“We’re here!”
“Let’s play let’s play!”
“I wanna catch slime!”
“Hey hey, we’re not here to play today. Everyone gather around me.”
It was the day of the test.
Upon arriving in the forest, the children scattered in every direction like spiders. Esmeralda clapped her hands to call them, and began to explain the test.
“All right, we’re about to start the magic test. As I said before, it’s going to be a competition between teams of two. Do you all remember who your partners are?”
The children all started looking around, and walking towards their partners. Ririi found Lain, and trotted over to her side as well.
Lain continued listening to the teacher’s explanations, without looking at Ririi at all.
“Let’s go over the rules again. You have until midday, and every slime you take down earns you one point. If you defeat a slime with a rare color, you get a bonus.
Always move in pairs, because going out alone is dangerous. And of course, you have to use magic, so no defeating slime by hitting them. Understood?”
The children all energetically said yes in unison, while they fidgeted and looked as though they wanted to charge into the forest right away.
Esmeralda sighed internally as she saw them like this, and eventually smiled.
“Let’s begin then. Ready… Go!”
“Yay!”
“What are we gonna play!?”
“I wanna play house!”
As soon as Esmeralda gave the signal, it was like an avalanche of children fell into the forest. Lain was among them, as she left Ririi behind.
She then realized she was being left behind, and rushed after Lain.
“Lain!”
“…What?”
Answered Lain, without stopping or turning around. The sense of rejection could not be more obvious, but it was not transmitted to Ririi.
“Lain, hum, Ririh needs to talk.”
“Talk?”
“…Ririh doesn’t want to take down bouncies.”
◆
“Then don’t.”
Ririi’s confession was within Lain’s expectations, and she already had a response ready.
“How about we do this? You go play somewhere.”
Lain thought about how to prove her brilliance was above Ririi. And after making use of her family’s web of information, she learned of the slime king deep within the forest, and a certain scenario began to take shape in her mind.
If she took down the slime king, everyone would know just how great she was.
But first, she would have to get rid of Ririi. If they stayed together, they would end up being seen as equals.
Thankfully for Lain, Ririi showed disapproval towards the test, because she did not want to attack monsters. If Lain played her cards right, she could go at it alone.
“But the teacher said to stay together.”
“I’ll be fine alone. I wouldn’t lose to slime.”
“B-but…”
“Don’t you get it? I’ll be blunt, you’ll just be burden to me. You’ll just hold me back if we’re together. Okay? Goodbye.”
Said Lain, just before she ran deeper into the forest. Ririi rushed to follow her, but tripped on a root and fell.
“Lain, wait… Wah!”
Ririi fell hard on the grassy field. The grass cushioning saved her from getting hurt, but the surprise meant she was unable to get up right away, and there were tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
She rubbed her eyes and raised her head, but Lain was already gone.
“Uu… Have to go after Lain…”
Ririi got up, and advanced further into the forest, after Lain. She was having fun before, but now she was filled with worry. She felt no joy about the slime she found along the way, as she felt more and more uncertain as she walked through the dense forest.
“Lain? Where are you…?”
Ririi’s voice did not reach deep into the forest. Even if it did, Lain would not feel like responding anyway.
“Uu… It’s kinda scary…”
How much time had passed?
Ririi kept on looking for Lain, as she eventually stopped hearing the voices of other students she was hearing once in a while.
Eventually she got tired of walking, and sat down near a big tree stump, and held her knees.
And then, a slime that just happened to be passing by, approached her.
“Bouncy…?”
Ririi reached out, and touched the slime. She gently pet its chilly body, and the slime squinted like it felt good and fell asleep.
“Bouncy’s sleeping.”
She continued to pet the slime for a bit, and before she knew it, those anxious feelings inside her were gone.
Ririi got up, and continued walking deeper into the forest.
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