- Shari -

After the torture session, I could finally call it a day and get some rest.

That I don't need sleep and only have to worry about overheating while processing stuff doesn't mean I don't appreciate a break once in a while.

At least I'm still not someone who lives for work and doesn't care about not having any free time.

Seriously, who would want to live like that?

Fortunately, I could enjoy the luxury of my tub.

"Knock, knock, knock"

* "Shari, someone's at the door!" (Liqu)

* "Damnit, Liqu! No casual linking!" (Shari)

Making sure that I'm not accidentally crashing into Liqu, I rush up.

"Knock, knock, knock"

Whoever got sent to fetch us is apparently very adamant about their job.

That's kinda commendable if they were informed beforehand.

"Yes, I'm already coming!" (Shari)

I half walk, half crawl to the door and open it.

To my surprise, I look at Lorena when I open the door.

I suppose it makes sense given that she's one of the only servants fully informed about our identities and not completely scared of us.

But right now she seems to be a bit taken aback at my appearance.

I guess a slime in a bad morning mood is scary in its own way.

"Yes?" (Shari)

"There's a meeting you're supposed to attend. Fully dressed, if you understand, so that no spot remains free. You have five minutes to get ready." (Lorena)

"Woah! I just woke up! That's a bit sudden." (Shari)

"It's already long past midday. Your bad conduct is no excuse to neglect your duties." (Lorena)

Midday!?!

It was the tub, wasn't it?

Apparently, I lost myself so hard in that feeling of weightless nothingness which I experience in my tub that I was completely indifferent to the passage of time.

Damnit.

"Fine, I'll do what I can." (Shari)

I close the door and fall into a panicked "get ready" mode.

First the equipment, then the clothes, then the powder and masks.

"What about you, Liqu?! Why didn't you wake me up? You were there and since you don't sleep for long you had nothing to do." (Shari)

"Oh, I had something to do. You look so pretty when you're resting. So calm and peaceful how your matter barely even quivers. It's such a nice sight." (Liqu)

Grah!

This slime!

Nonetheless, I have to do her powder so she looks presentable.

Which means not like a slime.

Shortly before I felt that Lorena would any moment use force to get us out there, we are ready.

"Done! Satisfied?" (Shari)

"Considering what you are it's quite impressive how you can hide your nature." (Lorena)

"Thank you very much." (Shari)

"That was no compliment." (Lorena)

I supposed so.

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After a short walk, we arrive at the meeting room, and in there are the queen, Captain Soma, and for once, the king, as well as some other officials who I don't recognize.

Wait, that one there made a strong enough impression to overcome my core learning disorder.

The chancellor!

Why the fuck is he here?

I guess I'm going to learn as soon as this long uncomfortable moment where the king musters us ends and he starts to speak.

"Although I had my doubts, I was told that you performed admirably and completed your given tasks to everyone's satisfaction." (Parcian)

"Tasks? What tasks? Why did you even assemble the inner court, your majesty?" (chamberlain)

"If I may speak: Those two were not only the ones to deliver the message about the tragedy that befell Count Kahan, they also helped to bring down a criminal enterprise producing so-called slave collars and smuggling them out of the country." (Serenia)

At the mention of Count Kahan, he reacts ever so slightly.

The most notable might be that it seems like I can feel his heart hammer from the vibrations.

"Slave collars? Tsk, is such a thing really something to stress about? It's not like this would pose any risk for public order." (chamberlain)

I guess he means that it's nothing one can hide so well.

Even if a collared person would be forced to enact a crime, the collar would be plainly visible, since they are wide metal rings.

Nonetheless, I'm asking myself what this farce is supposed to mean.

"Maybe not, but the perpetrators didn't just ignore the royal decree not to produce those collars, but they also delivered them over the border, which makes this a case of exposing research secrets to other countries. But this isn't relevant for this assembly, as it's rather about rewarding those two adventurers for the service they did us." (Serenia)

"Adventurers?! That dirty, mannerless folk? You're thinking of rewarding such vile creatures?" (chamberlain)

One could think he figured out that we are slimes.

"Chamberlain! I'm not so narrowminded that I wouldn't be able to recognize good work and fail to reward it. Especially not if my wife is their patron." (Parcian)

At this, some people in the room exchange looks while others snicker, and Serenia, while not adding anything on that matter, has an extremely self-content impression.

After he restored order in the room with some grim stares at those who were too obvious at showing off their amusement, the king continues to speak.

"Ahem, to proceed, while things aren't final yet, we were able to complete the transfer of your contract from Count Kahan's side to the crown. In return, the crown will provide him with all he needs to reestablish his presence in the realm. As such, I can now officially welcome you as subjects of the crown. So to honor your efforts and make use of your abilities in the best way possible, we decided to establish a new order with the purpose of serving the crown and place you as its agents. This order will be able to enact wide authority over all lesser institutions as long as it's necessary to pursue its given tasks." (Parcian)

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!

There was just too much at once.

Not only that they apparently bought us from the count like goods.

No, this shadow order thing surpasses this by far.

At first, I thought this was just another fancy way of not having to tell us directly that they want to work us to the bones we don't even have, which it probably is.

But then there was also this part about wielding real authority.

In fact, this means as much as telling a guard to fuck off if they ask me next time for identification.

That is if I understood this right.

On the other side, I'm asking myself how far away my next rest is.

"Your majesty! This is ridiculous! Are you seriously intending on granting those two individuals of more than questionable backgrounds a royal title? What even is this talk about an order supposed to accomplish?" (chamberlain)

"Once again it seems to be my turn. I personally asked my husband to make this happen. I am the queen but have barely any servants to order around. It's not too strange a thought that I require subjects who wield real authority if they're acting on my behalf." (Serenia)

To me, this logic sounds quite flawless.

Although, I still have to wrap my head around the part that we are the ones who are supposed to join this order.

"Your majesty, I can't in good conscience support that you're granting troublesome folk like adventurers a position like this." (chamberlain)

"Chamberlain, the decision is already set. My wife deserves to have subjects who can wield her authority without being bullied by lesser servants, for no other reason than them being without the according status to back them up." (Parcia)

"Your Highness, while I'm sure that your words are wise, they shouldn't be guided by your infatuation with your wife." (chamberlain)

"I hope I misheard, chancellor. My wife is certainly a capable person who achieves the things she set her mind on. It's long overdue for us to establish an order so she can continue her work. And if she wants to invite individuals she deems to be worthy, that is entirely up to her, as the order is solely her responsibility." (Parcian)

The chamberlain glares at everyone in the room and I'm still asking myself why everyone is willing to play along with this act.

"As your majesty seems set on this, I won't dissent any more than I did. Yet my point still stands." (chamberlain)

"It's noted. So without further ado, I'll now sign the documents." (Parcian)

He makes a hand gesture and directly after this, a servant brings him the documents. He looks through them, so he can be sure what he's signing there. After all, once the royal seal is on it, the document becomes a royal decree, and even I know that it's basically impossible to get those out of the world.

"Looks good. I hereby declare the founding of... Serenia..." (Parcian)

"Please, continue! I was trying hard to come up with a fitting title." (Serenia)

"Sigh! I hereby declare the founding of the order of the "Longing Drop" with its two members: Shari and Liqu! May it stay at them." (Parcian)

While saying the last words, he brings down the royal seal on the document to make it official.

"Tomorrow, the handover of the insignia will commence with only a small circle of dignitaries." (Parcian)

The moment emanates severity, and all eyes turn to us who are at the center of this very act that unfolds here.

However, I can't pay too much attention to them since I’m already having real trouble wrapping my head around a certain fact.

Did we just get knighted?!