I waved to Professor Rimuru as he left, hoping a break would help with whatever was bothering him. He'd left me to watch Class S, and we began walking the grounds as the kids talked excitedly.
The Count was gracious enough to let the kids explore the cave the second part of the event would happen in, and while I was hesitant at first, I came to the conclusion it was okay because most of the other groups already had the caves mapped out.
So, I took the kids on a little tour of what I'd remembered from the cave. What I wasn't expecting though, was little hints and signs of someone living in it. It led me to believe that maybe some of the homeless in the town had taken up residence in the cave, or maybe some of the workers were living here while making expansions to the artificial cave to change it up for this year.
That was until a net was thrown on top of the kids as they walked past one of the crossroads in the corner, I immediately yelled out for everyone to put up their guard.
However, the kids simply responded by cutting up the net as it flew over them, and Kenya turned the corner, before dragging out an older man in his mid-thirties. The man was yelping in pain from Kenya's grip.
"What are you doing here?" Kenya was surprisingly intimidating, standing there above the crumpled man.
The man didn't get a chance to answer, as another of what I concluded at this point were bandits from their clothes and equipment, came from the other tunnel and beamed Kenya over the head with a simple club.
I attempted to run over and catch the child, but I was stopped by Chloe.
Then Kenya got back up and threw the man into the wall. I didn't know the kid was that strong, it actually frightened me a bit.
More bandits came out, and quickly it became clear that the bandits were completely out of their league.
That led to the current situation. The bandits' leader was tied to a table with some of his compatriots, and was being questioned by Alice. The girl was vicious to say the least, having broken one of the man's fingers before I intervened to stop her. "We should wait for the guards, please don't harm them yet." I put my arm in front of the girl.
The young girl huffed. "I wasn't hurting him badly. He's lucky I chose his finger and not his legs. He can't resort to banditry again if he can't walk."
I paled at the thought of this girl ever being assigned to clear a bandit hive. It made me feel a little bad for the people inside, even if they likely wouldn't be the best people themselves.
A figure emerged from the hallway, slowly clapping and filling the silence in the cavern. "You children are fairly strong being able to take out these useless criminals, but you shouldn't get too full of yourselves just yet."
"Oh, Mr. Gesdar! Thank goodness you are alr-! Huh?"
"That's no butler." Ryota said, holding his arm out in front to stop me.
"He's not even human." Alice added.
"You're a phantom, aren't ya!?" Kenya shouted at the approaching man.
Gesdar, or the phantom disguised as him, started snickering at that. "I wasn't expecting any of you to identify what I really am."
The human-looking phantom's face started to distort right before our eyes, warping into something evil and decidedly inhuman.
"Stay back, Miss Tiss!" Chloe shouted.
I could feel the immense pressure coming from the phantom and took a step back. Unlike me, Class S doesn't seem to want to back down, even when things are this bad and they bare their weapons at this terrifying monster.
Even the bandits from before fell unconscious one by one, and they all looked pretty hardy before this. Whatever a phantom was, it was a serious threat to us all.
"It looks like you're all raring to go. In that case, shall we begin?" The phantom taunted the kids.
Kenya lunged forward with his sword at the phantom, but in horror, I watched every single one of his strikes get effortlessly deflected by the still-smiling phantom.
The phantom responded with its fist, which nearly immediately slammed into a blackened steel shield from Gale, which dented but managed to keep itself together.
The creature seemed to get a bit irritated as it was surrounded by daggers from Alice, and pelted with arrows from Ryota.
Chloe was just standing back next to me.
Kenya attempted to stab at the Phantom again, only for the Phantom to smile maliciously.
"It seems I'll need to get a bit more serious."
After his declaration, the Phantom singled out each of the students one by one, slamming them into the walls of the cave, until each one collapsed on the ground. It left Alice, Gale and Kenya completely unconscious.
Chloe turned to me with a smile of her own. "Don't worry, Rimuru-sensei will always be there for us. So we just need to do our best!"
After that, she charged off toward the phantom with Ryota.
