Slime Girl

 

- Shari -

 

Damn, Tamarah really put me through supplementary lessons today.
Or rather a boot camp I'd say.

Seriously, I swear during the first half she was just looking for excuses to hit me hard with a stick.
I didn't even count how many times my head got splashed.
Though, she apparently had an underlying intention.
It seems she was keeping track of how many repetitions I needed to successfully memorize information.

The short answer is, it depends.
The longer, that I at least need to spend the equivalent of three times the effort on a subject as a normal human would, but this depends very much on how interested I am and how well my core is working.
As I mentioned before, going into standby mode isn't necessary, but offers a bit of respite for my strained processing.
So she basically forced me to constantly remain in high-speed processing to etch the facts into this damned crystal marble I have for a brain.

In the end, I was totally stuffed with a variety of different methods to determine a person's ailments and what she called "the absolute basics of cure potions".
That those basics already exceeded fifty in number I'll just leave standing in the room now.
I hardly got to any real brewing.

Yet I barely got through this whole ordeal when suddenly the door swings open.

 

"In the name of the lord! Lady Shari, royal knight of the country, you're hereby summoned to the castle!" (Gareth)

 

Gareth, the captain of the guard, enters the shop, flanked by several of his subordinates.
At this, Tamarah gives me a disappointed look.

 

"What did you bring to my house this time?" (Tamarah)

 

Aside from many other thoughts I have on this matter, I'm glad that I was able to replace my mask and put on the powder beforehand in case I need to do customer service.
As I really can't have this legal issue becoming any bigger now, and my ability to run is very limited, I decide to face them directly and solve this peacefully.

 

"What's the issue?" (Shari)

"You know very well what you did! Damn! The whole castle is in uproar because of you!" (Gareth)

"How do you know it was me? Did you see their face? And how did you even know I'd be here?" (Shari)

 

At this, he rolls his eyes very hard at me.

 

"Aside from the fact that you obviously were responsible, you were seen last night up and about at this place. Please, don't cause trouble." (Gareth)

 

I'm not sure how far I can go here.
If I openly confront them this whole town might terribly blow up.

 

"Fine, let's settle this. Lead the way." (Shari)

 

Maybe I can somehow de-escalate everything.
However, I absolutely need to maintain my position.
If I get convicted or even apprehended, then at the very least, when they grab hold of me, I and everyone else will get into trouble.
I can't let it get that far.

However, as I approach, Gareth has some kind of expectant expression.

 

"Your weapons, please." (Gareth)

 

There's just one answer to this.

 

"No." (Shari)

"Sigh. Miss Shari, please. Don't make this situation dif-..." (Gareth)

"No! You seem to misinterpret the situation to a huge degree. I'm a royal knight on an official mission, so you're treading very dangerous waters here! My cooperation until now is pure goodwill. However, I'd advise you not to draw the wrong conclusions from this. You have neither power nor jurisdiction over me." (Shari)

 

Gareth looks visibly taken aback.
I'm sure he's just as unwilling as I am to cause a political incident.

 

"I have the authority to take you by force if you don't comply." (Gareth)

 

Damn, this is getting out of hand.
And the fact that I'm growing annoyed isn't helping to keep things under wraps.

 

"But you won't. Because in that case you'll raise your hand against the crown itself. I have all the authority here. Not you." (Shari)

"My men will..." (Gareth)

"Now that's enough! Your men won't do a thing. Because if they do, I'll retaliate. Now you should listen very carefully because otherwise, the consequences will be devastating. The truth is, at this very moment, I'd be very able to kill every last one of you without even breaking into a sweat. This is no threat, no overstatement, and no lie. You just don't have the slightest chance against me. And if you don't believe me you can ask Tamarah here." (Shari)

 

I nod towards the alchemist who chose not to get involved till this moment.

 

"Please, don't make a mess in my shop." (Tamarah)

"That depends on them." (Shari)

"For real? Great god, Gareth, can you just leave? I don't want to clean you off the floor." (Tamarah)

"Are you seriously claiming to be ready to go against all of the guard?" (Gareth)

 

I'm not sure if I could take every single soldier in this town at once.
But if they didn't prepare special anti-monster equipment, I don't see them dealing easily with me.
Not to speak of Liqu.

