There was a wide open area up ahead where the cliffs have been cleanly hollowed out. It was as if a meteor had fallen here to form a crater. It was big enough that you could celebrate sports day here if you wanted.
“It’s a lot bigger than I was expecting. It seems to have been maintained to some extent too.” [Ryouma]
“The knights use this place for training and for camp. This place isn’t under anyone’s administration, but it gets used several times a year, so it looks like it’s being maintained.
In the first place, Trelle Canyon used to be a giant magic testing ground, and even the Town of Departed Spirits that we’re headed to was constructed to serve as a prison and an execution ground. So there are plenty of places here that have indeed been touched by humans.” [Schieber]
“I see… By the way, can I take out my familiars too? I make it a habit to bring them out of my Dimension Home regularly, and I can also get them to prepare lunch while we discuss my armor.” [Ryouma]
“I don’t mind. I’m sure even monsters don’t appreciate being stuffed into a room all the time.” [Schieber]
The other three agreed too, so I opened my Dimension Home and called out to my familiars. They’ve eaten outside plenty of times already, so they should be able to get out quickly. The first to come out was the Emperor Scavenger Slime.
“Woah!?” [Schieber]
“W-What is that?” [Remilie]
“That’s even bigger than the slime I saw before.” [Reinbach]
“As expected of you, Ryouma-sama.” [Sebasu]
Reinbach-sama and Sebasu-san knew about my slimes and the big slimes, so they weren’t that surprised, but Schieber-san and Remilie-san were, so I gave a simple explanation about the emperor scavenger slime.
“I did see you take a lot of slimes with you before, but I can’t believe how big the emperor slime is and how many they are. 10,000 slimes? That’s just…” [Schieber]
“It’s my first time seeing one in my life too.” [Remilie]
“Big slimes can rarely be spotted in the wild, but I don’t know about emperor slimes. Would it be possible if there were a lot of slimes?” [Remilie]
Meanwhile, the goblins came out from behind the emperor scavenger slime in droves. With their neat clothes, equipment, and the weapons and luggage they had on them, it was obvious that they were not wild goblins.
It was a sight I was all too familiar with, but the others didn’t react like they did with the emperor slime.
“Is something the matter?” [Ryouma]
“Well, this is also unexpected in its own way.” [Remilie]
I asked for an explanation, and Reinbach-sama was more than happy to provide it.
“The goblins are a class society. The leader of the horde rules over everything. He has priority over the food, and everyone else eats only whats left. So the lower a goblin is in the hierarchy the more emaciated he is, and the higher one is the stronger. That’s why an experienced eye can tell from a goblin’s physique how much food they have, what class the goblin is, as well as the strength of the goblin.
Most of your goblins likely multiplied under you. With how well built their physiques are, they probably have plenty of food. The relatively thinner ones should be the survivors of a subjugation job.” [Reinbach]
“It’s exactly as you’ve surmised. They eat as much as a human would. That’s a lot as far as the standards set by the Tamer Guild goes, and they get nutritional supplements too for the sake of their health and physique.” [Ryouma]
Because of all the food, the goblins reproduced like rats, and stronger variants would more likely to appear too. Considering the threat, it would be safer to limit their food intake, but as their master and as compensation for the help they provided, I gave them plenty of food instead. I’ve been researching nutrient supplements as well, so I’m curious if it’ll produce any changes.
“I see, nutrient supplements… I don’t know what that is, but that hobgoblin has a physique equaling a goblin knight’s. Have they ever ignored your orders?” [Reinbach]
“Oh they’ve resisted many times.” [Ryouma]
The first time was about a weak after they reproduced. The new goblins became adults in no time, formed a faction and became selfish. Their parents, the eight goblins that I first caught, were obedient, but the reproduction and growth rate of the goblins allowed them to outnumber and overpower them.
“It was looking like only the parent goblins could be suppressed, so I left an opening and killed them when they attacked. After that they started listening to me. The one at the top of their society is currently me.” [Ryouma]
“If my memory serves me right, you participated in the subjugation of a large goblin nest. Add to that how you could fight Schieber on equal footing, so indeed, there’s indeed no way you would lose to some new born goblins. That’s why you decided to make them submit by force.” [Reinbach]
“Yes. I don’t know if this’ll prove that, but…” [Ryouma]
The goblins that came out in droves seemed to be interested in the people with me, as they kept glancing at us. I told them not to lay a hand on the people with me no matter what, and…
“Gobu!” [Goblin 1]
“Gigi!” [Goblin 2]
The goblins immediately and simultaneously understood my order, and after nodding to me and responding in their own way, they started preparing lunch. I don’t understand a lick of what they’re saying, but their conduct is easy enough to understand.
“As you can see.” [Ryouma]
“I see. You have them disciplined well.” [Reinbach]
“Yes. I’m taking care since I’ve already witnessed for myself how dangerous the speed of their reproduction from how they rebelled.” [Ryouma]
“I see… Looks like there was no need for me to be worried.” [Reinbach]
“I’m grateful for your concern, Reinbach-sama.” [Ryouma]
I’m confident in my strength and I have prior experience too, so I’m alright, but if any other beginner tried to pull the same stunt, they’d likely either lose their life or allow the goblins to flee and hurt others. It’s understandable why the guild would remind tamers not to feed the goblins too much.
“I’m glad you feel that way, but you really aren’t like a child, are you? It feels like I’m talking to an adult.” [Reinbach]
Reinbach-sama seemed troubled yet his words remained gentle. I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just turned to the goblins that have started to prepare lunch.
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