Training as a Slime(66)
Cori, who was hesitant to share his secret, finally found the courage to speak up. The dimly lit room seemed to hold its breath as he gathered his thoughts, the weight of his revelation heavy upon his shoulders. However, Santa, with his twinkling eyes and rosy cheeks, interrupted Cori's silence upon realising that Cori was the individual Truck-Kun had mentioned. "Ho Ho Ho! Who would have thought you hailed from another world!" Father Christmas exclaimed boisterously, masking his awkwardness. His nervous laughter echoed in the backdrop. "Hush... Cori, you need not utter another word. Our dear Kareem will attend to you. Look, his insignia already designates you as his master," he cheerfully added, darting a glance at the symbol on Kareem's neck.
As the doctor inched closer to Kareem for a better view, her serpents glinted in the dim light, their curiosity piqued. Sure enough, she discovered that Santa's mere quip was genuine after all! "It's true, have a look in the mirror," Ken said finding the whole situation hilarious.
"Nooo...," the wizard groaned at the unexpected turn of events. "How did it come to this? It was supposed to be a simple contract, not a slavery agreement." His voice wavered, betraying a mix of frustration and disbelief.
"There can only be one explanation for it. Ho ho ho," the jovial headmaster declared, his voice carrying an air of mystery as the others anticipated his explanation. "And that, my dear friends, is something you'll have to uncover for yourselves!" His gaze lingered on each member of the group, a silent twinkle in his eyes.
"What on earth..." Sam exclaimed in exasperation, her manners nearly forgotten in the infirmary. Her hands gestured wildly as she spoke, her frustration evident in the furrow of her brow.
Cori, just as puzzled as the rest, asked, "How did a simple favour escalate into a master-slave contract?" His voice trembled slightly, betraying his uncertainty.
Clearing his throat, Santa turned to the wizard. "Ahem! Kareem, you have a pressing matter at hand. Do you possess anything that the demon saintess desired?" His tone was serious now, the mirth from earlier replaced by a sense of urgency.
Kareem: "The demon saintess!"
Santa continued, "Does the phrase 'Midnight Rain' ring any bells?" His expression was unreadable, his eyes fixed on Kareem as if searching for something.
"No, headmaster," Kareem replied. "I'm a dragon. I collect treasures, not cursed items." His voice held a note of defiance, his pride as a dragon evident in every word.
Ken: "Are you sure?"
"Perhaps," Sam pondered, "all they want is a dragon as a slave..." Her voice trailed off, her words hanging in the air like a lingering question.
A tense silence filled the room as they considered the possibility until the old man broke it. "But ho ho ho, let me tell you, that isn't the case with young Cori. He was already ordained to become a master by a higher power, so the contract between Kareem and him had evolved. Unlike Cori, our little miss here isn't a master," Santa said, realising he had let slip a secret as he covered his mouth with his hands.
Kareem maintained his composure, understanding the need for changes upon realizing the reason behind the updated emblem. "Got it. I'll have to tweak the syllabus to leave out anything about wishing magic."
Absolutely," Santa affirmed. "Please convey these amendments to Cloud, ensuring utmost security. Not a whisper of what occurred within these walls must escape. It must remain solely between us four." His voice held a note of seriousness, a reminder of the importance of discretion.
"What is the demon saintess?" Cori asked, his curiosity piqued by the mention of the mysterious figure.
"Cori, as you are new to this world, you have yet to learn its intricacies," Santa explained. "The term 'demon' simply refers to an adversary or an enemy. While not all demons are inherently evil, the same cannot be said for the demon saintess." Santa's voice was warm and gentle, his words a reassurance amid uncertainty.
"Is there any way to protect ourselves?" Cori asked.
"Cori, you're pretty much a walking fortress with that holy armour of yours. But for Samantha, here's something special." The wizard pulled out a sleek, charmed bracelet from his inventory and slid it onto her wrist. "This baby? Crafted in the heart of phoenix flames, zapped by lightning atop the highest peaks, and fashioned from meteorite metal straight out of the cosmos. With this on, Samantha, forget about demonic spells or black magic – you're covered, no worries."
As Samantha gently stroked the bracelet around her wrist, it responded with a light crystal chime and a fiery sheen, reminiscent of the delicate tinkling of celestial bells, as if awakening from its slumber and acknowledging her as its rightful owner.
Kareem: "It appears that it likes you as well. Well, my work here is done, see you tomorrow morning."
Ken: "Don't worry, the halls are safe. The guardians are extremely vigilant in matters of defence and security."
Cori bounced in agreement, recalling his lesson in the Hall of Raijin. As everyone called it a night, Cori finally had time to explore his newly renovated room. Luckily, he invested in top security functions and everything was designed to be automated.
"Cori," Samantha murmured, her cheeks flushing as she pinched the flabby skin of the slightly golden slime, "Um... Would it be alright if I, uh, stayed over at your place tonight?" Her voice trailed off, her gaze avoiding direct contact, a stark contrast to her usual bossy and brusque personality.