Novel Eaten By A Slime?!

Discussion in 'Community Fictions' started by Nom Nom Plume, Aug 31, 2018.

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  1. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    [​IMG]

    Eaten By A Slime?!
    By Nom Nom Plume

    While picking medicinal materials in the forest, Eri was suddenly devoured by a slime. When she woke up, the slime turned into a man! He's claiming to be her husband?? Then he's solving all her problems!? Oh dear, there's a sudden influx of memories from her past life too!


    "Who's your wife, you Slime!"

    "It's destiny, my beloved Eri."

    "Damn destiny, you're nuts."

    "Shh, less words, let me prove it with love."

    "God save me..."
    Genre:
    Adventure, Romace, Fantasy, LitRPG
    Tags:
    Reincarnation, Magic, Alchemist, Compounding, Cultivation, Demons, Beastmen, Fairies, Elves, Slime, Slice of life, Shoujo, R-15

    Also available on [Wattpad] & [Royal Road]

    [Table Of Contents]
    Chapter 1: Starting With A Bang
    Prologue
    Part 1 • Journey
    Part 2 • Caught You
    Part 3 • Reborn
    Part 4 • My Bride
    Part 5 • Beyond The Dungeon
    Part 6 • Evolution
    Part 7 • Breakfast With Slime
    Part 8 • Courtship Of A Slime
    Part 9 • Rank SSS Luck
    Part 10 • New Name
    Part 11 • Harvesting Like A Boss
    Part 12 • The Diary Of A Fox Demon
    Part 13 • Alfie Evolves!
    Part 14 • Gina & Devin
    Part 15 • Assassins Or Friends?
    Part 16 • Marriage Quest
    Part 17 • Compounding Genius
    Part 18 • Bikini Armour
    Part 19 • Spirit Power
    Part 20 • Strangling A Spirit
    Chapter 2: To The Land Of Demons
    Part 1 • Slime Dungeon
    Part 2 • This Fox Lord Is A Germaphobe
    Part 3 • One-Eyed Goblin
    Part 4 • A Goblin's Trickery
    Part 5 • Inheritance Of Light
    Part 6 • Abandoned Village
    Part 7 • Possessed
    Part 8 • Holy Water
    Part 9 • The Power Of This Fox Lord
    Part 10 • Ghost Fire (update next Wed)
    Part 11 • Domain Of Fire (update next Sun)
    Part 12 •

    Critiques and reviews are much appreciated (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2018
  2. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Prologue

    "Mom! Mom! Don't leave me!"

    "Shut your mouth, I'm leaving for good! I've had enough of all this!"

    An unkept woman flung the child off and slammed the wooden door shut.

    Unable to reach the doorknob, the girl clawed at the door as she continued to scream for her mother.

    ... ...

    I woke up to the chirp of birds.

    "Uhh...what a bad dream. I can't believe it's coming back after such a long time."

    The flimsy wooden bed squeaked as I rolled off for a morning stretch.

    Yesterday evening was the awards ceremony for all the talented youths in the capital. Everyone I knew went up the stage for their awards. It was hard to be happy and celebrate with them.

    I'm already behind in studying, behind in progress. I'm behind in achieving anything in life. Before long, I won't even be able to afford the rent for the shabbiest inn in town.

    "I'm just a useless piece o-"

    "Gaauuu"

    A blue ball of fur flew into my face.

    "Alfie...your fur is in my mouth..."

    "Gau gauuu"

    "Thanks, you stopped me from telling myself that."

    Alfie perched on my chest and sniffed my face.

    I took a deep breath and made a resolve.

    "I'll prove myself. I'm going to be a master of potions!"
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2018
  3. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 1

    "'Slime's habitat', 'Slime's eating habits', 'Dangerous Slimes'...oh, found it! 'The Courtship of Slimes'."

    I hugged the book and slid down the ladder. After paying the borrowing fee for the book, I left the library.

    When I made my resolve earlier, I decided to take the plunge and set out on a journey.

    Compounding apprentices are generally not strong nor born with large amounts of magical power, to begin with. Only the rich can buy ingredients from adventurers, niche stores, or auctions. Unfortunately, those with large amounts of magical powers or high fighting abilities aren't attracted to the compounding profession either. Compounding requires way too much time due to the trial and error process of potion-making. The time needed for ingredients to cure and the changes that need to be closely monitored is precisely what makes it an unpopular option.

    Since I have neither strength nor much magic, I wanted to pursue compounding. I don't have much ability in any other area...I'm not interested in sales, cleaning, administration or the sex trade that is a common choice for orphans without much money or skill.

    Perhaps I could also have done that so I could have more money to buy compounding ingredients. But after my mentor accepted my apprenticeship, I learned that compounding was made to test one's limits of patience. Shortcuts never yield success, and the a compounder must live by the virtues of compounding.

    In preparation of collecting our slime secretions, I've brought along a few time-stop potions that are easy for apprentices to make. Luckily, slimes are in mating season right now in early spring. It's the perfect weather for slimes that are not good with extreme heat or dryness. Secretions of slime during their mating season is rumoured to have mysterious properties. This is the perfect chance to get my hands on exceptionally rare material for progress in my work.

    "Slimes here I come!"
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2018
  4. Xiongace101

    Xiongace101 Monkey

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    tldr put it in spoiler tabs
     
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  5. Jiggy

    Jiggy I am JiggyliFAP~ the not fat anymore guy.

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    Are you Nom de Plume's alter ego that wants to write novels?
     
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  6. Anra7777

    Anra7777 All powerful magic grammar hamster queen pirate.

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    Read up to chapter 2 on RR, and I have to ask: what is Alfie? Do we get a description for him soon? Because I’m having trouble figuring out what I should be imagining he looks like, other than having blue fur.
     
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  7. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    We're not the same person :blobjoy: My identity keeps being misunderstood.

    @Anra7777
    Thank you for your suggestion! Alfie is a dog-cat mutant beast. (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)
    Maybe I'll go back and revise his description in ch. 2-3... he isn't described in detail because he doesn't really appear until Chapter 2.
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2018
  8. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 2

    "Alfie! Can you help me sniff out the slimes? We need to find timid grass too!"

