Skill Usage

(Character Thinking)

"Character Speaking"

[Ciel and Rimuru Talking To Each Other]

The bold text is what is different from the original web novel

Satoru POV

A life so normal that nothing can be said about it.

After leaving college, I joined a major general contractor firm and am living alone now at the age of 40. Having no girlfriend. Filial duty left to my older brother, my life is essentially that of an independent, single noble.

Neither short of height, or wanting of a good face. Yet unpopular. I have tried exhorting effort into finding a girlfriend – and have confessed thrice! – but after being dumped, my heart is left shattered. Well, having reached this age, I can honestly say that this romance thing is naught but troublesome. And although you could say that I am mostly busy with work, it's not like I am troubled by not having one. It's not like I am making excuses... really.

"Senpai! Sorry for keeping you waiting!"

With a cheerful smile the young man approaches me. And, by his side–a beauty. More specifically, the young man, Tamura Yamaguchi, is a junior at the same company I work at; the one by his side is our company's renowned Madonna, the receptionist Miho Sawatari, or rather, after marrying Tamura, Miho Yamaguchi. Yep, I have been asked by these guys to offer consultation on their upcoming pregnancy. The after-work rendezvous was held at an intersection, and there the two hoped to indulge my thoughtfulness and support.

"Yeah. So, what kind of advice are you looking for?"

I ask while greeting Tamura's newly pregnant wife.

"Hello, good to see you again Satoru-san. Although we have seen each other before, this would be the first time we are back at this place, right? Makes me nervous, somehow."

(The nervous one is me, damn it! I mean, I am not that good with speaking to girls in the first place. Cut me some slack! And in the first place, with no apparent love experience, what kind of advice can I even offer? Aren't you all just poking fun at me! It's spite, isn't it.)

From here on out it will be different from the web novel

"Hello, Miho-san, it's always nice seeing you. No need to be nervous or anything. I don't plan on getting stabbed again."

I chuckle. Yeah, that's right, the last time I met Tamura and Miho-san at this place was for consultation on their upcoming marriage, but really Tamura just wanted to show off his new bride. However, things didn't go as expected, and I got stabbed by a knife pushing Tamura out of the way of a street thief.

"Sorry about that senpai, you almost died trying to save my life."

"It's not your fault Tamura. Besides, I'm alive and good as new, so there's nothing to feel guilty about."

Well thanks to myself, that is. In reality, I actually did die when I was stabbed. I got reincarnated as a slime monster in another world with special skills. Eventually several things happened, and basically I established my own country and became the strongest being in existence, known as Rimuru Tempest. Once I ruled over all of time and space, I decided to come back to Earth and save my past self, Satoru Mikami, right after I was stabbed.

Since then, I've been living as my alternate self Satoru on Earth, while Rimuru continues to live on in the other world. Honestly, there were pros and cons to both lives, but the main pro to Satoru Mikami is I have my son, rather than the sexless slime Rimuru Tempest. However, three years later after being stabbed and saved by a slime, I still haven't put it to good use.

Now, here is my kouhai Tamura showing off with his skill of using it, as I look at Miho-san's large, pregnant stomach.

(Damn it, Tamura you bastard! It's these situations where you should just explode!)

"My bad for bringing up sour past memories. And, well, the location doesn't help much, does it? Let's get something to eat and talk there."

It's just jealousy, after all. And just when I thought so...

"""Kyaaaaaaaaaa!"""

Screams. Confusion.

(What? What's going on?)

"Move it! I'll kill you!"

Turning to the sound of the voice, a man brandishing a knife and holding a bag is running towards us. I hear the scream. I see the man. I see the knife. Where is it pointing? At...

"Tamuraaa!"

*Don* I hit Tamura out of the way.

*Dosu* There's a burning pain in my back.

"Tch, damn hindrance!"

Having shouted thus, I see the man escaping and turn to make sure Tamura and Miho-san are safe. With a shout that resembled no words, Tamura runs up to me. Miho-san is stunned by the sudden turn of events, but appears without other injury... thank god.

"Senpai, not again... there's blood coming out... it's not stopping... "

(Could it be... was I stabbed again? I can't really be dying from a stab wound, can I? After all, as a slime I had pierce resistance. Damn it! Why can't I hear Great Sage this time? Last time she appeared in my head because of my strong desires while dying. Having experienced this once already, my desire probably isn't strong enough.

What's up with this loud guy? Feels like his voice was strange just now; well, that much can be expected from Tamura. But blood? Yeah, that's clearly leaving. I am human, after all. When stabbed, I bleed! But pain is unpleasant, isn't it... I miss the pain resistance as a slime.

Well... this is bad, right? Pain and impatience are muddling my senses.)

"Ta... Tamura... you are damn loud. It... is not that big of a deal, right? Stop worrying..."

"Senpai... the blood... you keep..."

His face is pale, on the verge of tears, Tamura continues to hold me. That's the face that is the ruin of handsome men. I tried to take a look at how Miho-san was doing, but my vision is too hazy. Can't see. The burning sensation in my back is gone. Instead, a ferocious cold strikes me.

(This could be bad... when people don't have enough blood, they die, don't they?)

I try to speak, but no words come out. This is bad, maybe I really will die this time...

But hey, I no longer feel neither pain nor the burning.

But it's cold. So cold, and nothing I can do about it.

(What's with this... I am too busy of a man to be freezing in this cold.)

At that time, the dying brain cells of mine, with a flash of inspiration, have remembered the truly important things! Yes! The contents of my PC hard drive!

"Tamuraa! If and only if, I say, I die... take care of my PC. I beg you... submerge it in water, turn it on, and completely wipe the data clean..."

Thus I, having summoned the remainder of my strength, have conveyed the matters of most grave importance. I don't know exactly what Tamura was saying at that moment, while giving me that blank look. But, I understood the meaning of what was said.

"Haha... that's so like Senpai..."

He said with a bitter smile. Who would even want to look at a man's crying face? That grin is so many times better.

"You know, I... about Miho and I, we wanted to show off our pregnancy to Senpai..."

Heh, I knew it... these two.

"Tch... jeez. I've forgiven all of it, so your wife and child, make them happy, got it? And take care of my PC... Also, just in case, remember this exact time and date. Write it down on your phone and don't forget it."

"Eh? Really, why? Well it doesn't matter, if it's what my best friend and the two-time savior of my life wants, then I'll happily do it. Let's see right now, it's Saturday, October 17, 2015. The time is 4:22 P.M. I just wrote it down and saved it on my smartphone."

"Thanks, Tamura, be sure never to forget it. If you really want to know why, it's because he should be coming soon."

The last of my strength, was only enough to say that much.

"Wait... Senpai! By 'he' you couldn't mean..."

And then he appeared.

"Jeez... Really, I am such an idiot... Getting stabbed twice in the same place, how troublesome..."