What Jenna and the others saw when they went to the first floor of the research tower was a scene that didn't look any different.
The tables, chairs, and kitchenette where the soldiers rested were still clean.
In the back, there was a bed used as a resting place during their night shift, and blankets were folded neatly.
The furniture was in its usual state of disarray, but there were no signs of damage or any signs of a struggle.
At the most, one could see some cards messily placed on the table. It could be said that they were just using it to enjoy their free time at night.
If one only looked at it that way, it was just a building with no inhabitants.
"Goddess Fasalina, shine your majesty, your righteous light upon our abominable evil..."
Near the center of the first floor, by the table where the soldiers on guard would have eaten their meals, Jenna folded her hands and muttered a scripture and prayed.
She closed her eyes, lowered her face slightly, and prayed deeply and silently.
The effect was immediate.
Light spilled from her folded hands and illuminated the furniture on the first floor.
It was not magic, but the normal "divine energy" that overflew from the saint recognized by the goddess Fasalina, carried a warmth that caressed the cheeks of the warrior priests accompanying her, even in a windless room.
The beautiful blond hair in braids swayed with the flow of divine energy, and the beautiful blue and white vestments were slightly lifting up, and underneath them, the feminine body was protected by a black innerwear.
The young warrior priests were momentarily transfixed by the defenseless figure of the divine and strangely sexy married woman but quickly removed their gaze.
It took a few seconds for the light to subside. But there was no change in the room on the first floor.
"It seems to be all right. Everyone, come inside."
What Jenna used was a simple miracle she called the "Talisman of Light" to ward off monsters.
It was a miracle of the goddess that illuminated the surroundings with the power of the goddess relative to the power of the demon king and locate the monsters that were hiding.
It could be used by anyone who had received the blessing of the goddess. However, the light that Jenna used reached the entire first floor, while an ordinary warrior priest could only illuminate a few meters around them.
For the warrior priests who knew their own limitations, Jenna's miracle of being able to search for enemies in such a wide area in just one go was impressive enough to be called a "saint".
"Graffus. Let's continue upstairs."
"Yeah. It's been a long night since the attack on the research tower, and we need to get Kara out of here as soon as possible...... But you need to stay on the first floor and secure the way out......"
"We talked about this at the entrance. I'm going up there too―― my power can protect everyone even if I can't defeat the slime."
It was just before entering the research tower.
The warrior priests were not told about that, but the commander, Graffus, was informed that the slime was an existence that "killed men and raped women".
At first, Graffus obeyed Jenna's words, a saint and hero who fought the Demon King, but even if it was the right thing to do for his wife to go through the research tower with such an existence, he felt uneasy about it.
Perhaps sensing Graffus' anxiety.
Jenna smiled softly to reassure him.
"I explained it before we entered the tower, Graffus. This slime is an existence that has defeated even the queen of Fontile―― I am the only one in this country who can resist such a monster. It is for this reason that the bishops have sent me to defeat it."
"But..."
"The research tower has been captured las night...... and if we don't hurry, Kara will be in danger."
It was not about her life.
Sensing her impatience as a "female", Graffus put his hand on her shoulder.
"Jenna. Your barrier skills are amazing. Everyone in the country and we warrior priests believe that you can even rival the goddess Fasalina."
"……Dear?"
"So don't be hasty. It doesn't matter how good you are, one mistake can lead to a fatal defeat in a battle against monsters...... Isn't that right?"
That was all Graffus said, and he put a little pressure on the hand on Jenna's shoulder.
To relieve the tension, Graffus, who had some experience in combat but was still unsure of his own abilities, smiled at Jenna.
Pressed by the smile, Graffus hid his expression with the opposite hand he had placed on Jenna's shoulder.
He knew how pathetic it was for him to worry about his inferiority.
However, for Jenna, her husband's sincere concern was more than enough to make her happy, and she was aware of her smile deepening.
"I know what you mean. I know that Kara's "science" is necessary for the future of the world, and as a woman, I am concerned about her. But if I'm trapped too, who can help Kara and...... me?"
“…………That ’s right.”
"I wish I had more power at a time like this."
"No. You're strong enough, Graffus."
Graffus strongly felt that she didn't want his wife to go to such a dangerous place, where the slime would hurt women.
However, both Jenna and Graffus knew that an ordinary warrior priest would not be able to deal with the slime.
If that was the case, they'll need her to stay on the first floor and secure their retreat, even if he wanted to stay by her side at least.
Graffus laid his regret on the hand on Jenna's shoulder, hard and forceful.
Jenna also felt his regret and placed her own hand on his.
"I'm okay. I've calmed down."
"I see."
In fact, it was her husband, Graffus, who seemed to be overwhelmed with anxiety at the mention of the word.
His wife was better than the great mages from Fonteau in terms of defense, so he felt that it would be safer for her to go to Kara's rescue as a defender.
The anxiety that he still couldn't shake showed on his face, and Jenna found herself feeling rather calm.
He was worried.
No matter what the situation was, it was very reassuring.
"Well, let's go. Don't worry, if you all support me, I will surely protect you."
"Yes."
The young warrior priests seemed to be encouraged by Jenna's words.
Their hesitation disappeared from their replies, and they stood firmly, with their chests thrust out as they had during training. After confirming her appearance, the warrior priests moved to the second floor, with Graffus leading the way and forming a line to protect Jenna.
As they proceeded to the side of the stairs leading to the second floor, they could see Meltia and the others waiting outside through the window.
The other side also noticed them and returned their gaze with a nervous look on their faces.
As though to reassure Meltia, Jenna nodded and folded her hands in front of her chest.
She prayed with more concentration than when she used the "Talisman of Light", leaning slightly.
The light that leaked from her folded hands was stronger and warmer than before.
The light enveloped Jenna's body, and the bodies of the warrior priests standing beside her.
"Armor of light".
The light that surrounded the warriors was a strong armor that repelled not only the power of darkness but also blades.
It was a miraculous art to create armor that was much stronger than the armor sold in stores, and if used by a user as skilled as Jenna, it could protect against even a great sword wielded by a great swordsman for a few times.