    "Gau gau"

    "Thanks Alfie"

    Alfie skipped ahead of me and started rummaging around the bushes. From time to time, he would find pieces of timid grass, and I would harvest them and leave behind the stems. Leaving the stems will let the timid grass reproduce quicker the next time we come to harvest.

    After that, I used small clips to fix the timid grass upright inside the containers.

    Uuu...if I had more magical power I would be able to create barriers for each piece of grass and store them right away.

    It's not hard to find timid grass, but it's high in demand because of how easily it's ruined. Once the leaves of timid grass are touched, it curls up and becomes unusable. Maybe one day I can find a use for the ruined timid grass leaves!

    "Alfie, wait."

    We are still in the grade D area according to the safety grades on the map. Today, we must enter the grade C area to collect slime secretion.

    I've only ever skirted along the boundaries of area C for compounding ingredients. Area C is where the magical monsters live. It's a place where adventurers or magicians of level D and higher would venture for combat experience and materials.

    "Alfie, this way!"

    Alfie hopped onto my right shoulder and we continued deeper into the forest. The trees and foliage in area C are thicker and lusher. Small dots of sunlight are dyed green on the ground. I might find rare mushrooms along the way.

    "Fufhuhu, why didn't I come here more often before. We will have a big harvest today, Alfie."

    Area C is usually crowded with adventurers. It's strange how quiet it is today. Perhaps they have all gathered at the dungeon in area A...to view the slime mating event up close...?

    "Oh right, Alfie, I have to read the book I borrowed today. Don't go too far."

    "Gauu"

    I opened the storage bag hanging from my belt and pulled out 'The Courtship of Slimes'.

    ... ...

    "'Just as slimes are picky eaters, they also have a strong preference when it comes to choosing a mate. Slimes will ignore all opponents before they respond to their chosen mate.

    Researchers have yet to discover the factor that decides the mate of a slime. Some researchers believe that this preference is innate. However, as a more popular opinion, slimes are thought to choose partners based on similarity of diet and habitat.

    Upon finding their mate, slimes will perform a ritual of courtship behaviours,"

    ... ...

    "Eyaa! Something cold and sticky touched me! Alfieeee!"

    I shook my leg and glanced down.

    "Ehhh! Alfie, we found a slime!"

    I detached the syringe from my belt in a hurry and aimed it at the slime.

    "I've caught you!"
     
  9. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 3

    The translucent green slime in front of me throbbed and bubbled. Although it's stuck to my leg, for now, Alfie can help me fight it off when he comes back.

    I stuck the syringe into the slime and pulled out a sample. The green slug sparkled under the forest light, and there was no trace of impurities.

    "Hmm...why are you-"

    The slime suddenly expanded and doubled in height. My face was sealed off and I couldn't reach out to Alfie.

    Damn it, I'm not prepared to die yet...

    ... ...

    Alfie rushed back when he picked up on Eri's call for help. The small variant beast growled at the slime and pounced. However, the slime seemed to read the beast's movements and released a glob of slime at the animal.

    "Auuuu..."

    Alfie whimpered and struggled, but the glob of slime adhered it firmly to a tree.

    Rid of all disturbances, the slime continued to grow over the unconscious girl. Until the girl's body was fully immersed, the slime then rounded into a sphere.

    Over the next three days, the surface of the green sphere hardened and turned opaque. The girl inside was no longer visible, and the large sphere faded into a dull milky-jade colour.

    After exhausting all its efforts, Alfie managed to chew through the slime on the third day. He threw himself at the sphere once again and clawed at the slippery surface.

    Perhaps persistence paid off. Alfie's gnawing and scratching finally led to the shattering of the sphere.

    Fine cracks crawled from the point of contact and spread over the entire sphere. With a clunk, the thick shell broke apart and revealed the two sleeping figures within.

    ... ...

    "Mmm..."

    How comfortable...why do I hear birds chirping? And what a nice breeze...

    "Haaa!"

    I sat up immediately but my head crashed into something...something...soft?

    Looking up, what I bumped into was a rippling face...

    "Good morning my bride."

    The rippling slime settled down into a well-proportioned face.

    Speckles of gold in his green eyes shimmered in the sunlight. A soft tenor voice emitted from thin lips that seemed to be carved out by angels...

    Let's go back to sleep. I closed my eyes and laid down again.

    "Auuuuauauu"

    Alfie!

    I sat upright again and found Alfie bound to a tree with slime.

    "Ahh!! What did you do to Alfie!!"
     
  10. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 4

    "I'm afraid I don't know any Alfie, my bride."

    The green-haired man smiled and tilted his head.

    Uhh...flowers are blooming from his smile. I can't trust that innocent look of his, especially when his face fell apart just now!!

    "Oh my, you are giving me such a hot stare. Why don't we forage for your breakfast? Your tummy has been growling since you were asleep, my bride."

    This sounds exactly like those kidnapping stories. The kidnapper dodges important questions, lures the victim with food, and goes in for the killing blow when the victim is least suspecting!!

    "Release Alfie, you fiend! We can arrange for a trade, with something of equal value."

    "... ..."

    "I'm sorry, my bride. I hope you can avoid mentioning other males during our honeymoon."

    "Who's your bride! My bride, my bride! You've been saying that for the whole time. When did I ever marry you!"

    "My bride...how can I convince you? We hatched from the same egg just a few hours ago. That is the biggest proof of our union, the second birth of a slime."

    "What egg-nonsense you marriage scammer!! I have no money hah!"

    "I cannot lie to you, my beloved. The proof is in your hair. You are dyed in my colours."

    "Enough! Stop it! Don't say anything anymore, my ears will fall off!"

    "...I'm afraid this is the only way."

    The man's arm reached out and melted into a lump of green in mid-air. The mass whirled into a circular pool and solidified.

    A mirror?! And my-

    "MY HAIR! IT'S GREEEEN! WHAT DID YOU DOOOO!!!"

    "Don't cry, it'll be back to the way it is once it grows out. Your hair is simply coloured by the amniotic fluid when you were inside the egg."

    "... ..."

    "If you're worried you can read the manual that you dropped. I'm quite impressed by the accurate information in this book ."

