36

After her unexpected fishing lesson, Kaili couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. She, a powerful "Herald of the Plague", had been defeated by a simple hook and an improvised rod! But, instead of getting truly angry, she decided it was time to teach Sebastian a little lesson of her own... albeit with her own twist.

A cold smile spread across her lips as a plan began to take shape in her mind. The next day, Kaili appeared on the second floor with a mischievous grin she couldn't hide. She carried with her a summoned creature from the dungeon: a small, phosphorescent green slime, which seemed harmless but had a tendency to jump unpredictably.

"Sebastian," Kaili said in a sweet tone that immediately put him on guard, "today it's your turn to learn something new."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, suspicious of her tone. "Learn what?"

"Basic defense," she replied, pointing to the slime. "This little friend will be your opponent. If you manage to dodge it for five minutes without getting touched even once, I'll consider you to have passed the test."

The slime, upon hearing this, seemed to puff up proudly, as if it knew it was about to star in something important.

Sebastian looked alternately at Kaili and the slime, incredulous. "A slime? Seriously?"

Kaili smiled even more broadly. "Don't underestimate this little one. It's fast, slippery and has a special ability: it leaves sticky trails wherever it jumps. If it catches you, you'll be covered in green goo for hours."

Before Sebastian could protest, Kaili clapped her hands and the slime jumped towards him enthusiastically, leaving small, shimmering puddles in its wake.

The second floor of the dungeon, with its usually tranquil atmosphere, turned into a scene of chaos and laughter. The little green slime, now the size of a beach ball, bounced around uncontrollably, while Sebastian tried desperately to dodge it.

"Come on, human!" Kaili shouted, with a laugh that echoed throughout the chamber. "Show me your agility! Dodge the jumping goo!"

Sebastian, tripping over his own feet and slipping on the sticky puddles, tried to keep his balance while cursing his luck. "Kaili, this isn't funny!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with frustration. "I'm going to end up looking like a swamp monster!"

In a moment of desperation, Sebastian tried to use his bow to defend himself. He fired an arrow at the slime, but it passed right through it without causing any damage. The creature simply split into two, forming two smaller slimes that began to chase him with renewed enthusiasm.

"No!" Sebastian shouted, his eyes wide. "Now there are three of them! Kaili, stop them!"

Kaili, with tears of laughter running down her face, could barely speak. "I'm sorry, human! I can't! It's too much fun!"

Sebastian, seeing that Kaili wasn't going to help him, decided to take drastic measures. With an agile movement, he climbed one of the stalagmites that adorned the chamber, seeking refuge in the heights.

The slimes, however, didn't give up. They began to slowly climb the stalagmite, leaving a shimmering, sticky trail in their wake.

"This can't be happening!" Sebastian exclaimed, in desperation. "They're going to reach me!"

At that moment, Sebastian remembered the glowing fruits he had collected in the forest. With a quick movement, he took one out of his backpack and threw it to the other end of the chamber.

The slimes, attracted by the fruit's glow, abandoned their pursuit and headed towards it enthusiastically. Sebastian, taking advantage of the distraction, jumped off the stalagmite and ran towards Kaili.

"Ha! I tricked them!" Sebastian exclaimed, with a triumphant smile. "I passed the test, right?"

Kaili, with an amused smile, nodded. "Yes, human, you passed the test. Although I admit I never thought a slime could be so… persuasive."

They both shared a laugh as they cleaned up the mess left by the slimes. As they worked, Kaili reflected on what she had learned during those days. "You know, Sebastian," she said suddenly, "I never thought such simple activities could be so… rewarding."

"I told you that sometimes the simplest things are the most valuable," Sebastian replied.

Kaili looked at him curiously. "Do you think the queen would enjoy these things too when she wakes up?"

"I'm sure she would," Sebastian replied. "She has a lot to learn, but I'm sure she'll appreciate every moment we spend together."

Kaili nodded slowly, lost in thought. For the first time, she was beginning to see the world in a different way, thanks to Sebastian. Maybe she even enjoyed his company.

After the brief pause, Kaili decided to continue with the training. This time, however, she chose something more practical. "Alright, human," she said as she pointed to a small underground lagoon nearby, "now we're going to practice something useful. You're going to learn to fish without using your instruments."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, incredulous. "Fish? Here?"

"Yes, fish," Kaili replied firmly. "You won't always have your weapons at hand. Besides, Aurora might want something fresh to eat when she wakes up."

Sebastian, his body still covered in phosphorescent green goo, sighed resignedly. "Okay, Kaili. What do I have to do?"

Kaili smiled with satisfaction. "Follow me, human. I'll show you the secrets of fishing… Kaili style."

Sebastian sighed, resigned, but soon discovered that fishing without tools was much harder than he expected. The blind fish swimming in the lagoon were fast and slippery, and his attempts to catch them with his hands resulted in several unintentional falls into the icy water.

"This is impossible!" Sebastian exclaimed after another failed attempt, soaked to the bone.

Kaili, sitting on a nearby rock, laughed openly. "Come on, human, you can't give up so easily. Even a child could do it."

Sebastian glared at her, but then smiled. "Okay, I admit it. This is harder than it looks. But I won't give up."

Finally, after several frustrating attempts, Sebastian managed to catch a fish using an improvised technique that involved a net made of vines. Kaili applauded sarcastically, but couldn't hide a genuine smile.

"Well done, human," she said, though her tone remained mocking. "Maybe you're not completely useless after all."

As they prepared the fish to cook, Kaili and Sebastian shared a deeper conversation. "You know," Kaili said, staring into the flames of the small campfire, "I never thought I would spend so much time with a human. Much less that I would learn something from him."

Sebastian smiled. "I didn't think I would learn so much from you either. Despite everything, I think we're making a good team."

Kaili nodded, thoughtfully. "Yes, I suppose so. But don't tell anyone. My reputation as 'Herald of the Plague' couldn't take it."

They both laughed, and for a moment, they forgot the dangers that surrounded them. In that instant, they were just two people trying to survive and understand a complex and mysterious world.