SWNOVELXO Ch19 - Parting, Leveling Up, and Food★
Chapter 19: Parting, Leveling Up, and Food★
With the return of the [Physical Ability Enhancement] skill to its owner, the fairy contract was considered complete, and the lily marks on Lena and Luka’s second wrists vanished.
The time for farewell was drawing near…
Lena and the others politely bowed their heads to Luka.
“Thank you so much for everything!
I’ve said thank you many times, but I still feel like I haven’t expressed my gratitude enough…!
We managed to escape from the kingdom thanks to your support.
I’m really grateful!”
“Thank you, Luka—!!”
Luka smiled happily, mimicking Lena and the others by bowing his head.
“…It was mutual, wasn’t it?
I couldn’t have escaped on my own, either.
Thank you for helping me.
Moreover, I had a lot of fun being with you all!
I hope we meet again somewhere.”
“Yes!”
“Fufu.
Well, for now, we’re both heading to towns that are in the opposite direction of the Gararajure Kingdom, so we might meet again eventually.
By that time, I believe both you and I will have grown even more than we are now.
Everyone here still doesn’t know much about the world.
We should interact with people living ordinary lives, see various sights, and learn many things.
Let’s meet again once we’ve both matured a bit more.”
One by one, they shook hands with the teacher.
The slime stretched and purposely formed a hand shape. It was a bit eerie…
“See you again—!!”
“I look forward to seeing you again!”
“Funyuu…”
The sleepy sheep murmured in a dreamy voice, speaking to itself at the end.
It was amusing… or perhaps that was the reason? Everyone had a few tears welling in their eyes.
Before sunset, Luka conveyed to Lena and the others that they wanted to distance themselves from the kingdom as much as possible.
Though they had faked the deaths of Lena and her familiars, the prince himself was still being searched for as a missing person by the kingdom.
It was hard to believe that they would give up on the rare [Magic Eye] so easily.
While his sister’s [Far Sight] could only see within the country, it was better to be cautious in case he was spotted.
They wanted to get as far away from here as possible.
…They were starting their life of fleeing once more, but they had already escaped from the dangerous kingdom, and the collar that had bound him (Luka) was gone, so their hearts felt bright and clear.
Perhaps the fun journey with Lena and the others had also served as a good distraction.
Though parting with their companions was bittersweet…
More than that, they looked forward to their reunion.
With a smile, Luka said “See you again” to Lena and the others, turned on his heel, and slowly distanced himself from his waving companions.
—Someday, they would definitely meet again.
They both had a feeling of that certainty.
After watching the teacher’s back until it became quite small, Lena turned back to her familiars.
“…Alright!”
They planned to aim for the sleepy sheep’s class change in this grassy field soon.
Since it would evolve after leveling up even once, they had to make sure to strengthen it.
“Sleepy sheep-kun, let’s change classes. Time to wake up—?”
“Munyu…”
““Cock-a-doodle-doo!! It’s daytime!””
But it didn’t wake up.
Lily whispered a groundbreaking method into Lena’s ear.
…With cold sweat trickling down, the master somehow agreed to it.
They couldn’t stay here for long.
They also wanted to distance themselves from the Gararajure Kingdom as soon as possible.
Doing her best, Lena tried to produce the scariest voice right by the sheep’s ear.
“…Oh? Are you wishing for the Flame Whip?”
Here we go.
“(Bing—!)”
“““Ah—! Lady Lena! I want to be tamed—!!”””
It seemed that the Flame Queen was still a trauma for him, and it was a great success.
The sheep abruptly woke up from its deep slumber.
With the other familiars cheering in unison and the sheep’s tearful eyes, Lena’s heart felt deeply wounded…
…It seemed that was not her intention, but it was too late, and it was her own doing.
With the noisy four in tow, the master began to advance through the grasslands, searching for monsters to defeat.
This grassland was even wider than the one around Danatzera.
Though trees grew in places, it was mostly a flat area covered in low grass, inhabited by many herbivores that fed on it.
Lena asked the sheep about the [Body Transformation] skill.
“How big have you grown at maximum?”
“Hmm… The biggest I’ve grown was about two meters tall, I think?
