Chapter 2: Daidalian

Since the destination had been decided, I walked down a narrow path in the middle of the thick forest. One that would lead me to the Falla mountain range, further away from Larne’s castle.

I wearily went south, determined to reach my goal.

It was peaceful as I didn’t encounter any monsters.

But I’ll be troubled if it is peaceful now of all times.

Considering I needed to secure food, I’d like to see at least one animal, if just to eat it.

Monster-san, you may come out, it’s okay~

Because you’ll be invited to my stomach……

Come, into the sea of stomach acid.

You’ll be melting comfortably like you were in the middle of a dream.

“Monster~ monster~”

Although I sought monster desperately, I did not feel any sign of one nearby.

I had expected a monster would come on its own accord as long as I wasn’t hiding because of my weak appearance.

“.…”

Even though I said that, I couldn’t help but feel down.

This somehow became boring.

If you had to look at the same scenery over and over again, even if it was fresh in the beginning, You’llI gradually grow tired of it.

Plus I couldn’t even move forward with ease, the soil with all the rain, produced an unpleasant wet sound.

‘metcya metcya’

Damn it!

I headed to the town with a completely different feeling from before.

Come to think of it, I begin to think to myself as I continue to walk,  My feet are short.

Each of my steps are small ):.

I then came to understand the blessing my wings truly were.

Aa, my mobility is decreasing rapidly…

The mountain is also still far away.

I’m also getting a little hungry.

Uu, this will take more time than I thought.

I walk and walk and walk and walk.. you get the picture

The leaves and branches prickled my feet as I continued to walk.

Yup, when I could fly in the sky I didn’t have to worry about this, but now I have to move by foot, so I need shoes.

The stains could be removed using water magic.

However, walking with shoes is much more comfortable than walking barefoot.

I took another step into some more mud.

They also need to be waterproof

When I reach the town, I’ll make money to buy some shoes.

Thus I imagined what my life would be like once I arrived at the town, while absentmindedly walking.

I earnestly walked all night.

Finally on the second day of my journey……I could see the foot of the mountain.

Was I overly optimistic in judging the distance……?

The distance is not short at all, right…? I almost never traveled by foot so I couldn’t be sure.

Leaving that aside, I’m hungry.

In truth, monster usually appear considerable number.

If this continue on I’ll be forced to eat soil…..

No……maybe it is not that bad.

(Pr: This is what we call desperation)

I’m a gargoyle, built from ore and minerals.

Soil……it belongs in the same category, right? This could go well… right?

If this is feasible, I won’t have to worry about food for the rest of my life!

Wait wait! The hunger made my thoughts go off in dangerous direction.

I shook my head, driving away the dangerous ideas that came to mind.

I thought I would be okay not eating for 5 days, but……

Not even two days have passed and I’ve grown more weaker from hunger than I would have imagined; I despise this feeling.

(Pr: You and my uni self both)

I could withstand being struck by various kind of magic, poison, flame, water, light, even darkness, but I’ve never experienced starvation before.

I felt so resigned being able to do nothing about it.

(TN: MC can’t do anything about his helplessness in this situation, because he’s almost never experienced it before)

In this area, other than wyverns, there should also be lesser orcs.

I wonder why they won’t appear?

I wonder if Larne’s death caused this anomaly inside the forest?

Please monster-san~

Come out quickly~

I prayed for the appearance of monsters.

It’s alright, I will meet one for sure…

Please……please. Come!

‘Uwaaaaaaaaa!’

(Pr: This is a sound effect, thought I might clear it up because of what comes after)

“Uaaaaa, it’s comiiiiiiiiiiiing!”

From the path ahead, the shrill screaming voice of a woman could be heard.

Has it come?! Have the monster I waited eagerly for finally come?!

I only heard a scream, so there is the possibility of it being a thief or a molester instead of monster.  

(Pr: Because molesters are pretty common in the middle of monster infested forests, yep)

A sense of justice ran through my body as I began to think about the situation.

I hurriedly rushed towards the direction of the scream.

I rushed ahead and found a very young goblin and a slime being attacked by a wyvern from the sky.

“…………”

Huh, woman? What woman?

That is a male, damn it! A goblin at that; I made a serious mistake!

I wonder if my hearing is getting bad.

Seems like I misunderstood something, because what I heard was the tender voice of an immature child. (TN: the voice didn’t change, I think)

Well, in front of me is the monster I eagerly waited upon.

No problem, I won’t give a damn about something like a hearing disorder.