 

"I haven't seen her fighting yet, but I can confidently claim that she has the advantage here, Gareth. And you don't want to know what her friend could do. Please, don't be stupid." (Tamarah)

 

Yeah, Liqu would be a real nightmare if things would take a turn for the worse.
Just good that I can settle this peacefully here without her getting involved.

 

"Hello, Shari! I brought the meat! It worked really well!" (Liqu)

.
.
.

It's not even funny anymore.

 

"What is going on?" (Liqu)

"This gentleman wants to take me away, Liqu." (Shari)

"Oh, does he?" (Liqu)

 

"Spltsh"

 

Oh god, Liqu smacked her fists together which created a wet squelching sound through the gloves.

 

"No violence, Liqu. Please." (Shari)

 

At least for now.

 

"Sigh. You realize that I can't just leave you alone after what you did? Damnit, the lord has been a nervous wreck ever since then." (Gareth)

 

Which could be for the better, given the state his city has fallen into.
However, I should put a decisive end to this, or this stalemate could take a turn for the worse.

 

"Okay, I'll make you an offer now. Take it or leave it. We both go to the backroom where I'll tell you something that nobody in this whole town is supposed to know. Basically a national secret. It's very likely that you'll stop pestering us afterward, because it revolves around some pretty serious consequences for... well, everyone. However, naturally, you're free to decide for yourself." (Shari)

 

I don't like how he stares at me without saying a word.

 

"This is no trap. Your men would perfectly know where we are. I can't go for any underhanded tricks like this." (Shari)

"Fine, I'll give you this. But if you try anything funny..." (Gareth)

"Oh believe me, what's going to happen is deadly serious." (Shari)

 

Probably not the response he wanted, but the only one that fits.
He turns to his soldiers.

 

"You there, guard the door. Nobody leaves here no matter what. If anyone else but me walks out of this door again, consider the negotiations failed and those two your enemy!" (Gareth)

 

Then he walks in my direction.

 

"I hope what you have is going to be worth it." (Gareth)

"I'm sure it is." (Shari)

 

So we enter Tamarah's backroom, much to her chagrin.

 

"Don't believe for a moment I don't know what you have in mind. You're as stupidly reckless as ever, and for some reason, I always get caught up in it." (Tamarah)

 

She's making it quite obvious with her demeanor that she wants us out of here.
We get as comfortable as possible for our conversation in this tense situation, which mostly involves staring menacingly at each other.

 

"So, what is it that is so important that nobody can hear about it?" (Gareth)

 

Seems like there's no other way out of this.

 

"Yes, I was getting to this but couldn't afford more people to know. The following might be slightly distressing to hear and there's always someone to lose their nerves and do something stupid, which would lead to the very outcome we're trying to prevent right now by doing this. You see, we were sent here with a mission. The contents should be somewhat clear to you by now. To put it simply, it's about stopping the slave trafficking and making sure that Ekoras and its lord are on the side of the country and acting as such, as well as taking out any present opposition. As you probably know, the country is on the brink of a civil war, and all of its people depend on the success of this mission. We simply cannot afford to lose any more support, even if it has to be claimed by force." (Shari)

 

The way I talk I should appear more like a loyal, patriotic subject, which is just the impression I need at the moment.

 

"You're saying nothing new. I don't see the mind-altering revelation you promised me here." (Gareth)

"Please, I wasn't done yet. We were just getting to that part. So yes, we were sent here to investigate and take out everyone who emerges as our enemy. However, the part that they didn't tell us directly, but that we could likely assume, is what happens if things go wrong. The thing is, in case we fail, in case this whole town turns against us, the queen's direct subjects, she put in an emergency plan. A very simple one." (Shari)

"Could you please stop being so overly dramatic?" (Gareth)

"But what comes now is dramatic. In the case we fail we're supposed to wipe out this city!" (Shari)

 

That much was clear since long ago.
That schemer of a queen didn't simply send us because we're such loyal, reliable subjects.
She sent us because if we'd fail, she would still win.
Or at least come out about even, with one less enemy to worry about.

