Reincarnated In The Eminence In Shadow

'Huf, I am bored.' Sae say while she closing the picture book that she just finished reading. She get up from her bed then walked to the window and just to see most of tree's leaf outside turn into orange and brown. Tugging the red cloth that's wrapped around her body up to her neck.

"Sae-chan." Someone call out her name from outside with a knock on the door, before the door being push lightly.

"Good morning nurse Jenny." Sae greeting her, turning her body to her back.

"Have you had a breakfast already?" The nurse ask while holding a tray and put it at drawer beside Sae's bed.

"Yup, I manage to finish more half a bowl already." Sae say, proud in her little achievement.

"That's a good news."

Sae walk to her bed and sit on it while pull her long sleeve of white dress up, to showing her bare left arm. Jenny take a rubber rope to tie it around Sae's hand, up from her elbow. After that, Jenny look for a suitable vein by massage Sae's arm before take a needle from the tray.

"It hurt a bit." Jenny warning Sae before slowly and carefully take her blood. Sae who already expected the feeling still cannot help to shut her eyes while bite her own lips. A single tear already fellen without Sae realize it.

"Alright then, it's done." Jenny say after she put the blood in needle in two small tube. The place Jenny take Sae's blood already put a cotton so it stop the blood and avoid from any infection.

"Here, like usual." Jenny handing Sae a hard candy with lemon flavour. Sae eat it, she immediately forgot about the pain on her arm.

Jenny who already done her task for today, already gone with the tray. She have to go to town so she could handing Sae's blood sample to Dr. George. The blood must be take at least three or five weeks each. This also mean that Jenny wouldn't be at Orphanage for that each day. That also mean, Sae don't have to be warry if someone keep an eye on her!

At this thought, Sae quickly sneak out of her room just after she make sure the carriage that Jenny take already gone. Today is still in the morning, means that all children, especially around her age, still in class. The class being held at another building that aren't far from building her room is but still there is small chance she would encounter with anyone.

She walk to back door of the same door where near the garden, slowly twisting it and let her eyes look around to see if there's anyone. After she really make sure there's none, she quickly and quietly get out. Run to the forest behind the orphanage. To go there, she must run through the garden.

Just what Sae doing there?

Nothing much but running and walking around the forest. But lately, she also start gathering and planting small tree. Especially an herb one.

Sae will run around with mini shovel in her hand, pick up small herbs or the one that already mature then put it in the bag. Where she get those? She just take them when she passing the garden.

She doing all this because for Exp point so she could level up. Now she's in Level 9, after almost a month she doing this. There's a high chance she will also able to reach Level 10 soon for this.

Not only that, the reason why she done this for a while is because of her newfound skill. She found out after a while she had been joining her friends taking care the garden and mini farm.

Be One With Nature. A skill that with many help and benefit. Sae found out that when she use this skill, any plant or tree around her, especially the plant that she take care of, will somewhat communicate with her. It will somewhat something like could share a sense around her and the plant. This reason make her Map skill level up, from showing 50 feet, it was up to 75 feet.

Secondly, this skill really benefit especially for her condition. This skill very useful, especially when she was sick. The plant around her will reach out, sending some mana to her so she could get better. But because she couldn't have any mana, this skill just useful to raise some of her Health Point and Stamina.

"Urgh.. Hah.., that's sure was exhausted." Sae say after she screeching her body. She's now resting at below of big tree. Most of the trees' leaves already turn brown or yellow. Most of the tree already had theirs fallen on the ground already.

Today was an autumn season. For getting a fruit in the forest is quite hard but Sae still able to get berry, that's are safe to eat, and some small fruit.

While she's at her little journey, she did encounter some wild little animal. Handing some fruit to them, she found out that the newfound skill of her not only work with plant but also animal. Now, she just randomly wondering what it's working on human or not.

Rather than westing her time to make some random experiment, she just need to ask to System since they know about her body than herself.

'System.' Sae say in her mind while still slowly munching the berries. The visible blue screen that only her could see immediately pop out in front of her.