    "You mean I've turned...into a slime? I'm not human anymore?"




    Next part: Slime's point of view
     
  11. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 5

    "Nurunuru..."

    I swallowed grass as I rolled over the ground.

    The slime mating season is near, and the excitement in the air is almost palpable. The beginning of spring each year is the time for slimes to find their destined halves.

    The feeling of fate that draws one slime to another is only known to slimes. No other creature senses fate the same way we do. Those who have grown a complete magic nucleus will become able to sense the whereabouts of their mate-to-be.

    The slimes in the dungeon have grown restless, and the number of adventurers and scavengers have decreased.

    Where is my other half?
    There is no sign of my mate in the vicinity, but I feel a clear sense of attraction beyond the dungeon.

    "Nurunuru..."

    The grass growing outside the dungeon is quite different. Surely new abilities can be gained by swallowing more of these.

    The only problem is the lack of humidity in the air. If my mate does not appear soon, water for replenishment will be an issue.

    "Nurunuru..."

    Let's stock up on more grass in the mean time. It will be important to nourish the second birth of my mate and me.

    ... ...

    It seems a few days have passed since leaving the dungeon. The pull of attraction is stronger than before, but it wasn't until this morning that I felt tremors of excitement running thorough my body.

    My mate!! Is this what other slimes experience too? A sign of life was standing before me, and from the heartbeat emitting from it, it's excited!

    Wahhh...my mate's skin is so soft and warm. I can't believe my second birth will be completed with a non-slime.

    Oh! Is my mate sucking out my body...with a pointed object? Are you that excited for the second birth? Don't worry, we can skip the ritual dance and go straight to the union!
     
  12. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 6

    I stretched over my mate and engulfed its body.

    Eh? My mate does not have a magic nucleus. Neither a slime or a magical creature...could it be one of the seven great races!

    Oh dear, my mate is so excited, it's flinging its limbs up and down. I understand your excitement, but you could break through my body.

    Oh I know, let's absorb the moisture from the grass and leaves nearby. I hope you pardon my lack of preparation, my wonderful mate. I didn't expect you to be so large...I have to stock up on nutrients while forming our egg.

    "Nurunuru..."

    As the slime gathered moisture and nutrients from its surroundings, the nearby plants withered at a rate visible to the eye. The bark of trees split open and dried leaves rained down.

    ... ...

    I felt a different sense of vigour, a different sense of being, that I've ever had in the past. Is this blood? I feel a rhythmic pumping and coursing through my veins and a thumping object in the centre of my body. This must be the so-called heart? The members of the seven great races all have this organ called the heart. Then this means I have humanised? But I seem to feel that my body is not confined to its current shape.

    Crack...

    How bright. Is this vision? It seems I have evolved into a humanoid state.

    Oh, my mate!! How small...she seemed to be five times my size before my rebirth, but now her limbs are so slender and delicate. I smell traces of magic from her, wait, it appears she seems to have gained something similar to a magic nucleus over her cardiovascular system. I smelt traces of magic from her before, but her abilities may have evolved after our rebirth.

    So I'm married to a human magician. How wonderful.
     
  13. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 7

    "My bride, what would you like for breakfast? I can sense some dust hares and sound sparrows in the vicinity. If not, there appear to be some ants of earth elements below us. In fact, quite a few nests even from where we are standing."

    Eri scrunched up her face at the man with green hair. "...please enjoy your ants by yourself. I'll hunt for some dust hares."

    Eri tightened the laces of her boots and unsheathed her dagger.

    "My bride-"

    Eri scrunched up her face at the slime man.

    "Stop calling me 'bride', I feel like I'm going to punch you in the face if I hear that one more time!"

    "Oh how tough, I don't mind if you swoop your fist of love into my face. My bride sure is cute isn't she,"

    "Eri!! My name is Eri, and let's get the dust hares now."

    "Well yes, my Eri."

    ... ...

    Oh bummer, I never got to hear his name, human etiquette doesn't apply, right? Yup, he's a slime and a madman to top it off. He was probably something along the lines of #348 slime of plant element in his tribe or something.

    Now that I think about it, he would make a really great party member to my one-man party. I've been suffering from mediocre results for the longest time. He can be the key to my big break!!

    "Err, Slime! You have exploration skills, don't you? Can you point out the hares for us?"

    "My pleasure."

    The man's arms dissolved into a green jelly-like whip and snapped into the bushes. A small thump sounded and the green whip retrieved a limp dust hare.

    I stood agape with surprise and looked at the slime man.

    "Tha-that was quick!!"

    The slime man made a self-deprecating smile, "I'm afraid that was nothing much, but I am happy that you're impressed. However, there is a particular skill I'm rather proud of, please keep your eyes open for this trick."

    The dust hare was raised in midair while the green whip expanded and completely submerged it. Through the manoeuvring of the slime, the hare's limbs were lifted apart and separated. The slime covering the hare underwent a shock and removed the hare's fur in an instant. What was left was a small form obscured in a mass of blood.

    "Hhii-..."

    My finger pointing at the sight trembled, but I felt weak in the knees.

    Then my sight turned white.

    ... ...

    "Eri? Were you so hungry you fainted?"





    Note:
    Dust hare: Rank F beast with abilities to confuse predators with currents of dust.
    Sound sparrow: Rank D beast known for its fearful cries that can cause tinnitus and headaches.
     
  14. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 8

    "Mmm..."

    Something smells really good. Roast meat with spices and the sound of...bubbling?

    "Eri?"

    "Wah?!! Go away! You're too close!"

    "But you're sleeping on my lap, how can you say that when you've been sleeping so well?"

    "Wait, stop! You man, slime, you with the smart mouth, I know...we both know you can win battles with words. Forget about it...I feel like I woke up from a nightmare."

    Sleep well, this darn slime! Who slept well? The last thing I remember was that little bloody corpse soaked in blood. I don't think I can ever eat hares or rabbits ever again!

    "Guuu-"

    "My Eri, your tummy is calling."

    Shoot...my face is getting hot. Why does he look so good even when he's making fun of me...it's a demon underneath that angel-face.

