Snacking

On the above-ground side, floors one through three had normal staircases. You could reach the third floor without passing through the second. It seemed only the basement had that single-path structure.

Legitimate research above, illegal and dangerous below. Maybe that's how it was set up? … That's what I thought, but after investigating, the upper floors turned out to be residential areas.

When I peeked inside, it looked like someone's private room, so I helped myself to their personal snacks.

Blame it on the rats. Munch munch. Ahh, this is the life. I'll savor this cookie nice and slow while I digest it.

"… This, strange taste."

"It's called sweet, Miitei. Don't like it?"

"Sweet. Like."

Miitei-chan's vocabulary is growing. I really do want to feed her delicious things… I should bring some back as souvenirs for Annette-chan too.

Besides snacks and food, there wasn't much else of note on the upper floors.

Also, Coworker mentioned this before, but apparently taste is shared even when you're in Halo form. Though I'm not sure what Slime taste buds are like.

"Alright, let's head back to Annette-chan for now. Think Auto Mode can handle it?"

"Leave it to me."

Oh, you're feeling motivated, Miitei-chan! … Alright, I'll become the Halo and… Go!

Ooh, my viewpoint's slightly clipping into the wall.

"Nn."

"Huh? Oh."

On the way, while on the first basement floor, we fell from the ceiling and ran into someone. A man in a white coat. Probably a researcher… Before he could scream, Miitei-chan latched onto his head.

Splorch. His head dissolved. The Additional Mission's human eating count went up to three.

"… Wha!?"

"Humans, tasty, like. Snacking, like."

Feeling queasy from the lukewarm taste of blood inside my body, I hurriedly looked around. No witnesses.

"F-for now, just eat all of him! Make sure you don't leave any blood traces!"

"Nn."

Miitei-chan dissolved and absorbed everything—clothes, body, all of it. Her volume increased a bit, but she used Miniaturization to maintain her original size.

I may have… created a terrible monster.

"… Nn! Learned a new skill!"

"Oh?"

So you can learn new skills through Predation. Huh, that's a thing.

"Thrust!"

Shwing! A pointed tentacle shot out and stabbed into the wall. Oh, this is… you know, that thing where you suddenly stab down through someone's head from the ceiling and eat them. Scary. And it actually has enough power to pierce walls…

"Ah. Made a hole."

"Alright, let's get out of here for now."

If they find out a researcher was killed, it wouldn't be strange for them to go on high alert and start another Slime hunt. Things could get troublesome if we don't clean up this research facility before they discover what happened.

The time for action is near…! Or rather, it's been forcibly accelerated…!

But before that, I need to find Annette-chan's little sister.

"Ah. Slime-san. Welcome back."

"Nn."

Oh, looks like we're back at Annette-chan's room (cell)… You can't eat Annette-chan, okay? Just as I was about to switch back, Miitei-chan pulled some cookies out of her inventory.

"This. Souvenir. Sweet. Tasty."

"Wow, cookies? Where did you get them?"

"? Inside."

"Inside, huh… Miitei-chan, you seem different somehow?"

"Spirit-sama, over here now."

Saying that, Miitei-chan pointed a tentacle at the Halo—at me.

"I see. So Miitei-chan is like me."

"Same?"

"Nn."

Saying that, Annette-chan pointed at her red horn with her bandaged hand.

"This one isn't as nice as Miitei-chan's though."

"Matching! Matching!"

"Ahaha… yeah, I guess so."

Annette-chan laughed weakly.

Miitei-chan sure is energetic. I'd just sort of left things to her, but isn't this actually great for her emotional development? Let me watch a bit longer.

Miitei-chan rolled over and nestled into Annette's lap.

"… Snug."

"Yeah, snug."

"Calming."

"… Is it? That's nice."

Annette-chan was about to start petting her, but said "ah," and pulled her hand back. Right, Annette-chan's touch would burn Miitei-chan. Thanks for being considerate.

Mm, what a heartwarming exchange. Maybe I'll leave things to Miitei-chan for a while.

Alright, I think I'll log out and grab some food.

"I'm gonna go eat, so I'll be away for a bit."

"Otay!"

"Hm? What is it?"

"Spirit-sama, gone for a bit. I stay."

She's eaten three people now, so her vocabulary seems to have grown.

If she eats twenty-five people, will she become a genius Slime girl on par with a scientist…?

 

＊　＊　＊

 

Alright, I'm back from eating.

I ended up buying a convenience store bento… because the VR meals have been, you know. I needed to cleanse my palate. Ugh, my food budget this month is going to be rough.

Even a convenience store bento can't beat Penpen's steak set meal though…!

"I'm back～"

"Nn. Spirit-sama, welcome back."

Had she been snuggled up the whole time? Miitei-chan wiggled her body.

"Alright, let's go explore the basement floors."

"Got it. Annette, going now. See you later."

"Mm, yeah. See you, Miitei-chan."

Her thoroughly warmed Slime body rolled away.

"Sister, will look for."

"Sister…?"

"Nn?"

"… Oh. Yeah, 'sister'. Sister, right."

"Annette's little sister?"

"I see. I'm looking forward to it."

Annette smiled. But something felt off.

Come to think of it, her red horn seemed bigger than before… In this short time? It's growing fast… That's bad.

Would there be any documents about the horn near this room? I need to investigate this properly.