A/N: Well this took a long ass time to finish! I'll make sure not to make future chapters so damn long too often.

Anywho, read, enjoy, comment, and all that jazz.

Have you ever watched an isekai anime? You know, all those stories where some everyman protagonist gets sent to another world, whether by dying and reincarnating or by being summoned? Well, if you ask me, isekai is a genre that's oversaturated these days. I'm not even kidding when I say this. There's hundreds of isekai stories out there, and they're all kinds of ridiculous. Especially where the titles are concerned. They're very long and wordy; as if the author threw a bunch of words into a hat and shook it up, pulled out a handful, and mixed them up until they formed something resembling a title, like "Didn't I Say to Make my Abilities Average in the Next Life?" or "The Hero is Overpowered But Overly Cautious." Next thing you know, there's gonna be an isekai called "My Sperm Travelled Across Dimensions and Grew into the Destined Hero," or some shit. Another thing to note in isekai are the stories where the protagonist gets reincarnated as ludicrously OP heroes who are borderline invincible, have access to holy weapons, the strongest of spells, have the godlike charisma to win everyone's respect and bed every man or woman they see, and constantly pull 'deus ex machinas' out of their asses. Wish fulfillment or parody? I'll let you be the judge. And then you have the more bizarre isekai where the protagonist reincarnates and/or is sent to a new world as an animal, some kind of weird creature, or a superhuman amalgamation of nonsense: like spiders, polar bears, psycho loli esper girl soldiers defying God, or even a brother and sister who were merged into one body; kind and demure sister by day, narcissistic sex maniac brother by night. Yet, the isekai just keep on coming.

However, for all that I've said, I do like some isekai anime. Whether it's Konosuba for its comedy or Re:Zero for its story, I've come to respect isekai to some extent, and That Time I Reincarnated as a Slime is no exception. Yeah, not everyone will like the premise of an all-powerful slime creature with otaku-level knowledge who runs a nation filled with monsters who worship the very ground he stands on, and yeah, those same people will probably write off the story as another bog-standard, bottom tier piece of isekai trash. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but there's something about Slime that appeals to me. I don't know, I guess you can say that it's something of a guilty pleasure for me. And yet, I would never believe in a million years that I, of all people, would actually get sent to the world of Slime, of all places. If you told me that that's what would happen to me, I'd look at you like you were crazy. Unfortunately, I don't even have that privilege.

-x-

My first night in Tempest was surprisingly comfortable all things considered. The meal I had was delicious and I managed to get a good night's sleep. After a rough first day in this world, that really helped me calm down.

I woke up the next morning, not in my bed, but in the hospital bed. I don't know what I was expecting. Maybe some part of me believed that this was all a dream and I would wake up as if the entirety of yesterday never happened. Yet, I was still here, shunted across realities and stuck in this world from an anime setting. How was I going to get back home? How long will it take? How hard was it going to be? Did my family notice I was gone? Honestly, all those thoughts scared me, but right now, I don't need any more stress getting to me than what I already had. I was here in a fictional world, like it or not. I need to try and stay calm. As much as all of this makes no sense, this is my reality right now, even though it hasn't registered with me just yet. I can get to the tough stuff in due time.

Breakfast was a simple affair. It was just the typical eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast. Good stuff. After I finished, one of the nurses arrived with a new change of clothes for me. Sure, it was nothing more than a shirt, slacks, and boots, but what else was I gonna do? Walk around in my pajamas again? This ain't a trip to the convenience store; not that there would be a convenience store in a fantasy world, but who am I to judge? Plus, I could really do without being stared at by the locals. I hate it when lots of people stare at me. Makes me uncomfortable. Anyway, I got dressed and headed outside and found Rimuru in his human form, accompanied by Shion. Well, she is Rimuru's secretary and personal aid after all. Why wouldn't she be here? I made eye contact with her for a few seconds, and she looked back and smiled at me. I couldn't help but blush again.

"There you are Slater!" Rimuru said with a wry grin. "I take it you had a good night's sleep?"

"Yeah, I slept like the dead," I replied. "By the way, thanks for the change of clothes."

"You're welcome!" Rimuru replied. "I had Shuna make your outfit last night. She's the most skilled seamstress we have here in Tempest. Making your outfit was like child's play to her." Rimuru said with a chuckle. Ah yes, Shuna. If I remember correctly, she's the same race as Shion I believe. But for me to know the name of their race right off the bat is nothing more than wishful thinking.

"Yeah, I'll bet. These clothes are surprisingly comfortable." I replied. They really were. I'll have to thank Shuna if I ever see her. "So, what's the plan for today?" I asked.

"Well, we're going to start our tour by visiting the market, followed by the farms, then the training grounds, followed by an hour lunch break, then a visit to the school, then the caves, then the residential districts, then a trip to the onsen, and finally, dinner in the dining hall. Is that correct, Rimuru-sama?" said Shion. In perfect English. Wait, what? When did that happen?

"That's right Shion-kun!" replied Rimuru. Then he turned back to me. "Anyway Slater, I'm sure you'll like what you see-"

"Whoa whoa whoa! Back it up!" I suddenly interrupted. "How is she speaking English?" I asked. There's no way that she could get fluent in my language so quickly, especially overnight. If I recall correctly, English is one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult, languages to learn in the world.

"Oh, that?" Rimuru replied as he rubbed the back of his head, chuckling as if he made a joke just now. "I used one of my Skills on Shion to have her learn your language instantly. That way, you won't feel uncomfortable with all the culture shock and whatnot." said Rimuru. Really now? Instantaneous language fluency? Just how many things can Rimuru do anyway? I swear, it's like Rimuru's a walking 'instant problem-solver' button.

"Well…. that's convenient, I guess?" I responded awkwardly.

"I know, right?" Rimuru replied with a wry grin.

"It's very convenient indeed, Rimuru-sama." said Shion. She then turned toward me. "We haven't been properly introduced yet. My name is Shion. I'm Rimuru's personal secretary. It's nice to meet you, Slater!" Shion said to me with a smile, followed by her bowing her head. As she did so, I swear I saw her breasts bounce up and down. Jeez! She should really be wearing a bigger shirt.