    "I found some yellow berries while you were asleep. Would you like to eat it or drink it's juice instead?"

    "What?! Th-th-this is!! Are these vitality berries!!"



    ⧫[Activate Appraisal]⧫
    Vitality Berry
    Rank A
    It has a general panacea effect such as healing minor external and internal injuries. It also has auxiliary functions such as detoxifying general poisons, dispelling general curses and boosting mental, physical and spirit power.



    "Slime, where did you find this?!"

    "My Eri, these berries are just a few bushes away. If you want more we can take the entire bush."

    Entire bush!! Or more!!

    "No! I'm not eating. I'll store it in my tool bag for now. Let's pick more berries later."

    Yeah right, who's going to eat these berries? Vitality berries are Rank A items that can be listed in the auction house. I didn't think I would come across such a valuable compounding material here. This slime is not so bad after all...

    "My beloved, would you like this red fruit instead? It's very crisp and swee-"

    "Wait!!"

    Is that what I think it is? Purple stem...a ruby red fruit with the shape of a peach...dense blue veins slightly visible under the skin...Hundred Hearts fruit!!



    ⧫[Activate Appraisal]⧫
    Hundred Hearts fruit
    Rank S
    A mysterious fruit with unknown growing conditions. The fruit can act as a blood supplement for those suffering from a loss of blood by activating the body's potential to produce blood. Demons and sprites that consume this fruit can gain a real heart and evolve to a higher level of existence. The fruit may have incredible restorative effects on those who have a damaged or incomplete heart.



    No way!! God bless me!! A Rank S fruit after a Rank A berry. Moreover, it can grant a true heart? People would kill each other for something like this! And this, this slime treats it as breakfast! What a waste!!

    "No! No no no, I'll keep this too. I'll wait until the soup is done. I feel like having something that can warm up my body instead."

    "Don't refuse, my Eri. Open up."

    The fruit in his hand was crushed and turned into a ball of red liquid. A faint halo of red light enshrouded it.

    "Ahh!! It's ruined! It's going to oxidise! This is preciouuuuu-umf"

    It's...sweet. Wah!!! My body's boiling hot! It's prickling all over. It's over...I might be dying. Is this why they say too much of a good thing is bad?

    Ding! Ding!


    ⧫[Status Update]⧫
    +1 life from the consumption of a Hundred Hearts fruit. The user will come back to life after a life-robbing event.



    ... ...I gained a life? An extra life!! What if I ate more? Can each fruit give me an extra life? Does this mean immortality can be achieved? Wait...earth to Eri, where can someone gain unlimited access to Hundred Hearts fruits. Even so, this fruit can probably only inspire the potential to revive. If one were to approach the end of their lifeline, fate can't be reversed. But it's pretty useful, I can be like a cat with nine lives! Except this is a waste! My job is super low-risk and I have no life-threatening disease. God, this Hundred Hearts is completely wasted on me!!

    "Umumumumu (look at what you've done)!"

    Argh this slime finger is in my mouth!

    "Pah! My Hundred Hearts is gone!!"

    "Hhuhu, there are still more on the tree where I found it. You're so greedy Eri."

    "Still a tree full of fruits? Let's get it right away! What if someone steals it!"

    "It's close by, I will know if someone comes near. You haven't eaten enough yet, my Eri."

    "Puuu! Don't stick your slimy fingers in my mouth you sicko! I can feed myself."

    "This is an important part of courtship. You must accept food from me, my Eri."

    "Pervert alert! Stalker! Feeding-fetish monster get away from me!"

    "...open up."

    Haa! That smile!! My face must be flushed again. How could I...this is clearly a crazy slime man...





    Note:
    Mental power: The power from the mind (intelligence/knowledge) that is converted to magic power once spells or inscriptions are used. Although the limit of mental power is inborn, MP talent can increase slightly when one's knowledge increases. Special circumstances such as blessings and evolutions can give one's MP talent a considerable raise.

    Physical Power: One's physical power is closely related to the attributes of their race or inherited physical abilities. The physical power limit can be stretched by training, but depending on race, physical power is consumed at different rates. Those with beast or demon bloodlines are physically robust and require less physical power to perform feats of power. Unlike other races, they are also able to convert consumable types of energy into physical power endlessly.

    Spirit Power: Most people cannot sense the spirit and are unable to use this type of power. Only special individuals such as prophets, exorcists or witches can use spirit power. These people can invoke blessings and curses with their spirit. They can see what the naked eye cannot see, and can even kill silently by cutting off other people's spirits.
     
  15. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 9

    Uh...finally, I'm so full. If other people knew a pauper like me ate Rank S fruits as appetiser and Rank B materials as soup, they would go mad.
    Just how can this slime get so many precious things like..like finding cabbages in his garden...

    I really want to take a look at his status and find out how exactly can he be so lucky! Fortunately, I have the ability of appraisal.

    [Activate Appraisal]
    ...

    [Activate Appraisal]
    ......

    This...this can only happen if his level or power limits are considerably higher than mines. Didn't we become spouses? It's common sense that married people can view each other's statuses at will. Why can't I see it...maybe we're not really married yet? Oh God, what am I thinking? Who wants to get married to a slime!

    "Oh my, Eri is giving me such a hot stare. Do you want me that badly?"

    "You!! Oh, be quiet...I just want to know, why can you find high ranking materials so easily? I thought that these kinds of things are born with curses that ward people off with illusions or something. Do you have an ability that cancels this out?"

    "My Eri means, she wants to view my status?"

    "Uh.."

    He's straightforward enough...except this kind of private information...I've been so rude, would he really show it to me?

    "I didn't think we would get to this stage so quickly. My Eri, if you look, if you look at my naked truth, even a cold-blooded slime like me would be shy."

    Arghh ghhsvjdygodsxbuw!! This pervert!!!

    "Be quiet!! No more!! Uhhh, how can it turn into this! You're twisting the situation with words, it's not like that at all! Just show me your status!!"

    Eri grabbed the green-haired man by the shoulders and shook him with rage.

    "Ah..I also like it when my Eri is violent. This is the first time you've taken the initiative to hold me in your arms."

    "Pu- whose holding you! Show it!"

