Suddenly, I Became a Slime

...I really have no words.

Just as I was thinking how nice it would be if there were a window, something terrifying happened. The jelly in my "precious area" started wriggling and created a tiny hole in the container. If I hadn't quickly taken care of it, the hole might have grown out of control.

While I was relieved to have stopped it and the jelly that was bubbling away, the vehicle stopped shortly after. I heard the sound of two people getting out from the front.

Hearing this made me feel strangely self-conscious.

Eventually, I heard footsteps, and through the tiny hole made by my "precious area," Hwangbo Yul's face appeared. Due to my current form as a compressed jelly, I couldn't exactly make eye contact with her, but she gazed at me with a peculiar expression and sighed.

"Why on earth is there a hole here?"

Her tone was like that of a mother scolding a child. Though her voice remained fundamentally cold and indifferent, the difference between her demeanor now and when we first met was like night and day.

I wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but I felt it indicated that she had opened her heart to me—at least a little. The thought tickled my jelly in an odd way.

Her motherly tone also left me with mixed feelings.

"Ah, I forgot you can’t talk. Cheonsu, do you know why this happened?"

"Huh? Oh... Maybe it wanted to look outside?"

"...Hmm. It’s not trying to escape, is it?"

"I’m not sure, but I doubt it."

"I see."

The conversation I overheard made me feel uneasy. In hindsight, I realized it could easily be misunderstood as an escape attempt on my part.

But…

Even I felt like it seemed plausible, but oddly enough, the suspicion of an escape attempt was quickly dismissed.

Although Hwangbo Yul appeared unconvinced by Kim Cheonsu’s response and seemed uneasy, she seemed to believe I wasn’t attempting to escape.

What is this unsettling feeling?

With no means to express my dissatisfaction, I quietly curled up as a jelly. Shortly after, a metal plate was placed over the tiny hole, and the vehicle started moving again.

How long did I stay curled up, waiting for the end of this rather long journey?

While I waited in the darkness, I suddenly heard a knocking sound on the container.

"We’re here. Come out!"

Finally!

I probably can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been so glad to hear Kim Cheonsu’s voice.

Not long after his voice, the container’s doors opened. The bright light outside, which I hadn’t seen in a while, stung my "precious area."

In my field of vision was a familiar entrance. Though I had rarely gone in and out of it, it was an unforgettable… entrance to the facility. Overwhelmed by the feeling of finally coming home, I slid out of the container like a sticky liquid.

"Whoa!"

"...Hmm."

I heard the voices of the two people, but entering the facility was my top priority. Flowing like a stream, I moved into the entrance of the facility. Crawling like a slug, I began to regain my original form as I realized my body had been compressed.

My appearance, which truly resembled that of a snail, slowly transformed back into a "girl’s" shape. It felt familiar yet strange—I could barely remember what I originally looked like.

Does it matter, though? I’ll be living as jelly from now on.

But there was one thing I hadn’t considered: as I released my compressed form, my body began to expand uncontrollably.

When I first entered this place, it felt enormous. Now, it felt like I was squeezing through a ventilation shaft.

Still, I was happy.

Because I was home.

As I slid through the narrow corridors, the facility’s inner entrance came into view.

Since I couldn’t shed tears, I let my jelly drip as I approached the closed entrance. It opened to reveal Han Seori holding Daesik (inside Alice).

"Seeing you in person... you’re even bigger."

Han Seori gazed at me with slightly dazed eyes. As for Daesik... I couldn’t tell. Since its expression didn’t change, I couldn’t gauge its emotions, but its blank stare made it seem a little flustered.

When I approached and brought my face close to theirs, Han Seori chuckled and patted my jelly gently, speaking in a low voice.

"You’ve worked hard. I’m glad you’ve returned safely."

In response to her words, Daesik waved its doll hand enthusiastically. Behind them, I saw Jungsik floating toward me, carrying Sosik. Yang Hana trailed after them.

