Category: Isekai Nonbiri Sanpo Tabi

After lunch, as planned, we set out to collect medicinal herbs. Together, we head toward the Adventurers’ Guild to register. Along the way, Fina greeted the townspeople with a cheerful smile, her face radiant with warmth.

“Good afternoon.”

“Oh my, Fina-sama! Congratulations on the birth of the baby in the mansion.”

“Thank you very much.”

Fina-san answered politely, her smile deepening.

All along the street, people stopped to offer their congratulations on little Arthur’s birth. Fina-san looked truly delighted by every kind word and blessing that came her way. Even after we stepped inside the Adventurers’ Guild, the words of celebration and welcome continued to follow her.

“Oh, if it isn’t Fina-sama! I heard you’ve got yourself a new little brother!”

“So the Margrave family got an heir for the future now, eh?”

“That makes you an aunt, doesn’t it, Fina-sama?”

“That’s not true! Ar-chan is my little brother!”

Fina-san protested, puffing out her cheeks.

“Hahaha, is that so?”

“Honestly, you’re all impossible!”

“Hahaha!”

The adventurers roared in laughter.

The teasing continued for a bit, and Fina-san’s cheeks remained adorably puffed, though it was clear to everyone that neither side meant any harm. Before long, she and the adventurers were laughing together.

The friendly banter filled the guild with warmth and good humor. In the end, it seemed even the adventurers were genuinely happy about baby Arthur’s birth.

Well, that kind of easy camaraderie was only possible because Fina-san got along so well with them.

While they chatted and laughed together, I went ahead and began the formalities for the herb-gathering expedition.

“Oh? You’re accompanied by some beginner adventurers today?

The guild receptionist asked.

“Yes. They happened to be registering right next to me, so I thought—why not invite them along?”

It seemed our escort had struck up a conversation with two young women about the same age as Sue, and they had decided to join us.

“S-s-sorry for suddenly tagging along like this!”

One of them stammered.

“We had no idea you’d be with Fina-sama when we asked!” said the other, her face pale with nervousness.

“It’s all right.”

“There’s no problem at all.”

“I will teach you all sorts of things.”

Fran added cheerfully.

“I will help you too!”

Horn chimed in.

Alongside Fina-san, even Shiro and the others were chatting comfortably with the two women. Though the newcomers looked terribly flustered and nervous, none of us saw any issue with it. Ao and Pearl weren’t showing any signs of alarm either, so it is safe to assume that the women meant no harm.

With that reassuring thought, we continued our journey until the trees of the forest finally came into view.

When we arrived, we found that someone was already there, busy gathering herbs.

“Oh my, if it isn’t Fina-sama.”

“Congratulations on the birth of the baby!”

“Thank you, auntie.”

Fina-san replied with a bright smile.

Even the group of kindly older women who were out gathering herbs called out to Fina-san with warm smiles and congratulations.

All day long, she’d been receiving kind words and cheerful greetings from everyone we met, and her radiant smile never once faded. Before long, we joined the aunties in their work, crouching down among the greenery to begin collecting herbs ourselves.

“This is the one we’re looking for. It’s got a bit of a scent, and if you look closely, there are tiny hairs on the underside of the leaves.”

“Oh, I see! Once we know what to look for, it’s actually easy to tell them apart.”

One of the younger adventurers said, examining the plant carefully.

“And they grow in clusters, don’t they?”

“That’s right. But don’t pull up the roots, okay? Leave those so they can grow back.”

“Yes, we’ll be careful.”

Fina-san and Shiro were teaching the two women how to properly harvest the herbs, patiently explaining each step. Both of them were so eager and kind, their voices gentle as they offered guidance.

“My, Fina-sama has become quite the big sister, hasn’t she?”

“Watching her like this just warms your heart.”

“She looks so adorable, trying so hard.”

The group of kind aunts watched Fina-san with gentle, knowing smiles, their eyes soft as they took in the sight.

Indeed—ever since baby Arthur had been born, Fina-san really had started to carry herself like a big sister.

With our group, the escort, and the watchful “auntie squad” all keeping an eye on Fina-san, the herb gathering went smoothly.

Meanwhile, Ao was teaching Pearl how to collect herbs as well, and honestly, those two turned out to be the day’s most productive harvesters.

As for Fina-san, even though she didn’t gather many herbs herself as she was too focused on guiding the new adventurers—she seemed completely satisfied. Her face glowed with pride, happy simply to have taught them well.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

After visiting the baby, we were summoned for a brief conversation with the Margrave.

We gathered inside his study, where Fina-san’s older brother is also working beside him. Both of them seemed noticeably brighter than usual—there is this new lightness in the air, the kind that only new life can bring.

We took our seats on the sofa while the Margrave spoke, his tone both proud and amused.

“Fina isn’t the only one who’s changed. My son has truly started acting like a father. He’s been working harder than ever.”

