Riverside 2

~~*~~

It was a long night and by the time the house slept for the new day, it was past one in the morning. The slime had to stay downstairs with Benas and Sophia while Yuli and Reinold went to their rooms. The butler Hans was also present. The slime just finished explaining what had happened to her since her rebirth. Of course, she left out the parts about her mental instability. This wasn't the best time to bring that up, if ever.

"Miss. Slime, thank you for saving our children," Sophia said graciously.

"No, please don't thank me," the slime said awkwardly. "If I had not lured them into the area, the attack might not have happened at all."

"Still, you protected them to the best of your ability."

Benas added, "All across the continent, there have been reports of unusual monster activity as well as the rise of new types of monsters. Please don't feel responsible for this incident."

The slime girl felt awkward being praised this much for things that were mostly out of her control, "You are far too kind to me…"

"I am the Merchant Lord of Riverside, a powerful man. You can feel safe here. However, I do need to ask you some questions."

"Yes, I understand. You can ask me anything."

"If you made this body you are inhabiting right now, does that also mean you have a human body?" Benas questioned. She was surprised by how perceptive and direct he was. She didn't know how he knew as everyone who did know she had a human body up to this point was either dead or dying.

"Y—Yes…"

"Did you kill someone to get this human body?"

"Yes…"

"Can you show me that body?"

She began morphing and tried to contain her meat suit assembly under the cover of her thick slime this time to hide how grotesque the process was. When she reabsorbed her slime, a young girl around the age of thirteen appeared. Sophia immediately pounced on her.

"How cute!" Sophia said to the girl in her arms as she swung her body back and forth.

"This was what I was afraid of. That body belongs to the daughter of the Schefters," Benas said with a sigh.

"What?" The slime was surprised they knew the identity of this body. What were the odds of this happening? Even so, Sophia continued to caress her like a small animal.

"Although she looked older than you do now, it's definitely her."

The slime couldn't look in the mirror or glance at herself with her Monster Sight because of the spells etched into the manor's walls. However, she knew she was slightly taller the last time she used this body and that was only a few hours ago. She was shrinking. "I see. What do you want me to do?"

"Use another body. We'll then bring the body to the Schefters for a proper burial."

"I can't do that. My mind already acclimated to this body so if I use another body, there might be some complications. However, I can provide a replica body for a proper burial."

"That'd be helpful. We can arrange for the body to be delivered tomorrow," Benas said without asking for an explanation. "Can you explain what those complications might be?"

"No, I'm sorry. It's difficult to explain and it's speculative at best. In any case, I don't want to risk using another body."

"You cannot go into town with that appearance. Everyone in town knows each other so they'll know about that body. Word spreads fast around here."

The slime girl thought that rumors about her human body should be the lease of their concerns about her, "Are you both really not bothered by the fact I killed this woman? You both knew her."

"Yes, we are upset," said Sophia with a difficult expression. "But we trust that you've done what you could, given your situation, and that you'll be a good girl from now on. Okay?"

"…Okay," the slime girl said with her own voice and filled with guilt. Sophia was overwhelmed by emotions again and hugged her tighter.

"Our family has a friend who is reincarnated so we understand a bit of your difficulties," Benas explained. "If you are willing to tell Yuli's Aunt—Elise—about yourself, she would be able to help you get into contact with more people like you."

"There are more people in this world who are reincarnated?" The slime girl was very surprised and instantly recontextualized what possibilities existed here and the words by Zephon.

"Yes, there's a secret organization called the Phoenix. It was created by our family friend to protect the reincarnated from the Church, the Empire, and others who seek them harm. As such, you shouldn't be open to how you are reincarnated to anyone but those we trust, understand?"

"Yes, understood." It wasn't like there was anyone else she could tell anyway.

An organization for the reincarnated? She was very interested in that but also a bit fearful. She nodded solemnly in agreement. She didn't know if she could trust the Phoenix but recognized Lord Alton's subtext that this wasn't a suggestion. If she turned his 'suggestion' down after him vouching for her, he would be upset. The one redeeming quality was that he said this for her own good.

