In the end, I have to follow these two towards the tiny boy, Xez's, so called hideout.

"Mama!" the tiny boy called out to the slime lake as soon as it was in sight. In response, the lake rose up like before, facing its head towards us. Xez then dashed towards his 'mother' and jumps to hug her.

"I still can't believe it," I muttered to myself as I watched the tiny boy smiling inside the slime's massive head as if he was being rocked inside.

"Wooh! That looks like fun!" Felgard said as he too dashed towards the slime's wobbling body.

"Hey, don't tell me..." was all I could sigh after he jumped too jumped inside the lake.

The two boys looked like they were having fun swimming as the lake seemed to enjoy the company. It would make small waves before splashing them out above it, catching them like a ball upon falling down.

"Friesha! Why don't you join in!" called out the wet-headed airhead, or should I just call him wethead?

"No! Why would I cover myself in slime?" I pouted as I looked away.

"Heh, you're no fun," seemed like he pouted back.

"Anyway! Aren't we supposed to go to this hideout place?"I complained. "I just need my magic book back."

I could feel the realea of Felgard's tongue sticking out of his mouth.

"Then you better join us big sis Friesha. My hideout is in a secret place. Only Mama can take us there via herself," explained the tiny boy. It kind of doesn't makes sense but...

"In that case, I should just fly over than cover myself in slime goo," I stated.

"That's kind rude, Mama isn't goo," he slightly looked annoyed. "Well then, suit yourself."

"Okay okay," I sighed before standing up. I then waved my staff like last time, which made me levitate on air. "Let's just hurry on there."

"Okay," replied tiny the boy while Felgard was busy gushing bubbles from his mouth underneath. "Mama! Let's go to the hideout."

By his command, the slime then shifted its body where the two were and moved it towards the other side of the lake, well that was what I thought. I followed on air, watching the direction of the two boys. Just then, they stopped at the center of the lake.

"What's wrong?" I asked from above.

"We're here," replied the tiny boy.

I looked around to find nothing to call hideout. I looked at the tiny boy with a puzzled face, where he responded with a big smile. All of a sudden, the two boys were dragged deep into the lake with an unknown force. No, it was the lake itself that devoured them.

"Hey! What happened?!" I shouted. "Where are you?!"

After a short silence, there was like a faint shout from underneath. By that, the part of the lake around me began to rise up covering any way for me to escape.

"Wha-"

Before I could say anything, the slime devoured me as well.

"What is happening?" I was inside a small bubble just about my size, no I meant big bubble (because I was not small). It then dragged me further down into the lake. Looking around me, I could not see any form of life, not even a single bacterium in the lake. I tried sensing the realea around me, and showed me how pure the lake was. After a short while, I was out of the bubble and fell into an open space at the center of the lake's bed. No, I wasn't out of a bubble, I was inside a bigger one. Well, it wasn't that big for amazement. The dry soil covered about five meters in diameter.

"Oi, you're here," called out Felgard.

"Nope, I'm not. I am but a mere illusion of your imagination," I replied sarcastically.

"Ooh! My imagination is strong," he sounded proud of his irritating self.

"Welcome to my hideout!" the proud tiny Xez raised his arms. "I told Mama to make sure you don't get wet."

"Well can you tell her thank you?" I asked, running my eyes around looking for my magic book amongst the seemingly endless pile of random things. From toys to clothes, food boxes, fruits, a wheel, and there's even a huge metal sword with a familiar symbol.

"You live here all alone?" I asked.

"I'm not alone. Mama is with me," he answered.

"No, I mean," I then halted after remembering that he treats himself as a slime. "No, never mind."

"Isn't it cool?" the tiny boy flashed a huge smile. Perhaps he meant his hideout.

"Well, I could say it is," truly I was amazed. "How do you breathe here though?"

"Mama brings me air from the surface," he replied.

"I see, and I'd guess she also removes air from here," basically she circulates the air inside.

"Yep! Mama is very cool right?"

Seeing the tiny boy's proud smile, I remembered my past whenever I complete a task from my mother. So humans could make such faces. I couldn't really visualize that with my head alone.

Felgard was then trying to lift the huge metal sword with his flimsy arms. With a struggle, he was successful, but failed at swinging it. Xez then laughed at the pitiful sight, while I chuckled with a smirk. He just flashed an annoyed look and went on struggling. The tiny boy stood up and tried helping the wethead, which resulted to both of them falling to the side. I burst out a huge laughter without giving enough thought. As soon as I realized what I was doing, the two were already looking at me with wide eyes and spoke in synchronization.

"Cute."

"You both wanna die?!"

All of a sudden, the lake began trembling. It produced a weird bellowing sound which would hurt any ear.

"What was that?" Felgard asked while looking around.

