Chapter 44

Interviewer: Now that you introduced yourself, could you tell me something about your skills?

Clown: I excel at making people laugh.

Interviewer: Oh! That’s a very useful skill to have in the service industry. How do you make them laugh?

Clown: I tell them jokes.

Interviewer: Let me hear one.

Clown: How do you make holy water? You boil the hell out of it.

Interviewer: Puns, huh. As an extra question, where do you see yourself working here in five years?

Clown: Firing you.

Interviewer: …

Clown: That’s also a joke.

Interviewer: Oh. Your sense of humor aside, do you consider yourself a people’s person?

Clown: I am a people’s clown…

Interviewer: A clown? What do you mean by that?

Clown: Don’t I look like a clown?

Interviewer: No… Wait. What are you doing?!

Clown: …

Interviewer: Stay away!

Clown: …

Clown: Do I look like a clown now?

.

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Forest Disturbance Arc

Chapter 44 – And thus we finished the city

Now that the war ended, we might as well return to our city.

Honestly, returning back with an extra two thousand or so followers is tiresome.

So, I’ll leave the return march to Hakurou.

Souei has already returned to let everyone know about victory. We also need to set up some temporary housing for the newcomers.

After I sent him back, I sat down to decide who’d rush back with me.

Ranga can carry two back and Star Leader can carry another…

But they couldn’t come to a consensus on who’d go.

Shion said, “I’m in charge of our lord’s care!”, and Benimaru mentioned something about defenses or what-not.

Gerudo also referred to his ability to carry things with his stomach, and asked to be included.

Honestly, though, I don’t care who goes.

Wait a second! I just remembered that I can use 『Shadow Step』as well.

After I decided to return this way, the debate suddenly stopped.

I was completely oblivious to dejected Ranga, who wanted to carry me, and disappointed Shion, who was hoping to ride with me.

「Well then, I’ll be going on ahead!」

I declared, and left using『Shadow Step』.

Daaamn, this skill is convenient! It’s like moving straight to the target through a different dimension.

Oh, and I fly through that plain using 〈Flight Magic〉.

Feels like I’m moving really, really fast. In a blink of an eye I reach the city.

Seems like this skill can plot a course not just to people and monsters, but also to locations I’ve previously visited.

I still can’t fly especially fast using〈Flight Magic〉. However, even at current speed, I can easily conclude that this is the best way to travel.

I am completely satisfied with the results of this trial run.

Ranga’s group will probably arrive within 2~3 days.

Hakurou and the High Orcs will be here a month from now, at the soonest.

So before they arrive, I have to prepare a place for them to live.

While some small dilemmas are bound to arise, we’ve at least solved all the major problems.

For now, I just want to relax.

＊　＊　＊

Then,

After everyone arrived on time and I divided up the responsibilities, things quieted down.

The city was quickly taking on shape.

The high orcs, who arrived in less than a month, quickly learned the appropriate skills from the Dwarfs and skilled Goblins.

According to Kaijin,

「With time, they just might become as good as the Dwarf Manufacturing Battalion.」

Is what he said.

Thus, having acquired new workers, we quickly rushed to finish all the previously neglected projects.

At the same time, we started transporting goods and equipment.

We dismantled the tents that were no longer in use, and sent them to the orc communities.

The goblins sent to them have been able to assert their leadership and have been helping establishing basic necessities.

The moment we began exchanging goods we also started establishing a solid system of exchange.

Though they ended up with, what we may call ancient, bartering system, the fact that they came up with it is in itself wonderful.

Besides, it’s not like they are growing that many goods yet, so they can take all the time they need to learn these things.

There is very little variety right now; basically limited to growing a potato-like crop.

It can grow even in harsh environments.

It also has high nutritional value, and though you can’t exactly call it luxury food you can certainly live off of it.

Thus, we spread the seeds among them and taught them how to grow it.

Perhaps in two years they could be self-sufficient? I surely hoped so…

Gerudo was very useful in transporting the seeds and tents.

As he claimed he could, he swallowed the disassembled tents and thus distributed them among the villages.

However, his success is largely thanks to the fact that he can now leap along with the star wolves during 『Shadow Step』.

He seriously tried hard to learn it and became the first to succeed with it.

The rest went smoothly.

That is, the trip to the mountain district alone on foot would have taken him many months. Instead, he was able to make a round trip in a single day.

So we decided to put the skill to use and established a communications network between all the villages.

Basically–Postal Service.

