In the basement.
Madam Melina had broken free.
Thanks to Miss Slime's soft heart, the binding wasn't too tight. She just had to endure the pain, exert some force, and spend some time... and her hands came free.
"..."
Removing the ball gag from her mouth, she didn't scream.
She just wiped the saliva from the corner of her mouth, tossed the rope aside, and tidied her clothes.
She could hear noisy sounds outside.
She thought:
He ran off to save some useless servants before leaving, and then went to confront the Church people. He must be dead. Truly hypocritical.
Her slime, who went to find him, would probably lose control anyway.
After all, she believed the lies of an outsider about "curing" her... with no hope of being cured, losing control and dying was the best ending.
"..."
"Madam Melina? When did you get back?"
Just as she stepped out of the basement entrance, she ran into the maid carrying a basket.
It was full of food.
Melina was a bit hungry.
"Just now."
"Are you alright? The island is suddenly covered in ice... it's like an earthquake. Attacked by many shells. If it wasn't for Steward Silas..."
"Enough. Who is this for? I'm hungry, give it to me."
"...Eh?"
The maid was stunned. "Um, this is for Steward Silas... he saved us all. Ah, you must have been saved by him too?"
"..."
Melina had been in the sack for too long; her mind was a bit sluggish.
It took her a while to react.
"He's not dead?"
"He looks like he had a hard time, but fortunately there are no life-threatening injuries. Everyone on the island except those in this mansion is dead... turned into ice sculptures. Does Madam know who did such a terrifying thing?"
"..."
"Ah, this should be given to Steward Silas first. If you want, once I deliver this, I'll go tell the chef to make something for you! It's so good Steward Silas is okay, and you're alive too..."
"..."
Madam Melina watched as the maid ran into Silas's bedroom. She could hear the conversation between the maid and the slime.
How was he not dead?
Then the ending she ran out to see...
Before long.
The maid brought her a delicious meal too. But she had no appetite.
"Madam, can we leave the island with you? You have a boat, right?"
"..."
The servants were all concerned about what came next.
Or rather, all survivors on this island most wanted to know how to leave this place that was no longer inhabitable.
"You mean he's injured? And being... cared for by my daughter?"
"Eh, Steward Silas's girlfriend is your daughter?!"
The maid's eyes widened. "Then... the matter of the slime..."
"It's just a disease."
Melina was utterly irritated. She brushed it off.
"Go see how they are doing again."
"Aren't you going to see for yourself, Madam?"
"Go when I tell you to go."
"..."
The maid went.
Madam Melina stood in the corridor waiting. She could hear Miss Slime and Silas's voices.
"Miss Slime, this isn't something just anyone can do."
"Mmh, there is only one lover. You."
"..."
"No, I want to pee..."
Were they doing that?
She found it disgusting.
"The Steward really is violating... ah, I saw nothing!"
The maid rushed in and immediately ran back out, her face flushed.
"Madam... um..."
"No need to say anything."
"..."
She made eye contact with the maid, who had her head down and legs twisting. Without speaking, it was easy to hear the conversation inside that hadn't stopped even after being walked in on.
"Are you going to violate me?"
"Can I pee first?"
"..."
"This isn't violation, and it's not peeing."
"..."
"Lovers do this."
"..."
Truly disgusting.
"Madam! I think..."
The maid's toes were curling in embarrassment, but she gathered her courage to cover for them. "They are of marriageable age, and Steward Silas just saved so many people... it's normal for such a relationship to happen."
"You go."
Madam Melina didn't want to talk anymore. She went to her room and picked up a pair of scissors.
Returning to the corridor, through the gap in the door, she could see Silas letting Miss Slime squat before him, serving him with her papaya breasts. His naked upper body was, as the maid said, covered in wounds.
The look of exhaustion was also evident.
"Why not violate me?"
"I said it's not violation, it's sex."
"Why not?"
"...Because you don't understand what's happening yet."
"You'll teach me!"
"Precisely because I have to teach you, I can't do that yet."
"Is it because... there isn't enough pee and it won't go in? I actually don't feel pain!"
"...Cough, no, no, no. Purely because I have a conscience. And the titjob is great."
"Really? It's not because mine is too small to go in?"
"...It really isn't."
"..."
Madam Melina's body was trembling.
Why wasn't he dead?
The Church people should have been well-prepared this time. There could be no mistakes.
"Heehee, it's hot."
"..."
Watching the slime she once considered her daughter lick up the stuff he shot out. It was all over her cleavage, and she could swallow such a weird thing.
"Leaving by boat, what will be outside?"
"Uh, first there's food. Most things on the island are fish and seafood, but there's plenty outside. Beef, chicken, horse meat... have you ever eaten horse meat?"
"..."
That hypocrisy—teaching her after doing such things.
Madam Melina gripped the scissors in her hand.
Fine.