'Can Be One With Nature could used on human?' She ask the System about her new curiosity.

'[It was possibly not]' The system say without a second. Sae did expect this kind of answer but doesn't meen she wasn't disappointed.

'Hm.., why is that.'

'[Be One With Nature is a skill that help user to get along with the life of wild. There's many factors why this skill can't and unable to be used with human]

'[Human is described with nature to insist listen to order. Their nature that have they own will to do whatever their wish for and their will that mixed with kinds or good]

'[Recommendation to used this skill on plants or some animals that usually spending their times in wildlife]'

'Hmm?' Sae blinked her eyes after listening the System who keep talking in her mind.

'Why is that? Is there any specific reason?'

'[Unlike human, most of plants' nature is to support each other so that they will fulfill each other needs. One fact about plants is that they will try to keep other plant so they keep the chain stability. Of course not all the plants fulfill this needs such as plants that's in parasite class]'

'In other words..'

'[Yes, this skill only help for other nature living to recognize you as one of them and also keeping your needed by sense your body conditions]'

'Hm...' Sae pondering for a moment.

'Is there any other way for me gaining other skill to control human? Or is there any similar skill to it that I already obtained?' Sae ask while glancing up to the blue screen.

'[There is. There is many type of skill of controlling in record, from controlling the minds till the body. Currently, there's none suitable skill in records or any skill that suitable to be used by user for now because of the health of conditions of the user for now]'

Sae nodding her head, understanding why is it. The need for use the skill that take the use for mentality isn't that easy, especially the need to use a great amount of stamina. What people say? Healthy body, healthy mind.

'I see. Is there any other way for me to gaining them?'

'[For now there is not. User would be recommended to level up as fast as possible for that possibility]'

'Then, until how many?' Sae fuming, doesn't really like the idea for doing much of activities. Especially that was given by Status.

'[Until amount all the stats is in minimum needed to use one]'

'Yes.. yes.., but how much?'

'[Until user don't easily getting sick and spitting blood just because losing some Health Point]'

Sae who hear this can't help but glare at the floating blue board in front of her. She might couldn't tell it but somehow she could feel that the Status in front of her just now mocking her.

'Even so—'

But just before she could before say something to defense herself, she heard some movement of snap of some tiny branch and the fallen leaves.

Without thinking, she immediately get up then get into defense mode. Who we're talking here about. She's in the forest as a young girl, for her wondering in the forest at alone might cause a suspicion. If it's about people in from the village or some the orphanage, she just could give an excuse that she just get curious about adventure things since it was normal for a child around her age insist to try something new and being curious. But what if it's a bad people like a bandit or something more, wild animal or monster? Like, as if she can easily escape that or even fighting them.

Even so, she doubt that bad possibility because if so any of it indeed the case, the System might had been long reminding her because even if she doesn't activing her Map, it still had some pasife skill that will reminding her the danger upon her without directly use the Map skill. Just like what did happened on her weeks ago when she almost fall get caught sneaking into the kitchen by one of the worker in the orphanage.

After looking around for a while, waiting something to show themselves, Sae persuade herself that it might just her imagination or some deer or any animal already running away.

Even so, when Sae walking back to her early spot, she feel something squishy under her feet. The first thought in her mind that she feel unlucky at the thought it was some animal's 'wasted'. Unlikely it's not even close to that when she look down her right feet.

It was a rather a small blue slime who is now it's shapeed like a pancake with Sae's shoes imprint on it when she quickly take her feet away from the creature and backing away quickly. Luckily, it return to it's shape that seems more normal after a while.

"M-monster?" Sae whispers to herself slightly while there's a trail of sweat on her cheek.

'How there is possible?! The System should had reminded me if there is monster nearby. Unless...'

Sae take a stick nearby her feet before slowly walk toward the slime, who seems like doesn't move for a while.

At this kind of situation, it should be normal for her to run away. But her curiosity take over her and also she is (try to) confident about herself that she would be fine because it was the first time she meet a monster in this life of her. Well, the harmless monster.

