Chapter 26: Since My Subordinates and Spirits Ignored Me, I’ll Try Crying
After registering at the guild in the town of Solenalini and obtaining my ID, I sold some monster materials and got my hands on some gold coins.
...Though I ended up spending almost all of it.
The food stalls had nothing but delicious things, so it couldn’t be helped.
Once Logan, who had been sitting there looking dried out after shedding bloody tears, was revived with a skewer of grilled meat, we headed back.
We stopped by the village of Caso on the way, so by the time we reached the spring it was already night.
I was tired, so I went straight to sleep as soon as we arrived.
...
The next morning, I woke up leisurely. Mmm, I slept well.
Wait, aren’t slimes supposed to not need sleep?
That’s true, but...
If I stay up all night, I just get bored out of my mind.
It doesn’t rest me mentally either.
Staring blankly into space is painful, so I tried thinking of a way to rest!
That’s when I discovered that weakening my usual energy circulation (lol) — or rather, slowing down my mana flow — lets me relax really well.
Kind of like the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems? Or maybe not.
Anyway, since it was morning, I tried waking up slowly, but...
For some reason, the four spirit girls and the baby chicks were right in front of me.
"Kyaa, so cuuute!"
『『『Piyo piyo~』』』
"How friendly they are~"
"Look, look! One got on my hand!"
『『『Piyo piyo piyo~』』』
"They’re surprisingly charming little fellas."
...Huh? Why are the four spirit girls and the chicks getting along so well while leaving me out?
Also, I don’t remember summoning any spirits?
"What are you all doing?"
I moved in front of the four girls and asked.
"Ah, Yabe! Look, look! The chicks are so attached to us!"
The tomboyish Windia had chicks swarming all over her palms, shoulders, and head.
"Wah, amazing! Hahaha! It tickles a bit!"
She looked like she was having the time of her life...
"These chicks are really adorable!"
Sylphy was also surrounded by chicks and seemed absolutely delighted.
"Oh my~ So many of them are coming to me too~"
Even big-sister Belhia had a flock of chicks all over her.
"Damn... they really are cute, shit!"
Even Freya was getting attached to them!? The power of chicks is terrifying!
Feeling an overwhelming sense of alienation, I decided to go for a walk.
Fine, damn it. I’m a lone warrior anyway.
The next day...
"Good morning~ It’s another nice day~"
I greeted no one in particular. Irina is usually weak in the mornings and doesn’t get up easily anyway.
Then I witnessed a shocking scene.
Yesterday the four spirit girls and the chicks had been playing happily together, but today the Fang Wolves were here too. On the way back from Solenalini the day before yesterday, we had stopped by Caso village and were asked again to help with the "Village Opening Festival" in three days. So I had sent Logan and the others out hunting to secure game.
"You’re so fluffy~!"
The one being hugged by tomboyish Windia was Logan.
『Hahaha! My pride and joy — this fur is always luscious!』
Logan, you look awfully proud of yourself.
"It’s really so fluffy and wonderful!"
『Right? I have quite a bit of confidence in my coat, y’know.』
The one being petted by Sylphy... wait, who the hell are you!? Logan, explain please! freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
"There are so many fluffy friends~"
Big sis Belhia... aren’t you a bit too surrounded by Fang Wolves and chicks? I can barely see your face anymore.
"Come on, follow me!"
『『『Waf waf!』』』
Freya was riding on one of the Fang Wolves and running around, with three or four more following behind her, barking happily. freewebnσvel.cøm
...They looked like they were having fun.
What the hell is this? Everyone is getting along insanely well... except me.
Well, it’s not a problem that they’re getting along. In fact, it’s great that my subordinates are communicating with each other... or at least that’s what I want to say.
But why am I the only one being left out?
Logan, couldn’t you have come to get me?
Chick Captain, couldn’t you have brought me along?
I... I’m starting to feel really sad.
"Uwaaah~"
I started crying and ran off.
I want to pet fluffy things too~ I want to play with the piyo-piyos too~
And so (though what exactly "so" means is unclear), I came to the waterfall north of the spring.
Hah... "Clear your mind and even fire feels cool!" Time to stand under the waterfall and wash away these lonely worldly desires!
...Wait, there’s no place to stand under it.
I’m just falling straight into the basin.
It’s pretty high too.
...Come to think of it, my body sank in the spring before. But now I can control my slime cells to some extent. So if I take air into my body...
Puff — my body swelled up.
Now then, what happens if I go into the waterfall basin like this?
I float gently.
I flattened my tentacles like oars and paddled through the water, moving toward the base of the waterfall.
"Alright, time to let the waterfall blast away my worldly desires!"
As I got closer to the falling water, the force easily pushed me down to the bottom of the basin.
"Ugaaah!"
I spun around underwater, tumbling like a drill, before finally floating back up with a puff.
...A one-man Doraemon.
What the hell am I doing?
"Y-Yabe-sama~~!!"
A sudden voice. Irina? Why is she here?
Splash! — someone jumped in. When I looked, Irina had jumped in and was swimming toward me... or rather, she looked like she was drowning.
Can’t be helped. I’ll save her.
Splash splash splash.
"Hey, Irina. What’s wrong?"
"Gah! Cough cough! Y-Yabe-sama saved me gently with his tentacles... now ravish me!"
"Uh, I’m not sure what’s going on, but weren’t you the one who came to save me?"
I carried Irina out of the basin and onto land.
There I found the Chick Army led by Chick Captain, Logan’s Fang Wolf Army, and all four spirit girls gathered together.
"What are you all doing here?"
"What do you mean ’what’!? We heard you suddenly ran off and got worried!"
Water Spirit Windia puffed out her cheeks in anger while complaining.
『Did something happen, Boss?』
Logan asked while sitting politely.
"No... everyone was having so much fun without me that I thought I was in the way..."
I traced the character の on the ground sulkily with a tentacle.
『B-Boss! What are you saying!?』
Chick Captain panicked.
『That’s right! There’s no way Boss could ever be in the way!』
"Why would you think something like that~?"
Big sis Belhia put a hand to her cheek with a gentle "oh my, oh dear" expression.
『We noticed that you and Lady Irina seemed tired when you returned from town, so we were trying to let you sleep in without waking you this morning.』
Oh, is that what happened, Logan?
『While Boss was resting, the worried spirit ladies came over, so we were exchanging information.』
Chick Captain explained. So that’s what it was...
"We are all gathered here for Boss. There is no way we would ever neglect you."
Logan laughed with a cheerful waf waf.
"E-Everyone~~!!"
I jumped at them.
Uahaha! These guys are such good people!
By the way, what were you talking about with the spirit girls?
『We were consulting the spirit ladies about whether we could prepare some kind of performance for the Caso village opening festival.』
Logan reported. Huh, you’re doing a performance?
Besides roasting whole game and serving it to the villagers, you’re planning something else.
Well, I guess I can just look forward to it then?
Hm? You can’t show it until I give my opinion first? How dutiful of you all.
Well, alright. Let’s get to work preparing to make tomorrow’s village opening festival a success.
Still carrying Irina in a princess hold, I straddled Logan and returned with everyone to the side of the spring to start processing the game we’d use for the festival tomorrow.
"Kuuh... ravish me..."
Irina muttered with a bright red face, but I decided to ignore it.