Seeing the royal family in `confusion` from his own story, Kousuke decided to leave them as they were for a while and moved closer to the slime.
The slime, noticing Kousuke approaching, had started to `move` to `escape` immediately, but upon seeing Nana’s `foot` `twitch`, it `stopped` `still`.
Normally, this slime would be fast enough to easily `escape` from most `monsters`, but it seemed it couldn’t `escape` from Nana, who had `Become` a `Divine Beast`.
Putting that aside, Kousuke knew the slime still didn’t `trust` him, so he `crouched` down gently, as if facing a small animal.
“…Yeah. Sorry for surprising you. I’m not thinking of doing anything to you.”
Kousuke spoke gently, as if persuading it.
The `reason` Kousuke chose to `speak` directly to the slime instead of Sura was `because` he `noticed` it possessed the `skill` “Language Comprehension” from the `moment` he `saw` its `status`.
In other words, this slime should have been able to `understand` the King’s `conversation` until now to some `extent`.
However, Kousuke had no intention of directly asking the slime about the `content` of the `conversation` they had `spoken` about earlier.
More importantly, `now`, making sure it couldn’t `escape` was more `important`.
“I don’t know if you can continue to `live` here in the `future`, but `first`, could you `trust` me?”
As Kousuke `spoke` to the slime, he gently `extended` his right `hand` towards it.
By the `way`, above Kousuke’s `head`, whether intentionally or unconsciously, Sura was `stretching` and `contracting`.
It was unclear whether Sura’s `movement` had had an `effect`, but the slime slowly `extended` itself towards Kousuke’s outstretched `hand`.
Of `course`, Nana, who was watching `closely`, did not `stop` it.
She `properly` `understood` what Kousuke `wanted`.
Kousuke `waited` `still` without moving as the slime `extended` itself towards his `hand`.
Kousuke, at this `moment`, did not `notice`, but the royal family watched the `scene` with bated `breath`.
Even in a `world` with `Tamers` and `Summoners`, `scenes` of `directly` interacting with `wild` (?) `monsters` were not `often` `seen`, so it was `only` `natural`.
Moreover, the one doing it before them was an `Avatar`, one of the `gods`.
They couldn’t `miss` such a `precious` `scene`.
Without `noticing` the `surrounding` `gazes`, the slime’s `body` `finally` `touched` Kousuke’s `hand`.
From there, it was a `moment`’s `work`, and the `moment` Kousuke `felt` the `touch`, the slime was `sitting` on his `palm`.
The slime was about the `size` of Kousuke’s `palm`, and its `weight` was surprisingly `light`.
“Yeah. Thank you for `trusting` me. I don’t know what will happen from `now` on, but as long as you are `here`, I won’t harm you, so `rest` `assured`.”
When Kousuke `said` so, the slime seemed to `relax` and `stretched` and `contracted` its `body` `smoothly`.
Silvia and Floria, who were watching Kousuke and the slime, `sighed` in admiration.
“As `expected`, Kousuke-sama.”
“Indeed. He `effortlessly` does things beyond common sense.”
To Floria, who `said` that plainly, Leonard, who had recovered the quickest, `looked` at her with a troubled `face`.
“No, I don’t think it’s just ‘beyond common sense’?”
Normally, contracts `made` by `Tamers` with `monsters` took much more `time` and were `done` `slowly`.
For the slime, whom he had just `met`, to `trust` him so `easily` was `unthinkable`.
While it was indeed beyond common sense, it was not at a level that could be `dismissed` with such words.
To that Leonard, Floria `shrugged` her shoulders and replied.
“Leonard. I think I’ve `said` this before, but when you’re with Kousuke, things like this happen `a lot`.”
When Floria `declared` that `firmly`, Leonard `clutched` his `head`, and Miriam `burst` out laughing.
Miriam, `looking` at King Maxim, who had an equally `happy` `expression`, `said`.
“Well, Your Majesty. What will you do? `Though` that is something only someone like him can do?”
“Indeed. That is `so`. However, it’s not particularly dangerous, is it?”
King Maxim’s latter `words` were directed at Kousuke.
Kousuke, `asked` by King Maxim, `thought` for a moment before replying.
“Well, how `should` I `say`? Even `though` it’s a slime, a monster is still a monster. It doesn’t have many means to `attack` `right` `now`, but it might `gain` them in the `future`?”
Kousuke `thought` the `possibility` was extremely `slim`, but that was `only` within the realm of `imagination`.
Since he still didn’t `understand` its `evolution` process at all, Kousuke had no `answer`.
However, there was `one` `thing` Kousuke could `answer`.
“Well, if this slime becomes unmanageable, I will take `responsibility` and `handle` it.”
Maxim had not yet `said` what he would do with the slime, but Kousuke `chose` to `reply` like that.
This was `even` `though` he knew it was a `golden` `word` for the royal family of the Florece Kingdom.
After all, Kousuke’s `words` `now` meant that an `Avatar` `declared` he would `remain` connected, albeit with the slime in between.
If they `couldn’t` `notice` that, they wouldn’t have been able to `rule` a `country` for a long `time`.
`Naturally`, Leonard and Miriam also `noticed` the `nuance` in Kousuke’s `words`.
Maxim `looked` `surprised` by Kousuke’s `words`, but then `suddenly` `relaxed` his `expression`.
“…Is that `so`? Then, I only have `one` `answer`. –Leonard.”
“Yes.”
“In this `matter`, I will entrust it to you. `After` all, you will be the one to use this `room` `in` the `future`.”
“–Understood.”
At Maxim’s `words`, Leonard `paused` for a moment before `bowing` his `head` and replying.
♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦
Deciding not to burden Maxim any further, the others left the `room`.
However, they told the slime it could stay as it was and `remained` `there`.
That `said`, it would probably continue to `hide` under the `bed` or behind `furniture` as before.
In `any` `case`, due to Maxim’s `decision`, it was `decided` that the slime would `live` in that `room` as before.
Once seated, Leonard let out a big `sigh` and `said`.
“–I mean. It all `happened` so `fast`, I couldn’t `keep` up with the `story`.”
“What are you `saying`? You were `enjoying` yourself quite a bit, weren’t you?”
Miriam `said` so, refuting her son’s `words`.
Kousuke `understood` that this was what it meant when `words` and `face` didn’t match.
Floria, `laughing`, `said` to the `two` of them.
“You’ve been `entrusted` with how to handle that slime, but if you treat it `{badly}`, you know what will happen, don’t you?”
“Of `course`.”
Leonard `nodded` `looking` at Floria, but deliberately avoided `looking` at Kousuke.
He `fully` `understood` what she meant without needing her to `say` it in `words`.
It wasn’t that Kousuke would directly do anything if a `monster` or two were killed by royalty.
However, `besides` the fact that the slime itself had significant `value`, he had no `intention` of doing anything that would unnecessarily incur the `displeasure` of an `Avatar`.
Thus, the series of `disturbances` `settled` down, but no one knew what would happen to the slime `after` this.
I `somewhat` `closed` it in a dramatic `way`, but I feel like that slime will probably continue to live a `carefree` `life` without any major incidents lol.
The King `knew` the slime existed, but even so, if he foolishly tried to `train` it, he wouldn’t know what would happen, including the `possibility` of it `escaping`.
He `thinks` it would be better to continue the same relationship as `before` rather than to `recklessly` try anything.