Fina-san’s brother smiled sheepishly but with genuine warmth.

“Having a child really changes you. For the first time, I feel what it means to be a father. It makes me want to give my all—for his sake.”

The conversation began with talk on Fina-san’s older brother.

Ever since seeing his newborn child with his own eyes, he seemed newly motivated. Just like Fina-san, her brother had been deeply affected by Arthur’s birth—both in the best possible way of course.

But after a little more cheerful talk about the baby, the Margrave cleared his throat, signaling a shift in topic.

“Alright. Now, to commemorate Arthur’s birth, I’ve decided to increase the prize money for the upcoming martial arts tournament. We can’t exactly change the entry requirements, but a little more excitement wouldn’t hurt, don’t you think?”

““““Whoa!””””

…So even the main topic was still about Arthur, huh?

Still, it made sense—bigger prizes would definitely make the tournament more appealing.

Fina-san and the others cheered happily, though in truth, the only one among us actually planning to compete was Ao.

With more participants, the surrounding shops and streets would surely come alive as well.

“Furthermore, we’ve decided to allocate additional funds to support the martial arts tournament.”

He took a sip of his tea, looking quite satisfied with himself.

“Of course, the projected increase in revenue should cover the expenses through the corresponding rise in tax income.”

So even though the budget was being expanded, he already had a plan in place to recover the costs. As expected of him—calculated and shrewd as ever.

“We’ve already announced the birth of our grandchild to the town and thanks in part to Fina, the news has been received very warmly.”

“Thanks to me?”

Fina-san tilted her head in surprise.

“That’s right. You’ve always been proactive in building relationships with the townsfolk. Because of that, there are many who hold goodwill toward the frontier family.”

“I see… I’m happy to know I’ve been of help.”

To tell the truth, ever since baby Arthur was born, we hadn’t set foot outside the estate, so we had no idea how the town was faring.

We’d stayed close by in case anything happened to Fina’s sister-in-law or the newborn, ready to respond at a moment’s notice.

But now that three days had passed since the birth and both mother and child were doing well, it was finally deemed safe for us to leave. After lunch, we planned to go gather medicinal herbs. It would also be a good chance to see how people in town were reacting to the news.

“The next matter concerns the martial arts tournament. Shiro and the others will, of course, be participating in the main event—but Shun and Sue, I’d like the two of you to remain on standby as part of the medical support team.”

He leaned back slightly in his chair before adding,

“We’ll treat it as a formal, designated request. Naturally, Shiro and the others are free to assist with treatment as well whenever they have downtime between matches.”

“Understood. I’ll do my very best.”

I said firmly.

“I’ll do my utmost to provide treatment as well.”

Sue added with her usual calm grace.

“I’ll help too!” Shiro also added enthusiastically.

“Me too!” said Fran.

“Me too!” echoed Horn, puffing up proudly.

Everyone is ready to lend a hand. Honestly, I half expected to be assigned to the cooking team again, so being placed on the medical team came as a pleasant surprise.

It had been a while since I worked as a healer—I am now looking forward to it.

“Fina, you have an important role as well.”

“My wife won’t be able to take part in the tournament this year. Well, childcare takes priority after all. So, I need you to stand in for her.”

“Yes! I’ll do my best in sister-in-law’s place!”

Fina-san straightened up, cheeks flushed with determination, her hands balled into little fists of resolve. Her eagerness was infectious, and even the Margrave let out a soft chuckle of pride.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

Three days had passed since the birth of the new heir to the Margrave’s household. Every afternoon, once Fina-san and the others finished their studies, they would race down the halls straight to the baby’s room. The sheer power of wanting to see the baby worked wonders—everyone finished their lessons very quickly.

If only they always studied this diligently, things would be so much easier for me.

Knock, knock.

“Dear sister-in-law, may we come in?”

“Yes, of course. Please come in.”

Since the baby was often asleep, Fina-san made sure to knock softly and open the door with great care. The entire mansion now revolved around that tiny, precious life—every sound, every step, every heartbeat seemed to move in gentle harmony with the newborn.

“Ar-chan, your big sister’s here.”

Fina-san whispered softly.

“…zz zz…”

“He’s asleep.”

Shiro murmured.

“He looks so peaceful.”

“Babies are just too cute”.

The Margrave family’s first grandchild had been given a noble name, Arthur.

Fina-san affectionately nick-named him “Ar-chan” but the baby simply slept on, breathing softly in his cradle.

Shiro and the others gathered around, looking down at the tiny one nestled among silken blankets.

“He just had a full feeding and a fresh diaper so he drifted right off to sleep.”

“I see. Well, sleeping is a baby’s most important job. By the way, how are you feeling, sister-in-law?”

“I’m doing quite well now. My body feels much better.”

She answered, her voice calm and content. Fina-san’s sister-in-law seemed to be recovering well after childbirth. There was no need for us to use healing magic—her complexion is healthy and she smiles gently.