The pair tried to fight the phantom off, but it only took a few more blows for the pair to get taken out as well.
Leaving me alone.
I knew the kids were more powerful than me, each of them on their own. So I wasn't prepared for this.
I didn't know what to do. Even Class S stood no chance against this phantom.
I will just have to do my best, just like the kids. I feel like she's right. Professor Rimuru will show up and protect us.
Then I felt a chill spread throughout my entire body, as it almost felt as if all my senses stopped working properly.
Something entirely horrible and destructive was behind me, I just knew it. I couldn't even move with the presence there.
It was far worse than the phantom, and I couldn't turn back to see it.
It didn't matter though. "I will protect these children with all my strength, it doesn't matter what shows up."
This was meant both for the phantom and the ominous presence that I couldn't bring myself to look at.
"That's my job, Tiss. I'll take care of this guy." I heard Rimuru's voice, but it was deep and coarse. It was holding back a terrible anger.
"R-rimuru?" I shakily asked.
Chloe was right, but at the same time, I'd realized something. That horrifying, monstrous feeling was coming from the small teacher I'd gotten to know over the last few months, not some threat.
Although, really, he almost seemed like an entirely different person. Rimuru's normal cheerfulness was gone, replaced by seething anger.
"Just, don't try to move, you'll hurt yourself if you do." Rimuru even seemed to know what was happening to my body, my immobility at least.
"What is going on Ri-"
The phantom decided not to let me talk, as my mouth was sealed shut against my will.
It sets its eyes on Rimuru, behind me. At least I assumed so. "A bold one, aren't you?"
"Did you do this?! To my kids!"
"Your kids? Do these 'children' even know what you are? Does that teacher know what you are?" The phantom laughed loudly. "I doubt you could protect anyone."
In the blink of an eye, a purple light flared into the room and blinded me. Then everything went black.
THAT BASTARD TOLD ME I COULDN'T KEEP MY PROMISE TO SHIZU!
Not only that, but he caught my sword between his fingertips, making me look like an idiot.
"I didn't expect you to get so mad." The thing taunted shamelessly.
Coy asshole, smiling like that. I'd show him how a real monster fights.
I was glad my aura going out of control and knocked Tiss out because now I didn't need to stop myself from doing it.
I let my aura hold it in place, and melted around that disgusting creature. I'd eat it before it could taunt me any further.
Great Sage told me it was a phantom, but she also told me it was inhabiting the body of a human. So I begrudgingly waited to dissolve the thing until I could get it out of the guy.
With a bit of effort, I managed to yank the thing out of the guy with degenerate, but I got something I didn't expect as a result from the sage.
[[Notice: Analysis, partially successful. Individual, Rimuru Tempest, does not meet the requirements for the following skills: Universal Perception, Holy Attribute Resistance, and Holy-Magicule Conversion. Data will be stored until individual, Rimuru Tempest, qualifies for these skills.]]
What did I get from it then?
[[Answer: Rimuru Tempest has acquired one skill which he qualifies for, Interdimensional Traveler. However, this skill is currently unusable due to the individual, Rimuru Tempest, inhabiting a physical body. This skill is only usable by Spiritual Lifeforms, without causing immediate and irreparable damage.]]
I felt a long and sustained grumbling session come on. Did it at least give me a lot of magicules?
[[Answer: The magicule capacity of individual, Rimuru Tempest, has increased by 34%.]]
That was great, but I had more pressing concerns. First, my kids. They all seemed to be knocked unconscious, but I could see that their spirits were working hard to repair the damage they took.
Next, Tiss. Hmmm… unconscious and had minor magicule poisoning from exposure. I knew I'd probably need to help her or she'd be in for a hard, long recovery.
And last, the man now slumped on the ground, looking like a perfectly normal human now. I presumed he was innocent, although I couldn't be sure. He wasn't dead, which was good, and I hoped being possessed by the phantom wouldn't cause him any permanent consequences.
After assessing the room, I went over to Tiss. I'll need to remove some of those magicules from her body. They were coating her like a film, the magicules just on the surface of her skin. But, if I didn't do anything about them, I was sure they would soak in deeper and make her very sick.
