Day 181-190/Day 181

Day 181
Before sunrise, I equipped my flying exoskeleton【Jade Eagle King's Flight】and flew through the skies. I didn't bring Kanami-chan with me, even though she was the only member of my group that could fly.
Since it's starting to get especially cold recently, I didn't think that high-speed flight would be a good idea. However, it looks like my exoskeleton's Cold Resistance is better than I thought, since I didn’t feel it as I flew through the freezing cold and dense clouds.
Although the exoskeleton's surface would still get covered in a thin layer of ice, this wasn't a problem since it was easily removed with a little shake. As a result, I was able to continue flying at full speed without any worries.
I encountered several flying monsters while on the way, but since they were easily blown away by the violent winds that were produced when I passed them, they probably weren’t high-level monsters. Since I'm in a hurry, I decided to pick them up and eat them on my way back. I think I'll enjoy seeing what kind of taste they have.
With that, I arrived at our base in the Kuuderun Great Forest. Naturally, the reason I returned was to bid farewell to Gobujii, who died yesterday. It's only been a few hours since his death. I went to sleep early yesterday so that I could wake up earlier than usual and return to the base. Since I was quite fast, I made it to the base by sunrise, which is when most of the members that are still there become fully active.
Since only the non-combatants are still at the base, its combat ability is low. These includes the Nail Cats and Kobolds working in places like the Hot Springs Facilities, the Dwarves, and the human women.
Since I didn't tell anyone that I was coming back, they were surprised when I showed up. However, they quickly grasped the situation with『Since it's Aporou, it’s not strange for him to be in the Royal Capital and the base at the same time.』
Although there are many people among those who stayed behind that came from other places, it seems that the "Common Sense" they developed before coming here has gradually collapsed. It looks like their reactions have weakened as they've grown accustomed to the "Common Sense" here.
I expected that they would at least care about the other species that they have become familiar with, and the circumstances are good for them to fall in love. However, I thought it was somewhat lonesome that their initial response to how things are here was nowhere to be seen. Anyway, I exchanged simple greetings with the members I passed as I hurried to Gobujii’s location.
It looks like they had placed Gobujii’s corpse in the morgue to keep his body from rotting. Well, it would be quite inconvenient if the residential area had to be remodeled into a morgue, so we had set aside a place deep in the mines for this purpose to avoid this.
Since it was quite cold and most of the insects have been exterminated, keeping corpses there for a short time isn't be a problem.
Although it’s possible to use the space for food storage due to its size, that idea will be set aside for now.　
Upon arriving at my destination, Gobujii was lying on top of the flat stone that was covered with fur. He was wearing his usual loincloth and had his favorite walking stick by his side.
There weren't any visible injuries, so it looked like he was sleeping peacefully at first glance. However, upon taking a closer look, it’s obvious that he was already dead. Although his cold body hasn't started giving off a putrid smell yet, it will never move again. It’s unlikely that he would turn into an undead and start moving though.
Well, even if he did turn into one, he’d probably be still weak. After confirming his death, I clasped my hands together and offered a silent prayer. Namu. I pray that Gobujii’s soul may rest in peace. I felt a little lonely as I thought of various things while looking at his body.
There were no tears of sadness, but just like with the long dead Velvet, my gratitude towards Gobujii will never disappear.
If it weren’t for him, I'm certain that it would have taken a long time to gather information about this world, such as how to process materials from the Kuuderun Great Forest, as well as a lot of information that Redhead didn’t know, as well. Really, Gobujii helped out a lot.
After expressing my gratitude, I ate Gobujii's entire body. By expanding my mouth beyond its limits, I finished eating him in 3 mouthfuls. Honestly speaking, he wasn’t delicious. Since he was quite thin, there wasn’t much meat and his worn-out bones were easily broken from a light bite. It had only been a few hours since his death, but it was hard to tell how fresh his body was since he was a 20 year old Goblin. Still, I ate all of Gobujii without leaving a single drop of blood, thinking of it as being my relative’s flesh and blood. I believe that this was the right thing to do.
