TL-Cosmo
PR-Rin
Read at asmotoon.com
Harnessing a Slime's Power, Part Two
“This is the area with the most complaints. You’ll be handling this district.”
The spot Oranze pointed to lay right on the border between the commoner and noble districts.
To put it bluntly, it was a neighborhood where nobles of the lowest rung deigned to reside.
Many of them possessed little more than a title or a tiny sliver of land, and their personalities were often soured by an immense pride in their noble status alone.
Their superiority complex and delusions of grandeur, paired with barely distinguishable commoner lineage, made them uniquely unpleasant. If you traced their ancestry back even a little, you’d find they came from the same stock as the common folk they so scorned.
In short, they were troublesome types whose only asset was their aristocratic vanity.
The complaints from people like that were frequent and severe.
“Here’s a detailed map of the district. Maps aren’t free, so don't lose it.”
He was handed another roll of paper.
When Zeke unrolled it, he found an enlarged layout of the designated area, with garbage collection points and the residences of particularly loud complainers clearly marked.
“You know the procedure, right? You load the garbage onto a horse-drawn cart and…”
“I won’t be needing a horse or cart.” Zeke cut in, brimming with confidence.
Oranze had assumed Zeke knew what he was doing, since he hadn't asked a single question about the work itself. Still, Oranze had figured he’d lack hands-on experience. The slums weren’t part of the company’s usual operations; there was no money in it. And yet, here was Jike, acting like he already had a method and didn’t need basic equipment.
“…Hmph. Suit yourself. Do it your way, when and how you like. But if you're slow, that’ll cause complaints too. Just don’t forget that.”
“Heh heh, you won’t be disappointed.”
“Just be prepared for what happens if you fail.”
And with that, the deal was struck.
It was a one-time chance, but one chance was all he needed.
Oranze, however, steeled himself for the inevitable wave of angry complaints.
“I know. Now then, one more thing to ensure my success.”
“What is it?”
“There’s something I need you to prepare for me…”
While Zeke made one final request, Fios happily slurped up the rest of the tea.
***
“Hmm-hm-hmm…”
The next day, Zeke arrived early at Oranze’s office before heading to the noble quarter.
The streets were still dim and quiet in the early light.
The air was cool and crisp, a pleasant feeling against his skin.
On top of that, Zeke wore a dark blue cloak over his usual rags. Ordinarily, he attracted scornful glances, but today, not a single person paid him any mind.
This cloak was what he had requested yesterday.
Even if he did his job perfectly, just being a slum kid in the noble district would’ve earned him hostility. He didn’t need to look like a noble’s son, but he had to look just respectable enough not to be chased away.
Since it had been procured on short notice, the cloak was a little large, but that gave him enough room to hold Fios inside, which was actually preferable.
He passed through the commoner’s district and into the noble’s.
His first stop was the collection point near the most problematic household.
It was a vacant lot, now walled off and repurposed as a garbage depot.
Zeke didn’t know the specifics, but a house usually became vacant due to either promotion or disgrace. Judging by the untouched state of the land, the previous owner had likely gone bankrupt or had some scandal involving a foolish heir. Nobles avoided such cursed properties like the plague.
Even if this land went up for sale, no one would buy it now that it had become a dump site.
Still, the fact they’d managed to turn it into a depot at all was impressive. The backlash from neighboring houses must’ve been intense. Even commoners wouldn’t want garbage piling up next door.
The trash was piled in burlap sacks, forming mounds with a dirty brown hue. Moving this amount quickly would take serious work.
Nobles produced more trash than commoners. This was because while commoners used things until the very last moment, nobles did not.
Food was a prime example.
Unlike commoners, who would eat food even if it was on the verge of spoiling, nobles would throw it out at the slightest sign of aging. Some nobles would even discard clothes if they were torn, rather than mending them.
Zeke couldn’t help but think it was a waste, but he wasn’t about to criticize people for having different values. If he had the choice, he’d prefer fresh food too.
“Alright, I’m counting on you.”
Zeke released Fios into the dump.
Fios wobbled cheerfully over to the garbage, stretching across a sack and absorbing it in one gulp.
The burlap slowly melted away, exposing food scraps and leftovers, which quickly dissolved inside Fios’s body.
