- Shari -

Goddamnit!!!

It would be an understatement to say that I'm mildly miffed about what's happening to me.

Not only is there the money that I put into this investment for my future, nor the mere idea of never getting the deposit I paid back from Tamarah, but he also stole any chance I had of keeping Tamarah’s trust!

I can’t let him get away with this!

Grah!!!

Just what can I do?

It's not like I'm very familiar with this town that I spent, at most, a week within.

This kid surely knows better than I do how to sneak back to wherever he wants to secure his prize.

And even if I would try catching up to him, I'm simply not fast enough.

It's for moments like these that I'd really wish to have Elin around.

If anyone would know where to change illegally acquired goods into money it would surely be her.

Maybe I could ask Michael?

Yet I have no idea where he is at the moment, and if I waste too much time, the book might already be on its way to an alchemist willing to pay thrice of what I paid.

But what can I do?

There's no way for me to follow him.

A city isn't the wilderness and cobblestone barely leaves any traces, which further get disturbed by the thousands of other residents.

Traces?

Traces!

Yes, that might work!

Liqu can follow traces in the air to find her prey even if it already outran that slow slime.

Wait a moment, given that it isn't unheard of for other slimes to track their prey, this might even be instinctual.

They're only so easily distracted that they seldom push to the end.

Yet that might also depend on the rare occasion of individualism between slimes.

Like, for example, some create new slime cores more frequently than others.

Yet this thought is leading too far.

The thing is, if a normal slime can do this, then why wouldn't I be capable of doing the same?

How did Liqu say this works again?

Something about following the traces left in the air to find a similar composition.

Fine, then I should concentrate.

However, now I realize that there might be an issue with my plan.

If I want to perceive anything at all, I'll have to start dissolving the air around me to get a sense of what it consists of.

This means my completely wrapped up body won't be able to do so.

The only good point is that I'm in an empty alley.

Without any other option, I remove my mask and quickly dissolve what remains of yesterday's powder mask.

A short moment after doing so, I catch onto something else.

It's faint, giving credit to the fact that the boy was only here for a short moment, and I required some time to figure out my next steps.

However, it's disturbingly human.

And yes, I already dissolved enough humans to tell what one's composition is.

Also, I'm aware of the distinctions between the similarities.

In this case, that a boy who has to resort to stealing doesn't have the leeway for regular baths.

This actually makes it easier, as grime and other hygiene issues that cause smell are nothing but a portion of the components I'm trying to follow here.

I only need to concentrate and play an advanced game of "warm-cold" based on the intensity of this particular combination of components.

Fine, let's not waste any more time, before it is too late.

I hide my uncovered face deep within the hood with a bowed posture and the mask in my hand close below my chin, ready to put it on as soon as I’m at risk of being seen.

Like this, I move to the next street, following the trail.

Here, it already gets more difficult, as there are other humans frequenting this area, whose traces mix up with the combination I'm following.

I don't know how it can be so easy for Liqu to differentiate between them, as to me the similarities are rather overwhelming.

However, this is still a commercial and upper-class residential area, so at least they are supposedly in a more pristine condition than the street urchin I'm trailing, as my dissolving sense points out.

At least, I hope this is the difference I'm spotting.

It's all a bit of a vague guessing game, I need to admit.

However, I believe I’m following the residual traces of the boy here and feel approved when it leads me through the eastern industrial sector to the south.

Yet as soon as I reach the slums, I get a problem.

And this is the decreasing standard of personal hygiene.

Not only is the, as I would suppose, overwhelming smell distracting while I'm trying to concentrate on analyzing the air, it's also much closer to the original one I was following.

I find myself more and more confused.

But... Within the original trail, there's still a difference to be perceived.

Something mixed into it.

I became kinda familiar with the composition of what I'm chasing down while following it all the way.

Now that I think about it, I suppose I know what it is.

My goddamn book!

I'm pretty sure he isn't all too careful with it, and book dust mixed with old paper is kinda special, not to forget all the distinctive elements it came in contact with in Tamarah's shop.

It's not like I'm unfamiliar with those.

I had access to the count's library, spent quite some time at Tamarah's, and it’s not too long ago that I familiarized myself with the very book I'm chasing here.

This might not be too much of a lead, as a book isn't so big as to give off much material, but if I concentrate really hard here, I might be able to narrow my perception to this one particular thing.

It's not like I have too many alternatives aside from doing so.

So I walk further into the slums, firmly ignoring any dangerous elements I cross paths with.