I can't really blame her for this.
Without a doubt, it's a rational decision.
I'm sure she would prefer that everything turns out well, but it can't hurt to be safe rather than sorry.

 

"I have no idea what you're trying to say, but you don't do a good job at convincing me that you're anything but a crazy maniac." (Gareth)

"Oh, you want to be convinced? Well, then I'm gonna convince you. You know, I already did this several times and I would lie if I said that I'm not getting some sick kind of kick from doing so." (Shari)

 

While speaking, I take off my mask and reveal my powdered face.
Gareth meanwhile grows uneasy.
He knows I'm up to something, just not what.

 

"The truth is, it is somewhat liberating to do this. Always hiding yourself away is constraining. A background strain that you only truly feel when all the tension gets suddenly relieved. You know what I'm talking about, right Liqu?" (Shari)

"Totally! It's so difficult to always act proper. It feels like I need to answer questions I haven't heard when they were called. Also, clothes are evil!" (Liqu)

 

The latter is a matter of fact to her.

 

"I'm aware how farfetched it sounds that we claim to be capable of such feats as destroying a whole town. It must sound crazy. Humans can't accomplish such a thing. No matter how much they train, there are limits they can't overcome. But I assure you, this isn't just an empty threat. I'm being completely honest with you. However, this won't be enough, I know. Because some things you can only believe if you confirm them with your own damn eyes!" (Shari)

 

At this, I plunge my own finger into the slimy crevices, from which I focus my ability to see, but which are ultimately just more slime.
This leaves a blue downward trail in the white powder.

 

"What the fuck!?!" (Gareth)

"Liqu, you can now get rid of your clothes. Please grow at the door." (Shari)

 

She doesn't let me tell her this twice and is out of her clothes and has grown to four times her size in the blink of a moment.
This way the door isn't passable any longer.
However, the main reason was that I grew concerned about possibly alarmed shouts.
I take a decisive step closer to the man who should right now question the life choices that led him here.

 

"You see, the queen has decided to employ rather peculiar agents. And yes, we are as official as it gets." (Shari)

 

I pause for a moment, which seems to be enough that our good guard captain can form coherent thoughts again.

 

"A slime! A goddamned, fucking slime! Directly in front of my eyes! This is ridiculous! Thieves, bandits, murderers, and now even monsters! There's no limit to how low this shithole of a town can go!" (Gareth)

 

Well, not too coherent, I need to say.

 

"Hey, I'm not the bad one of us two here. She's the one who would annihilate each and every one should I come to harm." (Shari)

"Yes, but that would be totally justified. I said more than once what the consequences would be. It really shouldn't be too hard to follow up on this one simple request." (Liqu)

 

In theory, maybe.
In praxis, the whole scale of what's at stake kinda makes me uncomfortable.
Nonetheless, it is somewhat weird how she speaks with a little head that protrudes out of this whole mass.

 

"I can't fucking believe it! There were rumors... but this?!" (Gareth)

"Yeah, whatever. But what I said before stands true. I don't really want to resort to violence, but Liqu is very able to take out anything and anyone you throw at her. And be it the whole guard contingent of this town." (Shari)

"The, the whole time?" (Gareth)

"Yes, that one time with Baron Moreau was really a close call. Still kinda bitter about the money we lost back then." (Shari)

 

He even grows pale now.
It shouldn't be surprising considering that he realizes how close he dodged that arrow.

 

"So to get back now to the question of getting apprehended. I'd like to mention that we could simply walk out of the cells at any time. Or if it's one with really fine bars dissolve us a passage through. As I see it there's no feasible way to get us arrested and I sincerely advise against doing so. Or even more so about conducting more violent actions." (Shari)

"This is pure madness!" (Gareth)

"Well, get used to it, cause we won't go anywhere now we're here." (Shari)