Volume 2 - CH 18

A slime huh. Didn’t expect to run into one of those here. I should probably save it since it’s frantically running away from the poison snake.

“Hey Crest, I’d like to try out the full power of my body now that you’ve given me a name. Can you leave it to me?”

“Yeah, go for it.” I responded. Livia also drew her weapon off her hip. …Orphe uses a sword, whereas Livia uses a katana. …I didn’t expect to see a katana here. Since those are eastern technology, I didn’t really see them even in my region of the upper world.

I enhanced both of them with my smithing technique. I bet they want to try those out too.

“Let me fight as well Orphe. I would like to give it a try too.”

“Okay. We’ll be fighting together a lot from now on. Don’t hold me back, queen of the goblins.”

“That’s my line, king of the werewolves.”

After the two of them said similar lines, they kicked off the ground. …They’re fast.

“They might be faster than Rufina…”

“…Grr” Rufina growled as if to show she won’t lose. …My bad, my bad. Goblia looked here in a daze.

First up was Orphe.

“Fuu-!” Letting out a shout, he launched a powerful blow at the poison snake. He cut off the end of the poison snake’s tail. Of course the poison snake wasn’t going to sit back and take it, so it tried biting him, but Orphe was already gone.

Additionally, it’s attack was too short sighted. Livia was already at its back. Livia took a short breath, and slightly drew the katana on her hip.

Then in an instant, as if she was passing through the poison snake’s body, she drew her katana. …It’s a technique known as Iai1. The poison snake’s body was cut in pieces, sprayed out blood, and then died.

I went ahead and dismantled the poison snakes body and collected its materials. …Got to be careful with the poison snake’s fang. I’d make a poison potion if I mix it together with chuchu grass in a potion.

Got to be careful with it.

“…Now I’m all light and powerful. This is totally different from before.”

“…Me as well. Last time it was a close fight against a poison snake, but now I feel like I can’t lose.”

“Plus there’s this sword. Before it was more like I was hitting things with it rather than cutting… after Crest strengthened it it’s totally different.”

“…Yes. Same with my katana. Lord Crest is truly amazing.”

Livia and Orphe looked to me with high praise. …I’m happy you guys think that way. The slime had been staring behind it dumbfounded but noticed us before long.

The slime flinched and tried running away again, but I called out to it in haste. “Wait a sec. We aren’t going to attack you. We’d just like to talk for a bit!”

“T, talk?”

“Yeah. We’ve got a village a little south from here. …There are a few things we’d like to ask.” I said. The slime stared at me.

“…Since you saved me, I’ll believe your words.”

“…Thanks.”

“So, what do you want to hear about?”

“…Do you live around here? Are you, alone?”

“…I’m not alone. I live in a village.”

A village huh. Seems like there actually is a slime village around here.

“I see… I heard that there are some fearsome werewolves up north. If possible I’d like to form an alliance. …Is it possible to get in touch with your leader?”

“…Isn’t there a werewolf here though…?” The slime glared towards Orphe. Orphe awkwardly scratched his cheek, but I could see the anger on the slime’s face.

“…Did something happen?”

“…The werewolves up north offered us an alliance but used that to trick us! ‘Either become a slave or die here’… they said that before taking the lives of many slimes who refused!”

…So that’s what happened. While I was surprised, clenched his hand into a fist and walked up to the slime, before deeply bowing his head. “Everything was my fault. I’m sorry.”

“…Orphe. Slime, he didn’t do anything wrong. That’s also in everything I’d like to talk about… If your leader is in your village, could you lead us there? We won’t do anything to you. If us holding weapons makes your nervous, then I don’t mind handing them all over.”

I put my sword in front of the slime. Following my lead, Orphe, Livia, and Goblia all put down their weapons as well. …The slime looked at us in though before nodding their head.

“I understand. I’ll guide you to the village. You can keep your weapons.”

“…Thank you.” We followed behind the slime.

“…Sorry Crest. The slimes hate us thanks to me.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“But-”

“Just do what you can from now on. It’s no used thinking about bygones all the time. Just think about the future, and what you can do next.” Orphe bit his lips to my words.

“…Alright, thank you Crest.” Said Orphe as he bowed deeply. Once he raised his head once more he wore a resolute expression.

Really, the ones who stand on top are made of something else. Like this I’ll be able to leave the future to him as well.

1. If you couldn’t tell from the context, Iai is a Japanese martial art. Wikipedia article here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iaido