【Ability learned: Old Goblin’s Wisdom】
...Honestly, I didn’t even think it was possible to learn anything from eating him. Gobujii was way too weak, and the number of Goblins I'd need to eat to learn anything as an Apostle Lord makes it so it's not really worth doing. However, I was able to learn something. Perhaps Gobujii was saving his wisdom so that I could learn it after eating him. While that seemed unlikely, I can’t just ignore that possibility.
Another possibility is that since I'm a former Goblin, there was already a foundation in place that made it easy for me to learn the ability. Since Gobujii knew a lot, it's possible that there was an increased chance of learning it, as well.
Anyway, I decided not to concern myself with the reasons I was able to learn this ability. In the first place, it’s probably something that was influenced by chance. If that's the case, it's pointless to think about it since learning something in this way is beyond my control.
For now, I immediately used【Old Goblin’s Wisdom】. However, nothing changed. All I could see was the bare surface of the cavern in front of me. It definitely didn't misfire. I'm certain that I used the ability. This time, I retrieved a【Burst Seed】from my Item Box. Upon doing so, I was able to see the illusion of an inverted triangle above it. I'm certain that this wasn't there before, so it must be the effect of【Old Goblin's WIsdom】. With that, I immediately decided to touch it.
----
Name: Burst Seed
Habitat: Throughout the Kuuderun Great Forest, Iscarian Prison Forest, and many other such places.
Characteristics: Upon receiving a shock beyond a certain level, the hard seed will burst. They'll burst into 3-8 pieces and a lot of the seeds are tiny, though they have a tendency to be tough.
Remarks: It's the only seed that's suitable for eating. Although it's too hard to eat as it is, it can be softened by carefully boiling it for several hours. It has a texture that's similar to pork, and it has a rich taste.
Additional Information: Upon scattering, the seeds will attach to any nearby small animals that are unlucky enough to be hit and killed by them, where it'll use said animals for nourishment.
Although it's unlikely, it's possible for the seeds to grow faster, become harder, or have its explosive power increased, among other things.
The world's strongest burst seeds, known as【Destructive Burst Seeds】when they reach this level, have been confirmed to exist in the Ortoria Extinct Grove, which contains one of only 5【Great God Rank】【Age of the Gods Dungeons】that exist in the world.
At point-blank range, it's even capable of penetrating Dragon Scales and Shells. For that reason, it's said that people who challenge this dungeon must first develop counter-measures against these seeds.
Would you like to view additional information?
≪ YES ≫ ≪ NO ≫
----
After a few tries, I was able to understand that【Old Goblin’s Wisdom】allows me to see the characteristics and special traits of materials taken from Great Forests, Groves, and other such places. It also seems to provide my brain with knowledge that I didn't know about before, which includes the production method and handling of poisons, among many other things.
It appears to be the same type of ability as【Detect Analysis】, and since they both provide me with a large amount of information, I think it's safe to say that I know more than I did before.
Although being unable to read the information of many items is a flaw, this extensive knowledge should still be useful in the future... Secretly, I thought about cultivating full-fledged【Burst Seeds】for a moment. I’d definitely like【Destructive Burst Seeds】. Since they're considerably dangerous, it would be quite interesting to have them.
Well, since there was also information on how to use a variety of things, I expect that it'll be surprisingly helpful when developing new medicines with Alchemist-san. I prayed again for Gobujii, who was still helpful after his death. After saying my farewells to Gobuji, I left the morgue. I smelled something good, so I went to the dining hall. There, I met up with the Sisters as they made breakfast in the kitchen.
Since they didn't know that I was here, the Sisters were surprised when I showed up. However, they immediately smiled afterwards. Once they calmed down, it became warm and fluffy. Although I had considered immediately returning to the Royal Capital, upon seeing their smiles, I decided to thoroughly enjoy the Sisters’ home cooking after my long absence.
I hadn't eaten breakfast yet, so it was perfect timing. The smell was tempting and my stomach was empty. Gobujii had not been enough to fill my stomach for even a minute. With that, I observed the two as I sat down in one of the seats in the [Dining Hall], which boasts a size large enough for all of our group's members to fit in, though it's only being used by those that are here right now.
