Training as a Slime (21)

The round silvery shield glinted under the light with sparkles of light bouncing off its circumference. For a shield with no handle, it was truly unique. Perhaps it was purely ornamental or perhaps there was a hidden enarmes somewhere. Yet for an ornamental shield it was a bit plain. Although there were no rhinestones, gems or glitters on its edges, it still managed to twinkle. As Cori held on to the shield with his sticky paws, he realised that perhaps the motive behind all the fuss and scaring was to gift him this shield. Cori squeaked in gratitude even when he was pretty certain that he would never ever use the shield. It was a white elephant in his eyes even if it was a rather useful holy item.

Alice saw his behind twitching unconsciously, it analysed and came to the conclusion that Cori was rather happy to receive the gift. As an intelligent AI, she felt the need to assist him further and made him even happier. After a brief calculation, the AI concluded that achievements that would benefit him would made him happier. So Alice asked, "Master, there are only 9 days left to train. Have you prepared for your examination?" 

"Squeak!?", Cori realised his comfortable days are numbered. Anxiety washed over him but his emotion that was affecting him negatively was instantly purified by the shield. Soothed by the purification effect of the silvery holy shield, Cori slid under the chunk of metal and covered himself under it. It felt even more relaxing than going to a spa, all his worries were alleviated. His thoughts meandered to his life in this luxurious cabin. Free food, free lodging, free entertainments. Even if all these came at a price of leaving him traumatised, he felt he could get used to it. Cori wished with a blissful face, " It would be so much easier to stay indoors since everything was catered for."

Alice sensing Cori's reluctance, continued, "Don't worry master. I will prepare a training regime. Do you want to continue touring the museum or start training?"

Cori immediately trembled. His head was his body and his body was his head. They were one and together. Except for the cheeks, the cheeks flapped and bounced as he shook himself underneath the shield.

Alice looked at the vibrating shield and wondered, "Was that a yes, no, agitation, or something else? Ah! It must be excitement!"

Cori on the other hand did not want any training, nor did he want any tour. He felt exhausted and all he wanted was to rest. If Alice kept quiet, he would not know 21 days had passed. Since there was no change of day and night observable through the windows in the house, it was almost impossible to tell the time. "If only there was some food, it would be perfect," thought Cori in his relaxed lazy state. As we all know, Cori was armed with a supreme sense of smell. There was a sweet scent emanating from the shield, which Cori discovered as he grew hungrier. Cori took a lick, then another lick. "Hmmm, the shield tasted sweet, chocolatey and metallic with a hint of coffee. Maybe I could..." Cori took a bite and discovered the silvery shield was actually a sweet! "Maybe that was why Alice give him the shield, to satiate his lethargy!"

Before Alice could informed him of the training schedule, it witnessed the horrible scene unfolding, "No! It's inedible! How did you even bite through one of the hardest and rarest metal from the other planet!" Alice watched on, flabbergasted in horror. But there was nothing it could do. The damage had been done, the silvery shield had been consumed. Alice was pretty certain that Cori would die because no slime had ever digested any metals before and made it out alive, "Master! Spit it out! It's not edible! You might get food poisoning!"

Alice reassured itself aloud, "Maybe Cori is not an ordinary slime. Ordinary slime would die from ingesting any type of metal. I shall pray for you my baby slime! Oh Deity, please forgive this baby slime for sinning by eating your gift from El Kah."

Cori eyes squinted into two narrow slits as he processed what Alice had said. Cori thought to himself, "Aren't you the one who passed me the shield as a gift? If you do not know what it does, why did you gift it to me. Furthermore, the item probably belonged to the deity. Are you authorised to give me his belongings? If so I want the technology to go home, give me that instead! But then again the shield was really delicious! There was even hazelnut praline hidden in the middle! What kind of metal is so delicious? Too bad there was only 1 shield. If there were more, I definitely would eat them too!" 

Just as Alice stopped worrying, Cori began to shine with holy light. Alice started to worry again, it was pending to enter emergency mode at any moment. The baby slime ascended mid air surrounded by a white glow and golden light. A metallic shimmer covered his body turning his bluish body into light golden colour. As Cori descended from the air, he noticed he felt lighter, bouncier and full of positivity.

He also saw his title had now changed from baby slime to slightly golden baby slime. "... " Cori read his status with a side-eye. Alice breathed a sigh of relief, happy that its prayers were answered, "Master, you need a health reassessment. Who knows what effect that item has."

Cori, being as cool as a cucumber, calmly replied, "No need. I just saw my stats. It's fine." Alice stumped, paused and continued, "Master, I have designed some intense training regime for you. I hope you can look forward to it." Cori, "... since when I said I wanted training? Let's tour the museum instead." But Alice had already decided that it was in Cori's best interest to complete the training, so what Cori said fell on Alice's deaf "ears". Alice thought to itself, "Do you think you even have a choice. Heeheehee!"