Half-Dragon Slave Life - Chapter 30
Author: Kaburagi Haruka
Translator: ShiroiKaze/Soyokaze Translations
Chapter 30: Collection
Translated by Soyokaze Translations: soyokazetranslation . Com
There were no particular problems heading to the campground—small things like nobles being remonstrated for trying to go by carriage aside—and we arrived on schedule.
The classes were each separated into large cottages, and at the very least there was no clear distinction between achievement rates for those.
As soon as we unpacked our bags, a full assembly was held, and each class was given their tasks.
“This campground aside, you will all learn how to live along with nature, and gather knowledge in consideration of your environment, as our school’s founding principles would——”
First the teachers toss out a customary address. Mister Wallack must not have been charged with duties here; he isn’t participating in the orientation.
Beside the teachers I could see elves, probably here to monitor us.
“And now I will announce the gathering task for each class. Class one will gather leaves from filo trees, which are used for cold medicine.”
Filo trees are a bit tall, which is the only problem, but collecting from them itself isn’t that hard. They have an extensive growing range, and can be seen all over the world.
Of course they also grow in this forest, and apparently children earn some spending money gathering from them.
They were handed five bags, which can hold quite a lot, so it’ll probably take a fair bit of time.
“Class two will gather three bags of kuko fruit. Class three will gather five kilograms of rignia stones.”
Kuko fruit is an ingredient in an all-purpose antidote, and can also be found all over the world. But three of those handbags is going to be a lot of work.
Rignia stone is known for being a magic catalyst, and is often mixed into an ink for drawing magic circles. It’s not uncommon, but you have to climb up rocky mountains, so finding it might be a hard task.
“Class four will gather spring rabbit furs; enough for one outfit.”
Spring rabbit is standard cold weather outfit material, and the animals themselves are around fifty centimeters long.
They have a strong kick, and children often get sent flying by them, but not to the point of killing anyone, so there’s not much danger there.
Most importantly, they’re wild animals, so finding them and hunting them might be tough for nobles.
“Class five will be gathering ten kilograms of giant bee honey.”
“… Eh?!”
We doubted our ears for a moment.
Giant bees are huge, more than thirty centimeters, and are very dangerous bugs when they’re alone.
And of course bees don’t live alone; these ones usually make nests with ten to thirty of them.
Their honey is very high in nutrition, but getting it means taking on a swarm of bugs that can each kill you on their own, so it’s not a popular task.
In the first place, humans have died from hornets only a few centimeters long, and yet… giving this task to inexperienced students could hardly be considered sane.
“Hold on a minute! Are you tellin’ us to go die?!”
“The tasks were already set beforehand. You may decide if it’s possible or not, and if it is not possible you may resign. Naturally we believe you will overcome it with originality and ingenuity though.”
“That’s bullshit!”
“I cannot approve of abusive remarks toward teachers. Instead of resigning, would you prefer to be disqualified?”
“… So that’s what’s going on.”
Seeing the teacher’s lips curl in a repulsive smile, Master spit that line out.
“Let’s go. Quarreling any more is pointless. We need to think up a plan.”
“You have yet to be dismissed though?”
“Promptly dealing with requests is in the nature of adventurers.”
“… Hmph, do as you like.”
Master began to leave the place indignantly, then one person after another went back to their own cottages, resulting in a very natural dismissal.
Translated by Soyokaze Translations: soyokazetranslation . Com
“What the heck is this all about?!”
The bespectacled class president-ish boy had hardly arrived at the cottage before his face went red and he expressed his anger.
The five adventurers brought along by the noble girl couldn’t hide their bewilderment.
“It’s about everything… basically they want us to throw in the towel. The teachers that is.”
“Why would they need to do something like that?”
In response to Master, sitting at the table and drinking water while giving his opinion, the man who seems to be the leader of the adventurers questions him.
Of course he still seems to have his calm about him.
“We’re class five, in other words the dunces. They’re asking our class to resign ourselves to being inferior. They probably think we’ll serve as scapegoats to provide motivation to the upper classes. As we saw, the tasks for the upper classes were easy.”
