Chapter 154  : Independent Nature

I return to the village and relate Ren’s story to Female Knight.

Female Knight: “Fumu… It seems the Hero of the Sword is quite the spoiled brat.”

Female Knight speaks whilst cricking her fingers.

It’s not like I can’t understand Ren’s feelings, but he truly is a wimp.

Female Knight: “Relying only on otherworldly knowledge to rashly rush into battle… There should be a limit to being na?ve.”

Naofumi: “Well, that pretty much sums it up.”

Female Knight: “If you happen to catch him, turn him over to me. I’ll personally make sure to re-educate him.”

Naofumi: “…He may have just overestimated himself.”

Female Knight: “What are you saying. It’s a knight’s common sense to fight a battle even if victory is uncertain.”

Well, that does seem to be logical.

Teaming up on a weaker individual may seem like bullying.

In Net games, it’s common sense, but if practiced in the real world there would be a problem.

You can’t just wait until a stronger enemy appears, and then run away because you don’t think you can win.

That would really cause a lot of problems.

This country may be at peace, but small skirmishes and monster infestations keep the knights vigilant.

Female Knight participated on the front lines of some of the fights against the Spirit Turtle, so she is qualified to say this.

She’s quite strong. Her stats aren’t as developed as Rafatalia, but she makes up for it with skill.

Female Knight: “Anyways, I’ll report this matter to the Queen. I’ll be out for a bit, so is there anything else you’d like from her?”

Naofumi: “Let’s see… what should we do about Rat?”

She’s the person I have to be most wary of right now.

She’s trying to make a larger fighting force, and I’ve given her a bit of time.

Female Knight: “As you’ve requested, the Shadows are watching her movements, but she’s been surprisingly obedient.”

Naofumi: “Is there any indication that she is acting secretly?”

Female Knight: “None.”

Mu… I was prepared to act in case she did something, but it seems that isn’t necessary.

I thought she may have been a spy, but it seems that isn’t the case.

Female Knight: “Well occasionally, she… Gets into argument with the girl who tends to the Caterpillands, but that matter seems trivial.”

Naofumi: “She does that even when I’m here.”

Naofumi: “It seems the subject of their disputes is a clashing of opinions.”

Their arguments always seem to be about the same things.

Taniko believes in the natural power of the monsters to level up, adapt and get stronger, while Rat opts for the use of surgery and other methods to forcibly increase stats.

And every time, Taniko brings up Firo, who got strong on her own.

And then Rat suggests a surgery to raise Firo’s intelligence, angering Taniko further.

The arguments then seem to go around in circles, but it seems that each side now has a firm grasp of the other’s ideologies.

On some rare occasions, they would agree on a matter, and have a happy talk over it.

… I wonder how Rat’s modifications are going.

Naofumi: “Well, I guess I should stop by.”

Rafatalia: “What should we do?”

Naofumi: “I’m thinking of sending the slaves to peddle independently, so go teach anyone who wants to learn the skills needed in peddling.”

Rafatalia: “I understand.”

Firo: “What about Firo?”

Naofumi: “I’m going to Rat’s place. Do you want to come with me?”

Firo: “NO!”

Rafatalia goes and starts ordering around the villagers. Firo ran off at an alarming rate.

Well, I guess her dislike is understandable.

Rat did give off a really bad first impression to her…

Imya: “Umm…”

Naofumi: “Hm?”

Imya fidgets as she comes over to talk to me.

Naofumi: “What is it?”

Imya: “I started learning how to make clothes from the strange person… here is my first product.”

The item she handed over was a pair of gloves.

The material is monster skin. The size is just right for my hands.

Imya: “Hero-sama, this is so you don’t get hurt when experimenting with medicine so…”

Naofumi: “Yeah, Thank You. You’re quite considerate.”

They’re well made.

It seems the Lemo really are a dexterous race.

Naofumi: “Have you gotten used to the village?”

Imya: “Ah, Yes.”

Naofumi: “If anything is troubling you, make sure to report it.”

Imya: “Yes…”

Naofumi: “… Did something happen?”

Imya begins looking at the ground as she speaks.

Imya: “Can I dig a hole here?”

