Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken novel Chapter 44

Now that the war ended, we might as well return to our city.

Honestly, returning back with an extra two thousand or so followers is tiresome.

So, I'll leave the return march to Hakurou.

Souei has already returned to let everyone know about victory. We also need to set up some temporary housing for the newcomers.

After I sent him back, I sat down to decide who'd rush back with me.

Ranga can carry two back and Star Leader can carry another...

But they couldn't come to a consensus on who'd go.

Shion said, "I'm in charge of our lord's care!", and Benimaru mentioned something about defenses or what-not.

Gerudo also referred to his ability to carry things with his stomach, and asked to be included.

Honestly, though, I don't care who goes.

Wait a second! I just remembered that I can use ŽShadow Stepas well.

After I decided to return this way, the debate suddenly stopped.

I was completely oblivious to dejected Ranga, who wanted to carry me, and disappointed Shion, who was hoping to ride with me.

ŒWell then, I'll be going on ahead!

I declared, and left usingŽShadow Step.

Daaamn, this skill is convenient! It's like moving straight to the target through a different dimension.

Oh, and I fly through that plain using ˆFlight Magic‰.

Feels like I'm moving really, really fast. In a blink of an eye I reach the city.

Seems like this skill can plot a course not just to people and monsters, but also to locations I've previously visited.

I still can't fly especially fast usingˆFlight Magic‰. However, even at current speed, I can easily conclude that this is the best way to travel.

I am completely satisfied with the results of this trial run.

Ranga's group will probably arrive within 2~3 days.

Hakurou and the High Orcs will be here a month from now, at the soonest.

So before they arrive, I have to prepare a place for them to live.

While some small dilemmas are bound to arise, we've at least solved all the major problems.

For now, I just want to relax.

＊＊＊

Then,

After everyone arrived on time and I divided up the responsibilities, things quieted down.

The city was quickly taking on shape.

The high orcs, who arrived in less than a month, quickly learned the appropriate skills from the Dwarfs and skilled Goblins.

According to Kaijin,

ŒWith time, they just might become as good as the Dwarf Manufacturing Battalion.

Is what he said.

Thus, having acquired new workers, we quickly rushed to finish all the previously neglected projects.

At the same time, we started transporting goods and equipment.

We dismantled the tents that were no longer in use, and sent them to the orc communities.

The goblins sent to them have been able to assert their leadership and have been helping establishing basic necessities.

The moment we began exchanging goods we also started establishing a solid system of exchange.

Though they ended up with, what we may call ancient, bartering system, the fact that they came up with it is in itself wonderful.

Besides, it's not like they are growing that many goods yet, so they can take all the time they need to learn these things.

There is very little variety right now; basically limited to growing a potato-like crop.

It can grow even in harsh environments.

It also has high nutritional value, and though you can't exactly call it luxury food you can certainly live off of it.

Thus, we spread the seeds among them and taught them how to grow it.

Perhaps in two years they could be self-sufficient? I surely hoped so...

Gerudo was very useful in transporting the seeds and tents.

As he claimed he could, he swallowed the disassembled tents and thus distributed them among the villages.

However, his success is largely thanks to the fact that he can now leap along with the star wolves during ŽShadow Step.

He seriously tried hard to learn it and became the first to succeed with it.

The rest went smoothly.

That is, the trip to the mountain district alone on foot would have taken him many months. Instead, he was able to make a round trip in a single day.

So we decided to put the skill to use and established a communications network between all the villages.

Basically"Postal Service.

For example, I can scribble some information on a wood block and have it circulated among the communities.

Though I must mention that only a few individuals here can read and write, and I'm rather afraid of sending a verbal message.

Who knows that it will become after being passed from village to village.

Hopefully they can learn letters. More so, since ŽTelepathic Communication does not reach that far.

But that's for later.

Thus, we were able to establish some kind of connection between the many communities.

And I must not forget about a guy that showed up.

Gabil.

That idiot suddenly showed up in our city.

ŒIyaa... ha ha ha! This Gabil has rushed over to become Your strength, Rimuru-dono!

He brazenly stated.

ŒKill him?

Shion asked me with a serious face.

The kind of face that screams "serious!" and reads "absolutely serious!"

Gabil paled and,

ŒI got carried away! I'm sorry!

Please allow us to become Your subordinates, Rimuru-sama!

We will definitely prove ourselves useful!!!

He immediately corrected himself falling into a dogeza.

Apparently, he was disowned (exiled?) by his father, and had no place to go.

So since he was just so pitiful, I decided to welcome him in.

Bet he'll get carried away again right away, though.

Hmm? If I look closely, seems like the Head's Guard Captain is also among them.

ŒHmm? Captain-san, why are you here?

When I asked him,

ŒI came to serve Souei-sama, whom I greatly admire!

ŒWhat? So you didn't come because you admired this Gabil!

ŒI am different from the other muscle brains! That much is obvious!

They started to quarrel among themselves.

The majority, it seems, came out of respect for Gabil, but there were a few from the guard squad as well.

Well, I don't see a big problem with them wanting to serve Souei.

ŒIf you want to serve Souei, go and talk to him. But do note"he's a ninja. Will you be of any use to him? 

ŒWe shall! We are different from those naive idiots!

ŒWh-what did you say! Don't underestimate me, little girl!

Seems like they don't get along.

Probably the fact that one started a rebellion and the other captured them afterwards led to a grudge forming between them. In any case, I won't meddle in that.

Cause it's damn tiresome.

Oh, and I later learned that the little girl is Gabil's younger sister.

Since she's his relative, she's probably also little weird.

But her father is a wonderful guy...

ŒWell, since you'll be serving Souei, I guess you'll be called Souka.

The other four I'll name,

Touka, Saika, Nansou, and Hokusou!

Flower endings for girls, and spear endings for boys. Of course, there is no greater meaning attached.

These five served in the Guard Squad. I'll leave them to Souei.

The moment I named them, they began to evolve.

Gabil observed this with great envy.

However, I cannot name Gabil. He already has a name.

ŒAre you jealous, Gabil-kun?

But you are already named "Gabil!"

Gabil quickly looked at me.

And then, his body began to glow. Hmm? That's a sign of evolution...

The moment I thought that, a lot of magical energy suddenly left my body.

Again?!

Seriously... But who could have thought I can overwrite names.

Well, chances are this happened by pure chance. The one who named him had died, and we were on the same wavelength or something like that? I don't know exactly why it happened, but the fact remains: I (re)named Gabil.

I had wanted him to reflect a bit more, but just thinking how haughty he'll become after evolving... damn it, now I'm scared!

While thinking these things, I entered Sleep Mode.