Just as Luna Belle and Ellen were surrounded by a group of Slimes making "pujiu" sounds and were feeling a bit overwhelmed, a series of hurried and clear footsteps suddenly echoed from the direction of the cave entrance they had entered through.
The footsteps carried an obvious anger, echoing through the silent cave and instantly shattering the previously somewhat dreamlike atmosphere. Luna Belle subconsciously looked back and saw a figure rushing out from the corner of the cave. By the light of the glowing crystals on the rock walls, she saw the newcomer clearly: a girl who looked to be about the same age as her.
The girl had long, deep blue hair like the purest lake water, which fluttered behind her as she ran. Her eyes were the same clear blue, but at this moment they were burning with a raging fire of anger, fixed intently on Belle, who was crouching on the ground with her finger still being affectionately rubbed by the little blue Slime.
"Pervert! Let go of Little Slime and the others!"
The girl rushed close, stopped, and pointed a slender finger directly at Belle, her voice trembling slightly with anger. Luna Belle was stunned by this sudden accusation and the label "pervert." She subconsciously pulled back her hand and hurriedly stood up to explain.
"Wait... wait a minute! You've misunderstood! We didn't hurt them..."
However, the blue-haired girl didn't give Belle any chance to explain. She stepped forward quickly and pulled the blue Slime called "Little Slime" behind her, as if protecting her own family, scanning Luna Belle and Ellen, who was slowly standing up, with hostile and vigilant eyes.
At this time, Luna Belle was also able to observe the girl more clearly. Her skin was fair to the point of being nearly transparent, her features as exquisite as a doll's, and she wore a simple but exotic blue dress with wave-like patterns at the hem. What caught Belle's attention most was that the girl's long blue hair and eye color were almost identical to the color of the Slime she called "Little Slime"!
Moreover, the aura the girl emitted was faintly similar to the sweet, jelly-like scent permeating the cave. A bold hypothesis instantly surfaced in Luna Belle's mind. Could she... could she be a Slime in disguise? Or rather, the Slime... Queen? Or something similar?
Luna Belle was so startled by her own guess that her mouth hung open slightly, and she subconsciously swallowed. If that were really the case, then this "clearing" commission they took would be equivalent to exterminating her entire race! This misunderstanding was way too big!
Ellen also noticed the girl's unusual appearance and her extraordinary connection with the Slimes. Her red eyes narrowed slightly, her relaxed posture adjusted a bit, and she quietly took a half-step forward, shielding Belle. Although the Shark Pruning Shears were still on her shoulder, her huge tail stopped its lazy swaying, indicating she had entered a state of alert.
"Misunderstanding?" Hearing Belle's defense, the blue-haired girl's cheeks turned even redder, like ripe berries. She stomped her foot angrily, her outstretched finger trembling. "You're still making excuses! I... I saw it with my own eyes! You put your finger... poked Little Slime's lower belly! That place... that place is very sensitive! If you're not a pervert, what are you!"
Luna Belle's eyes widened upon hearing this, and she frantically waved her hands in front of her chest, her face turning even redder than the girl's. "I've been wronged! I'm really not! I'm not a monster-girl lover! I swear to God!"
She was so anxious that she was incoherent, feeling like steam was actually going to come out of her head. "And... and it was Little Slime who approached me first! It rubbed against my finger! I... I just touched it lightly!" In her haste, Belle didn't care about her choice of words and shouted. "Besides! Who knew Slimes even had a 'lower belly'! It just looks like a ball of jelly!"
"Pujiu?"
Little Slime, protected behind the girl, seemed to sense that the focus was back on it. Its round body swayed slightly, and the two dots for eyes and one dot for a mouth on its surface combined to form an extremely innocent "OoO" expression. It even let out a soft cry, as if saying, "It has nothing to do with me."
The blue-haired girl froze for a moment and subconsciously looked back at Little Slime. Seeing her look over, Little Slime's innocent expression intensified, and it even wiggled forward slightly, as if wanting to get closer to Belle again.
Seeing Little Slime's "traitorous" behavior and then Luna Belle's "unable to defend herself" look, the girl's raging anger felt like it had a small bucket of cold water thrown on it, and her momentum faltered. But she still kept a straight face, her blue eyes full of suspicion and caution.
"Little Slime and the others... are very simple. They must have been enchanted by you! You human adventurers, taking guild commissions, aren't you just here to clear us out? No matter how nice you make it sound, it's useless!"
Hearing the girl's words, Luna Belle's heart sank. Sure enough, the other party knew about the commission and viewed them as enemies. She hurried forward a step and explained sincerely.
"Please don't be upset! We did accept the guild commission, but when we found these Slimes... uh, Little Slime and the others didn't show any aggression and were even very gentle, we had no intention of hurting them."
Ellen also spoke up at the right time to supplement. "That's right. If you don't threaten anyone, we will go to the guild to apply for the cancellation or modification of this commission." Her red eyes scanned the surrounding Slime group and finally fell back on the blue-haired girl. "Killing the innocent... isn't part of my job description."
The blue-haired girl looked at the two suspiciously, especially Ellen's Shark Pruning Shears, which looked extremely intimidating, and that slowly swaying black tail. She could feel the dangerous aura emanating from Ellen, but the other's words didn't sound like a lie.
Moreover, the closeness that Little Slime and the other Slimes showed to the blue-haired, green-eyed girl was real; it couldn't be faked. Although Slimes are simple, they are extremely sensitive to malice.
"You... you're really not here to eliminate us?" The girl's tone softened slightly, but her vigilance was not completely gone.
"Absolutely!" Luna Belle nodded vigorously. To be more persuasive, she even took a step back and spread her hands to show she had no weapons. "See, we haven't done anything. If you hadn't appeared, we might already be discussing how to go back and communicate with the guild."
"...I'll believe you for the time being." The blue-haired girl curled her lip, but her tense body clearly relaxed a bit...