Chapter 149 - The Slime Researcher
After that, Dahlia and the others visited the small rooms housing the Yellow Slimes and Red Slimes.
The Yellow Slimes had gathered in a group at one end of their tank and were quite docile.
Apparently, they had a stronger sense of camaraderie than other slimes. For some reason, when their overall numbers decreased, the amount of food each individual slime ate also decreased.
They barely reacted when Dahlia and the others approached.
However, when Ideia came near, they slowly moved toward her, so they seemed to have grown attached to her after all.
Unlike the other three varieties, the Red Slimes were much more active and nimble.
Perhaps each individual had its own territory, as they kept their distance from one another rather than clustering together.
Of the four representative slime varieties—Blue, Red, Green, and Yellow Slimes—the Red Slimes were apparently the least frequently encountered in the wild.
Volf also said he had rarely come across them.
Perhaps because of their curiosity, the Red Slimes approached the humans when they watched them through the glass.
As expected, Ideia attracted the most attention, but Volf was delighted that he could observe the slimes up close.
After enjoying their visit to the rooms housing the four colored slime varieties, the group continued down the corridor, passing several security guards along the way.
At the end of the corridor stood a single door with a jet-black surface, bearing a large red fire magic circle engraved into it. The door itself seemed almost ominous.
As Ideia unlocked it, she began to explain. Apparently, this room was the only one with its own dedicated key.
"We have a single Black Slime in here. I'd like to study it, but it hasn't split at all, so it's been the same individual ever since this facility first opened."
"...A Black Slime."
Volf furrowed his brow deeply.
The tank containing the Black Slime was rather small, and its glass was thick.
According to Ideia, it had a double-layered structure. The inner layer was made of specially commissioned, thick glass reinforced with a hardening enchantment, while the outer layer was also custom-made and contained magic-sealing crystals.
Upon hearing that even the room's skylight contained magic-sealing crystals, Dahlia understood why they needed to remain vigilant around Black Slimes.
As they approached the tank, they saw a Black Slime curled up into a ball in the center.
It was about the size of a handball. Even with all four of them approaching, it didn't move at all.
It had been a while since Dahlia had seen one up close. Its glossy black body was semi-transparent, and the powerful magic emanating from it was on an entirely different level from that of other slimes.
As she admired its obsidian-like coloration, the Black Slime suddenly gave a little shudder.
Dahlia stared at it, and it slowly began crawling in her direction.
She thought this was a good opportunity to observe it up close, but halfway through, she felt a strange chill and instinctively stepped backward.
Volf immediately stepped in front of her, as though to shield her.
Was it just her imagination, or was there something strangely oppressive about his broad back?
"V-Volf?"
Just as she instinctively called his name, something shattered with a sharp CRASH!
"Huh?"
Apparently, the Black Slime had slammed into the inner glass. It had leaped in an instant.
Even the crystal panel, reinforced against both physical and magical attacks, hadn't been able to withstand the Black Slime's concentrated strike. A thin crack had appeared in the first layer of glass inside the tank.
"Please don't provoke the Black Slime!"
At Ideia's almost shriek-like cry, Volf turned around with a dubious smile.
"Sorry. It's a habit from expeditions. I accidentally let some of my Intimidation slip out..."
They were assured that the cracked glass would be repaired immediately.
Volf offered to pay for the damage, but the staff member explained that they could repair it with magic, so there was no need. Relieved, he withdrew his offer.
Once they had finished apologizing and discussing the incident, the four of them continued on their way.
For some reason, Dahlia felt compelled to look back. The Black Slime was pressed completely flat against the glass closest to her.
Without saying a word, she quietly averted her gaze.
At least she'd established one thing: even the Black Slime, which she was meeting for the first time, seemed to regard her with hostility—or perhaps it held a grudge against her.
Without looking back again, Dahlia left the room with the black door behind her.
The next room they were led to was farther down the corridor, and Ideia's name was written on the door.
The room itself wasn't particularly spacious. There were several small tanks inside, but the slimes were mixed together. Some tanks housed Red and Blue Slimes, while others contained Yellow and Green Slimes.
"This is where we conduct what you might call slime matchmaking. We're researching whether slimes of different colors can interbreed."
"Interbreed? Don't slimes normally reproduce by splitting into individuals of the same species, with the same characteristics?"
"Yes, that's right. However, mutant varieties do occasionally appear, so I thought this might be another possibility... We're currently experimenting by placing different types of slimes together in the same tanks."
It had never occurred to Dahlia that mutant varieties might arise not because of the conditions in a particular location, but through crossbreeding between slimes.
If a mutant variety were born here, they might be able to prove the theory, depending on its characteristics.
"Um, Miss Ideia, it looks like that Blue Slime is attacking the Red Slime..."
"Yes, but that individual only ever makes half-hearted attacks. It never finishes its opponent off. Sometimes, the Red Slime is the one chasing the Blue Slime around."
Dahlia had been worried that the two slimes in front of them didn't get along, but apparently, they were just playing around. Perhaps they were actually quite compatible with each other.
"Do slimes also fall in love across color boundaries? Do they play games of love, too?"
