Foolish Master

"Huh?... Where I am?... What is this place?..."

When Vier wakes up, she finds herself standing in an unfamiliar place. A place with nothing but a void of darkness. Yet even though there's not a single light around her, Vier can see herself. She can see her hands, along with her body, glowing in the darkness.

"Onee-chan!... Where are you, Onee-chan?!..."

Thinking that is another of her unusual dreams, like the White Warrior's world that she saw together with her Onee-chan, Vier tries to call out her Onee-chan.

However, the voice that answers her call is a different one.

"You're finally awake, my foolish friend."

"Ehh?!..."

It was the voice of a young boy that answered her call. When Vier turns around to the source of that voice, what she finds is a giant slime wearing a vermilion-colored robe.

"Or perhaps you prefer to be called a foolish master?"

"It's a giant talking Slime monster... Master?... Wait... That robe and white-transparent-color!... Don't tell me..."

"It took you a while to recognize me, my foolish master."

"Poru-III..."

Vier runs towards her pet slime as she jump forward to hug it.

"Sob... Sob... I'm sorry... Sob... Sob... I'm sorry that you died because of me... Sob... Sob..."

Vier's voice began to tremble as the tears kept coming out of her eyes and the guilt that she had been keeping inside her heart made it harder to speak as she apologized.

"Stop crying already and get over it! You, foolish master!"

...Slap!...

"Ouch!..."

Puro-III's slime body extended, creating a whip that gave a slap straight to Vier's crying face, making Vier stop crying for a moment.

"Stop blaming yourself for what happened to me, my foolish master!"

"But... It's all my fault..."

"So what if it's your fault?!"

"Ehh?..."

"Even if it's your fault, it was my choice to stay by your side and fight! Don't you dare dishonor me by always saying that it is your fault that I died!"

Vier knows that Puro-III made its choice to stay beside her and fight, and she is thankful for that. Yet the guilt that she's the only one who managed to survive is putting a heavy burden on her heart and mind.

"Answer me, my foolish master!!!"

Poru-III raises its voice waiting for Vier's answer. And as its master, Vier can't say no and disappoint Puro-III.

"Mhm!..."

That's the simplest response that Vier can give as she keeps her cry coming out of her voice and does her best to hold the tears coming out of her eyes.

"Instead, tell everyone what we accomplished."

"Mhm!!..."

"Tell them the battles we fought together and how amazing it is."

"Mhm!!!..."

"Tell them how we make the bastard who hurt your friends, our friends, suffer until his death."

"Mhm!!!... Sob... Sob..."

Hearing all of Puro-III's words reminds Vier of all the battles that she fought with Puro-III at her side. From the day she met the unusual slime to the times she taught Puro-III to understand each other, until the end when they fought the Black Weretiger Monster together.

Remembering those memories made Vier unable to hold her cry and tears any longer.

"...Sob...Sob...Sob..."

"That's all I wanted to say, my foolish master!"

"Ehh?..."

After saying goodbye, Poru-III started to quickly drift away getting smaller and smaller into Vier's vision.

Vier tried her best to follow Puro-III. She used all of her strength to run towards him. But no matter how fast she runs, the distance between the two of them within the void of darkness continues to go further and further.

"Wait!... Where are you going?!... Don't leave!... Let's go back together!... Puro-III..."

"I can't... Besides you have to wake up now... Our friends are waiting for you to come back..."

"No!... Please don't go, Poru-III...!!!"

"Good luck with your great adventure, my foolish master..."

.

.

.

"Poru-III..."

"Vier, wake up."

"You're dreaming again, Vier-chan."

When Vier opens her eyes, she finds herself lying down in her bed and sees both of her parents sitting beside her.

"Mom... Dad..."

"Are you okay? You're calling Poru-III while sleeping, then you suddenly start crying."

While Vier is looking at her parents, the memories of her dream about Puro-III come to her mind.

"... Sob!... sob!... I'm okay... Mom, Dad... since Poru-III already said goodbye to me... Waahhhh!..."