After confirming that her companions were protected by the "Armor of Light", Jenna proceeded to the second floor.
They climbed the stairs one by one, step by step, with caution.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
The young warrior priest walking just behind Jenna muttered.
The voice sounded somewhat light-hearted. He was not trying to relieve the tension of his companions, she was not feeling threatened, but his cheerful voice made her smile when the rest of the group was bracing themselves.
"Yes, it will be fine. I'll protect you all."
"Hehe――. I thought I'd never get to work with you, Jenna-sama."
Jenna turned around and looked again at the face of her companion climbing the stairs with her.
A young man. ――He was a young man, which was no surprise, he was chosen with little or no experience in battle to join here, where he would not be on the front lines.
However, even though he was young, he was the oldest among the warrior priests gathered here. He was close to twenty years old.
His beard, which had grown slightly, made him look as though he had grown taller, and he was a beloved man in the group.
Normally, he had an easy-going air of seniority, but when it came to fighting monsters, he gets nervous.
Even if it was a slime―― the weakest monster in the book.
The reason why he was talking so eloquently to the "saint" Jenna, who could be said to be above the clouds, was probably to hide his nervousness.
She was smiling, and her mouth relaxed slightly.
"Don't be too nervous, everyone else. Just do what you've been trained to do and you'll be fine."
Gently and slowly to calm down, his five companions stopped in the middle of the stairs and took a deep breath.
"Fuu... finally upstairs?"
Graffus, who had been leading the way, muttered to himself.
Even though they had only climbed one floor of stairs, Jenna could tell that the slight hint of fatigue in his voice was due to the fact that he was wary of where the slime might be lurking.
Slime.
A monster with a body of mucus lurked in the shadows with a body smaller than that of a mouse.
However, conventional slimes were not strong enough to attack adults, and at best they only attack helpless beings such as livestock and field mice for sustenance.
Of course, attacking adventurers and mages was suicide for the slime, and it was a cowardly monster that wouldn't even show itself when large groups of people, such as merchants, were on the move.
"How dare that slime get inside the Goddess's barrier and attack and occupy the country's facilities?"
"Is something wrong, Graffus-sama?"
"No. Keep your eyes open for anything strange. The slime can find its way into any crevice."
"Yes."
Graffus, who hadn't been on the front lines much to begin with, took a slow, deep breath and moved his shoulders up and down as though to relax his tense, stiff shoulders.
For a while, the only sound was the slightly uneven breathing of the five people who had preceded him to the room on the second floor.
Just like the first floor, it was an unremarkable place―― nothing out of the ordinary.
A lot of desks and chairs. On top of them, there were papers in disarray and a mysterious liquid of unknown use―― probably chemicals, or tools in the process of being researched.
After a few moments of visually checking them, Jenna arrived on the second floor, protected by the young warrior priests.
"Are you okay, are you hurt?"
"We haven't encountered any slime yet―― can you check it out with the same light as on the first floor?"
"Yes, leave it to me"
Even though she had just reached the second floor, Jenna stepped forward as though she had nothing to worry about.
Only Jenna, who was used to the tension of the possibility of being attacked by a monster, kept her breathing steady and her expression relaxed.
It was reassuring to the young warrior priests, and the smile from the "saint" seemed to cheer them up.
As she had done on the first floor, Jenna moved to the center of the room, folded her hands in front of her chest, and concentrated.
The warrior priests protected the defenseless "saint"―― it was the same as before.
The difference was that immediately after being illuminated by the "Talisman of Light".
"Jenna-sama!?"
There was a change in the wooden chair, a few desks, and a curtain by the window.
"Wooden chairs and desks that look like they could be anywhere" rippled, fell, and "distorting".
The young warrior priest's voice interrupted her prayers and she opened her eyes to see such "wooden slime".
"Ah. Everyone, don't let your guard down. The weakness of the slime is its "nucleus". Calm down and crush each one with a mace!"
With that, Graffus stood in front of the young warrior priests, who were stiffening in surprise, and smashed the slime with his mace.
The slime, which imitated the appearance of a wood, went berserk as though blinded by the Talisman of Light, and offered no resistance.
He targeted the larger slime that was mimicking the desk.
When he smashed the first one, luckily it seemed to have hit the mucus' "nucleus", and one of the slimes lost its shape and melted into the stone floor.
It was lucky because the slime had just been born and was not yet strong enough to protect its "nucleus".
Not that they knew it, but the defeat of one slime gave the young warrior priests a boost, and they stepped forward bravely, determined not to lose.
"We will go too!"
One of the warrior priests shouted as though to inspire not only his companions but also himself, and struck the slime that was mimicking a chair with his mace.
But this time, it failed.
The slime's mucus splattered, but it soon regained its original shape, revealing itself as a filthy black mucus body.
Immediately after, the surface of the slime seemed to sharpen, and a tentacle's tip as sharp as a spear thrust out.
"Uwaa!?"
But, just as the tentacles were about to pierce the vestments, the "Armor of Light" that Jenna had applied earlier repelled the filthy spear of mucus.
However.
(――I can't believe that even with my power, I can't completely block the slime's attack!?)
The left shoulder of the warrior priest's vestments was slightly ripped open, exposing the black innerwear underneath.
The protection of the "Armor of Light" was embedded in clothing and armor.
In this case, it raised the defensive power of the warrior priest's vestments, and if the vestments were torn, the effect on that part of the body would be nullified.
Jenna thought that with the power of the "Armor of Light", they could withstand some of the slime's attacks, but she didn't think that it could withstand only one blow.
"Uu... uooo!!"
Even so, the young warrior priest shouted loudly to motivate himself and put all his strength into the hand that held his mace to repeatedly hit the slime that was mimicking a chair.
The other warrior priests were roused by his valor, and it brought the advantage of two to one or three to one, crushing the slimes who were bewildered by the "Talisman of Light".
"Uwaa!?"