Perhaps because of this new arrival, Fina-san herself had started to show a newfound sense of maturity. Since Arthur’s birth, she’d begun spending more time with Fran and Horn, guiding them with the gentle patience of an older sister.

Though, technically speaking, Arthur was her nephew, not her younger brother. Fina-san had already slipped naturally into the role of a doting big sister.

“Ar-chan, grow up quickly, okay? One day, you’ll play with your big sister.”

Her sister-in-law chuckled softly.

“My, Fina, you’ve already become Arthur’s big sister, haven’t you?”

Fina-san beamed proudly and nodded.

“Mm-hm! I’ll be the best big sister ever!”

Fina-san stepped quietly to the side of the crib, her hand reaching out to gently stroke little Arthur’s soft head as she spoke to him in a tender whisper. Her sister-in-law watched the scene from her bed, smiling warmly at the sight.

“It’s amazing how much a girl can change in just a few days.”

“Mm. She started to grow more mature as my due date approached. But after seeing the baby in person, that feeling must have deepened even more.”

Fina-san’s sister-in-law added, her voice filled with affection.

“Fufu, he’s just so adorable.”

From the bedside, we watched the group gathered around the crib—Fina-san, Shiro, and the others—all gazing at the newborn with shining eyes. Even Shiro and the others seemed to carry themselves with a new sense of pride and gentleness, as if meeting the baby had awakened the “big sister” in all of them.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

And then—it happened just as we returned to the mansion from the tailor’s shop.

“Eh? The servants are moving around the mansion busily.”

“What’s going on?”

When we arrived, the manor was in an uproar. Attendants hurried through the halls, their faces were tense. Even Shiro tilted her head curiously, peering through the doorway.

That’s when the Margrave’s wife spotted us. She lifted her skirts slightly and hurried over, her expression both anxious and excited.

“Ah, Fina—perfect timing! I was just about to send someone to fetch you from the shop.”

“Mother, did something happen?”

“Yes, dear. It’s your sister-in-law—her baby is about to be born!”

““““Eeh?!””””

Hearing the Margrave’s wife’s words, we were all taken aback.

Fina-san’s sister-in-law was in her final month of pregnancy.  It wouldn’t have been strange for the baby to come at any moment.

But now… it seemed the time had finally arrived.

That explained why the entire mansion was in such a flurry. Servants were rushing through the corridors, their footsteps echoing with urgency.

Then, the Margrave’s wife turned toward Sue.

“I’m sorry to trouble you, Sue-san, but could I ask you to stay on standby? Uhm, just in case something happens.”

“Yes of course.”

Sue replied without hesitation.

“Mother, Ao and Pearl said they’ll stay with Sue-oneesama as well.”

Fina-san added.The Margrave’s wife nodded.

“That’s a good idea. It’s always better to have more than one healer available.”

With that, she led Sue—cradling Ao and Pearl in her arms—toward the inner rooms of the mansion.

Of course, as a man, there was nothing I could do to assist with the childbirth. And it went without saying that a five-year-old like Horn couldn’t help either. It was best to leave everything to Sue, Ao, and Pearl, in case something happened to Fina-san’s sister-in-law.

We also shouldn’t make too much noise, so we decided to move to the drawing room.

“Oh, Fina—you’re back.”

“Father, Brother? You’re not in the study?”

Inside the drawing room sat the Margrave and Fina-san’s older brother, both calmly sipping tea. Neither of them seemed to be in the mood to work.

“The whole mansion is filled with noise right now. We finished the urgent matters early and moved here to get away from the commotion.”

The Margrave answered with a wry smile.

“To be honest, I can’t focus on work at all right now. But at a time like this, men can’t really do anything except pray to the gods.”

“I see…”

Fina-san nodded softly, her voice tinged with understanding.

I heard that even in my previous life, most men could only fluster helplessly during childbirth—so really, this was no different. There wasn’t much they could do.

“Actually, the contractions started early this morning.”

“Really?”

Fina can’t help but be stunned.

“My wife didn’t realize it at first—it’s our first child, after all. She just thought it was a little stomach pain. Honestly, I didn’t understand what was happening either until Mother explained.”

Hmm, that made sense. I was a man myself, and things like contractions were completely foreign to me.

For now, all we could do was wait.

“Hmm… not yet?”

“Childbirth takes such a long time, doesn’t it?”

Two hours had already passed since we’d returned from the tailor’s shop. Everyone is holding their breath, waiting for the moment the baby would be born.

—Suddenly,

Click.

“The child has been born, everyone. He’s a healthy baby boy.”

“Yaaaay!”

“A boy, huh.”

The margrave murmured, a deep smile tugging at his lips.

“Well then, go and see your son.”

The margrave gave Fina’s brother an encouraging pat on the back.

“Yes, of course!”