"Y-Yeah…. N-Nice t-t-to m-meet…. y-you too…. Ms. Shion." I replied nervously. Damn it! Why must I be so nervous around beautiful women?

"Likewise!" Shion replied. "And you don't have to call me Ms.. Just Shion will do."

"O-Oh um... Okay, sure... Shion" I awkwardly replied.

"Good! Now that you're properly acquainted, we can begin our tour! Let's go!" Rimuru excitedly proclaimed.

"R-Right. Let's go." I awkwardly replied. And with that, we were on our way. I'm gonna be in for quite a day.

-x-

Our first stop was the market. It was like any other market that you'd find in a JRPG, except all the shops and stands were manned by monsters. Yeah, Rimuru told me that I wouldn't get hurt, and yeah, I know from watching the anime that the monsters in Tempest were all friendly, but I still felt scared as all hell. I tried to stay as close to Rimuru and Shion as much as possible, darting my eyes back and forth to keep track of anything I found suspicious. As we were walking, a duo of those green monsters that were the same race as Rigurdo were walking towards us. I gave their features a once-over, this time making to take in every detail now that I had a clearer hea- Wait a minute. Wait just a minute! I rubbed my eyes and looked back at them again. I recognized what they were.

Those guys were goblins! The green skin, pointy ears, and sharp teeth; I can't believe I didn't put the pieces together with those guards from yesterday. One was human-sized and wore a red bandana on his head. The second one was much shorter; almost reaching my waist in terms of height. Hold the phone! I recognize those two! Yeah, most of the goblins I've seen have human-esque features, but these two were different. Before I could open my mouth though, I noticed Rimuru walk up to the two to talk to them.

The three of them were having a conversation in Japanese. Naturally I couldn't understand what they were saying outside of a few words here and there. I turned to Shion and spoke up.

"Hey, Shion," I began, as she turned to me. "What are they saying?" I asked.

"Rimuru-sama is asking them about their patrols. Those two are guards." Shion replied., pointing to the two goblins. "Rigur's the Head of Security for Tempest. He's also the son of Rigurdo, the Goblin you met yesterday. As for Gobta, he's the captain of the Goblin Riders. He can be a troublemaker sometimes, but he's one of Tempest's finest warriors."

"Ah, I-I see." I replied. Before I can say anything else, I spotted a bright purple flash of light out of the corner of my eye. I quickly looked back at Rimuru and the two goblins, who ended their conversation and were staring at me. The bandana goblin, Rigur, opened his mouth to speak.

"So you're the visitor my father was talking about?" Rigur said to me in English. Oh, so Rimuru used his 'instant language learning' skill on the two of them, huh? I wonder if he can use that on me so I can speak perfect Japanese? I'll make sure to ask later.

"U-um, yes, that's m-me." I stammered in response.

"Hmm, is he now?" Gobta asked as he walked up to me. "He doesn't look all that impressive to me." He was looking me up and down, scanning my every feature. Sheesh! As if I need to be scrutinized right now.

*THWACK*

And faster than I could react, Rigur whacked Gobta on the head, leaving behind a nasty bump that sprouted up almost instantly. And I do mean nasty. Jesus Christ, that bump is huge! It's about as big as a baseball! I know I've seen bumps like this in a lot of the anime I've watched. They're the end result of many a comedic gag where the comic relief character does something to draw another character's ire, usually leading to a whack to the head or a trip to the stratosphere at Mach speed. I looked down at Gobta, who was just rubbing his head. I'm amazed he can shrug off a bump like that, and that's not taking anime physics into account. Me personally, if I took a hit like that, I think my head would be smashed like a watermelon. I'd rather not try to piss anyone off to test that theory though. I like having my head in one piece, thank you very much!

"Knock it off Gobta! Can't you see you're making him uncomfortable?" Rigur chided. "As captain of the Goblin Riders, you should be setting a positive example for everyone; for citizen and visitor alike."

"I wasn't trying to make him uncomfortable Rigur. I was just giving my honest opinion, that's all." Gobta replied as he waved his hands frantically, nervously laughing all the while.

"Honestly." Rigur said as he facepalmed in annoyance. He then directed his attention to me and began to speak.

"I apologize about Gobta. He can be blunt and tactless at times, but he usually means well." Rigur said to me.

"O-Oh, y-yeah, that's ok. I'm practically a stranger after all." I replied nervously.

"Now don't say that. Here at Tempest, everyone is welcome, and you're no exception." Rigur replied as he extended his hand to me. "I'm Rigur, Tempest's Head of Security."

"H-Hi there. I'm Slater. N-Nice to m-meet you." I replied as I shook his hand.

"Likewise! Anyway, we have to get back to our patrol. Hope you enjoy your stay!" Rigur said, who then turned his head toward Gobta. "Come along Gobta." He said as he began to walk away.

Gobta replied with a nod and followed suit. And just like that, we headed on our way to our next destination.

-x-

Next, we went to the farms. It was nothing too special. It's your typical farm, except it's manned by monsters, of course. Personally, I've never been to a farm before, even back in my world, so it was interesting to an extent. Rimuru and Shion were busy telling me the ins and outs of managing a farm, from the planting of the crops to the harvesting. This learning experience made me think I was in school again. I was almost about to zonk out, until I suddenly heard a feminine voice calling out to us.

"Rimuru-sama!" said the voice. I looked in the direction that the voice was coming from, and I saw that it belonged to a girl with long pink hair and horns on her head. Behind her was a taller man with spiky red hair who had horns as well. Once again, I recognized these people. It was the brother-sister duo of Benimaru and Shuna. Getting to see them up close sure was surreal. Benimaru looks like he came straight out of a Dynasty Warriors game, and Shuna was a pretty cute girl herself. I wouldn't be surprised if she had a fan club of her own somewhere.

"Benimaru-kun! Shuna-chan!" Rimuru said as he waved to them. He walked up to them and began a conversation, in Japanese of course, presumably about the farm and such. I guess those two help out here sometimes? Meanwhile, Shion, once again, was telling me who they were and what they did; Benimaru was the commander-in-chief of the military, while Shuna was in charge of economic matters. Oh yeah! Now I have a chance to thank her for the clothes.

