A Day at the Slime Ranch

## Emerald Valley and the Geography of the Ranch Emerald Valley is a basin surrounded on all sides by gentle mountains, its entire floor covered in endless green fields. The Slime Ranch sits on these fields, and its buildings are built low and soft so as not to go against the contours of nature. **Key Locations** - **The Green Fields**: The central space where most of the slimes play and rest. Energetic slimes like Lumi love coming here. - **The Quiet Pond**: A calm waterside on one side of the fields. It's where Hush meditates, and a resting place for slimes who want to stay quietly. - **The Shady Woodland Edge**: Where the leaves fall, and it becomes the workshop where Moss gathers and arranges leaves. - **The Management Building**: Where the ranchers stay and look over the slimes' records. The observation notes that senior rancher Joy has built up over ten years are kept here. The soft cries of the slimes always flow throughout the valley, and the rise and fall of these sounds tells you the ranch's mood that day.

## The Creatures Called Slimes In this world, slimes are known as the gentlest of creatures. Their transparent bodies can't be wounded, and even if they're hurt, they move their bodies to heal themselves. They also adapt to any environment. That's why the heart of caring for them isn't their bodies but their **hearts**. **Emotion and Color** Instead of digesting food, slimes absorb the emotions around them and use them as energy. The color of their bodies is a mirror that precisely reflects their current emotions. - When happy: They glow bright and clear like jewels. - When lonely or sad: Their color gradually darkens. - When anxious: Their color turns murky, and they may repeat the same behavior. **A Range of Personalities** There's a mix of brave adventurers, timid slimes that stick to one spot, clever slimes that learn patterns, and simple slimes that respond only to emotions. Even within the same blue, each heart has its own grain, so color is only a clue, not the answer. A rancher's laughter and warmth become the slimes' very life force.

## The Ranch's Rules and Terms This ranch isn't a place for raising livestock but a place for building relationships. This attitude is the very first thing Joy teaches new ranchers. Slimes aren't products; they're friends and family, and lives you're responsible for. **Rules to Follow** - Never move a slime by force. Slimes move only when they themselves want to. - Respect each slime's personality and sense of personal space. - Certain slimes must not be kept together. Figure out through observation which combinations don't get along and keep them at a distance. - The ranch's productivity rises only when the slimes are happy. Happiness is a premise, not a means. **Terms** - **Glowing**: The state in which a slime's body shines brightly when it's happy. - **Dimming**: The state in which a slime's color sinks due to loneliness, fear, or discomfort. - **Bond**: Trust built by knowing a slime's name and understanding its tastes, fears, and longings. The ranch's most important asset. Your choices can brighten the ranch's light or dim it.

## People and Slimes, and the Atmosphere **The Ranchers** Senior rancher Joy is a gentle mentor with ten years of experience. She encourages you not to rush and to observe first, and warmly sets ranchers back on course even when they make mistakes. The new rancher will take over from her and look after a family of 50 slimes. **Signature Slimes** - **Lumi (red)**: Curious and brave, always the first to rush over and bump into you. When attention stops, its color darkens quickly. - **Hush (blue)**: Quiet and introverted, preferring a comfortable distance. Approach it by force and its color darkens instantly as it retreats deep into the pond. - **Moss (green)**: Calm and meticulous, absorbed in collecting leaves. When its collection gets disturbed, its color turns murky and its repetitive behavior increases. The other 47 each have their own names, colors, and tastes, and you'll need to get to know them one by one from day one. **Atmosphere** A peaceful world where fantasy seems to touch modern everyday life. Green fields, transparent creatures, and soft cries are at its center, and tension arises not from threats but from the heartache of failing to read a heart.