A light rain fell today, shrouding the entire Slime City in a misty, overcast gloom. The hues were somber, the temperature bitingly cold. Even the little slimes who usually loved bouncing and hopping on the streets were far fewer in number.
Most of them were nestled inside warm houses, huddled together, drowsily nodding off. The warm orange-yellow light spilling from the windows of the small cottages seemed especially cozy in this rainy weather, bringing a bit of warmth to Slime City that helped drive away the chill.
For the first time, Alders walked along this broadest central thoroughfare of Slime City in his true identity as an elf.
In front of him, two slime guards with bodies gleaming in a silver-gray metallic luster bounced along, leading the way.
They held small spears, their metallic gel wobbling slightly with each hop as they advanced with serious expressions.
Their destination was the brilliantly lit Slime Palace located in the central district of Slime City, to lead this elderly elf who claimed to be a "Forest Sage" from the Silver Song Forest of the Golden Radiance Valley to an audience with the King.
Of course, if Alders hadn't had the personal letter and magical seal of the dryad lord Viola guaranteeing his identity and purpose, he probably wouldn't have even made it past the city gates.
Alder leaned on a staff grown from green vines and walked slowly behind the two metal slime guards.
He wore a long robe woven from a blend of deep green linen and tree bark fibers. Beneath his hood was a head of somewhat messy white hair, and upon closer inspection, one could see the pair of pointed ears that marked his elven identity.
Finally... he was about to meet this mysterious Slime Sage, Alders thought, his steps seeming to lighten a little.
As long as he could successfully persuade it to join the Forest Sage Council, then the mission of this long journey of his would be considered perfectly accomplished.
As for whether this Slime Sage would refuse the Forest Sage Council's invitation... that wasn't within Alders' consideration.
In his view, regardless of where they came from on the continent or what race they belonged to, Forest Sages all shared the same faith in protecting the balance of nature, the same affinity for forests and life, the same enemies like demons and destroyers, and the same resolve to fight against nature's foes.
They were natural companions, like-minded partners.
This absolute collective will formed from shared ideals and missions surpassed all racial barriers, kinship ties, or worldly interests.
No true Sage had any reason to refuse the Forest Sage Council—this ancient organization that gathered the continent's finest guardians of nature—and its sincere invitation.
Ahem... of course, that excluded Viola, that maverick who preferred to tinker with her dryad domain on her own.
His heart was full of confidence, even treating this upcoming meeting as a mere "formality."
In his view, a slime fighting alone in forests and swamps, facing the threat of demons and external pressures by itself, must be filled with loneliness and solitude, yearning for companions and understanding.
But the Forest Sage Council would let it know that it was not fighting alone. It had countless like-minded companions who could support each other and jointly protect the land beneath their feet.
"Plop, plop..."
The two metal slime guards hopped up the long marble staircase in front of the Slime Palace, then stopped and turned. Their round, shiny eyes fell on Alders behind them, seemingly indicating for him to enter the brilliantly lit palace at the top of the stairs.
Nearing the meeting, Alders couldn't help but tidy up his appearance.
He reached out to smooth the wrinkles on his robe, then straightened his messy hair—though there wasn't much room for improvement, even just smoothing down one unruly strand added a bit more confidence to his heart for this meeting.
He took a deep breath, leaned on his evergreen staff, and stepped onto the staircase, entering the intentionally dimly lit entrance hall of the Slime Palace.
He went in.
To meet this mysterious Slime King.
Verdant, delectable, round, soft, and delightfully bouncy... those were Alders' first impressions of the King seated upon the throne.
That image even dismantled the last bit of caution and wariness in Alders' heart. He found it hard to connect the seemingly harmless, even somewhat soft and squishy King before his eyes with the existence that could capture human fortresses and repel demon legions.
After briefly introducing his identity and purpose to this unique King, Alders eagerly extended his invitation.
However, the subsequent course of events completely took him by surprise.
When he stood below the Slime King's oakwood throne and, in a tone brimming with anticipation and confidence, solemnly extended the invitation, the King on the throne emitted a soft, squishy sound:
"I refuse."
"Wh... what? Ref... refuse?"
For a moment, Alders even doubted if he was getting old and his hearing was failing.
His eyes widened. The confident smile on his face instantly froze, transforming into an expression of disbelief. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.
This elven elder who had lived for centuries stood rooted to the spot, taking a long moment to process it.
