Playful days (Part 4)

A high-level monster appeared. It was level 50 with poison attributes. One of my special abilities consisted of using poison, meaning my usual techniques wouldn't work against this one. Worse, its level was higher than mine.

Marry and Rin were in great danger.

"This is bad. Marry, take Mayu and leave the forest. I'll handle this," Rin said firmly.

"No way!" Marry shot back. "I know Mayu feels the same. We'll fight this thing together. It's a Slime King, and judging by its color, it's poison type. I can use my healing magic to protect you."

I nodded and pointed my sword at the Slime King.

Their bond was stronger than friendship. I envied that. Maybe because I had always been alone. Life was lonely until I met him in this world. Retto. Even if I didn't fully understand him, he had taught me so much.

Shaking off my thoughts, I focused on the slime.

"Mayu, stand back! Physical attacks won't work on that!" Marry warned.

I had been considering this for a while. Now was the perfect time to test it.

"Sword Magic: Wind Cutter!"

My sword released a blade of wind, slicing the slime clean in half. Poison leaked from its body, withering the surrounding plants.

It worked. I had simply combined two of my skills: Sword Skill: Cut and Wind Magic: Wind Slash. The result? A hybrid attack that worked against creatures immune to physical damage.

I had barely finished analyzing my move when the Slime King started reforming. I had to end this quickly.

"Fire Magic: Pyro Ball!"

A massive ball of fire crashed into the Slime King, engulfing it in flames. But the heat spread rapidly, endangering the forest. I needed to act fast.

"Water Magic: Water Gun!"

A torrent of water doused the flames just in time.

I wiped sweat from my forehead. That was close. I hadn't realized Fire Flash amplified my magic this much. I had barely used it in the Crystal Dungeon. Now, I had a better grasp of my power.

I turned to my companions.

"You have an insane amount of magic inside you," Marry said in awe.

"Yeah," Rin pouted. "Can't believe my little sister is stronger than me. I should be the cool one here!"

I smiled. It was okay, Rin. I still saw her as my big sister.

Seriously? Slimes were the weakest monsters in RPGs. Did I really need a title for that?

"I'm starting to believe you really are an adventurer," Marry mused. "Once we're back at the fort, I should check your status. There's a status card that can reveal everything."

"She's way stronger than us," Rin added. "She used all that magic and still has energy left. That's crazy."

That status card would make things easier. If I showed them my stats, they wouldn't worry about me.

Just as we were about to leave, the bushes rustled.

Another monster? Given this was a monster area, it wasn't surprising. If it was another Slime King, I'd just zap it with lightning this time.

A girl suddenly leapt out from the foliage.

"A girl?!"

"Meily?!" Marry gasped. "What are you doing here? You should be in school!"

"School is stupid. It's not a place for smart people," Meily scoffed. "But that's not important. She is. I saw your magic earlier. That was awesome! How did you get so strong?!"

She stared at me with sparkling eyes, moving closer.

"Uh… I trained," I said awkwardly, averting my gaze.

"I see! So you're a hard worker. Nice! It's our first time meeting, right? I'm Meily, a student at the Elesis Fort Adventurer School. Where do you study?"

"I'm… not in school."

"Oh, I knew it! School is stupid! Their teaching methods are outdated, and nothing's fun. I get it."

I didn't entirely agree, but I understood her point. As an introvert, school had been suffocating. People's stares and judgment had hurt. But I had gone anyway, hoping for a better future. Not that it mattered now—I had died and reincarnated here.

Meily grabbed my hands. "Teach me that magic!"

"I… don't think I can."

Honestly, I wasn't even sure how magic worked in this world. The power system was confusing, and the game's creator had terrible taste in mechanics.

"You're in an adventurer school, right? Can't they teach you?"

She looked away. "That's… not the same."

Her expression darkened.

"Anyway, I'm not going back yet. I need to earn money for my mom."

She grabbed a basket full of herbs and sprinted away.

"That girl has it tough," Rin murmured. "Her mother is sick, and her father died before she was born. She's the sole provider."

"Captain Yuri, as the fort's lord, offered to help," Marry added. "But Meily refused. She doesn't want to be a burden. She insists on earning her own money."

I watched Meily disappear into the distance. "Next time, I'll be nicer to her."

She was working hard for her mother. Unlike me. I had always rejected mine. Compared to her, I felt like trash.

"Yuri told the potion shop to buy whatever herbs Meily brings and use them for potions," Marry continued. "She even sneaks extra money into her pay without her noticing."

"Captain Yuri sure is amazing," I said.

"She really is."

With that, we returned to the fort.

—

Meanwhile, Meily delivered the herbs to the potion shop.

"Working hard as always, huh? Here, have a cookie. Freshly baked!"

"No thanks."

"Come on, kids should rely on adults more."

"I said I don't need it!"

Meily snapped and stormed out.

Walking home, she remembered the past—the day her mother fell sick. No one had helped. The adults had only cared about money. She had begged the neighbors, but they had ignored her.

"I won't rely on them. I'll earn my own money and buy medicine for Mom. Shitty adults."

On the path, she noticed blood—

A wounded rabbit.

Then, a girl in a black robe appeared. She knelt, placed her hand on the rabbit, and in seconds, it was healed. Not a single scratch remained.

"A miracle? No… even a scratch should've stayed."

"Not a miracle," the girl said. "Just my skill."

"You can heal people?!" Meily gasped.

"Yes. Why?"

"My mom is sick. Can you heal her?"

"Then… your payment?"

"Tch. You are like those adults. Just greedy."

"It's not money I seek." The girl smirked. "Assist me in my experiments. That's my price."

Meily hesitated. "My name is Meily… Just Meily."

"I see. We're alike. I'm Eriko… Just Eriko."

Thus, the demon girl and the lonely girl met.

And soon, chaos would descend upon Elesis Fort.