Tipsy Merriment

Hup! Hah!

Senshi, behind you! Left! Forward!

Hooh! Hyah—

Front back front right left left right!

Eyah—

Front back left front right left back!

HIYAH—!

*huff*... *huff*... That's all the ink spirits over here handled...

Much appreciated.

Oh, don't mention it! We're happy to help with any of your troubles, considering the village agreed to take us in for a bit.

I'll be off then. Promised to help plant some veggies out in the fields.

Senshi sure has gotten friendly with the locals.

Is it not the same for you, Chilchuck? Uncle Zhang told me to invite you over for a drink with him after you finished with the ink spirits.

He just doesn't want to admit he can't outdrink me.

May I come over for some tea today, Dawn?

Certainly, I am available if you are.

It's your turn to tell tales of your adventures, and I am quite looking forward to them.

Though... I do recall that when you first arrived, you mentioned that you had to save Laios's sister.

Are you sure you are alright with staying here?

It's true that our goal is to save Falin.

But...

It's not like rushing will help us find a way to leave faster.

And I have to admit, life is good here.

We'll talk it over when the time comes. Right, Laios?

Hmm? Sorry, what did you say?

I can't believe you weren't listening to me again!

*chuckle* Your passion for ink spirits is well-known across the village by now, Laios.

I mean, these 'ink spirit' slimes are just so interesting!

They have fixed forms with distinct heads, bodies, and limbs! Instead of enveloping their prey's heads, they attack like other beasts! They even vocalize!

But the strangest part is how, unlike other monsters, they don't leave behind any kind of corpse, just some black water.

...

I told the villagers all about their weaknesses yesterday, but they didn't seem very excited.

That's because you're the only person who cares about that sort of stuff.

...Huh, is that so?

But even Chilchuck's learned to exploit those weaknesses. The villagers can't seem to grasp them at all. Every time I see them facing ink spirits, it's like they have no idea what they're doing.

Gkh-gkh!

I'm starting to suspect they can even understand us...

It's odd. Senshi said they're not like slimes at all. Slimes have distinct organs, after all...

Alright, alright, I get it.

Hmm? Did some of them slip through?

Hraaagh—

Hmm? That one looked a bit familiar... It's got a mole on its face. Where have I seen that before?

I'm pretty sure I killed the exact same one a few days ago. Why's it shown up again?

What's going on here? ...Wait, could it have come back from the dead? I'm going to go get a better look!

Remember to be back for dinner!

...*sigh* And he's not listening. As usual.

Sorry he's like that.

Oh, it's fine.

Anyway, do you still remember how long it's been since you arrived at P'o-shan Village?

How long has it been since we arrived?

Wait, wait wait wait... There's way WAY too many of you.

Gkh...

We might not have been here long, but we've been killing plenty of ink spirits every day. Who would've thought there'd still be this many left?

There are so many of them here, yet there's no sign of fighting... Could they actually coexist peacefully?

...

I don't see any of their young, though.

Now that I think about it, I can't tell their genders, either. They're all adults too, no young or old. No matter how you look at it, it's no ordinary monster cluster.

Hmm? Wait, where'd the familiar-looking one go?

Crap, that one spotted me!

I've got to think of a way to stop it from calling over more! I can't take them all on my own—

Oh no, it's about to call out—

——

Here, have some fruit!

Gkh...haaa? Munch munch...

Munch munch...

Gkh.

What's that, you want more?

Gkh, gkh.

As long as you don't start shouting.

Here, I was saving them as a snack, but... Look, just eat quietly, and come over when you're done. Then we can go around the back of this wall and...

You're awfully well-behaved. What's going on here?

(Sneakily climbs behind the wall)

(Ready to pounce at apricots on the ground)

(Apricots pounced! Proceeds to gobble up apricots)

It just attacked the village, but now it's docile over a few pieces of fruit?

(Nom nom nom)

(Bites onto Laios's pocket)

Hmm? What're you up to now?

You attack the village, yet you don’t seem any happier when you win, and you flee when you lose. Now you're just snacking on apricots!

You do fight over food, but it makes no sense to attack the village for it—there are way more fruits in the mountains. So why attack so often just for a few fruits?

The villagers haven’t stolen your young or encroached on your territories, so where's all this hostility coming from?

Wait, isn't that the one with the mole from earlier?

Take this!

Hruuh!

Wait, are you here to eat apricots too?

Here, catch.

Hruuh! Hruuh!

Munch munch...

Let me have a closer look... Same mole, slightly bigger head than the rest, a slender yet forked tail...

You really are the same ink spirit as last time! I thought you were rather odd, what with your belly so full you could barely walk. Hardly a ferocious marauder!

Hruuuh...

Did you really come back to life?

Do you go through the cycle of life and death over and over?

If so, that's pretty similar to our life in the dungeon.

Gkhuu?

I still don't get it, though. If that's the case, then why attack the village in the first place?

Is it just to eat apricots?

Alright. This is the last of them...