The servant who entered the drawing room announced the long-awaited news, and the tension that had filled the air melted in an instant. Fina-san and Shiro let out shouts of pure joy, while Fina-san’s brother, prompted by his father, hurried toward the room where his wife awaited.

Naturally, we followed after them—Fina-san, Shiro, and the rest of us—our hearts still racing with excitement.

“It’s me. May I come in?”

Fina-san’s brother asked softly at the door.

“Yes, come in.”

When Fina’s brother called out softly through the door, his wife’s gentle voice answered from within. As we entered the room, both the Marquise and Sue were there to greet us, warm smiles lighting their faces.

“He’s a fine heir for the future. You must be so relieved.”

“The delivery went smoothly. There wasn’t even any need to use healing magic.”

Sue added with a calm smile.

“Thank you… truly, thank you.”

Fina-san’s brother replied, his voice trembling slightly as he turned toward the bed.

There, his wife lay resting, pale but peaceful, a tiny newborn nestled beside her. He gazed at them both, eyes shining with emotion.

Around the bed, Fina-san and Shiro leaned in with bright faces, while Ao and Pearl peeked curiously at the baby swaddled in soft cloth.

And so, a new life was welcomed into the Margrave’s household.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

At the Margrave’s estate, the lessons include not only reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also proper etiquette.

Today, Sue is teaching everyone manners.

“Fina, your etiquette is very good.”

“Thank you, Sue-oneesama.”

Since she’s been trained regularly at the Margrave’s household, Fina-san’s manners were impeccable.

“Hmm, this is kind of hard…”

“But Shiro, you’re doing quite well too.”

Even though Shiro had hardly ever been formally taught etiquette, she managed to pick up most of it just by watching Fina-san’s graceful example. Of course, there were still some details she hadn’t mastered yet—but considering her age, I’d say she was doing wonderfully.

“Balancing is hard…”

“I can’t do it right…”

“Fran, Horn, don’t rush. It’s enough if you can manage the basic form.”

As expected, Fran and Horn were struggling with the noble-style etiquette.

Well, they were only five years old, so being able to mimic a curtsy at all was impressive enough. Even if they made a few mistakes, they’d still earn a cheerful “Well done!” from anyone watching.

“Still, Shun, your manners are really quite refined. You even greet nobles with confidence. There’s nothing to correct at all.”

“I’m just imitating what I’ve seen. I happened to have some very good examples to learn from.”

I’d watched the greetings and behavior of various Margraves and butlers, so I’d managed to pick up the basics myself. I wasn’t sure how well I’d do in a truly formal setting but realistically, it’s not like we’d ever be attending one anyway.

Just then, Sue looked around at all of us and said—

“Since we have the chance, let’s pick out proper noble attire. We’ll likely have more opportunities to meet nobles in the future.”

“In other words, it’s not just about good manners, we should also look the part?”

“As expected of you, Shun. That’s exactly so.”

She replied with a satisfied nod.

Well, I understood what Sue meant. I did have a few decent outfits, but nothing that could really be called formal wear.

So, after lunch, we decided to visit the clothing shop favored by the Margrave.

“Why, if it isn’t Fina-san! Are you here with your friends today?”

“Yes! And this is my older sister, Sue-oneesama, the daughter of a baron. We’re here to look for clothes for everyone.”

“Of course, my lady. Right this way, please.”

““““Okay!””””

As soon as we arrived at the tailor’s shop, the owner came out to greet us. After Fina-san explained the reason for our visit, the shopkeeper led us deeper into the store.

“We’d like to order formal attire for everyone.”

“For all of you, right? Then let’s take your measurements first.”

Then she faced her assistants. “Please take everyone’s measurements.”

“““Understood.”””

At Sue’s request, the shopkeeper instructed the attendants to measure us. They used something like a measuring tape, carefully noting down every dimension of our bodies.

“Since we’re doing this, let’s have two sets of formal wear made.”

Sue added.

“And Fina, I’ll buy yours as well.”

“Thank you so much, Sue-oneesama!”

Fina-san replied, her face lighting up with delight.

Thanks to Sue’s suggestion, Fina-san also decided to have her outfit made. She smiled brightly as the assistants took her measurements.

Having two sets of formal wear made would normally cost quite a bit, but luckily, we had enough money saved up, so it wasn’t a problem at all. After we each told them our preferred colors, all that was left was to wait for the clothes to be finished.

“The preliminary fittings will be ready in two weeks. At that time, we’ll make final size adjustments.”

“Understood. That will be just before the martial arts tournament, then.”

“Yes, that’s correct. We look forward to seeing you again.”

The shopkeeper said with a bow.

““““Thank you very much!””””

This way, the first fitting will be ready right before the tournament—perfect timing, since things will get busy once Ao participates.

Oh, I wonder what kind of outfits we’ll end up with.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

After lunch, I head to the Adventurer’s Guild as planned to accept a request to help with the harvest.

