After storing the lesser troll’s head in his Inventory, Paulen had decided to take the slime back to the Holy City with Amelia, the next saintess. On the way, he regained his composure.
'Can we really take it with us?'
The slime’s vibrating head massage had made him blurt out an offer to take it along without thinking. Its vibrations had been that soothing and pleasant. For Paulen, who never skipped his training, they were like a massage loosening his taut muscles.
But thinking about it calmly, was it really all right to bring a monster into the Holy City?
'Then again, wouldn’t it be fine?'
The famous Starlight Archer, Nellin, lived in the Green Elf Forest. There were rumors that the daughter of the count who ruled the nearby County of Rudendion also went on inspection tours with a slime on her head.
'When I first heard that story, I thought it was utter nonsense.'
Paulen looked at the slime on Amelia’s head.
“Do you like being up there that much?”
The slime vibrated vigorously.
“Ah, aaah! All right. Stay right there...”
'Wouldn’t it be fine?'
Even to him, a Paladin, the scene looked harmless.
Meanwhile...
▶What’s going on? Why’s it with new hoomans again?
▶This little shit just likes hoomans lmao
▶Ah~ I’d like hoomans too if they fed me and gave me a place to sleep~
[Madam Cat's Cradle]▶Looks like you’ve found some new humans, Squishy!
▶No hooman hunting?
▶Go to another stream.
Viewers who returned after a while to see whether anything had changed also discovered that the slime was once again with humans.
[Slam First Ask Later]▶That hooman looks like he could pull off a powerful Body Slam.
▶Is slamming all you ever think about?
▶Ah! Slam seX!
[Squishy Queen]▶Enough of that vulgar language, you filthy creature!
▶Don’t wanna~ Gonna keep doing it~
▶Like I care?
▶So where are you going?
Amid the idle chatter, a few viewers began asking sensible questions.
▷The Holy City!
▶Ah, the Holy City. Got it, totally understood
▶What’s a Holy City?
[Gothic Luxury Bone]▶The Holy City is a place where many humans who believe in God live.
▶What’s God, then?
▶Think it’s the boss of those hoomans that suddenly flash bright lights.
[Noblesse Fire]▶Lmaooo aren’t those your natural enemies, you bony bastard? Lmao
[Gothic Luxury Bone]▶Do you think the paltry holy power humans emit could destroy me? This is why pathetic shut-in loser dragons are hopeless.
[Noblesse Fire]▶Yeah~ That light hoomans give off hurts like hell when it hits you, doesn’t it? Doesn’t hurt me~
The fire dragon was delighted to finally have another chance to tease Luxury Bone, the bone dragon.
After watching the chat all this time, the slime had learned that it could ignore exchanges like these. So it typed what it wanted to ask without waiting.
▷What’s in the Holy City?
▶Dunno?
▶How would we know about hooman cities?
[Free Spirit]▶It’s a place where lots of hoomans who believe in a being called God live.
▷What’s God?
[Free Spirit]▶A being that gives hoomans special powers.
▶That’s so fucking unfair. Why don’t we have a god? Waaah, give me powers.
▶Even this God guy probably wouldn’t want to after seeing that.
▶For real lmaoooo
The slime gained a very rudimentary understanding of the being called God.
+++
“Paulen, will this be all right?”
“You’re asking that now that we’re practically there?”
Only as they approached the Holy City on horseback did Amelia begin to feel anxious.
“But this slime is a monster.”
“Slimes are monsters by nature.”
“W-won’t we get scolded?”
“We’ll certainly be asked what we were thinking.”
“Will Lady Fresia scold us too?”
“Hmm, who knows? Wouldn’t she laugh instead?”
“... Should we hide it before we go in, at least? W-would anyone notice if I hid it under my clothes?”
“Unless you want people asking something ridiculous like whether you’ve suddenly grown a third breast, don’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean it’ll be obvious even under your clothes. Just go in with confidence. This may sound like boasting, but I have considerable standing in the Holy City myself, no less than you do, Amelia.”
“Well, you are a Paladin, Paulen.”
“Exactly. So if you and I confidently insist, ‘This slime is harmless!’ we should get through easily.”
“... That makes sense.”
“Though the high priests will give us an earful about what nonsense we’re talking.”
“Ugh.”
An image of the high priests frowning and preparing to lecture her flashed through Amelia’s mind. They meant no harm, but they were terrible nags. They told her several times a day to carry herself with more confidence as a saintess, so the mere thought made her shrink back.
“Hahaha! You get lectured every day anyway! Let’s go without being so scared! Biceps of resolve!”
“Don’t try to gloss over this with biceps, Paulen!”
“Biceps!”
“B-biceps.”
'Biceps?'
A short while later, the two arrived at the Holy City’s gate.
“Saintess! Sir Paulen! Welcome back!”
A guard recognized them at once and greeted them warmly.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Yes! ... But, Saintess...”
“What is that slime doing on your head?”
The guards’ eyes converged on Amelia’s head.
“Th-this is...”
While Amelia hesitated over what excuse to give, Paulen quickly answered for her.
“Ah, pay it no mind. We’re trying something new.”
“Something new?”
“Yes. You know the village that raises slimes? You’ve all heard of it, haven’t you?”
“A village that raises slimes?”
“Yes, I’ve heard of it. They say it’s a very unusual village.”
“We happened upon this slime along the way. It’s very docile, you see. Our saintess wishes to see whether slimes can be raised here in the Holy City as they are in that village.”
“I-is that so?”
