Chapter 19 - Taken
The weather is bleak today. This reminds me of the demon world....
You would die if you stay outside too long. However, because I wanted to see what the outside of dungeon looked like, I had gone outside several times in the past. The outside was just a cold and dark world. There was nothing good about it.
Speaking of which, it seems the pollution in the demon world is slowly getting purified, I hope it's true.
Today seems like it's going to rain. If I were exposed to rain, I wouldn't melt or go mad, right? After all, that's how it works in the demon world.
I was getting ready while having such thoughts. Then, I turned my eyes at the waitress uniform.
I'm will never get used to it. Just by looking at it, my heart turns bleak like today's weather. Hmm, that's quite poetic.
When I was impressed by my own words, Maou-sama came out to his room.
"Good morning, Maou-sama." (Fell)
"Good morning, Fell. Why are you looking at the waitress uniform as if looking at your parents' enemy?" (Maou-sama)
"There's no problem with the job itself. However, I feel like receiving mental damages whenever I wear this uniform. I was wondering if it would burn in a sudden unfortunate incident." (Fell)
"The inn will burn too, so let's stop." (Maou-sama)
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Maou-sama has gone to the Elven Forest again. Now then, I will take the request completion receipt to the adventurer guild.
Speaking of which, how much does it cost to stay in this inn? I wonder if I can continue to stay here with my income. To be honest, I don't want to be a homeless again. I have to check it.
"Oh, Fell. Good morning. Our sales have increased since you started working here." (Ron)
Ron greeted me with praise.
Fufufufu. You can praise me more!
"Good morning. It's natural because I did my job as waitress professionally. That's why I don't need to wear such clothes." (Fell)
"That won’t be happening!" (Ron)
Dia and Ron, is there something about those clothes that drives people crazy? Maybe something like charm effect? It's suspicious. I need to examine it later.
"Anyway, I have a question for you. How much does it cost to stay in this inn?" (Fell)
"It's one small silver coin without meals for one night. You will be charged per room, not per person. If you can make a compromise, it's possible for four people to stay in one room. This inn has a good reputation with the adventurers because of that. Our main source of income is the diner, so we make the lodging fee as cheap as possible. If you want to include the meals, it's two large copper coins for breakfast, three big copper coins for lunch, and five big copper coins for dinner. You need to pay extra two big copper coins if you want the large portion." (Ron)
I see. If I work four hours a day, I can earn enough money for the three meals and room. If my hourly wage were only six big copper coins, I would have been in trouble now. Should I feel grateful to Dia for this? I hate that idea though.
"Now then, do you want to eat breakfast now?" (Ron)
"There's no option not to eat it." (Fell)
I can't think of a reason not to eat breakfast. I mean, is there even a day when humans do not eat breakfast? Maou-sama never had breakfast, that's one of the things I don't understand about him. Maybe he eats a lot during the day or night? Well, I can't say it for certain since I've never seen Maou-sama eating.
Today's breakfast is bread and vegetable soup. However, I'm troubled.... what if I can't eat the demon world's cuisine anymore? No, the demon world's cuisine is not cuisine. It's just something that can be eaten, not a cuisine.
"Delicious as ever." (Fell)
"Of course. My wife's cooking is the best in the world after all." (Ron)
"I know it. However, why did someone like her end up together with you? I find it unexplainable." (Fell)
"Listen........" (Ron)
That question was a mistake. I was forced to hear the story if his love affairs afterwards. He also kept praising Nia passionately. However, there were many dubious parts in his story, such as Nia was a head chef of famous restaurant who ran away from a certain influential noble, and so on.
Yup, forget it! Putting aside the story about Nia, I’m sure the story about Ron who’s actually a former knight commander is a complete lie. He should learn to come up with more realistic lies.
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When I arrived at the adventurer guild, there were already some other people which was a quite rare sight. However, all of them looked like bad guys.
"Fell-chan, welcome! ------ This is the person who subjugated the bandits." (Dia)
"Hmm? You are rather young, but those horns.... are you perhaps a demon race?"
"I'm Fell a the demon race. Who are you people?" (Fell)
"We are the soldiers from the city in the east who came to this village to take the bandits."
The soldiers? You guys look more like a group of bandits to me. Oh well, maybe it's common for soldiers to have such fierce faces. Otherwise, they will be underestimated after all.
But still, isn't it too early? Last night the village chief's daughter told me that her husband should have just arrived. I wonder if he arrived in the city earlier than usual.
"I want to ask a few questions because I need to write a report later. I heard the bandits were defeated by your slimes, is that true?"
"It’s true." (Fell)
"Slimes are known as relatively weak monster, but according to what I heard, the bandits were dealt by only three slimes."
"My slimes have been strengthened using my magic power. They're different from ordinary slimes." (Fell)
"I see. Just in case, can you show them to me?"
"Sure." (Fell)
I called my slimes from the subspace.
I still don’t understand why these girls always strike a pose whenever they come out of the subspace. The slime in the center crossed her arms, while the other two slime raised up their arms diagonally. It’s well-balanced, and I think it's a cool pose.
The soldier who asked me to call out my slimes, stared at them intently.
When an uncle stares at the slime in form of little girls so intently, it looks like a crime scene.
"You said you have strengthened the slimes, but are they still weak against fire?"
"Well, speaking about their weakness, I guess fire does work against them." (Fell)
I mean, they might catch fire if you drop them into magma pool. Other than that, you must destroy their nucleus. However, since physical attacks are almost ineffective against them, you will need to use magic weapon. I can't think of any other attacks that will work on them.
