Infinite Adaptation: Starting As A Level 1 Slime-Chapter 17: Cult

Lunaris was deep in thought.

No matter how he considered it, this really didn’t make sense. Was there something he was missing?

He looked at his own analysis again.

Name: Lunaris

Now he bore the name Lunaris. He wondered how that had even worked.

He remembered the event from before. The beastmen had been worshiping him, calling him Lunaris over and over. Shouting it. Chanting it. Referring to him as such constantly.

Maybe by doing that... they named him.

Did this mean you could just go around naming people whatever you wanted?

That didn’t sound broken at all.

It’s said that names can have karmic binds. This won’t cause him trouble down the line, will it?

What was he kidding himself. It definitely would.

He focused on the Princess.

"Call me Kang," he said.

She blinked, confusion evident on her face.

"Just do it," he said.

"O-okay..." She hesitated, then spoke. "Kang."

He quickly checked his analysis.

Name: Lunaris

The name hadn’t changed.

So you couldn’t just go around naming anyone anything. Was there some sort of condition?

"Do it again," he said.

"Kang."

Nothing.

"Continue."

"Kang."

Nothing.

"Again."

"Kang."

Nothing.

"Again."

"Kang."

Nothing.

"Again."

"K-Kang..."

Still nothing.

"Stop," he said. "This isn’t working."

Was there really some hidden condition I don’t understand?

He tried to remember how it had happened last time.

The chanting. The prayers. The worship.

Maybe it was because they were praying?

"Pray to me as Kang," he said.

The Princess shook her head firmly.

"I cannot agree to that."

"Why not?"

"It would be blasphemous."

He paused.

I guess that would be.

Then how was he going to get rid of this name?

He looked at Luna, who was still absently stroking his membrane.

Wait. Hadn’t I named her...

Ah. That’s right.

She didn’t have a name to begin with.

That was the condition.

Then did this mean he would have to live with this name forever?

He turned back to the Princess, determination in his voice.

"Actually, I am not Lunaris," he said clearly. "You were mistaken. I wanted to clarify this yesterday but you all wouldn’t listen."

The Princess simply smiled.

"Are you listening?"

"Of course, Lord Lunaris."

"I’m telling you, I’m not Lunaris. I’m just a slime who happened to absorb some of the Eternal Moon’s mana."

"As expected of Lord Lunaris. So humble."

"I’m being serious. I came from a cave. I was reborn there. I’m not a goddess."

"The divine trials you must have endured. Truly inspiring."

"I literally just told you I’m a slime."

"I am truly honored that you entrust me with such a secret, Lord Lunaris."

"That’s not..."

"Your wisdom knows no bounds, Lord Lunaris."

He stared at her.

She stared back, smiling serenely.

This was exactly like Luna.

No matter what he said, it went in one ear and out the other.

He sighed deeply.

Why isn’t anyone listening to me?

...

Later.

Luna walked through the village, Lunaris resting atop her head in his slime form. The Princess walked beside them, gesturing at various buildings as they passed.

Even after developing his beast form to see, he couldn’t use it. The moment he transformed, beastmen would flock to him and begin worshiping. So he had defaulted back to his slime form.

And with Luna being human now, she didn’t draw as much attention.

Though looking at how people kept turning and kneeling as they passed, it didn’t look all that much better.

He observed the villagers carefully.

Their clothes were threadbare. Patched and repatched until the original fabric was barely visible. Their houses sagged and leaned, held together by little more than hope and a dream.

But worst of all were the people themselves.

Thin. Gaunt. Hollow-cheeked.

He could see their ribs through their clothes. Their fur was dull and patchy. Even the children moved slowly, without the energy youth should bring.

"Why do the people look so unhealthy?" he asked. "Are you not feeding them?"

The Princess’s ears drooped slightly.

"The rabbit tribe has always been weak," she said, her voice carrying a note of resignation. "We rely on crops to survive. But the Beast Forest is not fertile land. Especially here - so close to the Abyss border. The soil yields very little. So we eat very little."

"Then why don’t you move to better places?"

Her expression shifted. That familiar reverence returned.

"How could we?" she said softly. "Our ancestors fought for this land. Bled for it. Died for it. This place is the closest to the Goddess. We could never abandon it."

Lunaris was at a loss for words.

"With your small numbers and weak bodies," he pressed, "how could you have possibly fought for anything?"

The Princess was quiet for a moment.

"They fought," she said simply. "And they died. Those who remained could no longer hunt or wage war. So they turned to farming. It was the only way to survive."

He finally understood.

They didn’t just eat vegetables by choice. Their warriors had perished. The hunters were gone. All that remained were farmers scraping what little they could from barren soil.

"What are you going to do now?" he asked. "Are you not going to find a solution? Are you just going to let your people starve?"

The Princess turned to him, her smile bright and serene.

"Of course not," she said. "We have achieved success. What our ancestors wished for when they moved here - we have finally attained it. We met the Moon Goddess."

She clasped her hands together.

"So all our troubles are solved."

These brats...

He had thought they were honorable people. Dying for their goddess. Preserving sacred land through generations of sacrifice.

But to think they just wanted to work him to death to provide for them.

"What if I left?" he asked. "What if I didn’t help you?"

The Princess’s smile didn’t waver. Her hands remained clasped. Her eyes remained gentle.

"If the Goddess abandoned us," she said peacefully, "then it would simply mean that we are not worthy of living."

He just looked at her.

How can she say something so scary like that?

With a smile?

This place is actually a cult.