I swung my sword against the goblin.
I've felt it since the bare swinging stage, but it's heavy. This heavy sword kept me doing workouts in my spare time while I was neat, and because of that, I was swinging it around with all my strength finally.
If it's a straggler goblin that's preempted by my magic gun and is confused, I can deal with it with force, but if it's a little more healthy stronger demon or a monster with weapons, it's going to be tough.
I'll have to coax the sword fanatic husband into teaching me more about how to use my sword efficiently.
Now, the practice of the magic gun was going well.
It's more like an experiment in magic manipulation.
I'll spare you the details of trial and error, but there's one problem with the diffused ammunition we've developed: it consumes too much MP.
Let's say we split it into 8 bullets, and put 1 MP of magic power into each one, the total MP consumption would be 8.
It's not something that can be used properly.
The result of our various tests was to sacrifice power and range in order to keep the MP consumption down to about 3.
The key to using diffuse bullets is that they can be used in melee combat, and you don't have to aim at monsters to do damage or stop them.
The bottom line is that the ability to attack at the surface is strength, so I have tried to ignore the power of each shot.
Even so, in order to ensure the minimum amount of power, a total of 3 MP consumption was the minimum line.
The range was truncated to ensure minimum power since it was possible to manipulate magic power to make it more powerful instead of burning up quickly when turning magic power into energy.
Since this feature was wanted for close-quarters combat, the range is good at a level that can be used for close-quarters combat.
This idea was pulled from the games where its stated "Shotguns have a high attack power but a short-range".
This is how I accomplished my plan to create a diffusing bullet with magic control.
I've confirmed that if all of the bullets are hit from close range, Goblins can be rendered incapable of fighting with a single blow, so from now on, this should be used as a trump card in times of crisis.
I also practiced switching between the magic gun and the sword while exchanging them in virtual space.
Or rather, there was no need to be so particular about the sword belt, since the virtual space could store the sword.
But I didn't regret or reflect on it.
At the beginning of a battle, I kept the sword on my back and turned my hand to draw it.
This is necessary.
I can't use different spaces in public too often. It's a necessary precaution I must take.
On this day, I returned to the city after destroying three or so goblin groups and found that Elliot had left me a message inviting me to have dinner with him this evening.
I replied back with messages and decided to meet up with him at the guild. To pass the time I decided to hang out until the evening.
"Hey, how are you!?"
Elliot greets me cheerfully, but he looks a little tired.
"What's the matter, you look tired. You're back so soon today?"
"No, I left early. Then I went on a goblin hunt with a temporary party."
If you look at them, the women behind him look just as tired. I wonder if they have encountered a stronger species of monsters.
"I'll just go to dinner. Is my recommended restaurant okay?"
"Oh Nice, what's Yohei's recommendation?"
"I've been living my life as a goblin hunter for a while now, and I've been having my fill in a good and cheap restaurant near the North Gate. They were also pioneering a lot of new things. It's a bit downtown, but I think Elliott and his slaves will enjoy it."
After a few minutes of walking west from the north gate, one can enter a shop with a signboard stating "Solamachi Liquor Store".
It calls itself a liquor store, but they serve excellent food too.
They serve both rice and bread, which I highly recommend to all the guards I meet while hunting. And it's cheap. The owner seems to be from a slum and focuses on the lower classes.
The owner spoke to me many times while I was visiting the restaurant and told me about his turbulent life without even me asking me about it.
I have heard that Japanese people seem to be good-natured, but maybe he sensed that I would not run away from him even if he talked for a while.
He even ordered a drink and stayed with me until the end of the conversation.
But it wasn't in vain, as I was able to get some information on things to be careful about regarding the slums.
Now it's one of my valuable sources of information.
''Uncle, I have a companion, is there a large table available?''
"Well, Yohei, that's something you don't usually bring with you. You have a friend?"
"...."
"I thought you were someone who couldn't make friends, so I talked to you a lot. Haha."
Was that part of the reason he made me listen to the long story?
He's a kind uncle. I guess half of it was because he really wanted to tell me his stories.
The owner led me to take a seat.
As if it was strange to be split 1X4, Marie sat down on the right side of me.
Elliott, naturally, is in a state of flower in his hands, sandwiched between Patch and Trisiera. Very naturally, the slaves took such an arrangement.
"I'll take a fried bowl of slabgetter. What about you guys?"
Elliot and his friends scurry around and decide on a menu.