She slowly screeching her hand that holding the stick to poking the slime while in crawl position so she ready to run away when the thing try to do something.

Boing.., boing.., that what it would be sound when Sae poking it's surface. Fortunately, it doesn't doing anything aside bouncing slightly like a jelly when she touched it.

'Hmm..' Sae take back the stick while standing back to her two feet.

Not that I being overthinking but it just I am being extra careful. I am in world of sword and magic, any type of monster can't be look down easily. Especially, the slime. I do read some manga and anime that tell a lot about slime. Some show that it was the weakest monster while some show it was tough and dangerous one. I don't know which possibility the slime in this world works but I wouldn't just dying myself because being killed by slime.

Especially when slime is known as mindless creature who seems just follow their instinct of surviving. That also mean that they will eat anything that could give them needed nutrient for surviving and attacking whatever they feel threatening their live.

Sae tough to herself while she still look down at the unmoved slime.

'System,.. what does slime usually eat?' Sae ask the system, after hearing some of the information, she decided to take some of the herb in her bag to give it to the slime. To see if there any reaction.

She slowly walk more a bit closer before placing the herb on the ground and the stick to shove it more closer to it.

At first, there's no reaction but after a while the slime slightly screeching it's body toward it. It pull the herb that Sae put toward itself, slowly dissolve it in it's body.

'So, that's how they eat?' Sae thought to herself while her mind unconsciously curious if this scene she say would happening the same with living thing such as ... human. But she quickly shake her head off from that wild thought.

After the slime finished eat it, it titled it's body toward Sae. Sae might can't tell it, but she could feel it that the slime seems to look up toward her. She can't help to imagine the slime just grow puppy eyes.

"What? You want more?" She ask the slime and surprisingly the slime shake it's body up and down.

Sae who witness this can't help to think that the slime is kind of cute while a smirk carved on her lips.

It been a while Sae keep handing the herbs she gathered from her bag and even some berries. She keep throwing it to the slime until the bag she carried had nothing but the small shovel and some small tree. Likely at the same time, the slime looks like it satisfied and full, even though Sae can't tell where all of that being keep.

"You good already?" Sae ask the slime, who really intelligence enough to understand her. The slime moving up and down again but this time it was more in energetic way.

"Ah!" Sae suddenly shout when a realization suddenly hit her after she look up to the sky. The sky has already shine brightly while the sun seems almost reach up to the middle of the sky, as a way to tell it was almost a noon.

I need to go back now or they will found out that I'm not even at orphanage.

Sae turn her to the way toward the orphanage with the help of Map. She still doesn't forget the presence of the little slim in front of her earlier.

"Goodbye little one. I must say, it was fun to meet you." Sae bit her goodbye toward the little monster before walk away.

But when she not walk that far, she heard some noise behind her. A similar sound before she meet the slime. Sae halt her walk to glance at her back by to see the little slime jumping toward Sae. Following her before stop when it wasn't far from her.

"Hey, go away." Sae told the monster, but only received a little wiggle of it's body, as if it's questioning why.

Sae continue to walk away again but only to learn that the slime still jumping toward her with it's small body.

"You know that I have nothing with me that I could give you, right?" Sae say, even she aren't really sure if the little monster understanding her.

"Moew!" Sae's eyes widening slightly.

"Wait, do you perhaps ... want to follow me?" Sae ask the slime when a little realization hit her. It was thanks to the familiar feeling of deja vu and an old memory of her previous life.

The slime, who heard this, jump up and down at her statement. Sae just watch the slime until it stop jumping.

"I see, but can I trust you that you wouldn't hurt me?" Sae say while there's doubtful in her voice. The slime quickly bouncing it's body up and down.

"Hm.., alright then."

Sae turn back walk toward the slime. She crouching down to pick the slime. At first, she bit of hesitated. Using her finger to slightly poking it's surface before slowly turn to petting the slime.

