A light rain fell today, shrouding the entirety of Mudu in a hazy mist. The colors were gloomy and the air was cold. Even the little Slimes that usually loved to bounce and hop along the streets were few and far between.
Most of them were nestled in their warm homes, huddled together and dozing off drowsily. The orange glow from the cottage windows looked exceptionally cozy in the gloomy, rainy weather, bringing a bit of warmth to Mudu that chased away the chill.
For the first time, Oldes walked down the widest thoroughfare in the center of Mudu in his true form as an Elf.
Ahead of him, two Metal Slime Guards with a silver-gray metallic sheen bounced along, leading the way.
They held small spears, their metallic Gel quivering slightly with each bounce as they advanced with serious expressions.
Their destination was the brightly lit Mudu Royal Palace in the city’s central district. They were leading this elderly Elf, who called himself a "Forest Sage" from the Silver Song Forest in Golden Glow Valley, to an audience with the king.
Of course, if Oldes hadn’t possessed a personal letter and a guarantee in the form of a Magic Mark from Violet, the lord of the tree spirits, to prove his identity and purpose, he likely wouldn’t have even made it through Mudu’s city gates.
Leaning on a staff grown from green vines, Oldes walked slowly behind the two Metal Slime Guards.
He wore a long, deep-green robe woven from a blend of linen and bark fibers. Beneath his hood was a head of somewhat messy white hair, and if one looked closely, one could see the pointed ears that marked him as an Elf.
Although the weather was terrible today, it couldn’t dampen his inner anticipation and joy.
’At last... I’m finally going to meet this mysterious Slime Sage,’ Oldes thought, his steps feeling a little lighter.
If he could just persuade it to join the Forest Sages’ Association, then the mission of his long journey would be successfully completed.
As for whether this Slime Sage might refuse the Forest Sages’ Association’s invitation... that wasn’t something Oldes even considered.
In his view, all Forest Sages, regardless of where on the continent they came from or what race they belonged to, shared the same faith in protecting the balance of nature. They shared the same love for the forests and for life, the same enemies in Demons and destroyers, and the same ambition to fight against the enemies of the natural world.
They were natural comrades, partners who shared a common path.
This absolute collective will, forged from common ideals and a shared mission, transcended all racial divides, familial ties, or worldly interests.
No true Sage had any reason to refuse a sincere invitation from the Forest Sages’ Association—an ancient organization that brought together the continent’s most outstanding guardians of nature.
AHEM... Of course, that was excluding Violet, that maverick who loved to tinker with her Tree Spirit Territory all on her own.
He was filled with confidence, even treating this upcoming meeting as little more than a formality.
From his perspective, a Slime that fought alone in the forests and swamps, facing demonic threats and external pressures all by itself, must be filled with loneliness and solitude, craving companionship and understanding.
But the Forest Sages’ Association would let it know that it wasn’t just a single slime fighting this battle. It had countless like-minded comrades who could support one another and protect the land beneath their feet together.
SQUISH, SQUISH...
The two Metal Slime Guards bounced up the long marble staircase before the Mudu Royal Palace. They then stopped, turned around, and fixed their round eyes on Oldes, seeming to gesture for him to enter the brightly lit palace at the top of the stairs.
With the meeting imminent, Oldes couldn’t help but tidy his appearance.
He reached out to smooth the wrinkles on his robe and tidy his messy hair—though there wasn’t much room for improvement, even just taming a single unruly strand seemed to bolster his confidence for the meeting.
He took a deep breath, leaned on his Evergreen Staff, and strode up the stairs, stepping into the spacious, bright foyer of the Mudu Royal Palace.
He went inside.
To meet the mysterious Slime Majesty.
Jade-green, delicious-looking, plump, soft, and springy... these were Oldes’s first impressions of the royal personage on the throne.
This image even dissolved what little anxiety and wariness remained in Oldes’s heart. He found it hard to connect this seemingly harmless, even somewhat squishy, monarch with the being who had conquered a human fortress and repelled the Demon Legion.
After briefly introducing his identity and purpose to this unconventional Majesty, Oldes eagerly extended his invitation.
However, the direction things took next was completely beyond his expectations.
The moment he stood before the slime’s oak throne and solemnly made his invitation, his voice filled with expectation and confidence, the royal being spoke in a soft, mellow voice:
"I refuse."
"Wh-what? Re... refuse?"
For a moment, Oldes even suspected he’d gone senile and his hearing was failing.
His eyes widened. The confident smile on his face instantly froze, replaced by incredulous shock. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard.
The elderly Elf, who had lived for hundreds of years, stood frozen on the spot, taking a long moment to process it.
"Your Majesty of Mu Country, you must know that we of the Forest Sages’ Association are your true comrades. We share the same faith, the same enemies..."
Chen Yu shifted his Gel butt on the throne, took a sip of sweet honey water, let out a satisfied GURGLE, and then said slowly:
"Mr. Oldes, I understand your eagerness."