No matter how you look at it, I don’t think it is a pervert/molester.

“Hiiiiiiiiitsu!”

Even if it was not a heroine

I have to help goblin-kun first.

I’m not a good person, I just don’t want to see a corpse. (TN: tsundere detected)(Pr: The best kind of dere, catch me outside, if you disagree)

Anyhow, I’ll attack from goblin-kun’s rear.

One of the wyverns was nose diving towards the goblin.

“Tsutsu!” (Pr: A scream I think?)

Hearing a goblin male scream was not pleasant at all, well the female one wouldn’t be pleasant either.

I started casting barrier magic to protect the goblin.

Aiming at the front of the goblin, I invoked『water barrier』.

A membrane of transparent water arose from the ground around goblin-kun.

『water barrier』 produces an elastic membrane, so it can take some blunt force simply changing its shape under pressure.

It is useless against thrusts above a certain power level, but it has no problem withstanding the wyvern’s claw.

“It is safe there, don’t leave the membrane if you don’t want to die”

“Huh, a…….”

The goblin become dumbfounded, he couldn’t keep up with the changes in the situation.

In order to further protect goblin, I stood inside the barrier, in front of the wyvern.

“Anyway, you don’t seem to be injured.”

“You……are?”(Goblin)

As it’s attack was obstructed by my water barrier, all of the wyverns stared at me.

Those eyes gave me a sharp, piercing look.

They seemed to be angry.

I usually would overlook it, but……

Now that I need to secure some food, I’m not going to let it go.

Though, they don’t seem to be interested in targeting me. (TN: …but they are angry at you?) (Pr: I think he means they held him in contempt.)

I’ll deal with you quickly.

‘Bassabassa, bassabassa, bassa’

(TN:The  sound of wings flapping)

“…………”

So noisy!

They unnecessarily flapped their wings, are they boasting or something?

So cheeky? just because they’re low ranked dragons.

You, and the one from a few days ago, both ridiculing me, who become a ground war specialist, from high up in the sky?

Aa! they are provoking me.

“Be prepared.”

Now, how should I take care of them?

I could do them in easily using wide range magic, but I’m afraid I would damage the oh so important meat.

While I was in the middle of brooding over it, the wyvern caught me off guard, suddenly flying down.

You stole the start, oi.

Close combat? Then it is convenient!

Wyverns specialize in approaching at high speeds and utilizing their mobility to attack.

But, even though they’re fast in general, it only looked like they were slowly gliding to me.

「ほらよ」

‘Horayo’ (TN: not sure the right word in english, this is like some delinquent anime? That ‘Hora!’. Or the sound when the mc is going to beat up the villain lol) (Pr:Think Jojo’s bizarre adventure)

I brandished my right claw at the head of the approaching wyvern, and stopping its advance.

Completely incapable of reacting to my claw, the wyvern lost its neck and tumbled down to the ground dying.

Other wyvern, astonished by their companion’s abrupt death, spread their wings in a hurry, trying to escape.

No way I’m letting you go

『Water cut!』

Two water blades were launched at high speeds, aimed at the necks of the two remaining wyvern.

The water blades cleanly their necks.

Left behind were the bodies of three headless wyvern, with the latter two crashing down from the sky.

Maybe it was a little cruel, sorry about that.

But once again, this is the flow of nature. (Tn: Probably smth like the the strong eating the weak?)

Well thinking about it, I didn’t need 3 bodies. (Pr: Poor wyvern)

Well

Obtaining a sufficient food supply, is this the long-awaited meal time?

‘Uumuu’

How shall I eat it?

Obviously I don’t have something like cooking skill.

If possible I want to roast or stew it but……

I’m not able to use fire magic.

Guguu~ my stomach is grumbling.

Sorry, endure a bit longer.

I don’t want to make belly-san wait any longer.

As expected I have no choice but to forcibly eat it raw as I planned before.

For  the time being, let’s start with the stomach, the most tender part……

It doesn’t seem that delicious but I’ll have it.

“Well then, itadakimasu~”

“Wait a minute!!!”

As I Resolved myself to put the wyvern meat in my mouth, the young goblin that I had rescued, waking up from his stupor, interrupted me.

Come to think of it, I forgot that I helped him.

“What is it, have you come to bother a person’s meal? Or do you wish for me to eat you instead of this meat?”

Since my meal was interrupted, I got a bit irritated.

(TN:The gargoyle is speaking like a delinquent, but the goblin is being polite.)