But that didn't count for much in her mind. It was a bit unfair. People used this tactic all the time. Everyone in her previous life 'knew' what was best for her and look how out things turned out.

When Hans the butler suggested the guest room for her, the slime girl wasn't sure if that was necessary to house her as well. But Benas insisted on a nicer room and for Hans and the servants to begin preparations for it.

After a while, she was allowed to go to Yuli's room and she formed back into the baby white wolf. She was happy to see that Yuli was still awake.

The first thing the slime saw in Yuli's room was a bunch of teddy bears. This certainly explained why she constantly wanted to cuddle her. Her fur was the fluffiest thing in the world.

If the slime girl didn't know better, she would've thought a sweet little girl like Yuli had no place fighting monsters. Yuli killed several monster bears with a bow and arrow while still recovering from her injuries. She had good strength, a good affinity for mana and a larger mana pool than the average person. This young girl had potential. She could literally feel it in her.

"What did my parents say?" Yuli said, expecting a positive response.

"They said I could stay as long as I like!" she said with as much enthusiasm she could fake.

"That is great!" Yuli scooped her up and sat on her bed.

"I really do appreciate this but I wonder if this will get you and your family into trouble if people find out I'm a monster."

"You will not have to worry about that. If they do not inspect your body, no one will be able to tell what you are. When we first met and I healed you with my magic, I was surprised to see you were a Dungeon Master."

"Dungeon Master, what's that?"

"Well, Dungeon Masters are monsters who control other monsters and build dungeons as their bases. Their auras are different than normal monsters and they are much rarer so not many people know how to track or detect them. So, I do not believe anyone can find you unless they have a tracking spell about you. No one will suspect a cutie like you."

"I see…" She wagged her tail slowly.

The slime was finally informed about the nature of her existence. Herself being a Dungeon Master did make a lot of sense considering her Network control and how the monster detector Reinold used didn't work on her.

"How did you know I wasn't going to kill you or your brother? When we first met, you couldn't have known what I would do. Yet, you…"

Yuli suddenly interjected with a strong assertion, "It is because I saw in your heart you are a good person! You saved us from those monsters. So, for that, I am truly grateful to you. I was right about you."

"In your heart, huh?"

The slime was pessimistic and was traumatized by the events of her two lives. Good things never lasted for her. This was no different. Did Yuli really gamble the lives of those around her on a hunch?

Yuli encouraged her to go to sleep and she used the cub as a teddy bear. The slime girl wanted to say she had her own room but had the feeling that Yuli would've objected. The slime attempted to reposition herself but Yuli clung onto her. It took some time for her to loosen her grip. She didn't want to be held twenty-four seven but she didn't dislike it either. However, there was a limit to being cuddled.

Things became clearer for the slime when morning came. She didn't sleep a wink. Not that she needed to sleep but she had trouble. The slime wasn't forcing Yuli to do anything she didn't want to. She would eventually deal with her problems like everyone else does. There was no need to worry about unnecessary things but for some reason, she couldn't calm down from this heightened sense of urgency she developed.

***

"My Lord, are you sure about this?" Hans asked after the slime went upstairs. "Letting such an existence live?"

Benas, the Merchant Lord of Riverside, sank into his seat. "Sophie? May I have the room?"

"Of course," Sophia wasn't worried and dismissed herself and the servants until it was only them.

"The girl told her truth. It was brave and remarkable. But I understand your worries about her," Benas said firmly. "She can be stronger in the future and so can be a valuable asset to the Association. At that time, it'll be good to be on good terms with her."

"But there could also be more problems for us. We already have to protect Lady Yuli's identity, could we really afford extending that to a hunted Dungeon Master?"

"Are you saying we kill an innocent?"

"No, of course not…"

"And reporting this matter to Seutaria is out of consideration. This is a fragile time. We cannot trust them to do this young lady justice. Now, we will do what is required to protect her and the family. We will consider this again when Captain Jeromy returns to Riverside," Benas stood up to leave. "In the meanwhile, figure out exactly what happened to Yuli in Talleum. We cannot have criminals who assaulted a member of this household to go unpunished, even after their deaths."

"Yes, My Lord," Hans replied obediently.

