Lia tilted her head, processing Ethan's words, her hazel eyes flickering with a mix of surprise and thoughtfulness. "Grind... mobs?" she repeated hesitantly, unfamiliar with the casual tone he used for something so dangerous. "You mean… monsters? You want to fight them?"

Ethan grinned. "Ya. Ya. That. From where I am they say grind mobs." He laughed inwardly thinking how ridiculous it was that he was now living in this new world which might as well be a video game.

"Master… you want to become an adventurer?" Lia gasped slightly.

"Hmmm. I guess you can say that."

"But Master… that's very dangerous," Lia said, her voice tinged with concern. She stopped in her tracks, turning to face him fully. "Adventurers risk their lives every day, and the stronger the monsters, the higher the risk. You could—"

"Get killed?" Ethan interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "Sure, that's always a possibility. But its more dangerous to stay weak and vulnerable. Then we would constantly be at the mercy of others."

Lia nodded slowly. After all, she knew what he was talking about.

"I get it. Trust me, I'm not underestimating what's out there. But I've got some experience handling myself, and now with you at my side, I think we make a pretty solid team."

Lia immediately became sad. "I am sorry, Master. I am completely useless. I've never fought monsters before. I wish I had been stronger than I could have been of more use to you."

"That's fine," Ethan said. "We're starting with the easy stuff. No rushing into anything crazy. The whole point of this is to help you get used to your class and for both of us to get some experience in facing dangers."

Lia nodded. "If you are sure… then I know where we can go first."

Ethan smiled, relieved that Lia was coming around. "That's the spirit," he said warmly. "So, where's this spot you're thinking of?"

"There's a clearing near the edge of the forest," Lia said, her voice steady but still carrying a hint of hesitation. "It's close to the riverbank, and a lot of slimes show up there. Slimes are slow and simple. Beginner adventurers hunt these slimes for their crystal cores and sell them at the adventurer's guild."

Ethan's smile widened. "Perfect.

Plus, we can make some money while we're at it. Lead the way."

Lia nodded, still looking uncertain but determined. The two of them set off down the path, the hustle and bustle of the town slowly fading behind them. The trail became narrower and more overgrown as they approached the forest, sunlight filtering through the canopy in golden streaks.

As they walked, Ethan glanced at Lia. "So, you said beginner adventurers hunt these slimes. Have you seen them do it before?"

She hesitated, her hands fidgeting at her sides. "Not directly… my brother is an adventurer. I have heard it from him."

She became a slave even though her brother was an adventurer? Ethan wanted to ask more but he decided to save it for later. The brother was probably not that high level to make any difference.

Ethan kept his thoughts to himself. "What do you know about these slimes? How do we get their crystal cores?"

"They're inside the slime's body," Lia explained. "Once you defeat it, the core is usually left behind. It's what keeps the slime alive, so once it's removed or destroyed, the slime dissolves."

"Got it," Ethan said, gripping the hilt of his blade. "Sounds straightforward enough. We'll approach carefully and test the waters first."

The sound of rushing water grew louder as they neared the clearing. Finally, the trees gave way to an open space by the riverbank.

Just as Lia had described, several slimes wobbled lazily across the grass, their translucent gelatinous bodies shimmering in the sunlight. They glowed faintly, their cores visible as small, pulsing orbs within their translucent forms.

Ethan scanned the area, counting five slimes scattered across the clearing. "Alright," he said, lowering his voice. "We'll start with the closest one. Stay behind me and keep an eye out. If you see anything unusual, let me know." This chapter's true source is My Virtual Library Empire (M|V|LEMP-YR).

Lia nodded, her expression serious as she followed closely behind him. "Be careful, Master."

Ethan approached the nearest slime cautiously. The slime quivered slightly, sensing his presence, but it didn't move to attack. "Here goes nothing," he muttered, raising his dagger.

With a quick slash, the dagger sliced through the slime's gelatinous body. It shuddered, the wound glowing faintly as it wobbled violently in response. Ethan sidestepped as it attempted to lurch toward him, its movements sluggish and predictable.

The slimes were all level 1 so it wasn't a big deal to dodge and attack them.

"Lia, it's not as bad as it looks," Ethan called over his shoulder, delivering another precise strike. The slime convulsed before collapsing into a puddle of goo, its crystal core clinking softly as it hit the ground.

Ethan picked up the core, holding it up for Lia to see. "See? Easy peasy. Your turn next."