After she escaped, she had originally intended to see their corpses for herself. To see the Church's powerless rage at getting nothing.
It made no difference now.
The Church people—he had killed them at a great cost. He was injured. Weakened.
Couldn't she just kill him herself?
The disgusting slime had to use him as mental support, relying on his lie about "curing" her to stay stable. Wouldn't it be better to break that stability?
Madam Melina shrank into Miss Slime's room.
She covered her ears, unwilling to hear another word of Silas teaching Miss Slime.
Until there was no more sound from Silas's room across from her.
Only then did she hide the gripped scissors behind her back.
Through the door crack, she saw Silas was asleep, and the neatly dressed Miss Slime was sitting by the bed.
Creak.
Only then did she push the door open and enter.
"...Mama."
Miss Slime seemed to know in advance, looking at Melina.
"..."
Madam Melina gripped the red scissors behind her back and forced a smile. "I heard you brought him back? How is he? Is he asleep?"
"Mmh."
Miss Slime continued to stare straight at Melina.
"See, Mama is all better. No more treatment needed."
Madam Melina's plan was simple.
She didn't need to deal with her daughter; she just had to lie her way through, kill Silas, and it would all be over.
No more being ridden, and no more hearing the disgusting interactions between the slime and Silas.
"You don't know how to care for someone; let Mama do it. Mama owes him a lot. He cured Mama."
"..."
Miss Slime stood up. She was a head shorter than Madam Melina.
"Go on, you must be hungry. Find something you want to eat. Mama won't scold you for eating mice now."
Melina's face nearly failed to maintain its expression.
It was this thing that had devoured her real daughter's flesh and blood to grow this large.
"Mama."
But Miss Slime didn't leave as she was told.
Instead, she stepped closer and hugged her gently. It was so sudden that Melina didn't have time to react.
The scissors hidden behind her back were also touched.
"Actually, I've gathered many questions I wanted to ask Mama."
"..."
Liar!
Despicable!
The man on the bed wasn't asleep at all. He was opening his eyes and looking at her now. Didn't he have so many injuries? And he had come several times; he should be exhausted...
"The mothers and daughters in the books... the daughters all have names. But I don't."
"Th-that's because... I always thought I hadn't cured you before. Now I know you're better. A name... I was planning to give you one after you were cured."
Madam Melina had thought of many names. But she hadn't decided which one suited her daughter best.
Even if the man on the bed wasn't asleep, he must be weak now, right?
Maybe she could still stab him to death with the scissors.
She had to maintain her expression and deceive the slime.
"Be good, let Mama go. Mama will take care of him."
"..."
But instead of letting go, Miss Slime began trying to pry her fingers open to take the scissors.
"The books also say that mothers and daughters often eat together, bathe together. Sleep together. They are taught many, many things."
"What are you doing? Disobeying Mama to help an outsider?!"
"He's not an outsider. He is my lover."
"So what? I'm your mother! Do you know what he's doing? Using your breasts, even wanting to come inside... he's using your ignorance to violate you! What 'lover'? He just thinks you're pretty and have big breasts and wants your body! Once he's tired of you, he'll treat you like a disgusting monster all the same! Come on, be good. Don't get in Mama's way."
"..."
Miss Slime stopped trying to pry Melina's hand for the scissors and turned it into a more ordinary hug.
"In the books, mothers and daughters do this."
"..."
Being held, Madam Melina could see Silas on the bed showing a look of pity.
He thinks she's pathetic?
By what right?
The silent rage became increasingly uncontrollable. Fine, since she couldn't kill the man on the bed.
Since the disgusting slime still considered her its mother. How about this?
Madam Melina took the scissors and, gritting her teeth, aimed for the back of her daughter's heart to stab down.
"..."
She couldn't move.
Her wrist was enveloped by the pale blue liquid spilling from Miss Slime. It was held in a death grip.
The hug broke.
"I know. Mama isn't sick."
"Mama just... doesn't want me anymore."
"..."
Miss Slime's favorite sentence structure was a question. But this time, it wasn't a question.
Those pure, innocent eyes stared at Madam Melina, whose face was already distorted. Tears were swirling in her eyes.
"It's okay if Mama doesn't want me."
"There will be other daughters you like. But I only have him."
"Don't do this."
"..."
The scissors were forcefully snatched away and clattered onto the floor.
"I will tie Mama up again."
"..."
Miss Slime ignored the deathly cold Melina, wiped her tears, and went to Silas's side.
"It won't stop in my eyes. My chest feels heavy too."
She was asking Silas why she kept crying.
"Mmh... it happens when you feel bad."
Silas stroked her hair.
"I'll give you a titjob."
"Ah? Again?"
"If I give you one, it won't be heavy anymore."
"..."
Miss Slime did as she said, lifting her clothes. Revealing the lace bra.
"Don't go taking your clothes off outside in the future."
"I'm not stupid. I know it's only allowed in front of the person I like."