Sighing to myself, a small part of me telling me this was wrong to do to this nice lady without asking, but I knew that it was necessary. Her condition was at least partly at fault, and now I needed to minimize the damage.
I slimeified my arms and spread them out over most of her body, minus her head, to maximize the surface area and started to clean up the excess magicules with degenerate.
After a few minutes of this, Tiss started to stir then opened her eyes. I wasn't quite done, though, so unfortunately me and my slime arms were the first thing she saw after waking up.
"Um… hi, Tiss!" I immediately released her and returned to fully human form.
That's not a good expression…
Abject horror is how I would describe Tiss's face in that moment.
"Wh-what are you?" She asked, her voice shaking.
I answered her by turning into a slime.
"I'm a slime. But not a bad slime, see? I'm squishy and harmless!" Well, that last part was a bit of a lie, but I'd never hurt Tiss so I thought it was fair to say.
Tiss sat up and just stared blankly at me. After a few moments she managed to softly ask, "why did that feel comforting despite looking so… terrifying?" She asked, wrapping her arms around herself and shuddering.
I reformed into human shape, hoping that would help.
"I just needed to make sure I didn't indirectly hurt you with my aura. The kids'll be fine, but you're not as used to magicules as they all are." I rubbed the back of my head awkwardly, smiling in hopes she'd see how genuine I was.
Tiss then stood up, wobbling a little on her feet, and started swiftly walking toward the exit.
"Hey! Tiss, wait! I still need to explain some things!"
"I… can't. I just can't handle this…"
She left the cave and I didn't try to stop her. I knew it would just make things worse.
I'll just have to wait for her to calm down. I don't think she'll tell anyone about me anyway.
I look over at my kids again. On second thought, some potion won't hurt.
I made five magicule-encased doses of potion that kinda resemble glowing water balloons and toss one at each student. Then, I tied up the unconscious butler that was inhabited by the phantom before. I needed to make sure he didn't mean us any further harm before letting him run free, even if I did think he was innocent.
Then, I spotted a few people that I didn't notice until now, tucked into the corner and already tied up. They looked like bandits.
Huh. That's one of the knots I showed my students a few weeks ago. They must've beat these thugs and tied them up before the phantom attacked.
I was filled with a sense of pride in my kids. Not only did they handle these bandits, but then they fended off that phantom long enough to keep Tiss alive before I showed up.
Chloe was the first one on her feet, and after spotting me, immediately hugged me. "Sensei, did you go eat anything you weren't supposed to?" She asked an oddly pointed question.
"Haha, you got me. I ate some cake earlier."
She almost seemed to glare at me for just an instant before pouting. "You know that isn't what I meant, silly!"
I was really getting creeped out, so I decided to change the subject. "How about you help me wake up your classmates? After that, you can stay here while I go get the guards."
Chloe walked over to Kenya and cast a spell, "Clean Wash." I could tell she was intentionally intrusive with her use of the spell, washing everything. She even left a few drops of water up in his nose.
In short, Kenya woke up sputtering loudly.
"NOT LIKE THAT!" I shouted, because Chloe was already moving on to another target.
"Kenya really needed a bath." Chloe answered calmly.
"Chloeeeeeee!" Kenya whined, holding his nose.
I walked over to Alice and gently tapped her on the shoulder.
"Five more minutes, Mom…" She muttered groggily, not even opening her eyes.
"Alice." I said her name.
Her eyes snapped open, "Oh! Professor… what happened?"
"You were knocked out in a fight."
Alice gritted her teeth. She seemed pretty bothered by the idea of losing.
She seemed fine now so I moved onto the next kid.
"Gale. Wake up." I jostled the boy.
"Wha-... Teacher? I thought you left us…" Gale muttered sadly as he stared up at me, eyes only half-open.
He almost looked like he was gonna cry.
"I just went into town for a bit, but I'm back."
Gale rubbed his eyes hard for a few seconds and sat up, "Yeah, I remember now." He flashed a smile that assured me that he was fine.
