Witch of "Glaciation"

- Chapter translated using my poor knowledge and DeepL

A short distance from where the Slime was, a young Elf of approximately 16 years old struggled to fall asleep. Despite her attempts, she couldn't find the desired rest.

The Elf, with her silver hair, violet eyes, pointed ears, and pale skin, felt a strange premonition. It wasn't a sense of imminent danger, but neither was it tranquility. She knew something was going to happen, although she couldn't pinpoint what.

Intrigued by this uneasiness, she decided to dress in winter clothes and leave her home, carrying a torch to illuminate the darkness. She walked towards the plaza where the frozen elves were, a place that usually brought her peace and serenity.

As she observed the frozen elves that she always took care of diligently, she noticed something special about one of them, which was slightly apart from the rest. With slow and cautious steps, she approached that particular elf and noticed something dripping from its frozen figure.

At first glance, it looked like water, but a little whiter than usual. However, upon closer examination, she realized that it wasn't ordinary water, but a viscous substance that contained prana, a vital energy.

Intrigued by this anomaly, she reached out her hand towards the strange liquid. Carefully, as she made contact with the liquid, she felt a strange sensation of life.

(Slime P.O.V)

Although as a Slime I couldn't experience sensations of cold, I felt something starting to envelop me, as if an invisible force was compressing me.

Immediately, I expanded by jumping, and regrouped as a friendly little ball of white, slightly transparent slime.

I remained silent, wordless, as I watched the young Elf in front of me.

...

DAMN IT! This girl is beautiful!

Is my first interaction with an intelligent being going to be with her? Ahh... I've never talked to someone so attractive before. Curse my self-esteem!

I wanted to understand her intentions and comprehend the reason behind this event. Curiosity and astonishment reflected in my "eyes," even though my Slime form lacked traditional facial features.

I was willing to communicate in any way possible, whether through movements, changes in my form, or any other form of nonverbal language.

"Huh!? A Mabestia?" She wondered aloud.

What language is that? I think I understand...

"A what?" I asked, trying to understand the Elf's reaction. My voice sounded flat and devoid of expression, unable to convey my own emotions.

The voice that came out of me, as a Slime, lacked any emotion, but it had a deafening tone and a childlike air. I wasn't familiar with my own voice, and it felt strange to hear it.

However, before I could fully assimilate the situation, I saw how the Elf quickly moved away from me and conjured ice stakes in her defense.

"Whatever you are, stay away from her!" exclaimed the Elf, pointing the stakes towards me with determination.

I guess I need to adjust my volume.

"Better?" I spoke again, but this time, my tone of voice was much louder than before.

"WHAA!!" The Elf startled and, unintentionally, threw the stakes towards me, the Slime.

Although the stakes pierced into my body, they quickly dissolved in my stomach without causing any harm.

"What kind of Mabestia are you?" asked the Elf, clearly surprised by my resilience.

"I don't know what a Mabestia is," I replied, trying to communicate as clearly as possible. "But I know I'm a Slime."

My voice remained monotonous and devoid of emotions, but I tried to convey my limited understanding of her question to the Elf.

I looked at the Elf with curiosity, waiting for her reaction and ready to continue the conversation in search of better mutual understanding.

"S-Slime...?" she asked, mispronouncing the whole word.

"Perhaps Slimes are not known here?" I thought to myself.

Shaking her head, the Elf said, "Anyway, what were you trying to do to that elf?" she asked with severe annoyance in her voice.

"...I was going to assimilate it," I replied ambiguously.

"Assimilate? Explain yourself!" she exclaimed, showing her lack of understanding of that word.

"I'll be honest with you," I said straightforwardly and with a hint of sarcasm. "I was going to eat it, but I suppose it's fine, I doubt it's still alive."

The Elf's expression changed to one of terror. "Why would you want to do such a thing?" she asked angrily.

I could sense the anger and disgust in her tone of voice, and I realized that my words had made a negative impact.

I understood that my nature as a Slime was difficult for someone who valued the lives of other creatures to accept.

Have I become insensitive?

I tried to find the right words to explain my intentions, although I wasn't sure how the Elf would react to them.

I was determined to convey my perspective and hoped she could understand it, even if only partially.

"To obtain its abilities. For me, as a Slime, assimilating other creatures is a way to gain strength and abilities to survive," I began explaining calmly.

"I don't have the same perception of life and death as you. To me, it's a natural process in the cycle of existence. There are no ill intentions behind my actions; I simply seek my own survival and growth."

Hey, it even seems like I was never human. Could this be a side effect of being a Slime or something?

I observed the Elf, who struggled to contain her anger, although she managed to control it somewhat.

"That elf is still alive. Now leave the forest, or I'll have to kill you!" she declared with determination.

The elf's prana manifested as an endless blizzard, a force so powerful that anything that came into contact with it would perish instantly, condemned to eternity without being able to do anything to prevent it.

Feeling the immense hidden power of the elf, I decided to set aside any trace of arrogance that may have existed within me. I acknowledged the superiority of her strength and power, and understood that there was no room for unnecessary confrontations.

I was about to nod and walk away, following the elf's warning, but something inside me stopped me. Should I really leave so easily? After all, she was a person, and I longed for some kind of human contact again. I would go crazy if I only spoke to the wise one.

<[Answer: It seems you didn't accomplish your offensive comment's goal.]>

Shut up.

