Chapter 3: The Slime, the Herb, and the Scream

The sun peeked gently through the leaves above. Birds chirped, wind rustled, and for once, the road felt light.

After everything that happened in the glowing cave, the adventurer found himself walking through a forest painted in green and gold. The air smelled fresh, filled with the scent of moss, wildflowers, and distant rain.

His chest still carried the silence of the boy from the cave.

But today… the world had something else in mind.

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH—HELP ME!!"

The scream tore through the forest.

The adventurer froze.

Another scream echoed, this time shorter, followed by something like…

slurp.

He ran.

And there, in a small clearing, was a ridiculous sight.

A young herbalist, dressed in way too many layers of pouches, belts, and herbs was stuck waist-deep inside a giant blue slime. His arms flailed wildly, a bundle of crushed leaves stuck in his hair, and he was yelling things like:

"I didn't ask for a slime massage! THIS ISN'T A SPA!!"

The adventurer blinked.

The slime jiggled happily.

"Oh come on, don't just stare! I'M BEING DIGESTED HERE!"

He dashed forward, grabbed a stick, and poked the slime.

It jiggled again.

"NOT HELPING!!"

"Right," the adventurer muttered, then swung the stick harder. It snapped in half.

"…Seriously?"

With no weapon and no idea how slimes worked, the adventurer did the first thing that came to mind.

He kicked it.

And surprisingly… the slime burped.

The herbalist flew out, landing flat on the ground with a splat.

"…Owwww," he groaned. "My herbs…"

The adventurer offered a hand. "Are you okay?"

"Define okay," the herbalist muttered, brushing off slime goo. "I almost became soup. Again."

"Again?"

"Don't ask."

The two sat by a log, the herbalist wiping himself with a suspiciously leafy cloth.

"I'm Rynn," he said. "A traveling herbalist. And apparent slime bait."

The adventurer gave a small smile. "I… don't have a name."

Rynn blinked. "Wait, seriously?"

He nodded.

"Well, that's dramatic."

The adventurer gave him a look.

"I mean, no offense! Just y'know mysterious guy with no name saving me from a gooey death? That's hero stuff."

The adventurer chuckled softly.

It felt strange. Laughing.

Good… but strange.

Now that he could see clearly, the herbalist was a bit chubby, his cheeks full, his belly round but not too big, and his face had that tired, bookish look. Like someone who spent too many nights studying mushrooms that glowed.

He looked around thirty.

But when he stood up proudly and puffed his chest, he declared, "Lucky for you, I'm still young and full of energy!"

The adventurer tilted his head. "You're… young?"

"Thirty is the new twenty!" Rynn insisted, placing both hands on his hips. "Besides, age is a state of mind."

"…Right."

"Say," Rynn added suddenly, "since you saved my life and all, would you mind helping me gather some herbs? I've got a list, and… well, two hands aren't enough when you're constantly being slimed."

The adventurer nodded. "Alright."

They spent the rest of the day gathering herbs (while avoiding more slimes). Rynn chatted endlessly, about herbs that smell like feet but cure fever, about his dream of opening a potion shop, and about his little brother who always sneezed into the healing powder.

For the first time in days, the adventurer didn't feel heavy.

That night, they camped beneath a tree, stars peeking between branches.

Rynn looked up. "Hey… thanks."

"For what?"

"For not ignoring me. Most people would've just… kept walking."

The adventurer looked up at the stars.

They were the same as always.

"...You're the second person to say that," he said softly.

Rynn raised a brow. "Well, maybe you're just really good at being someone people don't want to lose."

The words stayed with him.

Long after Rynn had dozed off, snoring loudly into a rolled-up cloak, the adventurer stared at the stars and whispered:

"I want to remember… but even if I can't yet… maybe I can still be someone worth remembering."

And for the first time in a while…

He smiled.

By morning, Rynn was already packing up his herbs, humming off-key.

"Well, I better not keep the forest waiting," he grinned. "Take care out there, mystery guy."

"You too," the adventurer said.

And with a wave and a laugh, the not-so-young herbalist disappeared into the trees, leaving behind crushed leaves, muddy footprints, and a lightness in the air that stayed with the adventurer as he walked on.