However, if the monsters could be pushed back by sheer force of will alone, the humans would have defeated the demon king without the help of the hero from the other world.
The slimes moved after the effect of the "Talisman of Light" wore off, and Jenna tried to help them, but the bodies of the warrior priests fighting in front of her became a wall, preventing the light from reaching the slimes.
It was the reason why Jenna traveled with the hero as a "saint".
If she just wanted to use her excellent healing skills, she should stay in the backline where it was safe and she could treat the injured more efficiently.
However, Jenna, who inherited the will and divine power of the goddess Fasalina, could use not only recovery techniques, but also support skills such as the "Armor of Light", and detection skills such as the Talisman of Light".
They were useless if she was not on the front lines, and Jenna needed to stand next to the hero and swordswoman Fornelis in order to fight at her best.
However, when a large number of people were in front of her like this, she couldn't use the "light" to dazzle the monsters, and as a result, she could only watch over them.
Graffus was more than aware of Jenna's abilities.
But the young warrior priests were so busy fighting that they had no time to think about Jenna.
"Uu, uuu..."
As a result, even if they were protected by the "Armor of Light", which prevented them from being attacked once, they would be injured again and again.
The slime was smart.
Jenna, who was watching from behind, could understand that.
The first attack had destroyed the "Armor of Light", and the second and third attacks had been aimed precisely at the same spot.
"This level of injury is fine. Remain vigilant of your surroundings."
"All right. Five of you, watch the stairs leading to the first floor and keep an eye out for any slime."
"Yes."
The young warrior priests' voices sounded hushed to Jenna, as though the heat of battle had not yet cooled down.
She was relieved to hear that but also worried that they might force themselves harder than they were capable of.
(...now, more than that.)
Five people were injured.
Three of them were particularly bad. One was pierced through the shoulder, and the two had deep cuts in their legs.
Normally, they would have thought that they should leave the research tower for treatment and returned to the temple immediately.
However, Jenna, who was so skilled in the art of healing that she was called a "saint," held out her hand to the wound and concentrated.
"Goddess Fasalina. Please use your power to save these wounded apostles."
As she chanted, the warrior priest felt a warm "something" flowing from her hand.
The wound on his left shoulder was causing pain that seemed to burn up to his bones, but something warm was seeping into his body, not just the surface of the wound.
It was not uncomfortable at all, it was like taking a warm bath and getting warmed up from the inside―― it was not sudden, it was just a gentle warmth.
"Aah……"
The pain disappeared immediately, and the feeling was so good.
It was so comfortable that the young warrior priest wanted to feel the warmth for a long time, and he let out a sloppy voice.
"You're all right now. How are you feeling?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. I'm fine."
He was dumbfounded for a moment.
But as though to hide the fact that he thought it was over, the man who was healed stood up quickly.
"This one's leg......"
As Jenna recited the same chant as before, the deep wound on his leg healed in the blink of an eye.
But Jenna and the others were not the only ones who saw that.
One of the slimes was lucky to escape the rampage done by the warrior priests. In the corner of the room on the second floor, under the desk farthest from the stairs, there was a sheet of paper. There was an eyeball showing on it.
It was a terrifying sight.
A single round eyeball on a thin sheet of paper.
It was "watching". As Jenna healed the wounded.
From a distance. Staying still. Not moving.
"One more. After that, let's re-cast the "Armor of Light" and head to the third floor."
"Yeah."
The reason the slimes didn't kill the warrior priests was simply because they wanted to slow them down.
There were more than ten priest-warriors, and their number was simply too much for the slimes to handle.
If that was the case, they intentionally injured people to divide them, so they didn't kill them...... The injured people were healed in the blink of an eye though.
It was different from the humans that the Black Ooze had taken in so far, who specialize in attack and destruction. They had taken in a few warrior priests since coming to Lishlua, but none of them were as good at healing as this one.
"Saint" Jenna.
It had knowledge of her, but her skills were still unknown to the Black Ooze.
In a piece of paper. The eyeball on the piece of paper was staring at it.
――Aah, aah.
If the slime had emotions. If it had a will. If it had a voice.
It would have muttered, "I want it".
Strong, strong. More than any creature, more than any human, more than any animal, a shallow desire.
I want it. I want it. I want...... I want.
However, a monster that didn't know emotion didn't have words and didn't have a will and couldn't understand what it was.
The important "something" to understand was missing.
So, for the slime, for the Black Ooze, no matter how strong the feeling was, it could only violate.
"So, let's go to the third floor. I'll walk in front this time."
"That's―― no, it's too dangerous."
"If they mimic furniture or something like before, you'll just be caught off guard. As for me――."
Jenna said, then picked up the mace and gripped it tightly.
With that, the tip of the mace, a lump of steel cleansed by holy water, emitted a faint light. "Weapon of Exorcism". It was a divine power used on the weapon that held "Talisman of Light".
Not only did it have a strong effect on monsters, but the light could also reveal hidden monsters.
It was a very useful power, but the effect of the "Weapon of Exorcism" wouldn't last long and would wear off halfway up the stairs to the third floor.
It was the killing blow used by the hero. It was the only way to increase the power of the weapon, Jenna thought, but its use was too limited.
In the end, Jenna, who was not good at close combat, often used it to protect herself, but now it was just right because she could look for the mimicking slimes and protect herself at the same time.
"If it's an attack, the "Armor of Light" will protect you, and you're right behind me."
"......I admire your courage."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Jenna smiled back at him and really started to lead the way.
The eyeball that was on a sheet of paper followed them with its gaze until they were out of sight―― and immediately the men's surprised voices rose.
"What is this!!"
The loud voice belonged to Graffus.
As soon as Jenna started to climb the stairs, the ceiling collapsed.
No, to be precise, the slime that had been mimicking the ceiling had fallen and blocked the stairs.
"Graffus, everyone!!"
"Jenna, get out of there!!"
The sound of Jenna's worried voice faded away.
The stairs leading to the third floor were closing in every crevice, and the filthy black mucus was getting thicker and thicker.