    Tssss-

    The front of the green-haired man's shirt ripped apart.

    "..."

    "..."

    "My Eri, I'm afraid that this isn't the right way to check someone's status. There's no need to make excuses if you are that hungry for my body. Just tell me and you can see it anytime you wish."

    Uhh...umm...wow...?...??! This white lustre and pore-less hairless baby-like skin. An 8 pack?! It's so symmetrical and finely divided. Each piece so divinely carved...

    "You can touch if you want."

    The green-haired man caught Eri's wrist and brushed her fingers over his blocks of muscles.

    Hyaa!! I touched it!!

    "My Eri, you have a nosebleed."

    "Ah?"

    The slime man's fingers reached under Eri's nose and the trickle of blood was sucked clean.

    "You are drooling as well, fufuhu."

    His finger slid down to the corner of Eri's lips.

    "Ahh!! Take your filthy hands away! And, and, oh you dare, don't put it in your mouth!"

    Slap!

    The green-haired man held his beaten cheek with one hand.

    "I also like it when my Eri is rough and violent."

    "..."

    God help me...save me from this demon...

    "My Eri, will you look at my status?"

    Ding! Ding!

    Thank you, God!!!

    ⧫[Status Displayed]⧫

    [Slime]
    Race: Evolved humanoid slime
    Role: Husband of Eri, Fate-changer
    Level: ???
    Element: water (main)
    Mental Power: 6800
    Physical power: 87oo
    Spirit Power: ???
    Active skills:
    • Cooking (Rank B)
    Latent skills:
    • Moisture gathering (Rank S)
    • Attribute engulfing (Rank S)
    • Body morphing (Rank S)
    • Luck (Rank SSS)
    • Exploration (Rank S)
    • Enemy detection (Rank S)
    • Camouflage (Rank SS)
    • Body Space Storage (100 m2)

    ... ...

    "That's it! It must be your luck! It's ranked triple S! You're a walking, living lucky charm!!"





    Note:
    Status Checking: Individual status screens can be viewed by oneself. Special facilities such as guilds and hospitals can also extract status information with testing stones. Those who have the ability of appraisal can also peek at parts of other people's status if the subject's levels are similar or lower.
    Exceptions: Mothers can view their baby's status for a short period after giving birth. Twins can view each other's statuses. Couples can view each other's status if they have completed an oath of marriage and have exchanged blood.
     
  16. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 10

    "Ahah! This is the greatest blessing in my life! God has listened to my prayers!! For your triple S ranked Luck, I can ignore the fact that you have nuts for brains. Slime, you are the turning point in my career. You must be bestowed upon me by God, despite your dysfunctional character, I will no longer be stuck as a poor girl that can't afford to level-up in compounding."

    With his great luck, I can get all kinds of rare materials. Moreover, he's an S Rank meat shield! Pfft, ahahahaha, it will be a breeze, like a walk in the park if I want to go through magic dungeons or even across continents!

    "My Eri, you are drooling again. Please don't fall asleep with your eyes open."

    "Uh! Right, it's nothing. I'm very happy, happy to accept you as my spouse. Remember to continue to do a good job of collecting materials."

    Eri patted the green-haired man affirmatively. However, she soon found a problem.

    "You...you have only one active skill? On top of that, it's cooking?! How can you be so...lacking..."

    "That is natural, my Eri. When I lived in the slime dungeon, all I needed to do was to eat. In a sense, ever since my evolution, I can be regarded as a newborn."

    This can't be...even if it's a Rank S meat shield, it's a skill-less useless meat shield!

    "But you have Rank B cooking! Don't tell me that slimes practice cooking!"

    "I gained the skill just now, my Eri. How else would I be able to roast barbecued hare and boil venison leek soup."

    "What?!"

    Did he gain a skill instantaneously? Could he be a skill-genius? As long as he tries he can realise the skill he wants? But...I can't be too sure, maybe he was just lucky with cooking.

    "Um Slime, let's prepare to leave. I want to harvest the vitality berries and Hundred Hearts."

    Slime nodded and reached out to Eri's forehead. His thumb and index finger kneaded the crease between her brows.

    "My Eri, are you feeling unhappy?"

    "..."

    "What's the matter, my love?"

    "...that is..why is your name so crude? I don't believe every slime in the slime dungeon is named...Slime?"

    Even if he's my subordinate, aka fake spouse, such a name is an insult. What if I become famous in the future? Eri and Slime? Her husband Mr. Slime?! What a joke!!

    "Well, slimes do not speak. We identify each other through power attributes. Since my Eri has been calling me 'Slime', therefore my name is Slime."

    "Aghh!! It's my fault?! Can't you change your name?"

    "You can call me as you like my Eri. Since this is the first day I have received a name, it should not be permanent until 24 hours have passed."

    "Saved!! You need a new name..."

    I need a good name, a proud name, a heroic name? No, heroes always end up dying tragically and creating a harem of 3000 widowed concubines. Trash that, we need a catchy name. A name that could be related to his role. I remember his status says 'Fate-changer', so we need a name that fully encapsulates this meaning!

    "Hmm, Destin, Dustin, Karma, Chance...eww these are so cheesy. What about 'Rise' or 'Raise'? These words are pretty cool. Let's modify it a bit. Laize? Raze? Rai? Rei?"

    "Rei sounds nice, my Eri."

    "Rei it is! It's derived from 'Raise' which means you will travel up and afar, and it sounds like 'ray' which means a ray of light or a symbol of hope and future! Hehe, don't you think I'm talented at naming?"

    "My Eri is talented."

    "Mwahaha! Let's pack up!"




    Note:
    The significance of a name: In the world of magic, spoken and written words have power. Parents take extra care in naming their children as names can have similar effects to blessings and curses. It may also ultimately decide the fate of the child.

    People like magicians also need to take special care with their words because they regularly practice inscribing magic into spells. Uttering curses and omens can increase chances of it becoming true. Words from special individuals who have spirit power will produce staggering effects when they speak. Therefore, prophets are mostly forbidden from speaking on a day to day basis. This is also a reason why many fear and avoid witches because of their potent curses.
     
  17. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 11

    Rei dug up a hole in the ground and buried the left-over timber and food waste in it. While he continued to clean up, Eri grimaced at the barbecued hare.