But if I infuse more magic, I feel like I could get even bigger.”
“I see, I see.
By the way, how long does the effect last?”
“It only requires magic when changing, and then I stay that size the whole time.
There’s no specific duration; I just use the skill again when I want to shrink back?”
“Got it.
That’s very efficient and wonderful!”
“Fufu. You can pet me!”
“Yay, fluffy—!!”
The master easily succumbed to her desires.
After all, the sheep’s wool had been warmed up by the sun just a moment ago, smelling delightful, and it was incredibly tempting!
The senior familiars were also, by chance, buried in the wool… or rather, they were trying to get into it.
She wanted to sleep just like that, but holding back the impulse, Lena informed everyone about their strategy for the class change.
“First, we’ll have Sheep-kun grow big.
Then, the thinly spread Kureha and Izumi will stick to his forehead like a shield and use [Super Hardening].
In that state, Sheep-kun will charge towards the monsters with his head lowered while using [Running]!
He’ll definitely be able to ‘run over’ the monsters, right?
Lily-chan, please ride with me on Sheep-kun and help with reconnaissance!”
“Wow! That sounds like fun!”
“…Leave it to me, Master!”
“Alright. Just as Lady Lena commands!”
“Sheep-kun seems a bit different, though…”
The plan was as follows.
It seemed very simple; they intended to bounce the enemies away with brute force.
Once the sheep grew large with [Body Transformation], its weight would significantly increase with its volume, creating an incredibly heavy tank.
The master still didn’t know.
What kind of tragedy would befall her and her prey due to this plan…
“Shall we give it a try right away?”
“Ohhhhhh!”
On that day, the grasslands were devastated.
A super giant sheep, possibly three meters tall, was stomping excitedly with heavy breaths.
This was the effect of the Master’s [Inspire] skill.
To make it easier to bounce off the prey, a considerable amount of magical power had been infused into [Inspire].
Two slimes stacked together, stretching out, formed a powerful purple shield on Sheep-kun’s forehead with [Super Hardening].
Lily was perched on his neck, looking around with sparkling eyes full of anticipation.
The monsters that would become prey were everywhere.
If they were peered at from a height of three meters, the prey would be fully visible!
A sly smile crept onto her face.
…If they could see so well, they just needed to ride around on Sheep and ravage the grasslands!
The generally aggressive monsters loved to rampage.
Rena, who was riding on Sheep’s back, seemed a bit anxious as she grasped his wool, quickly giving instructions.
It appeared she was worried about her ability to hold on.
“Sheep-kun, please listen to Lily-chan’s guidance and follow her, okay?
Aim for the weaker herbivore monsters.
Even if the opponents are weak, defeating several will help gain experience points and level up… Please do your best!
It’ll make for a nice dinner too.”
The last line seemed to come from the heart, but the summoned creatures responded cheerfully with, “Okay!”
From Lily’s reconnaissance, there were no high-level dangerous monsters in sight.
…Alright.
…A one-sided hunt was about to begin!
“Chargeeeeeee!!”
Finally, the command to start [Running] was given!
The enormous sheep, lowering its head nearly to the ground, turned the slime shield on its forehead into a weapon and charged through the grasslands.
It kicked up dust, powerfully bouncing monsters away with its heavy body.
The first victim was another “Sleeping Sheep” of the same species.
However, since they weren’t allies, it charged mercilessly.
Just before the collision, it slightly raised its head, sending the prey flying into the air.
“Is this a traffic accident…?!”
Rena, desperately clinging to the wool, shouted out with a strained face.
This wasn’t the intended scene of an accident, but it seemed the summoned creatures had over-delivered on expectations.
The small sheep was sent flying several dozen meters away, and it seemed to be dizzy from a concussion, only to be finished off with another stomp.
As expected of the queen’s servant!
This wasn’t just a hit-and-run; it was a confirmed kill.
Seeing the prey pressed down, Lily nodded in satisfaction and quickly directed the next course of action.
“…Hmm! From here, to the diagonal right.
There’s a round sheep 12 meters ahead.”
“Okay, Commander Lily!”
“This feels great!”
They were thoroughly enjoying themselves.
