Homecoming

Outside the research facility, nature spread out before us.

Or rather, it was an island. That said, the mainland was visible not too far off in the distance.

After circling the island's perimeter, we found that the lab was the only thing on it. Just an isolated facility surrounded by what appeared to be ocean.

"… So, Zord. What're you gonna do from here?"

"What else can we do… guess we'll look for a boat."

"Well, this is where we part ways… Here, take the food we found in the lab. There's emergency rations in there too, so put them to good use."

"Thanks… So what about you?"

Me? Well, let me see.

I'm about to press "Yes" on the menu option that says "Rejoin Your First Character?"

This probably meant Miitei-chan's scenario counted as cleared. Penpen must've brought Gin-chan over the same way.

"Well, if we ever meet again, take care."

"Yeah… Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Stay well."

With a tap, I selected "Yes". Something like a black gate opened up and closed in on us, swallowing me, swallowing Miitei-chan.

The next moment, we were in Penpen's House.

Penpen, Gin-chan, Alto-chan, and Tria-chan were all there.

"Welcome back! That was fast! … Judging by the Halo's pattern, that's Tria-shi's second character, right?"

"Oh? I'm back… Was it really that fast?"

Looked like Penpen was currently in Penpen-chan rather than Gin-chan.

"Spirit-sama! Welcome back!"

"I'm back, Tria-chan… Sorry, Penpen, but gimme some meat first. I need some good meat…!"

"Here you go."

Penpen set a Boar steak on the table. The aroma was amazing. Aggressively so. I couldn't help but want to revert to Slime form and pounce on it. Scratch that, I did exactly that.

I engulfed the meat right on the plate.

Ahhh, ah, deli, deliciousss! A heavy punch of rich fat! Sauce brimming with umami!

The pleasure of a Slime meal, savoring it with your whole body! This, this, thiiis!! This is what I've been craving!!!

"Oh! I thought we had another beastkin girl and the characters overlapped, but it was actually Slime mimicry!"

"Ah! Sorry, I've gotten so used to eating as a Slime that I just went for it."

"Spirit-sama, Spirit-sama! This is sooo amazingly delicious!!! Way better than humans!!!"

Her whole body was trembling with emotion.

Thank God she didn't follow it up with "humans taste better, though."

"Haaah, it was only supposed to be two days, but it felt like a week or two."

"Is that so? Good work, Spirit-sama."

"Oh, Tria-chan. This is Miitei-chan. Be nice to her, okay?"

"I'm Miitei! Nice to meet you, Tria! I'll make you my little sister!"

"… Little sister? Nice to meet you, Miitei."

Tria-chan tilted her head at the "little sister" part. Honestly, I didn't really get it anymore either.

Penpen quietly placed a second helping right on top of my Slime body. Bloop, sizzle… absorbed and digested. Delicious! Deliciouuus!!!

"Hey, how long was I gone from your end, Penpen?"

"Thirty minutes."

"That's not even a day trip. That's more like 'popping out to the supermarket' levels of time…"

Thirty minutes. Not even a full day since I left. Space-time really has been out of whack lately.

… Come to think of it, Penpen's second character also just showed up out of nowhere from our perspective. That was probably less than a day for us too, maybe even just thirty minutes.

"Alto-shi hasn't come back yet, though."

"At this rate, she'll probably be back in a few minutes if we just wait."

"Probably. If Tria-shi's back, Alto-shi shouldn't be far behind."

On her end, it's probably been another week or two, though.

My coworker mentioned as much when we chatted at work.

"Penpen, have some ridiculously good meat ready for her. Apparently she's been eating some kind of sludge called Defilement or something."

"A palate cleanser, huh. Sounds like I should have some sweets ready too."

Penpen is way too competent…

"S-Spirit-sama."

"Hm?"

When I looked over, Tria-chan was staring right at me. Oops, sitting on a plate in Slime mode was probably bad manners.

I hopped off the plate and, hup, Mimicry (Human)!

"Yeah, what's up?"

"P-please hold my hand!"

"Hm? Sure."

I took Tria-chan's outstretched hand and gave it a firm squeeze.

"O-ooh, it's Spirit-sama…! Spirit-samaaah… hah, hah…"

"Tria-chan is such a cute little sister!"

"Miitei? Tria doesn't remember becoming your little sister, you know?"

"You just did! No objections allowed!"

"If Spirit-sama's fine with it, I don't mind."

"… Well, I guess that settles it?"

Actually, Penpen can't hear Miitei-chan's voice, can she. I should split us apart.

"Hup, Fission! GO, Miitei-chan!"

"Yaaay! Ehehe, hellooo! I'm Miitei, the big sister!"

With a jiggly pop, Miitei-chan and I split into two. Now Penpen and the others should be able to hear her too.

And since I could still move my own body independently, that effectively made three of us!

"You three over there are my little sisters too!"

"What!? Me too!?"

"… You're too big, so never mind!"

At max size, Miitei-chan would probably be bigger than Penpen, though.

"The other two are little sisters!"

"Excuse me? I'm clearly bigger than you, you know?"

"I serve Spirit-sama as a maid, so if Spirit-sama is fine with it, I don't mind."

"No way. Gin-chan is my maid!"

"Hmph. I only got Tria-chan as a little sister."

She slumped in defeat. Tria petted Miitei-chan to comfort her.

Tria was definitely the big sister here.

"So, what's being a Slime like?"

"It's fun. Your arms go all nyooorn and stretch out. If you could do it in real life, you'd be able to reach everything in your room without leaving your futon."

"Ooh, that does sound nice. Being able to reach stuff without needing a pull cord for the light sounds lowkey useful."

A pull cord for the light…??