Once again, as if on cue, Rimuru used his magic 'language learning' spell, and this time I saw the purple flash in full. In retrospect, I shouldn't have done that. I was almost blinded. I rubbed my eyes for a few seconds and looked back at Benimaru and Shuna, who were now looking at me.

"So you're Slater?" Shuna began. "Rimuru-sama told me all about you! My name is Shuna. It's nice to meet you!" she said as she bowed her head in a dignified manner. She is a proper lady after all.

"U-u-uh….. it's n-nice to m-meet y-you too." I replied nervously as I attempted a proper bow in return, and the key word here was 'attempt.' Yeah, I'm not the most graceful guy around, so my bow came off as stiff and awkward. Regardless, Shuna didn't seem offended from what I saw. In fact, my 'greeting' made her giggle while she covered her mouth. Gotta admit, it was a cute sight to behold.

"T-Thanks for the clothes. T-They're pretty c-comfortable." I stammered in gratitude.

"You're very welcome!" Shuna replied. "I'm glad that you like them! I used some of the softest silk we have to make them."

"Yeah, the clothes that my sister makes are always of the highest quality." Benimaru cut in. "It's a pleasure to meet you Slater. I'm Benimaru," He extended his hand out to me.

"Yeah, n-nice to meet you too, Benimaru." I replied as I shook his hand. As I retracted my hand, I suddenly felt a light smack against my back. I almost jumped.

"Come on Slater," Rimuru cut in with a grin on his face. "There's no need to be so stiff. You need to try and loosen up more!" I looked over at Rimuru.

"Sorry Rimuru, I'm not trying to be stiff on purpose. Honest, I'm not. I'm… not much of a people person." I awkwardly replied. Yeah, I'm also not much of a socialite either. While I can talk to some people just fine, and around my friends, I can talk up a storm. Most of the time, however, I prefer to be quiet and distant. And when it comes time to talk to others, I usually stall for a few seconds, trying to figure out exactly what to say, or I procrastinate by doing something else so I can avoid starting a conversation. Yeah, I'm an introvert through and through. Meeting new people is always hard, but trying to talk to them is another matter entirely. But before I could start feeling even more sorry for myself, Shuna walked up to me and took me by my hands.

"It's okay Slater," Shuna began. "You don't have to be afraid. We're friends now. You can trust us. If you ever need help, don't hesitate to ask for it. Here at Tempest, we welcome everyone with open arms. Okay?" she finished with a smile. I couldn't help but blush at the sight of that. Shuna really was cute, and a total sweetheart to boot. Hold on, hold on! Back it up a bit Slater! You're 26! And Shuna's got to be in her mid-to-late teens at most. Remember that you have standards! You like women around your age, and Shuna will hopefully find someone special that's her own age! And just like that, I quickly shook my head, clearing up the unpleasant thoughts, and made for a reply.

"Y-Yes, I understand, S-Shuna-chan. We're f-friends." I said with a nervous chuckle. Shuna simply smiled in response.

"That's the attitude I like to see!" Rimuru said suddenly. "Anyway, we've got to move on to our next destination." Rimuru looked over to Benimaru and Shuna. "Benimaru-kun. Shuna-chan. We'll see you later!"

"Yes, see you later Rimuru-sama." Benimaru replied, who then turned to Shuna. "Let's go Shuna, we've got to get back to work."

"Okay Onii-sama!" Shuna replied. She turned toward me next. "See you later Slater!" she said as she waved at me.

"Yes….. s-see you later." I replied as I waved back. And so we headed in opposite directions; Benimaru and Shuna back to the fields, and us to our next destination.

-x-

The third stop was the training grounds. It was a large pit surrounded by a stone wall circling around it. As we stopped, Rimuru beckoned me over to the edge of the pit, obviously wanting me to see the combat training up close. I looked downward and saw some people on my right readying themselves; those people being a small group of goblins, lizardmen, and one human man. On my left, I noticed an older-looking man, or maybe he was a monster(?), armed with a wooden sword. I recognized him, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember his name. He walked over to the group in front in him. Looks like he has a few words to say before the training begins.

Once again, the conversation was in Japanese, but at the very least, I could tell that he was telling the students something along the lines of 'Come at me with all you've got!' and 'Know thyself and you'll know thy enemy.' This oughta be good!

Before I could even blink, the old man made the first move. He suddenly disappeared from view, making the students flinch in shock. Before either of them could move to counterattack, the old man appeared before one of the lizardmen. The lizardman himself looked back and tried to defend himself, but it was all for naught. The old man struck him in the head with his wooden sword, knocking him to the ground. The human warrior and the rest of the group all tried to rush the old man, who was standing completely still. Hoo boy, I know where this is going.

And right on cue, the old man slashed the air around him, knocking the others away with the wind pressure from his attack. Some of the goblins fell to the ground, but the human warrior barely managed to land on his feet and slide back a short distance. The old man then suddenly darted toward the warrior with a jumping dash, and the warrior in turn went into a defensive stance. Holy shit! That old man's gotta be faster than the speed of sound!

Both their swords collided with such force that it formed a crater beneath their feet. We felt the force of the shockwave from up above. It definitely made more than my spine tingle at the sensation. I was practically frozen in place, left to stare in awe at what I was witnessing. The human warrior was barely standing his ground, trying to push back the old man's sword with his own. The old man responded to his defensive maneuver by retracting his sword, throwing the warrior off balance, before coming back around with an upward swing, knocking the warrior's sword out of his hands and into the air. The warrior himself slumped to his knees, as the old man pointed the tip of his sword right in his face. The match was over.

My god. That. Was. Awesome! I've seen plenty of fight scenes in anime to last a lifetime, but to actually see one happening in real time, I never thought that I would ever see one with my own two eyes. I couldn't help but crack a smile and inwardly squee to myself. None of my friends and family back home are gonna believe this, that's for sure. If only I caught this on video!

