- Shari -

I guess I don't have to elaborate very much about how things went from that point.

We got a short directive which can be summarized as "Go to that place and wait for further instructions."

Then we were left to fetch our stuff and a short time after this already had to leave the palace.

Seriously, that queen would be working us to the bone, if we had those.

I'm certainly going to demand overtime payment.

And don't come to me with: "But Shari, you didn't negotiate this in your contract!"

It was clearly stated that the crown would be going to afford our living expenses for the rest of our lives.

And I won't let getting a piece of flesh thrown our way somewhere between the missions count.

After this, leaving the palace together is surprisingly simple.

Apparently, suspicious cloaked figures with eerie masks only warrant a control if they're heading towards the important people and not away from them.

To be safe, I'm leading us around several corners and alleys to get rid of any possible followers.

I would've gotten lost myself if not for the palace as a point of orientation.

Eventually, we reach the western gate towards Siras.

As far as I know, there should also be side roads to the northern cities but those aren't nearly as remarkable.

Not that we'll see much of those towns.

No, our destination lies directly in the wilderness.

But first, we need to pass by the guards.

"Halt! State occupation and reason for passing the gate!" (guard)

Seeing his look the masks might still be a minor issue.

"We are adventurers and want to travel to Siras." (Shari)

"Siras? You know that not everyone can just show up there and expect to get recommended for a job?" (guard)

And I thought the capital was exclusive.

"We have some connections. Might you please let us pass now?" (Shari)

I'm not going to use the badge I've got.

While I personally experienced how it opens doors, it would be counterproductive for our secret mission.

"We'll have to check your luggage for smuggling wares." (guard)

"Fine. Do as you please." (Shari)

Just good that I stored the super poison along with the rest of my deadly assets.

If they're going to check me so thoroughly as to find those, we'd have completely different problems.

"Hm, what's with these leaves?" (guard)

"A minor poison for the monster hunt." (Shari)

"Well, the amount isn't concerning, yet I'm required to inform you that if you decide to cross the border with these, you may be required to pay a tax." (guard)

It seems very different rules apply in Siras compared to other towns.

Well, it's still the wealthiest region in the country, aside from the capital naturally, yet even then it beats them if you go for wealth per head.

"That won't pose a problem since we're not planning on passing the border." (Shari)

Ever.

Seriously, from what I know those are a bunch of supremacist slavers.

There'd be no reason why I would voluntarily go to a place like that.

Especially, since if they're already like this to people with a different nationality, then what does a slime have to expect?

Instead, I'm heading to the meeting point we agreed on.

From what was said at the briefing, the gathering soldiers will move out under the disguise of being regular patrols.

But instead of taking the usual routes along the roads, they'll all assemble at their respective place.

In other words, today is a good day for any bandits on the road, since the public order has another target.

I just hope that they'll all be able to make it since, although the facility isn't deep in the forest, it could be that some get lost on the way.

Just good that I have experience with traversing through nature and a good sense of direction.

Also, there shouldn't be any monsters this far up north.

Because slimes don't ever tire out, we're moving at a fast pace.

In preparation for what lies ahead of us, I follow an idea I got while looking at all the plants we're passing.

The thing is, while there aren't many naturally-occurring magical plants this far away from the Evergrove, this doesn't mean there's nothing to harvest.

And I'm not even interested in the typical medicinal herb.

No, if you know what to look for, there are all kinds of stuff that can show some effect on the human body if applied the right way.

Sure, they're not nearly as deadly or fast acting as an exotic assassin poison, like what I bought for a fortune, but still useful enough.

After all, if I get caught up in a fight it might be convenient if my opponent suffers from nausea from ravumoss, has to deal with muscle cramps from the seeds of the twisted twirler flower, wants to skin himself alive due to the effects of the razorash bush, or is shitting his soul out because of the bowel-bouncer mushroom.

And yes, some of them are deadly on their own at a high enough dosage.

A sleeping herb like the drowsy damsel can have quite a permanent effect, and I don't think I need to elaborate on what happens if you use too much of the collarcord.

