The Ripple Effect Of Change.

“Well now, isn’t this just the liveliest place I’ve ever seen!”

“It feels like things have changed drastically again in just a few days.”

In the plaza today, the Goblins were holding a concert.

Each one sat on the ground clutching a round wooden board covered in leather—a shield. They struck them rhythmically with their hands, seemingly competing to see who could produce the best sound.

These were the wooden shields I had collected on the seventh floor yesterday; a few of them only had tattered leather on the front. I had left the Goblins with the task of replacing the leather as their next job. Presumably, while checking the tension, they realized it made a surprisingly good sound.

“Incredible. Monsters playing the drums…”

“Is that… a barrel?”

Following their gaze, I saw an empty ale barrel covered with tanned Assault Bird leather. I’d brought those barrels from the tavern so we could transport the olive harvest. Lacking a way to fasten the leather down, two Goblins sat on either side, pulling it taut with all their might. A third Goblin in the center was striking the leather with both hands in a trance, clearly enjoying the way the sound echoed through the hollow space.

After a while, the “tensioners” swapped out, and a different Goblin began to play with a smug expression. The rhythm shifted to a faster beat, and the surrounding “shield-drummers” began to keep time. Then, just as I thought they were done, they transitioned into a slower, syncopated rhythm, each taking turns to let their notes ring out. It felt quite sophisticated, in its own way.

“Wow! They’re really grooving!”

“To think these creatures possessed such talent… it’s truly startling.”

“Delightful—!”

“Koo, koo, koo!”

The cheerful Yo-chan was immediately drawn to the music and began to dance. Sparkling dust fell from her fluttering wings, heating up the session even further. The performance continued for about twenty minutes, ending with a powerful beat that vibrated in our eardrums.

“Huff… huff… Man, this place is way too much fun!”

“Victory—!”

“Koo!”

Heimo, Yoru, and Kuu, who had been hopping around energetically toward the end, rolled onto the ground in total satisfaction. The Chief, who had been participating by clapping along, wiped his sweat and spoke to me with excitement.

“Ah, it truly is wonderful.”

“Yes, the way the Goblins are changing is nothing short of amazing.”

The Chief blinked at my words, then his face softened into a warm smile.

“No, Sir Nino. When I said ‘wonderful,’ I was praising you.”

“Me?”

“It has been a week since you arrived. This monster settlement—and our village too—has undergone an incredible transformation. It was all brought about by you. We are grateful from the bottom of our hearts.”

I’d heard similar things on the way here. For the wheat sown last year, this is the season where you have to tread the soil firmly to help the roots take hold and resist the frost. It’s a job that requires a fair amount of manpower, so I’d asked if they were okay spending so much time in the labyrinth.

The answer I got was that they had “plenty of leeway.” Because the meat I’ve been supplying has drastically improved the food situation, even the villagers who aren’t leveling up can work at full capacity.

Another factor was the distribution of the surplus White-Glow Stones. Even in winter, when the sun sets early, the light allows them to work late into the evening without worry.

“Those things help, certainly, but more than anything, I think the people find the change itself exciting.”

Originally, that frontier village had a specific purpose: to serve as a trading post for Beastmen and Treants. That’s why it was built where the Dragon-Back Mountains and the Dragon-Arm Forest meet. That was also why Beastmen like Heimo lived there.

However, once the settlement started, they found the land was too stony to farm without immense effort. Trade was nearly impossible because the roads were so inconvenient. The Lord, Viscount Guvinar, lost interest, and the place became a landlocked island. Into that village, stagnant with a sense of dead-end isolation, I—the Alchemist—suddenly appeared. And with the discovery of the labyrinth, their unchanging daily lives were blown away.

“That is why I, too, wish to be of use. I am prepared to push this old frame as far as it will go.”

“I’m sorry. I think I misunderstood your motivation.”

It seemed the Chief’s persistence in joining us came from that resolve. At my apology, the Chief nodded with a smile. It was a nice moment, but I made sure to add a postscript.

“But please, stop charging into monsters recklessly.”

As I finished my usual errands and prepared to head to the lower floors, Heimo shook his head.

“I like the way these guys work, but they’re missing the most important part. Look here.”

The blacksmith picked up one of the wooden shields. The leather was cut into a perfect circle along the edge, but because it wasn’t fastened, it slipped right off when lifted.

“Looks like they don’t know about nails or rivets. I’ll teach ’em a bit. I brought all my tools, after all.”

It seemed that following music, new technology was about to be introduced to the Goblins. Picking up Yoru and Kuu—who were reluctant to leave the party—we headed for the stairs to the sixth floor.

We made short work of the crabs and turtles along the way, and we faced the Boss Pincer at the stairs with our full strength, just like yesterday. The Chief proved quite active, even slicing off some of its legs.

On the seventh floor, however, I realized I’d made a slight oversight: as a Swordsman, the Chief’s mana pool was less than half of what it was as a Healer. Consequently, he couldn’t use the I’d been counting on very often, so he didn’t lighten Mia’s burden as much as I’d hoped. Perhaps to blow off steam, the Chief went on a bit of a rampage in the tower. He traded several blows with the skeletons, and his swordsmanship seemed to improve a bit.

We didn’t find any more handbells on the top floor, but we managed to secure a good number of battered swords and shields. I probably won’t climb it a third time.

“Alright, as for the Boss Skeleton—Yoru, Kuu, you can participate today.”

“Much obliged—!”

“Koo!”

I didn’t want them to pout two days in a row. Besides, I already have confirmation that we can win without them, so I see no reason to take unnecessary risks. Shortening the travel time is important, too.

We defeated the large skeleton without incident using the and combo. After collecting the items, I remade the “Kone-ko” maid skeletons. I’ve verified that the skeletons can be summoned basically anywhere, but there is one problem: it’s impossible without bones to act as material. As for those bones, I tried using dog bones, and they stood up into a human shape just fine. It’s just a guess, but I don’t think I’m summoning souls; they seem more like Dragon-Tooth Warriors. Probably a type of Bone Golem.

Accompanied by Kone-ko-chan One and Two—now formed from the sturdy bones of the Boss Skeleton—we headed for the next floor, a place shrouded in green.