"Wait, there's no need to go to extremes. I didn't know they were still alive," I quickly said, trying to mediate the situation without having to leave the forest.

"At first, I thought they were statues, but then I realized they were real elves. However, I believed they had died a long time ago," I added, sincerely wishing to investigate the strange ice that covered them.

Everything I said sounded like excuses, but deep down, I could believe myself. After all, the Elf couldn't know for certain either.

I hoped that my words would help create a space for mutual understanding.

The Elf seemed to reflect for a moment, and I saw her expression soften slightly. Perhaps, just perhaps, I had found common ground with her, a point of connection that could lead to better understanding.

I waited silently, maintaining a respectful and peaceful stance, awaiting her response and willing to accept any decision she made regarding our interaction in the forest.

"Fine, I'll believe you," said the Elf, although her tone still remained cautious. "But you still need to leave the forest. It's very dangerous here. There are extremely powerful beasts."

I felt guilty for not being able to fulfill her request, but I knew I had my own needs and reasons to stay in the forest.

I wanted to continue assimilating the monsters I encountered, as it allowed me to grow and survive in this world.

I thought about it for a moment, evaluating the options, but in the end, I decided to maintain my position.

"I'm sorry, but for that same reason, I must stay here. I'm in the process of assimilating every monster I come across," I explained, hoping she could understand my perspective.

The Elf seemed resigned and turned away, indicating that she couldn't do much more to convince me otherwise.

"Well, then do as you wish," she said with a mix of frustration and resignation in her voice.

I felt a little disheartened by her reaction, but I also understood that everyone had their own priorities.

A feeling of loneliness invaded me as the Elf turned around, and I couldn't help but shout, "Hey!"

The Elf stopped with visible reluctance. "What's the matter?" she asked, preparing to conjure even more powerful ice stakes than before.

"...Can I come with you?" I asked, feeling embarrassed by my own need for companionship.

The Elf looked at me incredulously. "Are you crazy?" she asked, clearly surprised by my request.

"I haven't talked to anyone in a long time," I quickly explained, trying to convey my feelings.

"I've been wandering aimlessly, without anyone to interact with. Only today did I discover that I could talk," I added as I transformed into a small white flying rat.

The Elf was astonished by my radical change in appearance, surprised by my ability to transform.

"I don't know how long I've been here. I thought I would go mad, and now that I finally find someone with intelligence... I would be very grateful if I could accompany you."

I hoped the Elf would understand my desire to get closer to her. Besides being visually appealing, I knew that her company would help me learn more about this unknown world.

Moreover, the feeling of loneliness I had been carrying during this time was bothersome.

The Elf was surprised by my somewhat clumsy words and remained paralyzed for a few seconds, contemplating the slime. It was evident that she also considered my reasoning somewhat absurd. Although she tried to overlook the fact that I had tried to eat an elf, she seemed willing to give me a chance.

"Fine, I'll let you come with me, but if you try anything strange with the elves again, you'll be gone," the Elf said firmly.

"Great!" I exclaimed excitedly, reverting to my original form and bouncing closer to the Elf.

In one of my bounces, the Elf caught me with both hands. Something stirred inside me at her touch, and even though I couldn't show it overtly, there would probably be a slight blush on my face, if I had blood in my body.

"You must be tired," the Elf whispered as she walked, clumsily holding the torch and carrying me in her hands.

I didn't fully understand what was happening. Just a moment ago, we were enemies, and now she was carrying me as if we were companions.

You've also been alone for a long time, haven't you?

I reflected silently.

It's a shame. But I'll reward you for your kindness, I promise.

Moved by her gesture, I shifted slightly within her hands and consumed the torch she was holding.

"Hey!" exclaimed the Elf, confused by my action, but she didn't reprimand me when a bright light came out from inside me.

The flame that lit the torch was now inside me, providing enough light to see clearly. The Elf smiled at the usefulness of the slime and cuddled me closer to her body.

This feels nice. Should I mention that I don't actually feel tired?

I allowed myself to be carried away by the warmth and comfort of being held, grateful for the opportunity to have company in this unknown world.

After a short moment of walking, we both entered a house located within a tree.

"This is my home," said the Elf as she placed me on the ground once again.

"It looks cozy," I responded, using my magical senses to perceive the surroundings.

"Now that I think about it, you don't seem blind, deaf, or mute, but you can still speak and see, right?" the Elf asked with evident curiosity.

"Feeling the Prana around me, I can hear, see, and speak," I explained.

"That's impressive," the Elf commented as she removed her winter clothes.

"I know," I replied in an arrogant tone, although it didn't seem to bother the girl beside me.

"Well, it's time for me to sleep," the Elf announced as she sat on her bed.

"Do you want to come?" she asked, already curling up.

I hesitated for a moment, but taking a symbolic breath, I decided to speak.

"I don't need to sleep, eat, or anything like that. I replenish myself through Prana, and without it, let's say I'm self-sufficient. But I appreciate the gesture; sometimes I enjoy being quiet without doing anything," I said as I bounced onto the bed.

"Don't you get tired of being awake?" the Elf asked, showing some concern.

"Yes, I do get tired, but I've been in constant motion since I've been alive. I've never really tried to sleep, but I suppose I could give it a try," I replied as I nestled into the sheets.

"If you say so. Good night," the Elf whispered, wishing me sweet dreams.