'It's bit cold and so soft.' Sae thought to herself while she pickup the little blue slime with both of her hands, let the slime sit on both of her palms while she raise back to standing on both of her legs. The slime indeed didn't attack her or tried to dissolve her skin off.

"Alright little guy, from now on, you will be my partner." She say while she brought the little slime up to same level as her face.

"Well as our first meeting, I should naming you first, well if only you don't have any that's it." The slime tilted slightly, quite fond of the concept of naming.

"Hm.., let's keep things simple for you. Your name will be.. hm, Mell? Right, Mell from the word mellow!" Sae say, kind of proud of her little achievement.

"Mell?"

"Well Mell, my name is Sae K but just call me Sae. From now on, we will depending on each other from now on." Sae sae while the Mell the slime also fell excitement.

"Sae? Together?.. Together!" The slime celebrate happily.

"Now Mell, let's be hurry return to the orphanage. Where my home is." Sae brought Mell into her red cloth that she used as a scarf. After make sure the slime secured enough to fall off, she immediately run to return back to the orphanage before she get scolded.

At the same time in another place, Matilda walk to the dinning room where all children had meal. She look around as if searching for someone when she realized the empty seat of particular child she know.

"Mia, did you see Sae? Perhaps she eating in her room?" Matilda ask her oldest daughter who is still giving the children their meal.

"Sae? No, mother. I didn't saw her today nor did I know that someone send food to her room." She replied her mother who seem worried.

"I see then, I will look for her in her room then. Please look after the children when I'm not around, alright." Mia nodding her head before Matilda walk to Sae's room that's on second floor.

When Matilda arrived at in front of Sae's room, she reach her knuckle on the door and knocking the door.

"Sae? Are you there?" Matilda shout from outside before reach her hand, twisting the knob and push it slowly and just to see Sae standing beside her bed.

"Sae? Just what are you doing there?" Matilda ask Sae when she feel bit weird, but don't know why.

"N-no! Nothing! Just.., wake up. Yeah, I take a nap early." Sae quickly responded and make sure doesn't sound suspicious. There's a trail of sweat on her cheeks.

"I see. Let's hurry up coming down or you will miss your meal already." Matilda say before Sae quickly walk to the door. Before she got out, she glance back to her bad before letting Matilda close the door.

After a while, the red cloth where Sae put on her bed slightly moving and to show Mell peeking out.

Extra : Mell the Slime Storytime

Before meeting with Sae K

Swoosh! The slime could be seen jumping in the thick forest as if it's running away from something.

"Ahaha! Don't worry! After this, I will make a great use all of you, for my new experiment that's it! I am sure, you all will be maked as a great weapon!" The shout likely sound come from mania– boy could be heard from distance.

The blue slime whose feel it's life at the edge can't help but jumping, running away from any possible danger that could threatening it's surviving.

The slime, whose just somehow able to escaped from the old abandon tunnel and not long after feel the freedom of sunlight, running for it's own life again because of single human boy.

After somehow manage to keep it's journey for more than half a months, it's already to adapted of the live of outside. Unlike where it's born in dark tunnel where deep down on earth without any single sunlight could reach there.

The live at outside might be difficult for it but at least it don't have to competed with other slime or monster when it come to food source. Either eat some grass, herbs, or small animal or insert. Even though it still fight with animal, that doesn't hard for it to win some of the fight.

Of course the slime did had to overcome on it's main enemy when it's start to live outside, weather season. Not that it couldn't survive in different kinds of temperature, because it wasn't easy to find a food source.

Just like now, today was in August, meaning that now is an autumn season. The slime had long wondering around searching for food, especially it's main food, herbs. Even so, it couldn't find anything.

Just as about the slime to decide to moved to another area, it sensed something from the distance. Feeling like it was something connected to the slime. Without thinking, the slime jumping toward where it's instinct told it to.

When it get nearer toward one big tree, it 'saw' a human child who just sitting below it. The girl who have medium length of aquamarine hair with a pair of long eyelashes with red eyes, with white pale skin color. Just sit there and stare at the distance who know what she look toward to.