Chapter 80: Out of place

Suddenly, I Became a Slime

*Crackling, crackling.*

The bonfire burns bright red.

The firewood stacked on a sturdy support burned so high that the word “campfire” naturally came to mind.

Feeling the cozy warmth spreading all around, one could almost feel like being at a nice resort.

…But looking around, one couldn’t help but tilt their head in doubt.

And for good reason.

The scenery around the burning bonfire was far from a serene campsite or a vast expanse of nature.

Instead of a tranquil moonlight and a sky that looked like paint had been poured into it, a stark white and barren ceiling could be seen.

The space where an open view and a vast forest should have unfolded was instead blocked by closed-off walls.

Sparks fly from the firewood, and a charred log falls to the ground.

…The floor where the log fell is also artificial tile, not green ground or soft soil.

The bizarre sight of a bonfire inside a building.

But as if to say it didn’t care, a small shadow was cast over the fallen log.

The floating shadow gradually grew bigger and got closer to the log.

*Slurp*

As the shadow turned pitch-black, something blue swallowed the log into its body.

Its identity was, of course, a small whale-shaped Jungsik.

Showing interest in the bonfire, it chomps and wiggles its body with the charred log in its mouth.

On the body of such a Jungsik, there were small red antlers attached and a somewhat comical-looking red ball.

Almost as if he was modeled after Rudolph.

…The original concept was a whale, so it would take some convincing, but anyway, that’s how it was.

And there was a gaze watching that Jungsik.

Why is it eating that?

It was the slime girl wearing a red Santa hat.

The girl wearing a Santa hat, as if to match Rudolph Jungsik, looked at Jungsik, feeling like she had let a child into the water.

Wondering if he would get sick from eating that…

Sitting next to the slime girl was Daesik, also in an unusual red Santa costume.

Daesik (aka Alice), who seemed to like how he looked in a red dress modified from a one-piece, gently swayed his doll body side to side.

Unlike Daesik, Sosik could be seen sitting on a box next to the slime girl with his arms stretched out as if everything in the world was bothersome.

On top of the girl’s head were decorations that looked like they were left over from decorating the tree.

They were stuck on so haphazardly that one would think it is wise not to try to digest them.

Behind Sosik, a relatively large Christmas tree could be seen.

There were gift boxes stacked underneath, but unfortunately, there were no gifts inside, as if they were just for decoration.

And if you look a little further back from the slime girl’s group,

A tent can be seen set up.

A bonfire and a tent inside a building.

It was a sight that anyone would find bizarre.

Not long after, the zipper of the tent went down and Han Seori, wrapped in a blanket, came out, shivering.

On top of her head was a red hat similar to the slime girl’s.

Han Seori, who came out with the blanket, staggering, plopped down next to the slime girl.

“Haa… it’s the warmest around here, after all.”

She let out a deep sigh.

As she exhaled,

White steam spread out in all directions like a dragon’s breath.

Han Seori, who was blankly staring at the white steam, got up quietly as if she had remembered something and rummaged through the surroundings.

Soon, she found a kettle, put in water that was about to freeze, and placed the kettle on the bonfire.

“Want some hot cocoa…?”

Han Seori looked at the slime girl with a doubtful voice.

At her voice, the girl who was jiggling her slime slowly nodded her head, which had become a little stiff.

Seeing this, Han Seori, blowing on her cold hands, silently began preparing the hot cocoa.

Then she realized that the slime girl’s movements seemed a bit stiff.

‘…Isn’t she cold.’

Her body seemed a little stiff.

Han Seori, who was pouring hot cocoa into a mug, recalled last night.

They had been busy moving to prepare for lowering the Research Center’s operation rate to a minimum, as per her plan.

If they were any later, there was a high possibility that they would face something unpleasant without being able to do anything.

Anyway,

The preparations they made before lowering the Research Center’s operation rate were as follows.

First, as seen a little while ago, they lit a bonfire to keep them warm during the freezing cold that would come.

Ventilation ducts will maintain air circulation, so there is no problem.

Next, they brought food supplies and… equipment for camping inside the building.

Finally,

…to make this insane cold a little warmer,

They brought out a tree and costumes that had been stuffed in the warehouse.

It happened to be the right time for that… and it was also to take a breather to some extent.

But to enjoy it without worry…

…it was too cold.