Graffus struck the Black Wall with a mace containing the goddess' divine power, though not as strong as Jenna's, the blow only slightly distorted the wall, and the scratch healed quickly.
"Ku―― Jenna, Jenna!!"
"――, ――――!!"
Already, Jenna's voice could not reach Graffus and the others.
On the other side of the wall, Jenna was shouting something, but when she realized that they couldn't hear her, she proceeded to the third floor with a slightly frightened look on her face.
Naturally, Jenna was also frantically pounding on the wall behind the Black Wall. It was a mace that contained more divine power than Graffus.
Even so, she couldn't break through the wall, and she would have no choice but to proceed.
Realizing that, the slime that had been mimicking a sheet of paper broke free of its mimicry and moved out through the small gap between the wall and the window to the third floor.
It was a small slime.
It was no different from the palm-sized "slime" depicted by the books.
The slime moved to the third floor as though pushed by a strange impulse and moved into the building through the small gap between the window and the wall.
There was still no sign of the slimes.
"It's okay, it's still okay..."
She was suddenly alone, and her steps were slowing down.
She held her mace in both hands and walked up the stairs, keeping a wary eye on her surroundings.
And after that, there were no more significant attacks, and Jenna easily arrived at the third floor.
"The slime, where..."
Holding her mace like a torch, Jenna illuminated the chairs and desks on the third floor.
There was no change.
Naturally. That was how its mimicry was noticed on the second floor.
Learning from that, the slime had moved to a corner of the room where the light couldn't reach from the stairs where Jenna was, or to the ceiling, which was higher than normal.
"I wonder if this is the same...... as the first floor?"
But Jenna, who had no way of knowing that, breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that the mimicking slimes were gone.
Even though she was considered a hero who traveled with the heroes, she did not have much strength to fight alone. Jenna was good at supporting the hero and those who were good at close combat like Fornelis.
It was only natural that Jenna would feel uncomfortable when she was alone.
Even so, to the warrior priests around her, Jenna's martial arts skills were among the most proficient in the holy kingdom of Lishlua.
Maybe that was the negative influence of the hero and women who traveled with her, or maybe it was the negative influence of Fornelis.
"First, ask Meltia to..."
Perhaps the lack of reaction to the light from the "Weapon of Exorcism" had calmed her down, but Jenna thought about what she could do first.
(I need to ask Meltia to help me through the window and somehow get Graffus and the others up to the third floor...... Haha, Even though I'm older than her, I'm so pathetic.)
Jenna let out a sigh and slumped her shoulders.
Her beautiful braid hung down as though to show her emotion, slightly tickling her chest as it pushed up her vestments.
It was then that Jenna reached out to open the window.
The windows were arched windows, with wooden shutters and glass doors overlapping each other.
The window closest to Jenna had its wooden shutters closed and she had to push it open, which she did by leaning forward.
"Nn……?"
She thought at first that it was locked.
She repeated the process several times, but could not open the wooden door.
But there was no such thing as a keyhole, and as the sun's rays shone through the gaps in the shutters, her hands got wet.
"Shi――"
Jenna panicked and tried to pull away, but it was too late.
The slime mucus dripping from her hands became a restraint, binding Jenna's hands to the edge of the window, like a handcuffed criminal.
"This is――!?"
The ceiling where Jenna was standing collapsed before she could even get her hands to release her restraints.
It was the same as the stairs.
As soon as she realized that the ceiling had collapsed, a mass of mucus poured down on Jenna like a waterfall.
With her wrists still bound, Jenna's limbs wrapped in her sacred vestments instantly got soaked, and her clothes, which should have been protected by the "Armor of Light", were easily eroded by the filthy mucus.
Her vestments, which had been blue and white that gave it an impression of purity, darkened in color, and turned gray.
Although her innerwear, which had been working so hard to protect her, was still intact. But when her vestments got wet with the slime's mucus, it was uncomfortable, even through her black innerwear.
"Kuh, somehow――."
Her wet hair stuck to her cheeks, coloring her beautiful face, which had always had a gentle smile on it.
Jenna tried to remove the restraints on her hands, but the mucus hold on her wrists was as hard as steel, and she couldn't immediately think of what to do.
Anyway, Jenna looked back over her shoulder to check the current situation―― it was pitch black.
The same black wall that blocked the stairs, to be exact.
Jenna felt that her waist was on the other side of the wall.
"What is, this..."
She flailed her body, trying to get a handle on it, but she was sure she could feel her legs.
She kicked the floor with her foot, but that would not help her escape the black wall, which could not be shattered even by a blow from a mace.
"Fuu."
Jenna took a slow, deep breath to calm down first.
"……stinks."
Only now did she notice the strange smell of the slime. It smelled so bad that she was dismayed at her own carelessness, wondering if she was so nervous that she didn't even notice it.
"Eh!?"
Such dismay was short-lived.
Jenna noticed a being slowly climbing up her leg behind the "black wall".
She couldn't see it, but she could feel it. Perhaps it was because she couldn't see it that her senses were more sensitive than usual.
On the other side of the black wall, there was a slime.
A tiny, tiny slime, small enough to fit in the palm of her hand.
The slime, which would get killed by a warrior priest or even a child just by stepping on it, stuck to Jenna's boots and climbed up her beautiful legs wrapped in black innerwear, trying to climb to the top of the black wall, where only the lower half of her body was sticking out.
"No."
Jenna screamed over the wall and let her legs flail.
Her leather boots kicked against the stone floor, shaking her wet vestments and waving her fleshy buttocks from side to side.
She tried to flick off the slime, but that was not enough to make the lust-tainted mucus monster fall.
Rather, the mucus on her vestments colored her black innerwear, creating a lascivious scene as though she had spilled lotion all over her.
In that way, her neat and clean vestments become an immoral part that cast Jenna's lower body and only increased the excitement of whoever was watching her.
The small, weak slime climbed slowly, little by little, toward Jenna's rich ass――.
"No, no... Graffus, someone!!"
Like a maiden, Jenna screamed, however, it was blocked by the "black wall" and no one could hear it.......
