CH 333.2

Jayanne, one of the top brothels in a prime location in the red-light district. After leaving the store, I headed to one of the many food stalls around and had dinner while watching the crowd.

(Cool-san will be coming tonight after all.)

The semi-final of the practical exam. Apparently, during the fight with Light Cruiser-sensei, Dangorou granted her a blessing.

I thought it was strange since she managed to withstand a blow that I thought would have decided the match.

「I’m home.」

A caterpillar and a dung beetle had come to the door to welcome me home. I took them both to the living room, laid a bath towel on the floor, and once there, I went out into the garden alone.

I returned empty-handed and I placed two cushions on either side of the bath towel and sat on one.

『Where’s Zaratan?』

The fifth instar larva of a 20-centimeter-long swallowtail butterfly, Imosuke, the leader of my familiars, asked

He was wondering why I didn’t bring the Great Spirit Beast turtle along.

「He said he’s not interested.」

I, Dr. Slime, am the leader of the 『Doom Squad』. Imosuke is the vice-commander, Dangorou is the general, and Cool-san is our monster, the virgin-eater Unicorn.

Zaratan is also my familiar, but he is not a member of our group, and Cool-san is unaware that he is a spirit beast. So tonight, he said he’s just going to watch the 『Pomelo swaying in the wind under the starry sky』.

『Hmmm….』

The vice-commander looks dejected but convinced. Immediately after, the general next to me sends a wave toward me.

『She’s here!』

Normally Imosuke would sense a visitor first, but not this time it seems. Looks like the two spinning kindreds have a good connection with each other.

A little later, I heard a golem carriage pull up in front of the house, followed by the sound of footsteps going up the stairs.

I headed for the front door to greet Cool-san.

「Thank you very much for the protection and advice.」

After I guide her into the living room and sit on the cushion on the floor, she bows her head so deeply that her forehead touches the floor.

Since the two animals are on the bath towel, the back of her head is still higher than that of Imosuke and the others though.

「However, I still lost despite that. My apologies.」

As Cool-san continued to speak while still in that figure, Dangorou started to climb up to her head and said.

『How’s your injury?』

Unicorn answered 『There’s none』 to the question that came from the top of her head. Prompted by the two flying waves of relief, she slowly returns to her posture, careful not to drop the general.

(Is he trying to comfort his subordinate who got defeated?)

He appears to just sit still, motionless above her head, but it seems that’s what he was intending to do.

I shift my gaze downward to look at the expressionless young woman.

(…..She looks so happy.)

She still gave a cold impression like always, partly because of her well-defined face, but she seemed calmer than usual.

Since I feel like it, I also put Imosuke on my head like a chonmage*.

「*TL Note: A topknot tied by old men in the Edo period.」

『Hmp』

『Hmmmppp』

I was just imitating them, but for some reason, there were sparks between the two animals above our heads.

Not caring about that, Cool-san kept her back straight and pulled a burlap sack beside her.

「I brought this as a thank-you gift.」

She took out two ochre-colored flat stones of different sizes.

「I wanted to bring some food, but I don’t know what should I bring.」

She must’ve been quite troubled choosing what to bring. I understand how she felt. After the Divine Tournament in the Holy City, I too was wondering what to bring as a souvenir.

In the end, I decided on a baby brush, which I use to remove dirt from the garden when I go up to the living room.

(She also brought one Imosuke, huh.)

The small one with a black pattern placed in front of me seems to be the one for him.

Incidentally, she also brought something for me, which is a pastry from a well-known store. I have already received it at the entrance.

「Alright, alright.」

『Put me down』, the caterpillar on top of my head asked me and crawled to the front of the stone. The caterpillar looked at the pattern for a moment, then turned its head toward Unicorn.

『A leaf?』

Apparently, the pattern is a fossilized leaf of a plant.

I lay down on my stomach and stared at it too.

(This board…. Is it mudstone?)

The mud that has accumulated has been transformed into stone after a long period of time. And the leaf must have been caught up in the process.

Imosuke, who was also known as the 『Forest Sage』 looks at it with interest and then lets out a happy wave. Looks like he likes it.

(Looks like his feeling was properly conveyed to her.)

Imosuke’s wave must have reached her because Cool-san showed a relieved expression.

Dangorou was also lowered to the floor by her, staring at the same slab of mudstone of his that doesn’t have any pattern.

『Wouldn’t that be a good roof to put over your bed?』 she asked, anxiously.

(Hm?)

Dangorou turns his head toward the monster who was his subordinate as if he has something on his mind. The cool beauty looks surprised at first then nods her head.

(Just what is…)

The general backed up to keep his distance, curled up, spun around, speed up, and charged toward it.

『……!』

Dangorou uncurl himself and looked back at me with a sparkling wave.

Apparently, he wanted to test the results of last night’s practice in front of the plain, thin, flat stone.

Unicorn is giving a small round of applause while spouting something like 『that was amazing sir』.

「No, I’m sorry to break it to you while you’re excited about it, but it doesn’t mean you’ve strong enough to break a rock, okay?」

Compared to ordinary stone, this one is extremely fragile and easily broken.

I know it’s tactless, but I do not want anyone to get hurt by their misunderstanding. That is why I said that to him.

Cool-san seemed to have understood and kept quiet with a strange expression on his face.

『That’s too bad.』

The general’s spirits were dampened, but he was restored by Unicorn’s suggestion.

「How about a tool to show Your Excellency’s power when something goes wrong?」

Tiles for tiles breaking*. It would be like the so-called 『Noshikawara*』.

It’s just a consolation, but it’s still good. I can feel the wave of joy.

As the conversation was about to end, I spoke up and said what was on my mind.

「About the battle for third place, but were you both in sync with the Knight’s senses?」

After losing to Light Cruiser-sensei in the semi-finals, Cool-san faced off against Black Tights-chan.

She won, but the way she fought was by fiddling Black Tights-chan’s Knight’s crotch with her Knight’s fingers and making her scream.

「No.」

Cool-san shook her head side-to-side regretfully. Apparently, it was only Black Tights-chan.

「It was probably because of the aftermath of the fight with the whip-user that had affected her.」

The reason there’s an envious air around her is because 『Riding』 state rarely comes along and is said to be a valuable experience.

(Not so great when you actually experience it, though.)

The control accuracy and senses will become much sharper. But because of the pain, I can’t say that it’s very suitable for fighting.

I was always in this state, but I don’t think I need to tell her that.

(But still….)

Black Tights-chan had developed techniques that I didn’t know about, such as increasing her magical power during the match. I guess that has something to do with the fact that she’s able to be in sync with the knight.

(I guess she’s graduated now. From the school, and from me.)

I have nothing else to teach her. A happy, yet slightly sad wind blew through my chest.

However, it was just for a short time because I heard the voices of my familiars.

「Oh, yeah, right. I’ll bring it over now, wait a second.」

Imosuke and Dangorou urge me to get up.

I go to the kitchen, put what I had prepared on a tray, and put it on the living room table.

「It’s watermelon and corn. Go ahead and try it.」

Two of them insisted on giving their hard-working subordinates to eat.

By the way, I was the one who harvested it. I was also the one who peeled and boiled the corn and also chilled and cut the watermelon.

「Thank you very much.」

Cool-san’s eyes sparkle with appetite. After watching her and the two of them as they began to eat, I went to the kitchen once more.

「I’m going to the garden for a minute to put some of this there.」

Like this, in the living room, the members of the Doom Squad and by the pond, the knowledgeable long-lived turtle, enjoyed the watermelon and corn, respectively.