“Welcome! Welcome Our hamburgers are excellent!” [Stall Man 1]
“Traveling from town to town for 30 years! The legendary French Fries!” [Stall Man 2]
“Popcorn! Popcorn! We have popcorn here! It’s delicious!” [Stall Man 3]
Stalls that sold nostalgic food were lined up. Judging from the name of the dishes and the contents, it’s likely that these are influences of the otherworlders from Earth.
“Can I have one order of French fries please.” [Ryouma]
“One order of French fries coming right up! That will be 5 suits!” [Stall Man 2]
Out of impulse from the nostalgia, I ended up buying some.
“Here. It’s the exact amount.” [Ryouma]
“Please come again!” [Stall Man 2]
After paying, I got a bowl made out of a huge leaf filled with French fries. I tried a piece immediately, and the simple taste of fried potato seasoned with some salt spread in my mouth.
“Delicious.” [Ryouma]
“Right?” [Stall Man 2]
Not only does it sounds good, it tastes good too. It’s just as I imagined it to be. I happily ate away, and before I knew it, I’d emptied the leaf bowl. I actually wanted some more, but I decided to stop there, Or there would be no end to it.
“Oh? Wait.” [???]
“Ah, good day.” [Ryouma]
When I passed by a stall, the gramps from the drug store I frequented called out to me. Normally, he doesn’t deal with customers and just sits on a chair in the store while watching people, but today, he seems to be selling something.
“Aren’t you the child that frequents our store? Here, take one with you.” [Drug Grandpa]
“Thank you very much. Is this candy?” [Ryouma]
At the end of the rod was a round lump. It was like a Candied Apple with no apple and was powdery and colorful. When I tasted it, I found out that it was indeed candy.
“!?” [Ryouma]
…The moment it entered my mouth, my whole body broke out in shivers.
“What is this?” [Ryouma]
“Hihihi. Something good to eat when the weather is hot.” [Drug Grandpa]
It was so sour and bitter that I actually felt cold for a moment. It was a little salty too. As I continued tasting it, I realized that some medicinal herbs that help against the summer heat were present. If there’s some salt in it too, then it would would definitely be able to prevent heatstrokes. The taste aside, it’s somewhat similar to ‘salt candy’. It might really be suited for hot weathers.
“I’ll be selling here tomorrow too. If you like, come buy some.” [Drug Grandpa]
I don’t find it too sour… I think I’ll buy some tomorrow too.
I thanked gramps and walked away.
…After taking a better look at the stalls, I’ve found that there are all sorts of stuff being sold.
…Fruits are still fine, but I wonder if vegetables can sell too. Pots and knives are being sold too, but I’m doubtful that people interested in buying such things would come here. Everyone is full of life and seem to be enjoying themselves, so maybe that’s why?
This stall here is selling toys, while that stall over there has targets to shoot at. It’s the sort that uses a good bow.
“The young master over there. Want to give our shooting range a try?” [Stall Man 4]
“Thank you, but maybe next time.” [Ryouma]
There weren’t any prizes that I wanted, so I left. I kept on walking and eventually found myself at the center of town, where the roads joined from every direction, making the decorations appear conspicuously gaudy.
There were many street performers here.
“4~, 5~, and 6~!” [Juggler]
A juggler that kept adding more balls.
“Look!” [Acrobat]
Acrobats, who stood on places with little footing such as atop chairs balanced atop each other.
This part of town isn’t that much different from the festivals in my psat life. Personally, I was more taken by the magic tools and monsters used rather than the food and the performances. There’s a man balancing on a ball atop a monster beast that looks like a giant armadillo for one. I have no idea which one of them is supposed to be the main character.
While looking around, I suddenly felt like I just saw someone familiar in clothes that stuck out like a sore thumb through the gaps between the crowd.
In front of a store, which many people came in and out of, stood a nun. The tumult from the festival goers and her clothes really didn’t fit. The youths tending to the stores and the passing customers had noticed her too, as she seemed to be worrying over something.
