The Slime Doesn't Die from Mana Transfer-Chapter 39 : Mimicry

The firewood piled on the flat cart was like a small mountain. Branches at the edges occasionally scraped against the snow along the roadside, making soft rustling sounds.
Rozelite’s fingers, gripping the cart’s handles, were a little red from the cold, but her steps were brisk. Her little brown boots stamped across the snow in lively strides.
With her original strength, there was no way she could push a cart filled with over four hundred pounds of wood so quickly. But clearly, she was now “powered up.”
【Mana Enhancement lv4】
This was a very common skill.
By Russell’s observation, more than 70% of people he had seen had mastered it. The effect was simple. Use mana to reinforce the body, reaching levels of physical strength impossible for normal carbon-based life.
To describe Rozelite’s current feeling with a metaphor: Her back no longer ached, her legs no longer hurt. She could climb eight flights of stairs in one go.
“So, Mr. Slime, does that mean I’ve been using your mana this whole time?”
Rozelite asked curiously.
Russell nodded.
“Yeah. As long as I don’t cut off the mana supply, you can use it freely.”
“Doesn’t that drain a lot of your mana?”
“It’s fine…”
Russell glanced at his MP—nearly a seven-digit number.
He was regenerating it faster than she was using it.
While they talked, the city walls of Ato came into view.
The gray-white bricks gleamed with a hard, cold light beneath the snowy glow. Guards beneath the gate were rubbing their hands and stomping their feet, giving the scene a laid-back atmosphere.
But that atmosphere shattered the moment Rozelite pushed the cart to the gate.
Beep—beep—beep!
A shrill alarm rang out.
It was the monster-detection device mounted above the gate.
The guards instantly tensed and surrounded Rozelite in a flash.
“Again?”
Russell sighed. Did they have to go through this routine every single time?
And just how did that detector even work?
His 【Symbiosis】 could bypass dungeon rules, yet it still got picked up by this thing?!
One guard stepped forward, then froze when he saw Rozelite clearly.
“You? The girl from before…”
Rozelite was just about to explain when steady footsteps came from behind.
Clayman Alexander.
He pressed a hand on the spear of the guard in front as he approached.
“Relax. Just an ordinary person.”
Clayman’s gaze swept over Rozelite’s flushed face, then to the neatly stacked pile of wood.
“What’s this… you went to chop firewood?”
“Yes, Lord Clayman.”
Rozelite blinked.
The bloodstains on her clothes had long since been washed and dried in the forest with Russell’s magic. She looked fresh and clean, with a bit of dust added deliberately to make it look like she’d been working hard.
By rights, there shouldn’t be any flaws.
But Clayman’s eyes lingered on the firewood, then on Rozelite’s slender arms and legs.
This child… could she really push such a heavy load so far?
He frowned slightly. Something felt off.
Then his gaze fell on Rozelite’s stomach.
Was it just an illusion… or had her belly gotten a little bigger?
“Go on in.”
He eventually waved his hand.
“When you have time, go to the church and let the nuns check your body.”
“Thank you, Lord Clayman!”
Rozelite almost bolted inside with the cart.
The wheels crushed the snow. Behind her, she heard guards asking, “My lord, why’d you let her go?”
Clayman’s reply was too soft to hear, but his gaze had felt like an ice pick stabbing her back—only vanishing once she turned a corner.
“We may need to leave this place soon,” Russell said.
“What’s wrong, Mr. Slime?”
“That man’s sharp. We got through for now, but it won’t take long before he notices something.”
“I see.”
Rozelite nodded.
After entering the city, she pushed the cart to the Adventurer’s Guild, unloaded the firewood at the designated spot, and got paid 46 copper coins.
After subtracting cart and axe rental, plus lodging and meals…
Her net income for the day was 32 copper coins.
“Only this much…”
Rozelite felt a little deflated. Even with 【Mana Enhancement】, she was exhausted after the day’s work.
She didn’t know that most E-rank adventurers couldn’t even dream of such earnings.
Exchanging 32 copper and 4 more for a single silver coin, Rozelite felt a little comfort at its cool weight in her palm.
Her adventurer rank was still E. To reach D, she would need more commissions.
But Rozelite was already tired.
