- Shari -

"Three." (Liqu)

Just what was I thinking?

Infiltrating the goddamn royal palace?

How could I even remotely believe that this will turn out well?

I mean, we're about to assault the royalty of this country in their sleep, hoping that they won't be too freaked out when we are in front of them to listen, putting everything on the gamble that the fact that we have their daughter in our clutches will in any way make them more favorable towards us.

Damnit, Shari.

You've had better ideas.

However, we all agreed on this course of action and our options are limited.

But still, I have every right to ramble in my mind what a terrible plan this is.

But if I'm already doing this I can at least try to get this done right.

"Ahem, guys, I know we talked about this before, but what we ended up with was more of a general direction than a formulated plan. Now I'd like to know how exactly we are supposed to not only reach the best-guarded people in this whole kingdom but also accomplish this incredible feat while we're carrying a princess. Call me a pessimist, but I see some issues coming up." (Shari)

"Fine, how about this? While you're going to climb up the wall, we'll go to the main entrance and draw their attention." (Vela)

"No, I don't want anyone to sacrifice themselves for me!" (Anvenia)

"You may have misunderstood something. We're simply going to very loudly proclaim that our lord got attacked. They ought to receive us if we say that we're messengers sent by Count Kahan. They might not believe us or really act on it if they're traitors, but they won't ignore us and we're not important enough for the conspirators to attack us and risk exposing their presence in the palace." (Zeon)

That actually could be considered a sound plan.

"Four." (Liqu)

"But wait, how are you going to identify yourselves? The fact that we have no proof was the problem why we couldn't get in there in the first place." (Shari)

"We may not have our uniforms, but it's believable enough that we were traveling incognito after the attack. And they don't have to believe us. They only have to leave their posts long enough that you can sneak past the resulting gaps." (Vela)

"Five." (Liqu)

"Sure, whatever you want, but count me out of this. They may simply kill you lot out of spite since we already announced our presence. Even if they have no intel about you two it won't take too long till they can connect the dots to this messy incident. I'm going with the slimes and ensure they make it to the wall." (Elin)

Vela grunts a bit at this, but no one challenges Elin.

I guess it's asking a bit too much from her to risk her life like this.

"Six." (Liqu)

For anyone who's asking what Liqu is counting there, she's taking out one slime after the other we encounter while proceeding through the sewers simply by touching them.

Then she absorbs the "good part of their slime" and gives what she can't hold to me.

Usually, I would complain, but I can't because after that fight I need every little bit of energy and the others once again forced me to replenish myself "for the team".

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"It's kinda weird seeing her doing this." (Vela)

"You’re telling me. Do you want to know how weird it is to be on the receiving end?!" (Shari)

"Uh, no I'm good." (Vela)

Not as sassy as usual, which might partly be guilt and partly that I'm a bit scary.

Especially in this environment.

"Please, no quarreling. We'll soon reach our destination." (Zeon)

"Fine, as you say." (Shari)

Then we proceed with our plan.

We wait till after nightfall so that we'll only have to deal with the night shift of the guards and have the advantage of the dark while being able to rely on our night vision.

For some reason, Elin memorized the sewer system and leads us to a junction where apparently one way leads close to the palace gates and the other to an ideal location to start climbing the wall.

"Well, this is it. Let’s do this." (Zeon)

"Sigh." (Shari)

"What is wrong?" (Vela)

"I don't know. Sometimes I ask myself how things could turn out like this. Around two months ago I was just a girl who was going out to gather some herbs and today I'm on an operation to infiltrate the royal palace because of some country-threatening conspiracy. I think it's important to bring this to mind at times." (Shari)

"You really came so far!" (Liqu)

"Thanks, Liqu. But that wasn't exactly what I meant to say." (Shari)

"I guess none of us would've been able to anticipate this concrete situation back then." (Elin)

"We might actually get famous for this." (Zeon)

"Or infamous or simply end up dead. Whatever it is, it's not like we could step out at this point." (Vela)

She's right.

We'll have to see this through.

We separate from Vela and Zeon and reach the place Elin was leading us to.

Now it's time to leave the rest of them behind.

Lorena looks like she wants to say something but has been silent already for quite some time.

Probably because she's embarrassed since she's kinda responsible for our current situation.

"Just to soothe you, the princess will be safe with us. She's not going to fall and if anything happens, she's the last person to get attacked." (Shari)

"Yes... Thank you." (Lorena)

"Can you get going? I don't know how well this distraction is going to work but you don't want to miss your timing." (Elin)

"Yes, sure. We're going to send someone to fetch both of you later. Otherwise, you might be the only one to make it out here alive, Elin." (Shari)

"Oh please. I'm halfway sure that there's an equal chance you're going to kill every last person in this city." (Elin)

This might not be wrong.

Liqu might still be weakened, but is already much better and human guards are still at a disadvantage against us.

Especially, while fighting within a building where they can't use ranged weapons so well.

Now we're finally going to leave the sewers.

I can't directly smell it but the implications are bad enough.

I'm first and then Liqu heaves Anvenia all the way up.

I should instruct this girl one last time.

"Just to make sure you understand, you can't utter a single word if not asked by us. It's important that you stay quiet all the time, or we'll get discovered." (Shari)

"Yes! Thank you so much for all your hard work!" (Anvenia)

"Pscht! Quiet time starts now!" (Shari)

She listens and we're ready to get started.

After making sure that the citizens are minding the nightly curfew, I strip since I'll have to climb the wall and every bit of extra weight would be detrimental.

Naturally, I'm a bit embarrassed and have a strong feeling of wrongness for doing this in front of a young girl.

Liqu doesn't seem to have the same sentiments as I do and is all too quickly out of them.

I hand them over to Elin.

"Oh, great. Slimed clothes. Just what I always wanted. How did you know?" (Elin)

"Sigh. Would you please hold on to them for us? They were quite expensive and I'd love to get them back." (Shari)

Just after I gave her everything the thought comes up that my purse is in there.

Slimed money would be bad, so I often keep the satchel in the pouches.

She wouldn't run off with it, right?

She can't be this stupid.

"Oh wait, one more thing." (Shari)

I move to my bag, pull out the glass with the Ledia leaves and gather a good chunk of them within my slime.

For now, I'll keep them at a part of me I consciously isolate from the rest.

This is a mission where putting someone to sleep could come in handy, but I only need a bit and don't want to dilute the effect by spreading them over my whole body.

Eventually, I'll have to think of a better way to store it.

Maybe with hidden inner pockets in my cloak?

Not that it would help me now.

After I'm done I hand Elin all the rest.

Naturally, while making sure she's not touching me since I'm now poisonous.

Now I'm basically completely bare, save for my two daggers, and a pocket of ominously greenish slime, which I'll either need if we meet any conspirators or if Elin decides to be stupid.

"Liqu, you're carrying the princess. Please tell me that you know that you're supposed to keep her alive." (Shari)

I can't do it, as I'm not as proficient and have blades and poison swimming inside me.

But naturally, I'm a bit worried about entrusting a life to Liqu.

Especially that of a princess.

"Yes, yes." (Liqu)

Liqu doesn't lose any time and is over Anvenia before we have time to say anything, causing a slight screech from Lorena that gets quickly muffled by Elin.

However, Anvenia's head still pokes out of her and she looks fine overall.

Seems as if all preparations are over.

So Liqu and I approach the walls.

The operation will now commence.