"Ryota! Get up!" Kenya was trying to shake Ryota awake.
"Kenya, be gentle, he was the most hurt out of you all!" His wounds were healed by the potion, but he might still be injured in a way that that didn't fix.
"Ken… you're okay!" Ryota immediately hugged his best friend tightly after coming to his senses.
After giving the kids a few minutes, I stood up. "Alright, stay here and keep an eye on these bandits and the butler. I'm gonna go grab the guards."
I hope they won't ask too many questions.
I stepped out of the cave and immediately spotted a dozen guards quickly headed toward it.
Oh boy… For a moment I doubted that Tiss truly kept my secret, but didn't really give that doubt much weight. Worse comes to worst, I bet Yuuki could vouch for me.
"Hey! Calm down! The danger's already gone!" I yelled at them, waving my hands in the air, one of them holding my adventurer's license.
The guards close in on me, but not in a way that made me think I was their target, which was a relief.
"Stuart, escort the kid away from the cave. It's too dangerous."
Great. More of this. I was starting to get used to this song and dance, but that didn't mean I liked it.
"I'm Rimuru Tempest, a B-ranked adventurer and advisor at the Free Academy." I showed them my ID, "There's nothing else to worry about, I took care of it."
The guards looked surprised, but calmed down a little after that. They did end up asking me a bunch of questions, but nothing that had to do with me and what I was. Tiss didn't give me away; this was purely about the phantom. The guards had no idea what a phantom was, so I compared it to a demon and that seemed to do the trick.
I also mentioned the bandits, even though I wasn't sure exactly what they did to make my students tie them up. I'd leave that investigation to the guards and ask my kids about it later.
The butler ended up perfectly fine after I evicted the phantom from his body. He seemed fairly nice so I didn't think he willingly let that thing inside him, but who knows? It wasn't my business.
The Count was glad to have his butler back, saying that the man had been acting odd lately to the point where he was concerned, and really, that poor man didn't need anything else to worry about.
Why do I say that?
Because in the few days we stayed at the count's manor, I got to meet his nearly-bedridden wife. She asked to meet me, actually, after hearing about what happened and how I dealt with it.
I felt bad for her so I scanned her with analysis after asking permission, wondering if I could save her with my miracle potion, but Great Sage shot that idea down immediately, informing me that giving her that would kill her.
It also gave me an alternative, though; surgery.
With my slime dexterity and the precision and calculation abilities of the sage, I'd be able to save this woman's life.
So I did.
I felt woefully unqualified to play doctor at first, considering the risks, but it all went so smoothly and easily. My skills let a layman like me do open heart surgery on a cardiac cancer patient successfully.
Once the tumor was gone, I was able to administer potion to close her up. She'd need some time to recover, but I knew she'd be back on her feet soon.
The Count insisted on giving me a bunch of gold coins as payment. I tried to turn him down since I was really just repaying him for both letting us stay here and for making this learning opportunity for my students, but he practically forced me to take it.
Sweet. This is enough for a year's worth of cakes from Yoshida's!
What wasn't sweet, though, was Tiss giving me the cold shoulder. She didn't even leave the room they gave her for her stay at the count's manor. I wanted to talk, but I knew that letting her approach me instead of the other way around was the best way to go about it.
But now, on the day we were supposed to leave, I came face-to-face with her again for the first time since she escaped from the cave.
She stayed quiet during the loading of the carriage and for the first few minutes of sitting in it together while the kids finished their preparations to leave. But, finally, she decided to say something.
"You didn't lie to me, did you, Rimuru? All those tales about your past life, your job, your family, all of it. I don't believe those were fake, but I need you to tell me."
Tiss was being shockingly firm and resolute, and it took me a few seconds to respond.
"No, none of that was fake or a lie. I was human before, and I am an otherworlder. The only thing I kept a secret was that I reincarnated into a slime's body, not a human one."
"I see… does the Chairman know about what you are?"
"Yes, I told him before I was even hired."
"I thought so… with all the protections on the school and the guild's HQ, there's no way he wouldn't be aware."
Tiss stops and thinks very hard for a solid minute before asking another question.
