"Let's go. It's time to return to E-Rantel."
After spending the night resting in Hamsuke's cave, Naohara and the other two set out at dawn the next morning.
The subjugation of the Goblins was complete. Their backpacks were now stuffed with several thousand Goblin ears—far beyond what the request had required.
Most of them were magically replicated, but that hardly mattered. There was no way the Adventurers' Guild could tell the difference.
Swinging himself up onto Hamsuke's back, Naohara turned to say his goodbyes.
The three of them sat in a line atop the giant hamster. At Momonga's signal to depart, Hamsuke moved her short little legs and broke into a swift run.
They planned to take Hamsuke with them. Though she seemed weak by their standards, to the people of this world she was undeniably powerful—the fearsome Wise King of the Forest.
Bringing Hamsuke back would greatly boost their reputation, which would help in their future adventures. Besides, she was adorable. They could pet her whenever they had free time. It was the perfect arrangement.
Behind them, Aura and Mare waved as they saw them off. Though reluctant, they still had missions to carry out and couldn't accompany Father-sama.
They didn't complain or ask to go along. As Floor Guardians, they had responsibilities to fulfill.
"Let's go too, Mare. We need to work hard and complete Father-sama's mission."
Only after Naohara's figure disappeared into the forest did Aura finally look away. Noticing Mare still staring blankly, she gently patted his shoulder.
"Yes, sister."
Following Father-sama's orders, they were to summon Beast Subordinates and, without being detected by humans, conduct a large-scale collection of rare herbs and treasures throughout the forest to increase The Great Tomb of Nazarick's reserves.
As Momonga liked to put it, this was preparing for the future.
(In reality, it was just their hoarder tendencies acting up. They simply wanted to stockpile all sorts of items from this world.)
"Let's deal with that little snake and that ugly one in the forest first. They're no longer of any use."
Thinking of the two other monsters in the forest that had reached level 30, Aura immediately decided to eliminate them. They would make good feed for her pets.
She had mentioned those two before, but after seeing the magical images she provided, Naohara, Momonga, and Herohero all agreed they were too ugly to bother with.
So Aura promptly sentenced them to death. Any creature Father-sama found unsightly had no reason to remain.
After using magic to erase the traces they had left behind, the siblings headed off in another direction.
...
Within the forest, towering trees grew thick and untamed, lush greenery filling every corner of sight with vibrant life.
Among the trees and tall grass, all kinds of animals began their day, making the scene feel peaceful and full of vitality.
Cutting through this tranquil landscape, a rather unusual group—three figures and a giant hamster—moved swiftly toward E-Rantel.
Momonga sat in front, Naohara in the middle, and Herohero at the back. Hamsuke's back was a bit cramped, but if they squeezed in close, the three of them could manage.
Naohara absentmindedly watched the scenery blur past, clearly distracted. Without the mischievous Dark Elf siblings at his side, he felt strangely out of sorts.
"What's wrong, Naohara? Missing Aura and the others?"
Sitting behind him, Herohero noticed and asked with a faint smile.
They had already resumed their disguises. In his Rogue form, Herohero's face was mostly covered, but his expression could still be vaguely made out. At the very least, he didn't look nearly as terrifying as when he was in his humanoid Slime form.
"A little. So this is what it feels like to be a worried father? Never thought I'd see the day."
Naohara sighed softly. He didn't even have a wife—he'd never even had a girlfriend. And yet now he was already the father of two… no, three children.
Life really was unpredictable. Things turned upside down in the blink of an eye.
"If you're that worried, Naohara, why not just have them come with us?"
"Honestly, if you want that, Herohero and I wouldn't mind."
Momonga said it lightly, a soft chuckle in his voice.
He truly had no objections. It might get noisy, but he didn't dislike that kind of liveliness. His greatest wish was simply for all of them to live happily together.
He was very satisfied with his current life. Of course, if anyone dared to ruin it, Momonga wouldn't hesitate to make the world itself pay the price.
"Forget it. Kids need to learn to stand on their own. I can't stay by their side forever. It's the same as with Sephis."
Naohara shook his head and declined Momonga's suggestion. He loved his children deeply. Blood-related or not, he treated them as his own.
But just like fledglings must eventually learn to fly, he had to loosen his grip at the right time and give them space.
The reason he had fought for Sephis to act independently was precisely because he wanted the child he created to see the world through his own eyes.
"Master, please rest assured. The young masters will be fine."
Hamsuke, who was running while carrying them, chimed in as well. After spending some time playing with Aura and Mare, she had gradually lowered her guard around the children of her master.
As a clever hamster, Hamsuke could clearly sense how close the three of them were. That understanding put her at ease about her own future.
Her master treated his own people well. As a pet, she surely wouldn't be treated badly either. Hamsuke felt that her future might very well be bright.
"Thanks, Hamsuke. When we take you back to our home, I think you'll like it there."
Naohara gently patted her fur. He genuinely liked this hamster—considerate, adorable, and even thoughtful enough to comfort others.
He even considered giving her a reward in the future. For example, that grand breeding ambition she kept talking about didn't sound like a bad idea.
The size difference would be troublesome, but it wasn't entirely impossible.
Loved by all three of them, Hamsuke's status in The Great Tomb of Nazarick would undoubtedly place her below the trio—but above everyone else.
"Hehe, it's only natural for me to do so."
Hamsuke gave an honest laugh and picked up speed. She wanted to get her master to their destination as quickly as possible.
Time passed quickly as the three chatted along the way, occasionally joined by Hamsuke.
Laughter would break out from time to time among the three and their hamster companion, the atmosphere warm and easy.
Finally, just before sunset, the outline of a city gradually came into view.
E-Rantel.
They were back.