"So, Smith-san," I spoke into the phone, resting my elbows on the kitchen counter. "What would the Cultural Exchange do if, hypothetically, a slime suddenly materialized out of thin air at the house?"

"Hmm..." Smith mused, "I'd say if it appears on Darling-kun's property, it is within his purview, not the Cultural Exchange's."

It had been roughly twelve hours since I first noticed Suu in the sink, and it was becoming increasingly evident that she would be more or less "all together" shortly. She had already filled the bowl, and the slime began to ooze from the edges. Her head tentacle was now swaying listlessly, although it would occasionally twitch at some of the louder noises in the house. If I squinted, I could make out the faint outlines of her eyes, bright blue lights that would fade in and out as her body formed. She wasn't quite ready yet, but she would be soon.

Kurusu, thankfully, didn't seem to notice my note on the faucet and made dinner without commenting on it. Since he was the only one entering the kitchen (especially after I had rejected Miia's attempts at cooking for now), the girls were likely unaware of anything being "broken." I had every intention of informing them all about our new houseguest, but only after I had devised a plan to avoid panic or Suu molesting anyone.

I foolishly believed Smith could help me come up with my plan. I shook my head in disbelief. "Don't you guys normally care about anything about liminal creatures?"

She sighed. "Did you look at the counselor's binder I gave you?"

I nodded, running my finger along the head tentacle of the rapidly growing Suu. It felt slightly more solid than the rest of her body. "All it said about slimes was that they like water. I guess they're an unknown species."

"Indeed," Smith nodded, "We've encountered them before, but they're exceedingly rare, even among liminals. We don't know much about them, save for their temperament. Unfortunately, they didn't show up for the Bill negotiations, so it's unknown if it applies to them."

I hummed in thought, feeling the tentacle around my finger. It was a bit strange, but not unpleasant.

"Hey, big brother!" Papi shouted from the living room, the wheel spinning in her hands as she jumped around. "Come play with us!"

"Only four people can play Mario Kart at a time, Papi," I reminded her. Sure enough, Kurusu, Miia, and Centorea were gathered around the screen, ready to go through the character selection. It was a minor miracle that Kurusu had even agreed to play, considering his usual busy schedule, so I didn't want to give him another excuse to bow out. Centorea was desperate to get back at Dark Souls but held back after Kurusu said he'd join in.

"Ohhhh," Papi responded, taking in the sight of her fellow players, "'kay!"

"How responsible of you, Aki-kun, choosing work over play," Smith snickered.

"You're one to talk," I sniped, considering her words. "So slimes aren't considered as part of the Bill then. I didn't know that."

"From what we understand, they don't have a unified governing body, and the government created the Bill with the other known liminal governments in mind," Smith replied, "So it's difficult to take action on their behalf."

I nodded in understanding. "So there isn't anything you can do on your end, officially?"

"As cultural coordinator, I should investigate this matter since it involves an undocumented liminal..." Smith paused before continuing, "But I'm sure you have a good handle. I rely on you to be my eyes and ears on the ground, Romance Master-kun!"

Classic smith.

"By the way, did you hear from Zombina-chan about your first assignment?" she asked.

"Yeah, I got a text from her earlier today," I answered, my attention divided between the conversation and the playful finger-poking Suu had initiated. "I thought you said I'd be dealing with more hostile species, though."

"I also said we'd start you off with something a little easier first," she reminded me. "Don't worry; soon enough, you'll be taking on friendly wyverns and the like!"

"Fabulous," I replied dryly. "Anyway, I told Zombina that Tuesday works for me at any time. Just let me know when the meeting is."

"Sounds great; I'll see you soon then! And good luck with your new housemate!" With that, she hung up.

"Helpful as always," I grumbled, pocketing the phone and turning my attention to Suu. "Now, what to do with you?"

Suu blinked at me, steadily returning my gaze. It was becoming increasingly difficult to resist the urge to poke the adorable blob. I was confident that it wouldn't cause any harm, though.

"Boop," I said eventually, giving in to temptation and poking her again. Suu quivered in the bowl but made no sudden movements. "Hm, you must be hungry if you're so sluggish," I mused aloud, reaching into the fridge for some leftover chicken. I recalled that all slimes needed to exist on was water and some protein from time to time. I'd get her some more water soon, but I wanted to show her off to everyone while she was still relatively docile. "Here you go."

I dropped the chicken into the bowl, which seemed to satisfy her. It was pretty odd to watch the meat slowly dissolve inside Suu, but I couldn't look away. I was in awe of Suu's existence, as it defied the laws of science as I knew them. How could a purely liquid-based lifeform like a slime even exist?

"Uh, Bando-san?" Kurusu's voice broke me from my thoughts. "Are you trying to fix the faucet or something... ?"

"I've got a surprise for everyone," I announced, and the game suddenly stopped. Gently cradling Suu in my hands, I strode into the living room. "It looks like we have a new house guest," I said.

The reactions were varied.