“I see. Thanks for your cooperation.”
After saying so, he and several other soldiers brought the bandits out of the adventurer guild's basement. The bandits were grinning for some reason, but when the soldiers hit their head, they turned docile.
"There are twelve people in total. I will take care of them from here on."
The soldiers lined up the bandits in a single line, and tied their wrists with a single rope.
Is that enough to prevent them from running away?
"Oh, about the bounty, we didn't bring it with us. In order to secure the bandits as soon as possible, we went on ahead of the group. You can ask for the bounty from our friends who will come later."
You didn't bring the bounty with you? Well, it can't be helped. I will wait a little longer.
"Now then, please excuse us...."
The soldiers left the village with the bandits in tow.
What will happen with them? I don't know the laws in the human world well, but perhaps they will become crime slaves or something. No, before that, I have an unpleasant feeling about those soldier.
Oh well, I've taken insurance just in case.
"Yeah! The troublesome thing is gone, I'm free now!" (Dia)
Dia looks very happy. Does she hate working that much? Even though I hate wearing those frilly clothes, I put up with it since it's my job.
"Cleaning, feeding, taking care of them was really a though job. Furthermore, they smelled bad!" (Dia)
"That sounds serious." (Fell)
"Yeah. Well, let's forget about them! You came to submit the request completion receipt, did you? I will process it." (Dia)
I passed the request completion receipt to Dia and received the reward. This made my fortune six small silver coins and twelve big copper coins in total.
Good. I will earn more money and eat more delicious food. Speaking of which, has Maou-sama been eating properly? He likes wild boar meat, so he might be hunting and eating them in the forest everyday.
"By the way, do you have any other request for me?" (Fell)
"Sorry, I haven't received another request yet." (Dia)
"I see. Then, I will leave." (Fell)
"Okay. Come again!" (Dia)
Let's go to the fields next. I have to water the sunflowers.
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Many villagers worked in the fields. Plowing, spreading fertilizer, fighting Big Worm, and so on. It was not an easy job.
Let's get started! That being said, it's bound to fail if I use magic to water the field. I will ask someone to teach me.
"Excuse me, how do I get water?" (Fell)
"You fetch it from the river. I can lend you a bucket and a ladle if you want."
I see. Instead of relying on magic, I water the field using these tools. Okay, let's go to the river to get water.
When I was about to go to fetch the water, my slimes suggested me to leave it to them.
I forgot to return them to the subspace. Oh well, if they want to do it, I will let them to do it.
My slimes went to the river while carrying the bucket. Defeating a Big Worm with one hit on the way.
"Are you going to leave the field to your subordinates?"
"Ah, I've never thought that there was such a way." (Fell)
If I leave the field to them, my hands will be free, and I can do another job. I don't know if I can found another job though. Or rather, would it be better if I let my slimes to work as waitress instead? That way, I don't have to wear those frilly clothes anymore.
"Are you thinking about something? You shouldn't leave the waitress job to your familiars. Your figure in waitress uniform is healing materials for everyone, after all."
How did he know what I was thinking? Does he have mind reading skills? No, before that, don't go using a demon as healing materials!
My slimes returned from the river with a bucket of water, and began watering the spots where I buried the sunflower seeds. After that, they started dancing in the seed-filled area.
What are they doing? Are they calling the rain?
"What do you think they are doing?" (Fell)
"Who knows? Doesn't demon race understand monster language? How about asking them directly?"
He is right. I will ask them.
[This is the important part. Please don't disturb us now.]
Muh? You are my familiars, aren't you? Oh well, it can't be helped. I will wait until they are finished.
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My slimes made 'we are done' faces, it seemed the dance have finished.
According to my slimes, they were using a skill called Dance of Fertility just now. This is skill that grants abilities such as growth promotion, enhanced water absorption, enhanced nutrient absorption, enhanced photosynthesis, enhanced self-regeneration, insect resistance, insect repellent, critical invalidity, and self-destruct function, to the plants. Hold on, what's with the last one!?
Moreover, since there are no bird resistance or beast resistance, it's been decided that they're going to make a scarecrow golem. Yeah, these girls are quite extreme.
However, isn't Dance of Fertility Skill a bit overkill? Looking at the abilities granted, I'm worried whether the seeds can be harvested when the sunflower bloom. No, wait, they aren't actually trying to grow soldiers, aren't they?
The people in the fields were taken aback when I explained the situation. However, they were quite interested in scarecrow golem.
Yeah, that surprised me too, I know your feelings.
My slimes were already working on golem-making. The bucket was used as head and the ladle was equipped as arms. The torso and the legs were made of tree branches and straw.
"Those are my bucket and my ladle, though."
"Yeah, it looks cool." (Fell)
Not good, it seems I can't gloss over it. I feel a sense of guilt when he's staring at me like that.
"I'm sorry. I will give you the new ones later." (Fell)
"Got it. I'm sure they're being sold at Via General Store."
Even so, can they really make golem? I can't do it.
The slimes' leader --- Josephine, used the Golem Creation Skill, and after a while, the golem started moving. The scarecrow golem had eyes of a hunter hunting for prey. Though I said eyes, those were just something hand-drawn.
A command to repel birds and beasts that approach seemed to have been given to the scarecrow golem. I and the villagers were safe to approach, but if we took any hostile actions against it, the scarecrow golem would fight back.
Somehow, I've got a scare....
"We are going home."
My slimes went back to the subspace, their master's intention did not seem to be relevant.
How strange.... They're still my subordinates, aren't they? I feel like they've done something they should not, but, yeah, forget it. Let's go to have lunch instead.