***

The green moon was peeking from the horizon alongside the sun when Yuli woke up. Riverside shined in their colors magnificently. Their house had a good view. What was missing in between her arms was found on the top of her blanket. The wolf cub, or rather the slime, was resting and curled up as a big furball. It was so cute.

The slime got out of bed just as Yuli did. "Good morning, Yuli," she greeted her, yawning.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Yuli asked.

"I slept well."

"That is good. What would you like to do today?"

"I want to learn more about this world. Can I follow you around today?"

"Yes, you may," said Yuli, smiling. "I am going back to classes today so this could be a wonderful opportunity!"

For her to continue any amount of study into this world, she had to learn the language. She couldn't depend on Yuli and her telepathy spell forever. She promised in her heart to dedicate the kindness they gave her to learn more about this world so she could somehow be helpful.

Yuli headed to the bathroom down the hall with some new clothes and a toothbrush. As the small wolf followed Yuli, she saw Reinold.

She called out to him in a tone so cheery that it was almost mocking, "Good morning, Reinold!"

"G—Good morning," he said nervously. He did shoot her yesterday but she was only trying to be mature about the situation. Mostly.

The wolf cub stood on the toilet seat while Yuli was brushing her teeth and felt a sense of wrong. Something within her was feeling conflicted ever since Yuli brought her to this house. For the slime, it was odd to sleep in a home and on a bed. It was odd especially because Yuli was comforting her. She couldn't help but feel a sense of wrong and ever since her guard never lowered.

A sudden flash caught the corner of her eye. An arrow full of mana phased through the wall and targeted her. How did this happen?! She put Jun in danger and now she was doing the same with Yuli and her family! Staying in a house full of cloaking spells was a stupid idea! She couldn't have ever foreseen this attack with no Monster Sight.

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid me!

One arrow became hundreds. She jumped out of the way and screamed internally. "Miss. Slime! What is the matter?!"

"The soldiers! They've...!" It took her another second to realize that there were no arrows. The slowed and extended time she experienced wasn't even a full second as she screamed and jumped so suddenly. She prayed her hallucination didn't cause her aura to spike up and luckily it didn't. "Nothing. It was nothing."

Yuli saw through her and picked her up to calm her as she prepared an early morning bath. The slime was too preoccupied with thinking about the cause of her hallucination to notice what was happening around her. Yuli was now taking her dirty clothes off to get in the bath.

"HUH?! What are you doing?!" The cub howled.

Yuli smiled. "I have drawn a bath for us. Since you will be staying with us, I thought we should take care of your cleanliness."

The slime leaked her slime out of her body and cleaned her fur before reabsorbing it, "See? All clean now! I'm fine! You don't have to worry about me!"

The cub was a little too nervous as her body stiffened and she staggered her speech. She practically leaped for the exit when Yuli caught and dragged her into the tub with her. The slime was bashful about the situation and Yuli couldn't help but think how cute it was being.

As for the slime, her head was spinning. When she asked why this was happening, Yuli laughed and replied that it was normal for people of the same sex to bath with each other.

She resigned herself to her fate and soaked in the bath as Yuli held her close to her chest. She had to because the water level was too high for her. The slime could feel her heartbeat. The water was seeping into her fur's undercoat which annoyed her a little.

Her fluffiness…

Why did she even complain? She could see everyone's naked body through her Monster Sight, with or without clothes.

"It must have been hard waking up as a slime and being chased by the Imperials. But it is okay now. I will protect you."

Yuli was 'reading' her mind again. It was okay when she did it to other people but it was annoying to have it done to herself. A combination of physical tells and the aura of a person could tell a lot about what other people were thinking. Knowing she was comforting her prevented the slime from being too upset. If Yuli didn't probe her when they met, they wouldn't have been able to be in such a relationship of trust.

"How do I forget?" The slime asked suddenly. "How do I move forward after so many deaths and pain?"

"You cannot forget. We live with it."

"Those people who died. Were they important to you?"

"Not particularly but they were good people," Yuli was saddened.

"How do I stop myself from seeing it? How can I stop myself from being on the battlefield? How come you're so calm right now after what happened?"

