episode_0078

The cave near the Kubeul forest that Meruru found while looking at the map.

The surrounding trees and grass were neatly trimmed for easy access, and there was a clear path leading to the cave.

Upon examining the map she received, Meruru realized that if she followed the path properly from Kubeul, she would arrive at the designated location unless she was a complete fool.

“It’s really locked….”

Furthermore, just as Algot had mentioned, the entrance to the cave was locked.

Using wooden planks and stones, the entrance to the cave was securely sealed, with a door attached to it.

Although there was a keyhole blatantly visible on the door, Algot did not provide us with a key.

“To think this was done in just one day….”

“Huh? Yunoa! What did you say?”

“It’s nothing.”

Algot is truly remarkable.

To think he made this in just one day for Meruru’s request.

Seeing the skill with which the entrance was sealed, it reminded me of the outpost in Halberi Forest where Aruru was captured.

That outpost also seemed hastily constructed with wooden planks, and it was obvious that the same person had made it.

Creak, creak.

“Ugh! It won’t open!”

Meruru grumbled as she shook the doorknob several times in an attempt to open the locked wooden door.

One might think that a door like that could easily be broken by kicking it without even needing to draw a sword, but I just watched from behind.

If I were to help her from start to finish, Algot’s intentions would all be ruined.

Seeing that I showed no signs of helping, Meruru took a piece of jerky from the jar at her side, put it in her mouth, and started looking at me with puppy-like eyes.

“…I am your mentor, so you should try to solve it yourself as much as possible.”

Seeing no willingness to help from me, Meruru put the jerky jar on the ground and struck the door with her wooden sword.

Thud! Thud!

Meruru seems to lack strength.

She looks like a child swinging a wooden sword.

Is it really okay not to offer any help at all?

From trying to open the cave door to facing obstacles, I sat back and watched Meruru slowly spend her time trying various methods to open the door.

Scratching the door with her hands, kicking it with her feet, pounding it with her wooden sword, throwing rocks at it….

Meruru, who tried every possible means to open the door, eventually grew tired and sat down in front of the door.

“Argh! Meruru is angry!… Huh?”

However, at that moment, Meruru noticed something on the ground near the wooden door.

A small box made of wood with a large key drawing on it.

The box seemed to vehemently assert, “I am a box containing a key.”

A true Meruru-style request….

At this point, I am curious about what Algot has prepared inside the cave.

Meruru frowned as she shook the wooden box, then opened it and took out the key inside.

If she had observed her surroundings a little more, she could have found it quickly.

Following Meruru as she opened the door with the key and entered, I went in after her.

Normally, novice adventurers are not tasked with monster extermination requests.

However, the request prepared by Algot was a slime extermination request inside the cave.

Knowing Meruru as I do, she couldn’t even defeat a single Blue Slime.

But inside the cave, they had prepared Blue, Red, and Green Slimes sorted by type.

I am a bit worried, but since I decided not to help unless it’s a real emergency, I chose to watch over her.

Meruru cautiously moved forward with her wooden sword in hand, looking around the cave.

Inside the cave, empty barrels and boxes were scattered haphazardly.

There were broken carts and torches hung at regular intervals on the walls, so it wasn’t too dark.

…It was a scene that seemed deliberately arranged to look a certain way to anyone who saw it.

Meruru seemed genuinely nervous, not knowing when the slime would pop out, but to me, this place seemed like a location that could be found in a children’s dungeon experience course or an amusement park.

“Ububuk!”

And then, it happened.

Suddenly, Meruru made a strange noise.

A semi-transparent red slime suddenly dropped from the ceiling and covered Meruru’s face.

“Ubub! Ubububuk!”

Meruru spun around in place, swinging her wooden sword wildly in the air.

I watched her with interest.

“Tiny….”

Was this the ‘Meruru-exclusive slime’ prepared by Algot…?

There are even small slimes like this.

Are they like slime babies?

The red slime covering Meruru’s face was only about the size of a human head.

The wild blue slime I saw near the Kubele Forest before was so big that it could swallow Meruru whole.

With slimes of that size, one might seriously consider raising them as pets.

Struggling, Meruru finally threw her wooden sword and used both hands to remove the slime stuck to her face.

In no time, other slimes inside the cave also gathered around and surrounded Meruru.

They were all small slimes not exceeding the size of a human head.

“They’re appearing in droves!”

“Oh, cheer up! Meruru.”

I cheered for Meruru, keeping a sufficient distance to prevent the slimes from coming towards me.

Meruru picked up the wooden sword she had dropped on the ground and started hitting the small slimes.

The battle between the mini slime horde and Meruru was unexpectedly intense.

The slimes surrounded Meruru, bouncing up from the ground and trying to stick to her body.

Meruru vigorously swung her wooden sword at the slimes, but surprisingly, the slimes were quick and hard to hit.

