Training as a Slime (97)

The fresh crispy air was a refreshing contrast to the disastrous training room. The welcoming cooling breeze combed the warm-coloured leaves signaled winter was just a season away. A group of elderly people in wolly clothing enthusiastically greeted the trainees. "They're here! They're here!" an old baba yelled in excitement, her genuine reaction crudely displayed her missing tooth.

"Hohho, finally...," the old man said to his friend.

The beast-kin extended her paws and shook the old man's hand, "Peter, yes we're here. Have you eaten?" Bodicea asked warmly.

"As well as I can see!" he laughed popping out and showing off his prosthetic eye.

"Wow so shiny," Bodicea remarked, her eyes widening with fascination and her giggle chimed charmingly.

"Of course, it's made of the finest magical diamond!" he retorted proudly, snatching it back from her and popping it back into the recess.

The trainees whispered behind her in surprise. Their impression of the single-faceted trainer was broken by multi-dimensional revelation. A spread of confusion wrestled among them; some finding solace with the newfound reality and others with expressions hinting at betrayal and disgust.

Bodicea, "Welcome to Simple Village! A mere 70 minutes of your time at the Academy is a week in this village. I hope you'll all dedicate a little time each day to training—just 10 minutes will do! Our dear Grandpa Peter and lovely Granny Baba are the village chief and chieftess, so feel free to approach any of the wonderful elders here; they'll gladly assign you some tasks. I encourage everyone to help them as much as possible and try all 80 types of work available to develop a well-rounded physique, which will take about a year in this village. But if you prefer, you can also focus on specific skills that suit you best. And remember, if you ever have questions, don't hesitate to talk to our village head or me! Peter, please do the honours."

The old man nodded and used his metallic cane to signal, "Kids, line up. Old Baba and I will assess your aptitude and assign you to our villagers. You will earn your village pass from them."

Cori scanned the villagers and found that of the 80 villagers, they could be classified into the following 15 jobs: potter, baker, butcher, doctor, farmer, woodchopper, miner, blacksmith, plumber, hunter, craftsman, carpenter, merchant, guardian, and herbalist. In addition to their primary jobs, Cori found their secondary roles and levels obscured with question marks. 

"What is a village pass?" the black dumpling slime asked.

"The village pass allows you to teleport here. It's a scroll," Peter answered with his raspy voice. "Come, boy, let's start with you first, " the granny smiled and hovered her hands above him until a soft pink aura appeared vividly, "Seems like we have someone gifted with his hands, you should start with the baker and work with the farmers and herbalists after. Run along now, Tom will give you the village pass."

Soon it was Meimei's turn. "Hmm, what potential beneath such a delicate personality! Bodicea, you have a future pugilist here. Do you want to train her personally?" Peter asked.

Bodicea took a whiff at the red slime, "Hmmm... subtle."

"What does that mean?" Meimei wondered looking at the blue and red aura emanating from the village chief's hands.

As if reading her thoughts, Peter said, "Still water runs deep. She's a sleeping volcano. We can't limit her here." 

"What does that even mean?" Meimei's brows knotted expressing her confusion.

"I can take her," the guard volunteered and stepped forward.

"You sure?" Peter asked.

"Yes. Bodicea will come later after her foundation is solid enough to release her potential," the villager in the shades remarked. 

Meimei cast a look toward Cori. "What do they mean?" she mouthed.

"No Idea...," he mouthed back.

Meimei breathed with relief after reading his lip. "Okay, not to worry. Thanks for the reassurance Cori," she comforted herself and followed the villager.

"Cori, it's your turn," Bodicea said as she gently pushed him towards the elders.

Cori wobbled and bounced towards them. His head looking upwards at their wrinkly menacing face. 

"Don't worry we won't hurt you," Old Baba said.

"A boy your age should be fearless!" the old man grunted, his diamond eye piercing at him.

"Now, now, don't be mean old Peter. He's still young. Now, Cori... relax and close your eyes," the granny suggested.

A minute had passed but she could not detect anything. "Weird, very weird. This had not happened in my lifetime before. Peter, Peter can you get a reading on him?" she said.

"Old Baba, I'm right beside you. You don't have to call my name twice, I hear you. Let me show you how it's done," complained the old man grumpily. 

"As if I would make an error. If you can't get a reading too, you will do all the cleaning and cooking tonight!" the granny challenged back.

The old man kept quiet. "Boy, face me," he said. Cori bounced a step toward him under the old man's outstretched palm. "Strange, very strange indeed. How is it possible to have no aura? Only the dead have no aura but you're alive. Are you an undead slime my child?"

Cori shook his slightly golden body.

"Wait, maybe your aura is golden that's why we couldn't see it with your golden shining body," the old man defended himself, keen on avoiding the chores.

"Don't think you can get out of this!" the granny snapped and pinched the grandpa's ear.

"Ow! Okay, okay. I lose!" the elderly with the crazy eye conceded.

Granny, "Cori, there is a villager absent today. Since we can't advise you, you need to seek him out. He lived on the tower kast at the edge of the village's river. Find him and he will tell you what to do." The granny then tapped his head.

The system immediately showed the map to Cori and indicated an exclamation mark on the location.

"The wise man might not have the village pass," the old man said.

"Why not?" the granny said looking at Peter's guilty face. "You only gave them to those who attended, didn't you! Pass it to the boy now!" she scolded.

Bodicea swallowed a chuckle since she found their squabbling rather endearing.

The old man took out a crumbled piece of ticket, apparently ready to throw it away. "Here..." he said and put onto Cori's paw.

"Thank you!" he replied.

"Aiyo! So sweet this boy!" Old Baba marvelled, showing off her smile with the missing tooth again but this time her missing tooth seemed to have switched places. "And you! We have lots to discuss back home!" The granny turned and grabbed her partner's hand, leaving the trainer and trainee behind.

Bodicea squatted down on her toes. Her eyes levelled with Cori's, "Cori, do you know how to go from here?"

Cori returned an innocent look at her and nodded.

"Alright, Cori, I'll leave you to it! If you need anything, call my name, and I'll be right here. And keep it a secret," Bodicea said, gently adjusting her long, delicate bunny ears with a gentle smile.

Cori nodded sharply, with the understanding that he shouldn't tell anyone how easy it was to alert their trainer in the village. After assuring his trainer, he began his journey with bounces and skips toward the lake to meet the mysterious hermit.