I exhaled, pushing my back against the cold wall of the shower.
The steam rose around me, softening the bruises and cuts I had earned from tonight's fight. I drank a few more potions to ease the pain, so it didn't hurt as much.
But, now I have a small problem.
What was I supposed to do with her?
I only saved her on a whim because I really didn't want her to die or anything...
And now, she was… my responsibility?
That wasn't exactly my area of expertise.
I rubbed a hand over my face, groaning softly.
After a while, the water began to cool down, so I drained the tub and stepped out, grabbing a towel to dry off.
I put on a loose shirt and pants before leaving the bathroom...
The slime girl was standing by the window, wearing one of my white shirts and a pair of old pants I'd left for her.
The shirt was far too big for her small frame, hanging loosely over her slimy body.
She was staring at me.
Not blinking, not moving—just staring.
Her green eyes were wide, shimmering slightly in the dim light of the room.
I really didn't know what to say, especially since she didn't say a word when we got back to my hotel room.
She just stood still, and after I said to her to take a bath, she only tilted her head...
Like she was doing right now...
The slime girl didn't reply, instead, she only tilted her head to the right and kept watching me with that same wide yet curious look.
I ran a hand through my hair and then sighed.
"Look, I don't know if you can even understand me, but… you're safe now. Okay? No one's going to hurt you."
Her head tilted the other way, and for a moment, I thought I saw the corners of her mouth twitch upward, almost like a faint smile.
'Was she smiling...?'
I wasn't entirely sure.
I muttered under my breath, collapsing onto the bed.
"Guess I've got a roommate now."
She didn't seem to mind the sarcasm—or maybe she didn't understand it.
Either way, she turned her gaze back to the window, watching the city lights with that same quiet curiosity.
I leaned down against the compy bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Let's just hope everything goes right..."
I closed my eyes, drifting to sleep.
The only thing that could be heard was Aestrea's steady breathing as he slept without any worries in the world, his chest moved up and down, relaxed.
The dim light from the window lit the room just enough to make everything visible.
And next to the window, stood the slime girl, with her green shimmering eyes focused on Aestrea's figure.
At first, her face looked curious and blank, like before.
Her green color started to shift, turning into a deep pink, and her body glowed slightly in the light while her cyan hair turned into a deeper shade of purple.
Her lips curved into a small, mischievous smile.
She stepped closer to Aestrea, her purple hair-like slime flowed behind her, and her shimmering form moved with an odd grace.
Stopping beside the bed, she crouched slightly, her head tilting as she looked at Aestrea's sleeping face.
He looked peaceful, even if his face still wore its usual calm and motionless look.
A small giggle slipped from her lips as she reached out with one slimy finger, tracing lightly along the edge of his jawline.
A faint sound came as a few drops of her slime fell to the floor.
She didn't seem to notice as her attention was completely drawn to him.
Her hand slid down to his arm with a cool and light touch, leaving a faint trail of pink residue.
She leaned in closer with her face hanging just above his. The mischievous smile on her face grew wider as she tilted her head.
Then, without a word, she pressed her soft, slime-like lips against his cheek.
The faint, wet sound was barely audible as she pulled away, giggling quietly to herself again.
Aestrea stirred slightly but didn't wake.
The slime girl tilted her head again, her pink eyes gleaming in the dim light. She leaned back, one finger pressed to her lips like she was savoring the moment.
Then, as if satisfied, she stood up and turned back to the window, watching the city lights once more with that same strange smile on her face.
Gradually, her pink skin transformed back to green, while her head changed to the cyan color it had been before.
Murmuring uncomfortably, I slowly opened my eyes.
'I thought the rooms had a cooling system, why is it so hot?'
At first, I couldn't tell what was happening, but then I felt it—a small weight on my chest.
The slime girl was sprawled across me, her small, slimy body rising and falling in sync with her calm breathing.
Her head rested against my chest, and her green hair glowed faintly in the sunlight peeking through the curtains.
"Did she climb up here while I was sleeping?"
I muttered before shifting slightly.
However, her grip seemed to have tightened as she murmured something incomprehensible, snuggling closer.
My entire body tensed.
Her cool skin was oddly soothing, but this situation was far from normal.
I tried to move her off gently, but she held on like a clingy child.
Her arms—or rather, her slimy extensions—wrapped around me in a way that made escape feel impossible without force.
"Great... just great!"
I furrowed my eyebrows.
Her face shifted slightly, and for a second, I thought she was waking up.
Instead, she let out a small hum, her lips curving into a faint smile, completely unaware of how awkward this was for me.
Without any choice, I simply stood up and shifted her body to get her to hang on my back, and to my surprise, her legs immediately wrapped around my waist.
I should go and meet the saintess.
This broken rib is still a deep problem even if it is sustainable with mana.
After all, I got lucky to be able to meet the saintess.
Normally, the saintess is deported to the strongest academy since there are located the most talented students, and their chances of getting injured are high.
But, because of my highly dangerous actions and achievements, our academy was the one that had received the saintess.
I would visit her three to two times a week because I ended up getting in trouble a lot.
From killing high-ranking demon beasts to fighting against an order of assassins.
"It's just unfortunate that the saintess is going to Eternum's Royal Academy after the competition... even if I win or not."
That was because of the 177th hunting festival of the Eternum's Royal Academy which was happening a month or two after the competition.
I didn't end up getting up to that part of the novel.
Putting those thoughts aside, I did my morning routine.
"But now... how am I supposed to go out with her clinging to me?"
I turned to the slime girl who was now hugging from the front.
Her eyes opened slightly before they got the same wide look from before.
She tilted her head to the right.
"What am I going to do with you?"
I let out a deep sigh.