The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick up Trash - Volume 3 - Chapter 128

Chapter 128:

Sora’s Mood Swings?

“PU, PU-PUUU!” Sora sang, jumping to and fro.

“C’mon, Sora, this way! You’re going the wrong way!”

Sora’s moods had been getting even stranger over the past couple of days. Why did it always body slam me? Whenever it did that, I thought through everything that happened before and afterward, but I still couldn’t figure out why.

I’d wondered if Sora was trying to tell me it was feeling ill, but it was devouring its potions just as quickly as ever. I took a closer look at its movements, but it seemed to be moving normally with no pain at all. I tried asking Sora what was wrong many times, but 

I couldn’t understand its answers. The only thing I did notice was that Sora seemed to jiggle with irritation more often than before. I thought this might be a sign of emotional instability, but I had no idea what I should do about it.

“Puuu.”

“Are you okay, Sora?”

My one consolation was that Sora’s mood swings didn’t last long. It would jump around and slam into me to express its irritation, but that would only last for about five minutes. Once its anger had passed, it would jiggle over to me, same as always. Still, I couldn’t shake the sense that it was trying to complain about something…

I picked Sora up and hugged it tight. Ciel peered at the little slime in concern with me. Seriously, what should I do? I have no idea, and that worries me a little.

We were on the seventh day of our resumed journey, about halfway to Oll. Should we keep going, or should we turn back? It was a tough decision.

“Pu, puuu,” said Sora listlessly. I looked at its face, but it didn’t seem tired. Maybe it really was just irritated.

“I’m sorry I can’t do anything for you.”

“Puuu.” Sora wiggled for a little while, then closed its eyes. It had fallen asleep right there in my arms. I gently put it into its bag. I wanted to do something to help it, but I couldn’t. It was so frustrating.

“Maybe if we try we can get to Oll ahead of schedule.”

I wouldn’t be able to ask anyone in Oll about Sora directly, but someone there might know a thing or two about slimes. And if there was a bookstore, maybe I could find a book about them. Best case scenario, I might meet a tamer I could talk to. According to Bolorda, there weren’t many books written about slimes, but they did exist. But if the books I’d seen so far were any indication…well, I wasn’t holding my breath.

Mrrrow.

“Hm? What’s wrong, Ciel?”

Ciel kept glancing behind us. I thought maybe it had seen something, but it didn’t seem worried. What could it be?

“Umm, what is it?”

Ciel stared into my eyes and lay down in front of me with its body turned sideways. Then it swatted my back with its tail.

“Wait…are you trying to tell me to get on your back?”

Mrrrow, it answered.

Can you even ride an adandara? I don’t want to hurt its back. “Thanks…but are you sure you can support my weight?”

Mrrrow.

I guess that means yes. Ciel does walk a lot faster than me, and I’m worried about Sora…so I guess I’ll accept the ride.

“Don’t hurt yourself, okay? If I get too heavy, make me get off.”

Purr, purr.

I carefully climbed onto Ciel’s back, shifting my belongings so I wouldn’t hurt it. There, that should be okay.

When it sensed I was ready, Ciel began to walk slowly. My heart raced a little, but its faint vibrations thrummed rhythmically in my chest. My only fear was that I would fall off if Ciel walked too quickly, since there was no place to grab.

Ciel walked slowly for a while, then quickened its pace some when it decided it was safe. I got jostled a little, but I still stayed on okay. If I tightened up my core, Ciel might even be able to run.

I admired the view from atop Ciel. It definitely moved faster than I could. Are my legs just abnormally short? I looked down at them. Well, I’m a kid, of course my legs are short. But I’m gonna grow more. I’ll be fine…I know it.

My bag started to wiggle a little. I looked inside and found Sora, its eyes slightly open. When our eyes met, it stared hard at me for a while before falling asleep again for a few seconds. Really, what’s wrong? I hope it isn’t sick…

“Pu, puuu,” Sora chirped, then jumped from its bag to the ground. Well, it seemed healthy enough now.

Still, I can’t believe it… I looked at our surroundings to see where we were on the map. Yeah, I must have short legs. It would have taken me two days to walk here, but it only took Ciel one day.

Why do I feel so bitter? If I massaged my legs…would that make them grow?

“Pu-puuu,” Sora said, its pitch rising at the end.

