Chapter 65

Since it's not right to be a stray, let's go and register properly.

I think even dogs in the real world have recently become like that, right?? ← I've never had a pet

Ancient Slime.

Already a super-rare monster, most adventurers only know of it from books or rumors. Even the smallest can grow to the size of a two-story building, and in a dungeon, it's a monster that's very difficult to defeat due to its elasticity and massive body. The materials it drops are undoubtedly rare, but in this world without magic, the higher the slime's rank, the harder it is to defeat. ...It's difficult to cut elastic rubber. You need enough power to crush it.

Of course, a skilled person can cut it. However, the opponent is a massive slime. A troublesome monster that won't disappear unless its core is shattered. The only saving grace is that most slimes are gentle and rarely attack unless provoked.

So, Yūri, who picked up this ultra-rare, out-of-the-ordinary mutant Ancient Slime without a second thought, stood at the entrance of the Adventurer's Guild, holding a soccer ball-sized slime. He thought about making it look like a puppy, but Arore rejected it because it would reveal that the slime could mimic. A soccer ball-sized slime would be considered low to mid-level, so it wouldn't cause much fear if he walked around with it in slime form.

Thinking it was a puppy, Yūri picked up the slime and took it home, and after Arore, a monster tamer, explained various things, Yūri decided he wanted to keep it. The slime had also become attached to Yūri, so with its own will, they decided to keep it at their hideout.

However, no matter how gentle or friendly a monster is, or how well you can communicate with it, it's still a monster. Since the guild's window was already closed that day, the slime slept with Yūri as a pillow. The next morning, during breakfast, Arore told Yūri to go register the familiar quickly, leaving the other chores to the apprentices.

By the way, Arore, the monster tamer, would handle all the procedures for Yūri, who didn't know anything. ...Arore was a professional in this field, while Yūri was a high school boy being taken care of by a 10-year-old.

"Hey, isn't that the kid from the other day? What are you doing with a slime?"

"...Huh? Ah, hello. I came to register a familiar today."

"Familiar? That slime?"

"Yes."

The adventurer who approached Yūri, who was smiling while holding the slime, was the same one who was at the guild during the commotion when Yūri identified the subservient accessory. He was armed, so he was probably heading out on a mission. Seeing Yūri's innocent smile and the slime he was holding, the man tilted his head in confusion.

"Do you know which counter to go to? I can show you if you want."

"Ah, that's—"

"I'm here, so it's not necessary."

The man's offer was quickly declined by Arore, who had just come out of the guild. The 10-year-old, still with a white snake wrapped around her neck, glanced at the man and said it wasn't necessary again. Despite her occasional childlike moments when her emotions were out of control, Arore generally maintained a mature demeanor and didn't change her attitude even with the man.

The man didn't seem annoyed but looked at Arore curiously. She looked like just a child. The only unusual thing was the white snake around her neck, but Arore still looked like a 10-year-old. Her confident demeanor made the man a bit worried. Despite his rough appearance as an adventurer, he seemed kind. Or perhaps it was because Yūri and Arore, as a pair, looked so young. ...Yūri, with his childlike face in this world, looked like a child. He was 17, but he looked much younger.

"Are you really okay?"

"I said I'm okay."

"Arore, be careful with your tone. Thank you for your concern. But Arore is a monster tamer, so it's fine."

"Is this kid a monster tamer?!"

The man exclaimed in surprise. His shout drew reactions from the people in the guild. Being a monster tamer requires special abilities. Just having knowledge about monsters isn't enough. You must be able to control and communicate with them to be a true monster tamer. ...Forcing monsters to obey with drugs or something doesn't count.

The man understood that Arore was a genuine monster tamer from Yūri's words. He was astonished that such a young child could have such a profession. That was fine. It was understandable. But...

"...Who called me a kid?"

"Sir, Arore is a girl."

"...Eh?"

For the first time, Arore pouted like a child, not her usual mature self. She buried her face in the white snake around her neck, completely pouting. Yūri, on her behalf, told the man the truth. The man was surprised and looked at the child who called himself "I." The shirt was a pull-over with no buttons, and the loose-fitting pants and shirt made it impossible to tell the figure. However, there was no hint of femininity.

"Girl?"

"I'm sorry. I don't have much of a feminine side, but I am a girl."

"Arore is so cute, though?"

"Only Yūri says that."

"That's not true. You're cute, cute."

Yūri patted Arore's head, who was pouting. The slime also bumped into Arore's legs to comfort her. Comforted by the two, Arore exhaled and started walking with Yūri. ...Still, Arore stuck her tongue out at the man as they left, showing she was still a child.

Yūri was led by Arore to... the Guild Master's office for some reason. Yūri tilted his head, wondering why, but Arore was calm. The Guild Master, who greeted them, still looked like an old butler. The monocle suited him well today.

"Welcome, Yūri. Arore, you've worked hard."

"I apologize for the sudden and unusual request. However, I thought it would be more constructive to inform the Guild Master."

"You're still so formal. So, this is a matter important enough for you to come here?"

"Yes."

The conversation progressed without Yūri, who was left behind. "Something big is happening," Yūri said to the slime in his arms. The slime chirped softly and rubbed against Yūri's stomach, showing affection.