Naofumi: “… If that will make your working environment more enjoyable, then feel free.”

Imya: “Thank you very much.”

She does look like a mole.

I guess she felt uncomfortable in the Camping Plant houses.

Naofumi: “You can order around the Dunes. Make it any size you want. However, make sure to think about where you dig.”

Imya: “Yes!”

She’s a nice, obedient child.

The exact opposite of Kiel.

Kiel: “*Achoo*”

(Note: It is Japanese superstition that you will feel a chill if someone talks about you behind your back.)

I hear Kiel sneeze from a bit away. I guess coincidences are scary.

And anyways, I went off to visit Rat’s lab.

It’s quite spacious, and has two floors. There is something like a sports playing field inside it as well.

… Exactly how far can these Camping Plants expand?

Rat: “Well, if it isn’t the Count. What’s up?”

Naofumi: “I’ve come to check your progress.”

I find Rat in the farthest room from the entrance, staring at a monster inside of a large test tube.

Somehow, the amount of test tubes she has been steadily increasing. Inside of them, various things are floating. In one of them floats a Bioplant stalk.

Rat: “Ah, about that. The Bioplant Research… hasn’t really bared any fruit.”

Naofumi: “I see.”

Rat: “I think you’ll have to wait a few days before you see any results. It seems it will be difficult to try to make it produce medicine.”

Naofumi: “It was something that I wasn’t able to do myself. I’ll wait patiently.”

Rat: “I don’t think it’s impossible. I’ll work on it.”

Naofumi: “I’ll wait expectantly.”

Rat taps on the test tube glass, teasing the monster within it.

I can’t see the monster’s form clearly, but it seems to be smiling in Rat’s direction.

Naofumi: “What is that?”

Rat: “Oh, this child?”

As she speaks, her eyes wander around the room.

Rat: “There are kids that can’t do anything no matter how hard they try.”

Naofumi: “Wha?”

Rat: “I told you about this one before, right? The one the Hero tried to kill…”

Naofumi: “It survived?”

“Yeah, at least a portion of its body did… For now it can only live inside this test tube, but at least it won’t die soon.”

Rat speaks with a pained expression.

And the monster in the vial extend something towards Rat as if to console her.

Rat: “This one was able to understand human language well… It always worked hard to be strong.”

Naofumi: “You can understand it?”

Rat: “For my thesis, I tried to see if monsters were able to think on the same level as humans.”

Naofumi: “hmm…”

Rat: “Monsters want to become strong too. And not just to survive, they want to be recognized as well. This child has an especially strong desire to do so.”

I see.

I didn’t want to be called weak, but I climbed all the way here.

Rat: “I can understand this one’s thoughts quite well. No matter how hard it tried, this one never got any stronger. Can you guess this child’s level?”

Naofumi: “… Around 40.”

Rat: “Correct, but… this one would always work itself to the ground, and I would have to heal it back up.”

So it’s a monster she likes personally.

Is this person’s passion for modification… based on that monster?

Rat: “Ah, don’t misunderstand. I had always loved Modification from the start.”

Naofumi: “Is that so…”

I’m not getting that impression…

Rat: “No matter how much I research, there are still more mysteries. I’ve already stepped into the abyss of science, and I don’t think I will be coming out.”

Naofumi: “Hm…”

Rat: “When I introduced myself, I told you my ideals. But I won’t work on an unwilling subject.”

Naofumi: “I wonder…”

I get the feeling that she is the type of person who would secretly conduct research and take action on her own accord.

I’m not buying it.

Taniko: “I told you no!”

Naofumi: “Hm?”

With a shaking voice, Taniko runs in and blocks the door from an approaching Caterpilland.

Naofumi: “What are you doing?”

Taniko: “This Caterpilland suddenly decided to visit that old lady!”

Naofumi: “… Wha?”

I look towards Rat, and see her walking towards the Caterpilland.

As Rat approaches it, the monster calms down.

Rat: “The monster the count raises are quite honest… This one has a good head, and a high level of ambition.”

Taniko: “Mu… I said no!”

Rat: “Please let this child act as it wishes.”

Taniko: “Wrong things are wrong!”