We don't have a menu list, so we have to find it from the paper on the wall.
Other restaurants have them, so I don't think it's not that there isn't a culture of menu lists. It's a restaurant for the lower class, so maybe that's a bit of a mess to have printed menus as the pages are costly in this world.
"So what's up with that? What does this have to do with meeting today?"
"No, they were the ones who asked me to meet up with you. We're talking about having another temporary party."
Not Elliott, but his slaves? I'm a bit surprised.
I didn't think they liked me too much.
As I tilted my head, Marie let out a sigh as she wiped her face with a hand towel which seemed to express "You look like an old man."
"The party we were working on until today was a lot of work... a couple of guys and girls."
"A couple wouldn't go after Marie and her friends, would they? Isn't that a good thing?"
"But, you know, especially the women. The combination of a master and a slave is disgusting in most people's eyes. Especially us - you know, it's just like the couples were saying Eli and his whores, isn't it? I don't hate you for being disgusted too if you were…"
"...what's so bad about it?"
Marie and Elliot looked at each other and laughed.
"You see, most people have that kind of personality ... full of values and morals. That's why it's easy to say them it's appalling, how so many combat slaves in the world are living in squalor with a bunch of battle slaves as their mates."
"That's life on the road. Isn't it Elliot who is to blame for that? You said you were making fun of the slaves…"
"Well, maybe Elliot was being made fun of, too. He still doesn't like the idea of us being a sex slave, and it's us slaves who get hit on by most people, in that case."
"That's not very logical, because you are a pretty woman Marie."
"Pfft, lines like that make me feel like how unattractive a man is."
Marie laughed again in amusement.
"I certainly haven't been popular, so I can't say anything back."
Patches and Trisiera are laughing too, discreetly holding their mouths with their fingers. For now, if you're feeling better, fine.
"So, the main topic is a reliable party, right? Of course, it's good. I've got quite a few armor and weapons, so don't be surprised."
"Really?"
"Well, the armor is a traveler's clothing and the weapon is a cheap sword."
"A sword? As I recall, didn't you use a spear?"
"I changed it. Spears are expensive and hard to use with a shield. I took some advice from a friend of mine and decided to use the sword."
"Oh, yeah! Then you're just like me and Marie."
Come to think of it, they both used swords.
"If you learn the sword from Elliot, you might be able to become 'Flower Warrior' too."
"...Do you want to become one? Well, Marie is good at teaching, too."
"But this time we're going to be staying overnight. Have you ever done that before?"
"Are you going on an expedition? I've camped by myself before... but I've never had any decent camping experience."
"Really?"
"The last time I was in the field, right after I was really broke I didn't have any money to stay at an inn, so I once spent a night in the shade of a tree near the gate, scared of monsters."
"I don't know how you managed to live with that I'm impressed, to be honest."
"So it's not too bad that it's time for you to get some regular camping experience. I'll help you with the heavy lifting, and I'd be thrilled to teach you."
"Ha-ha, that's all right. How about the two of you?"
"...I don't mind, okay? Yohei may seem silly, but he doesn't make fun of us."
Patch seems to be in favor of it.
"Good. But please don't ever do anything weird to me. If you do end up not being able to control yourself, please let it be sister Marie."
"I.CAN.CONTROL.MYSELF."
Trisiera said yes too. We've decided on an overnight goblin tour.
Oh, but I'll have to listen to these guys rummaging around at night, won't I?
"Can you sleep?"
"Do you have a tent?"
"No. I'm going to go buy some now."
"In that case, I'll give you our spare. As long as you bring a sleeping bag."
"Thank you. ...I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your voice down at night".
"Hahaha, I'll do my best…"
"I won't do anything stupid! I'm just going to sleep normally!"
Trisiera stood up. She's a 'sexologist' and yet she gets flustered like a virgin maiden.
We ate our meal while also hearing stories from Elliot about his time away from the city.
I can't seem to get enough of Slabgeter's fried rice bowl and chicken katsu bowl. It's just juicier and full of volume compared to Earth's chicken katsu.
Well, I've been eating at cheap katsudon chains all my life, so I can't really say anything great about it.
This is four copper coins, you know? So It's cheaper too.
The next day, I went to the mercenary guild with camping goods such as a sleeping bag and fire retardant.
There was still no sign of Elliot and the others.
Are they tinkering with their status?