The enormous sheep rhythmically rolled over one herbivorous monster after another with, “Pakan! Pakon!”
Even as a “Sleeping Sheep” at the bottom of the food chain, with a cheat skill and gift, it seemed invincible at this size.
After bouncing the tenth monster, perhaps realizing that gathering the ingredients would become difficult, Lily ordered her subordinate to stop for a moment.
What was the Master doing?
“…Master? Your face looks pale.”
“Lady Rena… are you alright?”
“Renaaaaaa?!”
Rena, who had been shaken up and down and side to side on the sheep’s back, was completely in a groggy state.
She leaned against the stopped sheep, looking pale.
“…I-I won’t lose…?”
Still, it seemed she was internally battling nausea.
Weakly, she gave a thumbs-up sign to the Sleeping Sheep.
Indeed, its battle record this time was quite impressive.
The summoned creatures weren’t so cruel as to push their weakened Master too hard, so they decided to end today’s leveling and food gathering here.
There was a loud ringing of bells, and they had likely gained enough experience points.
Having forced Lena to sleep with the Sheep’s [Deep Sleep] + [Surrounding Effect] skills, they proceeded to gather the defeated monsters. The ones that they tossed aside were all herbivores that wouldn’t cause food poisoning for humans, so they should make a delicious meal for their master. They were concerned about Lena, who had been eating only portable food and looked like she was having a tough time.
Except for four prey already infested by carnivorous beasts, they gathered the remains of about six sheep and other corpses.
“Humans can’t eat fur, right?”
“I don’t think they eat bones or organs much either.”
“And they don’t want blood either!”
“…? Are you planning to butcher them?”
The sheep, who was quietly sitting with the master on its back, asked the seniors.
“To prepare for Lena, we’ll dissolve and separate the parts!”
“With Ku and Iz, we can do detailed [Dissolving] and parting!”
“Wow, really? You seniors are amazing!”
Feeling pleased, the slime senior puffed up in a balloon-like manner. Lily began tossing the bloodied meat one after another into their bodies. While skillfully draining the blood with their jelly body, the slimes were dissolving only the parts that humans couldn’t eat, like skin and bones. Slimes are omnivorous, so they can easily consume fur and such.
Inside the magic bag the sheep held in its mouth, a large quantity of separated Genghis Khan meat was being stored.
Teacher Ruka had given them one of the magic bags he had brought out. He also shared a small amount of money equally with them. It might be a side note that Lena cried again, feeling moved… She murmured, “Just like an older brother.”
This gruesome butchering task was all neatly finished by the reliable familiars. They were thinking, “We want to pamper our hardworking master!” and made an effort. The preparations for a Genghis Khan barbecue party were complete. Looking gently at Lena, the familiars called her with heartfelt enthusiasm.
“Lena!”
“Master!”
“Lena-sama…?”
The crude monsters that rushed in targeting them were mercilessly turned into ingredients.
…When their master opened her eyes, she would surely be delighted to see the evening’s barbecue set and praise them a lot. The familiars were excited, anticipating her reaction, when Lena’s eyelids fluttered, revealing her black eyes.
“Hmm…? Huh? Was I sleeping?”
“Geez, Lena, you sleepyhead!
The food is already ready!”
“…Hehe.”
“Good morning, Lena-sama!”
Since their master apparently didn’t recall being made to sleep, they decided to keep it to themselves.
Although Lena looked at the familiars who woke her up with overly cheerful smiles with a puzzled expression, it seemed she finally understood what they said and her face blossomed like a flower.
The monsters that jumped into her arms were gently hugged as they wished, looking very happy. They excitedly showed off the food.
“Wow!
This is amazing. Did all of you prepare this?
You’re all so wonderful, cute, strong, and caring!”
“Kyaaaa! Master!”
“It’s mutual love, huh?”
After that, they had an enormous barbecue.
They skewered thick slices of lamb onto a thin twig and grilled it with Kureha’s flame until fragrant, then opened their mouths wide and bit into it. Juicy meat flowed out, and Lena couldn’t help but smile at the deliciousness.
“Ahhh, it’s so good—!!”