Anywho, the downed combatants got back up and gathered before the old man. I'll bet that he was gonna impart some sage advice about discipline and 'Don't rely on your own two eyes; see with your mind's eye,' or something along those lines. The old man gave his speech, and the students respectfully bowed before heading on their way. As I was looking at the ruined battleground, I felt something tap against my side.

"Hey Slater," Rimuru began. "Come on! I'd like you meet our combat instructor." he said as he and Shion made for the stairs.

"O-oh. Right behind you!" I replied as I followed after them. We approached the old man, who turned around and saw us. Rimuru was talking to him, in Japanese of course, and Shion, once again, gave me the details about him. The old man, or Hakurou rather, was one of the most skilled swordsmen in all of Tempest. From what Shion told me, he's highly renowned outside of Tempest, and trained many promising warriors in his lifetime. After what I just saw, I believe her 100%. In any case, Rimuru used his magic on Hakurou, who then looked right at me. Greeting time once again.

"Your name is Slater, is it not?" Hakurou began. Both his eyes were closed, just like a tried and true old master.

"U-uh yeah. That's me." I replied nervously. "A-And you're Hakurou, r-right? It's nice to m-meet you." I greeted him as I motioned to shake his hand. Yeah, I'm gonna take initiative this time.

"The pleasure is all mine." Hakurou replied as he shook my hand. "So tell me Slater, what did you think of our training session?" he asked as he opened one of his eyes. Hmm? How could I answer that in a way he would find acceptable? I thought it over for a moment before opening my mouth to reply.

"Oh, um…. The match was spectacular! No, really! Your moves and attacks were near-flawless. A real testament to your strength and skill! No wonder you're a master." I replied with a touch of fanboyism in my voice. Welp, so much for subtlety.

"Ho ho ho ho ho! You flatter me!" Hakurou replied with a laugh. "Tell me, what would you think about becoming one of my students?" Was he serious? I don't think that I would survive even one of his training sessions, let alone a single minute during one, and I'm not talking about all the pain and exhaustion that comes with them. I was barely able to keep my eye on Hakurou during the battle, and his strikes were swift and brutal. He can easily defeat even the most seasoned of warriors, and that's not getting into the students he trains. They're all well-versed with the sword. Hell, even Gobta, who's not even the most powerful warriors in Tempest, could floor me with no effort. Imagine going head to head with Hakurou. I guarantee that one of his weakest attacks would make my blood and guts one with the ground, soooooooooooo…..

"N-N-N-N-N-No, no no! I'm good! I'm good!" I replied as I frantically waved my hands.

Rimuru, Shion, and Hakurou just laughed at my response. I couldn't help but turn red in embarrassment and slight annoyance.

"Aw c'mon Slater!" Rimuru said. "I'm sure you would make a fine warrior!"

"You never know until you try!" Shion said.

"Indeed!" Hakurou said. Yeah. No. "You don't know what it is you're missing out on!"

"I said I'm good!" I replied in annoyance. Sheesh! I think this joke's gone on for way too long!

"Suit yourself." Hakurou replied. "But my offer still stands. I could always use a fresh batch of new students."

"Y-Yeah, I'll keep that in mind." I replied.

"Speaking of which, It's time to train the next group of students. You are welcome to stay and watch if you like." Hakurou said as a new group of students suddenly shuffled into the training grounds.

"I appreciate the sentiment Hakurou, but we've got a tour schedule to keep." Rimuru replied. "Good luck with the training!"

"Do your best Hakurou!" Shion said.

"Ho ho ho ho ho! Trust me, these students are going to need all the luck they could get." Hakurou said as he turned toward the students. "I'll see you later Rimuru-sama. Shion. And Slater, it was a pleasure to meet you."

"L-Likewise." I replied. And so, we exited the training grounds. I briefly looked back to see Hakurou and the students taking their ready stances before turning to head in Rimuru and Shion's direction. Out of all the places we've visited so far, this was the most interesting place.

-x-

Lunchtime came and went in a flash. It was pretty good too! I never thought that I would get to try ramen in a fantasy world, but here we are.

Stop #4 was the school. It looked like a typical Japanese elementary school, complete with shoe cupboards, sliding screen doors, and everything else that I've seen in anime. After walking through the entire school, the kids were let out for recess. Rimuru and Shion went to go talk with one of the teachers. As I sat on a bench, I saw a lot of goblin children running around and playing. Despite how weird it was initially, it was actually quite relaxing to see those children playing without a care in the world. It reminded me of the good 'ol days when I used to play at recess. Sometimes it sucks being an adult.

Before I could take a further trip down memory lane, I felt something hit my leg. Looking down, it was a ball, and soon after, a small group of goblin children ran over to me.

"Gomenasai!" said one of the children.

"Uh…. um….. Okay. It okay." I tried to respond, giving the 'ok' sign with my hand. I don't expect these kids to understand my language, but at the very least, I hope they understood my intentions. "Here ball." I said as I gave them their ball back.

"Arigato, ojisan!" said another of the children. They ran off not long after. Sheesh! Talk about rude! For those not in the know, 'ojisan' means something along the lines of 'old man.' Can't kids these days recognize the difference between young adults and old men? I AM still in the middle of my 20's after all! Things never change it seems, even when I'm literally a world apart. Oh well, there was no harm done. I gave them their ball back, they were grateful, I did my good deed for the day, and all is right in the world. With a sigh, I just let it all go.

I put my arms behind my head, reclined against the bench, and looked up at the clouds. So peaceful, so quiet, so serene; just the way I like it! Before my mind could drift off completely, I again felt something against my leg, though this time something was tugging on it. Bringing myself to sit up straight, I looked down and saw the perpetrator; it was a little goblin girl this time. She was absolutely tiny compared to the other goblin children from before, standing there looking right at me with these puppy-dog eyes and sticking her finger in her mouth. She has to be around 5 years old at the very least, possibly younger. Either way, she was absolutely adorable! So adorable in fact, that a certain hatchet-wielding schoolgirl I know would completely gush over her and take her home with her in a heartbeat. That would've been a sight to behold.