    "I feel like I might get a nightmare from eating this. Alfie! Come over, I have some barbecue for you."

    "Au gau uu"

    "Yeah, sorry I almost forgot about you. You must have been starving."

    "My Eri, we can take off now."

    "Are you leaving the stone pot behind?"

    "I can always make another one."

    "Ehh! You made it! How could you have polished a hole into a rock without shattering it...hey Rei if you can make these things, you might want to join the craftsmen guild when we go back to town."

    The corner's of Rei's lips hooked upwards, but there was no reply. He simply didn't have any crafting skills, to begin with. The hole in the stone pot was formed by a highly corrosive toxin he had released from his storage. But Eri didn't need to know this. Rei had come to a conclusion, after a few unfortunate events, that Eri did not react well to his displays of power. Perhaps he only needed to guard her quietly—solving all her troubles without being seen.

    Soon, they approached the shrub of vitality berries. Small globes of yellow reflected from Eri's eyes and she seemed to see a pile of wealth before her.

    "I hope they don't go bad in my storage bag."

    "There's no need for that, my Eri. I will keep the berry bush for you."

    Rei gathered his mental power onto the surface area of the bush, and in a blink of an eye, the entire bush disappeared.

    "No!! No way!! Rei, it's gone! Someone stole the whole bush!"

    "You are mistaken my dear Eri, the entire bush is in my storage space."

    Rei tilted his head and his green eyes glimmered with playfulness. In a moment, the bush of yellow berries appeared in mid-air.

    Eri gaped at the scene before her.

    "I know that storage bags have space functions, but...I've never heard of anyone keeping an entire plant with roots and all...and inside the body too."

    "My Eri, plants can live inside me due to the nutrient solution in my body storage. Moreover, my body can turn translucent and gather sunlight from time to time."

    "This...you...you're a walking garden...I don't think I can measure you with common sense. Your latent skill [Body Storage] sure is convenient. Can you put other living things in your body too? For example, people?"

    "I'm afraid not, my Eri. That would be truly frightening if it ever comes to fruition."

    Eri rubbed her temples and looked a bit dazzled at Rei. She imagined Rei storing an army of soldiers in his body one day, and he would be able to release them anytime he wanted—would they pop out one after another? Although Rei denied its possibility, Eri had a feeling that he would be capable of it in the future.

    Rei guided Eri through the dense shrubs. Their path turned several times until they came across clouds of thick milky fog. Rei turned to Eri and held out his arm.

    "Hold onto me, my Eri, you might lose your way in the fog.

    "Er, yeah..."

    I didn't think this slime could look like a prince...if not for his usual bouts of perversion, he would- no no no, nope, nopedy nope. there's nothing attractive about this slime man!

    White plumes of fog glided over their faces. And after a quarter of an hour, the fog unfolded to reveal the silhouette of a large beast.

    Alerted by their footsteps, the beast spun around and glared at them.

    "Wahhh! Rei, that's a guardian beast! It's got three tails! And it's so white and fluuuffy!"

    "#*^bt%ai~;hd&! (It's you again slime bastard!)"

    "Rei, it seems to be hostile to us...and it should be a Rank A Fox demon. Let's not fight it."

    "You are right my Eri, there's no need to fight this fox. We just need to-"

    Whack! Whack! Whack!

    Rei's arm turned into a thick green whip and slammed onto the fox demon.

    "-whip it a few times, and it will go away."

    The whip split apart the fog and cleared up the view in front of them. Rei smiled nonchalantly and stepped toward the fruit tree.

    The fox demon bent down and whimpered.

    "S&:~•*\+h!!! Ooooo... (Shit my fur, my fur! You ass of a slime!!)"

    A glare of light flashed in the direction of the fox demon, and what was left was a white-haired man with a pair of golden eyes with slitted pupils.

    Eri quickly removed her gaze from the golden-eyed man. Those shockingly bright irises gave a sense of murderous ferociousness.

    "Slime demon, you can only take one more."

    "We can't take the entire tree?"

    The fox demon didn't care for Eri. It didn't put this weak human woman in its eyes at all.

    "No problem, my Eri."

    With a wave of his hand, the entire Hundred Hearts tree disappeared into Rei's storage space.

    "You! Curse you, slime! Return the tree!"

    Rei's arm condensed into a shiny green whip again. The smile in his eyes deepened.

    "Shit, I'll be back! You wait for it! I'll have a handle on you next time..."

    The fox demon disappeared into the fog and the calm was restored.

    "I never thought driving away a guardian beast would be an option!"

    "Oh Eri, driving it away is much better than fighting it. You do realise that he must have eaten countless Hundred Hearts fruits as the guardian of the tree. How many times would he have to be killed before he really dies?"

    "...doesn't that mean we've hit jackpot by scaring him off?"

    "Oh, I'm afraid he's not scared at all. It might have to do with his cultivation which makes it inconvenient for him to fight at this moment in time. A nine-tailed fox demon with three tails..."




    Note:
    Cultivation: A 'xianxia' genre inspired element. Cultivation refers to ongoing upgrading of a specific power practice. Unlike a regular skill upgrade, a type of cultivation is intrinsically related to the race/physique/power an individual is born with (or has gained later in life). Most warriors and magicians do not have the practice of cultivation.
     
  18. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 12

    It's been almost 3 months that I've spent in this backwater human country. No one has ever trespassed this area ever since I set up a fog array in the vicinity.

    Lowly ants. What a pity that a legendary item like the Hundred Hearts tree is born here. Fortunately, I, the Great Fox Lord #5 has stumbled across this treasure.

    I have been meditating with the energy of this tree until the fruits finally matured last week. The benefits were astounding. My physical prowess has increased to the point where my skin itself should be as hard as iron. On top of that, both my light and water elements have levelled up several times.

    Since I'm a superior demon, I already have a real heart, but the consumption of these fruits have led to my gain of 12 extra lives! Even my fellow fox demons would cry with envy. I no longer have to lose a tail in exchange for a life.

    Like every other day, I sat under the Hundred Hearts tree and absorbed the essence of a ripe fruit.