Arore, glancing at Yūri and the slime, pointed at the slime. The slime, suddenly pointed at, chirped curiously and looked at Arore.

"Guild Master, this slime was picked up by Yūri. ...It's a mutant Ancient Slime."

"...What?"

The experienced Guild Master looked at Arore, then the slime, then Yūri, and then the slime again, taken aback. The slime, aware of the attention, jumped and chirped energetically. ...No one had asked for a response.

Adjusting his monocle, the Guild Master looked at the slime again. It was only the size of a low to mid-level slime. The color was a slightly unusual golden translucent, but it wasn't unheard of. Slimes are generally known to be blue, green, red, or yellow, but there are others. So, it wasn't a big deal.

However, the fact that it was a legendary monster and a mutant was the real issue. The Guild Master glanced at Arore, but she avoided his gaze, as if to say, "I'm not involved." She wasn't, as Yūri had just picked it up, thinking it was a puppy.

"...Arore?"

"Yūri picked it up."

"I thought it was a puppy~"

Both Arore and Yūri declared they weren't at fault. The Guild Master held his head in his hands. Despite being a capable person, he was overwhelmed by the unexpected situation. During the subservient accessory incident, he had handled it without much fuss. Yūri was curious, but it was a bombshell.

"Anyway, Yūri wants to register this slime as a familiar, so please help with the registration."

"...So, you came directly here?"

"Yes. If we went to the counter, it would cause a commotion."

"True..."

The Guild Master sighed and tried to hand Arore the forms, but Arore had already filled them out and handed them back. ...She was a capable 10-year-old.

The Guild Master checked the information and entered it into the registration crystal. This crystal was the same one used to create guild cards and was an artificial artifact. The information entered was reflected on the card, which updated the owner's information in real-time. No one knew how it worked.

Yūri, as requested, offered a drop of blood, and the slime, as instructed, offered a part of its body. ...Usually, it would be blood or bodily fluids, but for slimes, it was a part of the body. ...Where does the blood flow in this jelly-like creature?

"By the way, Arore, who decided on the name Luke for this slime?"

"...It already had a name."

"...A mutant Ancient Slime with a name?"

"Yes."

"......I see. Please be very careful with it."

The Guild Master held his head in his hands, groaning. It wasn't their fault, but Yūri and Arore couldn't help but apologize. They weren't at fault. They just picked up a slime that was out of the ordinary.

Monsters generally don't have names, and monster tamers name them when they make them familiars. This establishes a master-servant relationship. Occasionally, monsters have their own names, known as "name-holders," and they are known to have higher base abilities.

...Think about it. It's already a super-rare Ancient Slime. Moreover, it's a mutant. And it's a name-holder. The cute slime chirping "kupi kupi" has monstrous stats.

...Actually, it's just very attached to Yūri and wants to play, like a puppy.

The completed familiar registration card was handed to Yūri, along with a tag with the guild emblem. When Yūri tilted his head, Arore showed him the part of the white snake around her neck and explained.

"The tag is proof of the familiar, so you need to attach it to the familiar."

"...Arore?"

"What?"

"Wouldn't a collar be impossible for Luke?"

"Kui?"

Yūri called the slime "Luke" because it was a name-holder. The slime, now called Luke, seemed to have no objections and was happy with any name Yūri called it. ...Was it conditioned or imprinted?

For beast-type monsters, you could attach the tag to their neck or legs. For snakes, you could wrap a string around them. But how do you attach it to a jelly-like slime that bounces around?

"...For slimes, I think it's usually embedded in the forehead?"

"Embedded!? Wouldn't that hurt Luke?"

"Would a slime hurt from that?"

"Eh? Really? But embedding a tag directly... isn't cute."

"Don't prioritize cuteness!"

"It hurts."

That's not the point, Arore said, hitting Yūri on the head. It didn't hurt much since she was a 10-year-old, but it still hurt. Luke chirped a bit angrily, but the white snake around Arore's neck hissed, and Luke calmed down. ...The familiars must have communicated.

"Anyway, if you want it to be cute, think about some accessories later. For now, you need to prove it's a familiar, so attach it."

"Okay... Luke, tell me if it hurts, okay?"

"That level of pain won't hurt a slime."

After petting Luke's forehead, Yūri pushed the tag into it. Luke didn't show any pain and remained still. The tag sank in and then popped back out, but it didn't fall off, sticking like it was welded. ...Typical of a slime.

"Anyway, now people will know it's a familiar, so it's fine."

"Can I take it shopping?"

"...It's fine, but..."

"Most people aren't familiar with familiars, so be careful not to scare them."

"Luke is so cute, it'll be fine!"

"..."

The two thought it might not be, but they were too lazy to argue and remained silent. Indeed, the friendly Luke looked more like a puppy than a monster. Especially since Yūri was with it, it looked quite endearing. They forced themselves to accept this.

So, Yūri successfully registered the familiar and decided to walk around with the mutant Ancient Slime, now called Luke, as a pet.

So, the slime's name is Luke.

But Yūri calls it "Luke."

Yūri feels very sorry for the Guild Master.

I look forward to your comments and feedback.