After Vaelithra left, silence filled the cave.
A heavy, uncomfortable silence.
The slime stayed still, its thoughts spiraling.
How did I lose my mana…?
What even am I now…?
Meanwhile, the boy stared at the ground.
No mana… no system… no power…
His fists clenched weakly.
"What kind of isekai is this…?"
He muttered bitterly.
"Aren't I supposed to be overpowered? Born into a noble family or something?"
Instead—
"I woke up in a bucket… almost died… and now I don't even have cheat abilities…"
His voice dropped.
"…This sucks."
The slime glanced at him.
"…Hey."
The boy didn't respond.
"…How was your world?"
"…What?"
"You said you came from another world. I was just asking… what it was like."
A pause.
"…I don't remember much."
The slime blinked.
"Did you hit your head or something?"
"No."
"…Memory loss?"
"No."
The boy's voice sharpened slightly.
"I said I just don't remember clearly."
Silence.
Then—
"The last thing I remember…"
His eyes darkened.
"…is getting shot."
"…By someone who hated me."
"And I was smiling."
The slime froze.
"…Oh."
Another pause.
"…Do you miss your world?"
The boy looked away.
"I don't even know if there was anyone I cared about."
"…Or anyone who cared about me."
"…So I don't know."
The air grew heavy again.
Sensing the mood, the slime quickly changed the topic.
"…I still don't understand how you got reborn."
The boy exhaled.
"Maybe some ancient magic?"
The slime shook slightly.
"If something like that existed, my lady would know."
"…Why?"
"She's been alive for over a thousand years."
"Even before the first Demon King war… around two thousand years ago."
"…Damn."
Both fell into thought again.
"…Then how did I end up here?"
After a moment, the slime said—
"…Maybe it's God."
"…Seriously?"
The boy gave him a flat look.
"You believe in something you've never seen?"
The slime replied calmly,
"Anything beyond our understanding… people call it God."
"…Fair."
The boy shrugged.
"In my world, there were many gods. I never really believed in any of them."
"In this world," the slime said, "there are only two."
The boy leaned forward slightly.
"…Two?"
"Aurelion—the God of Humans."
"And Nytherion—the God of Demons."
"And below them… sub-gods. Their servants."
"…Interesting."
The boy looked around.
"I wonder what they look like."
The slime paused.
"…There might be statues somewhere in this cave."
"…Let's go."
The slime carried him as they moved through the cave.
Through narrow tunnels.
Past jagged walls.
Until—
They found them.
Two massive statues.
Covered in dust.
"…Whoa."
The boy stared.
"They look… human."
"Just imagination," the slime replied.
"No one has ever truly seen them."
"In human lands, they say Aurelion looks like a beautiful woman."
"And in demon lands… Nytherion is depicted as a cruel man."
"…Sounds familiar."
The boy muttered.
Then—
He squinted upward.
"…Wait."
"What is that?"
The slime tilted slightly.
"What?"
"Those glowing red things…"
"…Don't tell me those are—"
Slowly, both of them looked up.
A creature clung to the ceiling.
A spider.
Its red eyes glowed in the darkness.
"SSSSS…"
"…Oh."
The slime froze.
"…OH."
Then—
"AAAAAAHHHH!!! RUN—!!"
It panicked and started wobbling around wildly.
"Relax," the boy said.
"…You do realize you're carrying me, right?"
The spider slowly descended.
Hanging by its web.
Closer.
Closer.
"…We're going to die…" the slime muttered.
"…Nah."
The slime blinked.
"…What?"
"I think I'm safe."
"…WHY?!"
The boy pointed.
"It's staring at you. Not me."
"…Huh?"
The slime slowly looked up again.
"…Oh no."
"…IT'S TRUE—!!"
Panic intensified.
"…I'M DEAD!"
"Then fight it."
"…I'm a low-rank monster!" the slime cried. "That's a spider monster! Even if it's young, it's stronger than me!"
"…And you call yourself a demon slime?"
"That just means I can think!"
"…Useless."
"HEY—!"
"Focus," the boy snapped. "Make something. A weapon."
"…Like what?!"
"…Tentacles?"
"…I've never tried that!"
"Then try now unless you want to be dinner!"
The spider dropped lower.
Almost within reach.
The slime panicked—
And suddenly—
A tentacle formed.
It lashed out.
Missed completely.
"…Wow," the boy said. "That wasn't even close."
"STOP COMMENTATING AND HELP!"
"…Fine."
The boy narrowed his eyes.
"If one attack doesn't work…"
"…Use many."
The slime paused.
Then—
Dozens of tentacles formed at once.
They shot forward wildly—
One struck the web.
SNAP.
The spider fell.
THUD!
It twitched on the ground, legs broken.
"…Finish it," the boy said.
"I can't control the shape!"
"…Then use a rock."
"…Oh."
The slime picked one up and smashed it down.
CRACK.
Silence.
"…It's dead."
The slime collapsed in relief.
"…I survived…"
It even whispered a small prayer.
"Why are you two over there?"
A familiar voice echoed.
Both turned.
Vaelithra had returned.
"I told you to stay in one place."
The boy immediately pointed.
"It was the slime's fault."
"WHAT—?!"
The slime rushed to her, clinging tightly.
"I'm sorry! I'll never disobey again!"
Vaelithra sighed.
Then paused.
"…Wait."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Why are both of you…"
"…emitting mana?"