"Um…. hi there." I said while waving at her. The little girl just tilted her head at what I just said, no doubt confused at my English. She just continued to stare at me curiously. Now, I don't have anything against children. As a matter of fact, I love them. It's just that I'm pretty awkward when it comes to speaking and connecting to them, even if I'm a bit of a manchild myself and in theory, would have little to no problem connecting to them. It just goes to show how inexperienced I am with people. After staring at me for a few minutes, the little girl reached down into her pocket and pulled out an apple.

"Is that-" I said, pointing to the apple. "-for me?" I pointed to myself. The little girl then smiled at me. It seems she understood me that time. So without hesitation, I slowly reached for the apple and grabbed it.

"Arigato!" I said to the little girl. Her smile grew wider, obviously satisfied with what I did. How can I say no to a cute little face like that? It's enough to warm anyone's heart.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of a small bell being rung. I looked all around for the source and found it was the teacher who Rimuru and Shion were talking to who was ringing that bell. Looks like recess was over. The goblin children quickly began to shuffle back inside the school building, as well as that little girl. Before she left however, I called out to her.

"Bye bye." I said to the girl as I waved goodbye. She waved in response, letting out a small laugh, and ran to join the other children. I swear, there was something about children that made me all warm and fuzzy inside. Maybe it's the fact that they don't understand, nor care, about complicated adult matters they themselves would have to deal with eventually. Maybe it's their simple, idealistic worldview of "new is exciting" and "good things are good, and bad things are bad" that melt through even the hardest of steel shells and pierce the most stone-cold of cynics. That childlike innocence that I once possessed long ago; a yearning for times long since passed. I couldn't help but feel bittersweet by such thoughts.

"Hey, Slater!" Rimuru suddenly called out, bringing me back down to earth. "We're about to head to the caves! Let's get a move on!" he finished as he and Shion turned around and began to walk away.

"Coming!" I replied as I got up and ran after them. This was definitely a pleasant visit if I do say so myself. As I ran, I took a bite out of the apple that little girl gave me.

It was delicious.

-x-

And here we are, in the caves. According to Rimuru, some necessary ingredients are cultivated here and harvested by the lizardmen, or rather the dragonewts as they're called, for healing potions, one of Tempest's main exports. From what Shion told me, the potions themselves are of very high quality and highly sought after. I wonder just how well a healing potion would work on me. Would it heal me instantly, or would it slowly heal me over time? Do I want to injure myself to test that theory? Hell no! But it would be nice to take a few potions just in case. Too bad I'm flat broke, however. Though of course, this cave also held more significance than simply being used to make potions. Rimuru also told me that this cave once housed the fierce Storm Dragon: Veldora Tempest, from which Rimuru got his name when he reincarnated into this world. If I actually met a dragon face to face, I'd probably shit myself in fear. Hopefully my dirty drawers will give that dragon indigestion, but I digress.

Anywho, the cave itself was simply beautiful. From the top to the bottom, just about everywhere in this cave there were crystals as far as the eye can see. I felt tempted to take some as a souvenir, but I didn't want to get in trouble. I'll have to ask Rimuru about the crystals later.

We approached the center of the cave, where the ingredients, or Hipokte Grass as it was called, were harvested. There, I noticed a small group of dragonewts at work, while a purple one with wings was giving them orders. I know that guy has a name, but I couldn't guess what his name was. I may know some stuff about the world of Slime, but there were so many characters to keep track of that I just couldn't remember every name. Heroes and villains? Sure. Side characters? Hit or miss really.

As we grew closer, the dragonewts turned their attention to us. The purple one was the first to speak.

"Rimuru-sama!" said the purple dragonewt.

"Gabiru!" Rimuru replied, who raised his hand toward him. Ah. Magic time once again I see? The purple flash came and went, earning the confusion of Gabiru and the rest of the dragonewts.

"Wha…. What did you just do Rimuru-sama?" Gabiru asked. He gave himself a once-over, as if he was expecting to grow a second head or two more arms.

"Relax Gabiru. I just used one of my Skills on you and the others. I assure you that you're 100% safe!" Rimuru replied, flashing a thumbs up with a grin. "Anyway, I'd like you to meet my friend here." He pointed to me, before turning to look at me. "Slater, this is Gabiru. He's the leader of the dragonewts here in Tempest. He's also in charge of harvesting the Hipokte Grass in this cave."

"Nice to…. meet you….. Gabiru." I said as I went to shake his hand.

"It's my pleasure!" Gabiru replied as he reciprocated the handshake. Jeez, I completely forgot just how rough a reptile's skin feels. It reminded me when I used to catch lizards back in the day. "After all! It's not every day that someone as such as yourself is blessed with the privlege of meeting with the great Gabiru-sama!" As if on cue, a spotlight shone downward on Gabiru. Um… excuse me? Where's that light coming from?

"Gabiru-sama! You're so awesome!" one of the dragonewts suddenly exclaimed.

"Gabiru-sama! You're so cool!" another of the dragonewts exclaimed.

"You're our hero Gabiru-sama! We'll follow you until the day we die!" exclaimed yet another dragonewt.

And from that point onward, the rest of the dragonewts followed suit, showering Gabiru with constant praise. I was at a loss for words, but at the same time, I just now remembered something about his character. Gabiru was a proud, passionate, and hammy braggart with his own entourage of dragonewt fanboys. Of course, he DID have the skills and abilities to back up his claims, but it must've been an exercise in patience for Rimuru and the others to put up with his 'quirks' all the time. Hell, if I were watching this scene unfold as an anime episode, right about now would be the time when the other characters would have those sweat beads forming on their faces. If I was able to do that, I would've done so already. No knowing what to do now, I turned to Rimuru and Shi-WHOA!

"Ugh! There they go again." Rimuru deadpanned. Sweat beads! Both Rimuru and Shion had honest-to-god sweat beads right now! Not the clear kind of sweat either! The blue kind that only existed in anime! Holy shit! When did that happen? How did that happen? What kind of phenomenon is there for there to have sweat beads manifest into reality like this? And don't even think for a second that this is an animation quirk or something! This is actually happening in real time, and I'm bearing witness to it with my own two eyes! Since I'm in an anime world, does this mean that I can get sweat beads if the proper conditions are met? Maybe they have been met and I've got a sweat bead right now. Can I physically touch a sweat bead? Can I grab it? Forget about Gabiru and his entourage's theatrics right now. I'm genuinely curious about this. Slowly, I tried to reach for the sweat bead on Rimuru's face, but before I could get close enough, I suddenly heard a voice break my train of thought.

