After Anyi finished explaining how to check their passive abilities and buffs, Miruku’s heart calmed, though the effects of [Lustlessness] and [Holy Maiden] still left her feeling a bit complicated.

How had she jumped to such wild conclusions in the first place? She couldn't even remember now.

"But I still don’t get it,” Ariana said, her head tilted curiously as she glanced towards Miruku. “Why do I have to keep this a secret? Why can’t I sleep with Anyi?”

Her tone was casual, without any real weight behind the question. Ariana simply wanted to know, though it was clear that even if she didn’t get an answer, she'd happily comply with Anyi’s request.

Miruku, summoning her courage, replied, “Because... men and women should only sleep together after marriage.”

"Ah..." Ariana's expression froze, a realization dawning upon her. Marriage. Even she understood what that word meant.

A faint blush crept over her face as her mind replayed the moments from last night. 'So, I had been doing something super strange?!' Anyi’s words about the "special relationship between men and women" now made much more sense.

In a sudden burst of guilt, Ariana exclaimed, "Sorry!!" She turned to Anyi, her face flushed. "I’ll take responsibility for this!"

Anyi raised an eyebrow, amused. "Shouldn’t that line come from me?"

Truthfully, there was no need for any responsibility; just understanding the seriousness of the situation was enough.

"So... I’ll take my leave then?" Miruku nervously offered, her lips curling into a forced smile.

"No."

"No!" Anyi and Ariana spoke in unison.

Miruku sank back into her chair, her face flushed with embarrassment. 'I got ahead of myself, didn’t I?'

Anyi, trying to settle the matter, suggested, “How about we say the Holy Maiden was in Miss Miruku’s room last night?”

Miruku’s eyes widened. "They... they already checked my room," she stammered.

"Then let’s say you didn’t open the door because you didn’t want the hassle. Pretended not to wake up, right?" Anyi suggested with a smirk.

Miruku gasped. 'How does he know?!' Her mind raced. 'Can he see through me... or read minds?'

"Is it normal for girls to sleep together?" Ariana asked innocently.

"Yes, it’s perfectly normal," Anyi assured her. "At least there won't be any misunderstandings."

Ariana nodded decisively. "Then from now on, I’ll say I slept in Miruku’s room!"

Miruku could only nod, muttering a quiet, "Good... good..." The situation had taken on a life of its own.

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After a few more minutes of planning and explaining, the three of them finally left Anyi’s room. Anyi made his way downstairs first, while Ariana and Miruku headed back towards the latter’s bedroom.

As they reached the door, Ariana turned to Miruku and asked, “Can you help me change my clothes?”

"Uh... what?"

Ariana smiled warmly. "Back at the temple, someone always helped me dress every morning. The Holy Maiden’s attire is really complicated, and I’m not very good at it. Can you help me?"

Miruku hesitated. 'She doesn’t know?' She let out a soft sigh. "Ah... yes, of course."

What Ariana didn’t know was that Miruku herself, when younger, had relied on servants to help her dress. Even now, the elaborate gown she considered her favorite was something she barely knew how to put on by herself.

About ten minutes later, Ariana and Miruku descended the stairs, though not without signs of their hasty morning. Ariana’s robes were slightly askew, and the color had drained from Miruku’s face, leaving her looking both pale and flustered.

As soon as the female believers saw Ariana, they swarmed her, concerned and curious. They had gone to wake her earlier, only to find her room empty, prompting a frantic search.

Ariana, unfazed, offered the excuse she and Anyi had prepared. "I spent the night in Miruku’s room," she said with a serene smile.

Miruku, standing beside her, nodded frantically, her head bobbing up and down. "Yes, yes, that's right. Exactly that!" she echoed, her nervousness painfully clear.

The explanation was accepted, and after a quick breakfast, the group set off. Villagers gathered to watch the procession as they made their way toward the ominous Slime Forest, which loomed just beyond the horizon.

On the road, the two female Heroes opted to ride in the carriage, while Anyi and Layton walked beside the group. Ariana sat by the carriage window, gazing dreamily at the passing scenery, while Miruku sat stiffly on the other side, lost in her own thoughts.

Outside, Layton was talking with one of the local villagers who served as their guide.

“Has anyone from your village ever ventured into that dense forest?” Layton asked, pointing toward the dark mass of trees ahead.

The villager shook his head. “Long ago, a few brave souls tried, but none ever came back. Since then, we’ve steered clear of the place.”

“That doesn’t sound promising,” Anyi said lightly, though his mind was already focused on the task ahead. He knew what awaited them in the forest—the domain of the Slime King. Entering would be easy, but leaving would be a different story.

Monsters like the Slime King weren’t picky. They might not eat humans, but they’d certainly kill them, given the chance.

The villager continued, “We mostly keep to the fields near the forest's edge. No one dares go deeper. Even when we clear out the slimes that wander out, we never go far inside.”

“Then it's all the more reason for us to go in,” Layton said, his tone growing more resolute. “We must find the source of these slimes and put an end to them once and for all. That is our duty as Heroes!”

The villagers cheered, their spirits lifted by Layton’s declaration, and the group pressed on.

It felt like hours before they finally reached the jungle's edge. The towering trees were so thick and overgrown that the path ahead was swallowed in darkness. Even from this distance, slimes of various sizes could be seen bouncing out from the shadows, their gelatinous bodies shimmering in the light.

In the open wilderness, a handful of Slime Cleaners were busy at work, dressed in their plain uniforms and tirelessly clearing the slimes. These workers, simple villagers like the rest, noticed the approaching heroes and gathered around them.

“Are you heading into the mountains?” one of the Slime Cleaners asked, wiping the sweat from his brow.

The villager guide answered with pride. “The Heroes are going to the forest to find the source of the slime and destroy it once and for all!”

The news spread quickly among the Slime Cleaners, and excitement rippled through the group. They had spent years battling the seemingly endless waves of slimes, with no hope of ever stopping their advance. Now, at last, there was a chance for that burden to be lifted.

“If they can stop the slimes,” one of the workers muttered, “maybe we can finally rest.”

The heroes nodded to the gathered workers as they prepared themselves mentally for the perilous journey into the heart of the jungle, where the Slime King awaited. The air was thick with tension, but also with hope.

If they could succeed, the village’s long nightmare might finally come to an end.