The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick up Trash - Volume 7 - Chapter 361

Chapter 361:

Gol

“You don’t think it was a coincidence?” I asked.

My dad furrowed his brow in thought. “Just a hunch, and it might be my imagination. Nothing to obsess over.”

He patted my head and began to walk. He said it was nothing to obsess over…but there’s already something I’ve been obsessing over. Sol had been so strangely happy when I was talking to Ashley that day. It was almost as if it was saying… “Correct” or “Right answer”? Hmm, nothing’s really clicking. Anyway, Sol was definitely acting differently that day. Then it was staring out the window all the time, and the sight made me worry. It almost looked like Sol was on the verge of disappearing.

“What’s wrong? Looks like you’re lost in thought.”

“It’s nothing. Wait, Dad?”

“What’s up?”

“This is the way to the inn, right? Weren’t we going to buy clothes?”

“Huh? Oh, right…we’re going the wrong way.”

When I laughed at the funny look on his face, he tousled my hair a little aggressively.

“Fine, I’m gonna pick out your clothes, Ivy! I can’t wait; it’s been a while.”

The smile on my father’s face gave me a bad feeling inside. “Don’t worry, I can pick out my own clothes.”

“Oh, don’t be shy. Gee, I can’t wait to see what kind of fabrics they have. We’ll need something that breathes, since summer makes us sweaty.”

“I am not being shy! And I don’t need a giant wardrobe, either, okay?! I’m still gonna get bigger! Hey, Dad! Are you listening to me?”

If I let my dad pick out my clothes, he’ll get girly designs—and way too many of them! I grabbed his arm, trying to stop him, but he avoided my gaze. Uh-oh. He means business.

“No, Dad! I really mean it, okay?”

“Ooh, I wonder what I should get you…”

I swear I’ll stop him! I should’ve said nothing and let him walk us back to the inn.

“Huh, I wonder what’s going on over there? Right in the middle of the street…”

I followed his gaze to see four girls holding slimes and one man standing in front of them all. From the stern look on his face, it looked like he was lecturing them about something.

“Yeah, I wonder what’s happening?” I echoed.

After a while, one of the girls started to sob.

“Oh no. She’s crying.”

The other three girls looked like they would burst into tears any minute, too.

“Think they’re okay?” I asked.

“Well…no harm in asking, right?”

“Yeah.”

The girls holding slimes must be tamers. Untamed monsters usually put up a fight when people tried to hold them; Sol was a rare exception. As we walked closer to the group, we could hear what the man was saying.

“If you copy the other tamers you see, you’ll lose your slimes just like that damn fool did. Use your brains.”

“But…”

“If you’re gonna take shortcuts, don’t you dare show your face to me again. There’s nothing I can teach fools like that.”

I didn’t quite follow what was happening. Were they learning to be tamers? The girls looked to be about my age.

“Hm?” As we hesitated a few yards away, the man noticed us and shot us a glance.

“Sorry to interrupt, sir. We were just wondering what was going on, but it looks like you have everything under control.”

“Ahh, yes, sorry. I shouldn’t have scolded them in the middle of the street.” The man scratched his head and smiled awkwardly. His eyes softened, and he took on a very gentle demeanor.

“I try and I try, but they just won’t listen to me. I bet they’re just average slimes!” the crying girl screamed at the man.

He glanced at her and sighed loudly. “If that’s how you feel, then don’t come to me for help ever again. You’re not welcome.”

“You’re terrible!”

“Just get lost.”

The girls shivered at the man’s icy tone, and then they all ran off.

“Arrrgh, for crying out loud…” At a closer look, the man’s eyes were quite lonely. “I’m sorry you folks had to see that.”

“It’s all right, sir. Um, pardon my asking, but are you a tamer?”

“Yes, I am. Um, and you are…?”

“I’m Druid, a traveler. And this is Ivy, my d-daughter.”

Aha, he hesitated a little! I glanced at my father and saw he was blushing slightly.

“Oh, so you’re travelers. I’m Gol, a tamer in this village. And those girls are also tamers, such as it is.” Gol sighed and shook his head. “But they’re no good. Something’s got to change.”

I gently patted the bag holding my slimes, signaling Sora to tell me whether Gol was safe. I left my hand on the bag and felt a soft jiggle against it. I sighed in relief at Sora’s reaction, then turned back to address Gol.

“Mr. Gol…” When I said his name, there was no movement from my bag. Sora had deemed him perfectly safe. “I am also a tamer.”

Oh no! Maybe Sora’s asleep and that was one of the other slimes…I’ll just have to trust that he’s safe.

“Oh, are you?” Gol looked surprised by the news. My father reacted the same way beside me, but then he smiled when he noticed my hand was touching my slime bag.

“Yes. Have you been a tamer for long, Mr. Gol?”

“I sure have. About forty years now.”

Forty years?! Wait a minute, doesn’t he look only about forty-five or forty-six?

“I know I don’t look it, but I’m fifty-seven,” Gol said.

My father jumped a little in surprise, and I stole a glance at him.

“Hey, you!” He bonked me on the head.

Ha ha ha ha! He realized I was thinking Gol’s the opposite of him. But they can’t help it. Gol looks young for his age, and my father looks old for his.

“Do you mind if I call you Miss Ivy?”

“Huh? Oh, yes, sir.”

Gol was staring at me with a thoughtful look in his eyes. I stared back, wondering why.

“So…have you tamed any monsters?”

“Yes, sir. I have.”

“Aha. Well, I’ve tamed two slimes, and… Miss Ivy, the monsters you’ve tamed…what do they mean to y… No, never mind. It’s nothing.”

Why is he faltering? It was such an easy question to answer.

“What do they mean to me? They’re family. They’re my precious companions.”

When I said this, Gol looked startled. Judging by what he had said to those girls, he clearly cherished his tamed slimes.

“Family… I see…” Gol beamed radiantly. “That’s a rare quality in a modern-day tamer.”

“Are tamers today really so fixated on taming their monsters by force, sir?” my father asked.

“Yeah,” Gol soberly replied. “I keep telling them it’s wrong, but they don’t listen. They think taming by force is easier.”

“What a waste,” I said.

“A waste, you say?”

“Yes. Monster personalities are so well-rounded, and tamers are the only ones who have the privilege of seeing that. And I think it’s such a waste of their gift to not know their monsters fully.”

“A tamer’s special privilege, eh? I certainly agree with you, but not many others do, sadly.”

I wonder what Gol’s slimes are like? I’d love to meet them, but I’d have to show him my slimes in return…

“Miss Ivy, would you like to meet my slimes?”

“Huh?!”

“Mr. Gol?”

“Would your slimes maybe like to play with mine, Miss Ivy? They used to have other playmates, but those slimes’ tamer passed away and they’ve returned to the forest. My slimes are healthy 

enough, but they look lonely. You’ve tamed these slimes yourself, right?”

I looked at my father. He was giving Gol a critical stare, trying to figure out what his intentions were.

“We have a friend with the village watch. If he can join us, we’ll think about it.”

“Oh, any friend of yours is welcome to come along, Mr. Druid,” Gol answered. “I’m glad to hear it.”

My father’s harsh gaze softened a little.

“Mr. Gol! There you are… Oh! Miss Ivy… Mr. Druid?”

Huh? It’s Ashley again. And it sounds like he was looking for Gol. What’s going on?