I Have Tamed a Spider Monster - Chapter 259, Chapter 260, Chapter 261

Negotiations with Marquis Vardmoi
The familiar registration for Kiblinki Saltas was completed smoothly after two trips.
It seems the Tamers’ Guild's requirements for familiar certification were quite strict, but they managed to get through it, so that's a relief.

With that done, the next step in the process begins.
I need to negotiate with Marquis Vardmoi to obtain that mountain.
Personally, I don’t need land, but since the Kiblinki Saltas want it, I can’t just ignore their request.
I'll use it as one of the conditions for taking in Princess Annette.
After all, this is a request from the Kiblinki Saltas themselves.

"Indeed. You want a portion of the mountain transferred?"

"You don’t need to take it so seriously. All we need is permission for the Kiblinki Saltas to freely develop the area as they please."

I brought the Kiblinki Saltas’s representative with me to meet Marquis Vardmoi.
The marquis seemed to be thinking about it very seriously, but I didn’t think it was something that required that much consideration.
The Kiblinki Saltas weren’t planning to develop a particularly large area anyway.

"This mountain hasn’t been developed at all, has it? Very well, I will transfer the entire mountain to you."

"Really?"

"I don’t lie. In return, I would like to borrow a few of those Kiblinki Saltas for the defense of Vardmoi."

The defense of Vardmoi?
When I asked the marquis what he meant, he explained that Vardmoi had become the front-line city on the border.
However, as it was originally a trade city, while it had basic defensive capabilities, it was uncertain whether it could withstand a full-scale attack.
To enhance its defensive capabilities, he wanted to borrow the mind-reading abilities and web-trapping skills of Kiblinki Saltas.

Hmm, since this is the city I live in, I’d like to help, but it depends on what the Kiblinki Saltas think.
Let’s ask them.

(We understand the situation. This man appears to be telling the truth. To protect the city where our contractor lives, we shall lend our strength.)

Wow, that was quick. These kids are really amazing.

(In return, we want vegetables provided as our food. If that condition is met, a fair number of us will gather to help.)

Of course, it’s vegetables.
These spiders are bigger foodies than I thought.

"We appreciate your cooperation. How many will come to assist?"

(That we do not know. I will return to the nest and inform everyone first.)

"Understood. I’ll begin making preparations to receive them."

(Leave it to us. Now, Lily, let’s return to the nest quickly.)

"Ah, right. Marquis Vardmoi, we’ll see you again later."

"Very well. Take care, Lily."

The negotiation wrapped up smoothly.
There weren’t any unreasonable demands, and it was such an easy discussion.
… I feel like I’ve been dealing with nothing but absurd requests lately, so this was a nice change of pace.

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Arrival of the Kiblinki Saltas
The negotiations in Vardmoi concluded, and it was time to return to the nest of the Kiblinki Saltas.
On the way, I explained the details of the agreement with Marquis Vardmoi to the Kiblinki Saltas who had accompanied me. Opinions were split about evenly between those who were eager to help and those who weren’t.
Since I have no intention of forcing unwilling participants, I decided to take only those interested in helping.

Once we reached the nest, I explained the situation to everyone.
As before, there was a clear divide between those who were enthusiastic and those who weren’t.
It seems that Kiblinki Saltas as a species dislike conflict, and their attitudes toward city defense varied because of this.
Even though the purpose is defense, it’s inevitable that they would have to fight if attacked, which understandably isn’t appealing.
After discussing it, a total of 16 Kiblinki Saltas volunteered to help protect the city of Vardmoi.

Additionally, six decided to stay with me, with four assigned as Lady Annette's guards and one each for protecting my shop and home.
I gratefully accepted their support.

As a token of gratitude, I helped clear the land to create fields in the mountain.
The claws and fangs of the Kiblinki Saltas aren’t sharp enough to fell trees, and they seemed troubled about how to handle that, so I used my magic to clear the trees for them.
After I uprooted the stumps with magic, they planned to process the fallen wood into lumber.
Although felling trees was beyond their capabilities, they were adept at trimming branches and crafting the wood.

Afterward, I visited the nearby village to explain the situation and gained their approval for the Kiblinki Saltas to act as guards.
With the familiar seals and certifications issued by the Tamers’ Guild, there shouldn’t be any confusion about them being wild monsters.
The Kiblinki Saltas immediately began strengthening the village’s perimeter fences with their webs, and I hoped this would foster a positive relationship.
Though I wouldn’t be able to visit often, the Kiblinki Saltas would come to me if anything arose, so it should work out.
And when it comes to defense, they are undeniably strong.