“Hiii! No, I beg your pardon, please don’t eat me. Wyvern meat can’t be eaten if its poison hasn’t been extracted first!”

“Extracting the poison?”

“Y-yes. A wyvern’s internal organs contain poison, its internal organs need to be removed, while the rest of it’s body needs to be dried under the sun for one week before it’s edible”

“Eh? seriously?! Then I must wait for a week?”

“Yes, I couldn’t believe you were going to eat it without even draining its blood at first.”

“Is that so, I’m sorry then, thanks for informing me.”

I have lived a very long time, but in reality I know nothing about things that have nothing to do with fighting.  

“No, you’ve saved my life. I’m late to introduce myself, but my name is Daidalian, this slime here is called Baum. Thank you very much for helping me earlier even though it was dangerous.”

Goblin-kun gave a self-introduction, what a polite child.

“Nevertheless, such things like stopping several wyverns is amazing, It’s supposed to be the strongest monster around here”

“I have lived for 1500 years, this level of battle is nothing.”

“Eh? No no no, sorry for my impoliteness, but that’s impossible.”

He didn’t believe me.

If I was in his position, I wouldn’t believe something like a 1500 year old gargoyle would exist.

Intentionally lying on the other hand felt wrong, it is a nuisance, I think I’ll just leave it as a misunderstanding.

“By the way, what are you going to do with these wyverns?”

What should I do.

I have no problem eating it since I should have some resistance to poison .

Hmm… I don’t think I’ll eat it while aware of the poison though.

But honestly, I want to put something in my belly.

As expected, do I have to eat it without minding the poison?

“Uu~n, there is poison in this meat”.

“yes……”

“It will need one week to eat it purge the poison.”

“yes……”

“Even so, I can’t go a week without eating.”

“What if you die because of the poison!”

Such an outrageous thing to say.

It is only one day without eating and I’m already like this.

If I have to wait for one whole week I’ll be die from starvation.

(Pr: B-but you have poison resistance, you just said it!)

“Ano~ I have a suggestion, if it is okay with you, would you mind me dismantling it?”

“No, but I have to wait one week all the same….”

“That is right, but if it is only to separate the poison, then by using a slime, I’ll able to extract the poison in a few hours”

“What!”

Hey, why you didn’t tell me sooner!

If that was the case, I would’ve treated you gentler.

“Yes…it is just, the slime itself is in considerably weakened condition, it can’t re-hydrate its body since there is no river around here and eventually it’ll dry up completely.”

“I see…, in other words, you want me to re-hydrate it using water magic?”

“Yes…, could you please do this for me? I’m sorry, if it’s a bit  of a shameless request coming from someone who’s life you’ve saved”

“I don’t mind.”

If that is compensation for having a meal, then it is cheap.

“Tha, thank you very much! Good for you Baum” (TN: If the one on the cover is our goblin, then we’ve got a very VERY cute shota goblin. Fortunately he seemed to be dressed) (Pr: *Looks at cover* I imagined him greener)

Daidalian tightly hugged the slime he carried in his arms.

‘Bi…bigii……’ (slime sfx)

The goblin and slime seems to have a mutual understanding.

My telepathy is useless since I do not know the slime language.

From their story, they are the same as me who attained freedom after being released from demon lord Larne’s slavery magic.

That means that Daidalian protected the weak slime all the way from Larne’s castle until they reached this place.

Since there is no river around here, with the link of slavery magic being severed, the slime was left with no source of food to keep on living.

You have done well, as a slime and goblin pair with no battle ability,making it this far is commendable.

With Daidalian planning on dismantling the wyvern, I decided to immediately give water to the slime.

It felt good; I can finally have a meal.

You have the privilege of being served by I, who can use the top grade level 7 water magic 『Tidal Revive』.

I’ll give the worn-out you the finest quality water possible.

‘Bi…bigi……’

Seeing my expression, Baumu became vigilant, its body jiggling ‘purupuru.’

It seemed to be saying “stop, stop!”

Well it must be my misunderstanding. It’s impossible to refuse this one’s rare kindness.

It looked scared.

There is nothing to be afraid of.

With this water you can regain your fresh body.

Now, accept it without reservation.

(Pr: Is he helping or raping the slime?)

‘Bi, Bigigigigigigigigi, bigigigiiiiiiiiiiuuuuuuuuuuhyaaaaaaaaaaa!!!’

The slime trembled due to the abnormal amount of magical power in the water poured onto it.

The slime’s screams echoed at the foot of falla mountain at dusk.