Chapter 320: Preparing for the Journey Back

The next day.

With my inheritance retrieved and the souls liberated, most of my objectives here in the Great Forest have already been completed. We still need to wait for the rhino leader, but until then, Im free.

Glen-san was pleased with the goblins dressing of his spoils, so hes out happily hunting. I considered accompanying him, but I couldnt leave the village for too long in case the rhinos leader appeared.

Ive been thinking about it hard since this morning, and in the end, I clean up the ruins in the village and do some landscaping.

You sure about this? [Ryouma]

Yep. [Cormi]

The village around the mansion had served as a stage to comfort the souls of the residents taken in by Cormi, but now that the undead have been liberated, its no longer needed.

Theres a chance for undead to sp.a.w.n again on their own even without Cormi doing anything, so Ive been instructed to clean things up nicely to prevent any problems.

Cormi is the one most attached to the village here, so if hes okay with it, then Ill go ahead and dismantle the ruins.

Ive done this before already, but the environment is different, so Ill start with the small stuff.

Then Ill start by removing the weed and debris. [Ryouma]

I brought out my Sand Slimes from my Dimension Home and had them turn a portion of the ground into sand, then through slime magic, we summoned a swirling ma.s.s of sand to carve away at a corner of the village. It was just like when I dismantled childrens homes in the city of Gimuru.

Like this, I should be able to quickly clear all the debris, as well as the weeds and timber.

Next, lets do away with the sand and the remaining structures. [Ryouma]

I worked together with the soil slime to cover up the remaining sand and pulverized debris. In the process, I made sure to remove any embedded objects such as iron fences. I also removed the roots of weeds and entrusted them to the Huge Bush Slime for disposal.

Just like that weve already mostly cleared the place, but to keep the Heat-Emitting Trees from falling onto the mansion, we also made sure to refill the soil without damaging their roots.

For the finis.h.i.+ng touches, I got the Huge Bush Slime to cover the ground, and just like that, all traces of the old buildings were gone.

That was fast! [Cormi]

Oh, were just getting started. Thats just one part, after all. [Ryouma]

Cormi had been watching from inside the mansions fence, and when he saw how fast we cleared that one area, he exclaimed in admiration very much like a kindergartener gleefully watching construction vehicles at work.

Anyway, the buildings were mostly made of natural stone and wood, so given the environment, this method should allow them to return nature completely

Lets do the same for the other buildings too.

Like that I continued to work on the buildings, progressing clockwise around the mansion, until noon came, and Glen-san returned.

Good job out there. Something the matter? [Ryouma]

I didnt see the Cannonball Rhino youre looking for, but the hunting grounds here are great. Tons of monsters you wont find in shallower parts pop up here. I caught quite a bit, so Ill have to count on you to dress them again. You can have the meat, organs, and the Hotel Rafflesia. [Glen]

The flower too? [Ryouma]

Yeah, its not really something I look for normally, so I dont even know who to sell it to. Im sure someone will show up if I look for a buyer, but I cant be bothered with the negotiations. Theres a good hunting place here, so right now, Id rather just get more of the usual stuff. [Glen]

I see, that makes sense. Its not a bad deal for me, and hes happy, so lets go with that.

Were in agreement then? [Ryouma]

Yep. Ill count on you for lunch too. [Glen]

Alright. [Ryouma]

And so, I started preparations for lunch, but there was something that got my attention.

Whats the matter? Youre making a strange face. [Glen]

Try this. [Ryouma]

Isnt this the usual snake meat? Hmm? Did I get it wrong? [Glen]

No, its definitely immortal snake meat, but despite handling it properly, and despite Identify saying that it isnt rotten, its clearly worse than before. [Ryouma]

I wouldnt call it bad, though. Rather, the meat from yesterday was just too good. Its decent in its own right, but it doesnt compare to yesterdays. [Glen]

The meat was slightly tougher and drier. If the meat itself hasnt gone bad, its probably due to the regenerative abilities of the Immortal Snake.

There are two types of meat from the Immortal Snake: one taken from its body in almost pristine condition and another from its regenerated body after being severed.

Until yesterday, I was using the one with its head already removed, as that was easier to process. But after eating so much, we ate it all up already, so I turned to the regenerated body.

Perhaps its because the regenerated meat has already depleted its stored energy and nutrients in the process of regeneration affecting the taste.

So, in other words, if we want to eat that delicious meat, we need to kill the snake in one blow without inflicting unnecessary wounds? [Glen]

I think its fine so long as youre able to cut its head off. Thats how we got the meat yesterday, after all. Of course, I cant say for sure since its my first time hunting the immortal snake too. Given the difficulty of acquiring it, I think its a taste most people wont be able to taste. [Ryouma]

Most people wont even be able to kill that snake, and they wont come this deep into the Great Forest too. [Glen]

Thats true. I laughed and asked what well do about the meat, but it was edible, so we decided to just eat it. He also asked me to hunt more of those delicious meat in case I came across one. Well, I also want to bring them back as a souvenir so that the people at the shop and the dukes household can have a taste, so yeah, Ill make sure to hunt the snake down properly if I do come across it.

Day 2 of preparations.

As I continued the dismantling of the village in the morning, I stumbled upon a corner of the village that resembled a field. It seemed neglected like the rest of the village, swallowed by the plants of the Great Forest, leaving behind only ruins of its once former glory. Amidst the weeds, I noticed grape-like fruits growing on branches extending from the vines entwined around the support pillars. Hopeful, I decided to return to the mansion.

Cormi. [Ryouma]

Whats the matter? [Cormi]

I found a place that resembled a farm. Oh, maybe it would be faster if you just read my memories. [Ryouma]

Thats a pepper field. [Cormi]

So it really was pepper. Then perhaps it might be better to harvest from there instead of demolis.h.i.+ng it all at once. Despite the lack of maintenance, there seemed to be some natural growth already. As I pondered the idea, Cormi came up with an unexpected suggestion.