“Uyayayayayayayay! Uyayayayayayayay!”

Meruru made strange noises as she wildly swung her wooden sword.

There was a slime on her back, a slime on her leg, and a slime on her collarbone.

In the midst of it all, an unlucky blue slime jumped towards Meruru’s head but was hit directly by the wooden sword.

Thud!

The slime hit by the wooden sword flew away cheerfully.

However, unless the core of the slime was broken, it couldn’t receive a significant blow.

Although its size was small and I could probably crush it with my bare hands, it seemed that Meruru lacked a bit of strength.

“Slippery! It’s slippery!”

Meruru started rolling on the ground to remove the slimes sticking to her body.

Rolling, rolling. Rolling, rolling.

She pressed the slimes with her body weight, trying to crush them.

But with Meruru’s small body weight, she didn’t have enough strength to break the core of the slimes.

Still, she managed to drop the slime clinging to her back by rolling on the ground.

Meruru continued to fiercely fight against the slime horde.

She yelled, jumped around, grabbed nearby rocks to hit them, and flew around mixed with the slimes.

I sat on a wooden box at a suitable distance, watching the spectacle.

This is unexpectedly more entertaining than anything money can buy.

It’s more fun than watching battles between the strong.

Thud!

After a long struggle, Meruru finally found her own strategy.

By standing the tip of the wooden sword and putting her weight into it, she could hit the slimes on the ground.

This way, enough force was applied to the tip of the wooden sword to break the core of the slimes.

After a long battle, the slime horde seemed to have weakened, as their movements noticeably slowed down, making it possible for Meruru to eliminate them one by one with her dagger.

* * *

“Heh… heh… this is… too… exhausting….”

Meruru, who successfully defeated all the slimes in the cave, sat down on the sticky floor covered with slime residue, breathing heavily as if her chest was heaving.

I brought over the jerky pot and a wooden box for her to sit on, as she was visibly exhausted.

I also brought a box and sat down next to her.

“You did much better than I expected.”

My praise towards Meruru was genuine.

She clearly had limitations due to her talent and race.

Although it was hard to define her opponent as a demon, considering it was a mini slime, Meruru did quite well given her abilities.

“Ugh… heh… cough! Cough!”

She must be really exhausted.

Just sitting next to her, I could feel the heat radiating from Meruru’s body.

Her hair and face were covered in sweat.

I should have brought some water if I knew it would be this intense.

Since her stamina was completely drained, it seemed better to take a rest before heading back.

After taking a short break and recovering some of her strength, Meruru lowered her head and spoke.

“It was tough… as expected, being an adventurer is tough for Meruru.”

I didn’t know how to respond.

Although it was objectively true, I couldn’t just say, “Yeah, you’re right. Being an adventurer is tough for you.”

So, I just silently watched Meruru.

“I know. Meruru can’t go find her sister alone. Meruru doesn’t have that strength.”

“…”

“Something was off with my sister. Meruru knows. My sister was sad. I have to go find her and bring her back… but it’s like this….”

I wanted to tell her.

Your sister is already safe and staying at the guild master Algot’s demon shelter.

Once she finishes adjusting, she can go meet her.

But it’s not the right time yet, so I had no choice but to turn the words around.

“Meruru, you don’t have to become an adventurer or take on this mission.”

“I don’t know.”

“Master said, once this mission is over, he will take responsibility and find your sister. I will do the same. I could survive before becoming an adventurer because of you. I can promise you. I will definitely help you meet your sister again.”

“…”

“Of course, it might be difficult for you alone. But the guild master, Tina, and I are all on your side. Meruru, staying healthy and well at the guild is for your sister. We will definitely find and reunite you with your sister.”

I spoke each word with conviction.

Well, it’s obvious. Since I already found her sister, it would be strange if I didn’t have confidence.

Still, if I had this conversation, it would be good to consult with Algot and try to arrange a meeting with her sister as soon as possible.

I also have many questions for the other demons at the demon shelter.

Meruru listened to my words in silence for a while, then suddenly took out a small piece of jerky from the pot and handed it to me.

“Here, have one.”

“Oh? Okay.”

I took the jerky she handed me and ate it.

It was salty and tough, but as I chewed, the savory flavor spread in my mouth, quite delicious.

It would be perfect as a snack with some alcohol. Too bad we don’t have any.

We finished our rest and headed outside the cave to return to Cubel.

On the way back, Meruru didn’t talk more about her sister, but somehow, she seemed much better than before.

Whether it was because she changed her thinking positively, whether my words got through to her, or whether she felt relieved by moving her body a lot, I didn’t know.

But ultimately, it seemed like the goal of changing her mood had been achieved.

I looked at Meruru’s back, wagging her lush tail, and returned to Kubele.