What are these two even trying to compete in?

I can kinda see what this argument is about.

No, I can just get the just of what’s happening.

That Caterpilland is getting close to Rat, and Taniko is unhappy with this.

Rat: “You know, the reason I do this sort of research, the reason I spent my childhood learning about the sciences and the reason I devoted my life to this work. It was so that I could give power to the children like these that came to me of their own accord. I like people to hold high expectations of me.”

As if I would accept such game-like logic.

… is what I think, but if there’s a real-life example before my eyes, I guess I have to accept it.

Rat: “Well, Dragons and Filo Rials seem to hate me though. Most monsters seem to stay away from me. But this one seems to be okay. It may be because of the Count’s influence.”

Is that how it is?

Is this the shield’s influence, or did these monsters just coincidentally turn out like this?

I think this is the Caterpilland that Kiel and friends found, so there may be other factors.

Rat: “This child chose its own path by itself.”

Taniko: “But…u…”

Rat: “Even though I say that, I don’t have the funds or materials to carry out the procedures yet, so I’ll put that matter on hold. Please go back home.”

Rat orders the Caterpilland to return.

And the Caterpilland is reluctantly dragged back to the stable by Taniko.

I think that Caterpilland was the one who dragged Kiel back when she got injured.

Because of its actions, we were able to avert a crisis.

It was supposed to be a slow monster, and yet…

Rat: “From what I see, if it grow naturally, it will soon hit its limit… That child still wants to become much stronger.”

Naofumi: “I understand.”

I should respect the monster’s right of choice as well… Though that Caterpilland seems to hate me specifically.

So it wants to become strong. Monsters have that desire as well.

Firo was born a strong monster, so she never had to worry about that.

Naofumi: “What do you do for your research, specifically?”

Rat: “Let’s see… there are plenty of ways to carry it out…”

Naofumi: “Such as?”

Rat: “Monsters that can carry passengers. I tried to modify one act as a ship and swim across the ocean. When this plan got out, I was once again tried for Heresy, though.”

Naofumi: “In that instance, couldn’t you just get an aquatic monster to pull a boat for you?”

Rat: “But haven’t you always dreamed of riding a monster?”

……?

In old RPGs, you would sometimes be able to ride on a dragon’s back and travel, but… this is a bit different.

Naofumi: “Can’t you just ride a flying dragon?”

Rat: “I hate Dragons!”

Mu… I don’t understand this person’s logic.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Naofumi: “Isn’t that just your personal preference?”

Rat: “Flying Dragons cannot carry heavy loads.”

Naofumi: “Then you could find a bigger dragon…”

Rat: “I will work on anything other than dragons. I’ll make a new race to replace them.”

She was just advocating Monster right of choice, but this is the result?

Did something happen to her involving dragons?

No… Did her modifications take her down this route?

Rat: “Next, I’ll make an Armor-type monster.”

Naofumi: “Oh?”

I heard something intriguing.

I think the shield will prevent me from wearing it, but if Rafatalia or Firo were to equip it it may heavily bolster their defense.

Rat: “Taking from the concept the Hero’s weapons share of a weapon that grows over time… However, I’m not getting anywhere. It’s quite difficult.”

If she succeeds, we may be able to mass-produce heroes… but it seems the research is at a standstill.

The imitation I saw before took up a ridiculously large amount of Mana.

If making a hero’s Weapon was that easy, then they wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of using that..

Rat: “I have some leads, though. There are some monsters that take on the shape of weapons. I thought I could use the Blood Sucking Demon Swords as reference… but that monster’s sanity is quite low. It’s hard to control.”

Naofumi: “That seems to be an interesting idea, but it sounds expensive.”

Rat: “You’re right. That’s why I still have a long way to go. For now, I am looking for insight in modifying the Bioplant.”

It seems that in order for Rat to complete her research, she will need more time and money.

But I don’t think I can really help with it.

Rat: “Anyways, if there’s someone you want me to cut up and modify, give me a call?”

Naofumi: “Yes. Yes.”

So there hasn’t been any progress. But Rat’s skills are growing.

The skills of the one who grants power to monsters, the Mad Alchemist.