With the Kiblinki Saltas in tow, we returned to Vardmoi, where the next task was to finalize their deployment terms and conditions with the city’s guard.
Since I might get sweet-talked into unfavorable terms if I handled it myself, I asked Plum to act as my proxy.
After all, just because someone serves Marquis Vardmoi doesn’t mean they can be fully trusted. It’s better to be cautious.
Plum skillfully negotiated terms that were quite favorable for us, and I couldn’t help but admire her talent.
If it were me, I doubt it would have gone so smoothly.

The Kiblinki Saltas were set to begin their duties in a week, so I returned home for the time being.
There was the matter of creating a nest for the Kiblinki Saltas at my house.
However, neither my home nor my other shop had any spare rooms.
… This was a problem.

(What’s troubling you, Contractor?)

"Oh, um, I don’t have a room to set up your nest."

(Is that all? If you let us use the garden, we can build our nest there.)

"Are you sure? Won’t you get wet if it rains?"

(We’ll create a ceiling with our webbing, so it won’t be an issue. Will you allow it?)

Since the garden was the only available space, I agreed.
The Kiblinki Saltas immediately moved to the garden and, in no time, constructed their nest by weaving webs all over.
That was fast.

(With our sleeping arrangements settled, where is the girl we are supposed to protect?)

"Princess Annette hasn’t arrived at this house yet. Once everything is ready, I’ll go to pick her up."

(Then, we’ll spend a few days here to familiarize ourselves with the surroundings before fetching her.)

These spiders are truly brilliant.
That intelligence is probably why I can trust them with Princess Annette’s safety.
Yes, it feels like the preparations are almost complete.

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Picking Up Princess Annette
A week had passed since the Kiblinki Saltas arrived at my home.
During that time, they built a nest in the garden and fortified it to ensure no one could enter the house from there.
Though the garden now looked cluttered, my neighbors, already aware that I was a spider monster tamer, likely thought I was starting some eccentric project.
That’s a little lonely in its own way, though.

(Our preparations are complete. Aren’t you going to fetch this Annette girl?)

"Yeah, let’s go pick her up now."

We all boarded the Lumite Grand Wing and headed to Marquis Vardmoi’s estate.
After undergoing an inspection at the entrance, we were allowed inside.
Lately, the inspections at the entrance had become increasingly lax. When I asked why, they explained, "If you were to cause trouble, we wouldn’t stand a chance anyway."
I’m not sure that’s how guards should operate.

Inside the estate, we were led to the usual reception room to await Marquis Vardmoi.
Ah, the tea was delicious as always.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Lily."

"Thank you for having me, Marquis Vardmoi."

"Don’t worry about it. We’ve made some significant requests of you this time. So, what about Annette’s guards?"

"Four of the Kiblinki Saltas will serve as her constant escorts. Additionally, one will guard each of my shops, and 16 will handle city security."

"A total of 22? That’s a great help."

"They volunteered for this, so they’re happy to assist. But are you sure? Using spiders as guards?"

"No problem. The guard force has already been informed. Still, I only expected two or three to come, so we’ll need to revise our deployment plans."

"I’ll leave that to you. By the way, may I take Princess Annette with me now?"

"Of course. Follow me; I’ll take you to her."

The Marquis led us deeper into the mansion.
After turning many corners and passing through several rooms, we finally arrived at our destination.
Four guards stood watch outside the door, their presence lending an air of importance.
However, this hallway had no windows, lit only by magic lighting that cast a soft glow.

"It’s Vardmoi. I’ve come to escort Princess Annette."

"Thank goodness. We’ve been eagerly awaiting this."

"Apologies for the delay. Given the circumstances, I needed to ensure proper guard arrangements for her safety. Everything is ready now."

As the topic of the guards came up, the soldiers’ gazes shifted toward me—or rather, toward the spiders I had tamed.

"... Is it that girl?"

"Technically, it’s the spiders tamed by that girl. Their species is called Kiblinki Saltas. They specialize in defense and can use telepathy."

"Such a convenient species exists..."

(It may seem convenient from your perspective, but we do exist. While skepticism isn’t wrong, accepting what is before you requires a certain open-mindedness.)

"Whoa!? Where did that voice come from!?"

(I’m right in front of you, human.)

"This spider can use telepathy!?"

(Not just telepathy but also mind-reading. Don’t recklessly raise your spear out of fear.)

"Can you really read my thoughts?"

(I can. Right now, however, your thoughts are nearly blank. You’re poised to react to any movement, prepared for any scenario. Impressive readiness.)

Wow, they can even discern that much.
The soldier, realizing his thoughts had been laid bare by the Kiblinki Saltas, exchanged glances with the other three guards before stepping aside from the door.
It seems they accepted the situation.

"We’ve determined they are more than capable as guards. Please proceed inside."

"Good work."

Finally, it was time to meet Princess Annette.
I wonder how she’s doing.

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