Yohei Chikano (human race)
Job Interferer (9↑) Mage (5↑)
MP 18/18 (↑)
Stats
Attack G
Defense G
Agility G+
Endurance G
Magic F- (↑)
Magic Defense G
Skills
Status View II, Status Manipulation, Add Job I, Status Display Restrictions
magical finesse
Supplementary information
None
Oops, let's change jobs before Elliott and the others arrive.
Yohei Chikano (human race)
Job ☆ Interferer (9), Swordsman (2)
MP 12/12
Stats
Attack G+
Defense G
Agility G+
Endurance G
Magic G
Magic Defense G
Skills
Status View II, Status Manipulation, Add Job I, Status Display Restrictions
Slashing Slightly
Supplementary information
None
The 'Swordsman' was acquired rather quickly.
Hopefully, it's better job than the Spearman.
Status corrections are increased for attack and agility.
I look like a swordsman now. My skill is "Slightly Strong Slash"
As you can see its name, the attack power of the slash will increase.
When I was looking at the status screen in the corner of the guild, I was suddenly tapped on the shoulder.
"'Hey, good to see you today. What's going on, though you were looking at something weird?"
Placing a hand on my shoulder, Elliot followed my eyes to the empty floor beyond the status screen I was looking at.
Apparently, the status viewing screen was invisible to others.
I had thought that might be the case, but I was able to confirm it in an unexpected way.
"It's nothing. Are you ready over there?"
"It's all set. I'm going to leave now, and Marie seems distracted. I'm a little tired too."
Removing his hand from his shoulder, Elliot shrugged his own. It's strange because if you look closely, somehow his gesture makes him look handsome.
"Come to think of it, you haven't taken a day off since you got back, aren't you supposed to take a day off?"
"Yeah, I'll tell you all about it as we go. Let's go before Marie and the others get mad at us."
I was driven away and met up with Marie and the others in front of the guild and proceeded to leave from the north gate.
The reason Elliott and the others are going on an expedition without a break is that, to summarize it briefly as I understand it, it's bonus time for goblin hunting.
Goblins are always quick to breed, but apparently there were a bit too many of them showing up recently and gaining attention.
However, the blood slime had become so noisy that they couldn't devote much of a warrior group to them, so they had to ask the guards for support to make ends meet.
Moreover, just as the number of individual mercenaries staying in Slurgee was low, it was said that the scene was difficult.
It seemed that the amount of goblin magic stones in circulation had decreased due to the influence of other regions there, resulting in an increase in the price, making the goblins somewhat of a tasty prey.
As long as the warrior corps couldn't break even, expecting civilian cooperation, the reward for defeating goblins should also be colored in gold.
The number of prey is large and the profits are great. Then, for the mercenaries who happened to be in the vicinity of Slurge, the goblins' bonus time was the arrival of the big wave of happiness.
I didn't know it at all, but before I knew it, I was riding on that big wave, too.
Elliott and the others were quick to catch on to the information and immediately embarked on a day-long expedition and made a fair amount of money, but as I've said before, the party atmosphere was so bad that they couldn't continue.
So, once they returned to town, they were about to give up and leave on thier own, when Marie remembered my existence.
The bottom line is that it's time to rake in the dough, so there's no time to rest.
The women who hold the party's purse are particularly motivated, and Elliot is taking his time in town. So, they are made to work without any time to meander. He works them hard, doesn't he, that soulless guy.
I found out that Elliott and the others have a slave who doesn't participate in the battle but takes care of the house's absence, and she's the first slave in charge of the house.
"Elliot, you're being kept firmly on your ass by your slaves, aren't you?"
While talking about it, he is beating the heads off of the goblins he encounters.
"But Yohei. You haven't been using a sword that long, have you? Even then your skill is pretty amazing."
"Thank you."
Marie praises me as if she was impressed because I have learned to properly cross the goblins on the front lines.
"I am not that amazing, but some of them were weak, and the sword seems to suit my nature."
"Well, that's good to hear. The use of the shield is splendid too... hmmm…"
The master-like figure, of course, the husband of the demonic wife, the sword enthusiast, with whom I converse in the morning has taught me pretty well.
For now, I imagine myself imitating his movements, but from Marie's point of view, I seem to be able to move in a splendid manner on my own. Oh, that's right in a way.
"Is your job still 'Survivor'?"
"No, Elliott. I've decided to take the opportunity to change it to 'Swordsman'."
"A 'swordsman'? Okay."
