"Not. Helping!" Viktor's hand slapped uselessly against the slime, which jiggled in response but didn't budge.

The creature seemed perfectly content where it was, making happy little chirping sounds as it settled more comfortably onto its new perch.

Bella finally found her voice. "S-Sir Viktor, should I... should I cut it?"

"NO!" Viktor's shout was immediate and panicked, even through the slime. "Don't stab it while it's on my face!"

"Kyuuu~!"

"Oh gods," Kaida wheezed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "This is—this is karma. This is definitely karma."

Viktor just losed his eyes, he already got water spirit ability where he can stop breath in water for longer...

"...."

"Uaaahh!!! I-it's not working! Damn... cough! Cough!

The slime suddenly bounced off Viktor's face with a cheerful 'boing'.

Viktor coughed violently, rolling onto his hands and knees, gasping for air. "That—that wasn't water! What the hell—"

The translucent purple creature landed a few feet away, wobbling happily.

Now that it wasn't suffocating him, Viktor could see it clearly—roughly the size of a large melon, perfectly spherical, with two dark spots that might've been eyes and tiny goggles perched on top of its gelatinous head.

"kyuu~kyUU~!"

The slime bounced enthusiastically, as if trying to communicate something urgent. It hopped toward Viktor, then away, then back again—clearly wanting him to follow.

Viktor wiped his face, still catching his breath. "What is it doing?"

Bella's ears perked up slightly. She stepped closer, her expression softening as she watched the creature bounce. "It seems... friendly?"

Her lips pursed as she leaned down, reaching out tentatively. "Here, little one..."

The moment her fingers touched it, the slime 'launched' itself out of her hands like it had been spring-loaded, sailing through the air and landing squarely on Viktor's leg.

"KyuuUUU~~!"

It rubbed its body against his thigh—or what passed for rubbing when you were a gelatinous blob—nuzzling him like an affectionate cat.

Bella's ears drooped immediately, flattening against her silver hair. Her tail went limp.

Viktor glanced between the slime and Bella's dejected expression. His mouth twitched. "Seems the slime likes me, not you, Bella."

Bella's shoulders sagged. She looked away, her voice barely a whisper. "Of course... even slimes don't..."

"Hey now." Viktor scooped up the bouncing creature, holding it at eye level. The slime wiggled happily in his hands. "Hey, buddy. Why are you making my Bella sad?"

Bella's head snapped up, her golden eyes widening. "Y-Your...?"

Viktor didn't seem to notice what he'd said. He held the slime toward Bella. "Stay with her, alright?"

"kYuu..." The slime's wiggling slowed, as if considering. Then it seemed to nod—or at least bob up and down in what might've been agreement.

Viktor gently placed the creature in Bella's arms.

This time, it didn't jump away.

Bella's breath hitched. She looked down at the slime cradled against her chest, then slowly—carefully—pulled it closer. She rubbed her cheek against its cool, smooth surface.

"kyuuu~" it chirped softly, contently.

A small smile tugged at Bella's lips, the first genuine one since the passage incident.

Viktor straightened, his expression hardening as he scanned the barren landscape. "So... where's that monster? The one that roared?"

Bella's smile vanished. Her body went rigid, the slime jiggling in her suddenly tense grip.

The roar.

That sound.

The same monstrous bellow that had chased them into the cave hours ago—the creature that had nearly killed them, that had left claw marks the size of cart wheels in the earth, that had shattered trees like twigs.

Her eyes darted across the empty field, clutching the slime protectively against her chest. "It... it was here. I heard it. It sounded exactly—"

"KYUU! kyuuKYUU!"

The slime suddenly bounced out of her arms, launching itself onto Bella's head like a tiny cannonball.

It stood there, wobbling proudly, and produced—somehow—a miniature flag from within its gelatinous body.

The flag waved.

The slime puffed out its chest (or the equivalent of a chest for a blob), tiny pseudopod arms forming to pat itself repeatedly.

"KyUuU-UuU-UUU!"

Viktor blinked. His mouth twitched. "Are you... are you saying 'you' did it?"