"Oi! Slater!" Rimuru began as he turned to me, startling me in the process. Jeez! Was I really that distracted? I tried to look for the sweat bead, but it was hopeless. His sudden fixation on me made it vanish without a trace. Damn! And I was so close too!

"Y-Yes, R-Rimuru?" I stammered a response. "What is it?"

"Seeing how Gabiru and the others are preoccupied at the moment, what do you say about going to our next destination?" Rimuru asked.

"Right now?" I responded. I thought about it for a moment. "Sure. I guess there's not much to learn right now-" I stuttered for a bit, before pointing at the dragonewts. "-given the situation."

"Right. Let's go Shion-kun." Rimuru said as he turned to Shion.

"Yes, Rimuru-sama!" Shion replied. As we began to walk back to the entrance, we heard Gabiru speak up.

"Rimuru-sama! Where are you going?" Gabiru called out.

"On to our next destination. Keep up the good work Gabiru." Rimuru said with a wave of his hand, not even bothering to look at him. I was waiting for Gabiru to respond to that, but to my surprise, it didn't happen. Instead, I heard something different.

"Gabiru-sama!" said the group of dragonewts. I turned my head around and saw Gabiru on his hands and knees, as if defeated, and looking completely pale. Not a sickish pale, but an actual ghost-white pale that you only see in anime. Jesus, do people around here notice these phenomena at all? Is it such a common occurance that no one seems to care when or how it happens? Or am I just overanalyzing things? I don't know.

Anyway, I kind of understand why Gabiru's so down in the dumps. He never did get his chance to tell me exactly what he does, even though Rimuru and Shion gave me the basic rundown already. On some level, I felt sorry for him, but unfortunately we've got a schedule to keep. I'll try to apologize to him the next time I see him, but right now, it's off to the next destination.

-x-

The residential districts were…interesting to say the least. For one thing, the houses weren't your standard log cabin or cobblestone house like you'd see in an RPG, they were actual Japanese houses! Well, I should've expected this. After all, Rimuru DID come from Japan, so of course his influence would be made known one way or another. Not to mention that a lot of the buildings I saw in the marketplace and the school were Japanese themed as well. I wonder if that means the residents here follow the traditional Japanese customs? By this point I wouldn't be surprised.

As we were walking down the street, I saw Rigurdo walking around nearby. He must be working right now. Even though Rimuru cleared the air with me about the monsters here, I'm still a little wary about Rigurdo. Nice guy he might be, he still looks like he'd break someone's neck if you pissed him off. Rimuru then instructed us to stop with a hand gesture, and almost immediately ran toward Rigurdo. Welp. I guess we had to talk to Rigurdo eventually.

Bada bing! Bada boom! Magic spell! Zippity zam zoom! NEW LANGUAGE GET! Rimuru and Rigurdo were walking toward us now. I just felt so on edge at the moment.

"Oh! I see you're doing better this time!" Rigurdo started.

"U-um! Y-Yeah, I'm…. peachy keen." I nervously replied.

"That's good to hear!" Rigurdo replied. He then looked at me seriously. "I apologize." Wait, what?

"Come again?" I asked in confusion.

"I apologize for scaring you yesterday. I didn't mean to do it. I thought you were somebody suspicious after what the guards said to me. I should've realized sooner how unnerved you must've felt with all the culture shock hitting you at once, as well as what it must've felt for a human like you coming into contact with a monster like me. I'm truly, sincerely sorry Slater!" Rigurdo said as he quickly entered a formal bow. Wow! I wasn't expecting this. I don't know what to say. I better say something quick though.

"U-Uh u-um…. N-No no. I-it's okay really," I trailed off for a few seconds before finding the next words to say. I took a deep breath and continued. "I know you were just doing your job. But I'm not gonna lie, I'm still a little scared of you and some of the other monsters, but after going around and meeting some of the people here, I'm a bit more relaxed now. I know you didn't mean to harm me, I just haven't fully convinced myself yet. That's all." I said to Rigurdo. I might as well be honest with what I was thinking, even if I had trouble finding the proper words to say. Hopefully nobody will hold it against me. After standing there silent for a moment, Rigurdo opened his mouth to reply.

"Mmm. That's good to hear. Thank you for being honest with me, Slater." Rigurdo replied, followed by a small laugh.

"U-uh. Y-You're welcome… Rigurdo." I replied.

"See Slater! You can stand up to anything if you put your mind to it!" Rimuru suddenly announced. Wait just a minute here. Something smells fishy.

"You're absolutely correct Rimuru-sama!" Rigurdo replied with a laugh. "Anyway, I've got to get back to what I was doing." He turned to me. "Take care Slater, and enjoy your stay in Tempest." He finished, flexing his muscles and posing like a bodybuilder. You know, I forgot he did that.

"U-um yeah. Thanks. I will." I replied. And with that, Rigurdo went on his way. No sooner did I turn to Rimuru, noticing a wry smirk on his face.

"What's the suspicious look for?" Rimuru asked in a faux innocent tone. Oh, I just knew it!

"You planned this on purpose didn't you Rimuru?" I asked in annoyance.

"Aw come on Slater!" Rimuru replied, continuing with the 'I don't know what you're talking about' face. "You honestly suspect that I planned everything out? That I went to tell Rigurdo just how scared and uncomfortable you were yesterday? That I made it so our tour schedule would just happen to coordinate with Rigurdo's so we would just so happen to meet up in a place like this? Come on! I'm not that smart!" He finished with a chuckle. Ladies and gentlemen, I think I've just been trolled by a slime. I don't know whether to be mad at him or laugh at how he planned this out. Either way, I'm pretty annoyed.

"Don't be mad Slater." Shion suddenly said with a giggle. "Rimuru-sama did this out of concern for you. Please don't take it personally." she finished with a smile. Well, when you put it that way, I guess I can't fault Rimuru for what he did to help me. Better to tie up any loose ends I might have had with Rigurdo sooner rather than later.

