Read Novel Full Vol 9. Chapter 61: You’re Becoming More and More Like Who He Once Was
Vol 9. Chapter 61: You’re Becoming More and More Like Who He Once Was
Once the slimes who had been hit by the illusion spell earlier gradually recovered, Leon and the others also prepared to leave.
Helena placed the deep-blue slime back beneath the altar where the bracelet was kept. She then crouched down and gently patted its smooth, damp little head.
“I’m leaving now, Um. From now on, you have to keep guarding the sacred relic properly with your kin, okay?”
Noa walked over slowly and folded her arms, watching Helena say goodbye. She smiled and said:
“You’re really reluctant to part with it, aren’t you? Something that smart really is hard not to like.”
Helena smiled as well.
“Yeah. I’ve always liked keeping pets. When I was little, I was always with Aju. But after I started school, I barely went home, and there’s nowhere at the academy to keep one. Now I finally meet such a cute and clever slime… I really want to take it home with me.”
Noa bent forward slightly, resting her hands on her knees, and spoke softly.
“But it’s a little too intelligent. Taking it away from the sacred forest it’s lived in for so long would make it very sad.”
Rich emotions were the privilege of highly intelligent beings.
Ordinary slimes had low intelligence. Even if they were forcibly taken home, they would only panic for a few days in an unfamiliar environment.
After that, as long as they had food and water, they would settle down obediently.
That was why ordinary slimes could be kept as pets without issue.
But Um was far too intelligent.
Once intelligence reached a certain level, emotions became far more complex.
It would feel nostalgia. It would feel sorrow. It would feel grief.
If someone forcibly took a being like that away, it would surely fall into long-term depression.
Helena didn’t want that either.
Though she loved pets, she never brought herself to suggest taking Um with her.
“If I get the chance, I’ll come visit you again. Goodbye, little one.”
“Um…”
Helena stood up and waved reluctantly.
She then turned with Noa and began walking toward the forest exit.
But after only a few steps, Helena suddenly felt something tugging at her pant leg.
She looked down.
It was Um.
The little slime had rolled up beside her and was gently biting her pant cuff.
“What is it, Um?”
Helena crouched and lifted it into her arms.
The little creature raised its head and looked at her with watery eyes.
“Um… um…”
Helena blinked blankly.
“What are you trying to say, little one?”
“Um!”
This time, the blue little thing simply buried its round head straight into her chest.
The meaning was obvious.
“It wants you to take it with you,” Noa said.
Helena’s eyes lit up, and joy spread across her face.
“Really, Um? You want to come with me?”
The little creature wriggled in her arms, clearly expressing agreement.
Noa smiled.
“Well then, that settles it. It likes you too and wants to go with you. You can take it home.”
“I knew I didn’t get your name wrong, Um, Um~”
“Um, Um~~”
“Um, Um~”
This mission had been more than worth it.
The tragic couple received help and protection from Leon and Rosvisser.
Noa established her authority within the team and earned the trust of her members.
And Helena adopted a clever, adorable slime companion.
Everyone had a bright future ahead.
…
…
Saint Heath Academy, Vice Principal’s Office.
Noa was handing over the Cold Mist Forest mission report to Claudia.
Seated behind her desk, Claudia carefully reviewed each report submitted by the other team members.
“Mm. Overall, this was handled quite well.”
She spoke unhurriedly.
“But I noticed that nearly every report mentioned Tucker’s impulsive decision.”
As she spoke, Claudia set aside the last report, then lifted her gaze toward Noa and said gently:
“Every report that mentioned Tucker criticized that impulse between the lines. They all believe his recklessness nearly endangered everyone, and they recommend that I cancel his mission points.”
Noa stood at attention in front of the desk—feet shoulder-width apart, hands placed neatly behind her back, posture straight and solemn.
She remained silent in response to Claudia’s words.
“But in the report you submitted,” Claudia continued, “you placed the responsibility for the incident on yourself.”
She looked at Noa and asked suddenly:
“Why is that, Noa? Why do you think this was your responsibility?”
Noa answered almost without hesitation.
“Failing to control my team members’ behavior is my failure as captain. If I had been firmer at the time and forcibly stopped Tucker from acting impulsively, then everyone might not have fallen under illusion magic. And my parents wouldn’t have needed to come help me.”
She was extremely serious—so much so that the contrast with Claudia’s calm, regretful demeanor was striking.
After thinking for a long while, the elegant woman removed her glasses, stood up, and walked slowly out from behind the desk.
She stopped in front of Noa, braced her hands lightly on the desk, leaned back against its edge, and bent forward slightly to look at her.
“You know, Noa—not every accident means you must take all the blame onto yourself.”
“But I could have...”
“You did have the ability to stop it at the beginning,” Claudia interrupted gently.
“But an accident is called an ‘accident’ precisely because it’s unpredictable.”
She spoke slowly.
“No matter how strong someone is, they can’t foresee every possible development.”
She paused, then laughed lightly and teased:
“Well—your family’s little pink-haired one and that girl named Safina might be able to. But people like me—and even your father and mother—we ordinary folk simply can’t. So you don’t need to shoulder the responsibility for every mistake in this mission by yourself. Do you understand?”
Faced with such sincere guidance from an elder, Noa didn’t stubbornly pretend not to understand.
She lowered her gaze and said quietly:
“I understand. But… I also hit Tucker later… His actions did violate the Adult Dragon Division’s mission regulations, but I probably shouldn’t have… No matter what, I know I broke the rules too. I should accept punishment.”
Noa was usually calm and composed.
The more dangerous the situation, the clearer her thinking became.
But half her blood was dragon blood.
The impulsiveness and temper etched into dragonkind’s bones could never be completely erased.
That was why she had knocked Tucker flat with a single punch and left him unable to get back up.
When she struck him, she already knew that if anyone reported it, she would definitely face disciplinary action.
Because she was right—Tucker was at fault, but punishment should have been handled by the academy.
She should have waited for her instructors to return.
As captain, laying hands on a teammate was indeed a violation.
So Noa had already prepared herself mentally to be punished.
And yet Claudia suddenly said:
“You hit Tucker? Why don’t I know anything about that?”
Noa froze.
“W-what?”
Claudia put on an expression of complete ignorance.
“Oh? None of the mission reports mention that at all. Even Tucker himself didn’t say anything. Hmm… oh! I get it now. It must have been illusion magic. You hit Tucker inside the illusion, so that doesn’t count, right?”
Noa blinked in confusion.
That… that actually worked?
But since none of the team members mentioned it in their reports, it meant they had shown real loyalty.
And it also meant they approved of Noa’s actions.
Claudia stepped forward and gently patted Noa’s shoulder.
“In any case, Noa, you performed excellently as this mission’s captain. And I think…”
“Think what?”
Claudia smiled warmly.
“Charlotte often tells me about your father’s past. His growth. His changes.”
She looked at Noa with gentle eyes.
“I think you’re becoming more and more like Leon used to be.”