Preparing

Within a room in our lodging, I lined up the things I bought and went to work.

First, I rubbed the sticky slime's sticky liquid on the cloth I bought, then I dried it with the magic, Drier – a magic created by fusing the basic wind magic, Breeze, and the basic fire magic, Fire – and created several waterproof cloths.

In the past, I once lost control over dryer and accidentally filled Breeze with Fire. The result was a great flame, and the birth of a spell known as Flamethrower. I can't lose control now. If I screw up, no one will be laughing.

I took extra care to avoid burning the place down, but as a result, it took me until afternoon. It's easy to fuse two spells of the same attribute, but two spells of two different attributes isn't. Not that saying that will change anything, though.

Next, I had the sticky slime spit out some thread and rolled it around the empty spool I bought. The strength of the resulting string depends on the ratio of the sticky liquid and hardening liquid.

A 7:3 ratio of sticky liquid to hardening liquid will result in a soft and beautiful thread that can be used for sewing, while a 6:4 ratio will result in a robust thread. 5:5 results in a pliable thread that can easily snap should a human or a beast pull it, making it perfect for traps. 4:6 results in a strong thread useful for strangling people or animals to death.

When I was trying out the various ratios back in the forest, I led a black bear into several layers of 4:6 threads that I'd set up between trees. The black bear could only stand one of those once, and when I examined it, a small wound could be seen on its body.

It was then that I realized that the 6:4 thread could be used to create a dangerous trap, so I decided to stop using it. I haven't used it since then except for that time during the goblin outbreak and when I wanted to make a guitar. The thread wasn't sharp enough to cut just by touching, so after a little tinkering, it was perfect for the job. I'm sure there are other less dangerous ways of using it too. I just have to look for it.

I always remember the past when working on simple stuff like this… And done. The 6:4 thread spool is ready. Next is to cut the waterproof cloths, so I divided them into various parts and cut them.

What I'm going to make is an imitation of the jumpsuit and the waders. I'm going to clean the latrine pits tomorrow, so I need to come prepared. The scavenger slimes might be doing most of the work, and the cleaner slimes might be able to clean me afterwards, but I'm still not going there in my normal clothes, so I have to prepare.

When I was about finished with my waders, a knock sounded on the door.

"Ryouma-sama, I hear you've returned. Are you in?" [Sebasu]

Since it was Sebasu, I went ahead and opened the door.

"I'm here." [Ryouma]

"Nothing is wrong then?" [Sebasu]

"Nothing in particular." [Ryouma]

"I see. The employee of the inn said you left this morning and came back in the afternoon, but have since been cooped up in your room without even having lunch." [Sebasu]

Ahh, now that he mentions it, I didn't have lunch, did I?

"Sorry about that, I was a bit overzealous with my work… Did I worry everyone?" [Ryouma]

"If it's no trouble, please do greet everyone, especially the ojousama and the madam. If it's only sewing, I'm sure you can do that even in their room. The maids will be able to help too." [Sebasu]

I wanted to talk to them anyway, so this suits me just fine. I placed the tools and the cloths into my Item Box and went to the duke's room with my slimes.

As soon as we got to the room, the ojousama and the madam approached us.

"Are you alright!? Did something happen!?" [Elialia]

"Ryouma-kun! Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?" [Elize]

"Calm down you two." [Reinbach]

"If you pester him like that, Ryouma-kun won't be able to talk." [Reinhart]

The two calmed down after being reprimanded by Reinbach-sama and Reinhart-san.

"Umm… I'm truly sorry for worrying you. Nothing in particular happened, I was just a bit overzealous with my work and forgot to eat." [Ryouma]

"Thank goodness~" [Elize]

"Good grief, I thought for sure something had happened." [Elialia]

"Ho ho ho, isn't it good nothing happened?" [Reinbach]

"What were you working on?" [Reinhart]

"I was sewing myself a set of waterproof clothes." [Ryouma]

I took out the tools from my Item Box and showed them.

"Hmm… From the looks of things, these cloths have been given the same waterproof treatment from before." [Reinhart]

"Yes. I've been working on it since I got back and was just about to make the actual clothes." [Ryouma]

"But why all the sudden?" [Reinbach]

That was my queue to explain what happened today. They said it was fine to talk while working, so that's why I did.

