The Man Picked Up By the Gods (Reboot)

Chapter 237.4  : Advantages and Disadvantages of Slime Magic (4/4)

“Can’t be helped… Intuition and feeling might be confusing to understand, but I’m not just saying random things to try and confuse you. ‘Humans learn’. In fact, this isn’t limited just to humans. Most living creatures learn.

Let’s say there’s a dog and an owner. If the owner hits the dog with a stick everyday for no reason, what do you think the dog will do?” [Sereriputa]

Get mad at the owner, run, or maybe fight back… I think those would be the most common reactions. At the very least, the dog won’t like his owner.

“…Why?” [Sereriputa]

“Well, it hurts to get hit, and you might get injured too. Even a dog wouldn’t like that.” [Ryouma]

“Exactly. Even a dog can learn・・・・ that getting hit hurts, and thus learn・・・・ that his owner is an existence that brings him pain.

Once the dog learns pain, he will either try to flee from the source of pain or try to remove it. Either way, the dog will try to avoid pain or danger. This isn’t an ability but an instinct. A living creature’s ‘self-defense instinct’, that is.

Even technical experts put a lot of important to the intuition they’ve cultivated through their years of experience, right,　Tekun?” [Sereriputa]

“Well, yeah. First-rate blacksmiths know to pay attention to and carefully balance the temperature of the furnace, the color of the fire, and the time it takes to heat the metal. What’s more is that they take note of the temperature and humidity of the day too. It’s not something they just do with their head, it’s something they learn with their body. You can’t make light of that.” [Tekun]

“And Ryouma-kun has inherited his memories and experience from his past life. After saying this much, you understand already, right?” [Sereriputa]

After saying all that, Sereriputa lied down on the table again.

Now that he mentions it, I guess I’m just like the dog he was talking about during that time.

I sensed danger, so I moved to expel the source.

I get what Tekun means by not making light of it too.

“Sereriputa…”

“Hmm~?” [Sereriputa]

“Were you always so observant of people?” [Ryouma]

“What!?　That’s what stood out to you after everything I said!?　I’m a god, you know!?” [Sereriputa]

Just like that that smug face of his crumbled.

“I mean.　You looked like a really overbearing guy last time, so to be honest it’s really shocking.” [Ryouma]

“Ehhhh!” [Sereriputa]

“But I get what you’re saying.” [Ryouma]

“That’s good then… Bad memories and fear are also part of one’s ‘experience’. If it shackles and tortures you, then it might be considered trauma, but if you use it well, it can become a powerful weapon too.

That’s why you should work on improving your intuition and feeling. You might have lost control at that time, but the fact that you were able to sense the kind of situation you were in just goes to show that you’re suited to being an intuitive type.” [Sereriputa]

“Alright. I’ll try to make something of it.” [Ryouma]

After saying that, my surroundings started to glow.

“Oh, it’s almost time already.” [Gayn]

“I forgot about the time limit. Still, we sure talked a long time this time.” [Kufo]

“Nine of us summoned him this time, after all.” [Rurutia]

“Looks like the length of time you can stay here depends on how many of us are present.” [Gayn]

“Since it’s such a good opportunity for us to gather, maybe we should gather together like this every now and then?” [Willieris]

While everyone started talking like that,

“By the way, Ryouma-kun, will you be going home immediately today?” [Sereriputa]

Sereriputa suddenly asked that.

“You mean once I get back to the church?　That’s the plan since I have nothing else planned for the day. I figure might as well go back and study what’s going on between the slimes and the slime magic— Ah.” [Ryouma]

“What?” [Sereriputa]

“I don’t have any plans, but I just realized it might be a good idea to drop by the Children’s Home.” [Ryouma]

“By Children’s Home, you mean that, right?　That thing you rebuilt.” [Sereriputa]

“Yeah, that one. I asked the kids living there to do a simple job for me. They’ll probably be fine, but I better take a look.” [Ryouma]

“Hmm, it’ll probably be fine.” [Sereriputa]

“?” [Ryouma]

He was the one who asked, and yet he’s not interested at all.

Or maybe I’m mistaken.　Rather than not being interested,

“…The night three days before the end of the year.” [Sereriputa]

“Huh?” [Ryouma]

“If you’re alone in those mines of yours, you might just be able to get rid of your doubts.” [Sereriputa]

“That’s—” [Ryouma]

As the light grew brighter, it was time for me to go back.

“Looks like　it’s goodbye for now.” [Sereriputa]

“Oops, it’s time already.” [Ryouma]

“‘Till next time!” [Sereriputa]

After Sereriputa said that, everyone else bid me farewell,

and then the light swallowed me.

“!” [Ryouma]

By the time I noticed it, I was back in the chapel.

“…Haa…” [Ryouma]

‘If you’re alone in those mines of yours three days before the end of the year, you might just be able to rid yourself of your doubts.’

Apparently, Sereriputa was looking for an opening to pass me a message without anyone noticing.

What does he mean by doubts? What exactly is he trying to do?

There’s a lot I don’t understand, but for the meantime, there’s one thing I understand.

Sereriputa is scheming something again… What a persistent jerk.

“Let’s go home.” [Ryouma]

As I thought that to myself, I stood up and left the church, but then…

“Excuse me, Takebayashi-san. Can you spare a moment?” [Nun]

“Ah, yes. “It’s alright. What is it?” [Ryouma]

“Actually I would like to talk about the soup kitchen project.” [Nun]

The church nun called out to me and consulted me about the soup kitchen project.