Volume 3 - Chapter 40

Volume 3 Chapter 40

When I got back up to ground level, I blocked the entrance leading down the underground tunnel with a rock just as it were before. And just as I thought of stepping out of the laboratory to breathe in some fresh air, a creaking sound resounded from around my feet. Immediately after, my balance broke.

“Uwaah!?” [Ryouma]

…I had apparently stepped through the flooring…

This place’s dangerous, I better get out quick.

As I thought that, I went out of the house, and immersed myself in the atmosphere outside before going into my Dimension Home. There, I checked the contents of my inheritance, and I saw that there were two jute bags of differing sizes, a barrel filled with all sorts of weapons, and four metal boxes that’s each barely big enough for an adult to carry with his arms spread. I also from some inheritance from the shelves, but there was no need to check, as I already knew that the contents are roughly around 100 books. They’re shelves after all. What else would you put in them?

“Well, I better check the barrel spilling with weapons first then. Although, I don’t think I can expect much from this one.” [Ryouma]

The weapons inside the barrel are all rusted. Most likely because they’ve been left for far too long down there in the basement. After carefully inspecting the weapons, I found out that only eight were not rusted.

Three of those were swords, two spears, two axes, and one hammer. They’re all first class weapons, so putting the sword and the spear aside, the axe and the hammer should sell well. I’m selling them since neither I nor my slimes can use them.

“Next up are the jute bags.” [Ryouma]

I looked inside a jute bag, and I found out that the first jute bag was filled with magic jewels. The attributes are: neutral, water, earth, wood, poison, and even light.

“Light attribute? Isn’t that a rare magic jewel? Sure, there might not be a lot of them, but it’s still amazing… I don’t really have any way of using them right now, but I’ll keep them around for use in something like making a staff later.” [Ryouma]

As I said that, I opened the next bag. This bag is far smaller compared to the other bag. In fact, it looks like the sort of bag you’d get when buying lunch. Inside the bag were three metal ingots of different varieties. I thought about it for a while until I eventually concluded that I don’t know what type of ingots these are. Judging from their tint though, they might be the usual iron, silver, or copper ingots that are commonly used.

For the meantime, I took out one ingot, and used Identify on it. When the results came, I was shocked. So shocked I almost dropped the ingot.

The results of Identify are as follows:

Mythril Ingot

The resulting product after refining an ore of mythril, purifying it, and turning it into an ingot.

Although it’s metal, it’s light, and easily allows magic to pass through it. Its downside is the difficulty involved in working with it.

Fantasy metal has come!!

So this is mythril… If I were to use this to make a weapon, would I end up with a weapon that’s convenient to use magic battle technique with? The slime katana I’m using now is fine, but I’m a bit curious.

Anyway, let’s leave this here for now, and check the other ingots. The next ingot I took out was black and heavy…

Adamantite Ingot

The resulting product after refining an ore of adamantite, purifying it, and turning it into an ingot.

It is extremely durable and highly resistant to corrosion. Its downsides are its heavy weight and the difficulty in manufacturing it. Magic also has difficulty passing through it.

This is also a fantasy metal. I could use this to make either weapons or armors. I think I can also use it to make staves, although that doesn’t seem to be a good idea. Unless I’m making a staff for hitting people with that is. But in that case, I might as well go ahead and make a mace instead.

Well, let’s leave this one here too, and go to the next one. The ingot this time is different from the other two in that it’s about half their size and is dazzling gold. This wouldn’t be a gold bar, would it?

After investigating, it was, just as I expected, also a fantasy metal.

Orichalcum Ingot

The resulting product after refining an ore of orichalcum, purifying it, and turning it into an ingot. A type of metal that is highly durable and highly conductive to magic. Mining rates are extremely low, and manufacturing is equally difficult.

So after mythril and adamantite is orichalcum, huh? Well it’s the inheritance from the Martial God and the Sage after all, so something of this level probably isn’t strange. I am surprised, but that can’t really be helped.

Also, this is something I learned from the Digger Arms shop in Gimuru, but apparently, regardless of which of these three metals is used, the resulting weapon will at least be several small platinum coins’ worth.

“These fantasy metals… could it be? Were these things dug up from somewhere here in the Great Forest?” [Ryouma]

As I was thinking that, I heard something sound out from inside the bag. It was then that I realized that there was a sheet of paper in the bag. On that paper was something that appeared to be a map of sorts drawn by my grandfather. It’s mostly faded out, but at the bottom it reads:

“These are all I have at hand. If you want more, go get them yourself.”

Looks like this map lead to the cave where mythril, adamantite, and orichalcum can be excavated. Although it’s certainly great that he told me the location of those precious metals, but unfortunately, I can’t really be happy about it right now.