"Respected King of the Slime Kingdom, you should know that our Forest Sage Council are your true companions. We share the same faith, the same enemies..."
Chen Yu shifted his gel buttocks on the throne, took a sip of sweet honey water, emitted a satisfied "gurgle" sound, and then said leisurely:
"Mr. Alders, I understand your eagerness."
"The Forest Sage Council is so anxious to absorb new blood... could it be that you are currently facing some enemy that is giving you a headache?"
Chen Yu's voice was still soft and squishy, but the content of his words made Alders' heart skip a beat.
Chen Yu continued, "My apologies, but the Slime Kingdom currently has enough troubles to deal with. In such a situation, rashly joining an ancient organization that likely implies more responsibilities and more potential enemies... doesn't seem to offer any benefit to the Kingdom. On the contrary, it might bring unnecessary risks."
Alder was instantly dumbfounded.
This was the first time he had heard such a "practical," such "utilitarian" reason for refusal. It completely contradicted his understanding of a "Sage."
Shouldn't a Sage be filled with great love, selflessly dedicated to protecting nature, not concerned with the gains or losses of individuals or small collectives?
Where did this slime learn such convoluted, human-like ways of thinking?
This left the old scholar, who had spent years deep in the Silver Song Forest, keeping company only with ancient trees and animals, immersing himself in the study of natural knowledge and paying little attention to worldly affairs, feeling a headache for the first time, even somewhat at a loss.
He wanted to refute, to say, "Protecting nature is the natural duty of every Sage, how can one weigh the pros and cons?" He wanted to say, "The Council can provide knowledge, heritage, and the support of companions." But looking at the slime on the throne, which seemed to see right through his thoughts, those words got stuck in his throat, unable to come out.
Chen Yu said, "I recall that not long ago, the Lizardfolk caravan coming to Slime City rescued an elderly dryad on the road who claimed to be lost. That elder's name also seemed to be Alders."
"Mr. Alders, the purpose of your visit to Slime City this time probably isn't as pure as you claimed, is it?"
A flicker of embarrassment at being exposed crossed Alders' aged cheeks. "How did you discover that?"
Chen Yu sighed inwardly, a bit helplessly.
This Sage was still too naive.
He realized his earlier judgment wasn't wrong. These Forest Sages might have profound attainments in the ways of nature, but in terms of human relations, worldly affairs, and strategy, they were as simple as wild slimes hopping about in the swamp.
"Mr. Alders, your disguise wasn't actually that clever. A dryad who suddenly appears in the Kingdom, conveniently weak and in need of rescue, claiming to be related to the Kingdom's ally Viola... all of it indicates you intentionally infiltrated Slime City."
Alders coughed awkwardly a few times, his evergreen staff unconsciously tapping the ground.
"Your Majesty, I think you misunderstand. This... this is actually the Council's standard procedure. Every newly discovered Sage undergoes such observation. The purpose... ahem, the purpose is to prevent certain evil beings, such as demons skilled in disguise and deception, from infiltrating the Council."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yu instantly understood.
This Forest Sage Council had probably been successfully infiltrated or even sabotaged by demons in the past, which was why they had become so cautious.
From this, one could also see that these elven Sages spent their days only dealing with nature. To put it nicely, they were simple and pure-hearted. To put it bluntly, they were too naive, lacking defenses against the complexities of human hearts and schemes.
If not for their overly pure and firm faith and their sufficiently strong personal power, this Council would likely have been eliminated by enemies long ago.
No wonder Viola refused to join the Council. Dealing with such a group of naive, simple idealists must indeed be quite tiring.
"Ahem, respected King of the Slime Kingdom..."
Seeing that Chen Yu had fallen silent again, Alders felt a bit unsure and tentatively asked, "Now that you understand our difficulties and sincerity, have you changed your mind?"
"I refuse." Chen Yu flatly rejected him again.
The hopeful expression on Alders' face collapsed once more.
But then Chen Yu's voice sounded again.
"However... has the Council considered another form of cooperation? Such as an alliance?"
"An... alliance?" Alders looked utterly bewildered, as if he had heard a very unfamiliar term.
If it weren't for this slime before him suggesting it, he would never have thought of such an operation as forming an "alliance" with a "Sage."
In the traditional view of the Council, Sages were either like-minded companions, enemies or potential threats to be wary of, or irrelevant bystanders.
This kind of alliance relationship based on equal status almost didn't exist in their dictionary.
