After the fiasco, the mood between me and Janis became strange. A few days had passed since the pink slime incident, and once we finished it, Janis told me to return home, which I did.
All I wanted to experience was the demise of the blue slime. The results were less overwhelming than I thought, as my emotions toward them were irrelevant. I found no reason to stay, and before I returned, I checked up on the unconscious adventurers.
As for the adventurers we rescued, luckily, Janis did have a way to wipe their memories. Upon waking up, the memories of what they did had disappeared, and because we saved them, they thanked us and told us that they owed us a favor.
Upon returning, Janis recounted the hunt's outcome to me. Unfortunately, the results revealed that two teams had been wiped out, one by the purple slime and the other by the black slime. The raid had a high mortality rate. Even after eliminating the seven slimes, there was no clue about their origin.
Marilyn received the scrolls as she issued the quest for the adventurers. With Janis's assistance, I obtained part of the reward for eliminating two slimes. A few gold coins suffice to sustain a year without any additional effort.
When Janis returned, she had been by my side 24/7, except for going to the bathroom. She had taken this matter to the extreme, and I was honestly irritated.
Don't get me wrong, I felt flattered by this, but Janis's obsession with protecting me and her possessiveness was becoming overwhelming. If I didn't intervene, I could be confined for the rest of my life if I chose to remain with Janis indefinitely.
"Roy~! Looks what I got you." Holding an odd-looking fruit, I couldn't help but be amazed by the magic it contained.
"This is a miracle fruit." The fruit I was looking at was a small apple shaded in dark blue. Because the stem on the top was dyed red, it reminded me more of an anime power-up item.
"I spent a hefty amount on this thing. Don't you think you should reward me for my efforts?" Janis leaned in closer as she sat on my lap. Sexily appealing to me and showering me with affection, it didn't take a thought to know what she wanted.
"Could we do it after I test out the effects of the fruit?" With a gift like this, it was hard not to soften up and allow Janis to do what she does. This would enforce and justify Janis' action more, but as a human from the modern world, I can't help but want to get a new magical power that adds to my arsenal.
"Eat it." Janis handed me the small blue apple, and instead of taking a bite, I observed the fruit in all its glory.
Observing Janis's impatience, I decided against further delay and took my first bite. A resounding crunch echoed as I devoured it, savoring it as if it were the most delectable fruit I had ever encountered.
The apple possessed the ideal crispness of any apple, its flavor and juiciness heightened by the magical energies it contained. As I consumed the chewed-up apple, a transformation began within my body.
Similar to my initial experience with acquiring magic, my body warmed, accompanied by a delightful sensation coursing through me. I sensed an enhancement in my existing mana and the emergence of a different mana source.
I consumed the apple until nothing remained, allowing its effects to manifest fully. Unlike a typical apple, there was no seed at its core, and it was regrettable that there were no means to cultivate it.
[System Owner: Roy Adler]
[Bonded Target:
Janis (Elf) (Bond: 71%) [Shared Skill: Wind Magic]
[Personal Skill:
Energized Life Force: The user would attract anyone nearby, and anyone around you would gain 20% additional stamina. (Stamina regeneration would increase by 50%.)
Water Magic: Your innate magic originated from consuming a miracle fruit. The water element is intended to safeguard and shield those in your vicinity. (Given your cowardice and peaceful mindset, the water element is most suitable for you.)
Aware of the benefits bestowed upon me by the system, I conjured a bubble crafted from water in the palm of my hand. The pristine yet translucent bubble drifted through the window, departing from the house.
"Water element..." Janis muttered as she saw what had happened.
Sharing the same powers, Janis made the same bubbles as I did and tested the magic she had gained for herself.
For another test, I made water and drank it. The taste was what you would expect, but the refreshing feeling outweighed what regular water could do. The water itself wasn't an issue. If I were ever thirsty, I would create it for myself.
This would improve my hygiene if I were to travel. Taking a bath in this world was a pain, but now that I could solve it, I would be more inclined to do so.
Another upgrade was my magic pool. Combined with the wind element, the two manas meshed pretty well, and fusing them allowed me to gain the mana pool of a middle-fourth-rank magician.
"Thank you, Janis." Watching Janis' mood improve more by the second, I could tell that other than the new element, she had gained another great opportunity.
Before I could know what it was, I thanked her sincerely for what she did. Even if I didn't like how controlling she could be, her feelings toward me were genuine.
"I'm a few steps away from being a fifth-rank mage." Janis had muttered excitedly.
From what I gathered, each rank represented a significant advancement, and in a perilous situation like this, acquiring more power was a desire shared by anyone striving to achieve a goal.
Janis, who had wanted to celebrate, stripped off her clothes and attacked as her reward. One thing is for sure: I ain't going to leave this room for a long time.