Rimuru and Iruma's Adventures in the Netherworld

Tour Around Town

I wonder what that was...

It was something green, maybe some sort of dried pellets. It sure looked like some kind of pet food or something, but I'm not sure. The slime sure seemed to like it though, and I think that other people are tossing the same stuff to the slimes.

Curious, I decided to ask the kid what he fed the slime.

"What was that stuff you were feeding it?"

"Uh...hipokute pellets. Wanna try?" the kid offers, holding out a handful of them to me.

"Sure...thank you so much!" I gratefully respond.

I take the pellets and roll them around in my hand, wondering what they're made of.

"I believe they are made with a byproduct of potion production, which are created with hipokute herbs" Katelyn adds, noticing my curiosity about the slime food.

"You mean those special healing potion things?" I ask, remembering how Gobta told me some about those and even used one on me.

"Yes, I've heard some things about how that all works, and there isn't much use for the leaves after the juice is squeezed out of them. There are still some magicules left in the dregs, so they get pressed into these pellets that people like to feed the slimes with."

"Huh...well, I guess I'll give it a try."

Part of me wants to just toss the food to the slimes since I know it kinda feels weird to touch them, but a lot of people seem to be enjoying hand-feeding the slimes.

I crouch down and hold out my hand and one of the larger slimes approaches me. After a few seconds, it does the same thing the first did and hops on top of my hand and also part of my arm since it really is quite a bit bigger than the small one that the kid fed.

It felt cold and wet, similar to what I expected, but just like last time, it wasn't like it left behind a residue or anything. Not a bad experience, really, since it only lasted a few seconds.

But, instead of immediately returning to its herd, the slime just sits in front of me, not moving.

Is it okay?

The slime has started quivering strangely and it's making me a little worried. Did I do something wrong by feeding it those pellets? No, that can't be it; everyone is feeding slimes those things.

I give it a cautious poke, but it doesn't budge and the quivering keeps getting worse.

"Hey, Katelyn, I think there's something wrong-"

Part of the slime distorts and a smaller one pops out before both the large one and the new small one bounce their way into the horde of slimes, disappearing from my sight.

"Did it just...give birth?!" I shout, completely shocked by what I just saw happen.

"Wooooow! That's amazing!" the kid who shared the pellets with me exclaims.

"What an honor; it's considered good luck to witness a slime divide right after feeding it." Katelyn cheerfully exclaims, also looking happy about the slime having a baby right in front of us.

"So that happened because I fed it then?"

"Exactly. Slimes divide once they reach a certain size brought on by eating; it's just how they work."

The question of whether that rule applies to Rimuru too crosses my mind, but with how much I've seen her eat, I doubt it.

"All slimes?"

"As far as I know-...wait, are you asking about Lord Rimuru?"

I nod my head.

Katelyn tries and fails to suppress a giggle.