Chapter 4 『No Mana? No Problem』

𝙷𝚎𝚢 (●'◡'●)ﾉ, 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝙸 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙 𝚞𝚙𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐.

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚂𝚊𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚘, 𝙸 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝. 𝙸 𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝟸𝟶 𝚘𝚛 𝟷𝟶 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝.

𝙾𝚑, 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎. 𝚁𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 Extra 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚙𝚞𝚝? 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛.

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚖. 𝙶𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚋𝚢𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚕. 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚋𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍. 𝙸𝚏 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝙸 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚒𝚝.

"Cough cough!" Sae coughing badly. Mother Matilda was beside her still patting her back gently and try to do something so that she feel at least a bit better. Dr. Harron run through the hallway and to not to be any late arrived to Sae's room. Nurse Jenny had long gone to get some water and clean towel.

"Here, drink this." Matilda say while slightly take a cup with water toward Sae's dry lips. Sae slowly drink it, having a hard time to shallow it because how hurt her throat would be when anything get into her throat, but Matilda is patient enough to wait until Sae finished.

"Ah, Harron. Good to see you here already." Matilda say when Harron get into the room, not bothering to knocking the door.

"How is she?" Matilda ask while the man still check up on her.

"She is having a fever. It supposed to not mean that serious but her already sickness make it worsened than what it actually to. She need more rest from now on and give her some medicine to ease her cough. Better to give her bit of sleep medicine when her coughing and pain worsening or she couldn't handle it." He say while take out some medicine out from his bag.

Jenny come to the room with a basin of clean water and towel. Walk to Sae then put it on the drawer beside the bed. Cleaning the tears, sweats and some blood on Sae, especially on her mouth and palms.

Matilda look at Sae, who already fall asleep because of exhausted and sleepiness because of the medicine. She can't help but to feel pity for the child.

"Is there any other way to get Sae become much better." Norren ask his best friend. But the only response that they get is a shake of the doctor's head.

"I am not quite sure. There is not any news or records about the illness that she's having. Even there's, it mostly on adult or some aged patients. Even does it was related, the chance of recovery is not something we know of. It was, small a chance of surviving."

"Mother?"

Matilda snap out from her daydream of some old memories. She look down at Sae, who is sitting on her laps while she still holding a book.

"Yes? Do you say something Sae? Sorry, I didn't pay attention."

"The hero. Tell me more." Sae say while pointing at drawing on the book. It show a human who is holding a sword while wearing white armor and red cape. It show that it was fighting a monster and demon. Matilda chuckle slightly when she saw the excitement and curiosity in her eyes.

"Well, hero is someone who is strong and the one who is fighting evil to protect humanity from them. The hero is someone who was born with a gift that not any human can't easily achieve. A gift that being bestowed from God to being used for humanity and kind deeds."

"Woah.. Does that mean, they will protect me too?"

"Of course, they will protect anyone." Matilda smile at Sae while petting her head.

After the reading season with Matilda, Sae walk out from small library and on her way to her own room. As she walk, she also encountered some of other children of orphanage and adult who work here.

"Ah, I just remember about those little herbs. Should we go check out them first?" Sae say slowly, tugging her red cloth up. Mell, who had been sitting and hiding obediently inside Sae's cloth peeking slightly. Sae who glance down to her pet, smile slightly.

"That's a yes then." Sae continue walk to her front, heading to ussual door.

When she arrived to the garden area, she could see other people there too. One of a girl with chestnut hair and dark brown eyes notice Sae.

"Sae? Are you heading to looking over you plants today?" Alice, a girl who is older than Sae asking her while she walk to her with a basket full with green vegetables, heading to kitchen. Sae just give her a smile smile while nodding her head slightly. Alice isn't a kid from orphanage. She still live with her parents. But since today is Saturday and her family's bakery is closing, she come by to help. Alice also a friend of Mia.

"I see then. Make sure to be late for dinner, alright?" Alice say before continue to walk. Sae too, walk toward the little spot where special to be used for her.

Sae had a small garden that aren't far from garden. It was start when she was eight and the half years old, where she show a sign of recovery slowly. Ever since that, she doesn't sleep much and have enough energy to keep stay awake for longer. It make her feel bored sometimes too. Aside just keep receiving book to read for kill the times. But lately for a while, nurse Jenny had been giving her a small plant to her so she doesn't feel that lonely. Sae is still weak, much weaker than any young kids at the orphanage that could suitable enough to play with her. Having a little plant, or something that somehow does very similar to one self really make one soul feel less alone.

