Ever since she began observing the sli and the magic tools, every day had been a shock for Gracie Frail.
She thought nothing could surprise her anymore after seeing magic tools being used without magic stones, but that was a huge misunderstanding.
After the magic power of the magic stone powering a wind-blowing magic tool ran out, the sli casually refilled it with its own mana and operated the tool again.
That didn’t surprise her much.
She had already heard about it from Alia.
Gracie then removed the magic stone from other magic tools ant for different uses and observed whether the sli could use them too.
To put it simply, the sli could use any kind of magic tool.
Even magic tools that normally required stones absorbed different amounts of mana depending on their function.
But the sli seed not to care about that and was able to use various tools.
‘Does it instinctively know how much mana is needed to operate a tool, or does it figure it out itself? I need more observation and testing.’
Regardless, the subject was decided, and the research target was cooperative, so the more she observed, the more hopeful she beca.
‘If this goes well, I might get not just research funding but also a bonus!’
Of course, that hopeful ti couldn’t last all day.
“That’s enough for today.”
Just as Gracie was getting deep into her study, a cruel statent dropped.
“Huh?! Already?”
“It’s been well over two hours, Miss Gracie.”
‘Only two hours?’
Gracie couldn’t understand Paulen’s words.
Isn’t two hours too short for a research session?
She wondered.
But Gracie couldn’t argue back or complain.
Because in this situation, she was clearly the subordinate.
She was the one who had begged to be allowed to study the sli, and she was the one assigned to assist the Saintess and the Paladin.
From the beginning, there was a huge gap between the descendant of a hero and the successor of one.
If she threw a tantrum here?
Not only would the research opportunity vanish, but her social standing could be at risk.
Still, she couldn’t back down so easily.
“I see... Ahaha! Ti flew by so fast. By the way, what are you two planning to do now? If you’re going to look around the city more, I can guide you again!”
Even if she couldn’t operate the tools herself, just observing the sli from nearby might reveal more characteristics or research topics, so she didn’t want to take her eyes off it.
To Gracie, the sli was basically a living thesis-generator!
“No, we’re heading back for today. I need to train Jiggly too.”
“Train?”
“Yes. Jiggly—Hup! Muscles!”
Paulen struck a pose as he spoke.
“Because it’s a sli that understands the charm of muscles!”
‘What is he even talking about?’
Gracie couldn’t understand Paulen’s words.
But even if she didn’t understand, she figured now was the ti to latch onto the topic.
“Can I watch too?”
“Watch?”
“Yes! A sli training its body... I’m super curious how that even works!”
It wasn’t a lie.
She wanted to observe more for her thesis, of course, but also, a sli training? How? She was genuinely curious.
It was a topic that would interest not just wizards but even regular people!
“Hahaha! Of course, feel free to watch! I’ll show you just how hard Jiggly works!”
“Jiggly, let’s go ho now. You can play with the magic tools again tomorrow.”
‘Okay!’
Boing!
Hearing Alia’s words, the sli set down the tool and bounced onto her hand.
▶ What the heck? Is playti with the tools over?
[Just Slam First] ▶ Now the real content begins—training is where the fun's at!
▶ I'm tired of training content.
[Just Slam First] You don’t find it fun watching Squishy grow stronger by the day? Are your eyes broken?
[Squishy Queen] ▶ For once, you’re right. Yes, nothing beats watching the growth of my kin!
▶ Why’s it fun if I’m not the one getting stronger?
▶ LOL so relatable lolol
▶ You one of those “T” types?
[Noblesse Fire] ▶ I see that sotis—what’s this “T” thing?
▶ So guy who used to stream “Human Massacre” always said it when people didn’t agree with him lol.
Gracie, who followed the Saintess, Paulen, and the sli to the villa where they’d be living for a month, witnessed a shocking sight.
Paulen and the sli headed to the garden saying they were going to train once they arrived.
Naturally, Gracie followed them and saw Paulen pull out dumbbells made specifically for the sli from his inventory.
“Would you like to try lifting them?”
Paulen offered with a sly grin.
Gracie nodded at the Paladin’s offer.
She didn’t feel like refusing, and since they were sli-sized dumbbells, she assud they wouldn’t be very heavy.
“Ugh!?”
But that was a mistake on her part.
‘So... so heavy! I can’t lift it!’
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t lift it.
Even when her face turned bright red from the strain, it didn’t budge at all.
“Miss Gracie, you don’t have to force it. Don’t hurt yourself.”
“Huff! Huff! Just how heavy are these things?!”
Gracie asked, panting.
Paulen answered imdiately.
And hearing the answer, Gracie was utterly shocked.
‘That’s a weight even average n would struggle with!’
Even most n couldn’t lift it unless they trained regularly.
Only people in physically demanding jobs like adventurers would be able to handle it with proper training.
‘And the sli lifts that?’
After watching Gracie’s reaction long enough, Paulen casually told the sli it was ti to work out, just like always.
