- Shari -

Maybe we should now start to discuss how to proceed from here on out.

"It's so easy? It's really so easy?!" (Liqu)

Or we busy ourselves with whatever Liqu is up to.

"What is easy?" (Shari)

"Just like this we've got in here? No one even tries to get in our way? If I would have known this!" (Liqu)

"You realize that the adventurer cards we've got before enabled us to do this?" (Shari)

"Those little things? Being an adventurer is unfair. They get all the good things." (Liqu)

"Yes, sure. But you've got the same status right now. So it should be fine." (Shari)

"I suppose so. There are so many things which became better since I met you. It's fantastic!" (Liqu)

"Uh, if you say so." (Shari)

"Sorry to disrupt your couple talk, but we should start to figure out how to proceed from here on out." (Elin)

While Liqu shifts left and right to what is obviously music in her ears I facepalm so hard that my mask pushes into my face and breaks through the layer of powder.

"Yes. Let's do this. Glrlbl." (Shari)

Since we have no other destination we walk up the main street to the grand palace in the city's center.

The structure rising in front of us is the greatest thing I've ever seen.

A mountain of white, intricate decorations adorning the marbled exterior, and towers so high I can barely believe they're manmade.

A small wall is separating it from the public area.

Yet after I manage to stop gawking at this ridiculous display of wealth and power I focus on more pressing matters.

Mainly the many royal guards in front of each and every entrance.

Just one look at them is enough to know those are no easy opponents.

I wouldn't be surprised if they could take on the Count's elite.

However, the slime next to me doesn't seem to mind them too much.

I'm sure she isn't fully recovered, but all the threats, dangers, and whatever else we should mind if we want to stay alive becomes unimportant as she's totally in sightseeing mode.

Eagerly she observes everything in her surroundings, processing so much that she seems to have forgotten how to speak.

Which might be better as we have to discuss how to proceed right now.

"So we've made it into town. That’s one hurdle down, but does anyone have any idea how we'll be able to deliver the girl in there? If possible please without first having to wait in a room for the assassins to arrive." (Vela)

This might actually become an issue.

"Vela is right. Without Dion we lack the connections to enter the palace premises smoothly. At the moment we're just a group of nameless commoners and can forget about being granted access." (Zeon)

"And for some of us, this status is already one we don't want anyone to look deeper into." (Elin)

"Can't we just present them the princess? This should lead to a big enough commotion that it should be impossible to cover. Then we only have to make sure that she makes it to her dad. I doubt they can improvise an assassination this quickly." (Shari)

"I doubt that will work." (Lorena)

"What's the problem?" (Shari)

"The princess was always kept very isolated from everyone. Our king feared what might happen if one of the nobles reached her and to protect his daughter he restricted her contact to only the most trusted servants and security personnel. Yet because of this, most guards don't know what she looks like." (Lorena)

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"Then is there an official way to get an audience?" (Shari)

"That has a great probability of getting us caught. We can be quite certain that the enemy has a way to stay informed about everything that happens in the palace. It would be a risky game, especially as they're on edge after their most recent attack, different from the royal party, which might not even have noticed yet that something's off." (Vela)

"I might be able to contact some acquaintances of mine. I know some of the other servants personally. If I can pass a message to the right person this might help us get past the usual security measures." (Lorena)

"Okay, this sounds like a reasonable plan. In the meantime we need a base of operations. Does anyone know about an appropriate inn?" (Shari)

"I have no real experience with this town." (Elin)

"There should be one in the eastern supplier district. Not exactly high-quality, but it will suffice." (Vela)

"How do you know this?" (Zeon)

"My family comes from here. We have quite the military tradition. Initially, I was thought to join the regular army, but I've got a better opportunity with the count. And no we won't take advantage of my relatives for shelter. I'm not going to pull them into this." (Vela)

"Fine, then the inn." (Shari)

"You seriously intend to let her highness stay in a sub-par lodging?" (Lorena)

"Yes, I do. We can't move as covertly in the better parts of the town. Aside from this, it's not any worse than sleeping outdoors, which we already did." (Shari)

She grumbles but isn't retorting.

"We can't waste any time. Let's go, so we can secure a base of operations." (Shari)

The Capital is quite big.

So it actually takes some time till we make it to the inn.