At the beginning, some of them does die quickly since she doesn't have any experience in taking care of plant before. She slowly learn to what she should and shouldn't do. Sometimes, she also does asking Mia for the help in this matter. That's how she befriend with Mia whom she rarely speak to and how she meet Alice by Mia introduced Alice to Sae since Alice have an experience and knowledge about plant since she had been taking care of garden than Mia, who mainly looking after the kids of the orphanage.

Sae does improve a lot after that. That's also how she got her new skills and other. Those years of activities and few random quest from System does improve her health a lot than before. Gardening slowly becoming a hobby to her. Just after Norren heard about this, he give a small area that suitable as place for gardening to Sae so she could keep doing this new hobby of her.

'Hm, hm hmm, hm hmm.., they look healthy like usual. I should make some time to check on the other in forest too.' Be One With Nature might could connecting both Sae and the plants toward each other, but it depending how strong the relationship is. From a new plant or low relationship with, she just could could able to detect the map and it's current location. The stronger the bond is, the more it could do. Something like giving their health status to Sae or giving some little of information about their need of nutrient and the current weather at their place.

Sae crouch down to take few herbs that already mature then petting it off, clean it from dirt. She look around her surroundings before she take one hand into her red cloth, "Mell, you can come out now." Mell, who had been hiding inside the cloth, come out slowly before he place himself on Sae's left palm. Sae then put Mell to the ground before she handing the herbs to him to eat.

Sae get up from the ground, cleaning her long skirt from dirt by petting it. She then walk to other part of the little farm of her, letting Mell enjoying himself with his meals.

"Good morning guys. How was your day?" Sae say toward the herbs, that look much more bit different than other herbs there. It was an herbs that had been a while under her care for more than a years and also a gift from nurse Jenny to her.

"It will be winter soon. It would be shame to just let the plants die because of cold. But since you guys had been survived for a while for quite more than once since all seasons changing, I will let aside you guys being a meals for Mell. Even if you guys are not capable to withstand the winter, I still didn't intended to let you guys eat by Mell." Sae laugh slightly, just didn't minding to talk to herself and didn't get worried if she being seen. Mell who is minding his own business, perked up slightly when his name being called.

"Hm..." Norren sighing as he constantl look at the paper in his hand before close his eyes again. Matilda, who prepared a tea for her husband can't help but worry for him.

"Something come up, darling?" Matilda ask her husband as she placing a cup of tea on the desk in front of him. He placing the letter in front of Matilda for her able to read them as he take the cup and drink for sips as his own way to feel a bit eased.

"A letter for a visit from a noble." He say while he placing back down the tea. Looking at his wife as she reading the letter on her hands and make sure she didn't read wrong accidentally.

"Eh? Why? From who?" She ask, the content of the letter is so short for her to place pieces for their information. It didn't tell much of the story.

"Marquees Kharnyx, I believe he is who we think who is it." He say, Matilda placing the letter back on his desk before she look at blue sky outside.

"We heard so much about him before even when we still become an hunter. He is a man with story, and love. Unfortunately, his wife..." Matilda sigh to herself, remembering the rumors that had been flying around that who know which is true and which is false.

Back to where Sae is, she is now sitting on the ground under a tree. She wasn't playing with children today as she thinks it was better for her to accompany Mell. She also worried if the other children accidentally saw Mell.

"Now Mell, do you remember the water spell I once told you before? I now learn and remember it, even though I can't used it. But it was fun to learn new things. Here, I will show you." Sae take a stick and crouching on the ground as she also placing Mell beside her. She draw and write something on the dirt a some words. Mell, who not knowing much or nothing a single thing Sae talk about, still pay attention on it.

"If I remember correctly.., this is how it is." Then, she quietly reciting a words as Mell quietly pay attention to it. Deep inside him, he also slowly reciting it just how Sae told him.

"How is it?" Sae ask Mell, but she didn't get a response right after. Even so, she just notice something moving right above them. Before she could understanding what was going on, the water above them quickly fall on them. Making both of them, especially Sae, wet being soaked by water make from magic by Mell.

"Cough, wha–?"

And so, apparently, Mell could use a magic unlike Sae. And this time, after she, again, sneak to her own room, Sae now pay attention to look after Nell's status.

[ Name : Mell ]

[ Race : Blue Slime ]

[ Age : 3 ]

[ Gander : Unisex ]

[ Status : - ]

- Pet Of Sae

- Alive

[ Class : Middle Level Slime ]

[ Level : 15 ]

[ Exp point : 3, 300 / 4, 000 ]

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"Hmm..." Sae look into the screen in front of her face while she lay on her bed after she changing to another clean and dry clothes and Mell resting on her chest.

"Not only mana, even his level is higher than mine." Sae sighing as she constantly patting Mell. Weirdly enough in this cold temperatures, Mell feel quite warm to be touched, a bit different than when the first time Sae touched him.