"—So in the end, I ended up taking on the cleaning request. It would be bad if an epidemic were to spread, so I was thinking of completing it as soon as possible." [Ryouma]

"MUu…" [Reinbach]

"So that's why. We should thank you. Who would've thought the government office of this town would do such a thing? …Sebasu." [Reinhart]

"Yes." [Sebasu]

"Go out and gather information. I want to confirm whether the government office really is guilty of those allegations. If they are, then the expenses should be less than the previous year's, but the report they gave us mentioned no such thing. It's possible some people may be embezzling money." [Reinhart]

"Yes, my lord." [Sebasu]

Sebasu-san left the room after that.

"Thank you, Ryouma-kun. Because of you we might have just uncovered some hidden crimes." [Reinhart]

"Indeed. Embezzlement in and of itself is unforgivable, but embezzling the very funds meant to help the people and causing problems for them as a result is just absurd. In the first place, the wages of the slum people were decided over a decade ago. Reducing it is unforgivable! They're putting all my efforts into jeopardy…" [Reinbach]

Reinbach-sama's efforts?

"The construction of the common toilet and the employment of the slum people to clean it was thought up by my father-in-law as a countermeasure to a possible epidemic as well as an aid to the slum people." [Elize]

"In the past, I passed a directive to the various prefectural governors to build the facility, but the slum people didn't believe we'd hire them, so I had to go to the office of the slum manager and negotiate personally. It took a long time before all the construction work and employment work was completed. It pains my heart to know that there are people trying to put all that to waste…" [Reinbach]

Reinbach-sama looked sad as he spoke. Perhaps it wasn't just a job to him.

"In any case, if everything you said turns out to be true, these people won't be getting off lightly. Even if other people forgive them, the Jamil Household will not." [Reinhart]

"Thank you, Ryouma-kun. It is fortunate that we caught wind of this while we were here. Something is definitely off, as that request should have never seen the day of light if they simply continued the projects I pressed forward." [Reinbach]

"You're welcome." [Ryouma]

"Let the maids help you with those clothes. Arone, Lilian, help him." [Reinbach]

"Yes, my lord." [Arone and Lilian]

Since the two maids will be helping, I divided the work among the three of us. Lilian-san would work on the gloves, Arone-san on the jumpsuit, while I knit the string that will be used for various things.

"Ryouma-sama, what thread is this? I've never seen such a robust and yet thin, slender, and beautiful thread before." [Arone]

"That's the sticky slime's thread." [Ryouma]

"Slimes can make their own threads?" [Arone]

"Only the sticky slimes, and probably, only my sticky slimes, as I once mixed their sticky liquid and hardening liquid to see if I could make something out of that. The result was a thread-like substance. I had the slimes mix it themselves, and they were able to do it. It was a precious ability to be able to weave clothes back in the forest." [Ryouma]

I called the Big Sticky Slime and had it spit out some threads.

"It can spit the threads out like this. The strength of the thread can also be changed depending on the ratio of the mixture of the two liquids inside their body." [Ryouma]

After having the slime spit various ratios of threads, Arone-san and Lilian-san said they wanted to purchase it.

"I couldn't possibly. You've already gone out of your way to help me, so the least I could is to give these to you." [Ryouma]

The two were overjoyed to hear that. Apparently, the sticky slime's thread was such a good thread that they had never seen anything like it despite their long years working for the Jamil Household, fixing and tailoring clothes for them. I've already gotten used to Earth's synthetic fibers, so I didn't think anything odd of it, but it turns out it was actually special.

After that I talked with Reinhart-san for a bit, and I decided to put the rainwear and the thread up for sale. Along the conversation, I also found out that because of the Reinhart-sama's efforts, the towns and villages under their territory have a reputation for being clean.

Reinhart-san wanted to make these towns and villages even better by developing their commerce and making them prosper. Because of that the slime products I've nonchalantly developed were nothing short of enthralling to him.

Reinhart-san bowed his head and said he would like to work together forever [1], and I bowed my head in response and returned the sentiment. The people of Jamil are all good people, so I would love to work with them.

I continued to work even while talking with the Jamil family, so as a result, I was able to finish everything. When I tried putting everything on, the size turned out just right, but…

When I put on the gloves, fastened the arm cuffs of the jumpsuit with the string I'd knitted, put on the pair of waders that perfectly complemented my jumpsuit, and then fastened it with another string, everyone told me I looked odd.

Although they did agree that it was practical as far as work clothes went, so Reinhart-san told me that he would also like me to consider putting this up for sale.