chapter 16

“How do you defeat a monster like this?”

Ouka drank an MP potion.

She was staring at the slime that was swaying and shaking, while she herself was swaying and shaking.

“You were hasty this time. All right, listen to me.”

I point to the top of the slime, the part of the slime that spewed acid earlier.

“The acid slime has a head that’s hard to see, but looks like an an*s.”

“An*s.”

“Yes, wrinkled and slightly twisted,’ doesn’t matter what shape it’s in. The slime doesn’t basically attack you, but when stimulated, it reflexively spews acid out of these holes.”

“It’s not …… that way… that would melt your weapons.”

“You think?”

I take the dagger out of the item box.

Then I slashed the slime as hard as I could.

“What? That’s ……?”

The torn slime scattered in four pieces, splattering the body fluids and the pieces of stone that were inside the body.

They were on me and Ouka, but they weren’t hot, and they didn’t burn my skin. Of course, the daggers hadn’t melted, either.

“Master, what is the meaning of this?”

“The only time the slime’s bodily fluids turn to acid is when it’s spewed out of the hole at the top. So it’s not a problem to slice through it.”

We stepped forward and went further into the forest.

“But not this way.”

“No?”

“As you can see now, the slime’s bodily fluids will be splattered all over the place. If this is a quest that calls for slime bodily fluids you fail.”

Another slime has appeared.

“So where do you think we should be aiming for?”

“Aiming, I suppose …… is the only way to get to the black stone.”

“Good answer. Well done.”

I pat Ouka’s head. ‘Yay,’ says Ouka, raising her hands.

I put the dagger in her hand.

“Let’s try it.”

“Uh, yes.”

Ouka gets a little closer to the slime.

“You’re too slow!”

“So, you know, if it gets blown to pieces again…”

“If you don’t like it, then…aim to kill”

I push Ouka, who looks uncomfortable, back.

“Uh, yeah!”

Ouka swung the dagger down in an unaccustomed way.

She managed to stick it into the black stone inside the slime’s body.

The slime stops wiggling completely.

“Is this ……?”

“That stone is the slime’s weakness. Every creature has its weaknesses and strengths. If you remember that, you’ll find out how to defeat other monsters, too.”

“Yes! I’ll keep that in mind!”

“Now, all we have to do is get the fluid out from where you stabbed it.”

She has pulled out the dagger of the slime and picks up the black stone from the crushed slime carcass.

“These stones will prove that you killed the slime. If you collect some of them and bring them to the guild, they’ll be worth at least some pocket money.”

“That’s why you’re so obsessed with the way you defeat it.”

“I see,” said Ouka, nodding repeatedly.

“As an adventurer on a quest, you have to cater to your customers’ detailed wishes. Like, ‘Don’t damage the hides,’ or ‘Only collect good quality items’.”

“It’s tough being an adventurer……”

“I’m doing this for money. Adventure is a bonus.”

You have to work to live. There is no room in this world for a carefree adventurer.