Her taste buds, which had been tormented by awful emergency rations, seemed to return to normal all at once. Her expression was melting. It would have been even better with salt and spices, but asking for that in the middle of this great wilderness would be greedy. She decided to procure salt in the next village or town they visited.
“Sheep-kun can’t eat meat, can he…?”
Lena spoke to the sheep, which was munching on leaves with its large body.
“That’s right!
My food is always this.
…You don’t have to worry about it so much, Lena-sama.
Leaves are delicious!”
“I want you to eat meat because it’s really tasty, if possible.
…Oh.
If you become a Demon Race, would you be able to eat meat too?”
“Demon Race?”
“They say that if you change classes and become a rare type of monster, you can take on a human form as a Demon Race.
It seems your taste will be like a human’s too.
Want to give it a try…?”
“If Lena-sama says so—”
Their master quickly pulled out her guild card. She wanted him to be able to eat delicious food too!
Among the bell sounds that had been ringing a moment ago, there was also the notification that said, “☆You have met the conditions for class change.” While Lena checked the items, the senior familiars leaned in to look at the card, holding meat in their hands.
First, they checked the current status of Kureha, Izumi, and Lily. Each of them had leveled up by two levels.
“Name: Kureha
Species: Mini Jewel Slime (Red) LV. 8
Specialization: Red Magic
Health: 29 (+2)
Intelligence: 21 (+1)
Agility: 30
Magic: 20 (+2)
Luck: 14
Skills: [Dissolve], [Super Hardening]
Gift: [All Status Condition Resistance] ☆4
Title: Demon Race”
“Name: Izumi
Species: Mini Jewel Slime (Blue) LV. 8
Specialization: Blue Magic
Health: 28 (+2)
Intelligence: 21 (+1)
Agility: 31
Magic: 20 (+2)
Luck: 14
Skills: [Dissolve], [Super Hardening]
Gift: [All Status Condition Resistance] ☆4
Title: Demon Race”
“Name: Lily
Species: Dark Fairy (Young) ♀, LV. 6
Specialization: Black Magic, Yellow Magic
Health: 18
Intelligence: 16 (+2)
Agility: 19 (+1)
Magic: 35 (+2)
Luck: 15
Skills: [Illusion] +1, [Bloodsucking], [Charm]
Gift: [Fairy Eye] ☆4″
“Everyone has gotten stronger!”
“Ehehe!!”
The seniors looked very happy to be praised.
Kureha and Izumi had used magic a lot while catching the sheep this time, so their magic values had increased. Lily had already shown a +1 effect on her [Illusion] skill. It was probably due to their master’s growth correction, but it was terrifying how much they had grown.
Looking at Lena’s status, she has leveled up twice.
Guild Card: Rank G
Name: Tōdō (藤堂) Lena
Occupation: Monster Tamer (モンスターテイマー) LV. 4
Equipment: Sailor uniform, leather shoes, bag, M bag, robe
Aptitude: Black Magic, Green Magic
Health: 19 (+3)
Intelligence: 51
Speed: 14 (+2)
Magic: 52
Luck: Undetermined
Skills: [Familiar Contract], [Inspire], [Messenger], [Obedience], [Familiar Recovery], [Blunt Strike]
Familiar: Kureha, Izumi, Lily, Sleepy Sheep
Gift: [Rare Class Change Trait] ☆7
Perhaps due to borrowing Luka’s [Physical Ability Enhancement], her stamina has increased significantly this time. The newly acquired [Blunt Strike] is her first whip skill.
[Blunt Strike]… Allows you to injure the opponent without killing them, leaving just enough health. The attack power is based on the user’s health.
…Could there have been a brainless musclehead in the Lanash world who brought others to death with just whip strikes in the past?
Well, that’s beside the point. Let’s check the status of the Sleepy Sheep. I’m very curious about its class change. His level has shot up by three.
The evolution seems to be a rare species called Golden Sheep. It’s likely to become a beautiful monster.
“…Golden!”
『『It’s shiny gold!』』
『I wonder if its wool will change from white…?』
『I don’t really know.』
“It might get a bit warm, Sheep-kun. Do you think you can endure it…?”
