
“This is a Small Identifying Crystal! This is an easy to use item that can identify your status. It can show you your five highest skills. And if touched by a criminal the light will turn red, if the person is innocent then the light is blue. After that, your name, age, race, and 5 skills will also be shown. If with this, you have a high level fighting skill then I’ll stop pestering you about leaving the forest.”
“Unders–tood”
As the kid said that, he was about to touch the crystal until he remembered something.
“Before, bandits... attacked. Killed... them, is... that, sin?”
“If they were really bandits then there won’t be any problem”
Hearing that, he touches the crystal. The light is blue, whether he actually killed bandits is still up in the air, but... he is definitely not a criminal. But Camil, who was staring at the crystal, turned pale.
“Wh, what is this?”
“What’s th–“
Jill who took a peek at the crystal from behind, was suddenly breathless. Seeing that, I and Zeff also went to take a look. But after seeing the status, we were speechless.
Status Shown
Domestic Chores Lv10
Mental Pain Resist Lv9
Physical Pain Resist Lv8
Disease Resist Lv7
Cold Resist Lv7
Impossible! What is with this level and skills!!? Domestic Chores Lv10... is whatever, but... Mental Pain Resist, Physical Pain Resist, and even Disease and Cold Resist! Moreover everything is over Lv7!? Exactly what kind of environment was he in for him to end up like this? Moreover he is 11 years old, then that means he was living here since he was 8.
“Something the, matter?”
“Um... mmm... Unfortunately, a fighting skill didn’t come out~”
That’s it!? Is that what you should be talking about right now!? I said to myself as I kept staring at Camil. The other two were the same. Camil scowled back at us with a, “Then what SHOULD I talk about in this situation!?” expression.
Sorry, I’m so sorry Camil. This isn’t really something you can talk about.
“Sorry but, do you mind letting me use your toilet?”
While thinking of what to say, what came out of my mouth were those words. The other three glared at me fiercely. I’m sorry, but it can’t be helped... because I really want to run from this place as soon as possible.
“Inside, Will guide... Slime... Many... no worries”
“I won’t. I was a former Slave Magic Practitioner, you know? So I won’t do anything to your slave monsters”
I followed him to the deeper room. When we got there, what greeted me was a large number of slimes.
“This is amazing. I’ve never seen so many slimes before.”
“...For... Research...”
“Research?”
“Evolution, Slime’s”
Having been told, I noticed that when you look at the slimes, not all of them were just slimes. Sticky Slime, Poison Slime, and over there that’s an Acid Slime! And then after that... what are those? Those two slimes... I’ve never seen those types before. But that aside, these kind of high level variations should exist in this forest.
“You found the evolution conditions and made these evolve by yourself?”
“Yes”
“The research of magical beast evolution conditions is a very important thing to Slave Magic Users and Conjurers. Understanding even a single one of these conditions takes a long time. The fact that you were able to understand so many is something worthy of praise. Unfortunately though... they’re all just slimes...”
“Slime... Bad?”
“I’m sorry for saying this but slimes are weak magical beasts. Even if you make them evolve they’re still weak. Although Slave Magic Users and Conjurers often make use of them to study the basics, they don’t have much value outside of that. In general practitioners of both arts would pick a slime for studying, then after a while get rid of them and then tame a Horn Rabbit for their next beast. Because you see, a horn rabbit is at the very least, as a pet, loveable.
“... Tough world”
Tough world? Those are the thoughts of an 11 year old kid?
“Well that’s only the opinion of the majority, it’s not like all Slave Magic Users think that way. At the very least, the Poison Slime’s poison and the Acid Slime’s acid isn’t something that is made light of. After studying the basics, it’s a valid way to make use of the slimes already tamed. Because if it’s a poison slime or an acid slime then at the very least its power is greater than of a horn rabbit.”
“Slime... Convenient... Useful”
“Knowledge the magical beast, how to take advantage of its traits, and giving out orders to make decisions on the battlefield are the most important things to a Slave Magic User. It seems you know this well.”
“Arrived, toilet, here”
“Right, thank you”
Now that you mention it I did ask to borrow the lavatory. Well it’s not like I could tell him it was a lie after going all this way... so I just went ahead and took care of my business then went back to the room.