What Jenna and the others saw when they went to the first floor of the research tower was a scene that didn't look any different.
The tables, chairs, and kitchenette where the soldiers rested were still clean.
In the back, there was a bed used as a resting place during their night shift, and blankets were folded neatly.
The furniture was in its usual state of disarray, but there were no signs of damage or any signs of a struggle.
At the most, one could see some cards messily placed on the table. It could be said that they were just using it to enjoy their free time at night.
If one only looked at it that way, it was just a building with no inhabitants.
"Goddess Fasalina, shine your majesty, your righteous light upon our abominable evil..."
Near the center of the first floor, by the table where the soldiers on guard would have eaten their meals, Jenna folded her hands and muttered a scripture and prayed.
She closed her eyes, lowered her face slightly, and prayed deeply and silently.
The effect was immediate.
Light spilled from her folded hands and illuminated the furniture on the first floor.
It was not magic, but the normal "divine energy" that overflew from the saint recognized by the goddess Fasalina, carried a warmth that caressed the cheeks of the warrior priests accompanying her, even in a windless room.
The beautiful blond hair in braids swayed with the flow of divine energy, and the beautiful blue and white vestments were slightly lifting up, and underneath them, the feminine body was protected by a black innerwear.
The young warrior priests were momentarily transfixed by the defenseless figure of the divine and strangely sexy married woman but quickly removed their gaze.
It took a few seconds for the light to subside. But there was no change in the room on the first floor.
"It seems to be all right. Everyone, come inside."
What Jenna used was a simple miracle she called the "Talisman of Light" to ward off monsters.
It was a miracle of the goddess that illuminated the surroundings with the power of the goddess relative to the power of the demon king and locate the monsters that were hiding.
It could be used by anyone who had received the blessing of the goddess. However, the light that Jenna used reached the entire first floor, while an ordinary warrior priest could only illuminate a few meters around them.
For the warrior priests who knew their own limitations, Jenna's miracle of being able to search for enemies in such a wide area in just one go was impressive enough to be called a "saint".
"Graffus. Let's continue upstairs."
"Yeah. It's been a long night since the attack on the research tower, and we need to get Kara out of here as soon as possible...... But you need to stay on the first floor and secure the way out......"
"We talked about this at the entrance. I'm going up there too―― my power can protect everyone even if I can't defeat the slime."
It was just before entering the research tower.
The warrior priests were not told about that, but the commander, Graffus, was informed that the slime was an existence that "killed men and raped women".
At first, Graffus obeyed Jenna's words, a saint and hero who fought the Demon King, but even if it was the right thing to do for his wife to go through the research tower with such an existence, he felt uneasy about it.
Perhaps sensing Graffus' anxiety.
Jenna smiled softly to reassure him.
"I explained it before we entered the tower, Graffus. This slime is an existence that has defeated even the queen of Fontile―― I am the only one in this country who can resist such a monster. It is for this reason that the bishops have sent me to defeat it."
"But..."
"The research tower has been captured las night...... and if we don't hurry, Kara will be in danger."
It was not about her life.
Sensing her impatience as a "female", Graffus put his hand on her shoulder.
"Jenna. Your barrier skills are amazing. Everyone in the country and we warrior priests believe that you can even rival the goddess Fasalina."
"……Dear?"
"So don't be hasty. It doesn't matter how good you are, one mistake can lead to a fatal defeat in a battle against monsters...... Isn't that right?"
That was all Graffus said, and he put a little pressure on the hand on Jenna's shoulder.
To relieve the tension, Graffus, who had some experience in combat but was still unsure of his own abilities, smiled at Jenna.
Pressed by the smile, Graffus hid his expression with the opposite hand he had placed on Jenna's shoulder.
He knew how pathetic it was for him to worry about his inferiority.
However, for Jenna, her husband's sincere concern was more than enough to make her happy, and she was aware of her smile deepening.
"I know what you mean. I know that Kara's "science" is necessary for the future of the world, and as a woman, I am concerned about her. But if I'm trapped too, who can help Kara and...... me?"
“…………That ’s right.”
"I wish I had more power at a time like this."
"No. You're strong enough, Graffus."
Graffus strongly felt that she didn't want his wife to go to such a dangerous place, where the slime would hurt women.
However, both Jenna and Graffus knew that an ordinary warrior priest would not be able to deal with the slime.
If that was the case, they'll need her to stay on the first floor and secure their retreat, even if he wanted to stay by her side at least.
Graffus laid his regret on the hand on Jenna's shoulder, hard and forceful.
Jenna also felt his regret and placed her own hand on his.
"I'm okay. I've calmed down."
"I see."
In fact, it was her husband, Graffus, who seemed to be overwhelmed with anxiety at the mention of the word.
His wife was better than the great mages from Fonteau in terms of defense, so he felt that it would be safer for her to go to Kara's rescue as a defender.
The anxiety that he still couldn't shake showed on his face, and Jenna found herself feeling rather calm.
He was worried.
No matter what the situation was, it was very reassuring.
"Well, let's go. Don't worry, if you all support me, I will surely protect you."
"Yes."
The young warrior priests seemed to be encouraged by Jenna's words.
Their hesitation disappeared from their replies, and they stood firmly, with their chests thrust out as they had during training. After confirming her appearance, the warrior priests moved to the second floor, with Graffus leading the way and forming a line to protect Jenna.
As they proceeded to the side of the stairs leading to the second floor, they could see Meltia and the others waiting outside through the window.
The other side also noticed them and returned their gaze with a nervous look on their faces.
As though to reassure Meltia, Jenna nodded and folded her hands in front of her chest.
She prayed with more concentration than when she used the "Talisman of Light", leaning slightly.
The light that leaked from her folded hands was stronger and warmer than before.
The light enveloped Jenna's body, and the bodies of the warrior priests standing beside her.
"Armor of light".
The light that surrounded the warriors was a strong armor that repelled not only the power of darkness but also blades.
It was a miraculous art to create armor that was much stronger than the armor sold in stores, and if used by a user as skilled as Jenna, it could protect against even a great sword wielded by a great swordsman for a few times.
