"Gentlemen! This is our territory. May I ask what brings you here?"
Gobta, riding a Tempest Wolf and leading a patrol, approached Kaval and the others with a smile.
"Uh... we're adventurers from a free guild. We were being chased by monsters in the forest and stumbled onto this place in a panic!"
Kaval stepped forward as the leader and explained.
"I see! Well, if you don't mind, would you like to come into our town to rest?"
Gobta remembered Kaito-sama's orders and immediately invited them in.
"Really? Won't that cause any trouble?"
Elyun asked excitedly. She was incredibly curious about a town appearing in the middle of the Great Jura Forest.
"No, no, not at all! We welcome all friendly guests here!"
Gobta waved his hands quickly.
"Then please, everyone, follow us. I'll take you to meet our leaders!"
"Alright! Thank you, young man!"
"Hehe! It's nothing, let's go!"
Gobta scratched his head awkwardly, then led the four toward the town.
Stepping inside, the four were filled with astonishment at how prosperous it was. Humans and monsters living side by side, setting up stalls along clean, tidy streets lined with two-story buildings. It seemed impossible to them that the two could coexist so naturally, without any barriers at all.
"Wow! This town is amazing! Oh! Are those dango over there? Kaval, buy me one!"
Elyun had been looking around wide-eyed when she spotted a stall and immediately grabbed Kaval's sleeve.
"What? We don't have any money left! You already spent it all, so where am I supposed to get money to buy you one?"
"I don't care! I want one!"
"Damn it! I'm the leader here!"
The beautiful woman running the stall noticed the commotion and called out to them.
"Hey there, want some dango?"
The four turned. At the stall stood a beautiful woman in a floral kimono, smiling and waving at them.
Elyun's eyes lit up. She grabbed the person beside her and ran over.
"Hello, Big Sister!"
"Hello to you too! What a polite child!"
"Hehe!"
Elyun scratched her head and giggled. The woman smiled warmly and picked up a skewer of dango from the plate in front of her, holding it out.
"This... Big Sister, I can't take it. We don't have any money; I can't just take your dango for free!"
"Haha, consider it my treat. You aren't from our town, are you?"
"No, we're adventurers who stumbled upon this place!"
"I see!"
"My name is Elyun! What should I call you, Nee-chan?"
"My name is Mrs. Kamado. And this is my daughter, Nezuko."
That's right. The woman selling dango was Mrs. Kamado, whom Kaito had brought over from another world. Because of Kaito's special care, she hadn't originally needed to work.
But she'd felt it was too much to be looked after for no reason, so she'd refused his help and set up a small stall in front of her house, selling desserts she made herself. Today was the first time she had seen humans from this world, and Elyun's cheerful greeting had made her want to say hello.
"Oh! Nee-chan, are you married? Your daughter is so cute!"
Nezuko was peeking out shyly from behind Mrs. Kamado. Elyun felt her heart melt.
"Haha, Nezuko is a bit shy around strangers. Just take the skewer! If you don't, Nee-chan will get angry!"
Elyun finally accepted it with a grateful smile. Then she reached into her mage's robe and pulled out an emerald green rhomboid pendant, holding it out to Mrs. Kamado.
"Kamado Nee-chan, this is for you, as a thank you for the dango. You can't refuse!"
Mrs. Kamado felt an unusual warmth toward this girl. She reached out and stroked her head gently, smiling.
"Alright, alright. Then I'll accept it. After you've explored the town, you must come visit my home!"
Kaval, standing off to the side, could only twitch his mouth as he watched the necklace change hands.
This girl is truly something else. That pendant was a treasure given to her by the Duke for self-defense, and she just gave it away like that.
"Okay, Nee-chan, we'll be going now! We still have to meet the leader here, and I don't know if they'll be easy to deal with!"
Mrs. Kamado smiled at them.
"Don't worry. Rimuru-sama and Kaito-sama are very easy to get along with. You'll definitely like them!"
She thought of the two whom Sakuya had dragged back not long ago, and let out a small chuckle.
"That's a relief, then!"
After exchanging farewells, the group continued following Gobta toward the administrative building at the center of town. As they left, Shizue Izawa turned back and took a long look at Mrs. Kamado.
As they walked, their curiosity about the town's leaders only grew. Anyone who had built a place this happy was certainly no ordinary person.
"Rimuru-sama! Kaito-sama! The guards at the gate have reported that the humans discovered earlier have arrived. They are waiting for both of you in the conference room!"
Tomioka Giyuu pushed the door open, knelt on one knee, and reported to the two who were bent over their desks writing.
"Is that so? Understood. You may go about your business."
Kaito looked up and said to Tomioka, who then stood and left without a word.
Kaito glanced over at Rimuru, who was sketching away with a pen.
"Rimuru, let's go meet them. Put that down for now."
"Okay!"
If Tomioka had been able to see what was on that paper, he would certainly have thought: As expected of the recognized duo of idlers. Miss Sakuya, who takes care of them every day, must truly be exhausted.
There was nothing important on the paper at all. Just a caricature of a Goblin.
The Goblin in question was none other than Rigurd, the village chief. As for why it was him, well, this fellow always reported directly to the Chief Maid! (〝▼__▼)
Conference room
"Guests, please have some tea. The two masters will arrive shortly."
Izayoi Sakuya carried a tray with four freshly brewed cups of black tea, placing one in front of each of them.
"Thank you!"
"Thank you, Miss Maid!"
"No need to be polite. It is my duty as a maid."
Sakuya bowed slightly to the four, set the tray aside, and took her place standing off to one side.
"Creak..."
The door opened, and Kaito and Rimuru entered, followed by Kanae Kocho and Ranga.
Kaito glanced at the four, who quickly rose to their feet. He and Rimuru took their seats at the head of the conference table. Kanae and Ranga stood behind them respectively.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Kaito, and this is Rimuru. We are the leaders of this town. Welcome, guests."