They have gradually expanded and improved the [Kitchen] that supplies the [Dining Hall] with food. There's still room to spare now, even if around 10 people are cooking in it at the same time.
It's been improved considerably with cooking tools that Blacksmith-san and her group had made from magic metal and spirit stones, which included pots and kitchen knives, among other things. There was also equipment such as cooking stoves and a water supply that had been installed in it. With the equipment I mentioned above, it’s not a boast to say that it's equal to the kitchen of the Tomboy Princess’s Amber Palace.
In such a kitchen, the Sisters threw a large number of ingredients they had cut up into a large pot. Then, they added flavor by mixing in various seasonings as they cooked the stew on a stove that was fitted with a fire spirit stone. Their movements didn't slow down at all as they steadily prepared breakfast.
Although the Sisters are the only ones cooking in the kitchen, it wasn't a problem since they had acquired the【Chief Cook】job, which gave them the ability to provide enough food for the dozens of people that still remained in the base. Although they’re in charge of cooking, they also help out in different areas when needed. They appear to be enjoying it though, so there's no need to worry.
As I waited for the Sisters' cooking while observing them, Blacksmith-san and Alchemist-san, whom I haven't seen in a long time, arrived at the [Dining Hall]. Just like the Sisters, although they were both surprised to see me, they quickly returned to their usual expressions. Since they hadn't seen me in a long time, they were happily telling me some childish stories.
Although we’ve been speaking through the ear cuffs every day, there's no doubt that talking face-to face is better. The physical warmth and subtle changes in their expressions are difficult to express through talking alone. As expected, the Sisters' cooking was delicious as it nourished and filled me with a day's worth of energy from within.
However, what one should pay attention to the most right now is Nicola, my only human child, who is sleeping peacefully in Alchemist-san’s arms. Honestly, her sleeping face is too cute. Her red cheeks were squishy and her cute sleeping face appeared to be happy as she grasped my finger with her 5 tiny fingers. With her small and delicate body, it feels like she’d break from just a touch.
Of course, Auro, Argento, and Oniwaka are also lovely children, but the youngest one is Nicola, who is still an embarrassingly adorable baby. I love all 4 of them equally and I intend to show it, though... yeah, I can't help but smile when I see Nicola’s sleeping face. So cute. She’s so cute that it’s impossible to explain it simply with words. Sometimes, the others in the hall quietly observed where we were.
Because she's inherited my blood, she makes movements that you wouldn't expect from a two month old baby, so it might be possible to talk to her normally. Although I believe that that's going too far, it's still something to think about.
Since I was a bit worried, I used one of the【Ancient】class magic items from Velvet's inheritance to check on her. Using that, I confirmed that Nicola was actually born with 2 jobs for some reason,【Job – Ogre Child】and【Job – Crest Maker】.
She probably obtained【Ogre Child】because I was an Ogre. Since Auro and Argento also have this job, it’s probably based on the race of the parents. As I mentioned before, with regards to their characteristics, their vitality is stronger than usual and their growth appears to be accelerated.
Alchemist-san said it was somewhat painful when she breast-feeds Nicola, so her power may have been increased more than usual, as well. As for【Crest Maker】, it's a kind of【Magic Job】that allows the user to create magical crests like the Crest of Valor.
Although their tattoos are subtly different from mine, since Nicola and the other 3 children have similar tattoos, they might be related to this. However, I'm slightly worried about the fact that Auro and Argento don't have the【Crest Maker】job. I’m pretty sure that this is probably dependant on one’s personal qualities and talents, though. Or...maybe there's a hidden condition?
Well, I’ll put that aside. Being healed by the 5 of them after so long, I decided to stay overnight at the base today. Even though we could talk via the ear cuffs, since I took the time to come home, I decided to take care of the other obligations that I've been neglecting. That’s why I'm staying.
After finishing breakfast, I walked around with Blacksmith-san and Alchemist-san. We went to the ≪Workshop≫, one of the base's main facilities, where the Leprechauns were making armor and the Dwarves were diligently forging weapons.