We can raise some pepper if you want. [Cormi]

You know how? [Ryouma]

Yeah. Those fields have been abandoned for awhile now, but someone did cultivate it before. Thats why theres a garden in the courtyard too. We can do other spices too on top of peppers. [Cormi]

Apparently, among the former villagers was someone who couldnt forget their heyday from cultivating spices, so even after being bound by Cormi, they continued to farm in a corner of the mansion. Cormi, who could read memories and thoughts, gave them the illusion they desired as he watched their work. Naturally, he came to understand how to farm pepper and other spices that grew here in the Great Forest.

Moreover, Cormi could take advantage of his illusions to demonstrate the process of obtaining suitable branches for cuttings from pepper trees.

I could teach your goblins too since they seem to be free. [Cormi]

Eager for the opportunity to interact with the new residents, Cormi left right away. Meanwhile, I couldnt help but think about how convenient his powers were. He was just like a house that managed itself.

He knows how to farm pepper, he can read minds and create illusions, and he can even communicate with monsters. And the fact that he could use his illusions to teach feels very modern Earth. In fact, its a step above it, venturing into the realms of AR.

Cormi may have gone off track due to loneliness, but I think hes a really diligent child.

Im also starting to realize again that hes someone with power that the G.o.ds are wary of. He didnt know how to use his powers before, but if he puts his mind to it, there are plenty of ways to use it.

Ryouma! [Cormi]

Hmm!? You scared me. Did something happen? [Ryouma]p

Cormi suddenly came back. Well, the mansion is really his actual body, so technically, hes always been next to me, but lets not sweat the small details.

Whats the matter? I thought you went over to the goblins? [Ryouma]

Do you want to grow Hotel Rafflesias too? [Cormi]

Huh? You can grow those things? Is that alright? [Ryouma]

As long as the flower part remains intact, its not difficult to grow them. Just place them next to something suitable for support. Its just that people wont be able to live nearby, and attempting to harvest them would require risking ones life. [Cormi]

That sounds plenty problematic to me. [Ryouma]

The last villagers went that far. Lets make a living from this and live a decent life! Or so they said. [Cormi]

Sounds like the beginning of a terrible pattern. [Ryouma]

Could it be that the Hotel Rafflesia habitat that Glen mentioned is that farm I found? It might have ended up like that due to being pushed too hard, but the way Cormi put it makes it sound like something only those desperate for a miraculous turnaround would attempt. Of course, those sort of ventures rarely ever succeed.

Hotel Rafflesia certainly sells for a high price, but it would be a waste not to be able to live here anymore. [Ryouma]

I can pacify the gluttony flies with my illusion magic. [Cormi]

I still dont want those things nearby. Im not struggling for money, so lets not do that for the time being. If necessary, I can just get it elsewhere. Oh, did you get the materials for the Hotel Rafflesia from Glen-san? Along with the other materials he didnt need? [Ryouma]

He mentioned that yesterday when I agreed to dress his spoils.

Theyre all in the storage room. [Cormi]

Okay. [Ryouma]

Theres no need to rush the dismantling of the village, so lets collect the dismantled materials for now. I also want to check if there are any slimes that prefer materials from the Great Forest since theres plenty of them available.

With that in mind, I went to the warehouse and checked

Ohh!! I guess I shouldve expected it given these are materials from the Great Forest, but it looks like I might be able to get a plant type slime. [Ryouma]

Even with just the stuff I had on hand, there were weed slimes that already reacted. They reacted to the branch of the Heat Emitting Tree that I picked up before, the seeds I found from inside monsters, and even the petals of the Hotel Raflesia. Robelia-san, the researcher, once spoke of Tree Slimes that could become trees when they consumed plant-based materials. Could this be related?

Are the seeds the common point, or is it something else? The only way to know is to evolve them.

Similarly, are they only able to eat the Hotel Raflesias petals? This too will have to wait until they evolve to be understood. However, Hotel Raflesia is precious, so maybe I should consider growing them, after all. Well, for now, lets just prioritize the Heat-Emitting trees that are easy to procure. Well find out if they can evolve into tree slimes just yet.

Speaking of readily available materials, theres an excess of Raptor meat.

Similar to the Tree Slime, I heard from Caulkin-san before that there was a slime that evolved by feeding it lots of monster meat.

He apparently went bankrupt from it, but I can provide it myself, so lets try this evolutionary path too.

Im already looking forward to the results. Since thats been decided, I better start gathering ingredients now. [Ryouma]

Ryouma! Hurry up and deal with these two! [Glen]

Glen-san? What is it all of the sudden!? [Ryouma]

As I was planning in the warehouse, Glen-san arrived in a hurry. Wondering what was so urgent, I looked over to find him holding the head of a green snake on each armpit. Moreover, the snakes bodies were coiled around his torso multiple times, constricting him!

You found an Immortal Snake!? [Ryouma]

I found them some ways farther than usual from the village! There was a bigger one too! Ill keep them coming, so hurry up and kill these two! [Glen]

Alright. Cormi! [Ryouma]

Yes? [Cormi]

He must have already understood the situation, and as if on cue, Cormi appeared out of nowhere, and the two snakes slid away from Glen-sans body, falling asleep peacefully on the floor of the warehouse.

This should make it easier to kill it. [Ryouma]

Alright, Ill leave it to you then! [Glen]

Since there are more snakes, then that must mean theres a nest of Immortal Snakes not far from here. That makes this place that much more dangerous, but also that much more superior for gathering materials. How wonderful.

As I prepared to deal with the large snakes, I naturally began to think about the material gathering plan for the afternoon.