However, most of the requests seem to involve transportation, so this time I’ll be helping with that. After accepting the request at the guild, I head to the farm where the request originated. It seems there’s a carriage service close to the farm, so the trip is quick.

“Hello”

“Oh my, it’s Fina-sama! And what cute girls you’ve come with.”

When we arrived at the farm, an old lady peeked out from between the trees. The old lady was surprised to see Fina-san with us.

First, I explained our purpose coming here.

“Ma’am, we came here after seeing the request from the Adventurers’ Guild. Fina-san is also here today as an adventurer.”

“Oh my, oh my, thank you kindly. Just wait a moment, dearies. Grandpa, come over here!”

“Eh? What is it—oh! Isn’t that Lady Fina?”

After we explained to the old woman why we had come to the orchard, she nodded in understanding and called over the old man who’d been working deeper inside.

When he saw Fina-san, he looked genuinely surprised.

“There’s plenty that needs hauling, you see. But lately, my back’s been giving me trouble. Must be my age.”

“Oh my, that sounds difficult. If you’d like, I can treat you for that.”

“Oh, thank you kindly. In that case, why don’t we leave the hauling to Grandma here?”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

And so, Sue and Pearl took charge of treating the old man’s back, while the rest of us handled the hauling work.

Following the old woman’s lead, we walked deeper into the orchard.

“It smells like peaches.”

“That’s right. We grow all kinds of peaches here, you know.”

“Really?”

“There are still so many of them!”

As we followed along, Shiro and the others looked around curiously. The orchard was filled with peach trees. Judging by the colors and shapes of the fruit, there are several different varieties.

Before long, we arrived at the area where we’d be working.

“Now then, please take the peaches from these baskets and gently place them into these wooden crates. But be careful. Peaches bruise easily, so handle them with care, okay?”

““““Oka~ay!””””

Since peaches are soft and easily bruised, everyone took great care as we transferred them into the wooden crates.

As we worked, the old woman checked each peach, setting aside any that were damaged.

Ao joined in too, carefully helping to move the peaches with the rest of us.

“When a crate is full, we’ll take it to the storage house by the main building.”

The old woman explained.

After about an hour, all the peaches from the baskets had been neatly packed into the special crates.

Now all that was left was to move them.

They looked quite heavy, though…

“This is where Ao comes in.”

“Ao? You mean this slime?”

“That’s right! Ao’s an amazing slime!”

Of course, to the old woman, Ao just looked like an ordinary slime. No matter how much Shiro tried to convince her otherwise, it probably sounded unbelievable.

So, we decided—it was time to show her just how amazing Ao really was.

Whoosh!

“Well, I’ll be! The crate just disappeared!”

“Ao can use an item box!”

“Ao-chan’s an amazing slime!”

“I’ve certainly never heard of a slime that can use an item box before.”

When the old lady saw Ao use the item box, she was so surprised she almost fell over.

Meanwhile, Ao happily waved her tentacles at the astonished old woman. Now all that was left was to head to the house and bring the crates to the storage room.

“Oh? What happened to the crates, dear?”

When we reached the storage house, the old man was already there with Sue and Pearl, his back completely healed.

He looked puzzled, since we weren’t carrying any crates with us.

Just then, Ao slid into the storage house.

Swoosh.

“Whoah! The crates just appeared out of nowhere!”

“Sorry for startling you, sir. This slime here, Ao-chan, can actually use an item box.”

“Heh, well… that’s one amazing slime you’ve got there.”

Seeing Ao pull the crates out of the item box, the old man was taken aback, and Sue hurried to explain. Ao waved a tentacle apologetically toward him, as if to say sorry.

Anyway, the request was successfully completed.

“Okay, the signature is complete. Thank you for making my back better.”

“It’s a little bruised, but you can eat it if you cut off the damaged part. Take it.”

“Thank you very much!”

After receiving the non-standard peaches from the old lady, we headed home.

“That was fun!”

“Yeah, it was fun.”

Shiro and Fina-san happily exchanged their impressions, and even though they didn’t get to experience picking, it still seemed like they had a great time.

We all enjoyed the peaches we received as souvenirs.

If I have the time, I’d like to work in a orchard again.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

Now that the Margrave has figured out Ao’s strengths, we’ll be studying at the mansion in the morning.

“Shun, you’re interested in geography and history, aren’t you?”

“I haven’t had many opportunities to study.”

“Indeed. They say that an adventurer only needs to be able to read, write, and do arithmetic.”

Sue called out to me as I was reading a social studies book.

I made up some excuse, and Sue quickly agreed. I guess reading, writing, and arithmetic are priorities for adventurers in this world.

By the way, Shiro and the other kids, and Fina-san were taking a simple test. The questions were tailored to each level, and the top performer would receive a prize.

And so, the person who finished the test first…

“Ah—Ao wins first place!”

