Mushoku Tensei:The Successor Arc

There are all sorts of monsters on the Demon Continent.

...

Many of them I thought only existed in fantasy. However, the one in front of me is quite common. A blue, transparent substance, a jelly-like texture, moving slowly across the grass like a snail.

"Mmm... a slime?"

Lara squatted down, poked it with her finger with great interest. It did indeed feel like jelly.

"Lara, be careful," I gave a token warning. No matter what, it's still technically a monster.

...

"It's fine... it's just a low-level monster anyway."

"Low-level?... Why don't you look at the big one that's about to stick to you from behind?"

"Lug, you said behind me... huh huh huh???! It's huge!?"

After Lara turned her head, her face went blank for a moment, and then she hurriedly waved her staff.

[Rock Bullet]

Boom—!

The slime, about the same size as Lara, was blasted apart, its ooze splashing everywhere. I dodged it, but Leo got covered in it. Slimes aren't that dangerous; Leo couldn't even be bothered to react.

...

Afterward, Lara looked at me unhappily.

"I say, why did you wait until it was behind me before you reminded me?"

Because I was observing... a precious recording of a slime preying on a blue-haired loli.

"Because I wanted to see if a CG where a slime captures a beautiful girl to do something—would happen."

What am I saying? I don't know myself.

...

Lara tilted her head in confusion. "Mmm... what do you mean?"

"Sorry, because I have amnesia, I don't know what I'm saying either..."

On a side note, this type of slime doesn't have that function. However, if you serve it cold with seasonings, it's similar to seafood. But it doesn't have a fishy smell. The taste is quite good.

...

...

"Hah... Lug, let me tell you... veteran adventurers like us... are not like those delicate kids in the city who are afraid of bugs or anything—"

"Is that so? Why don't you get down from the tree now and play with that group of ants, Lara? Do you need me to give you a push?"

"Awoo..."

Leo's legs trembled in fear, and it hugged the tree branch tightly with all four limbs.

"Haha... Lug, you still love to joke so much... ha..."

As she let out a monotone laugh, cold sweat appeared on her forehead. As Lara spoke, the leg she was sitting on on the branch couldn't help but clamp down a little tighter. It seems she's really afraid I'll throw her down.

Yes, she's definitely afraid. After all... there are tens of thousands of ants below. Mmm, if they were just ants, it would be fine. But what if each one is about the size of a person?

Hahaha... (monotone).

Yes, I'm not joking. This is a giant ant swarm from the Demon Continent. Let alone Lara and me, probably most powerful individuals would choose to avoid such a boundless swarm of ants. After all, they don't have any malicious intent while they're migrating—they'll just devour anyone who stands in their way.

I really hope no ants will climb up the tree to greet us... never mind, don't think about it.

...

Crouching on the giant tree to make way for the ants, we had to stay there for a full half-day. You can imagine how massive this ant swarm is.

"Lug, did you know? Food made from ants actually has a very special taste."

"I really don't want to hear about this topic right now."

Not being eaten by this swarm of ants is already the best possible outcome.

...

On another side note, the reason we ran into this was also Lara's divination's fault. She messes up on average once every few days. In any case, my hometown probably isn't an anthill, right?

...

...

"Huh? It's a big dog that looks a lot like Leo—"

I pushed Lara's head down with one hand, and at the same time, I bent down and bowed. That white wolf just glanced at us, its gaze lingered on Leo for a moment, and then it left casually.

...

After seeing it leave in my peripheral vision, I secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Then Lara, who was being held down by my hand, looked at me with dissatisfaction.

"What are you doing? Isn't it just a little white wolf?"

"Big Sis, that's the Wolf King, Fenrir. If it got serious, we wouldn't even be enough for a snack."

But thankfully, this Wolf King seems to be very intelligent and doesn't attack humans.

...

"Wolf King...? ...Ah, I think Orsted mentioned it, it's on the 'do not provoke' list..."

"So you did know."

Lara nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, then suddenly remembered something.

"Ah! I remember now! The fur of that kind of wolf is the most—mph! ...mmph mmph..."

I instantly covered her mouth. Just shut up!

Nowadays, even if I do this to Lara, Leo chooses to ignore it. It seems it trusts me quite a bit. Or maybe it just doesn't trust Lara.

...

I carefully turned my head and looked in the direction the wolf had left. Thankfully, it didn't notice.

...

At that moment, I noticed that Lara was staring at the notification ring in her hand. She wouldn't be thinking of...

"You're not thinking of calling Lord Dragon God over to help you hunt, are you?"

"Mmm, that's something worth considering—huh huh? Give me back my ring..."

Just try to cause a little less trouble.

...

...

"Boss, I won! Another one free."

"Oh oh, good job, little girl!"

...

"Boss, another one."

"Oh? You're quite lucky today, little girl."

...

"Boss, still another one."

"Hmm...? ...Ah, haha... here you go..."

...

"Boss, still an—"

"You, girl, stop right there."

I reached out and stopped the bottomless Lara, then apologized to the shop owner who was on the verge of tears. To my surprise, Lara just waved her hand at me nonchalantly and put on the preachy tone of an old-timer.

"Lug, ah... listen to me. On the Demon Continent, people's hearts are sinister—"

"That's not a reason for you to use divination to win prizes."

...

"That's exactly it! To live happily on the Demon Continent, you have to be even more sinister than others!"

As she said that, she took another bite of her popsicle.

"That value system of yours... I actually feel like it makes some sense."

"Right? Right?"

Is it right?... It's right. Probably...

...

"Woof!"

No, it's not.

...

Later that evening...

"Oww... my stomach..."

Lara was lying listlessly on Leo's back.

"See? Karma's a bitch."

Actually, it's just because you ate too many frozen treats. Also... it's only just spring now.

...

"You should eat less of this next time."

"What can I do?... We spend most of our time on the road, not in the city... We finally get to a place to rest, shouldn't we eat more to make up for it?"

That's not a reason for you to binge eat the moment you arrive in a town.

"It's not like there aren't sweets that you can pack..."

"It tastes better when it's cold."

I knew it. You totally deserved that stomach ache.

...

Whatever. I'll just have to watch her more closely next time.