Vier knows that the dream she just had was only a simple dream. It's not the same as her unusual dreams where she could meet her Onee-chan. It's only a dream to make her feel less guilty about losing Poru-III because of her recklessness.

However, Vier can't ignore what Poru-III said in that dream. She needs to stop saying it was her fault every time she would remember Puro-III's death. And instead, remember the time they spent fighting, the time they spent adventuring together.

.

.

.

It's already been three days since Vier collapsed during the fight against the Rank 6 Black Weretiger Monster and it's already been two days since she woke up at the Guild Infirmary.

During those two days, Vier continued to grieve from losing Poru-III. She knows that others might say that Poru-III is only a pet monster and that she can find another one to replace Puro-III again.

However, how can she replace someone who saved her life many times? How could she simply forget and replace Puro-III easily? Knowing that it was her fault that Puro-III died?

But Vier can't grieve forever from losing Poru-III. Just like the White Warrior she and her Onee-chan saw in her dream, Vier needs to look past the sad memory of Puro-III's death and remember all the good memories they had together. That's the only way Vier can honor Poru-III.

"Sob... Sob... Sob..."

"Are you okay, Vier?"

"I'm okay, Mom. I'm just remembering Poru-III."

"I know that Poru-III is important to you but you need to get over your loss and focus on recovering."

"Okay, Mom."

"That's right, Ms. Vier. Your left eye is almost completely healed and we can reattach your arm in the next three days. So please don't have another emotional breakdown, okay?"

"I understand and thank you, Ms. Maria."

Following the Healer's advice, Vier spends the rest of her days resting on her bed.

After a whole day of rest, the Guild Infirmary Healer, Maria, finally removed the bandage off Vier's left eye, and during the afternoon, Misaki finally allowed Mifumi, Felin, and Rozze to visit Vier.

In a total of five days that Vier has been confined at the Guild Infirmary, Misaki has completely forbids Mifumi, Felin, and Rozze to visit and see Vier's condition. Misaki doesn't want Mifumi and Felin to blame themselves for what happened to Vier. Just like how Rozze keeps blaming herself for what happened to her friends.

That's why Vier is quite excited to finally see her friends. However, Vier prefers if Misaki doesn't allow her friends to see her until she's completely healed. After all, Vier doesn't want the three of her friends to get worried after seeing her condition.

"Is Vier-chan okay now, Grandma?"

"Is Vier already awake, Misaki-sensei?"

"Is Vier not hurt anymore, Sensei?"

"Don't worry, Mifumi-chan, Rozze-chan, Felin-chan. Vier-chan is going to be healed completely soon, that's why I finally allowed all of you to see her today. But whatever you see inside, make sure that you all stay calm. Okay?"

...Mhm!!!...

Hearing the conversation outside of Vier's room, her mother and Maria helped Vier to sit upright in her bed so that she could greet her friends.

When the door of her room opened, Vier finally saw the three of her friends together. She gave them a big smile to reassure Mifumi, Felin, and Rozze that she was okay but their reaction was something Vier didn't expect.

The moment Mifumi saw Vier sitting on her bed, her trembling hands dropped the bouquet she was holding, and her trembling legs lost their strength, making Mifumi fall kneeling on the floor.

Felin dropped the basket of fruits she was holding as her wide-open eyes stared directly at Vier's missing right arm while Rozze did her best not to cry again after seeing Vier's condition.

Seeing her friend's reaction, Vier wanted to say to Mifumi and Felin that neither of them was to blame for what happened and that Rozze should not worry about her condition. But even before Vier could open her mouth and say anything, Mifumi, Felin, and Rozze immediately ran towards her and embraced her as they cried their hearts out.

"Waahhhh!... I'm sorry, Vier-chan!... It's because I couldn't protect everyone!... Waahhhh!..."

"Waahhhh!... I'm sorry!... I left you alone again!... I couldn't fight with you again!... Waahhhh!..."

"Waahhhh!... I'm sorry!... I wasn't there with you!... I'm sorry I couldn't stop them!... Waahhhh!..."

"Sheesh... Sob... Please don't blame yourself... Sob... Sob... Waahhhh!..."