    Trickle, trickle, trickle.

    In my meditation, droplet by droplet of Hundred Hearts fruit essence trickled down my throat and the red light from it gathered over my heart like a protective shield.

    Ding! Ding!

    ⧫[Status Update]⧫
    [Third tail]
    +1000 physical power
    + 1000 mental power
    Third element unlocked [wood].
    New skill unlocked [Illusion] requires water and light elements to implement.

    Hm, not bad. When I return, my rank will probably bump up to about #3 if no one else gains a third tail like me. I really have to thank my dead fox ancestors for this opportunity. Let's pick a few fruits for the offering ritual when I get back.

    Whoosh.

    Someone!

    Thump!

    A crevice was formed on the ground where I just sat. Who broke in!? A green whip whistled across my face in a flash. Shit, this guy is not giving me any space to breathe at all!

    [Ice Blockade]!

    Shring! Shring! Shring!

    Blades of ice formed a barbed barrier around me. The green whip was instantly cut off.

    Wood element?

    No, it can't be. The severed whip pieces suddenly slipped through the cracks in the ice barrier and flew in the direction that man.

    Is it what I think it is? Slime?
    How could there be a superior slime demon in this lowly human country! I thought they were a myth!

    Wait, no! My Hundred Hearts fruit!

    Good for you! You're dead the next time I see you, shit slime.

    ... ...

    It was difficult to slip back into meditation after that. Its been a while since I've been so frustrated with an opponent. He could slip through my fog array? He didn't even break it!

    Maybe slimes are really as horrible as the books say. He could harvest a Hundred Hearts fruit unimpeded. Even I have have difficulty breaking the barrier around each fruit when I want to harvest them.

    Slime, huh...

    ... ...

    After breaking another barrier, I finally harvested a third fruit. It's a pity they won't last long after being picked.

    Crunch.

    People?!

    It's that shitty slime again!

    Whack!

    Shit! Shit!! My hair, is that poison on the whip? He fried off my hair! I hate split ends!

    He's with a human woman this time? They're coming for more fruits?

    They want the entire tree?!!

    [Ice sword]!
    ...

    [Light Sphere]!
    ...

    My attacks aren't working!
    Shit! Consuming so many Hundred Hearts fruits triggered my body to go dormant. I can only go on defence...

    I'm coming back for you, shit slime!
    This is not the last of me, the Great Fox Lord #5, that you'll see!
     
  19. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 13

    "Rei, can you bring out the Hundred Hearts tree?"

    Eri looked excitedly at Rei.

    The light in Rei's eyes dulled slightly, but the soft smile on his face never disappeared. He was at most a walking bank of treasures for Eri, but this will change very soon. A number of ideas wracked in Rei's mind. How can he grasp her heart?

    Rei waved his hand, and a 9 foot tall tree appeared in front of them. Countless ruby red fruits hid amongst the deep purple leaves, and a distinct aroma of sweetness drifted from the plant. Eri rushed forward and began to flip the heart-shaped leaves to count the fruits.

    "30, 31, 32...32 ripe fruits! And there are still more waiting to mature! Hmm...since I can't use all of it, let's give some to Alfie."

    "Gau gau!"

    Eri prepared to twist the fruit off the branch, but a red barrier of light flashed and her hand bounced off.

    "Wha-what happened? I could touch the fruit before!"

    "My Eri, allow me to pick for you."

    Rei's slender hand snapped a fruit off and handed it to Eri.

    My...Rei's hands are cool to the touch. His hands look so elegant, he could be a hand model! His fingers are long and a bit tapered at the end, it's like a girl's, but his palms are huge. It's clearly a man's hands when it's next to mine...

    "Eri?"

    "Ah...yeah! I mean nothing! Alfie, catch it!"

    "Gauuu."

    The little beast that looked like it could be both a dog and a cat jumped up and bit into the fruit.

    After a few minutes, the little beast slumped on the ground. A red ball of light spun around the centre of its limp body, and the flesh on the animal seemed to wriggle and float.

    "Alfie? Alfie!! What's wrong? Rei, what's happening to him?"

    Eri tried to touch Alfie but Rei held her back.

    "Don't touch him right now, my Eri. He's moulting."

    In reaction Rei's words, clumps of fur fell off Alfie's body. With a couple of kicks and painful moans, the little beast went silent. A group of purple fur bunched over the body like a cocoon.

    "Rei, let me go. Can't I look at Alfie now?"

    Rei loosened his hands from Eri's shoulder's.

    "Alfie!! Wake up! Alfie!"

    Eri swiped away the cocoon of fur but she jumped back with with a scream. Alfie was enveloped in layers skin. He was barely visible under the armour of pink wrinkly matter that was still slightly moist.

    "Will I hurt him if I peel this..skin off?"

    "My Eri, put him back in your contract beast space. He will wake in time."

    Eri's hands went forward to touch Alfie but she retracted her hand hesitantly and finally flashed Alfie into her contract beast space.

    "Don't worry, my Eri."

    Rei's thumb brushed over Eri's cheek softly with a whisper of comfort.

    "Ha..ha who's worried? You said he is moulting, that's a good thing!"

    Ding! Ding!

    ⧫[Contract Beast Status Update]⧫
    Variant beast gains a real heart. Evolves into demon beast.
    + A pair of wings (purified blood inheritance of a winged lion)
    + element of [lightning]
    + 500 mental power
    + 500 physical power

    "A pair of wings!! Alfie can fly? So the Hundred Hearts fruit can improve the purity of bloodlines...this effect wasn't mentioned before."

    "My Eri, that was a byproduct of gaining a real heart. Beasts are generally inferior to demons, but he has mixed blood, so he should have evolved into a demon beast."

    "Demon beast? I thought they could only be found in land of demons! What a surprise, I could never figure out Alfie's species before. If he's got wings can't he carry us to the sky?"

    Eri's eyes shined and she imagined riding on Alfie's back, flying through a sunset. The soft smile of Rei's lips twitched.

    "My Eri, I'm afraid he's only the size of a cat."

    "What if he grows up? Don't break my dreams!"

    "He's an adult already...my Eri."

    "Wha- isn't he a winged lion? They're supposed to be large!"