“Yes, full marks. Now then, as a reward, you may have some fruit.”

“““Woo… good for you! I want it too….”””

For some reason, Ao had joined in solving the problems—and finished before anyone else. While everyone looked on enviously, Ao happily munched on the fruit.

By the way, Pearl was working on her test together with Fina-san.

“Come on, everyone! If you do your best, there’ll be snacks for you too.”

“‘We’ll do our best!’”

Sue clapped her hands briskly, getting everyone fired up. If snacks were enough to motivate them, it was a small price to pay.

Everyone worked hard and finished their tests one after another.

“It’s so good.”

“Yeah, really delicious.”

Everyone was smiling from ear to ear as they happily munched on the plate of mixed fruit.

Freshly picked fruit really is the best.

I finished my studies too, so I joined everyone in eating.

Juicy and sweet—it tasted wonderful.

“How about we go help with the fruit harvest this afternoon?”

“““Sure!”””

We had free time in the afternoon and since we’d come all the way to the northern frontier, we decided to lend a hand with the harvest.

Come to think of it, when I went to the Adventurers’ Guild the other day, there were plenty of requests for harvest help posted there too.

Everyone seemed motivated now, so the timing was perfect.

And with that, we got back to studying.

“You’re really diligent about your studies, Shun.”

“It’s fun learning new things.”

I replied with a smile.

I picked up where I’d left off and continued reading. The book talked about the founding of this kingdom and it was surprisingly interesting. Combining what I read with memories from my previous world helped me understand the geography even better.

Maybe it’s because I came to another world, but gaining new knowledge like this felt genuinely enjoyable.

“Ah, so if I do this… then like that—”

“Hmm…”

Fran and Horn were also studying hard.

They were only five years old, but both of them were pretty smart. They could already read and write without trouble—though arithmetic was still a bit tricky for them.

Well, they’d get the hang of it soon enough if they kept trying.

“I’m not gonna lose to Fina-chan!”

“I won’t lose to Shiro-chan either!”

Shiro and Fina, being the same age, were pushing each other as friendly rivals.

I hoped they’d keep working hard and learn all sorts of things as they grew.

Though first, they’d have to overcome the biggest challenge of all—Ao.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

There was no problem with Ao participating in the martial arts tournament, but the Margrave and his wife were a little worried.

“Hmm, it’s true that Ao is not an ordinary slime, but is she really that strong?”

“We’ve been so lucky that Pearl got her as friend, so I’m worried that something might happen.”

The Margrave and his wife got a point. Ao looks like an ordinary slime, and she’s even smaller than an ordinary slime so it is no wonder that they are worried.

And so, I decided it would be best to show them just how strong Ao really is.

The morning after we finished registering for the martial arts tournament, we arranged for her to demonstrate her abilities during training.

As usual, we began with hand-to-hand combat practice. Lately, Ao had been spending all her time teaching Pearl magic, so it had been a while since her last sparring session.

“Tou! Sei! Yah!”

“S-so fast!? …Is that really how a slime moves?”

“I can hardly believe it—what an incredible speed!”

“Wow, Ao-chan, you’re amazing!”

When Shiro and Ao began their sparring match, everyone gasped in awe at Ao’s incredible speed.

The little slime moved so fast that their eyes could barely follow, and the atmosphere in the training yard grew tense with excitement.

Fina-san and Pearl watched with bright, amazed eyes as Ao darted around.

But of course, both Shiro and Ao were holding back their true strength. If they went all out, no one here would even be able to react.

“Ao usually fights on the front line. Her charges are powerful, and it can use a wide variety of magic.”

I explained.

“Its magic barrier is very tough too.”

“Just look at that. You can tell how strong it is from the way it doesn’t even flinch under those attacks.”

All of us turned to watch as Ao effortlessly blocked the spells that Fran and Horn hurled at her. The shimmering blue barrier rippled like water, scattering faint waves of light, displaying its undeniable strength.

“Eii!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Fran and Horn fired their spells one after another, doing their best to hit Ao. However, the little slime blocked every single blast with ease.

Even the Margrave couldn’t hide his admiration for the strength of Ao’s magic barrier.

—And like that, the early morning training session came to an end.

“Ao is still holding back a lot of its power. How was that for a demonstration?”

“Incredible. I never thought I’d see the day when a slime could overturn everything we thought we knew about them.”

The Margrave replied with a wry smile.

“Ao really is exceptionally strong. And Pearl, well, given time and training, will become just as powerful someday.”

As everyone gathered in the mansion’s dining hall for breakfast, the Margrave watched them with a thoughtful smile. He had clearly come to recognize Ao’s remarkable abilities.

Meanwhile, Ao beside Pearl, the two slimes converse in their usual bubbly way.

“Hey, what is Ao saying?”

Fina-san asked curiously.

“Hmm. She says that since Pearl is still young, she should eat lots and move around a lot. That’s how she’ll grow into an amazing slime someday.”