"Yes. An alliance for sharing intelligence, mutual assistance with resources, and even coordinated action when necessary, within specific domains or targeting specific objectives," Chen Yu patiently explained.
"The Slime Kingdom can provide a stable rear, unique Kingdom resources, and operational convenience in certain regions. The Council, in turn, can provide knowledge about nature, demons, and even ancient secrets of the continent, as well as experience and support in dealing with demons."
To be honest, after hearing Chen Yu's description, Alders was indeed somewhat tempted.
A vast nation belonging to the nature faction, currently flourishing—even if its main subjects were seemingly weak slimes—the vitality it could unleash was unimaginable.
Moreover, these little beings from the swamp had already proven their strength through practical actions. Being able to capture human fortresses and repel demon legions undoubtedly made them a force the Council could not ignore.
But once an alliance was formed, it meant the Forest Sage Council would be on equal footing with the Slime Kingdom.
This was different from his original purpose in coming here. Furthermore, such a significant matter was far beyond his authority to decide alone.
He would have to report the situation to other members of the Council and might even need to convene a small meeting for discussion.
"Ahem... Your thinking is somewhat... unorthodox," Alders said, carefully choosing his words, feeling his brain couldn't quite keep up with this slime's pace. "The matter of an alliance is of great importance. I must discuss it with the other Sages of the Council before I can give a reply."
"Until a result is reached... perhaps I could stay in your Kingdom for a while."
Since he couldn't win with eloquence and couldn't get through with reasoning, Alders decided in his heart to simply stay put and not leave.
He planned to use his practical actions and sincerity to win over this King. Perhaps given enough time, it would come to understand the greatness and necessity of the Council and change its mind?
Seeing Alders' stance of "I'm just going to stay here and not leave," Chen Yu found it somewhat amusing inwardly, but he didn't object.
This old Sage was quite persistent and quite simple. But his willingness to stay might not be a bad thing for the Kingdom.
Chen Yu's thoughts differed from Alders'.
The troubles behind the Council might indeed be significant, the organization somewhat rigid, its future uncertain. But it was undeniable that those who could become "Forest Sages" were at least beings of The Extraordinary tier, and they possessed vast amounts of information about nature, ancient knowledge, and even continental secrets.
If they could be utilized reasonably... ahem, for mutual benefit, leveraging the Council's power and knowledge would undoubtedly help improve the current difficulties faced by the Slime Kingdom. At the very least, it would mean finding a powerful "backer" for the Kingdom within the complex landscape of forces.
As for whether to join the Council, he wasn't actually that resistant deep down.
The current alliance proposal was more of a negotiation tactic, to secure a more favorable position for the Kingdom in potential future cooperation and increase his own bargaining chips.
If an agreement really couldn't be reached, joining the Forest Sage Council wouldn't be much of a loss either.
Given how cautious these Sages were, seemingly afraid of being found by demons, they probably wouldn't easily reveal the news of the Slime Kingdom joining the Council.
This way, they could gain the Council's support without prematurely exposing the Kingdom to the gaze of more forces.
Chen Yu shook his gel body contentedly, giving himself a mental pat on the back for his wisdom.
It was a pity that Count Bran had gone to the snowy plains to visit Arthur, saying he was worried about the undead knight guarding there alone. What if Olivia was in a bad mood and dismantled him into a pile of bones? He had to step in to protect this silly retainer.
Without Count Bran's flattering adulation, the Slime Palace felt like it was missing something.
"Since Mr. Alders plans to stay in the Kingdom for a while, there happens to be a small matter at hand that you might be able to help take a look at?"
"Oh? Please speak, Your Majesty." Seeing Chen Yu's attitude soften and him proactively making a request, Alders felt a surge of joy, thinking his "stay-put-and-don't-leave" strategy was starting to show results.
"Not long ago, we took in a half-elf child. But that child seems to carry a 'Withering Curse' of elven origin."
"I recall Viola once mentioned that Forest Sages might have some methods for dealing with such ancient curses related to natural life."
Anvil had been a proud father for a while now and was troubled by his precious daughter's withering illness. Since Viola said other Forest Sages might have a way, and a Sage had conveniently shown up, why not make use of him?
Upon hearing this, Alders' brow furrowed slightly, revealing the focused expression of a scholar encountering a difficult problem.
"An elven curse? A half-elf child?"
He stroked his graying beard, pondering, "This indeed involves some ancient secrets of the elven race and..."