"Anyway," Rimuru spoke up. "It's almost dinner time! But before that, you should take a dip in the onsen to freshen up! I know you'll love it Slater!" Well, I can't remember the last time I washed myself. Besides, I've always wanted to go to an onsen.

"Sounds good." I replied.

"Oh yeah!" Shion suddenly exclaimed. "Since dinner preparations will be under way soon, I should pitch in to help with-"

"WAHHHHHH!" Rimuru suddenly yelled. I all but jumped when he did that. "U-um, Shion-kun, t-that reminds me. D-Did you finish filing the documents for today?" he stammered with a question. What's up with him?

"What are you talking about Rimuru-sama?" Shion asked in confusion. "You left Rigurdo to handle the-"

"Well can you go back to the office and check? Maybe Rigurdo missed a few by accident." Rimuru suddenly responded. Why did he sound so desperate?

"But, Rimuru-sama-" Shion began, but before she could get another word in, Rimuru cut her off.

"Please Shion-kun! Please check for me! You're the only one I can rely on for this! It's a super special assignment that only you, my most trusted secretary, can handle!" Rimuru said, trying to butter her up with compliments. After about a moment, Shion opened her mouth to respond.

"Yes, Rimuru-sama! I'll go back right away and take care of those documents as fast as I can!" Shion exclaimed as she suddenly made a mad dash away from us.

"Take your time…" Rimuru tried to say to her, but she was out of earshot so she didn't hear it.

"Um… Rimuru? What was that about?" I asked.

"Just don't worry about that Slater," Rimuru said, trying to dodge my question. "Come on! I'll show you the way to the onsen!" he said, changing the topic.

"Um, okay? Lead the way….. I guess." I tried to reply. With that, I was following Rimuru to the onsen. Just what was he so afraid of and why did he make Shion leave us?

Oh well. I'm sure it'll all ring a bell soon enough.

-x-

And so, here I was at the onsen. To be honest, I was excited. I've never relaxed at an onsen before, let along a hot spring, so I'm looking forward to this. Rimuru showed me where the men's side of the onsen was, and left me to my own devices while he left to go check on dinner. I quickly got undressed and wrapped myself in a towel. I walked straight into the bathing area, and it looked exactly like every other onsen I've seen in anime.

No one else seemed to be here. Cool! I have the entire bath to myself! I almost felt tempted to jump in, but I quickly nipped that thought in the bud. I just noticed that Rimuru, nor anyone really, told me how to properly clean myself in an onsen. But fear not! I've seen just enough anime to know what to do! I felt like puffing out my chest in pride, but I supressed the urge as quickly as it appeared.

Okay, what do we do first? "Ah!" I exclaimed as I snapped my finger.

Step 1: Scrub myself. I sat down in front of a mirror and grabbed a nearby bar of soap. I spent the next few minutes scrubbing at every nook and cranny; from top to bottom, from side to side. I felt if I missed just one spot, I'd get scolded for it. You know how seriously the Japanese take their customs.

Step 2: Rinse. I filled a wash bin with warm water from the sink. After filling it, I lifted it over my head, dumping the water on myself. I think that one dump was enough in washing off the suds, but I proceeded to refill the wash bin so I can rinse again. Better to be safe than sorry.

Step 3: Bath. Finally, the moment arrived. With a warm towel on my head, I walked over to the bath and slowly inched my way down into it.

"Wha-ho! Ho! Hot! Hot!" Slowly, but surely, I settled into the water.

Ah! This feels great! I haven't relaxed like this in a long time! The last time I was in hot water like this was when me and my friends took a dip in a hot tub at our hotel during our 3-day trip to an anime convention. I can feel my worries and troubles melting away. Hmm... But my troubles haven't truly gone away now have they?

I'm still stuck here in this world with no way back, and I don't even know why I'm here in the first place. Obviously, that cosmic bastard was responsible for my being here, but I still don't understand why he sent me to the world of Slime of all places. What exactly are his plans for me? When will I be able to go home? And how? Will I even be able to go home? I don't know.

I wonder if everyone back home has noticed that I'm gone. I'm sure they're out there right now trying to find out where I am. Unfortunately, it's pretty difficult to find someone who has quite literally dropped off from the face of the Earth. So much to take in all at once. Just thinking about my friends and family right now hurts. I didn't realize it at the time, but I felt the faintest sensation of tears streaming down my face; a coldness that not even the warm comfort from this bath can help cure.

*Thump thump thump thump*

What was that sound? Footsteps?

Quickly regaining my composure, I got out of the bath and crept over to the door, placing an ear to it to try and hear what was on the other side.

It was a little muffled, but there were people having a conversation in Japanese. Shit! I forgot that this was a public bath. You know? Where it's normal for multiple people to bathe together in the same place? Call me a prude, but I'm not at ALL comfortable with others seeing me naked. Just the idea of someone, even members of my own family, seeing my naked body, especially my 'business,' unnerves me to no end. That's why I hate the idea of using urinals in public, even if you're not supposed to be watching others do their business. While it may be okay to bathe in an onsen with other people in Japan, it's not okay with me. And don't even get me started about the possible "male endowment" jokes that could be made about me if I continue to stay here! I think it's time to make tracks.

Not missing a beat, I decided to duck behind a nearby rock until the coast was clear. That meant waiting until those people were out of the changing room and into the bath. Hopefully I can get out of here without attracting attention to myself.

After a few minutes, the occupants of the changing room came out into the bathing area. I peaked from behind the rock to see who they were. To my surprise, one of them was Gobta, who was accompanied by that warrior from the training grounds earlier, as well as some other goblins, possibly from the Riders. They went to scrub and rinse themselves for the next few minutes, continuing their conversation all the while. Come on man! Hurry up and get into the water already! I don't have all night!

Finally, all of them settled into the water. Peaking out once again, they seemed to still be immersed in their conversation with one another. If there was a time to get out of here, it would be now. So, I slowly emerged from my hiding place, trying my best to sneak past them. Please don't turn around and notice me! Please don't turn around and notice me!