What is—!!
“Color Slime” [Signboard]
The signboard of the store got my attention.
“Good morning, Bell-san.” [Ryouma]
I called out to the nun, and she vigorously turned around.
“Oh, Takebayashi-san. Good morning.” [Bell]
The nun cheerfully greeted me back. Behind her was as a large box, inside of which were a multi-colored slimes.
Seeing that reminded me of the time when they asked me for advice on raising slimes. They never said anything about it again, but I wonder if they decided on raising one in the end.
“Yes. I asked the children after that if they’d like to raise one, and they said they did. So I started studying Monster Taming and the Contract Spell. I’ve been going at it until just last week.” [Bell]
“I see. So, today you’re…” [Ryouma]
“About that, there’s actually something worrying me…” [Bell]
We moved places so as to not interfere with business, and apparently, it has been decided that she would be taking on the responsibility of raising slime. In connection to that, she also has to provide the slime. The problem now is how to acquire the slime, but she couldn’t make up her mind on whether to catch it herself, buy it at the previous store, or ask the guild to get her one.
“Buying at that store is cheaper than asking the guild, but I feel like the slime in that store is less lively than the ones in Tamer Guild.”
“You’re not wrong.” [Ryouma]
I took a look at that Color Slime too since I was curious about it, but it’s not an advanced variant. It’s just a slime colored by making it drink colored water. And the reason why Bell-san thinks the slime isn’t lively is most probably because of the paint it was made to ingest.
“Slimes do change colors depending on what they ingest, but that’s usually only for a moment until they finish digestion. How well they digest something depends on what it is, so it’s probable that that store made them ingest paint that’s specifically difficult for a slime to digest.” [Ryouma]
From the faint aroma I picked up, they probably used Mizurina Herb. Although it can also be used to make green dye, the components of its aroma is also used make insect repellent. It’s full of fiber so it’s hard to digest.
Moreover, because it also contains insecticidal properties, it can weaken the slime, making it take even longer to digest.
“I see…” [Bell]
When I was trying to figure out the evolution conditions, Mizurina herb is one of the herbs I refrained from giving the slimes unless they themselves wanted it. Incidentally, only the poison slime wanted to eat it.
“Well, even if people eat it, at most they’ll just feel some discomfort. The herb is also used to make clothes, so it’s not exactly dangerous, but since children will be touching the slime a lot, I can’t exactly recommend it.” [Ryouma]
I don’t think it will, but it would be dangerous if it evolved into a poison slime.
“If you’d like, I could prepare a slime for you. I’m an adventurer, so I go out of town a lot. In fact, I work outside of town everyday.” [Ryouma]
“In that case, please allow me to oblige you.” [Bell]
She happily accepted my offer. The church has helped me a lot, and they’ll probably continue helping me in the future. Even as someone who owns the store, it would still be a joyous thing if they could remember me. The clergy have much influence in regional communities. Fufufu… And on top of that, with this I’ll also be able to slowly proselytize people about the goodness of slimes… Or at least that’s what I’m plotting.
“Hmm?” [Ryouma]
“Is something the matter?” [Bell]
“Over there.” [Ryouma]
A grim-faced child was standing at a corner of the street. From his hairy and drooping ear, it was easy to tell that it was a child from the beast tribe. It’s hard to distinguish their gender, but this child looks a bit too young to be walking by himself… I don’t see anyone likely to be his guardian either.
After mentioning that the child seems to be acting odd—
“*Sniff… Mommy… Mommy!”
“That’s not good.” [Bell]
“So, it really was a lost child.” [Ryouma]
I followed after Bell-san who rushed to his aid immediately.
Tl Note: By the way, for the guy asking last chapter, the human-wave tactics is indeed correctly translated. The raw is: 人海戦術, which is pretty much just human wave tactics.
Oh, and this is an extra chapter. Shoutout to all the patrons and the donors that made this chapter possible.
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