Miss Slime, somewhat showing off the knowledge she had gained, puffed out her already large papaya breasts.
"..."
No one cared about Melina, who remained in the room.
The red, sharp scissors were at her feet. To pick them up or not?
"..."
She watched as her daughter, whose tears weren't dry and whose cleavage still had traces of glistening fluid, showed a small smile and propped herself up.
Her soft lips touched the man's mouth.
"In the books, lovers have this step besides the breasts."
"...You think just a touch counts as a kiss?"
Slurp~
Their tongues continued to intertwine.
Madam Melina felt as if Silas were doing this on purpose for her to see.
So what?
It was nothing more than the victor's insult to the loser, as if she were being ridden by him.
"Hah-ugh... so much spit."
Miss Slime's expression was a bit dazed.
"That's right. When kissing, you have to stick your tongue out. You have to puff your chest out too."
"Will you feel better?"
"...Don't ask that."
"But when I asked, you got so hard..."
"..."
Since when did a mere slime have such rich expressions?
Being a bit shy and all.
Madam Melina didn't go for the scissors. she knew she had lost completely.
She knew Silas was intentionally mocking her.
Was that it?
The slime had known all along she wasn't sick, that the treatment was a lie.
Shrinking back into the bedroom.
Melina suddenly remembered Silas's question.
Between blood relation and over ten years of nurturing, which one counts as a daughter?
He also said she was pathetic.
How was she pathetic? Fighting so hard for her own daughter for all these years... as a mother, shouldn't she?
'Mama, the little mice are very tasty! I brought you eight! All the smallest and hardest to catch!'
'Mama, when I'm cured, can we sleep together?'
'...'
'Mmh, it hurts. But Mama said it will cure me, so I can endure it.'
'...'
Memories of raising the slime flashed through her head.
Why did it hurt so much? A sharp pain in her chest.
Madam Melina understood.
Originally, even if she couldn't save her blood-related daughter, she could have had a cute daughter. But now it was all gone. The man who had broken in had taken her daughter away, body and soul.
Yes.
Why exactly did she push the fault of not being able to save her daughter onto another daughter?
Hadn't she personally watched her grow up and taught her? Bit by bit from a palm-sized slime, she gained human form, knowing how to call out "Mama." The knowledge Silas taught her should have been taught by her.
Precisely because she was so certain she was Mama, she was still willing to hug her in that room even after touching the scissors.
"Hah..."
Tears flowed down Madam Melina's cheeks.
She began to feel that she was simply unfit to be a mother.
Her daughter loved her so much, and she had sketched out so many candidate names in her notebook, yet she hadn't given her a single one, never looking at her properly even once.
If she had a daughter, given time she might still save her own flesh and blood. But with only herself, there was no chance to start over. And even if she failed again, if she had a daughter by her side...
Madam Melina struggled to get up, walking exhaustedly toward Silas's room.
But Silas blocked her in advance.
"You can do whatever you want to me, kill me if you wish. I want to compensate... at least give her a name."
Madam Melina gripped the notebook in her hand, which recorded many names she had circled. "Ah, th-there are a few in here I think sound good! Alice, and Chris, Setina... can I beg you to hand it over for me? She has a name!"
"Madam, originally I was truly prepared to end your pathetic life."
Silas spoke very calmly.
"..."
Then end it!
Just hand over the names in the notebook. Just let her daughter come back.
"So, you've really turned over a new leaf and now view Miss Slime as your only daughter?"
"..."
Madam Melina was silent for a moment, then answered immediately, "She is my daughter too! I should have two daughters! As long as I have a daughter by my side, no matter what happens... I can bear it."
"I'm sorry, I cannot hand it over. And I won't let you see her again."
Silas understood.
Even if Melina had thoughts of repentance, she probably still viewed Miss Slime as a tool. It's just that before it was for cultivating a skeleton, and now it's for self-comfort.
"..."
Why?
Madam Melina grew anxious. "I don't have to see her, I know I'm... unfit. But at least help me give her a name, take these... right, didn't you want a sex slave? I can do that, I promise I'll be willing, never like before. Okay? I can do it right now!"
She hurriedly unbuttoned her clothes, revealing even larger papaya breasts covered by a bra.
"Those names weren't prepared for Miss Slime, were they?"
Silas had already lost interest in chatting.
"..."
Melina was speechless. She couldn't refute it.
"Madam, from the beginning I never wanted a sex slave. I only hoped you would look at Miss Slime properly."
Silas turned around, not even bothering to look back. "You personally pushed Miss Slime to me. A name—I will give her one."
"She is a person too, not a tool to be called and dismissed at will. Regrettably, your daughter already belongs to me."
"..."
Watching Silas close the door and that last bit of light disappear.
Melina opened her mouth, but couldn't make a sound.
The cruel truth hit home; she knew that from this point on, her life really was only pathetic. She had nothing left.