Chapter 27 – Upfront investment!
“…..so the result is about a thousand slimes and a thousand mouse people.”
I listened to Serena’s report with closed eyes.
There is no way there are that many…..no, let’s look at reality here.
When I gingerly opened my eyes, I could see a mass of mouse people and slimes fill the entire public square.
“To think that Prince Alec had a power like this….”
Serena still looked like she could barely believe it. Although the slimes didn’t really change, she is apparently shocked how much the mice have transformed.
I’ve just finished making every slime and mice gathered by Elyc and Tia my Servants.
The mouse people grew to the size of a small dog and the volume of their voice has also increased. All that squeaking made the place sound very busy.
There are enough of them that it’s no wonder Serena almost fainted back there.
Another thing I was curious about was the individual differences between the new Servants, but there was no significant divergence there.
The mice only grew to the size of a small dog, became bipedal, and were able to speak to me now. Although there are a few that grew to child-sized as well….
As for the slimes, there was no apparent change when they became my Servants. Perhaps it’s more difficult for monsters to change their shape. However, all of my Servants were able to understand my speech.
Anyway, I somehow ended up getting around two thousand new Servants.
Also, mice and slimes are famous for their high reproduction rate…..
“The slimes will be fine if we just give them water I think….”
I nodded at Elysia’s anxious words just now.
“The mice will not be that easy. Tia, we will prepare food, but…”
“Squeak! We will think on when to make children if the King says so-ssu! We do that to begin with-ssu.”
Tia, who I appointed as the mouse people’s leader, said.
Food is in short supply on this island.
That was most likely the reason why they tried to restrict their population.
I’m kind of curious about why she called me King, but I don’t really care what they call me.
“That would be helpful…. We will of course prepare food for the slimes as well. So could you hold off on splitting for a while?”
Elyc and Eleanor bounced once as their reply.
It seems the slimes were careful about their food supply and population size as well.
“For the time being, I would like to arrange it so that they can procure their own water and food.”
We will need to get food from the capital, or Lobrion, or even another city for now. Then arrange for them to hunt and fish for their own food.
The water problem can be dealt with by Water Magic, but it would be better if they could drink whenever they wanted still.
“Tia. Do you know a place around here that has a lot of drinking water?”
“I know a place where drinkable water flows underground-ssu!”
So there is an underground water supply.
I turned towards Serena.
“Is there an underground waterway in this city?”
“I think every provincial capital has a water and sewage system. I know how those roughly work, but when I came here you could drink from the tap and the sewage system worked as well….. Of course it’s been more than a thousand years since I came here, so it’s unknown whether they are still functional.”
It takes money to repair the waterways and you need people with the skills to do it as well.
Nowadays, I’ve heard that even those cities that used to have waterways in the ancient days have mostly long since abandoned them.
“Got it. Let’s check on those waterways first then. The last topic is our food reserves, but first…..Yuuri.”
“Yes? What can I help with?”
“I would like the blue-hair brigade to make some miniature crossbows for the mouse people. Can you do that?”
The mouse people became larger than they used to be, but they are still small.
So rather than close quarters, they would be more suited for ranged combat.
The power would be limited, but it should still be enough to take down Arrow Crows.
Weapons would be needed for both self-defense and hunting.
Yuuri answered, full of confidence.
“Oh, crossbows! I learned how to make those at the mines, so we can do it! I will try to make ones that are easy to use as much as possible.”
“I see. No need to worry about the material expense; try to make them as good as possible. You can use the feathers and beaks of the Arrow Crows for the bolts as well.”
I took out a pouch containing fifty gold from my 《Pandora’s Box》 and gave it to Yuuri.
“T-this much…..is this really fine?”
After accepting the pouch, Yuuri just kept staring at it anxiously.
Perhaps she was thinking if she’s fine being trusted like that.
Of course I trust her.
“It’s fine. I believe Yuuri and the blue-hair brigade will be able to make something good.”
“…..we will create quality items for sure!”
“I’ll be counting on you then. If you have money left over, then make some knives and armor as well.”
Yuuri bowed deeply in agreement.
However, it will take some time until the weapons are ready and they are able to go hunting.
“So we will need to get from somewhere else for now….. I guess we could buy it from the monastery of the great temple in the capital.”
Elysia was visibly surprised by what I said.
It’s the same monastery that Elysia used to live at and where demons and people with Dark Crests like me work.
They were making tools and farming food there.
Their livelihood mostly depends on the money they get from selling those.
I just thought that by purchasing food from there I may be able to improve their lifestyle a bit.
“Alec-sama….. Leena and the others will be happy for sure.”
Elysia replied with a smile.
It would be a shame to let all that gold idle in my 《Pandora’s Box》.
Let’s not be stingy with using that money and make Alus Island….. no, the whole Tialus someday, a prosperous place.
For that, we will need more money.
We can go with the slow and steady route to get more, but maybe putting it on a horse race would be best. Just put all of it on…… ah, no no, that’s a bad idea.
“…..let’s start with ensuring safety on the island. I’m counting on you, everyone.”
“Yes!”
Starting with Elysia, everyone answered energetically.
So that’s how I started managing the Tialus territory.
However, at that time I forgot what I received from adding two thousand new Servants to my retinue.
There is also a commentated version of this chapter here for a more social reading experience.
to construct additional Pylons?