A plant that stings the eyes, and if the scent is inhaled, attacks one's throat, causing it to swell and subsequently make breathing harder.

The name it got because this reaction causes a red skin irritation that looks like a collar around the neck from the outside.

I gather everything I can and put it in my backpack, careful to keep them somewhat separated.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

It's my luck that we're in a region that aligns pretty much with my home turf so my experience comes in handy.

And just to remind everyone, Liqu is a bit of a bloodhound.

You just have to show her a sample and she will guide you to the next place where they're growing. Damn, slimes can be so useful.

I still think treating us better would pay out for everyone.

This way we can gather a generous amount till we make it to the meeting point.

However, as I don't see anyone else it seems we're the first.

"Shari, I sense a human." (Liqu)

Just good that I have Liqu to tell me things like this.

I look around and find a pale man in dark clothes, sitting on a stone.

He notices us quickly and waves us to approach him.

"Hey, are you Shari and Liqu? I'm Michael! Nice to meet ya!" (Michael)

Okay, I'm perplexed.

It's an unusual combination that someone knows our names and at the same time has such an inviting attitude.

Looking closer, despite his complexion I'd say he's quite attractive.

A well-developed body, blonde hair bordering on white, and light blue eyes.

Wait a moment!

I know that guy!

"You're the guy from the healer shop!" (Shari)

It's hard to remember stuff as a slime, but that guy made quite the impression on me.

"And you're the girl that got transformed into a slime." (Michael)

In hindsight, maybe I shouldn't have given him my story.

"So. Uh, you know who we are?" (Shari)

I'm slightly afraid this might get awkward.

"Sure. I'm a royal agent and was tasked with being your supervising officer. Though, not for the operation itself. That's on Captain Soma. I'm only responsible for all the secrecy stuff. Guess that involves you too, right?" (Micheal)

He's letting out a short laugh and presents us with a smile that shows all his teeth.

In some way, I find this even more irritating than the usual hostility I receive.

"You're quite... jovial. Most people react differently from you." (Shari)

"Ah well, comes with the job, I guess. I've seen all kinds of horrors by now. Humans can be awful, I tell you. Two nice ladies are by far not the worst." (Michael)

"I think I like him." (Liqu)

Damn, this living calamity is weak to flattery.

Is he seriously a nice guy?

He seems so laid back about us being literal monsters.

"For the kind of job you're doing you still seem to be in a high mood. I kinda expected a royal agent to be all stiff and secretive. You know, quiet, with a black cloak like ours." (Shari)

He's wearing a simple working outfit in grey and beige.

"Nah, that won't do the trick. You have to make people feel comfortable around you. Showing that you're hiding something is only going to make them suspicious of you. After all, it's far easier to slit someone's throat after you shared a beer with them instead of approaching them with drawn weapons. They sometimes even follow you into a remote alley if you ask them to. Haha." (Michael)

Shivers!

My whole slime body is shivering!

And he's still grinning at us!

"Wow, this is so interesting! Thank you for telling!" (Liqu)

Right, killers among each other.

"And what now? Do you have any orders for us?" (Shari)

"Not really. As I said, it's Captain Soma's mission. We're simply going to wait here till he arrives with his men. Might still take a while, so get comfortable. By the way, all of them are trusted men who were informed beforehand about your assistance. So there's no need to hide yourself." (Michael)

Sorry, but I will still do so.

I don't have much to discuss with this man and honestly, I find him too creepy to talk to.

On the other side, Liqu is openly engaging with him.

They talk about hunting techniques and such stuff.

Though, I suppose it's not just about wild animals.

After a while, Captain Soma arrives, who has the same disdainful look as usual towards us.

"Hey, Soma, buddy! How's it going?" (Michael)

"Oh damn, not you!" (Soma)

Yay, I'm no longer the focus of his negative emotions.

"Hello!" (Liqu)

Liqu dashes from the ground she laid on in his direction and comes to a stop shortly in front of him.