“Class one’s was gathering filo tree leaves… In other words we’re supposed to have no chance of winning.”
“This… I cannot accept this oppression!”
“Whether you accept it or not, the teachers don’t care.”
“Shit! They’re firggin’ mocking us…”
The delinquent and rich girl angrily respond to Master’s inference.
“Naturally I don’t plan on letting them keep us down either. They don’t realize we have an ace up our sleeve.”
“What ace?”
“Eir of course. She’s not my attendant for nothing.”
“Master Rimuru, you have an idea?”
Honestly if it’s one-on-one, then I think I’ve got an overwhelming power advantage. But if it’s against a swarm, like this time, then it’s not what I’m good with.
Magic is the easiest choice against multiple opponents, but I don’t have any magic affinity.
“Magic would certainly be the best against so many opponents… but that’s unnecessary this time.”
“Meaning?”
“What we need is a curtain or mantle, and then firewood maybe?”
“What are you planning?”
“Making use of the preparation Mister Wallack told us to do. First we need to find some nests. Let’s get some things ready today for that, just in case.”
Saying that, we began taking down curtains inside the cottage.
Translated by Soyokaze Translations: soyokazetranslation . Com
Nobody else can see well at night, so Master and I went into the forest by ourselves.
It’s well late into the night. All the other students have already gone to bed, but when we stole away into the darkness, the only one to notice and follow was our observer.
Elves can also see well at night, so there should be no problems. Not having the other students here actually means I can go all out, too.
I carry Master on my back, since he can’t see, and run into the forest.
“By the way, Observer, what’s your name? I’m Rimuru. This is Eir.”
“Cole.”
His reply was the short kind I might give.
He followed after us when we sneaked away, so he must have some decent observational skills; I’m sure he’s not completely disinterested.
“Is there anything you need to pay attention to besides the gathering?”
“As long as you keep any damage to the forest to a minimum, all is well.”
“That’s… quite simplistic.”
“Master Rimuru, we’re here.”
Giant bees often live deep into the forest, at water’s edge.
In places with plenty of water, they’re also supposed to live where there are plenty of flowering plants, to make gathering nectar easy.
“Okay, then let’s go find some nests. I’ll be using [Light Ball] magic, so don’t mind me.”
“I can see fine at night, so I’m good.”
“Even if you find one, don’t mess with it until we meet back up.”
“Okay.”
After about an hour of search along the water, I found a huge giant bee nest.
The nest hanging from a large tree’s branch is about five meters. The nest is also placed about an equal height off the ground, which is a bit problematic.
I immediately met back up with Master, and we launched our planned assault.
A giant bee’s field of vision is wide, with sharp eyesight. Their compound eyes aren’t just for appearances.
That being the case, they are also largely restricted in activity at night.
We blend into the black of night and approach, then use a large wrapping cloth, sewn together from all the curtains, to wrap up the nest.
A few managed to get out before it was wrapped up, but relying on my speed I managed to seal up the nest. About then is when the bees that got out came in for the attack.
I immediately pull out two short swords, and slice up the bees, their movement dulled by the darkness.
In just a few minutes their extermination was complete.
“Alright, I’m gonna throw one more sheet on. It would be dangerous if they ran out mid-work after all.”
“Yup, okay.”
Next a vessel is placed below the nest, and firewood set. Master makes a [Heat Ball] to start a fire, and heats up the whole nest.
“What is this you’re doing?”
“Giant bees are a subspecies of hornets. The species is weak against heat, and will die at around sixty degrees. So we’re heating up the whole nest.”
“Since they gather nectar, wouldn’t honey bees be closer? They’re stronger against heat than hornets.”
“They are carnivorous too, after all. Biologically they’re more like hornets, while ecologically they’re more like honey bees.”
“Hmm… then won’t the honey melt when exposed to this heat?”
“That’s why there’s a receptacle prepared below the nest. Also, I don’t think the curtains will hold when they get really riled up, so Eir is gonna thwack at any places that seem like they’re gonna rip to stop the bees in their tracks.”
