I was able to meet the three adventurers Mr. Hughes had mentioned without any trouble, and joining them was just as easy.
They were, as I had heard, a bright and good-natured team, but they were also far too careless.
Traveling with them was quite different from any journey I had experienced until now, which made it strangely refreshing. There was Eren, who had terrible sleeping habits; Kaval, who recklessly poked a Giant Ant nest; and Gido, who was a bit of a klutz himself.
In terms of combat technique alone, they possessed the skill to match their rank, but their fundamentals were a complete mess.
When I saw the three of them bickering even while surrounded by monsters, I think I raised my voice louder than I had in a very long time.
“Either run or fight—pick one!!!”
We encountered several mishaps after that, but thanks to Kaval poking yet another monster nest, we ended up being chased by Giant Ants for three whole days. Normally, Giant Ants are gentle creatures that do not attack unless provoked, but these were in a complete frenzy, pursuing us relentlessly.
I knew it would be dangerous if I didn't use the power of the spirits, yet I hesitated. While I was wavering, black lightning suddenly crashed down upon the heads of the Giant Ants. Those struck directly were incinerated on the spot. The resulting shockwave knocked off the anti-magic mask I was wearing, but fortunately, there were no other issues.
“W-wow... M-maybe I shouldn’t use this...”
From the spot where the lightning had fallen, I heard the timid voice of a child. Turning toward the sound, I saw a blue slime appearing, holding my mask.
“...A slime?”
As Kaval looked at the slime with a puzzled expression, the creature flinched and trembled before opening its mouth to speak. The moment I heard its words, I burst out laughing.
What the slime said was the exact same phrase my student, Yuuki, used to say all the time.
“H-hello! My name is Rimuru. I’m not a bad slime!”
Looking at the slime who introduced himself as Rimuru, I couldn't stop laughing, while the other three slumped to the ground, finally letting their tension snap.
It was no wonder. Having been chased by Giant Ants for three days straight, they were undoubtedly exhausted both physically and mentally.
Seeing us in that state, Rimuru asked worriedly,
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?”
“No, it’s not an injury so much as... mental exhaustion.”
“We were chased by Giant Ants day and night for three days.”
“We lost our luggage, and every time we thought we’d shaken them off and tried to rest, they’d attack us in our sleep. Our equipment is wrecked, and we're starving!”
“And that was all because of Kaval, wasn’t it?!”
“What are you talking about?! You two are just as guilty for not stopping me!”
“You call that an excuse?!”
Perhaps they were too tired to hold back, as they began airing their grievances one after another, eventually devolving into a full-blown argument. Despite their complaints, all three seemed surprisingly energetic now.
“Um... well, you must be exhausted. My village is nearby, so why don’t you come along? I can at least treat you to a meal.”
“Do you live around here, Mr. Slime?”
“Yes. I only built it recently, so it’s still a small village, though.”
Eren, Kaval, and Gido looked suspicious at the mention of a monster village, but I hugged Rimuru tightly and told them,
“Let’s accept the offer. This child can be trusted.”
With that, I kept the slime in my arms and followed the directions Rimuru gave us toward the village. After a moment of hesitation and glancing at one another, the three adventurers followed behind.
“Mr. Slime, what country are you from?”
“A country, huh... the village doesn't even have a name yet.”
“No, I mean that ‘I’m not a bad slime’ line. That’s from a game, right? I heard it from someone from my hometown.”
“...Yeah. It’s a line from a game I used to play a lot with my older brother.”
At Rimuru’s answer, I smiled brightly and asked again.
“Where is your hometown, Mr. Slime?”
“...Japan.”
“Then we're the same, aren't we?”
As I spoke, I removed my mask, wearing a smile just like Rimuru's.
***
“Ah, so they're safe. Well, with Shizu's skill, I figured there wouldn't be any problem...”
Vertis, who had been watching everything from above, replayed the scene in his mind.
The Giant Ants had vanished without a trace, obliterated by the black lightning of the slime called Rimuru. The power was impressive, but what intrigued him more was the slime's personality.
In Wolpung's memories, Rimuru had been a being who cut down an enemy's neck without hesitation, but the slime before him now seemed fragile. He couldn't tell which was the true face, but at the very least, the current Rimuru looked so delicate he seemed as if he might burst into tears at any moment.
To observe more closely, he watched their current situation: a sizzling iron griddle with meat grilling on top, the three-person party fighting over the food, and Shizu and Rimuru talking quietly in a corner.
***
“This one is mine!!”
“That's cheating! That's mine!”
“This is a battlefield, Sister Eren.”
The previously quiet space instantly became chaotic, and Shizu let out a wry smile at the sight.
“Sorry, Mr. Slime. They're a bit loud.”
“No, I actually like lively atmospheres, so don’t worry about it.”
As Rimuru spoke with a characteristic slime smile, Shizu smiled in relief.
“Why are you in this world, Mr. Slime?”
Leaving the three to their meat war, Shizu sat down and began to talk with Rimuru.
“Well, in my previous life, I was stabbed by a random murderer...”
Just recalling the event made Rimuru's body tremble.
“Ah, I'm sorry. I made you think of something scary...”
“No, it's okay! I was able to protect my junior, so I have no regrets!”
Noticing Shizu's mood dipping, Rimuru immediately brightened his tone. Touched by his kindness, Shizu whispered a small word of thanks.
“Besides, thanks to that, I met the people of this village. I've made friends, too...”
Friends. He thought of Veldora, whom he couldn't meet right now, but who was still struggling to break his seal.
“I see.”
Shizu looked at Rimuru with a hint of envy.
Friends... the first friend I made in this world... and I... with my own hands...
“...Ms. Shizu?”
Noticing her expression darken again, Rimuru called out to her. Shizu snapped back to reality and smiled, insisting it was nothing.
I've made him worry. I thought I was doing a bit better now.
As they shared their stories, the two quickly became close friends. Watching this, Vertis decided to descend to the surface to offer his thanks and speak with Rimuru.
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