In his sleep, Turk felt as though he had fallen into a huge mass of cool, springy Slime gel.
He desperately tried to stand, but every time he was about to get up, the elastic gel bounced him back with a "boing," like some poor wretch losing control atop a puffball mushroom.
He struggled like that for quite a while, yet not only did the sensation fail to disappear, it became increasingly real. There was even a solid pressure on his chest, as though something soft and squishy truly lay on top of it.
No, this wasn't a dream.
With a jolt, Turk suddenly woke from his sleep. Instinctively, he clutched the tree trunk behind him tightly, avoiding a fall from moving too wildly.
Once he recovered his senses, he realized his chest really did feel heavy. Looking down, he saw a little green jelly-like creature resting securely on his chest, rising and falling slightly with his breathing.
A flicker of confusion crossed his mind, then Turk's eyes instantly widened.
"Sl... Slime?!"
His excitement made him forget that he was still in a tree. The result was that he and the little green creature tumbled down together, rolling several times through soft moss and rotten mud until he was covered head to toe in filth, looking utterly miserable.
Yet even the mud all over him could not conceal the delight on his face.
He had searched painstakingly for Slimes all day yesterday without finding even a shadow of one. Yet the moment he opened his eyes today, one had come looking for him on its own.
Could this be the fate arranged by Putu?
Turk carefully spread his arms, revealing the Slime he had protected against his chest. He held it up in both hands and asked, "Great child of