Jungsik, as if startled or perhaps welcoming me, sprayed jelly all over my face. It reminded me of a scared puppy wetting itself or perhaps a happy dog licking its returning owner’s face.

If I had to choose, I’d prefer the latter.

Sosik, who had climbed down from Jungsik’s back, lazily raised its hand and then flopped down.

Can’t you show a little more excitement? Annoyed, I poked at it with my fingers. I had intended to give you a TV, after all, and this attitude is too much.

In retaliation, it extended its tendrils and lightly slapped my fingers.

Of course, it didn’t tickle me in the slightest, so I let my jelly bubble as I enjoyed squishing Sosik into a pancake.

However, Han Seori and Yang Hana started giving me odd looks, making me feel a little embarrassed. I withdrew my fingers.

Sosik, seemingly furious, stomped its feet—a rare display of emotion—and angrily marched into the facility.

...Huh.

Seeing that made me feel like I might have done something wrong. It was the first time I’d seen Sosik act that way.

Did I go too far?

Maybe I had taken out the stress of being confined in the container on Sosik.

...Ahem.

Since I’m an adult, I should apologize first, right?

As I exhaled jelly, Yang Hana waved both hands and spoke cheerfully.

"Even though you’ve grown, you’re still the same! But this is a problem... The clothes we made won’t fit!"

"It’s not just that level of a problem..."

"Even the clothes the doctor bought won’t fit now!"

"...Hmm."

Growing was great.

But seriously, why is Han Seori like this?

Avoiding being dressed in jelly-suitable clothes was a stroke of luck. Feeling relieved, I moved my body to head inside.

"Oh my!"

"Uh, um."

But it wasn’t easy. The entrance to the facility was even narrower than the vents I had passed through. Since I couldn’t force it open, I had to compress myself like I had in the container.

...If I squeezed through, anyone else in the corridor would probably get entangled in the jelly.

Coming back was great, but now that I’m here, this huge body feels cumbersome.

...It was fun squishing Sosik, though.

Han Seori, perhaps having realized the problem earlier, sighed softly and muttered.

"This facility isn’t designed to accommodate such a large creature... We’ll have to modify it."

"Wow. Is that even possible?"

"That…"

Han Seori trailed off, looking at me with an ambiguous smile. Her expression left me bewildered, but I realized that the only ones who could modify this facility were Kim Cheonsu (very slow; might die of old age first) and the Sphere.

Come to think of it.

Where is the Sphere?

It feels oddly less endearing that it didn’t come to greet me. Maybe it figured out that I’m not particularly fond of it.

...I wanted to come back, but now that I’m here, it’s not as joyful as I imagined.

Still, judging by Han Seori’s silence, the Sphere must be somewhere in the facility.

As I brooded over this, Han Seori spoke with a hint of regret, looking at me.

"With a body like this, the reward we prepared is useless. Getting a TV suited to your size is impossible."

"Exactly! At this size, it would feel like looking through a needle’s eye."

Wait... Hold on.

Are you saying the reward I worked so hard for... is gone? No, no, this can’t be happening.

As despair bubbled within me, my jelly began to boil over.

The trembling of my jelly caused the corridor I had passed through to shake as if a small earthquake were occurring. Han Seori quickly tried to calm me down.

"Calm down. Let’s find a solution together."

Her urgent tone helped me regain my composure. Sure, losing the reward was disappointing, but was it worth getting this upset over? Probably not.

...Even if it was just a TV.

It’s a bit embarrassing.

That aside…

I sighed heavily.

This huge body is too inconvenient.

...In that case.

What if I separated again like I did when I combined?

With a determined slap on the floor, I gestured for the others and the remaining jelly creatures to head inside the facility before focusing my mind.

If I really were to separate, and someone got caught up in it… who knows what might happen?

After confirming that everyone else had gone inside, I concentrated and repeated the thought in my head.

Disassemble!

...It felt a bit silly, but it was the only term that came to mind at the moment.

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