"Damn, you startled me! I almost thought this to be a monster attack." (Soma)

I should interject here.

"No, just the allies your queen assigned for this mission." (Shari)

"You should be friendlier. They were here extra early and are eager for the mission." (Michael)

"I'd prefer to work with more reliable allies. You two are risk factors." (Soma)

"Hey, we did a pretty amazing job up to this point, and that basically for free! So stop this or I'll make you eat my slime!" (Shari)

That at least caught him off guard.

And grants me an odd sense of fulfillment.

"Anyway, what is about to happen now? Are we just going to start a slime-supported all-out-attack?" (Shari)

"No. We are too few at this point. For now, we have to wait till the rest of our troops arrive. After this, we should formulate a plan to attack the compound." (Soma)

"Why not attack them directly?" (Shari)

"Look at this." (Soma)

He pulls out a plan that supposedly depicts the few buildings that form the facility.

"Viscount Loria was quite talkative about the facility. We have concrete knowledge of the layout, personnel, and protocols. And this is the problem. We know that they're aware of the possibility of exposure. In case of an attack, their guards will try to stall us as long as possible while the other personnel will destroy evidence and transport as much of the material and goods away as possible. Yet we don't have enough troops to cut off all the possible escape routes. And they have different gathering points whose locations the viscount wasn't able to tell." (Soma)

"Well, overwhelming them shouldn't be an issue with our help. You're better, right Liqu? We could take them in a rush." (Shari)

"Uh, I'm still slightly sluggish. I don't think I could 'rush' too fast." (Liqu)

That wasn't really the answer I wanted to hear.

"That's not great to hear. So we'd have to hope that we win quickly enough?" (Shari)

"To be honest, I had hoped you'd be willing to partake in a different strategy." (Soma)

If people are already starting like this...

"Which would be?" (Shari)

"I'd like to catch as many of those traitors as possible." (Soma)

"Not to forget the machines and documents. The more time we lose, the less we'll have. And that while the net should be tight. Quite the dilemma." (Michael)

"As I said, we don't have enough troops to form a siege ring. Even splitting up to cover the three entryways might prove to be fatal for our formation. They would simply have to concentrate their forces on one point and break through. However, if you attack from one side, then we could easily wait at the chokepoint on the other and welcome them." (Soma)

I get the slight impression he just doesn't want to mash us together with his soldiers into the fray.

Yet this might put them into disarray.

"But you said that they would transport all the goods away if they become aware that they're under attack. Won't they be able to adjust and take other routes?" (Shari).

"If you look at the plan there are two main targets we have to secure. One would naturally be the main complex. All the equipment and probably a good amount of the finished products should be in there, and it would be a shame if they could secure another delivery of those wretched things. The other would be this small shed directly north of it. Apparently, they're using it to store tools and, most importantly, the raw material. With a surprise attack, it should be possible to at least secure the shed, but the production hall is fortified and a hard place to conquer. This is actually the greatest issue. They might be able to open a door on the other side and escape with everything they can carry." (Soma)

"This means we should infiltrate the production hall first before they can lock it down and adjust while Liqu is at it." (Shari)

"If it would just be so easy. The complex is heavily guarded. They would see you coming and rumors travel quickly. Even the viscount heard about humanoid slimes. They'll quickly draw their conclusions about who you're working for and react as soon as they see you in your humanoid form." (Soma)

Why is he emphasizing "humanoid" so much?

"What exactly are you trying to imply?" (Shari)

"Well, slimes are pretty common in this area. It might be a good disguise to approach." (Michael)

"But they're also likely to get their cores smashed by extermination parties. Especially since you're suggesting that Liqu and I should separate to secure both the shed in the open and the hall, am I right?" (Shari)

"It's not without risk, but I deem this to be the best option." (Soma)

"Well, I have a better one." (Shari)

"You have?" (Soma)

"Now I'm all ears!" (Michael)

I feel once again my smile stretching at this idea.

"Did you know that slimes can dig very well?" (Shari)