Chapter 67: Mochi’s Secret

Of course, combination magic was apparently considered intermediate level magic.

When Viktor had seen him perform it, he had simply sighed and muttered, "You really are something else..."

But that was another story.

In any case, Qiu Nuoya was fully equipped today.

If all he had to do was stay where he was and wait, nothing should happen.

"I... I’ll protect him properly this time."

Warren spoke with determination, even though he stumbled over his words.

"It’ll be fine."

It was obvious he wanted to make up for his previous failure.

Qiu Nuoya admired that resolve.

Even after hearing Warren’s promise, Viktor still looked dissatisfied.

Only after Qiu Nuoya repeatedly assured him that everything would be fine did Viktor finally give in.

"Very well. But I am putting up a defensive barrier." He looked directly at both of them. "Do not leave it under any circumstances."

With that, Viktor traced a circle around Qiu Nuoya and Warren using his staff.

Lines of glowing characters appeared wherever the tip of the staff passed.

Once the circle was complete, it flashed brightly.

A transparent wall instantly formed around them.

So this was a defensive barrier.

Curious, Qiu Nuoya gently touched the invisible wall.

Ripples of rainbow colored light spread outward from his fingertips.

There really was something there.

Still, it looked so thin that it resembled nothing more than a transparent film.

Could something like this really protect them?

It was not that he doubted Viktor.

It just felt a little difficult to trust something that looked so fragile.

After reminding them one last time not to leave the barrier under any circumstances, Viktor departed with Igor toward the mysterious magic circle.

Qiu Nuoya and Warren then quietly sat down where they were.

Fortunately, they had already passed through the marshy ground.

At least they would not have to wait in the mud.

"Hey, Nuoya."

"Hm? What is it?"

"What exactly is your special power?"

Ah, right.

Warren still did not know about his non elemental magic.

Warren looked at him with a serious expression.

However, Qiu Nuoya felt that this was not something he should casually tell other people.

"I think I have a talent for magic," Qiu Nuoya explained. "Apparently, I can use magic from every element. Viktor believed in my abilities and took me in as his disciple, but it seems other people have also started taking notice of me. The Saintess even asked if I wanted to become a Divine Child..."

In reality, Sherria had gone beyond calling him a Divine Child.

She had claimed that he was the reincarnation of a Saint. But that was something Qiu Nuoya decided was better left unsaid.

God had really gone too far.

"A Divine Child?" Warren’s eyes widened. "Then shouldn’t you stop being an adventurer? Isn’t becoming a priest or some kind of religious figure something only chosen people can do? That’s a position of honor!"

Warren looked genuinely amazed. But for Qiu Nuoya, it felt like far too much responsibility.

"Well... I’m not really interested in that kind of thing," Qiu Nuoya admitted. "I’m enjoying my current life. Besides, doesn’t becoming a Divine Child sound kind of restrictive? I don’t like being placed above other people, and I don’t think that kind of life suits me."

"Is that so?"

"You think I would be better suited for a religious role than being an adventurer?"

"At least, it feels like you would be more suited for that than being an adventurer," Warren replied honestly. "I mean, someone who says a slime is too cute to kill doesn’t really seem like the type of person who belongs as an adventurer."

When Warren said that, Qiu Nuoya found it difficult to deny it completely.

Still, he had defeated the Horn Rabbits with his own hands, and it was not as though he disliked being an adventurer.

"But still, the Saintess collapsed when she saw Mochi. Isn’t that a little cruel? Mochi is really cute."

To the Saintess, or rather to those in religious positions, monsters were probably nothing more than monsters.

They were seen as evil beings.

That was why Sherria had been so shocked when she saw Qiu Nuoya commanding a monster. But monsters were living creatures with their own thoughts and feelings.

Qiu Nuoya felt that treating them all as evil without exception was rather disrespectful.

Mochi, who seemed to have decided that the inside pocket of Qiu Nuoya’s robe was its usual spot, suddenly poked its face out.

[ Were you calling me～? ]

Qiu Nuoya smiled and gently patted Mochi. "Nothing. I was just talking about you."

"Now that you mention it, your slime is pretty unusual too," Warren said. "It even eats other slimes."

"Huh? Eats other slimes!?"

"It does, doesn’t it? That’s why the number of slimes in the western grasslands dropped so much."

Was that really considered eating other slimes?

No, that was not right.

Mochi and the others were simply merging together.

They could still separate into individual slimes whenever they wanted.

[ We don’t eat our friends～ ]

See?

Even Mochi said so.

Of course, Warren could not hear its voice.

"Hey, Warren, Mochi isn’t eating other slimes," Qiu Nuoya explained. "It’s a little difficult to explain, but the correct way to think about it is that multiple slimes combine together and become a single being called Mochi."

"Huh?"

Warren tilted his head with an expression that clearly showed he did not understand.

"Maybe it would be faster if I showed you. Mochi, can you split apart right now?"

[ I can～ ]

Before Warren could even finish reacting, Mochi began splitting apart with a soft squishy sound.

Several slimes separated from the main body.

Each individual slime was small and energetic, bouncing freely around inside the barrier.

They jumped around wildly, bumped into the transparent barrier wall, bounced back, and began playing.

[ This is fun～ ]

"What... what is this!?" Warren stared in complete shock.

"Surprising, right? But all of these are Mochi," Qiu Nuoya explained. "Normally, Mochi looks like a single slime, but it’s actually a group made up of many slimes. I still don’t fully understand how it works either, but slimes really are interesting."