For example, I can scribble some information on a wood block and have it circulated among the communities.

Though I must mention that only a few individuals here can read and write, and I’m rather afraid of sending a verbal message.

Who knows that it will become after being passed from village to village.

Hopefully they can learn letters. More so, since 『Telepathic Communication』 does not reach that far.

But that’s for later.

Thus, we were able to establish some kind of connection between the many communities.

And I must not forget about a guy that showed up.

Gabil.

That idiot suddenly showed up in our city.

「Iyaa… ha ha ha! This Gabil has rushed over to become Your strength, Rimuru-dono!」

He brazenly stated.

「Kill him?」

Shion asked me with a serious face.

The kind of face that screams 'serious!” and reads “absolutely serious!”

Gabil paled and,

「I got carried away! I’m sorry!

Please allow us to become Your subordinates, Rimuru-sama!

We will definitely prove ourselves useful!!!」

He immediately corrected himself falling into a dogeza.

Apparently, he was disowned (exiled?) by his father, and had no place to go.

So since he was just so pitiful, I decided to welcome him in.

Bet he’ll get carried away again right away, though.

Hmm? If I look closely, seems like the Head’s Guard Captain is also among them.

「Hmm? Captain-san, why are you here?」

When I asked him,

「I came to serve Souei-sama, whom I greatly admire!」

「What? So you didn’t come because you admired this Gabil!」

「I am different from the other muscle brains! That much is obvious!」

They started to quarrel among themselves.

The majority, it seems, came out of respect for Gabil, but there were a few from the guard squad as well.

Well, I don’t see a big problem with them wanting to serve Souei.

「If you want to serve Souei, go and talk to him. But do note–he’s a ninja. Will you be of any use to him? 」

「We shall! We are different from those naive idiots!」

「Wh-what did you say! Don’t underestimate me, little girl!」

Seems like they don’t get along.

Probably the fact that one started a rebellion and the other captured them afterwards led to a grudge forming between them. In any case, I won’t meddle in that.

Cause it’s damn tiresome.

Oh, and I later learned that the little girl is Gabil’s younger sister.

Since she’s his relative, she’s probably also little weird.

But her father is a wonderful guy…

「Well, since you’ll be serving Souei, I guess you’ll be called Souka.

The other four I’ll name,

Touka, Saika, Nansou, and Hokusou!」

Flower endings for girls, and spear endings for boys. Of course, there is no greater meaning attached.

These five served in the Guard Squad. I’ll leave them to Souei.

The moment I named them, they began to evolve.

Gabil observed this with great envy.

However, I cannot name Gabil. He already has a name.

「Are you jealous, Gabil-kun?

But you are already named “Gabil!”」

Gabil quickly looked at me.

And then, his body began to glow. Hmm? That’s a sign of evolution…

The moment I thought that, a lot of magical energy suddenly left my body.

Again?!

Seriously… But who could have thought I can overwrite names.

Well, chances are this happened by pure chance. The one who named him had died, and we were on the same wavelength or something like that? I don’t know exactly why it happened, but the fact remains: I (re)named Gabil.

I had wanted him to reflect a bit more, but just thinking how haughty he’ll become after evolving… damn it, now I’m scared!

While thinking these things, I entered Sleep Mode.

The following day, I named the other hundred lizardmen soldiers.

The names I assigned by picking letters of the alphabet.

20 names was my limit. Since they were high level monsters to begin with, naming them takes uses up a lot of magical energy.

The whole process took five days.

Can’t I just stop?

Somehow, I feel like I’m working harder than I ever did in my past life.

It’s Gabil. It’s all Gabil’s fault.

Since that’s clearly the truth, let’s fire a magic bullet at him.

「Wh-what are you doing?!」

He exclaimed in surprise,

「Practice!」

I responded.

He happily accepted that response. He really is an idiot. One that can compete with Gobuta.

By the way, since it was pointless, I didn’t fire a bullet at him.

Gabil evolved into a Dragonewt.

He’s covered by dense scales which act like a multi-layer barrier.

Oh and speaking of strange, the appearance of dragonewts varries by gender.

The men don’t look much different than when they were lizardmen. They sprouted dragon wings and horns, and are now covered in hard scales–just that much.

Well, their dark-green color also changed to dark-purple.

On the other hand, the women have a human appearance. Rather beautiful, actually.

Furthermore, they can also cover themselves with dragon scales, sprout wings and horns at will.

