“Okay, that’s enough,” said Sophia, the dragon girl, though she still clung to me like a koala.
My ears twitched as I caught the faint sound of rustling from the forest. Turning my head, I noticed several creatures emerging from the trees. Three frog-like monsters hopped forward, their slimy skin glistening under the sunlight. Behind them, wobbly slimes and leggy mushrooms bounced and waddled in no particular order, heading toward the beach. Their movements seemed aimless, as though they were merely exploring their surroundings.
I glanced at the approaching slimes before awkwardly looking back at Sophia. “Okay… but why are you still stuck on me?” I asked, my voice dripping with exasperation.
Sophia tilted her head, her crimson hair brushing against my shoulder. “Because you smell good,” she said matter-of-factly, flashing an innocent smile.
My ears twitched, and my face flushed. “That’s not—what?!” I stammered, utterly flustered. Without thinking, I shoved her off me, causing her to stumble back a step.
“Aw, so mean,” Sophia pouted, though she didn’t seem too upset. Instead, she crossed her arms and grinned. “But hey, look at that.” She pointed toward the slimes, which had stopped hopping and were now turning their wobbly forms in our direction. Their translucent bodies jiggled slightly, as if they’d finally noticed us.
“Ugh…” I groaned, summoning my sword with a flick of my hand. Its faint glow shimmered against the morning light, and I tightened my grip, bracing myself for the fight ahead. I gripped my sword tightly, ready to face the approaching slimes and monsters. After the previous encounter, I wasn’t about to make the same mistake again. “This time, I’ll keep my distance,” I muttered under my breath.
Sophia, meanwhile, seemed entirely unbothered. Her red wings unfurled gracefully, catching the light as she took to the air. She flew a short distance before landing effortlessly on a large rock near the shoreline. Perching there, she leaned forward with her chin resting on her hands, her tail lazily swaying behind her.
Noticing one of the slimes leaping toward me, I instinctively swung my sword in a clean arc, slicing through its gelatinous body mid-air. As the blade connected, a familiar translucent text bubble appeared beside the creature:
(-13 Physical Damage)
I landed a step away, keeping my guard up. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a swallowtail butterfly flit gracefully through the air before diving toward the slime, its wings shimmering in the sunlight. The butterfly collided with the slime, dealing minor damage as another bubble popped up:
(-2 Physical Damage)
Doing some quick mental math, I figured out my strategy. Each blue slime had around 40 health. My sword dealt 13 damage per hit, meaning it would take three solid strikes to take one down.
"Alright," I muttered under my breath, gripping the sword tighter. "Three hits each. Let's do this."
The slime wobbled as it tried to recover from my first strike, but I wasn’t about to let it catch its balance. With a quick step forward, I swung my sword again, aiming for its core.
"Hey, why did you go along with Catherine?" Sophia asked, her head tilting with curious innocence, her crimson hair swaying lightly with the breeze. Her sudden question snapped me out of focus for a moment, forcing me to adjust my stance.
"Is there a reason?" I replied, striking the slime again. The blade sliced through its gelatinous body, leaving it wobbling with 12 health remaining. Before I could finish the job, the swallowtail butterfly flitted in once more, its delicate wings shimmering as it dove at the slime, delivering another small yet precise hit.
(-2 Physical Damage)
The slime was barely holding itself together now, but Sophia’s words lingered in the air, stealing more of my attention.
"You know she’s a witch, right?" she added, her tone light but with an undertone that suggested there was more to her question than idle curiosity.
I glanced at her briefly, brow furrowing, before returning my focus to the nearly defeated slime. “Yeah, I know,” I said as I readied the final strike. “So?”
Without giving the slime a chance to latch onto me, I struck swiftly, my blade slicing cleanly through its gelatinous form. The creature wobbled one last time before dissolving into nothingness, leaving behind a shimmering Luminous Gem in its place.
[+10 EXP]
[+5 Weapon EXP]
I crouched down, picking up the glowing gem. Its surface pulsed faintly, warm to the touch, and I couldn’t help but admire its soft light for a moment. Then, with a simple thought, I made it vanish into my inventory.
[+1 Luminous Gem]
“I guess everyone has a reason,” Sophia sighed, her voice carrying a strange mixture of resignation and concern, “though, I suggest you return to Vulprithal.”
“Why?” I asked, my grip on the sword tightening as her words sank in.
Sophia’s expression turned serious, the playful glint in her golden eyes dimming slightly. “That village…” she began, referring to the small, quiet settlement near Catherine’s hilltop house. “It might not stay isolated for much longer.”
I tilted my head, puzzled. “I… see?”
She nodded, her gaze drifting toward the horizon. “The villagers there are good people—kind, simple folk. They’ve lived peacefully for years, relying on Catherine’s wards and the natural remoteness of the area to keep trouble away. But now…” Sophia paused, her wings fluttering as if to shake off an unseen weight. “Now that Thalradia is in chaos, things are going to change. There will be refugees—desperate people with nowhere else to go. And some of them will come to that village.”