I looked at it and it stared right back at me. Then it bounced all around, looking happy this time. What a relief.

“Let’s have dinner.” I’ll worry about my legs later. I’ll be fine… I’m about to have a growth spurt!

As soon as I took the potions out of my bag, Sora immediately started chowing down. I guess it was hungry. The potions disappeared into Sora the same way they always did. Okay, it’s eating just as well and as quickly as usual.

“I wonder what the problem is, then?” I asked Ciel, but the slime just stared sideways at me.

“Pu, puuu,” Sora trilled after its meal, cheerfully bouncing and spinning around us.

Maybe I had nothing to worry about all along. Or maybe it comes in waves? Urrrgh, I don’t get it. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing you’re feeling okay for now, right?”

Mrrrow, the adandara chimed in.

I’d better keep an eye on Sora’s behavior. But at least right now it seems all right.

I took some dried meat and fruit out of my bag. The fruit I chose for my meal today was rather rare. In town, it was considered a luxury and sold at a high price. Ciel scouted out the trees for edible fruit as it walked, and when it spotted something, it let me know. I looked for fruit, too, but my eyes weren’t as sharp as Ciel’s. I was fighting a little battle with myself over it. Mark my words: Someday, I will spot the fruit before Ciel!

I ate my dried meat and peeled the fruit. An intoxicatingly sweet aroma hit my nose. It smelled delicious, but sadly, I couldn’t remember the name of this fruit. Since it was usually so hard to get, I thought it was pointless to learn its name. Past Me, however, remembered the name “mango.”

“Mango…I’d better be sure not to call it that by mistake.” I took a bite, and its sweet juices flooded my mouth. No wonder it was considered a luxury! It was good—so good. And it had a unique flavor, too. It was tender yet sturdy. It had substance. It was mysterious in every way.

I looked at the magic bag on the ground beside me. I’d actually picked way too many of the fruit. But because of the time-freezing feature, I didn’t need to worry about them spoiling. Gee, maybe I should sell these when I get to Oll.

Even though I’d gotten a lot of reward money, it did tend to disappear quickly. I needed to be proactive and get myself a steady source of income. When I thought about what else I could sell besides the meat I’d hunted, I remembered the fruit and nuts I’d gathered from trees in the forest. If I could pick more as I traveled and sell them in town, I could increase my income.

My only concern was whether merchants would let me sell them my fruit the same way butchers let me sell them my meat. I’d heard that many merchants wouldn’t let you sell them foraged fruit without certification from the adventurers’ guild. All the hard work I spent on foraging would go to waste if I couldn’t sell anything.

“The adventurers’ guild, eh? It’d be really handy if I could register with them, but that’s definitely out of the question since they’d need to know my skill level. The merchant guild doesn’t need to know my skill level to register me, but that’s a guild for people who run shops… Too bad.”

Run a shop… I couldn’t do that while I’m traveling, could I? I guess Sifar and the others were right. Maybe I need to find someone nice and trustworthy and have them register me with the adventurers’ guild.

“Puuu.”

My head spun in the direction of Sora’s voice.

“Puuu.”

“Huh?”

“Puuu.”

Is it talking in its sleep? I stared hard at Sora, and it definitely looked like it was asleep. I petted it gently, but its eyes stayed closed. It looked neither tired nor in pain. It really was just sleeping.

“What a relief. You were just sleep-talking.” But now I’m wondering…is sleep-talking one of Sora’s recent changes? I’d better make a mental note of it.

Purr, Ciel hummed, smelling Sora to make sure it was okay. The adandara cradled the slime in its paws, curled up, and closed its eyes…so I guess it was okay.

“Thanks for all your help today, Ciel.”

Ciel purred, its eyes still closed.

Are you sleepy? Well, I wouldn’t blame you, since you had to carry me on your back all day. I’m sorry, buddy. I softly petted Ciel’s head, and it smiled contentedly.

We were spending the night at the foot of a big tree, using its thick, sprawling roots as a bed. I looked up and saw the tree’s massive branches spreading over us like a roof. I squinted my eyes and stared up at the sky. Dense clouds veiled the moon. Looks like it might rain.

I glanced around. Since I was on the tree’s roots, I was raised a little higher than the surrounding ground. If it’s just a little rain, we should be fine. Rain was not a traveler’s friend. If it rains hard, we’ll have to wait it out here for a while.