    "My Eri...he's only got the blood of a winged lion."

    "I'll...feed him more Hundred Hearts fruit..."

    "It won't work, my Eri. Giving him any more would only give him an extra life."

    "This..."

    Eri fell silent, and contemplated.

    Rei sighed with relief in his mind. Fortunately. Fortunately, the effect of the fruit was only so much. Did she want a ride a male demon beast? Does she knows what this means? He really has to find a female flight beast soon...
     
  20. Nom Nom Plume

    Nom Nom Plume Well-Known Member

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    Chapter 1 Part 14

    On the way out of the forest, several beasts attacked us, but they were all knocked to death with the whip from Rei's hand. Because the forest was not very big, we left area C fairly quickly. The sun was blazing and the trees became sparse. It was late noon by the time we reached area A.

    "My Eri, do you want to process the beasts here?"

    "Eh? Ye-yeah that's a good idea."

    Whew. Fortunately, Rei proposed to do it. None of the beasts were hunted by me, and it would look really bad if I acted like I had a share...

    I followed after Rei and we settled next to a small stream. All the beast corpses were waved out of Rei's body storage and I helped with ordering them by species and number. Rei turned his hand into a sharp green blade and made neat cuts on the bodies. Great, we can salvage their skins for tanning later! But it would be better to buy Rei a set of daggers and a weapon. I don't think it's good for him to reveal his identity in front of others.

    Slish. Squelch. Splatter.

    Unlike the bloody rabbit nightmare that happened before, Rei stripped the beast skins very cleanly this time. If he could do it this way, why didn't he do it sooner!

    "Why do you seem so familiar with disassembling and processing beasts, Rei?"

    "From time to time, there will be warriors that treat animal corpses in the slime dungeon. I have learnt a lot from observing them. Would you like me to teach you, my Eri?"

    "No no no, it's fine. I can watch and learn by myself."

    Rei smiled at me and continued to use the water element to manipulate the beast flesh and collected the nuclei, bones and other useful materials. I don't think I can get used this...the beasts look like they're coming back to life—except for the fact that they don't have any skin left and their eyeballs are protruding...

    "Three wood element nuclei and two wind element nuclei! Hey, this is pretty rare! A dark element nucleus! It must have been from the blood bat just now. I'm so envious, Rei, you have a really great harvest."

    "I don't need it, my Eri. It's all for you."

    Ha?

    Did I hear it correctly?

    Rei is giving me everything?

    "You..you really mean it? I can have all of this?"

    "My Eri, they serve no purpose for me. The skins are useless. I won't level up anymore from devouring beast nuclei. And I can't use these bones, nails or horns."

    "Then, then I won't be shy! I'll take these wood element nuclei and wind element nuclei. They can be used for compounding. But you should keep the rest. You can trade the material for a some gold coins to buy yourself a good weapon."

    I'm really lucky Rei doesn't need these materials! It's usually really difficult to come across elemental nuclei. General beast nuclei can only be used as power stones at most.

    "Wait, the two people over there, you don't need these materials? Give it to me!"

    Eh, this voice?

    "Gina?"

    "Hm? Is this Eri? Your head is green! Oh my God, ahahahaha!! Devin, look at that, is this the latest fashion? She's compounding all day long, is this a new recipe? Ahahahahaha!"

    Ah? I touched my hair and looked at it. I almost forgot...my hair really has turned into an awful shade of bright green. It's suits Rei, but not me. I must look like some kind of goblin...or kappa right now...

    "Are you friends of my Eri?"

    A plain looking man with dark mouse-brown hair stepped forward to introduce himself.

    "Hi, my name is Devin and this is Gina. We're from the same orphanage as Eri. You are?"

    "I am her husband."

    Rei answered promptly with a soft smile. Devin was slightly taken aback.

    "...um, how do we call you?"

    "Rei."

    Rei didn't have many words for these strangers. From the way the woman named Gina spoke to Eri, he could tell that there was malice and ridicule in her tone. Any insult to Eri is an insult to him. A soft smile still hung on his lips, but it was a few degrees colder.

    "Oh Rei, I hope you're not confused. Did Eri tell you that she is a compounder? Everyone in town knows she hasn't even got a star badge to her name. If you don't believe me, you should tell Eri to take it out. Right Eri? Don't think you can climb someone's bed with your empty identity!"

    "Gina! You're wrong! I don't have one because I'm saving up for a 3 star badge! It's a waste of money to buy an assessment for the 1 star badge."

    "Less quibble and fibs girl. I'm doing you a favour from falling further in shame. And I'm giving this adventurer brother a heads up to know you're a marriage scammer. Yes, Rei?"

    Gina smiled flirtatiously at Rei and gave him a wink. She couldn't see that Rei's eyes were getting colder by the second.

    "My Eri, doesn't have to be anything to be my Eri."

    Not only did Rei not respond to Gina's wink, his reply also made her frown with disbelief.

    "You-"

    Devin grabbed Gina's shoulder and shook his head. Gina hesitated and resumed her smile.

    "Then, Rei, if you don't need these beast materials. Can I have it? I haven't had the luck to meet any beasts today."

    Rei quickly flashed the materials into his storage space, as if to avoid Gina's greedy grubby hands. He no longer looked at Gina and spoke dismissively to her.

    "This is what my Eri has given to me. You may find your luck in area B."

    "...is that so...thanks...we'll see you later..."

    Gina's complexion stiffened, and she faked a smile. When she turned away with Devin, her eyes became fierce.

    "Devin! Did you hear anything about Eri getting married?"

    "No, it should be a recent thing."

    "That slut! She's always pretending to be better than us, but she's found herself a pretty strong blockhead. Do you think it's a love potion or something? That Rei guy looks like a wealthy nobleman, but he's completely smitten with her. Why would anyone be serious with a nobody like her."

    "I don't think she has love potions."

    "...you're right, if she did she'd be rich by now. Spread the word, Devin! Eri's found herself a loaded sugar daddy, they need to get robbed don't they?"

    "Gina..."

    "Just spread it! We don't have to do it ourselves. I can't stand it when she thinks she better off than us!"

    "...I know some people."

    "Good!"