Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Encounter (3)

“Nina, really no?”

“No, young lady.”

A beautiful girl with wavy blonde hair and eyes like blue jewels, wearing an elegant dress, puffed her cheeks at the answer of the maid sitting opposite.

“No, why~. Can’t I stop by the elf village just once?”

“No. Elf village? How dangerous the path there is. Inside the forest, monsters are swarming.”

“Tsk, do you think I don’t know? The blue elf forest has at best only goblins. That much our family’s knights can quickly defeat!”

Nina sighed inwardly at the young lady’s answer.

‘Haa, where on earth did she hear that again...’

Conversations like now were one of the things Nina experiences every time she passes near the elf forest with her master.

At first, she could somehow smooth it over well.

But as time passed, the clinging became more persistent.

“Even just once is fine. Yes? I want to see hero Nellin-nim, yes? Really no?”

The girl clinging to the maid.

The young lady of the Ludendion count family. Jessie Ludendion blurted out the reason she wants to visit the elf village.

The elf’s hero.

A member of the party that defeated the black dragon called a calamity 50 years ago.

Because she wants to see Nellin, the Starlight Archer.

The legend of the heroes defeating the calamity black dragon is still passed down to people even now, 50 years later.

A biography that transcribed the heroes’ stories at the time.

Plays where actors directly stage the heroes’ deeds.

Statues and dolls modeled after the heroes’ appearances.

And even fairy tale books for children.

Jessie Ludendion also, from a young age, started with fairy tale books and heard the heroes’ stories through various media.

The Iron Wall Shield, human Aldor Meyer.

The Strong Arm Warrior, dwarf Kachal Demft.

The Healing Saintess, human Fresia.

The Heavenly Law Mage, human Ventus Frail

The Starlight Archer, elf Nellin.

However, currently among the 5 heroes, only 3 are alive.

The Iron Wall Shield passed away in the family’s arms as he aged.

The Heavenly Law Mage unfortunately died 30 years ago entangled in a magic accident.

The other heroes, after defeating the black dragon, were living peacefully in their respective hometowns.

Among them, the Starlight Archer Nellin’s hometown elf village was near the Ludendion count’s territory.

Therefore, Jessie, on the way back from a picnic outside the count’s territory.

Whenever passing near the blue elf forest, always nagged the maid Nina to stop by the elf village.

Saying she wants to see the Starlight Archer Nellin living in the elf village directly.

Jessie’s demand started at 6 years old and has continued until now even after 10 years have passed.

“No matter how much you cling, no. Have you forgotten that the count and the madam greatly scolded that no last time?”

“Ugh...”

A bitter past rose in Jessie’s head.

+++

As her birthday approached, Jessie showed an aegyo-filled accent and gestures to Count Ludendion and the madam.

“Father~ Mother~ I want to go to the elf village!”

“Have you still not given up, Jessie!”

“Do you really not understand the words that it’s dangerous!”

Parents who usually granted whatever she wanted, but for going to the elf village, they firmly opposed.

+++

At the fact that the conversation shared in the past remains unchanged until now, Jessie puffed her cheeks.

“Father and mother and Nina are too much! Why don’t you understand this pure heart that wants to see Nellin-nim?”

“I know well. The young lady was immersed in the heroes’ stories and sang to the count that she wants to see Nellin-nim.”

“Then isn’t it okay to let me meet once? Or invite Nellin-nim to our mansion!”

At the somewhat valid words, the maid prepared the excuse she usually used.

“Nellin-nim is a great hero. Even if the count, he is someone who cannot be invited carelessly.”

“Hiing.”

Fortunately, Nina’s excuse worked.

‘Huu, this excuse still works.’

Common sense, if about a count, inviting a hero is not difficult.

Moreover, the Ludendion count’s territory and the elf village of the blue elf forest are places where merchants regularly trade goods and exchange.

Not only that. Count Ludendion arranged so that elves can enjoy convenience by purchasing desired items, and in response to that consideration, every year the elder from the elf village sent a thank-you letter.

Being such a close relationship, there was no way inviting Nellin to the count’s mansion would be difficult.

In fact, the one preventing Nellin and Jessie from meeting is Count Ludendion.

It was Rufus Ludendion’s will.

Count Ludendion also confided the reason for not letting Nellin and Jessie meet to Nina.

And Nina who agreed with that reason has been striving to protect Jessie’s innocence for over 10 years.

Even though she has a mature body to the extent of being thought an adult, the heart is still dreamy and delicate matching the age.

Jessie fell for Nina’s excuse and stuck out her lips.

The joyful heart after the picnic completely deflated.

‘Hing, I want to see the forest where Nellin-nim lives.’

Jessie turned her head to the window and looked at the forest.

And then.

‘Huh?’

In Jessie’s eyes, a slime jumping particularly poyong! poyong! coming out of the forest was visible.

A light-green round slime.

A monster that Jessie, who has mostly lived inside the count’s territory until becoming 16, sees for the first time.

‘That’s a slime!’

Slime.

A monster said to be much weaker than even goblins.

Jessie’s interest moved from meeting Nellin to the slime visible outside the window.

“Nina! Stop the carriage!”

“Young lady, how many times do I say, in the elf forest...”

“It’s not that so stop quickly!”

“?”

At Jessie’s firm request, the carriage that was moving at a constant speed stopped.