"What on earth is that?!" Miia exclaimed, taken aback.

"Why would a slime be here?!" Centorea demanded.

"Ooh, I wanna get a closer look," Papi said, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Hello there," Kurusu said, a pleasant smile on his face.

"I think she's a girl," I informed him.

He kept smiling, but I sensed a hint of resignation in his mind. The poor guy didn't even know the half of it. "Wait, how do you figure that?" I shrugged. "I'm just getting that kind of vibe."

"Master, I must advise caution!" Centorea stepped in, brandishing her fake sword. Where did that come from? "We know nothing of slimes and their true intentions...."

"Calm down, Centorea," I said, trying to diffuse the situation. "No point in overreacting - oh, shit!"

Suu shot into motion, extending her body into a long tube that rose to the ceiling, her blue slime body pulsing with each movement. Her bowl, already too small for her, was getting harder to hold. Her glowering gaze made it apparent that she was ready to face the perceived threat.

"Fret not, everyone!" Centorea declared, striking a stance with her sword and the roughly shield-shaped pillow that reminded me of a particular videogame that she had been playing a lot lately. "I shall save Bando-sama from the beast's clutches!"

"H-Hold on, Centorea!" I cried out, trying to prevent the situation from escalating. "Suu's only defending herself!"

"And I am defending you," she replied, her voice full of determination. "I will make sure not to harm you." Despite her confidence, I had my doubts.

In a desperate bid to stop her, I shouted the first thing that came to mind. "You're acting just like centaur men, you do realize?!"

Centorea stopped in her tracks, her body rigid with tension. Kurusu, Miia, and Papi exchanged confused glances but stayed silent in the face of the palpable tension in the air. Suu remained where she was, her gaze fixed on everyone below her. I took a deep breath, feeling my heart beating faster in fear that I may have gone too far.

The centaur took a deep breath and glared at me. "Be that as it may, I shall not allow any threats to this house to go unchecked," she stated, her voice filled with a fiery conviction.

I was about to panic, but I held my ground. "Suu hasn't done anything to be considered a threat," I said firmly, my voice wavering slightly from the tension in the air. "But reacting to her with violence because of what she might do will only worsen matters. Please, Centorea, try to stay calm."

The silence stretched for an eternity, neither of us willing to back down. Finally, Centorea sighed and relaxed her stance, though her shoulders were still tense. "Very well. I will not let the slime out of my sight, however."

I exhaled in relief and nodded. "That's perfectly acceptable," I said.

"And Bando-sama?"

"Hm?"

"Do not compare me to those... brutes again," Centorea warned me, her gaze narrowing. "I'd thought that you understood that."

I mentally chastised myself for my ill-conceived remark. If it had been enough to stop the situation from escalating, I was willing to take the hit to my reputation with Centorea. It was a complicated situation, especially with someone with a personality like hers.

Still, I knew that I had to apologize. "I'm sorry," I said, slightly bowing so as not to disturb Suu. "I panicked and said the first thing that came to mind."

Centorea seemed surprised at my quick apology, and her cheeks flushed slightly. "A-Apology accepted," she replied, averting her gaze. She cleared her throat and regained her composure. "So long as it does not happen again."

Kurusu cleared his throat, trying to break the tension. "So, uh, what did you name her?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Suu," I replied, feeling guilty for stealing Papi's thunder. "I thought it fit."

Papi beamed and quickly hopped over to give Suu a good petting. "I like it!"

I excused myself shortly after that, claiming that Suu needed water and that I would take her to the bathroom. Centorea followed, as promised, leaving the other three to return to their game. The air was still a bit tense, but we chose not to comment on it, confident that it would eventually pass. When we reached the bathroom, Suu became more animated, her body quivering as she soaked in the air's moisture.

"she certainly seems to be enjoying herself," Centorea noted, her hooves making loud clapping sounds that echoed throughout the room. "Hold on," I said as I turned on the bathtub faucet and waited for it to fill. Once it was about half full, I set Suu's bowl at the edge. Suu's head tentacle dipped in; noticing the water instantly, she started taking big gulps.

Sure enough, her body began to expand and transform. It wasn't the sudden burst into a beautiful, humanoid girl that it was in the series. This time it was more gradual; first, her body expanded in its amorphous shape until it was roughly Papi's size. At that point, four limbs began to poke out and form into arms and legs, followed soon after by her head. Her head tentacle grew and divided, becoming "hair" of multiple green and yellow-tipped feelers.

"She can take human form?" Centorea said in disbelief and wonder. "I had no idea slimes were capable of such things..."

Suu blinked at us with glimmering emerald eyes, staring vacantly. I offered her a shy smile and waved my hand. "Hi, Suu," I greeted her, "How are you feeling?"

At first, she raised a hand to imitate my wave, but she stopped herself for some reason. Instead, she favored me with the same smile and, to my surprise, poked me on the nose with a slimy finger.

Then, she spoke for the first time in a soft, sweet voice.

"Boop."

To be continued!