“Normally I would, but unfortunately, I can’t go right now…” [Ryouma]

The end of the trail on the map drawn is undoubtedly the centermost area of the Great Forest of Shurus. It’s too bad, but I’m not strong enough to plunge into a den crawling with magical beasts like the undead snake yet. Or rather, did grandpa actually treat going to a place like that as if he was walking in a park? Looks like the name, Marital God, isn’t just for who, huh?

“In any case, it’s not something necessary right now, so I better put it off for now. At the very least, until when I’m able to deal with an undead snake without relying on the bloody slimes. Right, let’s go with that.” [Ryouma]

I carefully put away the map.

“Well then, let’s pull ourselves together, and let’s go see what’s inside the box. If I recall correctly, the letter mentioned it having magic tools inside.” [Ryouma]

I opened the boxes, and three out of four of them were filled with books and magic tools for compounding medicines. The last box was a jumbled mess of various objects.

Grandma’s books and tools were neatly kept inside the first three boxes, but the last box was a mess. I couldn’t tell which was which.

After taking a better look at the contents of the last box, I found out that it was mostly filled with tableware and seemingly inexpensive accessories… Ah, there seems to be some gold in between the gaps of all the stuff stuffed in the box too… How to put it, this box feels like the ‘just stuff whatever ya want into’ sort of box. These things are all most likely things that have some sentimental value to my grandparents.

After investigating the boxy further, it came to me that the contents of the box and the number of things in it don’t match. There are actually enough objects in it to fit a box three times its size. And taking a closer look, I can see that the things in it don’t appear to have been left alone for long.

For example, there is a small emerald ring inside the box, but the jewel doesn’t show any signs of deterioration. And compared to the faded letters and maps in the previous bag, and the faded books in the shelves, the diary-like books in this box doesn’t seem to have faded one bit.

“A magic tool that allows more things to be fitted inside than what its exterior would suggest. On top of that, it preserves the contents, keeping them from deteriorating… This… isn’t this a really amazing object?” [Ryouma]

There are also magic tools in this world that uses dimension magic, but they are rare even amongst magic tools. As for why it’s because there are few enchanters that use dimension magic. But even then, if someone were to enchant an object with dimension magic’s Item Box spell, there wouldn’t be any effect that would allow its contents to resist the passage of time. Item Box is, after all, only a magic meant to create another space to store objects in.

“When it comes to storing things, there’s nothing better than this. I’ll put it to good use.” [Ryouma]

Moreover, there are even adamantite and mythril weapons at the bottom of the box. Looks like grandpa hid the really good weapons in this box. It feels like a waste to keep the weapons I can’t use just hidden, but it would also be a problem if I sold them… If I sell them poorly, I’ll end up conspicuous in a bad way after all.

I can just leave things inside this magic tool box since it resists deterioration, but if I do it poorly, I’ll end up leaving something in it for a long time just like I did with Melzen’s spear… In that case, I better leave the things that I or my slimes can use here, while I sell the long sword and the spear cheap to Asagi-san and Jeff-san, all the while asking them to keep quiet about its origins.

Like this I finished investigating the inheritance, and I left the Dimension Home. Outside, the sun had already set, and the sky had already become a beautiful sunset.

“I guess I’ll rest for a bit, and eat supper.” [Ryouma]

Also, I might as well study the mimic slime’s ecology. Fortunately, there aren’t any magical beasts here aside from the undead.

As I thought that to myself, I grew livelier, and I took out the mimic slime from the Dimension Home.

First, I need to know what it eats, so I ordered a grave slime to release its caught preys. When I met the mimic slime for the first time, it tried to eat me, so it must be a predator. But I’ll prepare some vegetables and poisonous plants as well.

After inquiring whether it could only eat one or the other, I understood that it could eat either meat or vegetables. Apparently the mimic slime is an omnivore. However, it can’t eat the rotten meat of the undead-type magical beasts. It also can’t eat poisonous plants. Its eating habits are mostly similar to that of a human’s.

On top of these facts, I also discovered something interesting. When I had confirmed that the mimic slime ate meat, I prepared raptor and galmos alligator meat. The mimic slime jumped at the galmos alligator meat, and it started feasting on it.

After it finished eating, the mimic slime suddenly began to transform into a galmos alligator!

“So the mimic slime’s Mimic is also related to its diet! Does Mimic activate when it eats its prey? If so, then how necessary is eating to Mimic?” [Ryouma]

As I thought that, I tested it out by pulling a strand of hair from my head, and having the mimic slime eat it. But then it appeared that the mimic slime couldn’t Mimic with just this. In that case, I’ll have to increase the amount.