Every few seconds, I turned around behind me to make sure they were facing away from me. So far, so good. The door is almost within reach. Come on, come on! Almost there! My hand is just about to-

*FWOOSH*

Without even realizing it, I had stepped on a bar of soap that just happened to be where I was walking. I quickly slipped and fell on my ass, letting out a yelp of pain in the process.

The jig was certainly up now, because I definitely heard the voices shift into an alert tone behind me. Slowly, I looked back and saw that Gobta and the others were looking straight at me.

"Slater? Is that you?" Gobta asked in English. The other occupants of the bath looked at me in confusion, as if I wasn't supposed to be here.

"U-uh! Ummmmmmm. Y-Yeah, it's me." I answered bashfully. One of the goblins got Gobta's attention with a question; no doubt it's about me. After a moment, he looked back at me and spoke.

"What are you doing all the way over there?" Gobta asked me. "Come on in and join us! The water's fine!" I slowly stood myself up. Hmm? That's weird. Why does it suddenly feel breezy-

I looked down, and then in horror, the realization dawned on me; my towel came off! I let out an 'EEP' and quickly tried to cover myself, grabbing my towel off the ground. My face was probably beet red by now.

"What's wrong Slater? What's there to be embarrassed abou-" Before Gobta could finish that sentence, I quickly cut him off.

"It's nothing! I was just leaving!" I said as I ran out of the bathing area in a hurry. I put my clothes back on and darted out of the onsen as fast as I could; not even getting the chance to chug a glass of milk after my bath as per onsen tradition.

Why is this happening to me?!

-x-

After that little "incident" in the bath, I met up with Rimuru, who escorted me to where we were gonna have dinner. I was starving, and I definitely needed something to take my mind off of…. that. I can't believe I fell victim to what would be considered a gag in anime. Man, I'm never gonna live that one down.

So we arrived at the dinner hall it seemed. The place looked really fancy, like a five-star restaurant or something. Sheesh! Was there anything that Tempest didn't have? Rimuru pointed us to our table. The table itself was surprisingly small; as if it were just for the two of us.

"Hey Rimuru," I began. "Where is everyone?"

"Oh? It's just gonna be the two of us tonight," Rimuru replied. "I figured we could use a little alone time; if you know what I mean?" Okay, could you have worded that any weirder? You make it sound like we're on a date or something, and I'm pretty sure people like Shion wouldn't approve. That Time I Went on a Date With a Slime. I'll bet a light novel with a title like that would sell like hotcakes.

So we sat down and chatted for a while. It was nothing special; just a summation about today's tour and such. Not long afterwards, a group of waiters came out with trays among trays of food. Holy shit that's a lot of food! It all looks great too! There was steak, turkey, chicken, fish, and all kinds of vegetables and fruits; basically everything but the kitchen sink. After setting down the food, I made myself a plate and started to dig in. This was delicious! I don't think I've had anything this good in a long time!

But that wasn't the end of it. After the main course, another waiter came to our table with two giant bowls of ice cream; each of them with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry flavors topped with chocolate sauce, cherries, and whipped cream. Man, Rimuru sure knows how to make his guests feel like royalty. The ice cream was also great by the way. It was possibly the best ice cream that I've ever had!

Overall, dinner was excellent!

-x-

After dinner, Rimuru and I were walking through town. The streets were illuminated by the moonlight. It kind of gave me a calming feeling. Anyway, since our tour was pretty much over, Rimuru's most likely taking me to where I'll be spending the night. Man, this was quite a day. We went all over the place, and I experienced so much. To be honest, I'm a lot calmer now about being around the monster citizens. Everyone I met has just been so kind and helpful to me. They really knew how to make a guy like me feel welcome, that's for sure.

"So Slater," Rimuru suddenly began. "What do you think of Tempest?"

"Oh?" I replied. "I like it. I mean, I really really liked it! There were so many things that I've seen today, that I just couldn't believe it was real! And of course, all that food was delicious! And the people were nice, and the- I mean, um. You see-"

"Now, now." Rimuru said, cutting off my rambling at the source. Oh jeez! Just where was my brain up until now? I sounded like I was geeking out. "I'm very flattered that everything in Tempest was to your liking. We do our hardest to make sure everyone here, as well as our guests, can be comfortable and have everything they could ever need. That's our top priority."

"Ah, I-I see." I replied, feeling a touch embarrassed. I shook my head and quickly recomposed myself. "So, Rimuru," I began. "Where am I going to be sleeping for tonight?" Rimuru stopped in his tracks, turning to face me.

"Oh, I've arranged a room for you to stay in at the inn. All expenses paid for, of course. It's actually not that far from here." Rimuru replied. Just then, his face became serious.

"However, before we go there, I'd like you to follow me to my house. There's something I'd like to discuss with you." Rimuru finished. Hmm? Now what could this be about? I gave myself a moment to ponder what this talk might be about. Finally, something clicked in my head. I figured out the answer, so I opened my mouth to speak.

"Is this about my… 'situation,' by any chance?" I asked, making air quotes with my hands. Rimuru hesitated to speak for a few seconds, but he opened his mouth not long after.

"Indeed it is." Rimuru replied. "I figured I'd wait until you were feeling much better before discussing the matter firsthand. Thankfully, the tour today was a big help in calming you down from your initial shock and subsequent stress." Oh. I guess that makes sense. Yesterday, I was practically a nervous wreck, becoming trapped in my own paranoia and awkwardly fumbling through the situation at hand. In retrospect, I could've handled that better, but at the same time, with my initial reaction to suddenly being stuck in a fantasy world with everything that a typical fantasy setting entails and it NOT being a dream, can you really blame me for feeling the way I felt?

"Ok, lead the way." I began. "I could really use someone to talk to about all this right now."

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear." Rimuru replied, donning a much softer expression. "Come on, let's go."

And so, we headed straight for Rimuru's house. Today gave me enough time to sort out my thoughts and feelings on this situation of mine, so I was prepared this time around. Hopefully, things will go over smoothly. It's not like Rimuru will make it difficult for me by overcomplicating things and such. That's not a part of his character.

I needed help, and I'm going to get it! Right here. Right now.