After confirming that her companions were protected by the "Armor of Light", Jenna proceeded to the second floor.
They climbed the stairs one by one, step by step, with caution.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
The young warrior priest walking just behind Jenna muttered.
The voice sounded somewhat light-hearted. He was not trying to relieve the tension of his companions, she was not feeling threatened, but his cheerful voice made her smile when the rest of the group was bracing themselves.
"Yes, it will be fine. I'll protect you all."
"Hehe――. I thought I'd never get to work with you, Jenna-sama."
Jenna turned around and looked again at the face of her companion climbing the stairs with her.
A young man. ――He was a young man, which was no surprise, he was chosen with little or no experience in battle to join here, where he would not be on the front lines.
However, even though he was young, he was the oldest among the warrior priests gathered here. He was close to twenty years old.
His beard, which had grown slightly, made him look as though he had grown taller, and he was a beloved man in the group.
Normally, he had an easy-going air of seniority, but when it came to fighting monsters, he gets nervous.
Even if it was a slime―― the weakest monster in the book.
The reason why he was talking so eloquently to the "saint" Jenna, who could be said to be above the clouds, was probably to hide his nervousness.
She was smiling, and her mouth relaxed slightly.
"Don't be too nervous, everyone else. Just do what you've been trained to do and you'll be fine."
Gently and slowly to calm down, his five companions stopped in the middle of the stairs and took a deep breath.
"Fuu... finally upstairs?"
Graffus, who had been leading the way, muttered to himself.
Even though they had only climbed one floor of stairs, Jenna could tell that the slight hint of fatigue in his voice was due to the fact that he was wary of where the slime might be lurking.
Slime.
A monster with a body of mucus lurked in the shadows with a body smaller than that of a mouse.
However, conventional slimes were not strong enough to attack adults, and at best they only attack helpless beings such as livestock and field mice for sustenance.
Of course, attacking adventurers and mages was suicide for the slime, and it was a cowardly monster that wouldn't even show itself when large groups of people, such as merchants, were on the move.
"How dare that slime get inside the Goddess's barrier and attack and occupy the country's facilities?"
"Is something wrong, Graffus-sama?"
"No. Keep your eyes open for anything strange. The slime can find its way into any crevice."
"Yes."
Graffus, who hadn't been on the front lines much to begin with, took a slow, deep breath and moved his shoulders up and down as though to relax his tense, stiff shoulders.
For a while, the only sound was the slightly uneven breathing of the five people who had preceded him to the room on the second floor.
Just like the first floor, it was an unremarkable place―― nothing out of the ordinary.
A lot of desks and chairs. On top of them, there were papers in disarray and a mysterious liquid of unknown use―― probably chemicals, or tools in the process of being researched.
After a few moments of visually checking them, Jenna arrived on the second floor, protected by the young warrior priests.
"Are you okay, are you hurt?"
"We haven't encountered any slime yet―― can you check it out with the same light as on the first floor?"
"Yes, leave it to me"
Even though she had just reached the second floor, Jenna stepped forward as though she had nothing to worry about.
Only Jenna, who was used to the tension of the possibility of being attacked by a monster, kept her breathing steady and her expression relaxed.
It was reassuring to the young warrior priests, and the smile from the "saint" seemed to cheer them up.
As she had done on the first floor, Jenna moved to the center of the room, folded her hands in front of her chest, and concentrated.
The warrior priests protected the defenseless "saint"―― it was the same as before.
The difference was that immediately after being illuminated by the "Talisman of Light".
"Jenna-sama!?"
There was a change in the wooden chair, a few desks, and a curtain by the window.
"Wooden chairs and desks that look like they could be anywhere" rippled, fell, and "distorting".
The young warrior priest's voice interrupted her prayers and she opened her eyes to see such "wooden slime".
"Ah. Everyone, don't let your guard down. The weakness of the slime is its "nucleus". Calm down and crush each one with a mace!"
With that, Graffus stood in front of the young warrior priests, who were stiffening in surprise, and smashed the slime with his mace.
The slime, which imitated the appearance of a wood, went berserk as though blinded by the Talisman of Light, and offered no resistance.
He targeted the larger slime that was mimicking the desk.
When he smashed the first one, luckily it seemed to have hit the mucus' "nucleus", and one of the slimes lost its shape and melted into the stone floor.
It was lucky because the slime had just been born and was not yet strong enough to protect its "nucleus".
Not that they knew it, but the defeat of one slime gave the young warrior priests a boost, and they stepped forward bravely, determined not to lose.
"We will go too!"
One of the warrior priests shouted as though to inspire not only his companions but also himself, and struck the slime that was mimicking a chair with his mace.
But this time, it failed.
The slime's mucus splattered, but it soon regained its original shape, revealing itself as a filthy black mucus body.
Immediately after, the surface of the slime seemed to sharpen, and a tentacle's tip as sharp as a spear thrust out.
"Uwaa!?"
But, just as the tentacles were about to pierce the vestments, the "Armor of Light" that Jenna had applied earlier repelled the filthy spear of mucus.
However.
(――I can't believe that even with my power, I can't completely block the slime's attack!?)
The left shoulder of the warrior priest's vestments was slightly ripped open, exposing the black innerwear underneath.
The protection of the "Armor of Light" was embedded in clothing and armor.
In this case, it raised the defensive power of the warrior priest's vestments, and if the vestments were torn, the effect on that part of the body would be nullified.
Jenna thought that with the power of the "Armor of Light", they could withstand some of the slime's attacks, but she didn't think that it could withstand only one blow.
"Uu... uooo!!"
Even so, the young warrior priest shouted loudly to motivate himself and put all his strength into the hand that held his mace to repeatedly hit the slime that was mimicking a chair.
The other warrior priests were roused by his valor, and it brought the advantage of two to one or three to one, crushing the slimes who were bewildered by the "Talisman of Light".
"Uwaa!?"