"And your students?"
"They found out recently after I had a little accident and passed out… I can only look like this when I'm awake so it gave me away."
A flash of concern passed over Tiss's face for a moment.
"It must've been hard…"
"No, I was fine, I just overdid it, is all."
Tiss let out a light laugh, smiling again. It was good to see.
"Rimuru, you misunderstand. I meant being reincarnated as a slime. First you were suddenly stabbed, died, and then woke up as a monster, correct? I've heard rumors in the guild about similar happening to those who die in magic-heavy areas, resurrecting as majin or even monsters, completely losing themselves in the process. But what happened to you is different since you still have your mind and also crossed between worlds too. I would be quite scared if that happened to me."
"I was a little freaked out at first. I couldn't move my arms or legs since those were gone. I was blind too, which made things tricky for a while. It took me a long time to get my bearings, but in the end, it turned out alright. It was all worth it for how my slife has gone so far."
"Slife?" Tiss laughed even harder at my pun that I used to further lighten the mood.
"Slime-life. It's been a fulfilling year or so."
"You're only a year old?"
"In this world, more or less, yes."
"You are full of surprises, Rimuru."
"I get that a lot."
"For a cute little slime, you're also quite scary. I hadn't seen that side of you until the other day."
Cute…? Little…? I guess those are accurate ways to describe me, but- That stunlocked me for a moment before I quickly moved on to the more important part of what Tiss just said.
"I was ang-"
"Angry for your students, I know. But… I was more scared by you than that phantom when you first showed up; before I knew it was you that was giving off that bloodlust."
That hurt a little to hear, but was understandable. I, admittedly, lost control of my emotions and magical force back there.
"I… was angry… I saw all my kids on the ground and I just…"
I didn't want to lose them.
That was the essence of it. When I saw my students, injured badly and unconscious, and an eerie demon-like thing standing over them, smiling; I had to step up immediately. Without much conscious intention, I made my presence known in the way any monster would to stop whatever that thing was from taking any more action.
"I was angry too," Tiss responded with a nod, "I just wasn't strong enough to protect them like you were."
Tiss clearly felt bad about being unable to even help in the fight against the phantom. I'd left my students with her and they all ended up in a life-threatening situation. There was no way she could've known that phantom was there, though, so I didn't fault her at all.
"That evil creature was wrong; you did protect your five kids, and I think you will continue to."
"Huh?"
"I was panicking at the time, but I still heard what that phantom said to you Rimuru, and that seemed to upset you even more. I just thought…"
"Hey… I appreciate your concern, but I think we're about out of time to talk." I could sense my students approaching right this moment. As much as it sucked that I needed to cut her off, I didn't want to let those five know about my heart-to-heart talk with Tiss. "Can I trust ya not to talk about this with anyone? I guess Yuuki is fine, if you must, but nobody else."
"Uh… not the kids?"
"They'll just get worried if they find out someone else knows."
"I understand. I'll stay silent about you being-"
"Time to go~!" Alice yelled out as she swung the carriage door open.
The mood immediately went from open to awkward, because right after spotting me and Tiss just talking in the carriage together, Alice suspiciously squinted her eyes at us. Tiss turning away to avoid her gaze probably wasn't helping the situation either.
This only lasted for a moment, though, before all five filed into the carriage.
"Let us handle the defense on the way home too, Professors." Gale politely requested soon after the carriage started trucking along.
"Only if it's something you kids can handle on your own. That purple blob on the way here had me worried for your safety, and I'm not sure you're all recovered from that encounter with the phantom."
"You mean the slime?" Kenya bluntly asked.
That thing wasn't a slime, just something similar to one.
"Mmh… if that's what you want to call it, sure."
Tiss looked like she just realized something and giggled a little even though I wasn't trying to be funny.
"It was a slime, yes? Just quite a nasty one."
"I can agree it was nasty."
"You're not going to win this, Professor Tiss. Teacher is being stubborn." Gale spoke up.
"Yep. There's no changing his mind when he gets like this." Kenya added.
First the sage, now these three…