Apparently they, or perhaps I should say the two of them and the Dwarves, have recently been devoting themselves to the development of new materials. It looks like they've been researching until late at night every day in order to create an alloy that's been even slightly improved.
Stainless steel that's resistant to rusting from moving water, a magnesium alloy that has various uses, and silicon steel which can be used as a magnetic material for the core of motors, among other things. Although these were things that I'd only told them stories about, it seems that said stories were enough to pique their interest.
Fortunately, when it comes to the expansion of the base, I was able to secure the necessary materials by buying them in large quantities while I was in the Royal Capital. There was also a recent expedition to the nearby mountains which dug up some new ores. However, there was only enough for us to study, not to make stuff with.
Listening to their reports, they may be able to make alloys with the various metals that they found. With that said, I handed out the large quantity of many different kinds of metals that I had bought beforehand as souvenirs. This was for the best, since they were very pleased to receive them.
As for the results of their research, with the short term help of the Dwarves and unique manufacturing methods used for【Magic Metals】and【Magic Medicine】that didn't exist in my previous life, it seems that they succeeded in developing a new alloy that has interesting characteristics.
Blacksmith-san and Alchemist-san puffed up with pride, and the satisfied look on their faces was quite memorable. Blacksmith-san aside, with Alchemist-san doing such a thing, it was quite touching to see a different side of her.
Well, it seems that they had an overwhelming number of failed experiments, but every failure is a stepping-stone to success. Since they were able to make something new, the wasted materials were worth it. However, it looks like it's not possible for them to reveal any items at this time. Since it seems that I'll be given a report when they're satisfied with the level of success they've achieved, I'm looking forward to it.
Although I was motivated by this news, I'll refrain from investigating what kind of alloy it is beforehand. We continued doing this until after noon, when I began cooking lunch together with the Sisters. Since I had obtained ingredients from the Royal Capital and the Purgatory that couldn't be obtained in the Kuuderun Great Forest, we decided to use those.
We used Jadar Wyvern meat to make things like Wyvern Hamburgers and Fried Wyvern Meat. After finishing all of their morning work, lunch became so popular that everyone that had gathered in the Dining Hall had seconds. Incidentally, after finishing the meal, I imposed a gag order on the group members that had stayed behind.
The reason that I did this was so that those who haven't eaten it yet would not become jealous. Though sharing the secret is an insignificant matter, I hope to at least strengthen their unity through this, even if it’s just a little bit. I intend to feed the same food to the other members in the near future.
After lunch, I went to the ≪Hot Spring Facilities≫ that Doriane-san played an active role in creating. The ≪Hot Spring Facilities≫ could be freely used by the Elves. The visitors gave the hot springs the alias ≪Parabellum Hot Springs≫ so it was easy to understand. It was decided that part of it was only for the Elves, though there were a few exceptions to this.
There was originally nothing more than a Japanese-style area enclosed with walls, which were placed at a distance from the hot springs themselves to keep the group members from entering it. However, the surrounding facilities have naturally increased over time, and it has become a splendid area as a result.
The Dwarves that were making armor with Mithril and other materials have set up their own shop that sells ornaments made with fine craftsmanship, known as ≪Glass Hammer: Dwarven Equipment≫.
There was also the restaurant ≪Beckoning Cat’s Increasing Orders≫, which provides various dishes to eat. Not only can people eat at reasonable prices, but those going to the restaurant can bring their own ingredients, making the food remarkably inexpensive.
The ≪Farmlands≫ have increased in size and progress has been made on cultivating crops as well. With the use of spirit stones, fruits and vegetables that are full of nutrition are being grown and then sold at cheap prices in the vegetable shop, ≪Blessings of the Forest Spirits≫. This place is very popular with the Elven wives.
For something new and dangerously addictive, there's the ≪Casino Bacalar≫, which is a late night gambling house that draws a person's attention to it and gathers the greedy.
For the gamblers that run out of money and those who weren't able to pay back the money they owe, there's ≪Debt Hell≫, a place that will lend people money, without asking them any questions.
In the evening, for customers that want to stay overnight, those who don't want to return because it's late, and those who want to wash away their sweat, the ≪Hot Springs Hotel Tyra≫ is a convenient one-story inn that they can stay at.