Apparently, how small Mell looks currently, he was considered as mid rank monster. If Sae remember the times when mother Matilda explaining to her, it could matching a hunter at level C to level D. Actually, it was quite impressive as Mell just three years old but already in his mid rank.

Even so, how high his widom is, his own intelligent are still considered low. Is that why there is not much information in his skill status? Currently, Mell mastered few skill such as dash, swimming, shooting, mimicking and changing temperature.

'But, how did Mell suddenly able to make a perfect a form of water when the skill didn't mention anything about it here and why he did that?' Sae thinking hard. She already making a few reasons in her head while she glance to her chest where Mell get comfortable on himself under her palm.

"Mell," the slime perked up slightly while Sae take him in both of her palms before raise up to sit on her bed. Look toward the blue slime with intense look.

"Listen of what I am about to say." With that, Sae say a basic casting that she learned with other children just for kill a time. When she was done and waiting for a minutes, Sae sigh in disappointment while Mell didn't know what actually happened.

"It wasn't worked?" Sae brushing her hair with one of her hand before she get an idea. Another way to test her own prediction.

She placed Mell on the bed before she get up to her study table to get a spell book, a papers and a pencil before get sit on the chair. She open the book at few pages before copy the pattern of it on the paper. When she done, she walk back to the bed before raise the paper toward Mell.

"Mell, look here." The slime jumping a bit toward Sae. "Look, can you understand it?" The slime just lean to side. It showed that he doesn't understand anything if he do wrong or not.

Sae sigh to herself. 'Hmm, why isn't it working?' She poundering to herself while tried to remember what she did earlier. 'Maybe.., I had to do both of it?'

"Mell." Sae raise the paper toward Mell again but this time she also spell the casting at the same time. The casting she had done is one with wind elemental since if she make Mell use water, afraid it make a mess inside the room. Wind and water wasn't that far different and very a great combination. If Mell could use water magic, maybe he also could use wind.

Not so long after she say the last words, a gust of wind could be fell and making a small tornado around Mell and Sei. The sudden of wind making Sei had a trouble to open her eyes. Even without looking, she could tell the Wind was strong enough to make a mess in her room, Sae use her hands to cover her face and head. It take a few seconds before the wind calming down before Sae able to open her eyes.

Just like she expect, her room was mess. Papers, books, cloth, and other ligh and small stuff already on the floor where it originally being placed. Even making windows of the room opened.

"Ah, haha... That was something else." Sae a trail of sweat fall on her cheek. Then she feel something tugging her dress. Looking down, it was Mell who seems a bit confuse and a bit of panicked. Saw chuckle slightly before pick Mell from bed.

"Mell, ..." The slime 'look' up to Sae "... maybe it was a destiny I meet you." She say while patting the squishy creature.

'I think that I might manage to find something interesting to do.' Sae chuckle slightly.

Extra : Blame The Rat

Both human and slime monster enjoy themselves, Saw had been thinking of how she want to clean all the stuff that had been scattered around. While Saw in her own thought, she suddenly heard someone in running to her room.

Uh oh, she thought. Even how she panicked, how she want explain her room's situation righ now, she doesn't forget to find a way to hide Mell from whoever will come to her room.

The red cloth caught her sight, she quickly reach it and wrapped it around her neck and placing Mell inside the wrapped red cloth before the room suddenly opened from outside.

"Sae, something wrong!?" A man in his 30, questioning in panick. It could be seen he was running all the way here.

"B- brother Edward." Sae look at him. She quickly use her brain to find a reasonable reason for this. While after, Matilda and Mia also arrived. "Sae? My, just what is happening in your room?" Matilda also asking.

"RAT! Yeah, rat! I saw a big rat roaming around in room. I panicked and didn't realized throwing things to it. But don't worry! It just run away through to window." Sae put the blame to the rat. It wasn't that uncommon though for something like this to happen. Even uncommon if this kind of mess could be happened just from a mere rat. But, three of them don't think much of it since it was normal for kid like her to feel a bit afraid than usual.

"Ah, is that so?" Matilda feel eased when she heard it, same with Edward and Mia. "Edward, go take Sae down to dining room."

"Understood, mother. Let's go Sae." Edward lean down a bit, pick up Sae's small body before leaving both her mother-in-law and sister-in-law cleaning the mess.

Even how much Sae feel guilty about it, for mother Matilda and sister Mia, may also for rat community that had been give nothing but trouble to this orphanage, she very happy that she able to using magic even though she doesn't using it directly.

Mell could feel the warm from Sae's skin. He might doesn't really understand it but he could feel that Sae is happy. He also feel happy. Even if didn't understand what those emotions is, to him, it feel nice to feel from his master.