At first, it took longer than expected. Despite all his bravado, Zeke worried that if someone spotted them now, they might lodge a complaint.
But as Fios got used to it, his pace picked up. The speed at which he dissolved the garbage gradually increased, and soon he was able to handle several bags at once.
The garbage from the noble’s district was of high quality, with plenty of food that was still perfectly edible. Slimes were omnivorous and could eat anything, but they must have had preferences, good and bad, just like anyone else.
Fios could digest and absorb junk, but he preferred things a person could eat—especially things that tasted good to people. Since the nobles’ trash included leftovers from their meals, it was, as far as garbage went, Fios’s favorite kind.
By the time Fios had devoured everything, he had grown considerably in size.
Unlike wild magical beasts, who rarely fed this much at once, slimes expanded in direct proportion to their intake. Fios was no different. He hadn’t digested the food yet, so he remained bloated.
He was too big to carry, however, so Zeke waited a little for him to shrink back to his original size.
The thought of the garbage inside was a bit unsettling, but Zeke dove into the enlarged Fios anyway.
Fwoomp. Fios’s body rippled, catching Zeke.
It was a strange sensation. Zeke, having never experienced anything like it, couldn't quite describe it. A wave of drowsiness washed over him, induced by the yielding softness that molded perfectly to his body, a feeling that seemed to sap one’s will. It being so early in the morning only made him sleepier.
Food, especially the kind Fios liked, digested quickly. With a soft whoosh, Fios began to shrink. Zeke climbed off, scooped him up, and headed for the next collection point.
His efficiency increased even further. Fios was still bloated, so he could handle more at once. He’d wrap around a bundle of garbage, melt it down, and carry it internally as they went.
As if sensing Zeke’s intent, Fios managed to keep himself to a size that, while large, was still manageable for Zeke to carry. He seemed to have some control over it. Zeke struggled to hold on, his vision nearly obscured, but he managed.
Full absorption could wait. They’d handled worse before. For now, just melting the trash was enough.
The problem, rather, was Zeke.
There was no issue with Fios’s processing speed; Zeke was the one who couldn't keep up as they rushed from one site to the next.
Unlike the rascals who ran wild through the slums, Zeke was quiet and not particularly fit. He was slightly frail, younger-looking than his age, and small for his size.
There were fewer sites in the noble district, but they were farther apart. Though he tried to catch his breath at each stop, Fios always finished first.
Thanks to their efforts, however, they finished processing all the garbage before the sun had fully risen.
Zeke left the district in a hurry. Being seen now would only bring trouble. He didn’t want to undo his progress.
Once he crossed back into the commoner’s district, he lowered his hood and exhaled deeply.
The street was already bustling with merchants and workers. Morning food stalls were open, and the smell of warm broth and sizzling bread wafted through the air.
He took a deep breath to steady his ragged breathing and caught a wonderful smell.
But he had no money.
Tearing his gaze away from the stalls, he made his way to Oranze’s office.
“What is it? Was there a problem?”
As soon as Zeke entered the firm without so much as a knock. Oranze looked up warily. He had returned far too quickly for a job that usually took five people.
Oranze assumed Zeke had given up.
“You know why I’m here, don’t you?”
Zeke sat in the same chair as the day before.
Fios had returned to a manageable size, a bit rounder than usual but not by much.
He had eaten all sorts of things, but much of it had been food, so Fios was in a good mood. Zeke could feel that contentment gently flowing into him.
“I’ve finished today’s work.”
“What?”
Oranze froze, pen halfway across the page. The mental preparations he’d made for a storm of angry complaints ground to a halt.
“…You’re not lying, are you?”
“Of course not.”
Oranze rose from behind the desk and came around to stand in front of him. As a merchant, he was especially good at spotting lies.
Oranze deliberately held his tongue.
Most people, even the clever ones, give something away—shifty eyes, a twitch, a bead of sweat. Even a seasoned merchant would show at least a little hesitation under Oranze’s sharp gaze.
But Zeke’s demeanor remained bold and full of confidence.
If this boy was lying, he was one hell of an actor.
With nerves like that, Oranze thought, he might just have a future in business.