"What?" Kaida, who'd been scanning the horizon with her daggers ready, froze. She turned, glaring at Viktor. "Have you lost your mind? What are you talking about?"

She stomped over—the chain rattling between them—and tapped his forehead hard with two fingers. "How can a 'slime' be that beast? That thing was massive! This is—"

The slime's eyes turned red.

Not cute-red. Glowing, dangerous red.

"KYUUUUU—!"

It launched off Bella's head like a bullet, slamming into Kaida's face with a wet 'SMACK' that echoed across the empty field.

"OOF—!"

Kaida toppled backward, arms windmilling. The chain yanked Viktor forward a step before she hit the ground hard, the slime bouncing triumphantly on her chest.

"kyuu~kyuu~" it chirped smugly, then 'boinged' back onto Viktor's head, settling there like a crown.

Viktor stared down at Kaida sprawled on the ground. Then he clapped slowly. "Wow. This slime is very useful."

"You 'bastard'," Kaida hissed from the dirt, her eye twitching violently. "You are 'dead'. Do you hear me? 'Dead.'"

"KyUu~?"

The slime suddenly noticed the chain—the glowing purple links connecting Viktor's wrist to Kaida's. Its body stiffened, the red glow fading from its eyes as they went wide.

"kyu... kyuuu..."

Its voice dropped to something almost mournful. It hopped down from Viktor's head, bouncing over to where Kaida lay, and crawled beside her.

Kaida turned her head away. "Just go away."

The slime straightened—as much as a blob could straighten—and performed what could only be described as a butler's bow.

Its gelatinous body bent at a perfect ninety-degree angle.

"kyuu-KYUU... kyu-kyuu-KYU~"

Viktor's eyebrows shot up. A chuckle escaped before he could stop it.

"What?" Kaida snapped, still lying on the ground. "What is it saying? Tell me!"

Viktor grinned, unable to help himself. "Oh, he's saying... 'Forgive me, Third Mistress.'"

Silence.

Bella's mouth fell open.

Kaida's face turned bright red. "THIRD?! 'THIRD MISTRESS?!'"

"KYU-kyu-kyuu~" The slime bounced apologetically, its tiny arms clasped together in supplication.

Viktor's grin widened. "He seems very sincere about it."

"I'm going to kill you both," Kaida muttered, pushing herself upright. "The slime first, then you."

"kyuuu..." The slime deflated slightly, looking genuinely remorseful.

Bella clutched the knife she was still holding, staring at the creature in disbelief. "So... that roar... that was 'you'? But you're so small and—and cute!"

The slime perked up immediately at being called cute.

"KYUUU~!" It gave a nod until heard Kaida's tongue click.

"Tch, forget that little monster and try to find the real danger here; who knows from where that beast will attack?"

The slime's entire body trembled. Not with fear—with indignation.

"KyUUU-KYUU-KYUUUU!" it shrieked, bouncing up and down so violently it looked like it might explode.

Kaida blinked, taken aback by the sudden outburst. She looked at Viktor, her brow furrowing. "What the hell is it saying now?"

Viktor narrowed his gaze at the slime, then at Kaida. "You really want to know?"

"Yes!"

"It's calling you an idiot."

Kaida's eye twitched. "Excuse me?"

"KYUU-kyuu-KYUU!" The slime continued its tirade, waving its tiny pseudopod arms dramatically.

Viktor crossed his arms, his expression flat. "Now it's saying you're blind, deaf, and—" He paused, his mouth twitching. "—'offensively stupid for a warrior.'"

"WHAT?!"

Kaida's face turned scarlet. She lunged toward the slime, but the chain yanked her back mid-step. "You little—! I'm going to squash you into paste!"

"kyuUU~" The slime bounced behind Viktor's leg, peeking out smugly.

Bella stood frozen, her knife still in hand, watching the absurdity unfold with wide eyes.

Kaida pointed an accusing finger at Viktor. "And you! Stop pissing me off as if you are of the same race, like that thing, to even understand what it says!"

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