Boing! Boing!
Pop!
The sli bounced over to the dumbbell, extended its tentacle, and grabbed the handle.
And what followed was a sight that made Gracie question her own eyes again and again.
Squeeze! Squeeze!
“That’s it! Just like that, Jiggly! You’re doing great! One more! One more!”
The sli was working out.
And it wasn’t just pretending—it was lifting its custom dumbbell.
Even more shocking, it wasn’t a fake-looking dumbbell just shaped like one.
The very sa dumbbell that Gracie couldn’t lift no matter what—this sli was lifting it over and over again with its tentacle.
‘So “tentacle muscle” is a real thing?’
The sli’s body was truly a mystery.
How could sothing that light enough to roll off a magic tool manage to lift sothing that heavy?
But lifting the dumbbell wasn’t even the most shocking part.
“Alright, Jiggly! Since we’ve got a spectator today, show us sothing really cool!”
‘Okay!’
Boing! Boing!
Booooiiing!
SPLAT!
‘What... exactly is a sli?’
It wasn’t a philosophical question.
The sight in front of her was just that mind-blowing.
The sli was sparring with the Paladin.
Moving at unthinkable speeds, showing unthinkable power.
Of course, it was clear that Paulen was going easy on it.
But the way it moved was undeniably not ordinary.
A sli is supposed to be the weakest kind of monster.
Slow, fragile, and so passive that you almost feel bad attacking it first.
That’s what a sli is.
And yet this sli was showing the kind of strength that could easily beat a C-rank monster as it sparred with the Paladin.
At this point, calling it just a “unique specin that can use magic tools” seed insufficient.
‘Is it a high-tier sli? But it looks like a totally normal one!’
If it had a distinct color, or an unusually large body, or a striking shape, then maybe.
But unless it extended its tentacles, it just looked like any other sli.
And then—
Pop!
Whoooosh!
“Hahaha! Another perfect dodge, Jiggly!”
It wasn’t just fast and strong—it even used its tentacles for evasive maneuvers, leaving Gracie completely speechless.
When Paulen’s sword ca close in midair, the sli would extend a tentacle, wrap the sword, and flip away to dodge like it was performing an acrobatic stunt.
‘How is that even possible!?’
“Um…”
“Yes?”
“Saintess… is that really… a sli?”
“Miss Gracie, so things just give you a headache if you think too hard about them.”
For a second, Gracie almost nodded at the idea of giving up thinking.
‘Wait, no! A magician can’t do that! I’m supposed to investigate the unknown, not abandon it! If I give up, my thesis is gone! The grant is gone!’
***
It had been two weeks since Gracie got permission to write her thesis on the sli.
And for both Gracie and Alia, those two weeks had been extrely eventful.
Because there wasn’t a single day without so kind of incident or accident.
The fact that nothing happened on the first day’s walk had just been a coincidence.
Starting on day two, sothing went wrong every ti they went out.
BOOM!
“Oh, a magical accident at the Magic Tower.”
“Shouldn’t you be more alard?! Co on, let’s go!”
There were magical accidents at the Magic Tower, and even when there weren’t—
“Saintess, please lend us your strength!”
People from the nearby church would ask for help, and just like back in the Holy City, they’d end up healing people with serious injuries at a clinic.
In the midst of all these events, Gracie and Alia ca to understand each other better.
To Gracie, Alia was a true hobody.
Soone who preferred staying indoors over going out.
Soone who, surprisingly for a Saintess, lacked confidence.
But if she saw soone in pain, she moved faster than anyone else to help and heal.
She was unexpectedly self-sufficient, liked cute things, and made a disgusted face whenever Paulen talked about muscles.
A Saintess, yes—but also just an ordinary girl.
To Alia, Gracie was an unusual woman.
Not only was it strange that she wanted to write a thesis about a sli, but the way she observed the sli was even stranger.
“O-oooh! So you can use it like that! Hihi… Hihihi.”
Gracie might not have been aware of it herself, but when she was observing, she would laugh in a creepy tone, her eyes flashing, barely blinking as she stared at the sli.
It made Alia wonder if it was even okay to leave the sli under Gracie’s watch.
Still, even if Gracie was a bit eccentric while observing, she was fundantally a kind person.
She gave clear explanations when guiding them and ate the food served to her with real enjoynt.
She also agreed that Paulen’s daily muscle-talk was gross.
And most importantly, she understood the sli’s cuteness—so Alia felt like she’d made a friend.
Or maybe... they were already friends?
‘If we’re friends, then maybe I should try to learn more about her… right?’
Alia would be returning to the Holy City in two weeks, but she wanted to treasure the connection they made at the Magic Tower.
Even if she went back, they could still exchange letters!
That’s why, as Gracie was absorbed in observing and scribbling notes on the sli, Alia asked her:
“By the way, Miss Gracie—why did you start collecting magic tools in the first place?”
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