9th Days (3) | Don't 'Waste' Your Time (3)

"Whaaaat???"

All three ladies gasped, shocked that their butler had just tossed the very creature into the hole underneath their new toilet!

Especially Bella, who was the most distraught out of the three. The blonde maid immediately rushed forward to the toilet—

"Joeee!!!" She screamed into the abyss that was the toilet's hole.

"You already gave a name to that thing...?" Her fellow aide, Martha, muttered in disbelief upon seeing the devastated state Bella was in...

The maid was even bawling her eyes out as she looked into the dark hole, helplessly lamenting the loss of the little buddy she had bonded with in just a short amount of time.

"S-Sir Sebas, what is the meaning of this?" Anastasia inquired, trying her best to ignore her maid's dramatic display. "Why did you throw that... 'thing' into our toilet?"

Sebas himself... just smiled like usual, showing no remorse for his action.

"Like I said, my lady... they're our waste disposal experts," he explained smoothly. "Their job is to take care of it—directly."

Anastasia's face paled as the realization dawned upon her.

"Sir Sebas... you cannot be serious here..."

"I am quite serious, my lady~."

"...I can understand their usefulness," she admitted, her voice laced with hesitation, "however, do you not remember the mana problem we discussed last night? Won't these creatures be affected by it...?"

"...Mana problem...? Last night...?" Marth echoed quietly, both curious and concern of the implication behind her mistress's words.

On the other hand, Sebas remained unfazed by her concern... sporting the same smile as before. "Not to worry, my lady."

Then, with a flick of his wrist, another slime suddenly appeared in his palm—as if he had pulled it from thin air...!

The tiny creature jiggled slightly, its gelatinous body glistening under the morning's light.

"It will be fine," he assured her. "I've already taken precautions."

"Precautions...? What kind of precautions...?"

With the same smile on his face, he declared, "I made a tamer pact with them~."

"You tamed it...?!"

Her eyes widened, as did those of her knight, both shocked to hear the butler's revelation.

Her maid, on the other hand, gasped dramatically before rushing toward him.

"Another one!!!" she squealed, immediately reaching out to pet the slime in his hand. "Joe Two~!"

"I didn't think you could tame slimes..." Martha interjected, disbelief lacing her voice. "I heard their intelligence is way too low compared to other monsters for a tamer pact to be possible."

The butler let out a hearty chuckle at the knight's remark.

"Surprisingly, if raised correctly, they're quite smart." He lifted the slime slightly, letting it jiggle in affirmation. "And since they've entered a tamer pact with me, they'll follow my every order—which, of course, includes orders from their master's master—Lady Ana herself~!"

"I... see..."

The 'master' hesitated, conflicted once more on whether she should be impressed or exasperated with this new addition to her region.

"So, as of this moment," Sebas continued, ignoring his mistress's conflicted expression as he raised the slime high into the sky, "the slimes are officially the Waste Disposal Experts of this territory~!"

Bella clapped her hands in delight, joining the cheerful declaration.

Martha and Anastasia, meanwhile, exchanged glances before turning back to the scene in front of them—watching their butler and maid hold up a wobbly slime like it was some sort of trophy...

In the end... a long sigh escaped the redhead noble's mouth.

< | X | >

A short while later, they stood before the familiar chalkboard, where the crude, hand-drawn map of Anastasia's territory was once again on display.

However, this time, there was a new addition—an unmistakable toilet sign doodled near their house's crude legend mark.

Gathered around the board were the four human residents of the estate. But unlike before, there was now another presence—a tiny slime sitting comfortably on Sebas's shoulder, wobbling in place as if it, too, was a part of the discussion.

Anastasia, the lord of this region, stepped forward. She cleared her throat, collecting her words before she turned toward the three individuals plus one slime.

"Everyone... I would like to open the discussion for the next step of this region's development," she announced with composure... while trying her best to ignore the jiggling slime on her smiling butler's shoulder.

"Yes, my lady!" The three servants responded in unison.

Seeing their determined expressions brought a smile to the upstart noblewoman's face, feeling glad to have these reliable-yet-ragtag servants on her side.

"Now that we have secured a stable source of water, I would like to continue our sustainability efforts," she declared, her sharp gaze sweeping over her gathered servants. "And, of course, that means securing our own source of food."

Martha and Bella both straightened at her words, while Sebas simply smiled, waiting for her to continue. The tiny slime on his shoulder wobbled slightly, as if listening attentively.

"One week ago, we procured supplies necessary for the further development of this region," she continued. "Of course, I would like to direct my gratitude to the man who has given his support for this effort—Sir Sebas."

When his name was mentioned, everyone briefly directed their attention to the butler, who casually lifted a hand and waved cheerfully.

"...And now that we have them, it is time to put them to use," Anastasia declared, her voice carrying determination. "Let us commence the start of my region's agricultural revival!"

Immediately, her three servants responded with enthusiasm.

"Yes, Lady Anastasia!" Martha stepped forward, her expression firm with resolve. "I will help create a farm worthy of your greatness!"

"I-I will gladly help as well, my lady!" Bella stammered, clutching her hands together. "I... I think I know a bit or two about farming from my distant cousins—they were farmers, so..."

"Sure thing, Lady Ana~," Sebas chimed in with his usual easygoing smile.

The tiny slime on his shoulder jiggled excitedly, as if offering its own form of support.

Anastasia took in their responses, her lips parting slightly as she processed the sheer contrast between their attitudes, but overall... she was glad that they were enthusiastic.

"Sir Sebas, as you were the one who procured our farming supplies," the mistress turned to the butler, "would you kindly oversee the start of the farming process?"

Sebas smiled in amusement before brandishing a hoe and resting it on his shoulder.

"As you wish, my lady~."