As soon as the carriage stopped, Jessie opened the door and went outside, and Nina followed behind.

“Young lady, why on earth are you doing this?”

“Look at that! Nina! It’s a slime!”

“Yes?”

Jessie pointed in the direction where the slime is with a bright smile like the midday sun shining strongly.

“I see a slime for the first time! Really round!”

With shining eyes, Jessie tried to approach the slime.

“Wa, wait a moment, young lady! It’s dangerous! You have to go with the knight! Young lady!”

+++

‘Waa!’

The slime that discovered the running carriage jumped poyong poyong to see the carriage closer. Like that it was approaching toward the carriage little by little.

But suddenly the carriage stopped, and from inside, 2 living beings it sees for the first time came out.

Moreover, they are approaching toward itself!

The slime that became able to ask questions well immediately asked the chat window.

▷Is it human?

Just in time the viewer watching the slime’s broadcast.

Yarn Lady.

The arachne answered.

[Yarn Lady]▶Yes, Squishy-nim~ that is exactly a human!

▷Wa! Human!

The slime that finally came to meet a human this time.

Looking at the living being trying to approach itself while shining curiosity.

‘Increased!.’

While the slime was asking the chat window. Nina temporarily stopped Jessie, and was approaching together with the knight who was riding in the driver’s seat.

▶Oh lmao this time really human.

▶Domhwangchaaaaat!

▶But that human looks damn weak?

▶Isn’t the one who came from the very back stronger than Squishy?

▶First hit! Let’s first hit!

Anonymous viewers calmly flew chats looking at the humans approaching the slime.

‘Human! Coming!’

The number of approaching humans increased from 2 to 3.

The slime already heard from the joker the points to be careful of when meeting humans.

If humans attack, avoiding is good.

But still in a state of not knowing whether they will attack or not.

The slime decided to prioritize its curiosity and observe the humans.

There was the Slime Queen’s advice that one should avoid humans as much as possible, but advice could not beat the slime’s curiosity.

“Jessie! I see a slime for the first time! Light-green! Are all slimes like this?”

“Young lady! First the knight! The knight will step forward first so please stop for a moment! Pin! Hurry! Go! Have to protect the young lady!”

“No, why such a fuss over a mere slime.”

“What if the young lady gets hurt! Hurry go!”

“Yes yes. Young lady, please step back for a moment. I will confirm first.”

“Yes! Please!”

A young man wearing a sword on the waist and shoulder armor on the shoulders and legs and chest part approached the slime.

A young man who received education at the knight training center in the count’s territory and has now become a proper knight.

A young man who has experienced monsters much stronger than a slime in the training process, so he stood in front of the slime without great caution.

‘No matter how I look, just an ordinary slime.’

Slime.

An extremely low-aggression monster that does not first attack unless directly attacked.

Since it absorbs almost anything, in some regions they use slimes for food waste processing or filth processing even up to funerals. It was a monster that can be seen as close to humans if close.

‘Even if it attacks, a mere slime can be quickly taken care of.’

Pin squatted and reached out his hand toward the slime.

The slime aptitude distinction method learned from a colleague who raised a slime at the knight training center.

If it runs away when stroked, a slime with a lot of wariness.

If it moves violently and tries to jump toward the torso, a slime with a lot of aggression so must be disposed of right away.

If it stays still, a slime that is gentle so no problem even if raised.

Pin stroked the slime while wearing gloves.

‘?’

The human’s action of suddenly stroking itself, the slime could not immediately understand.

But the gentle stroking hand was not unpleasant.

At the touch of the glove stroking itself, the slime trembled burrur and rejoiced.

‘Trembling? What reaction is this?’

At the unexpected reaction, Pin pondered.

“Me too! I also want to touch the slime!”

Jessie who was envious of Pin stroking the slime. She jumped bang bang in place.

The slime that already looks soft.

The heart of wanting to quickly stroke that cute slime herself welled up.

“Young lady! Please calm down! Pin! Is it really okay?”

The young lady who wants to touch the slime and the maid who is a childhood friend urging an answer.

Pin pondered what to do and recalled one method.

“Please stay still there, young lady. I will bring it.”

Pin lifting the slime with both hands.

To prevent the slime from bouncing out when Jessie strokes.

“Stay still.”

‘Waaaa!’

The slime trembled burrurru in joy at the wondrous feeling of the viewpoint becoming higher like when it went up on Nellin’s hand.

‘Trembling again? Is it liking it?’

Pin approached Jessie while holding the slime.

“Here it is, young lady.”

“Pin, is it really okay?”

“Don’t worry, I’m holding tightly.”

With sparkling eyes, Jessie reached out her hand toward the slime.

“Wa! Soft! The slime is really soft!”

Jessie showed a bright smile at the slime’s touch felt in the hand.

At the same time, Jessie’s soft hand also made the slime happy.

Burrurrur!

“Kyaaha! Trembling! Ticklish!”

“Tre, trembling? Pin! Is it really okay?”

“It should be okay? Probably rejoicing?”

“What if you say probably!”

“How would I know the slime’s heart? At least it’s not attacking the young lady.”

While the maid and the knight were bickering, Jessie stroked the slime to her heart’s content.

‘Cute and soft and looks gentle!’

Jessie who liked the slime’s touch declared.

“I will take this and raise it!”

“Yes!?”

“What?”

At the shocking remark, the maid and the knight stopped arguing and looked at Jessie.