Shiro translated.

“That’s right. Pearl’s still a baby slime after all. She needs to eat plenty and get big!”

Fina-san giggled.

The two of them listened with amusement as Ao and Pearl continued their cheerful chatter.

It would still be a long time before Pearl became a truly formidable slime —but at this rate, that day would surely come.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

Now that the food to be served has been decided, we head to the venue, which is a short distance from the Margrave’s mansion. By the way, entry registration for the tournament would begin three weeks before the event itself.

“Many participants come to the martial arts tournament every year. The winners receive a large prize.”

“To keep the level of participants consistent, we restrict participation to those who are already strong enough.”

“Thanks to this, the matches are always heated. By the way, weapons are allowed, but killing each other is strictly prohibited.”

From what we heard from Fina-san and her bodyguard, who came along with us, it doesn’t sound like the tournament is a brutal or cutthroat event. In that case, then it should be a perfect opportunity for us to test how much stronger we’ve become.

Incidentally, Fina-san said that, as a member of the Margrave’s household, she’ll be helping out with the tournament’s organization. Some of the lord’s soldiers are apparently participating as well, though, unsurprisingly, her bodyguard won’t be joining in.

And then, the martial arts tournament grounds came into view.

“Whoa, it’s pretty big!”

“There are spectator seats, too.”

“The stage is paved with stone.”

To our surprise, the venue was actually the town’s central plaza.

Temporary bleachers had been set up, and there were also areas for people to sit and cheer. Right now, workers were busy finishing up the construction of the temporary seating. Dozens of them were moving about in the cramped space, working busily.

And in one corner of the plaza, we spotted the registration area for the tournament.

We hurried over to sign up—but then, a shocking fact was revealed.

“I’m sorry everyone, but you’re all barred from entering the tournament.”

“““Eh?! Why?”””

“Well, it’s the rules…”

An official in charge of registering explained that none of us were allowed to enter the martial arts tournament. Unconvinced, Shiro and the others confronted the man at the reception desk, but it still didn’t seem to work.

“First of all, for safety reasons, the tournament only accepts entries from those 12 years of age and older.”

“““N-no way!”””

Well… I guess that can’t be helped….

If a child were to get seriously injured—or worse, die during the martial arts tournament, it would be a huge problem.

“And furthermore, all participants must be registered adventurers with an official title. Those with one title may enter, but anyone holding two or more is ineligible.”

“What!? Then I can’t enter at all!”

Shiro exclaimed.

It seems adventurers are restricted by rank as well, and if you have more than one title, that’s another disqualifier. Shiro, who happens to meet both disqualifying conditions, collapsed in shock.

It’s unfortunate, but rules are rules.

Still, I can’t help feeling disappointed.

Then, Ao suddenly hopped up onto the registration desk and began reading the participation guidelines. With surprising dexterity, she picked up a pen with one of her tendrils and started writing something swiftly on the entry form.

“Let’s see… Participant: Ao. Seconders: Shiro, Fran and Horn.”

“So that means… Ao will be the one entering the martial arts tournament?”

“““Eh!?”””

According to what Ao had written, she would be the one entering the martial arts tournament.

But… could a slime even participate in the first place?

When I checked the entry requirements, I discovered that there was no problem at all.

The clause says: Tamers may enter with one contracted monster. However, the creature must remain under the tamer’s control at all times.

“Yes, that’s correct. Tamers are allowed to participate. In that case, their tamed creature becomes the official contestant, so the adventurer’s rank or age doesn’t matter.”

The officer-in-charge confirmed.

“Still, this seems like a bit of a loophole.”

Someone muttered.

“Indeed. It would be better to unify the qualification rules for tamers as well. But since we’ve already announced this year’s entry conditions, we’ll review it for next year’s tournament.”

It was true—there were no specific clauses regarding the tamer themselves.

A definite oversight, if you wanted to call it that.

Ao had found and slipped neatly through a loophole in the tournament’s entry rules.

“I’ve never seen a slime that reads the entry requirements and signs up on its own. Far from being under control—it’s completely autonomous. Well then, that completes your registration. If the number of participants exceeds the limit, we’ll hold preliminary matches, and announcements will be made on the day of the tournament.”

The officer said, half amazed and half amused.

“““Okay!”””

With the registration finally done, we started heading home.

“Sue-oneesama, is Ao-chan strong?”

“Ao is very strong. She practically qualifies as a titled adventurer herself.”

Sue replied with a smile.

“Wow, that’s amazing!”

Fina-san was surprised to hear from Sue about Ao’s strength.

Ao certainly wouldn’t lose to an average person unless something extraordinary happened.

“Ao, do your best.”

“I will be cheering you on.”

Fran added.

“I will be cheering you on too.”

Horn added as well.

Shiro and the others then shifted their focus to cheering for Ao.

Ao, trembling with excitement, actively responded to their cheers.