The only fortunate thing was that there was no biting wind.

If the wind had blown too…

‘Eek.’

Han Seori doesn’t even want to imagine it.

As she shook her head, the sound of steam escaping from the kettle was heard.

She took the kettle out and started putting cocoa powder into the lined-up mugs.

It wasn’t easy because the powder was frozen.

Behind Han Seori, who was diligently scooping out the cocoa powder,

Kim Cheonsu, who had been asleep in another tent, came over, tottering.

He was wearing a brown reindeer doll costume.

He looked like he would turn into Rudolph as soon as he put on the red nose.

With Kim Cheonsu joining, it felt quite Christmas-like.

…Although they probably wouldn’t want to receive the ominous gifts that would be delivered to them.

Kim Cheonsu, in a deer costume, plopped down in front of the bonfire.

Han Seori asked with a chuckle,

“Cheonsu, would you like some hot cocoa too?”

“…I’d be glad if you give me some.”

“Okay… then, could you… dig into this a bit.”

“Ah, yes.”

Upon hearing the answer, Han Seori handed the hardened cocoa to Kim Cheonsu. Soon, Kim Cheonsu dug it out, sweating profusely.

How much time had passed like that?

A sweet aroma filled the area around the bonfire, along with the hot steam from the mugs.

The way they drank the cocoa was…

…different for each of them.

Daesik held the mug with both hands of the doll, slightly took out his jelly, and sucked the cocoa.

It seemed like he didn’t want to come out of Alice.

Jungsik stuck his face into the mug and slurped the cocoa into his body.

It looked like he was swimming in the cocoa.

Sosik sprawled next to the slime girl, stuck a large straw into his head, and reached out a tentacle from behind his back to dip it into the mug.

The thin tentacle could be seen sucking up the dark liquid.

It seemed that even if moving was bothersome, he couldn’t resist eating.

And as for the long-awaited slime girl…

She sat there blankly with her Santa hat on, then brought the mug to her mouth.

Han Seori and Kim Cheonsu, who were fiddling with the warm mugs, looked at the slime girl intently.

The slime girl, feeling their gaze, jiggled her slime.

Then, she tilted the mug.

And then,

*Drip*.

The dark liquid flowed down her body in a sticky mess.

“Ah….”

“Oh dear….”

Seeing her try to imitate them but fail, Han Seori and Kim Cheonsu made awkward smiles and drank their cocoa.

Meanwhile, the slime girl, having seen the cocoa dripping down, made a jiggling sound, put the mug inside her body, and flipped it over.

The cocoa flowed out like paint being poured into water.

The slime girl pushed the sticky bits clinging to her body inside and took out the mug that was in her body.

The mug, now as clean as if it had been washed, was placed on the ground with a slightly disgruntled motion.

Han Seori, who laughed at the sight, finished her cocoa and got up from her seat.

“…Then shall we go and see how things turned out?”

“Won’t we freeze to death on the way?”

As Han Seori looked at him with a lukewarm face, Kim Cheonsu quickly made an excuse.

“…We, we’ll be back soon. We need to have a meal, too.”

The two who got up from their seats picked up their equipment and headed to the control room.

The slime girl watching them leave seemed a bit fidgety.

‘…I don’t know what it is, but I hope it worked.’

The girl recalled how Han Seori had looked at her that day.

At that time, Han Seori didn’t say anything to the slime girl.

But the slime girl realized it almost instinctively.

If there was no… progress, dealing with what was shown on that screen… would become her job.

‘…I don’t want that.’

No matter how she thought about it, that didn’t help.

No matter how much she traversed the labyrinth, got rid of the endlessly multiplying canned food, and let the flying whale sleep peacefully,

…what was shown on the screen looked very ominous.

Especially the shape that looked quite large even from a distance.

If seen up close… it must be really huge.

‘What do you expect me to do with that…?’

It was true that the slime girl enjoyed exploring and researching the unknown.

But this wasn’t that kind of exploration…

Isn’t she just going to die…?

Even while thinking that, the slime girl thought it was a bit upsetting that the facility she had worked hard to reclaim would become unusable.

‘…Who do you think you are.’

Needlessly burning with hostility, the slime girl heard the footsteps of the two returning.

Since no emotion was felt in their footsteps, the slime girl calmly waited for the two to appear.

Hoping for a good result.

Not knowing that her jelly was trembling.