"...changed jobs? So that means the level is low, right?"
Marie seems to be doubtful about me.
"Oh. I think I am only about level two."
"Two? With skills like that...."
"Is that weird?"
"It's not like he moves too well, or that there's a bit of a discrepancy between the image of what we can think of from the lines of his body…"
"Image? Misalignment?"
"I can look at a person's body and get an idea of how long they can move. There's a discrepancy between that and, well, it's not a bad thing, but…"
"Does that mean you have good taste in swords?"
"For that, it's coming across as unconvincing rather than complimentary. Hahaha"
"Hmmm, maybe. Well, okay."
I'm curious about it, but oh well. It's not the sharpest sword I've ever seen, but the thrusts usually sting, and if you try to hit it with the weight and hit it well, it has plenty of killing power... Since goblins are short, it's easy to just nudge them sideways and they'll hit the vital point (head). It's not always easy to get a good look at a goblin.
Well, since we're here in front of the goblin forest, let's set up our tents early and get ready for the day.
In front of the area of frequent goblins called the Goblin Forest, there are several camping points.
Since the ground around them has been leveled, and places to build a fire and do business are easily provided, many parties use them.
The goblins are said to be less likely to attack, as there are usually a lot of hunters wandering around. So it's become a sort of simple safety zone.
I borrow Elliot and his friends' spare tent and set it up some distance away.
I'd like to keep them farther away, but I don't want them to be too far away in case of an emergency.
Let's put up with a little moaning in the night.
"Let's take turns with Yohei, Ely, and the rest of us will be on night watch. From sunset to midnight, it will be guys."
Marie is completely in charge.
Oh, is that what a slave harem is like?
They say that when the number of women increases, the status of men decreases.
But I wisely said nothing and just nodded my head.
If it's from sunset to midnight, will I be able to sleep until sunrise then?
It's not as hard as I thought it would be.
For dinner, we each ate the lunch we bought in town. I had the standard combination of onigiri and meat skewers.
"Well, I'm going to bed, so wake me up in the middle of the night. Be careful of the night goblins, Yohei."
Marie dives into the tent and wraps herself in a blanket in front of the bonfire to alert the people around her.
This is just like camping. It's a bit like a school trip, but it's more fun.
No, I don't feel like I had much fun on my school trip on Earth, but... well, let's keep the negative memories sealed.
"What are these Night Goblins all about? I've never actually fought one before."
"They're generally dark-skinned, and there are many different types, so it's hard to generalize, but just think of them as nocturnal goblins."
Goblins undergo an immediate ecological change.
This is different from Darwinian evolution, of course. It's more like a game-like "evolution" in which a goblin changes into a different shape from the one it was born into.
In earthly terms, it would be "metamorphosis".
No, I'm not talking about the cursed number 177013 or a guy who wears a coat and shows it off on the way to school, or some other kind of Hentai.
It's the kind of theory we learn in science class when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. Well, I don't remember it very well either.
Goblins change their appearance from normal goblins to various other goblins depending on their experience and qualities.
You could say it's a monster version of the job system.
The ones called night goblins are the ones that goblins become, which often act at night, and they turn black in color and become the protective color of the nighttime darkness and become nocturnal and attack people in their sleep.
Their weapons are disparate, and some of them use magic. It's called "night goblin merge" or something like that.
However, it's not that they use dark magic...it's just that they usually use a lot of fire magic, so if they are used at night, they stand out.
And it's a poor fellow that stands out it is the first to be targeted.
"It's hard to detect them because they are black in color. But its ability to hide is low, so keep an eye out for noise. Watch out for the sound of scraping grass. It is better to have your shield ready at all times."
Following Elliot's explanation, I stop wrapping myself in the blanket and hold the shield in my left hand.
Should I mindfully step away from the bonfire so that they don't know where I am right away?
It's tiring to be too vigilant, but, well, it's just the two of us, so I guess I should concentrate a bit.
Elliot also sits with his sword and shield at hand, guarding the entrance to the tent where the women sleep.
As expected of a handsome man in action. Let's call him action handsome, not atmosphere handsome, mind you.
It's better to keep quiet for the sake of concentration, but it makes me sleepy to do so, so I exchange a few babbling words.
"Elliot seems to be working with a lot of different parties, why don't you purchase more slaves?"