However, if the monsters could be pushed back by sheer force of will alone, the humans would have defeated the demon king without the help of the hero from the other world.
The slimes moved after the effect of the "Talisman of Light" wore off, and Jenna tried to help them, but the bodies of the warrior priests fighting in front of her became a wall, preventing the light from reaching the slimes.
It was the reason why Jenna traveled with the hero as a "saint".
If she just wanted to use her excellent healing skills, she should stay in the backline where it was safe and she could treat the injured more efficiently.
However, Jenna, who inherited the will and divine power of the goddess Fasalina, could use not only recovery techniques, but also support skills such as the "Armor of Light", and detection skills such as the Talisman of Light".
They were useless if she was not on the front lines, and Jenna needed to stand next to the hero and swordswoman Fornelis in order to fight at her best.
However, when a large number of people were in front of her like this, she couldn't use the "light" to dazzle the monsters, and as a result, she could only watch over them.
Graffus was more than aware of Jenna's abilities.
But the young warrior priests were so busy fighting that they had no time to think about Jenna.
"Uu, uuu..."
As a result, even if they were protected by the "Armor of Light", which prevented them from being attacked once, they would be injured again and again.
The slime was smart.
Jenna, who was watching from behind, could understand that.
The first attack had destroyed the "Armor of Light", and the second and third attacks had been aimed precisely at the same spot.
"This level of injury is fine. Remain vigilant of your surroundings."
"All right. Five of you, watch the stairs leading to the first floor and keep an eye out for any slime."
"Yes."
The young warrior priests' voices sounded hushed to Jenna, as though the heat of battle had not yet cooled down.
She was relieved to hear that but also worried that they might force themselves harder than they were capable of.
(...now, more than that.)
Five people were injured.
Three of them were particularly bad. One was pierced through the shoulder, and the two had deep cuts in their legs.
Normally, they would have thought that they should leave the research tower for treatment and returned to the temple immediately.
However, Jenna, who was so skilled in the art of healing that she was called a "saint," held out her hand to the wound and concentrated.
"Goddess Fasalina. Please use your power to save these wounded apostles."
As she chanted, the warrior priest felt a warm "something" flowing from her hand.
The wound on his left shoulder was causing pain that seemed to burn up to his bones, but something warm was seeping into his body, not just the surface of the wound.
It was not uncomfortable at all, it was like taking a warm bath and getting warmed up from the inside―― it was not sudden, it was just a gentle warmth.
"Aah……"
The pain disappeared immediately, and the feeling was so good.
It was so comfortable that the young warrior priest wanted to feel the warmth for a long time, and he let out a sloppy voice.
"You're all right now. How are you feeling?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. I'm fine."
He was dumbfounded for a moment.
But as though to hide the fact that he thought it was over, the man who was healed stood up quickly.
"This one's leg......"
As Jenna recited the same chant as before, the deep wound on his leg healed in the blink of an eye.
But Jenna and the others were not the only ones who saw that.
One of the slimes was lucky to escape the rampage done by the warrior priests. In the corner of the room on the second floor, under the desk farthest from the stairs, there was a sheet of paper. There was an eyeball showing on it.
It was a terrifying sight.
A single round eyeball on a thin sheet of paper.
It was "watching". As Jenna healed the wounded.
From a distance. Staying still. Not moving.
"One more. After that, let's re-cast the "Armor of Light" and head to the third floor."
"Yeah."
The reason the slimes didn't kill the warrior priests was simply because they wanted to slow them down.
There were more than ten priest-warriors, and their number was simply too much for the slimes to handle.
If that was the case, they intentionally injured people to divide them, so they didn't kill them...... The injured people were healed in the blink of an eye though.
It was different from the humans that the Black Ooze had taken in so far, who specialize in attack and destruction. They had taken in a few warrior priests since coming to Lishlua, but none of them were as good at healing as this one.
"Saint" Jenna.
It had knowledge of her, but her skills were still unknown to the Black Ooze.
In a piece of paper. The eyeball on the piece of paper was staring at it.
――Aah, aah.
If the slime had emotions. If it had a will. If it had a voice.
It would have muttered, "I want it".
Strong, strong. More than any creature, more than any human, more than any animal, a shallow desire.
I want it. I want it. I want...... I want.
However, a monster that didn't know emotion didn't have words and didn't have a will and couldn't understand what it was.
The important "something" to understand was missing.
So, for the slime, for the Black Ooze, no matter how strong the feeling was, it could only violate.
"So, let's go to the third floor. I'll walk in front this time."
"That's―― no, it's too dangerous."
"If they mimic furniture or something like before, you'll just be caught off guard. As for me――."
Jenna said, then picked up the mace and gripped it tightly.
With that, the tip of the mace, a lump of steel cleansed by holy water, emitted a faint light. "Weapon of Exorcism". It was a divine power used on the weapon that held "Talisman of Light".
Not only did it have a strong effect on monsters, but the light could also reveal hidden monsters.
It was a very useful power, but the effect of the "Weapon of Exorcism" wouldn't last long and would wear off halfway up the stairs to the third floor.
It was the killing blow used by the hero. It was the only way to increase the power of the weapon, Jenna thought, but its use was too limited.
In the end, Jenna, who was not good at close combat, often used it to protect herself, but now it was just right because she could look for the mimicking slimes and protect herself at the same time.
"If it's an attack, the "Armor of Light" will protect you, and you're right behind me."
"......I admire your courage."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Jenna smiled back at him and really started to lead the way.
The eyeball that was on a sheet of paper followed them with its gaze until they were out of sight―― and immediately the men's surprised voices rose.
"What is this!!"
The loud voice belonged to Graffus.
As soon as Jenna started to climb the stairs, the ceiling collapsed.
No, to be precise, the slime that had been mimicking the ceiling had fallen and blocked the stairs.
"Graffus, everyone!!"
"Jenna, get out of there!!"
The sound of Jenna's worried voice faded away.
The stairs leading to the third floor were closing in every crevice, and the filthy black mucus was getting thicker and thicker.