“Yes. It stems from the saintess’s merciful belief that even a monster might be welcomed into God’s embrace, provided it harms no one.”
“Oh!”
“Just as we’d expect of our saintess!”
At Paulen’s words, the soldiers on guard gazed at Amelia with shining admiration.
'Paulen! Why are you suddenly making things up like that!'
Amelia’s conscience pricked her.
“You truly are merciful, Saintess!”
“H-hahaha. Thank you.”
“Still, if I may, perhaps you should refrain from carrying the slime on your head.”
“Yes, you have a point. Saintess, I’ll hold the slime for now.”
Paulen picked the slime up from Amelia’s head and transferred it to his left hand. It stayed still without resisting.
“Well then, keep up the good work.”
“Yes!” the guards replied together.
The two of them and the slime passed through the gate into the Holy City.
And then...
'Woooow!'
At the sight of the Holy City, the slime trembled with wonder.
Godric and the others had spoken of the beauty of the Holy City’s architecture. Now the slime was witnessing that beauty for itself. Buildings predominantly white stood all around, but their color was not the only thing they shared. As though beauty were a priority, each building looked harmonious with the others without seeming monotonous. Above all, the many people coming and going, and the happy expressions on their faces, helped make the scene even more beautiful.
“How about some bread? Freshly baked and piping hot!”
“You there, sir knight! How long has it been since you had your weapon serviced? I’ll sharpen it for a bargain!”
“Heehee! Hurry up!”
“Wait for me!”
Cheerful voices and endless smiles. To the slime, the scene felt like visiting the County of Rudendion again.
▶So this is the city of hoomans who believe in that God thing?
[Noblesse Fire]▶Sure is white. Really white.
▶So what are we doing here now?
▶That’s up to Squishy.
▶Man, watching those scrub hoomans struggle was funny as hell.
▶Mukbang, please! Give us some eating content this time! Those scrub hoomans barely earned anything, so the food was always the same!
[Squishy Queen]▶Whatever happens, my kin’s safety matters most!
As the viewers watched the streets of the Holy City, they shared their impressions and grew increasingly excited about what lay ahead for the slime’s stream.
Amelia and Paulen made their way through the streets and entered the largest building at the center of the Holy City: the Great Church.
“A slime?”
“Why do the saintess and Sir Paulen have a slime...?”
“They must have some special purpose in mind.”
Naturally, the pair already attracted plenty of attention, and bringing a slime with them only drew more stares and whispers.
To deliver their report, they went to the office of High Priest David, one of the high priests.
“Excuse us.”
“Saintess Amelia? You’re back sooner than I exp— A slime? What in the world!”
David blinked, then immediately demanded an explanation.
“Saintess Amelia! Paladin Paulen! Explain yourselves! Why have you brought a monster into this sacred Great Church!”
“High Priest David, allow me to explain.”
Paulen gave him the same excuse he had used with the guards.
“And that is what happened.”
“Do you think that makes any sense? However unusual that village’s way of life may be, there are things you may do and things you may not! Hah... Why have you suddenly begun acting so strangely, Saintess Amelia?”
Amelia’s shoulders hunched at the sight of David sighing. She could hardly tell him the truth: that the slime’s vibrating massage felt good.
'If I tell him that, he’ll be even more incredulous and start shouting at me.'
“Hahaha, please don’t be so angry. God is merciful. Surely He would embrace even a monster that has done humans no harm.”
“Do not presume to decide God’s word for yourself!”
“Oh my, but I agree with Paladin Paulen.”
A voice of agreement came from behind Amelia and Paulen.
“S-Saintess Fresia!”
An elderly woman with faded pink hair stood there, dressed in a white nun’s habit like Amelia’s. One of the heroes who had slain the calamity known as the black dragon fifty years ago, she was the most influential voice in the Holy City. Saintess Fresia wore a kindly smile.
Flustered, David addressed her.
“Saintess Fresia! What brings you here...!”
“I was taking a stroll when I heard you shouting, High Priest David. Hehe, your voice is as loud as ever. You’re just as you were when you bravely led the paladins from the front.”
“No, this is...!”
Caught off guard by Fresia’s words, David blushed, then cleared his throat and collected himself.
“Ahem! Saintess Fresia, right now we must correct Saintess Amelia’s mistake.”
“And what mistake has Saintess Amelia made? The Great Church’s doors are open to all, you know. So long as they aren’t evil beings.”
“Monsters are precisely the evil beings that threaten humanity!”
“I cannot accept that all monsters are evil.”
“How can you, a saintess, say such a thing...?”
“Do my words carry no weight, when I have seen many monsters myself and helped defeat the calamity?”
“Hrrrm!”
“It isn’t good to exclude others without question, David. Besides, Paladin Paulen is here, isn’t he? If the slime should pose a threat, wouldn’t he protect us?”
“Of course, Saintess Fresia!”
With Fresia intervening, David could no longer insist that the slime be removed at once.
“Very well. We will observe it for now.”
“Thank you, David. You truly are a wise man who can be reasoned with.”
“Flattery won’t work at this point! Saintess Amelia, Paladin Paulen. You may leave now.”
“High Priest David, we still have our report...”
“I’ll hear it later, when I’m calm!”
David sighed and looked at Saintess Fresia.
“I am in no state to hear a report calmly right now.”
Amelia, Paulen, and the slime left the office with Saintess Fresia. As soon as they were outside, she spoke, still wearing her kindly smile.
“Now then, would both of you come to my room? I’d also like to hear exactly what happened.”
