“I’m home~” [Ryouma]
When I got back, all the rimel birds went out to greet me. The slimes were present too, but they couldn’t say anything.
As I let out a lifeless voice in the mines, I fed the slimes and arranged my luggage.
“Next is..” [Ryouma]
In order to feed the charcoal-eating cleaner slimes, I started building a kiln for them.
“Here should be good…” [Ryouma]
The place I chose was the wall of rocks next to my house, in an area between a tunnel entrance and the entrance.
I dug a hole right next to the existing tunnel, then gradually expanded it until it became a room shaped like an ellipse.
It was good enough for me to just use Rock to supplement the room from time to time, so it didn’t take that much effort to make.
By the time I was done, the room was high enough for a child to walk around and big enough to accommodate one or two adults as a tent.
Next up are the slimes.
I called an earth slime and a huge scavenger slime. As the earth slime rode the huge scavenger slime, the huge scavenger slime raised it up near the ceiling. When it was near the ceiling, it caused a part of the ceiling to turn into sand and collapse. Like that the slimes were able to gradually bore a hole through the ceiling.
“Good job!” [Ryouma]
After creating an entrance from the tunnel, we went a step further and created a path leading to the tunnels above.
The slimes looked like they still had a lot of energy left, so I had them reinforce the walls as they came back. With this the chimney was mostly completed, which meant that the charcoal kiln was also mostly complete.
It was so easy that I couldn’t help but wonder to myself if it was really okay like this, but the kiln works, so I guess that’s that.
There are other ways to make a kiln. There’s the traditional method which involves digging a hole for the kiln, building a frame, stuffing it with wood, then burying it with wood and dirt. There’s also the drum method which involves a drum and a fire. There’s a lot of ways to make a kiln, but the key point is to prevent the heat from escaping and to maintain the air to bake the wood.
In my case, I’m going to put a cover over the chimney to keep the heat from escaping. As for the maintenance of the air, red soil kneaded with stone and water will do.
And that’s that for the kiln. Next, I’ll go and do some rounds around the mine.
This part of the mine hasn’t been reached by the management much, so the area around my house is full of weeds. But when you think about how all these weeds can be used for fuel, it’s not so bad. The weeds have grown high enough for me to be able to hide in them, but if I trim them and place them under the sun, depending on the weather, I could use them to get material I can easily start a fire with.
Of course, I could also use them to make charcoal.
I did my rounds around the mine while trimming the weeds, but then—
“PIRORORORORO!” [Rimel Bird]
“PIIPIRORORO!” [Rimel Bird]
“Hmm?” [Ryouma]
—I suddenly heard the cries of the rimel birds. When I looked up at the sky, my rimel birds were flying together as usual, but something was different.
“A flock of birds?” [Ryouma]
The light in the backdrop made it hard to see clearly, but it seemed like there were a lot of other small living creatures flying. The rimel birds surrounded them in the air. They seemed to be using magic too, as the other flying creatures were… Ah.
“KUKEH! KUKEH! KUKEH!” [Ryouma]
When the movement of the other flying creatures were restricted, Eins let out a shrill cry, and in the next moment, all of the other flying creatures fell at the same time.
“…So they were hunting.” [Ryouma]
They’re like a pod of dolphins hunting. Even though they’re supposed to be birds…
Surround the enemy, then use the nightmare bird’s special mind-type attack.
I don’t know if their targets all fainted or not, but they all fell into the ground as if they’d lost control.
I saw some of the rimel birds eating some of those other flying creatures while still in the air, though. Were they snitching food?
“I should take a look…” [Ryouma]
As I thought that, I went to the area near the top of the mountains were those things fell.
“Found it. Hey!” [Ryouma]
“PIRO!” [Rimel Bird]
“PIRORO!” [Rimel Bird]
“Ah, never mind. Just eat.” [Ryouma]
My timing was a bit bad when I called out to the rimel birds, as a result, they ended up replying while their beaks were still full, creating a rather splattery sight.
So, those other flying creatures were cave bats, huh.
“Where did you find these critters?” [Ryouma]
“…PIRO!!” [Rimel Bird]
When I asked that, one of the rimel birds took off and came back after chirping in front of a tunnel. It seems they’re in that tunnel. It’s not to the same extent as before, but it seems some monsters have made a home for themselves again after I left for a while.
“…PIRORORO?” [Rimel Bird]
“You don’t have to bring me any.” [Ryouma]
Does he think I want some because I was staring? Drei had brought one with him, but I don’t really want to eat a bat. Still, if there are any leftovers, I’ll be sure to preserve them. How much they want to eat, however, is completely up to them. It’s their kill.
It’s a load off my back if they’re hunting the bats, so I just wished them luck and left.
…Sure was a surprise to see the rimel birds hunting together, though…
In the past, whenever I saw them hunt, they hunted alone, so it’s a bit unexpected to see them hunt together.
…Come to think of it, since they can use wind magic, I wonder if they can use Sound Bomb if I teach it to them.
If they can, then that’ll make it even easier for them to hunt. I’ll try teaching them next time.