I opened my Item Box, and I took out a pair of scissors I use for sweing. I then cut my bangs and the hair reaching to the back of my neck. My hair has also grown out quite a bit, so this much should be fine. But if I need to shave myself bald then I’ll have to do that after I get back to Gimuru.

It’s because this body is still only 12 years old, so I’m not growing any beard yet. Because of that, I don’t have a razor with me. Besides, it would be strange if I suddenly came back bald. Shaved head and skinheads do exist in this country, but they aren’t common. Even if you walk throughout the twon, you’ll barely see anyone with those hair styles. The country to the south seems to have a fair number though. But in any case, that sort of style is rarely seen in this country.

A-Also, if I have to feed the hair on my limbs to the slime, then I’ll just give up on it. As one would expect, I’m not willing to shave my body that much just to experiment.

It would be great if it could Mimic with just these. As I thought that, I fed the mimic slime the hair I had cut. When I did, the mimic slime slowly began to transform into me. It succeeded! However…

“Why are you naked!?” [Ryouma]

Wai! I know it’s not me, and there’s no one around, but it’s still embarrassing! Why are you naked!? Weren’t you wearing an armor when you were transformed into that man from before!?

“But, in any case, go put on some clothes now!” [Ryouma]

Panicked, I quickly took out a pair of pants and shirt from my Item Box, and handed them over to the mimic slime. The mimic slime slowly extended its hands, but as it began to walk, it fell over.

“Why!?”

I ran up to the mimic slime, and checked on it, and I found out there that it wasn’t feeling unwell or anything. Just that it can’t stand, and the most it can do is roll about.

A few hours passed after that, and after much investigation, I found out that although the mimic slime had succeeded in transforming into me, it couldn’t even walk. Much time might be needed to allow it familiarize itself with the body it transformed into.

“Is that the reason why when it pretended to be a human and attacked me, the movements it used when it attacked was not something that belonged to a human? But I really don’t want to see myself completely naked under the sun, struggling like a newly born child… Fortunately, no one else saw it.” [Ryouma]

Speaking of which, right after that, I had the mimic slime put on some clothes. Or rather, I had it eat some clothes, and then had it transform its body’s surface into clothes. It succeeded well too. Whether it was the appearance of the clothes or the texture, it was a perfect replication. Truly a fearful LV 10 Mimic.

Only, it couldn’t transform back into me after I had it cancel the transformation. That’s most likely because its Mimic Memory skill level is too low. The slime might have to put it to memory first before it’s able to transform at will.

As I continued thinking like that, the sky finally began to turn dark. So I entered the Dimension Home, and began to prepare supper.

“The menu for today is bread and… Oh, right, let’s go with that.” [Ryouma]

I had the grave slime bring out the undead snake that I recently defeated. I then cut its headless body apart, removing its hide and its bones. I then cut it into thin, long strips, and then fried it.

According to what I had researched before, the undead snake is a nutritious treat to eat as its regeneration ability allows its body to store up plenty of nutrients. I also heard that it’s delicious thanks to its fatty meat. Because of all that, I decided to try eating it.

A few seconds after I had begun frying it, oil started to drizzle out of its meat. Then gradually, scent similar to that of fried chicken filled the Dimension Home.

“Looks delicious.” [Ryouma]

To think it would actually make such a delicious smell… It would’ve been great if I had remembered earlier…

Without adding anything onto it, I took a bite out of the now cooked snake meat. When I did, my teeth easily sunk into the soft meat, and juices gushed out of the meat, filling my mouth with its taste.

“Ohh, it’s delicious! It’s plenty juicy, and there’s also enough umami. Come to think of it, I think I also heard of the undead snake meat being good ingredients for tonics and beautifying the body. Speaking of beauty, I wonder if it’s because of the collagen texture? I’ve never had collagen pot, so I don’t know, but… well, it’s delicious and safe to eat, so whatever.” [Ryouma]

As I thought that, I fried more meat to eat. The meat is plenty delicious, so just a little salt and seasoning is good enough. Today’s menu is bread and grilled undead snake salad.

Moreover, I also cut apart the undead snake body that had regenerated from just its head. I grilled that one with salt too, and I fed it to the slimes. When I tasted it, I noticed that its quality had gone down. It must be because it had used its regenerative enegies that its meat had grown dry and hard. It didn’t taste as good too. Well, although it doesn’t taste as good, it’s still plenty delicious though. It does feel a bit lacking compared to the meat I had just tasted a while ago though.

The slimes ate the snake meat happily. The mimic slime also couldn’t use Mimic after eating the fried meat. Mimic might require raw meat, I’ll have to investigate this more later.