Chapter 1: The Revival of Memories
I dissolve and absorb the nuts floating within my gelatinous body using my Dissolving Liquid.
The ingested juice stimulates my taste buds.
Ugh, it’s astringent…!
I really don’t like these nuts.
If it’s going to be fruit, I’d rather have something sweeter, like a strawberry—
—Huh? What’s a strawberry?
I shouldn’t have ever seen such a fruit since I was born…
It’s been a while since I was born as a slime, but occasionally, knowledge I don’t remember acquiring suddenly surfaces.
Recently, it feels like it’s been happening more frequently.
…Is this also a characteristic of Roughstone Slimes?
But, it’s not listed in my Status…
“Sura-ssura! (Hey, Sura-suke!)”
While I was pondering useless things, a slime called out to me.
It was Sura-ta, a red, well-built slime.
He’s a rare Large Bloody Slime, and he’s been the leader since the previous one was eaten by a Wolf.
Behind him were several of his crony slimes.
“Sura-su, Sura-ra? (What is it, Sura-ta?)”
“Sura-ssu, Sura-ssura! (Listen well, you’re banished!)”
…Huh?
My mind went blank at the sudden turn of events.
“S-Sura-ra… Sura-sura-ras!? (W-Why… Why do I have to be banished!?)”
I couldn’t help but ask, bewildered by the sudden declaration.
Even today, I diligently gathered food while protecting my comrades!
“Sura-ssu, Sura-sura! (It’s obvious, it’s because you’re a weakling who can’t even defeat a single rabbit!)”
…Indeed, unlike the usual blue-colored slimes, I’m a gray slime with weak strength and low Dissolving Liquid power. I’m not good at attacking.
But, I’ve been working hard to contribute to the group in other ways.
I’ve come up with various ideas for the group’s prosperity, and I’ve often protected the slimes with my high Toughness.
I desperately tried to explain all of that, but Sura-ta wouldn’t listen.
“Sura-ras-sura, Sura-su-sura-rasura! (Don’t be ridiculous, we’re fine even without you!)”
There’s no way that’s true!
I’ll concede that Sura-ta might be fine.
Large Bloody Slimes have abundant Life.
They’re fine even after taking a Goblin’s attack.
But, that’s not the case for the other normal slimes.
Their Life is greatly reduced with a single hit, and they know that I’ve been protecting them.
“Su! Su-rassu!? (Hey! Is that okay with everyone else!?)”
They should protect me.
Believing that, I asked the slimes behind Sura-ta.
“Sura, Sura (Sura-suke, weak)”
“Su-sura, Sura (Weakling, not needed)”
“Sura-ra-ra, Sura, Rassu (Gyahahaha, trash, get out)”
“S-Sura-ssura… (N-No way, everyone…)”
But, all that came back were insults and jeers.
Surao, Surami, and Sura-zaemon didn’t seem like they would help me.
“Sura-ra-su-sura (If you understand, then get out of here)”
“Sura-sura-ssura, Su-rasu? Sura-ra-ssura? Su-su-ra!? (Wait, wait, don’t be hasty, how are you going to decide where to gather plants without me? Who will take the enemy attacks? You’ll definitely regret kicking me out!?)”
“Sura-ssu, Sura-sura-ssu! (You’re being stubborn, just get out without complaining!)”
From his stubborn tone, I realized that it was pointless to argue any further.
“…Sura (…Okay)”
“Sura-ssura, Sura-rasura (Oh, leave that nut behind, we gathered that)”
I also participated in gathering food, and I brought back two nuts today.
In the first place, the reason we can carry them safely is because I’m blocking the enemy attacks.
But, even if I said that, Sura-ta and the others wouldn’t listen.
“Sura-ra… (Understood…)”
I placed the half-dissolved nut down and started to leave the colony.
It was then.
—Thud.
Something hard hit my body.
A stone was thrown from behind.
“Sura-ra, Sura, Sura (Ahaha, hit, hit)”
“Sura, Su-ra-su (Next, I’ll do it)”
“Sura-sura-ssu (I’ll do it again too)”
—Thud, thud, thud.
Sura-ta’s cronies threw stones one after another.
They were all pretty accurate, and more than half of them hit me.
…This throwing of stones was something I suggested for the slimes who lack attack methods…
“Sura… (It hurts…)”
With my Toughness, a stone throw wouldn’t even cause a scratch.
But, it wasn’t my body, but the depths of my heart that hurt.
Every time a stone hit my body, it felt like my heart was being directly struck.
I thought of them as my comrades, and I’ve been doing my best for them.
But, they didn’t recognize me as one of them.
“Sura…! (Damn it…!)”
Just you wait, I’ll get stronger and show you all…!
I shouted in my heart, and I ran away from my former comrades.
—And so, I was banished from the slime group.
~Unidentified Information Recording Area~
…
The settlement of Fuetou Kouya (Roughstone Slime) in this world has been completed.
[Unique Skill: Best Harvest] has been activated.
The analysis results have been added to the Status Display.
Along with the activation of abilities, a portion of Fuetou Kouya’s memories will be restored.
…