We aren't in a too bad area, still quite close to the center, but from the outside, it looks a bit crude.

When I step through the huge double door I find myself inside a hall.

The bar is located on the other end and a stairway on the left supposedly leads to the rooms.

The hall itself is filled with several tables where already quite some folk is located.

Naturally, the cloaked figure with the fancy mask and her peculiar companions draw quite some looks.

Without wasting any time I advance on the man behind the counter.

"Excuse me, sir. We would like to rent rooms for our travel group. Whatever is free, we’ll take." (Shari)

"Eh-, s-sure. We have some rooms available. C-could I ask, why the mask?" (innkeeper)

"Skin irritation. My face would be a... disturbing sight." (Shari)

"R-right. Could I ask how many rooms you want? We also have double rooms, those are fifty copper a night, while the single rooms are forty." (innkeeper)

Actually, I need to put some effort into keeping my mouth from falling to the ground at this blatant robbery.

Yet we need a place to recover after this arduous journey.

Grudgingly I contemplate our group arrangement and make the decision.

"Three double rooms then." (Shari)

I hand him three silver for two nights, which is just too much.

In exchange, I directly receive the keys and we head up.

Now comes the hard part.

"This is how we'll do this: Erin, Vela! You'll share the room on the left." (Shari)

They don't look too happy with this.

Which might be because they're not getting along very well.

"Then in the middle, Lorena, Anvenia... and Liqu." (Shari)

"What?!" (Lorena/Liqu)

"Before anybody complains, Anvenia is still targeted. So I want that Liqu is always with her. They get along and Liqu doesn't take up too much space while being an excellent bodyguard. I'm as well burdened since I have to share my room with Zeon. Which isn't too great for a girl." (Shari)

The group shares some looks of disagreement.

"I don't want to hear anything about slimes not having a gender!" (Shari)

"Uh, well, I don't mind." (Zeon)

At least I'm halfway sure that Zeon is a gentleman and will do his best to avoid making this awkward for the two of us.

And I am even more sure that he won't try anything.

I wouldn't call myself ugly, if anything my form is quite well-shaped, but Liqu's body is the best example that proportions aren't everything.

"Now everyone goes into their respective room, does the most necessary things, and then comes to the middle room where we will discuss our next steps." (Shari)

I pull my luggage into the room I'll share with Zeon and start unpacking the stuff I want to have easy access to, like the clothes for tomorrow.

Then I move to the other room, as the leader should be present at team meetings.

There's actually quite much we need to take care of.

Naturally, the main goal is to get the princess back to her father without getting all the kingdom's assassins on our heels and causing a huge massacre.

But first, we need to make sure that we're in good shape.

This means resting, new clothes, and maybe a bath for those who have no difficult relationship with water.

We also need some more supplies.

Especially, for Liqu and me to replenish our mass.

Is there anything else on our list?

I wait till everyone settled down before I speak.

"Okay, we have a difficult goal and I want to hear all of your thoughts about how to achieve it. Are there any plans or things we need to do?" (Shari)

"Well, our supplies dwindled quite much. Not to a small degree due to some of us being pits without bottom in that regard. This inn charges hefty prices for their meals, so we should resupply elsewhere." (Vela)

"I might ask one of my coworkers if she can arrange a way for her highness to enter the palace. Or at least a meeting with a trustworthy person." (Lorena)

"I'd also need something." (Zeon)

"Oh, okay. What is it?" (Shari)

"A healer. My arm is still so injured that my abilities are greatly limited and I need to fix this. Does anyone here know a good affordable healer?" (Zeon)

Right...

Does it make me a bad person that it slipped my mind that he has a nasty stabbing wound?

"The only healers have their shops in the well-off districts, where one can afford their services. There might be some less-established ones in the merchant district. However, at this time of the day, they won't be open though." (Vela)

"In the first place, we're all quite exhausted from the journey and need some rest. I bet the girl in particular can't go on much further." (Elin)

Anvenia has very droopy eyes at the moment.

"Okay, it's decided. It's actually quite late today, so we're going to sleep, and tomorrow we'll take care of all our needs. Any objections?" (Shari)

"No." (everyone)

Good, all of this was mentally quite exhausting, so a bit of rest will serve me well.