For three days, Mixarnt was nowhere to be seen. On the fourth day, he finally returned, dragging five sacks of loot behind him. He was an absolute mess. Dried slime clung to his skin, mixing with the bloodstains and grime from his past battles. It was obvious he hadn’t bathed in days. His shoes were gone, his pants were so shredded they barely resembled shorts, and his shirt was completely missing. As he stepped into the guild, the room fell silent for a moment before erupting into murmurs of shock and amusement. Arthur stared at him, jaw slack with disbelief. "By the gods, kid... what the hell happened to you?"

"I finished the slime quest," Mixarnt said, casually placing the now slime-covered quest paper onto the reception desk. Mika grimaced at the slimy mess but took the paper anyway, marking the quest as completed.

Arthur eyed the large sacks suspiciously. "So… what's in the bags?" he asked, and the other adventurers leaned in, eager to hear the answer. "Slime stones. And high-grade slime stones. 500 of each," Mixarnt said nonchalantly.

The guild fell silent.

Arthur blinked. "Wait… you’re telling me you collected 1,000 slime stones in just a few days?" Mika hesitated before carefully opening one of the sacks, her hands shaking slightly. As she peeked inside, her eyes widened in disbelief.

"This… this is unreal," she muttered. 

The other adventurers crowded around, their murmurs growing into a buzz of excitement.

"The quest didn’t specify how many slimes to kill… so I just kept going and, uh… I think I killed around 2,000," Mixarnt admitted, looking away with a guilty expression. Mika nearly collapsed in disbelief. The quest was meant for beginners, requiring them to kill just one slime—yet Mixarnt had wiped out an entire population as if he held a personal grudge against them. The guild hall fell silent for a moment before an eruption of laughter shook the room. Adventurers clutched their sides, barely able to process the absurdity of what they had just heard. Arthur, however, remained frozen, staring at Mixarnt like he had just confessed to destroying an entire species. "Two thousand slimes? Mixarnt… that's not just overkill—that’s a full-blown slime massacre!"

Mixarnt gulped, suddenly realizing the extent of his actions. Wondering if he had actually driven slimes to extinction in Caspade?

"...I didn't think about the consequences," Mixarnt mumbled, his voice barely audible. "I just kept killing them… one after another… until there were none left." Arthur sighed, his stern expression softening as he placed a reassuring hand on Mixarnt’s shoulder. "It's alright, kid. We all make mistakes. What matters is that you learn from them." Mika, still catching her breath from laughing, finally straightened up. "Well, you definitely learned that the hard way," she teased. "Next time, maybe just… stick to the quest requirements, yeah?" She shot him a playful wink.

Despite the absurdity of the situation, Arthur couldn't help but smirk. "You know, Mixarnt, even if you didn't mean to… you've single-handedly wiped out the slimes in Caspade. That's something, at least." Mixarnt nodded, feeling a mix of guilt, relief, and a newfound determination to be more careful next time.

Guild Master Enkin, a renowned dwarf, stepped out of his office to inspect Mixarnt’s haul. He stroked his beard, nodding in approval. "Not bad… not bad at all. This lot should be worth around 100,000 gold. That brings your total bank balance to 3.1 million gold." He smirked. "Why not take a break? Your clothes are in tatters, and you look like you haven’t bathed in ten days."

Mixarnt’s eyes widened at the mention of his growing fortune. "Three million, one hundred thousand gold?!" he echoed in disbelief. "That's insane!" As the realization sank in, he finally took note of his disheveled state—dried slime, dirt, and days of battle grime covering him from head to toe. Running a hand through his messy hair, he cringed at the filth clinging to his skin. "Y-yeah… maybe I should clean up first," Mixarnt admitted with a sheepish grin. "A bath sounds amazing right now."

Arthur, still chuckling at the sight of him, clapped Mixarnt on the back. "You heard the man, kid. Go get yourself cleaned up."

Mixarnt finally took a bath, but he wasn’t alone. With a sigh, Mika took it upon herself to wash him, knowing that as an 11-year-old, he might not clean himself properly. "Thanks, big sis Mika… yawn..." Mixarnt mumbled sleepily.

Mika paused, realizing just how exhausted he was. His excitement for adventuring had kept him going for days, but at the cost of proper rest—something crucial for a growing boy. "Sleepy, huh?" she asked, her voice soft with concern. "You’ve barely had any real rest, haven’t you? Adventuring is fun, but even heroes need sleep." Mixarnt nodded, his eyelids growing heavy as he leaned against Mika. "I guess… I got carried away…" he murmured before dozing off.