"Yeah, that's possible, but then we'd have to complete it ourselves and we wouldn't get the information from others. And I'm afraid of new slaves not interacting with my peers. There aren't a great number of female slaves who are willing to do much fighting, so I'm just trying to keep things the way they are."
"Well, Elliot thinks about a lot of things too…"
"Haha, I'm sure you'll think about a lot of things when you start buying slaves and running the party too."
"I'll have to consult with you if that happens, senior."
"I'm sure you'll be all right. In the end, you often have to find the answers yourself. Good luck with that."
"Yeah. That's true. But I wouldn't even consider joining a mercenary group."
"You could go in somewhere and have your slave wait for you at home, couldn't you?"
''Well yes. No, if possible, a party like Elliott and the others would be more ideal."
"What? Why?"
"I simply think I'm bad as an organizer. I'm not very good at cooperation, and I'm confident that if there's a problem, I'll throw it out the window in a heartbeat carelessly to live in the present."
"You're not very good at this kind of work, are you?"
"Yeah. I am a sociopath."
"Nonconformist. That's a funny way of putting it. I guess I'm a nonconformist myself, you know."
"I don't know."
I feel like Elliott could live aloof in the organization in a reasonable way. I don't know where he stepped off and decided to make a slave party.
"Why did Elliot decide to create a slave harem?"
"Hmmm, it was something normal at first. When they kicked me out of the house, my parents' gave me a fair amount of money. I was young, so I was interested in the sex trade, and I was talking to a guy I was working with, and he said, if you have money, you are good to go. I thought, 'Why not buy a sex slave for myself instead of paying tribute to a woman from the "I'm not sure" list. When I think about it now, it was probably just a casual remark, but at the time I thought, 'Oh, I didn't know that was an option.' So I bought one, and that's how it all started."
"And then you got into the goodness of slavery, sort of?"
"No, honestly, one or two slaves would be enough. I don't care if you're going to change them when you get tired of them. It's just that when I felt like it, I went to the slave trade and saw a kid that was sold cheap, I felt sorry for her and buy her. I came to live with them like that. I guess that's what it's all about. I still go to see the slavers every now and then, it's weird, but I wonder if it's a hobby."
"Do you think you'll buy a new one soon?"
"Ah, it's hard to find a better slave than these girls. Maybe it's my hobby to check them out and be satisfied."
"Strange hobby."
"Totally. But it's surprisingly fun, living with slaves. Then it's time for you to get a wife and live a normal life."
"Wow. Just Wow." I said it sarcastically.
"At first I thought I'd sell them when I got bored, and one day I'd get married. I didn't have that much of a desire to care for a slave, and I really thought it was just for sexual gratification. But now that I think about it, the girls helped me heal my loneliness and get through a lot of things together... even sexually. I think they've been supportive of me in ways other than just the sexual things."
"There are many kinds of slaves, aren't there?"
"Yeah. There are no absolutes in relationships between people. There are as many relationships between people as there are between husband and wife or parents and children. If you try to live only by the illusion that this is the way you are supposed to be, you will suffer. It's not right to assume that slaves are unhappy because they are slaves. We may be master and slaves, but we will be happier than any other couple, more than parents and children. I thought so in the past. I think so even now."
"That's a good thing."
"Oh, yeah? When you talk to a normal person about this, they will ask how can a person be such a good man when he is using slaves as he pleases. They'll say you're a failure who couldn't have a normal family or something like that."
"Well but maybe it's because I've always thought of myself as a failure. I can't bring myself to ask questions like that."
"Yeah, I have a feeling you're okay with that. Somehow I think…"
I think Elliot laughed. The shadows shimmer in the flames of the bonfire. He's been thinking in his own way. "That's life," he said.
I'd rather have a slave to think about what I want to do and what I want to build. I feel like I finally have a core of self. And I'm lucky to have found it. I don't care what anyone says about me.
When I was a kid, I was asked to write an essay called "What is your dream?" Well, it's a common one.
I wrote what I honestly thought was "not to be scolded for lazing around at home."
I remember that my teacher made me rewrite it until I settled on "To be a great businessman" with a scolding to think seriously.
Even so, he gave me a bit of a reluctant look, saying, "A salaryman…"
I had no admiration for sportsmen, and I had no other choice because I only thought that being a person with any kind of job seemed like a lot of work.
"It's about building a slave harem!" I don't know what would have happened if I had written that.
I just stared at the flickering flames, remembering the campfire on the school trip that wasn't fun like this one.