“Where did that vessel come from?”
“That’s a secret.”
“That girl grew wings from her back, and is flying. Who or what is she?”
“That’s confidential.”
They’re stabbing their stingers through the curtains here and there, trying to break through, but I go around breaking them off.
Even though their bodies are more than thirty centimeters, they can’t fly inside the nest. They’re wrapped up tight enough that they can’t get a running start, so they won’t be gaining enough momentum to stab through all at once.
At this point their large bodies actually get in the way. Once I break off the stingers they’re trying to use to rip through the cloth, their bodies block the path for the ones behind them who can still do something.
After about thirty minutes of playing whack-mole, they finally stopped moving.
“Alright, we’ll watch a little longer, and if there’s no movement we’ll carry it on back.”
“Got it.”
“To think this method existed…”
“Something a little more sturdy would make it surefire of course. Like wire maybe.”
“Iron won’t burn, so the heat source can be brought closer. I see.”
“Plus there wouldn’t be much chance they’d break through with their stingers. They don’t move well at night, so I’m sure elves could secure it more easily with their night vision and speed.”
“May I pass this method around my village?”
“I don’t mind. Giant bees are dangerous just being there, and their honey has high utility value.”
“But you don’t want to destroy their ecosystem, huh.”
At a later day, the village Cole belongs to added giant bee honey to their specialty products.
Translated by Soyokaze Translations: soyokazetranslation . Com
We break the branch and carry the nest, still wrapped up, back to the cottage.
The nest is more than five meters in size, so we should easily be able to clear our ten kilogram quota.
In the morning, the students woke up early from the light pouring in through the curtain-less windows, and raised their voices in shock seeing the nest left in front of the entrance.
“Wh-what THE HELL IS THIIIIS?!”
“Hnn?”
Surprisingly, the shout came from the pseudo hoodlum. Waking up early is odd for a delinquent.
I passed the night in my sleeping bag next to the nest, to keep watch, so I woke up from the loud cry.
While rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I look up at the pseudo delinquent, whose blonde bed hair looks like it exploded.
“This is a giant bee nest. Picked it up last night.”
“Don’t go bringin’ somethin’ so dangerous in here!”
“The inside should be exterminated. All safe.”
“What do you mean “should be”?!”
“Watched it for a night, and nothing moved. Just have to pull out the honey now.”
“How did you do this…?”
“Master Rimuru’s scheme?”
“That brat huh… that’s damn ominous.”
Master is the youngest here at twelve years old, so being considered a “brat” at a school where it’s normal to enroll at age fifteen or older is just going to happen.
Otherwise I would have taken him to task for that.
The delinquent’s scream made the other students slowly get up and come here in a steady stream. The other students reacted to the nest pretty much the same as the delinquent.
With everyone now awake and present, Master explains last night’s work, and begins the honey gathering.
“That you brought a nest back for us is all well and good, but could you not go acting on your own?”
The one complaining at Master is the class president-ish student. I think his name was Aleph Southfield?
“I do feel bad about acting alone, but there was a chance it would get extremely dangerous. Failing and being blamed for it would be a hassle.”
“Executing a plan that might fail in the first place is already—”
“Then do you want us to all charge at a nest? Or would you rather throw in the towel? I don’t think anyone besides me shared their thoughts yesterday.”
“You little…!”
“If you’re just gonna complain, then anyone can do that. From the very beginning Mister Wallack emphasized how important preparing beforehand is, but I don’t think anyone else besides us made use of the library.”
“Kgh…”
“We easily got hold of the spoils, so how ’bout we not make a fuss?”
Butting into the threatening atmosphere was the leader of the hired adventurers.
“At this point you could clear the gathering test at the top. You probably did act a bit recklessly, but the results ain’t bad. No need to turn on each other, is there?”
“But he…! … I understand. But from now on I’d like you to consult with everyone before acting.”
“Got it.”
Master’s response didn’t make it sound like he “got it” at all.
When the other students did nothing but complain without acting, Master may have gotten surprisingly angry.