"I don't know, but I feel like there are more fundamental issues to consider first..."
In response to Ivano's innocent question, Volf wore a troubled expression.
"Is this also part of the breeding program?"
"No, this is more of a personal research project... They've let me use this room to keep my own tanks."
"Um, does that mean you bought the tanks yourself?"
"Yes. I was able to get them at a staff discount. Since I can stay in the employee accommodations here at the breeding facility, I don't need to rent a room, and they deliver food to me as well. I'm very grateful that I can put so much of my money toward research."
The woman smiled without a trace of hesitation.
Ah, she's the type who devotes herself entirely to one thing, Dahlia thought, conveniently ignoring her own tendencies.
The person who came to mind was her father, Carlo.
When it came to researching magic tools, Dahlia herself could get a little too absorbed and lose sight of her surroundings. She also occasionally splurged on expensive materials, but not to the same extent as her father.
He had frequently experimented with rare materials, including fairy crystals.
He had been making all sorts of magic tools since he was young, and he should have been earning a decent income.
However, when Dahlia checked his bank account after his death, there had been surprisingly little money left. He had probably been pouring it into materials since his younger days.
When she closed his account at the Merchant Guild, the clerk handling the procedure had been quite concerned about her. Fortunately, Dahlia could earn a living on her own, so there had been no problem.
"This little one here might be a mutant variety."
Ideia smiled as she gestured toward the smallest tank.
Inside was a dark gray slime about the size of a softball.
"A gray slime?"
"I call it a Gray Slime. It was found in a tank that contained Yellow and Green Slimes. The adventurers who captured the slimes told me there hadn't been any slimes of this color when they collected them, so it was probably born here at the breeding facility. It's the only one so far, and it hasn't split yet."
"A new monster, huh..."
"In a sense, yes."
Dahlia nodded at Volf's words.
It reminded her a little of her magic sword-making, but she decided not to think about that for now.
"We don't know what characteristics Gray Slimes have. They haven't attacked us at all, and we haven't observed them using magic, either. I'm thinking of conducting a Composition Analysis once there are at least two individuals."
"Composition Analysis..."
Volf repeated the words in a low voice.
The Gray Slime seemed to give a little shudder, but surely that was just her imagination.
Once the tour was over, Idea said she had some documents she wanted to give them, so she headed to the office.
While they waited, Dahlia and the others were allowed to take another look at the Blue Slimes.
As she watched the slimes moving languidly about, Dahlia found herself thinking back over what she had seen.
Ideia's hands were red in several places, perhaps from burns caused by the slimes' digestive fluids.
Her research room had been far from spacious.
Nevertheless, the tanks she had purchased herself were kept meticulously clean, and her observation records were neatly organized and carefully compiled.
Dahlia had no idea how much the head researcher, Ideia, earned.
However, glass tanks reinforced with magic enchantments were by no means cheap.
"Ivano, um, there's something I'd like to discuss... Would it be possible to provide financial support for Miss Ideia's research? Even if it's only enough to cover the cost of the tanks. These slimes might turn out to be a source of new materials, after all."
"That's fine, but let's have the Merchant Guild cover it rather than taking the money out of your own pocket. Besides, even if we don't fund it ourselves, we might be able to get Lord August to support it if we make a proposal to him. Ah, it might be quicker if I discuss it with Lord Fort and have him put forward the proposal with us... Would you leave that matter to me?"
Mixing in a suggestion that would drag some guildmaster or other into the affair, Ivano turned his deep indigo eyes toward her.
"Yes, please do."
Volf silently watched the exchange between the two.
Ideia returned shortly afterward.
"Sorry to keep you waiting... Miss Dahlia, I'm not sure how useful these will be, but if you'd like, please take them."
What she held out was a thick bundle of parchment sheets, tied together with string. It was surprisingly heavy.
"These are the composition records for the slimes raised at this facility. I've already received permission from Department Head Tasso of the Adventurers' Guild to share them with you."
"Thank you for sharing such valuable data."
Looking at the top sheet, Dahlia saw meticulous handwriting detailing the slime species, weight, condition, and composition.
Just how much time and effort must it have taken to collect all this data?
And yet, there wasn't the slightest trace of hardship on Ideia's face. Instead, it radiated happiness and pride.
"Miss Dahlia, I'm sorry for bringing up something so personal, but... I've loved slimes ever since I was a child. However, they weren't popular at the Academy, so it was difficult to secure a research budget for them... Now, I'm finally able to study and raise them like this, and I'm truly grateful."
"It's not just thanks to me. It's also thanks to everyone at the various guilds... Still, I'm very glad you shared that with me. I'm looking forward to seeing how your slime research progresses."
"Yes! I look forward to continuing to work with you!"
Dahlia accepted the hand Ideia held out without hesitation. They shook hands firmly and smiled at each other.
Ivano watched them with a fond smile, while Volf looked on with a hint of wistfulness, as though the sight was almost too dazzling for him.
"Once the facility has been expanded, we'll be raising more Green Slimes, along with all sorts of other varieties. Please do come visit us again!"
Beyond Ideia's smile, the slimes in their tanks were trembling a little more vigorously than usual.
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