At the ≪Hot Springs Mansion: Ogre’s Kiln≫, people can stay in rooms that make use of many convenient magic items for comfort, though these rooms require reservations and cost a lot of money. On top of being able to travel to the hot springs, they can also make use of various services that are very convenient.
That's the current state of things. To be honest, I think that the outcome would've been satisfactory if only the hot springs were open. However, being involved in various businesses isn't a bad idea at all.
As it stands, even if we continue our mercenary work, the number of members will likely increase to 1,000 in no time and it’ll be hard to feed them all. For now, our food expenses are under control thanks to my【Lesser Summoning: Giant】ability and the vegetables and other produce that's being grown in the ≪Farmlands≫, but it's unclear how long this harvested food will last.
Although it’s possible to buy a large amount of food supplies and equipment for all our members, we would need a large amount of money to do so, even if we made the equipment ourselves. For that reason, since we're improving the base's infrastructure in anticipation of the future income we will receive, developing ways to earn a large amount of money will definitely be necessary.
Having said that, managing the various shops will be perfect training for this sort of thing. Although there was a part of me that was anxious about this at first, since we had planned to make a living off of the profound lives of the Elves, it should be successful for now. As a result, it felt like a huge burden was lifted from my shoulders.
The Elves want to continue to be good neighbors in the future, so we'll remain in a superior position to them, which will mean greater profits. While I was thinking about ways to further improve the ≪Parabellum Hot Springs≫, I finally went to get some aroma oil from Doriane-san, which is created naturally and used in oil massages.
Since I'm the one that had the idea to do massages, I taught her how to do it. While receiving a massage, I told her what areas were good and bad, which improved her ability to give them. The laid-back atmosphere helped to cure my everyday fatigue. In the end, the massage was excellent.
In the evening, I drank liquor with Father Elf for the first time in awhile. While we were in the hot springs that are for the exclusive use of the group's top brass, I felt that the taste of the elven wine was improved by being in the springs. Since I had dug out the rock face so that we could drink while looking at the outside scenery, seeing the brilliance of the stars glowing in the night sky also improved the wine's taste.
We talked as I was thinking that it's nice to have a drinking companion, after all. We ended up talking about Father Elf’s younger brother. His younger brother is someone I gave special permission to enter the springs. This invitation was extended in exchange for ten barrels of elven wine.
Younger Brother Elf stayed in the ≪Parabellum Hot Springs≫ for several days, along with Father Elf. While he thought that the various stores were quite interesting, he spent most of his time enjoying the various different kinds of hot springs that we have.
He was completely stuck in the hot springs and many years of fatigue was being gradually removed, resulting in him becoming more energetic than he was when he first arrived. Afterwards, Younger Brother Elf and Father Elf exchanged a few words, and the former requested and received a communication cuff. Although I haven’t spoken with Younger Brother Elf yet, the cuff gave me information via the clone buried in it.
As expected of brothers, he's like a dandy uncle and resembled Father Elf. Despite being the same sex, I thought they were elegant and I wanted to become that sort of old man. Besides, since he has quite a high position as the president of the well-established ≪Green Arrow Star Village≫ company, he's definitely someone I want to be on familiar terms with.
At any rate, it looks like it'll be easy to get along with him thanks to the hot springs. I have no doubt that he became quite interested when I dangled the hot springs in front of him in exchange. I collected as much information as I could and upon understanding the true value of the Hot Springs and how rare it is, I didn’t intend to give any discounts.
Younger Brother Elf seems to have quite a bit of political power as well, and it looks like he's currently on the way to the Royal Capital. He indicated that he'd like to conduct various full-scale business negotiations once he arrives.
Since Father Elf also said to me, 『Get along with my younger brother』, I intend to have an equal relationship with both of them for a long time. Then, since it was already late at night, I had Father Elf stay at the ≪Hot Springs Mansion: Ogre’s Kiln≫ as I finished the rest of the detailed procedures. Since I was looking forward to a night of enjoyment, I quickly finished them.
----
Category:Novel
Category:Re:Monster Volume 5