This martial arts tournament looks like it’s going to be interesting in some ways.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

Once the food distribution was finished, we gathered in the courtyard of the frontier lord’s mansion. Of course, the reason was to develop the main dish that would be served at the upcoming martial arts tournament.

“It would be ideal if it were something people could eat while holding in their hands.”

The Margrave suggested, giving us our first guideline.

With that in mind, we started narrowing down our ideas. One dish was quickly decided—slime-baked food a.k.a Slime’s pancake. Since the region was famous for its local fruits, it would be a waste not to use them.

And so, we turned to Ao for assistance.

“Wow, amazing! So many cooking tools are coming out!”

“Ao’s got an item box.”

Shiro spoke proudly.

“My my, what an incredible slime.”

The Margrave murmured in awe.

“And to think it’s skilled at cooking too. Pearl dear, you’ll have to work hard to keep up.”

The Madam added with a smile.

Shiro puffed out her chest, clearly proud, and she wasn’t wrong—Ao really is an extraordinary slime.

Ao slid up to the magic stove, laid out a smooth iron griddle, and began preparing the batter for the Slime’s pancakes, mixing the ingredients together with practiced, fluid motions.

Sizzle, sizzle.

“Oh, that smells so good!”

“Ao’s pancakes are always super tasty!”

“We’re putting peaches in this one too!”

Both Fina-san and the household attendants watched Ao’s cooking with rapt attention. The recipe itself was simple enough—but watching a slime cook is a spectacle in its own right.

When the golden pancakes were done, Ao gently sandwiched slices of the northern frontier’s famed peaches and a layer of jam between them.

“Mm, this is excellent.”

“It doesn’t dirty the hands, either.”

“Children can enjoy it too. And it’s a wonderful way to promote our region’s produce.”

The slime panakes were clearly a success.

“Delicious!”

“Yummy!”

“So sweet!”

A chorus of cheerful voices rang out as Fina-san and the others beamed with delight, happily munching on their portions.

Even Sue had slipped into the group and was nibbling away, grinning as if to confirm that there were no issues with the flavor.

“Shun, what are you going to make?”

Fina-sann asked, tilting her head.

“Just wait a moment.”

I answered with a smile. I wasn’t planning on making anything too fancy this time.

I did have one little highlight in mind though.

“First up is the usual standard sandwich, but we’re going to change up the filling a bit.”

I started with a hearty version. Thick slices of meat, marinated in curry sauce before grilling.

Sizzle, sizzle…

“The meats are from two kinds of game—wild fowl and orc.”

 I explained.

“Oooh, that smells amazing!”

Everyone chimed in at once.

The aroma of curry wafted through the garden, rich and spicy enough to make anyone’s stomach growl.

“As for the second one, it’s a fruit sandwich. Since we’re here, it would be a waste not to use your local specialties.”

“My, I never knew such sandwiches existed.”

The Margrave’s wife said, intrigued.

“Shun, you always bring us something unexpected.”

The Margrave added with a chuckle.

We didn’t have whipped cream, so I used buttercream instead. But with the fruit’s quality—ripe, fragrant, and specially sweet—it more than made up for it.

The Margrave and his wife watched with keen interest as I layered the bright slices between soft bread.

Then came the main event.

“Oh! It’s onigiri!”

 Shiro exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.

““Onigiri?“”

The others echoed in unison, looking puzzled.

They leaned closer, clearly curious about the mysterious food taking shape in my hands.

Holding up a freshly shaped triangle of rice, I explained,

“This is called an onigiri—a rice ball. You press the rice into shape, and you can put fillings inside to change the flavor. Or you can keep it simple with just salt.”

“How fascinating. It pairs nicely with a stronger seasoning, doesn’t it?”

“Mm. Onigiri could serve as a supply ration as well. We already import rice from the western frontier. This would be quite practical.”

Both Sue and the Margrave seemed pleased with the taste, though the latter’s mind was already racing ahead to logistics and military efficiency.

As expected of a frontier lord, I thought with a wry smile.

“I kept it simple. What do you think?”

“It’s simple indeed. Yet it allows for countless variations in flavor. Especially the fillings—you’ve given my chefs something new to experiment with.”

“I, on the other hand, am quite taken with the fruit sandwich. It would be perfect for women and children at the tournament.”

With both of them offering such favorable reviews, I could finally breathe easy.

These recipes were simple enough that there was no need for detailed instructions—anyone could make them.

“Shun, you’re amazing. I’ve never seen food like this before!”

“Of course!” Shiro chimed in proudly.

“Shun-oniisan is a super cook!”

Sue nodded in agreement.

“He really does come up with the most creative dishes.”

I smiled awkwardly at their praise.

“Thanks… but just to be clear, I’m a healer, not a chef.”

Still, I couldn’t help but feel a little proud as they all bit into the food with happy smiles on their faces.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---