"Mama! What's wrong?" Xez went closer to the slime, trying to understand. "I'm sorry. I know you're trying to speak to me, but I can't understand you yet."

I then tried analyzing the slime's realea. I read through it's mind pattern in order for me to know what she could be feeling at least.

"it's in pain!" I exclaimed. "Something is hurting it!"

"Huh?" the two replied with confused faces. However, they became convinced after the sound became louder.

"Outside," I looked above. "Someone is hurting it."

* * *

"See!! It reacted?!!" screamed a familiar scream.

"Now you all know we are telling the tru-"

"Feast with your own eyes!!!"

The two goons were back, only this time, have brought a number of people, including what looked like patrol guards, and some citizens. Surprisingly, there were what looked like chemists wearing long gray coats.

"True. Only slimes react to goldarinne," explained one of the chemists who poured the goldarinne; a type of liquid formed by melting gold and silver, added with Borlinne flower extract, which is a poisonous flower. "This is a genuine slime."

The people began murmuring to each other. From these people emerged a masculine middle-aged man in a shimmering silver armor with a grand-looking red cape. His golden long curly hair, the same color as his beard, waved gently with the wind.

"Sir Hadenbridge! What should we do?" a soldier came to him.

"Hmmm..." he held his chin with his thumb and index finger, thinking for a few seconds before replying. 'What are we supposed to be again?"

"Ah... We're the citizen patrol group sir," replied the soldier.

"Ah, yes yes. i forgot I was not placed in the forward capture infantry," he murmured to himself.

"Ah, yeah... You were dreaming to be placed there," the soldier just chuckled.

"Well then, as the citizen patrol group, we shall capture this slime!!'

"S-sir, shouldn't we just call the forward capture infantry...?"

"Soldiers!! Advance!!"

The soldiers all raised their voices in respect for their leader as they marched towards the slime. However, their murmurs spoke different.

"Hey, can we even defeat that thing with just swords and shields?"

"Shouldn't the forward capture infantry do this?"

"I didn't sign up for this."

"The chemists must do something at least."

Their march soon halted as soon as the slime began to rise up and face them. Its massive shadow covered all of theirs as it came closer.

"Attack!!" commanded their leader.

Mindlessly, and perhaps out of respect or fear, the soldiers began piercing and slashing the lower body of the slime. Yet as expected, their weapons did nothing.

"Just continue!!" shouted their leader.

Without hesitation, they continued their futile attacks, which only annoyed the beast. It then shoved all those in front aside with one swoop, most were stuck on slime's body. Seeing how the soldiers were suffocating, the slime threw them away from its grasp.

"Chemists! Surround it! Hide behind trees and wait for my signal!"

Immediately, the chemists, a total number of six, ran and surrounded the slime. Each hidden behind trees which they thought were harmless. The soldiers continued their futile attempts despite being shoved away. It would seem that they have gotten a gist of the situation.

"Archers, ready," the leader commanded.

Archers then came closer, pointing their arrows at the massive creature continuously shoving the patrol guards.

"Chemists! Now!!"

The chemists emerged from hiding and threw more goldarinne bottles at the slime.

"Archers! Now!!"

By that, the archers shot their arrows. Although the shot was not directed towards the slime, but at the bottles. It shattered the bottles into pieces, scattering the goldarinne in a wider coverage.

The slime bellowed louder than ever. Goldarinne is very effective, its like torture for the slime. It could only shake desperately, but not get rid of the pain. Steam emerged from the slime as it somehow slightly shrank in size. Soldiers began to back away from its random movements.

"Continue with this state! We will be sure to win!"

"STOP!!" shouted a tiny voice (no, it wasn't me). "What are you all doing?!"

They all looked behind the slime and saw Xez swimming towards them with Felgard following close behind.

"It's those two kids!!!" screamed the screamer.

"Dang it, it means that brat is there with them," muttered the other.

"You mean the one you called a mage?" the leader said, still gazing at the slime without a flinch. "I would like to see, if they really still exist."

"Ooh! Am I that famous now?" they heard from above. Indeed, it was me, hovering over them from the sky.

They all looked up, yes, they all should look up to me.

"Be grateful! Your celebrity has appeared before you," I proudly raised my chin, enough for my eyes to look down on them pathetic creatures.

"Floating on air..."

"No doubt. That is a..."

"Mage," the leader person narrowed his eyes.

"What's the matter? Star-struck?" I smirked at him. "I apologize but I won't be giving signatures."

"I see," he closed his eyes as he held the handle of his sword patiently waiting to be unsheathed. "Well then, I hope you won't mind..."

"Hm?"

"... I'll be bringing your head back to the high king," he suddenly looked menacing. I could sense his realea to be very strong.

As he unsheathed his sword, the essence of murder can be felt emanating from that blade.