They look like I would if I were to transform into a human and combine myself with the black snake and giant bat.

Perhaps that black snake was a dragon species.

So, since Gabil’s vices annoyed me to no end, I also wanted to check out his defenses, and it’s hard to check that by yourself, I fired a test shot at him. He was unharmed.

I only shot a normal round, that he normally received… that should have been five times stronger than usual…

Well, maybe he’s just so stupid he doesn’t feel the pain, or, even worse, he inherited my pain resistance.

They do say that dinosaurs were dull to pain, so could he be a…

Now that they have evolved, what should we do about their housing?

If they need water, there’s that river flowing nearby…

And it’s a pain to make a village with only a hundred people.

There is that underground lake in the cave, but there’s no fish and high magic energy density.

Well, since it’s Gabil, he can handle that much, right?

They could also cultivate Hipokte grass while they are at it.

However, would sending them into the cave prove perilous to them?

The five guards I left to Souei.

Hopefully he can raise them into fine ninja and kunoichi.

Since I’m scared, I’ll be sure to avoid their practices.

Gabil’s group is the problematic one, however.

Even if I send them into the cave they probably won’t become monster feed, but…

As Dragonewts, their fighting strength is B rank.

They should have no problem defeating most monsters in there, but the centipede could cause them some trouble.

But since they are experienced warriors and are carrying weapons they should be fine, right?

I shouldn’t worry about Gabil either. His evolution placed him at rank A-.

He also obtained quite a lot of magical energy.

So maybe he’ll end up as an A rank.

「Gabil, I want to leave harvesting Hipokte grass in the caves to you, how about it?」

When I asked,

「Please leave it to me! This Gabil will work himself to the bone for your sake!」

He casually responded.

I’ll leave it to him.

Besides, if they start living there, they can also double as the cave’s guards.

And so Gabil’s group started harvesting hipokte grass in the caves.

I had some lingering worries, so I came to check, but they seem to be doing just fine.

And since they are constantly fighting, they are becoming stronger.

Right now, they can bring down a centipede with just the five of them.

How reassuring.

I should also send them new weapons. So I thought.

And thus, some time passed.

＊　＊　＊

Two months have passed since I returned to the city.

Just as everyone was getting used to life here and production was going smoothly,

And the moment we finished the last house,

The goblins.

If I had to say, about eight thousand of them.

Showed up and knelt before me, saying

「If you may, please make us your servants as well!」

「「「We humbly beg you!!!」」」

They said falling prostrate before me.

I thought for a second.

If I refuse them, that may seed conflict later on.

Besides, I also strictly ordered not to discriminate against other races.

If I send them away that may set a precedent of discrimination.

Let’s accept them. So I decided.

「Fine. But I will drive away anyone who’s slacking, is that fine?」

「Of course!!!」

I accepted them lightly.

But little did I know that another struggle was soon upon me!

Again! My screams could be heard immediately after.

To say the least, I used numbers and thus created the Green Corps.

That was the moment the famous Green Corps was born. Along with the Yellow Corps, they would be known as having no equal, the crux of my force.

Right now, they were but dirty goblins.

And a month later, I finally finished naming them.

But this was not a complete tragedy. My total amount of magical energy has increased.

I mean, I kept emptying time after time again, so it was bound to increase a bit.

And thus, I finished naming the goblins.

By the time I finished naming them, we also finished constructing housing for everyone.

I had the goblins stay in a boarding house for now, but that’s certainly better than camping out in a tent.

We had a system for drawing water, a well in every house, so it is a pretty advanced city.

Having a flush toilet is also heavenly.

There is a need to carry the pumped out water to the toilet in a bucket, but strong monsters don’t particularly mind.

There are also those who don’t excrete, though. Me included.

However, we can’t have the city stinking.

That much I will not permit.

However, there are still many fields and animal farms that haven’t seen success.

I want to make sure this city grows in abundance.

I have finally acquired a land where I can live at peace.

Here are those who were with me at the time,

Oni – 6 people

Tempest Star Wolf – 1 member

Star Leader – 1 member

Star Wolves – 100 members

Goblin Riders – 100 people

Goblin King – 1 person

Goblin Lords – 8 people

Hobgoblins – 8,657 people

Orc King – 1 person

High Orcs – 1,984 people

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Dragonewts – 106 people

And 4 dwarfs supporting us.

There are over ten thousand monsters inhabiting these lands.

And thus we finished the city.

End of the Forest Disturbance Arc