Yuli hugged her tighter and the cub stared at her and heard the answer she was conveying: her family. The slime didn't know how to get past her demons but she felt she could rely on Yuli.

A teenage maid named Julie, a full-blood elf, helped Yuli get dressed in some loose-fitting casual shirt and trousers and reapplied her bandages. The cub instinctively shook her body to air out her fur. The two elves engaged in conversation.

"Yuli, these injuries are extensive. I am sure that it must have hurt very much," Julie said with sympathy. The slime noticed that this elf didn't address Yuli formally as the other servants did.

"It does not hurt anymore but my body is still recovering. I feel a bit stiff in places."

"I can massage your body if you wish."

"Please, Julie. Whatever my father has told you, it is not necessary."

"Yes, but it is my job to offer it," Julie said with a disarming smile.

They came downstairs and met the family in the dining room. The slime girl assumed her human form and sat down with the others.

"Yuli? Have you properly washed?" Sophia asked her daughter.

"Yes, mother!" She said with a bright smile. The bath made the slime realize how dirty they were when they slept.

"Aww~! Miss. Slime, look cute in this form too!" Yuli hugged and caressed her head.

The reaction from Reinold was priceless as he trembled at the difference in his expectations to the reality in front of him.

"So, Reinold? How do I look?"

"I thought you'd look older… But you look nice…" He gave a nervous reply. The slime girl could imagine the thoughts going on in his head with what happened the day before. Reinold was threatening a child. Yes! She thought. Feel guilty for what you've done!

It was fun to tease him.

The servants made breakfast for everyone including for her and there was a lively feeling in the air despite what has happened. Apparently, Reinold also helped in the cooking preparations.

"I never thought I would see the day my son cooks," Benas said in surprise.

"Is it not great, father?" Yuli beamed.

"This is something left to the women for a reason. I don't understand. If you have time to waste learning such things, the least you could do is work for the company," he said half-heartily.

"Father!"

"Honey." The daughter and wife both said at the same time.

He dismissed their objections with a shrug as Reinold came to the table with the food he prepared and the servants.

"Brother has been cooking on our trips and he has improved by a wide margin," Yuli said.

Benas and Sophia had their first mouthful of the chicken-looking dish Reinold made with a cream sauce and greens.

"It's delicious!" They both said earnestly.

Reinold spoke, "It's something I picked up as we were traveling through Northich. They had a lot of livestock that they raise and cook outside for community dinners."

"I remember how friendly the people were and the town was on a hill. The sunset was amazing!" Yuli chimed in.

The light-hearted conversation about their travels fascinated the slime girl and served to provide a glimmer into the travels she wished to go on. She wished to go sailing and battle monsters too. Even when business was slow for the two merchants, they didn't waste their time and went on short commissions to get money.

She looked at how the family was reacting to the meal. Their faces and aura said that what they were eating was delicious. When she took a bite with her knife and fork, she tasted…

Nothing.

Her taste perception in this form wasn't so different from her previous human tongue. However, this confirmed in her mind a disturbing fact.

It wasn't the food; it was her.

Nothing she ate in this world tasted good. Quite frequently, depression could influence taste perception. What was on her tongue right now, she identified as something obviously delicious but she couldn't interpret the enthusiasm or excitement for the food.

However, she felt it was more than just the human condition that robbed her sense of taste and something more sinister…

"Have you thought of a name for the dear?" Sophia asked Yuli.

A name. She never liked her old male name. It was plain, boring and not cute at all. In all honesty, she didn't mind being called 'Miss. Slime,' not because she liked it but because it would avoid this very problem. Asking for a name wasn't a light matter. But if it was Yuli who gave her a new given name, she'd be okay with it.

"Alisha," Yuli said as she sat up on her chair. She also said it out loud so there would be no confusion about the pronunciation.

"A-li-sha?" The slime repeated her name out loud back to her.

"It was the name of my grandmother."

"Alisha…" She repeated her name again. "Alisha, Alisha, Alisha…"

"Do you like it?" Yuli said while giggling.

Alisha became embarrassed and flustered at Yuli and shouted, "Please don't tease me!"