Banished from the herd, I was actually a member of a very rare species. ~With the unique skills that only I can use, I can grow and evolve quickly. I will become an unrivaled monster~ - Episode 122: Paula's Visit

Episode 122: Paula’s Visit

(Note: Special for this chapter the MC’s dialogue is written in ‘…..’)

“—So that’s what happened.”

‘That sounds like… quite the disaster.’

Paula, who appeared through the spatial expansion bag, shared what had happened after we parted ways. After leaving the forest, she diligently practiced her magic and passed the exams at the magic academy. That part went well, but on the first day, she got caught up in trouble. It seems she took control of a noble’s [Political Sphere], which caused quite a scandal.

Faced with the nobles’ fierce backlash, she had to temporarily retreat using teleportation. While hiding to observe the situation, things escalated further. The headmaster was quite biased toward bloodlines, and the atmosphere became increasingly hostile. It made it impossible for her to return. Is this how a magic academy should be?

For a while, she hid in the room of a noble girl who was her friend. But since the situation showed no signs of calming down, she decided to go into hiding for a while. She didn’t want to cause trouble if she returned home. So she came to rely on me, who was living completely cut off from the world.

“Wow, haha, what a tough situation,” 

She said cheerfully, though I could tell it was forced.

Still, I felt it wasn’t right to overly pity her, so I decided to let her know she could rely on me.

‘Well, if there’s anything I can do, I’ll help out. Just let me know.’

“Yeah, that was my plan, but… why are you in the city? Is this… the city of Slimes?”

‘I’ve never heard of a city built by slimes… It’s a long story, but I came here because—’

Then I briefly explained what had happened so far. Paula nodded and asked questions as she listened. And when I finished, she nodded deeply.

“A country beneath the ground… I can’t quite believe it, but considering the outside scenery, it’s true.”

Looking at the rock-covered sky, Paula said this.

‘Yeah, I never imagined there would be something like this when I was fighting the ‘Colossus’… but putting that aside, what are you going to do now, Paula? Are you going to stay in this city?’

“I want to, but will it be okay? Won’t the people in the mansion be surprised if a stranger suddenly appears?”

‘Well, they’ll be surprised, but I don’t think they’ll chase you away. After all, they’re the ones hosting me and Fisu… my friend.’

Their response probably included a fair amount of fear toward me as well. But still, it must have some genuine goodwill in it.

“I see… By the way, is Fisu the girl you met at the mine?”

‘Yeah.’

“Are you saying you’ve deceived even humans?”

‘That sounds bad… but it’s true.’

“I think it’s fine, though. If you’ve built that much trust, then language differences are trivial, right?”

‘Well, it might not be a big deal in reality. But when it comes time to talk, I get scared. It’d be shocking if I was rejected.’

“Hmm, I guess revealing secrets can be scary. By the way, she might have come right up to your door.”

‘…… Huh?’

Just as she asked that, there was a sound of the door opening.

“Katsu, Xanthos is calling… Who’s there?”

Fisu stood frozen, blinking in surprise.

—

“—So this is the kind of magic I can do. The farther away you are, the more |Mana| it consumes, so I can’t teleport indefinitely.”

In the first-floor living room, the largest room in the mansion, the residents gathered around. Paula demonstrated the magic, formerly known as space magic but now referred to as barrier magic, while observing the reactions of those present. Apparently, she planned to keep the secret of unlimited teleportation using alternate spaces.

There wasn’t much time to discuss. But during the demonstration, I exchanged glances with her.

“Hmm… to ignore obstacles during long-distance travel is quite the terrifying Attribute. But if you’re friends with Katsu, then I have nothing to worry about.”

For a moment, a sharp light flickered in Xanthos’ eyes.

Well, it’s understandable that the leader of the security organization wouldn’t overlook the risks of teleportation.

“That sounds like a super convenient spell! It would be so useful when you want to scratch your back!”

His daughter, Krissa, on the other hand, had taken an interest in the usefulness of teleportation. It might be a bit on the small scale, though.

By the way, she also lives in this mansion. She says it’s boring to be alone at home.

“Well, you really know Katsu. This magic is amazing.”

“Hehe, thanks.”

Paula scratched her cheek, looking a bit shy. Since she aimed to be a great magician, she must be happy to receive compliments about her magic.

Then Xanthos spoke up.

“You mentioned wanting to stay here for a while. If Katsu and the others are fine with it, I have no objections. Feel free to use any room you like.”

He then stood up, saying he would be stepping out for a bit, likely to report about Paula. With the communication artifact he usually wore, he could send messages but not receive them. For detailed discussions, face-to-face meetings are necessary.

“Alright, then let’s decide on rooms right away! Fisu’s room is over there, mine is that way, and my dad’s is next door.”

“Since your room is there, hmm…”

“It’s better to look inside first. The sunlight, the size—they vary quite a bit.”

And so, Paula ended up living in this mansion as well. Being around the same age, she quickly bonded with Fisu and Krissa.

They spent the day deciding on rooms, exploring the house, admiring the artifacts, and being surprised by the dinner featuring Toxic Frogs.

And then night came.

I was dozing off in my room when I sensed a fluctuation of |Mana|.

‘This is… a [Space Hole]?’

“Yeah. Sorry for interrupting while you were sleeping.”

‘Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t really asleep, and I hardly need any sleep anyway.’

I asked what she needed.

“About that…. could I practice barrier magic? With Katsu’s [Dominion]?”