I pondered for a moment. There was nowhere else I could go. That village was the only place I knew since I had been reincarnated here as Mashiro.
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“Though, as I’ve said, everyone has their own reason,” Sophia said with a sigh, breaking the silence. “I don’t know why a fox girl like you left The Golden City of Foxes. So really, I shouldn’t pry like that. Sorry.”
Her words caught me off guard, and I glanced at her with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. “No, it’s…” My voice faltered, unsure of how to finish the sentence. What could I even say? I didn’t remember leaving any such city—or even being a part of it.
Sophia gave me a sly smile, her golden eyes sparkling with mischief. “Heh, Catherine already toad me, but actually seeing you, you’re one weird fox girl.”
“Toad…?” I repeated, tilting my head as her words sank in. Before I could process what she meant, a sudden blur in the corner of my vision made me flinch.
SPLAT.
A giant toad, roughly the size of a shoe, slammed into my face with a wet thwack. Startled, I let out a muffled yelp, stumbling back and waving my arms in an attempt to peel the slimy creature off.
“Ugh! What—?!” I sputtered, finally managing to push the sticky amphibian away from my face. It landed on the ground with an indignant croak, glaring at me as though I’d offended it.
Sophia burst out laughing, clutching her sides as her wings fluttered from the force of her amusement. “Oh my gods, that was perfect! Toad me, get it? I toad you!” she managed between fits of laughter, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
I wiped the mucus off my face with a look of utter disbelief, glaring at Sophia as the toad hopped lazily away. “You planned that, didn’t you?!”
She grinned, completely unrepentant. “Maybe. Maybe not. But you’ve gotta admit—it’s hilarious.”
I wiped away the gross slime from my face, grimacing as the sensation lingered on my hands. Turning my attention to the culprit, I focused on the giant frog, and a glowing interface appeared before me.
<
Health Points: 80/80 [100%]
Category: Monsters
Description: A slimy frog. Watch out for its long tongue, or it will cause you unbelievable psychological damage.
I stared at the description, blinking in disbelief. Unbelievable psychological damage? What did that even mean? Was it referring to how gross it was or… something else? Either way, I wasn’t about to let this slimy creature get the better of me.
Sophia, who was still perched on the rock nearby, giggled as she watched me. “Careful, Mashiro. If you’re not quick enough, that tongue might scar you for life—mentally, at least.”
I shot her an unimpressed glare. “Thanks for the warning,” I said dryly, gripping my sword. “You’re such a great babysitter.”
“You’re welcome!” she replied cheerfully, clearly enjoying my predicament.
The frog let out a low croak, its beady eyes fixed on me. Its long, sticky tongue flicked out slightly as if it were sizing me up. My grip tightened on the hilt of my sword. Alright, slimy little monster. Let’s see if you can handle this.
I lunged forward, my sword slashing through the air as it connected with the frog's slimy body. A faint text bubble popped up next to it:
(-13 Physical Damage)
The creature let out a guttural croak, but before I could follow up with another strike, its long, sticky tongue shot out like a whip.
“Ugh—what the—?!”
The tongue wrapped around my sword first, the slimy texture making it hard to maintain my grip. Before I could react, it encircled my wrist and then coiled around my body like a grotesque snake.
“Ew! Let go of me, you disgusting—ugh!” I struggled, but the more I moved, the tighter the tongue’s grip became. My sword was trapped, and my arms were pinned to my sides.
From her spot on the rock, Sophia burst into laughter, clutching her stomach as her wings twitched in amusement. “Oh my gosh, I told you to be careful of the tongue!” she teased.
“This isn’t funny, Sophia!” I snapped, wriggling in vain against the frog’s slimy hold. The smell was unbearable, like damp moss and rotten algae, and the sensation of the slimy texture against my skin made my stomach churn.
“Alright, alright,” Sophia said, wiping a tear from her eye as she stood up. Her voice was still laced with amusement. “Want me to save you, or are you going to figure it out on your own, heroine?”
I glared at her. “Just—ugh—give me a second! I can handle this!”
The swallowtail butterfly, the one that had been quietly hovering around earlier ever since I slashed it, darted toward me with a flash of blue. It circled the frog’s tongue for a moment, then swooped in with surprising speed.
Before I could even react, the butterfly released a glowing burst of energy, dealing 2 damage, and the tongue around my body loosened with a sudden, sharp snap. I fell to the ground, gasping in relief as the frog’s grip released me.
“Whew!” I said, taking a deep breath and quickly reaching for my sword, which had been freed from the frog’s hold. “That was way too close.”
Sophia, her laughter dying down, gave a playful shrug. “Well, you seemed like you needed a little help. That butterfly’s actually more useful than it looks.”
I nodded, catching my breath. “I’m going to need more than that butterfly next time if I’m going to deal with frogs like this.”
The frog, meanwhile, was still disoriented from the butterfly’s intervention. With a determined look, I steadied my sword and prepared to finish the job.