Infinite Adaptation: Starting As A Level 1 Slime-Chapter 52: Far From Home

She looked at Lunaris with a thousand questions in her eyes.

She wanted to ask why they were here. How they got here. What was going on.

But she decided to hold off on that for now.

"And... what’s the second reason?"

Lunaris raised a second finger.

Then he pointed at her.

"Second...you."

She was confused.

"Me?"

She looked down at her hands.

Her breath caught in her throat.

A strange blue glow emanated from beneath her skin. And there were cracks. Faint lines running along her arms, pulsing with soft light.

"What... what happened to me?"

Lunaris spoke gently.

"You were about to die. I used a... unique method to save you. That’s why you turned out like this."

He continued.

"You are currently sort of like a beastman. You can’t enter the human kingdom in this state."

Lina stared at her glowing hands.

"But don’t worry."

His voice was reassuring.

"I’m still looking into a way to completely heal you. I will turn you back to your previous state soon."

Silence stretched between them.

Then Lina let out a long sigh.

Lunaris blinked.

"You’re taking this quite well."

She looked up at him, a tired smile on her face.

"There’s nothing I can really do about it, right?"

She bowed her head slightly.

"Thank you for saving me."

Then she looked at him again, her gaze sharpening.

"You said we’re in the Beast Forest, right?"

He nodded.

"That’s right."

"And you turned me into a beastman."

She tilted her head.

"Are you a beastman too?"

"That’s right."

His disguise dropped.

Wolf ears sprouted from his head. A fluffy tail emerged behind him.

Lina’s eyes went wide.

She took a step back in surprise.

"Though it’s more accurate to say I’m a monster rather than a beastman."

His form shifted.

His body compressed, his features melting away until all that remained was a small blue slime.

He bounced on the seat twice before settling.

Lina stared.

Her eyes sparkled.

"SO CUTE!"

She lunged forward and scooped him up, pressing him tightly against her chest.

"Put me down!"

She ignored him completely.

"You’re so squishy! And bouncy!"

She started running around the room with him in her arms.

"I said put me down! This is so..."

"Whoa..."

"Hey, are you listening..."

She squeezed him tighter.

Then suddenly...

She stopped.

Her arms went slack.

Silence.

Lunaris jumped from her grasp and landed on the floor.

He shifted back into his beastman form and knelt down to her level.

Her expression had changed. The playfulness was gone.

Only worry remained.

"You’re thinking about your mom, aren’t you?"

She nodded silently.

Her eyes glistened.

He reached out and patted her head gently.

"You’re a very good kid, your mom must be proud."

His voice was soft.

"While you can’t go to the human world at the moment, I’m going to send someone to see how your mother is doing."

Lina’s head shot up.

"Really?!"

"Really."

She threw her arms around him.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

He awkwardly patted her back.

"It’s okay."

He held her for a moment.

Then his gaze shifted toward the door.

These guys are back at it again.

...

The beastmen knelt before Lunaris’s house.

Their heads were bowed and their hands were clasped together as they murmured soft prayers.

The door opened.

Every head looked up.

Roselle’s eyes widened.

There was someone standing next to Lunaris. Someone she didn’t recognize.

A human?

She looked closer.

No.

She shook her head.

A puppet?

She tilted her head in confusion, unable to figure out what she was looking at.

Lunaris stepped outside, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

Then he spotted a familiar figure among the worshippers.

He facepalmed.

"Luna. Come here."

Luna perked up and bounded over to him, her tail wagging.

"Yes, Dad?"

He looked down at her sternly.

"What did I tell you?"

"Not to call you Mom anymore."

"No... well, yes, that too. But what else?"

"Not to go out without permission."

"And what else?"

"To eat my vegetables."

His shoulders slumped with each response.

"What did I tell you about doing strange things?"

Luna tilted her head innocently.

"Not to imitate these guys?"

"Exactly."

She looked back at the kneeling beastmen, then back at him. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"But... if so many people are doing something strange, doesn’t that make me the strange one for not doing it?"

"Well..."

He opened his mouth to respond.

Nothing came out.

Since when was she this smart?

"No," he finally said. "This is a special case."

He waved her off.

"Talking to you is exhausting. Go away."

He turned to address the crowd.

"Everyone is dismissed."

The beastmen began to rise and disperse.

Luna hadn’t moved. Her eyes were fixed on the girl standing beside her father.

"Who is this?"

Lunaris glanced between them.

"This is Lina."

He gestured to Luna.

"Lina, this is Luna. My daughter."

Luna’s ears perked up.

Lina blinked in surprise.

"You have a daughter?!"

"You’re about the same age," Lunaris continued, ignoring the question. "So you two should get along."

Although Luna is actually much younger, she develops quickly. She should be around Lina’s developmental stage by now.

He nodded to himself.

If these two can get along, maybe Luna can learn a thing or two from Lina.

"Anyway."

He looked at Luna.

"I’m busy at the moment. I’ll let Lina play with you later."

Luna’s eyes sparkled.

"Really?!"

"Really. Now go."

She bounded off happily, glancing back at Lina with excitement before disappearing around a corner.

Lunaris watched the dispersing crowd and sighed.

Maybe I should build a larger church.

The current one was too small. It was also limiting them in other ways - they couldn’t build larger houses for facilities or housing since nothing could be bigger than the church.

He made a mental note to address that soon.

"Mira. Roselle."

The two women paused.

"You two stay."

After everyone else had left, Lunaris and Lina stood before Mira and Roselle.

The two bowed in unison.

"We greet the Lord."

Lina tugged at his sleeve.

"Mister, are you the king of this place?"

"I guess you could say that."

Her eyes went wide.

"That’s so cool!"

He smiled faintly.

"It’s not as nice as it sounds."

He turned to Mira.

"Come inside."

"Yes, my Lord."

The three of them walked through the door, leaving Roselle standing outside.