NOVEL NEXT Ch. 8
“Mmm…”
Morning sunlight filtered through the gaps between branches, scattering across the earth. Rozelite stretched lazily into the sunrise as she awoke from her dreams. Perhaps because of yesterday’s exhausting trek, she had slept especially soundly.
“You’re awake.”
The tentacle dangling from her lips swayed.
“Not bad. Out of this batch of rookies, you’re the most promising.”
“Huh?”
Rozelite blinked, dazed.
“Cough, cough, forget it.”
Russell cleared his throat and changed the subject immediately.
“Right. Try this on. I measured the size. It should fit.”
From the corner of the wooden bed, he pulled out a small, fluffy-looking pair of shoes.
“Waaah!”
Rozelite’s eyes went wide, as if she’d just seen something magical.
“Sit. I’ll help you put them on.”
“Mm-hmm!”
Rozelite perched on the bed’s edge, supporting herself with both hands.
She lifted her delicate, snow-white feet. The arch curved gracefully, gleaming faintly in the morning light. Her dainty toes were round and soft, like flower buds. She even wiggled them a little, as if urging him silently.
Russell responded at once.
Two thick tentacles rose beneath her, gently bracing her heel and ankle like the softest supports. They lifted her foot steadily toward the shoe waiting below.
Then two slender, tool-like tentacles slipped inside the bearskin shoe. They swelled slightly, boneless like fingers, stretching the opening into a perfect round gap.
Rozelite relaxed her toes, and her pale sole slid smoothly into the warm, snug interior.
When the cool touch pressed against her arch and the guiding tentacle brushed her toes, Rozelite couldn’t help but draw in a soft breath. Her cheeks flushed pink like dawn. Ticklish, embarrassed, her toes curled on instinct.
Once the shoes were on, Rozelite hopped down at once, landing lightly.
“They fit perfectly!”
She gazed down at the cute little bearskin shoes and bounced on her toes. The softness, the snug fit—she couldn’t stop praising them.
“And this!”
Russell dragged out a bearskin shawl.
He hadn’t dared attempt full clothing with no tailoring experience. But a simple cloak for warmth—at least he could manage that.
Rozelite draped it around herself. The plush edges brushed against her skin, making her giggle uncontrollably.
Russell chuckled too.
“Thank you, Mister Slime.”
Then, as if struck by a thought, Rozelite asked, “Why are you so nice to me?”
“Why…”
Russell froze.
After a moment of silence, he said, “It’s a deal.”
“A deal?”
Rozelite tilted her head.
“That’s right,” Russell said.
“I’ll get you out of the labyrinth, out of this forest, back to human lands. In return, you’ll help me find a way to become human again. Not mimicry, not shapeshifting—truly, completely human.”
“Okay! Deal!”
Rozelite nodded without hesitation.
She didn’t weigh the difficulty of either task. She just thought, since Mister Slime helped her, she should help him.
Besides… a slime, wanting to be human?
That was interesting, wasn’t it?
“Then let’s move. The sooner we’re out of here, the better. Don’t forget—you still need real treatment.”
Russell reminded her.
“Mm-hmm!”
Rozelite nodded firmly.
Russell burned away the traces of their camp, and they set out again.
As she walked, he casually pulled up her status panel.
【Name: Rozelite Othinus】
【Race: Human】
【Level: 11】
【HP: 50/850】
【Skills: Court Etiquette Lv. 6, One-Handed Sword Mastery Lv. 4, Ballroom Dance Lv. 6, Poetry Recital Lv. 4, Instrument Proficiency (Zither) Lv. 5, Death Mark Lv. 7】
Hmm…
The 【Starving】 status was gone, but 【Severely Injured】 remained.
Her HP… had dropped again.
Normally, with food, drink, and rest, HP should restore over time. But Russell had tested this on monsters before—while 【Severely Injured】, HP would not recover.
Though Rozelite moved like normal, her body was still in critical condition. If he had to compare—she was like a pile of fragile cargo lashed together with wire. Remove the wire, and everything would collapse instantly.
The wire… was him.
For now, he could patch her body together with shapeshifting. But long-term? Impossible. With HP locked, even one serious injury would mean instant death.
Speaking of which—
Last night, while she slept, he had thought hard about what she’d said.
Not wanting him to always go in through her throat…
Well… putting aside how many actual “entrances” she had, constantly slipping down her throat wasn’t exactly ideal. It was… uncomfortable. Probably.
But what else could he do? Unless [Symbiosis] leveled up enough to connect to her optic nerves, he’d still need the throat for vision.
[Mental Integration] might also allow shared vision via resonance, but Russell suspected that skill had stricter requirements than [Symbiosis].
So, for now, Rozelite would just have to endure.
…
…
After a while, snowflakes drifted down again.
They melted on Rozelite’s cheeks, making her look up instinctively.
Russell was just about to spark a fire spell for warmth when—
He suddenly recoiled.
The tentacle dangling at her mouth snapped back inside her body in an instant.
“Mister Slime?”
Rozelite tilted her head.
“Shh. Don’t speak. Someone’s coming.”
As he whispered, she noticed bushes nearby rustling. Tiny, cautious footsteps approached.
Soon, a small figure in gray robes stepped into view.
Rozelite froze.
And Chris’s heart lurched like a bowstring snapping. She staggered back in shock.
“How could there be people in this forsaken place?!”
“An illusion? When?!”