『As you command!』
…This trend isn’t very good, so Lena decided to improve his queen image later on. When she lightly tapped the evolution item on the card, a detailed description of the Golden Sheep appeared.
[Golden Sheep]
…A rare sheep with shimmering golden wool. The value of its exceptionally soft wool is far more expensive than the finest silk. It is said to be a treasure in the sewing world. Its appearance is incredibly beautiful, and there are regions that worship the Golden Sheep as a divine beast.
There doesn’t seem to be any outstanding features in combat, but both the master and the senior familiar were fixated on the line “exceptionally soft to the touch.” They chose to overlook the troublesome part about it being worshiped.
Even now, it has that best fluffiness… and there’s even more to come…? What a wonderful bed!
The Sleepy Sheep appears to be enduring the heat from within. Its white wool gradually takes on a transparent honey-like yellow hue…
Eventually, it transforms into a melt-in-your-mouth golden color. It’s not a gaudy or flashy shine but a refined platinum color reminiscent of stars. The sparkle is dazzling, rivaling that of a Jewel Slime.
“Beautiful…” Lena involuntarily lets out a sigh.
『Really? You can pet me!』
He seems proud of his transformation.
▽The Sleepy Sheep has evolved into a Golden Sheep!
“Name: Golden Sheep (temporary)
Species: Golden Sheep (金毛羊) ♂, LV. 9
Aptitude: Black Magic
Health: 31 (+12)
Intelligence: 24 (+11)
Speed: 16 (+7)
Magic: 20 (+6)
Luck: 23 (+6)
Skills: [Body Transformation], [Speedy], [Deep Sleep], [Surrounding Effect]
Gift: [Dull Sensitivity] ☆5**
The sheep has visibly grown stronger. Its stats are very well-balanced. Although there are no new species-specific skills from the class change, the original skills are more than reliable enough, so there’s no issue at all.
“Good job…! You did well. I’ll use the [Familiar Recovery] skill just in case. Want to try turning human right away?”
『Yes!』
The sparkling sheep replies with excitement.
“Could you first return your body to normal size? I’ll put a robe over you… After you turn human, please wear a shirt and pants, okay? Just imagine yourself as a human.”
This time, they were well-prepared against being naked. As Lena draped a robe over the sheep, it seemed to successfully envision becoming human, gradually changing its body.
The face that was covered in short wool transformed into the fresh, soft skin of a child. The golden wool became long, curly golden hair. Retaining the original monster’s features, it now looked like a child of the demon race with white ears and sheep horns. …Let’s not worry about it having been naked with just the robe.
『…I feel like I can eat meat now?』
“Really!”
It seems he has already noticed the changes in his body.
『『『That’s great, junior!』』』
『Thanks, senpai!』
The intelligent junior appears to be quite adept at socializing. He’s fitting in well with the seniors. Now that he has transformed and turned human, it’s about time he got a proper name. After much deliberation, Lena bestowed upon him the name “Hamaru,” meaning “Star Sheep.”
“Your name is… Hamaru. How about Ha-kun?”
『Is that my name?… I’m so happy!』
It seems that Hamal was pleased with his new name as the Golden Sheep. The guild card now reflects this change.
When the newly transformed Hamal tried eating meat for the first time, he was surprised by the delicate flavors unique to humans and enjoyed it without any issues.
After confirming that there were no onlookers, Kureha, Izumi, and Lily also transformed into their human forms to enjoy the meal! Unfortunately, there weren’t enough clothes, so they ended up in their usual bare shirts. Lily, now a member of the demon tribe, appeared as a child with distinctive pointed ears and no wings.
“Haru-kun, the meat is ready!”
“Ah, open wide!”
“Oh, okay!”
“Reina! Feed me too!”
“Master, let me feed you!”
“Alright, alright!”
Amid the lively chatter, Lena and her familiars thoroughly enjoyed the fresh grilled meat, and that night they slept soundly on the luxurious golden bed, benefiting from the [Sound Sleep] and [Surrounding Effects] skills.
It felt like they couldn’t sleep without it anymore… It was that perfect a sleeping experience…
▽Everyone’s fatigue has completely recovered!