Graffus struck the Black Wall with a mace containing the goddess' divine power, though not as strong as Jenna's, the blow only slightly distorted the wall, and the scratch healed quickly.
"Ku―― Jenna, Jenna!!"
"――, ――――!!"
Already, Jenna's voice could not reach Graffus and the others.
On the other side of the wall, Jenna was shouting something, but when she realized that they couldn't hear her, she proceeded to the third floor with a slightly frightened look on her face.
Naturally, Jenna was also frantically pounding on the wall behind the Black Wall. It was a mace that contained more divine power than Graffus.
Even so, she couldn't break through the wall, and she would have no choice but to proceed.
Realizing that, the slime that had been mimicking a sheet of paper broke free of its mimicry and moved out through the small gap between the wall and the window to the third floor.
It was a small slime.
It was no different from the palm-sized "slime" depicted by the books.
The slime moved to the third floor as though pushed by a strange impulse and moved into the building through the small gap between the window and the wall.
There was still no sign of the slimes.
"It's okay, it's still okay..."
She was suddenly alone, and her steps were slowing down.
She held her mace in both hands and walked up the stairs, keeping a wary eye on her surroundings.
And after that, there were no more significant attacks, and Jenna easily arrived at the third floor.
"The slime, where..."
Holding her mace like a torch, Jenna illuminated the chairs and desks on the third floor.
There was no change.
Naturally. That was how its mimicry was noticed on the second floor.
Learning from that, the slime had moved to a corner of the room where the light couldn't reach from the stairs where Jenna was, or to the ceiling, which was higher than normal.
"I wonder if this is the same...... as the first floor?"
But Jenna, who had no way of knowing that, breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that the mimicking slimes were gone.
Even though she was considered a hero who traveled with the heroes, she did not have much strength to fight alone. Jenna was good at supporting the hero and those who were good at close combat like Fornelis.
It was only natural that Jenna would feel uncomfortable when she was alone.
Even so, to the warrior priests around her, Jenna's martial arts skills were among the most proficient in the holy kingdom of Lishlua.
Maybe that was the negative influence of the hero and women who traveled with her, or maybe it was the negative influence of Fornelis.
"First, ask Meltia to..."
Perhaps the lack of reaction to the light from the "Weapon of Exorcism" had calmed her down, but Jenna thought about what she could do first.
(I need to ask Meltia to help me through the window and somehow get Graffus and the others up to the third floor...... Haha, Even though I'm older than her, I'm so pathetic.)
Jenna let out a sigh and slumped her shoulders.
Her beautiful braid hung down as though to show her emotion, slightly tickling her chest as it pushed up her vestments.
It was then that Jenna reached out to open the window.
The windows were arched windows, with wooden shutters and glass doors overlapping each other.
The window closest to Jenna had its wooden shutters closed and she had to push it open, which she did by leaning forward.
"Nn……?"
She thought at first that it was locked.
She repeated the process several times, but could not open the wooden door.
But there was no such thing as a keyhole, and as the sun's rays shone through the gaps in the shutters, her hands got wet.
"Shi――"
Jenna panicked and tried to pull away, but it was too late.
The slime mucus dripping from her hands became a restraint, binding Jenna's hands to the edge of the window, like a handcuffed criminal.
"This is――!?"
The ceiling where Jenna was standing collapsed before she could even get her hands to release her restraints.
It was the same as the stairs.
As soon as she realized that the ceiling had collapsed, a mass of mucus poured down on Jenna like a waterfall.
With her wrists still bound, Jenna's limbs wrapped in her sacred vestments instantly got soaked, and her clothes, which should have been protected by the "Armor of Light", were easily eroded by the filthy mucus.
Her vestments, which had been blue and white that gave it an impression of purity, darkened in color, and turned gray.
Although her innerwear, which had been working so hard to protect her, was still intact. But when her vestments got wet with the slime's mucus, it was uncomfortable, even through her black innerwear.
"Kuh, somehow――."
Her wet hair stuck to her cheeks, coloring her beautiful face, which had always had a gentle smile on it.
Jenna tried to remove the restraints on her hands, but the mucus hold on her wrists was as hard as steel, and she couldn't immediately think of what to do.
Anyway, Jenna looked back over her shoulder to check the current situation―― it was pitch black.
The same black wall that blocked the stairs, to be exact.
Jenna felt that her waist was on the other side of the wall.
"What is, this..."
She flailed her body, trying to get a handle on it, but she was sure she could feel her legs.
She kicked the floor with her foot, but that would not help her escape the black wall, which could not be shattered even by a blow from a mace.
"Fuu."
Jenna took a slow, deep breath to calm down first.
"……stinks."
Only now did she notice the strange smell of the slime. It smelled so bad that she was dismayed at her own carelessness, wondering if she was so nervous that she didn't even notice it.
"Eh!?"
Such dismay was short-lived.
Jenna noticed a being slowly climbing up her leg behind the "black wall".
She couldn't see it, but she could feel it. Perhaps it was because she couldn't see it that her senses were more sensitive than usual.
On the other side of the black wall, there was a slime.
A tiny, tiny slime, small enough to fit in the palm of her hand.
The slime, which would get killed by a warrior priest or even a child just by stepping on it, stuck to Jenna's boots and climbed up her beautiful legs wrapped in black innerwear, trying to climb to the top of the black wall, where only the lower half of her body was sticking out.
"No."
Jenna screamed over the wall and let her legs flail.
Her leather boots kicked against the stone floor, shaking her wet vestments and waving her fleshy buttocks from side to side.
She tried to flick off the slime, but that was not enough to make the lust-tainted mucus monster fall.
Rather, the mucus on her vestments colored her black innerwear, creating a lascivious scene as though she had spilled lotion all over her.
In that way, her neat and clean vestments become an immoral part that cast Jenna's lower body and only increased the excitement of whoever was watching her.
The small, weak slime climbed slowly, little by little, toward Jenna's rich ass――.
"No, no... Graffus, someone!!"
Like a maiden, Jenna screamed, however, it was blocked by the "black wall" and no one could hear it.......