The initial excitement had worn off, and even 【Mana Enhancement】 couldn’t mask the fatigue in her body. She just wanted to go back to the inn and sleep.
“Before that, go to the church,” Russell reminded.
“Time to drink your recovery potion.”
“Ah…”
Rozelite sighed but dragged herself to the church.
When she pushed open the wooden door, the scent of sandalwood drifted out. A nun sat by the window, reading.
“You’re late.”
The nun frowned at Rozelite.
“Sorry, I was delayed by a commission.”
“A commission… You should know your body is still fragile. Don’t strain yourself further.”
She handed Rozelite the potion and watched as she drank it.
The same bitter taste as always.
Rozelite stuck out her tongue. No matter what she had gone through, her childlike taste buds hadn’t changed. This stuff was still hard to swallow.
“…Strange. Your recovery is faster than I expected.”
After a brief check, the nun looked puzzled.
“I thought you’d need a month of potions. At this rate, maybe ten days.”
“Is that because the potion is really effective?”
Rozelite asked.
“Not entirely.”
The nun guessed.
“Maybe your constitution is special—some people heal faster, even from serious wounds. You look delicate, but you might just be the type who recovers quickly.”
Rozelite nodded vaguely.
In truth, it was because of her rapid leveling. What had once been serious injuries to her frail body no longer seemed so after her stats improved.
Probably.
…Well, Russell couldn’t say for sure either. Rozelite’s body really was peculiar. Having no MP was something Russell had only ever seen in her. But calling it some “heavenly curse” would be a stretch.
By the time they returned to the inn, night had fallen.
Rozelite greeted the innkeeper politely, then hurried upstairs, boots thumping against the wooden floor. She reached her room at the end of the hall, kicked her shoes under the bed, and flopped onto it.
As Rozelite started undressing, Russell thoughtfully used a tentacle to close the door for her.
Soon, she stripped down to just her underwear.
She tossed her crumpled tights into a bucket by the bed, dumped her few belongings onto the nightstand, counted them three times, bundled them in cloth, and hid them under her pillow.
Only then did she collapse onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling cracks.
The smell of stew drifted in through the window, mixed with ale.
Her stomach growled.
Rozelite rolled over, burying her face in the pillow to block the scent.
“Mr. Slime, could you close the window for me?”
“You’re not planning to sleep like this, are you?”
Russell reminded.
“Even if you don’t bathe, at least eat first. Going to bed hungry isn’t good for recovery.”
“But I don’t want to get up…”
“There’s food downstairs.”
“……”
Rozelite didn’t reply, answering authority with silence.
Russell suddenly felt like a father with a daughter entering her rebellious phase.
He glanced at her status panel.
【HP: 1125 / 7690】
【Status: Lightly Injured, Weakened, Symbiosis】
Good grief—she even had 【Weakened】. No wonder she was so worn out.
Russell sighed.
“Fine. Rest here. Don’t sleep yet—I’ll bring food up. Eat, then you can sleep.”
“Mmph… Mr. Slime, you’re so nice…”
Rozelite’s muffled voice came through the pillow.
Russell disengaged 【Symbiosis】 and slowly slid his body out of Rozelite’s back. The opening was narrow, but his 【Shapeshift】 skill was high enough that even a wrist-sized gap was easy to squeeze through.
Soon, he fully emerged from Rozelite’s body.
【Shapeshift lv7】
【Mimicry lv5】
Rozelite suddenly felt a strange emptiness—like something vital had been pulled from her. Her whole body felt hollow.
She instinctively lifted her head.
And froze at the sight of a girl by the bed.
A girl with long, snow-pure hair falling down to her waist, crimson eyes set in a delicate face, soft features still carrying a touch of girlish innocence. Her skin was flawless and pale.
She wore a simple white dress, her waist tied with a black ribbon that accentuated her slender figure. Her chest rose and fell with a gentle curve, modest yet full in proportion.
From beneath the hem stretched two shapely legs—slim, straight, perfectly balanced. Her pale feet touched the wooden floor like snow lotuses blooming in the wild.
“…Anna?”
Rozelite blurted out.
“Didn’t you… die?”
Then she saw two pale-blue tentacles slip from beneath the skirt and smack her on the head.
“Mr. Slime?!”