After his bath, Mixarnt wandered into the guild hall wearing pajamas. The moment the adventurers saw him, they burst into laughter—not out of mockery, but amusement. Seeing an 11-year-old, sleepy and dressed in pajamas, walking into a place filled with rugged warriors was an unusual but endearing sight. Even Arthur, usually composed, couldn't hold back a chuckle. Mixarnt, too tired to care, simply plopped down at the nearest table—unaware that someone was already sitting there. He blinked drowsily as his eyes landed on Elyssia. "E-Elyssia?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "What are you doing here?" Elyssia, usually cold and distant, softened slightly at the sight of the pajama-clad boy struggling to stay awake. A faint smile tugged at her lips. "Just enjoying a moment of peace," she replied.

"Are you still mad about the accident?" Mixarnt asked Elyssia with a yawn as Mika placed a bowl of steaming soup, fresh bread, and a glass of milk in front of him. For a brief moment, Elyssia’s expression darkened, a flicker of irritation flashing in her eyes. But just as quickly, she sighed and shook her head. "No, Mixarnt. It was just an accident. There's no point in holding onto it." As the rich aroma of the food reached him, Mixarnt’s stomach growled loudly, making Mika chuckle. Elyssia glanced at the meal, a hint of envy creeping into her voice. "That looks really good. You must be starving after everything." Without hesitation, Mixarnt eagerly dug in, slurping his soup and tearing into the bread like he hadn’t eaten in days. The guild hall filled with the sounds of his enthusiastic eating, making the adventurers smile in amusement.

As Mixarnt ate, his eyes slowly drooped shut. Elyssia watched as his pace slowed until, finally, he dozed off mid-bite, a piece of bread still hanging from his mouth. Despite her earlier irritation, she couldn’t help but recall the time he had fallen asleep on her lap without asking. Seeing him like this—peaceful and unguarded—made it hard to stay mad. A small, warm smile tugged at her lips. "I forgive you," she murmured softly. "Since you actually called me by my name today." Mixarnt, now deep in sleep, remained oblivious to her words. Meanwhile, Elyssia’s three companions stared in shock. They had never seen her smile at anyone with such tenderness before. They had known the Ice Mage for years but had never seen this softer, more caring side of her.

The tenderness Elyssia felt for him surprised her, warming her usually icy heart. "He really does bring out the best in us, doesn’t he?" Mika said thoughtfully, her eyes on Mixarnt’s sleeping figure. Arthur nodded, his expression reflective. "There’s something about his pure, unguarded nature that even puts the toughest of us at ease." Elyssia’s gaze returned to Mixarnt. She reached out with a slender finger and gently brushed the crumb from his lips.

The reason the guild members—except for Arthur—felt uneasy whenever Mixarnt annoyed Elyssia or called her "a sexy, beautiful, busty woman" was simple: everyone knew she was a princess of the Naeva Kingdom.

At just 18 years old, Elyssia had already mastered ice magic and was on the verge of earning the prestigious title of Ice Wizard. Her presence commanded respect, and even the most seasoned adventurers tread carefully around her. Arthur, however, remained unfazed. Unlike the others, he saw beyond her royal status. Watching as Elyssia gently pulled the forgotten piece of bread from Mixarnt’s mouth, he smirked slightly.

"Don't let the title fool you," he murmured. "Underneath it all, she's still just a person—one with feelings, just like the rest of us." Mika and the other adventurers exchanged glances, the tension in the room easing as they silently acknowledged the truth in his words.

"Can you stop teasing me?" Elyssia said as she stood up. She glanced at Mixarnt, still asleep on the table, and wondered if she should take him to her room to rest, knowing how much he seemed to like her thighs.

"Don’t worry about Mixarnt. I’ll take him to his room later," Mika said with a smile, completely unaware of Elyssia’s thoughts.

Elyssia’s cheeks flushed at Mika’s reassurance, a mix of relief and embarrassment washing over her. While she had grown used to Mixarnt’s affection, the idea of having him in her private quarters—even just to sleep—sent a strange thrill through her. As if sensing her inner conflict, Mixarnt stirred in his sleep, mumbling something unintelligible. Elyssia’s gaze returned to him, her resolve softening by the second. "Just to be safe, I’ll keep an eye on him," Elyssia said quietly. "In case he wakes up during the night."

Mika nodded, misunderstanding Elyssia’s true intentions. "Sounds good. I trust you to watch over him. We’ll handle the evening tasks and meet you back here tomorrow."

In Elyssia’s room, she laid Mixarnt on her bed. She then undressed, as she always slept naked to help herself relax. Sliding under the covers, she embraced Mixarnt, his face resting on her chest. Elyssia giggled softly, wondering if Mixarnt had a preference for women with larger breasts, given how often he called her a "beautiful sexy lady with a nice rack."

Mixarnt, completely unaware of what was happening, instinctively embraced Elyssia and rested peacefully against her. As he slept, he whispered the word, "Mom..."

Elyssia, lost in her thoughts, barely noticed the whispered word at first. But when she did, her heart skipped a beat at the unexpected intimacy of the moment. The way he sought comfort in her presence stirred something deep within her.

As she gently stroked his hair, Elyssia felt a wave of maternal affection, mixed with the beginnings of a more primal attraction.