Eventually, my path leads me to a larger street.

What makes me somewhat confident is that the trail of elements I'm analyzing feels more intense.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

This should mean that I'm getting closer to the source.

Now I think it made a turn to the building next to me.

Is that a shop?

Well, it's certainly not an official business.

Rather, I guess it's some kind of pawn shop.

Taking the circumstances into mind, probably not the kind that cares if the clients aren’t pawning off their own stuff.

It makes sense that this kind of business concept would look out of place in the northern market district.

Guards are patrolling the economic center and might ask questions if slum kids enter it with their stolen stuff.

And if I'm right, they have my book.

I put my mask back on, fitting it against my face, open the door, and enter.

Whoever is in there, I don't want to grant them the luxury of further notice of my arrival.

YES!!!

I see the boy who took my book, a middle-aged man with a terrible combination of goatee and mustache, and most importantly, my book.

"This is worth much more! It's a book! Books are always expensive!" (boy)

"Well, but you forgot about the due. You're already a long time past. You should be thankful that I'm so generous and let you off so lightly. You know what usually happens if you can't pay, right?" (fence)

Seems like they're currently in the middle of something.

I slowly walk closer to the counter, while thinking through how I'll go about this.

Since I might seem a little pushy, the way I directly advance without any care for their interaction, they quickly become aware of my presence.

"Yes? Can I help you?" (fence)

At least there's customer service.

Since we have this kind of conversation I should respond in kind.

So I say as cheerfully as possible:

"Hi, I suppose you have something that belongs to me. May I have it back?" (Shari)

So far so good.

At least I managed to confuse them.

"Huh? What are you saying?" (fence)

"That book right there. The shocked expression of the boy should already tell enough." (Shari)

"Anyone could claim such a thing. If you want it, buy it. It's part of my stock." (fence)

Didn't sound like the sale was already finalized.

Guess they just don't want their business to be disturbed.

"Listen. This is an alchemic compendium. Written by a very skilled alchemist. Chapter three number five is about how to create a healing potion. The mere fact that I know this should set the ownership clear." (Shari)

"Hey, don't act out like this. You're awfully full of yourself. Do we have to teach you some manners?" (fence)

At this moment, I perceive that there's someone behind me.

This hood prevented my perception of the sides.

It looks slightly hostile, the way he approaches.

Seriously?

Is he dumb or just aware of how much money this book is worth?

While that new guy is coming closer, I imperceptibly slip my right hand out of the glove.

The moment he's directly behind me, I spin around and lay my right hand, covered by the sleeve, on his chest.

"Wh-what? Do you want trouble?" (hoodlum)

He grabs my shoulder to keep me in position for any act he might plan to conduct against me.

Unfortunately for him, I am already performing a suitable countermeasure.

The moment the thought is completed, the wave spreads from my feet, up my legs, through my torso into my shoulder, as well as from my head, down my neck, to the same place.

When they join in my arm, the strength more than doubles.

I accelerate the speed as far as possible and send all the force into him.

* Impact!

"Whom"

With this, he flies straight out of the door.

I'm rather sure that I aimed well and controlled the force enough to avoid a too-severe injury.

The remaining people stare in utter shock at me.

"Next time you decide to screw with an adventurer make sure they're not as combat proven." (Shari)

The guy behind the counter turns to the boy.

"Who the fuck did you lead here?!" (fence)

"I-I was sure I shook her off!" (boy)

"I should also add to make sure they don't have the ability to follow a trail." (Shari)

At this, the boy jumps past the counter, grabs the book, and runs through the door out into the backroom.

"Seriously?" (Shari)

"Damned slum rat!" (fence)

I walk a little closer to the hinge that separates the customer area from him.

Mostly because I don't feel like attempting any jumping maneuvers in disguise.

"Listen, does this mask seem in any way familiar? If the answer is 'yes' you should know that you shouldn't get into my way. So, would you please open the counter?" (Shari)

"Grmph. There's a backdoor. He should already be out." (fence)

At least he's opening up.

"Let this be my concern." (Shari)

I say so while striding past him.

Moments later, I am in another dirty alley and once again tailing my target with my mask off.

The trail is still fresh and I had practice, so I can push for a better tempo than before.

It's only a question of time till I am getting closer.

In the end, the fact that I can't get exhausted is an advantage for long-term chasing.

And there he is.

He grows visibly panicked once he becomes aware of my presence.

Once again, he tries to escape me through the alleys.

Since I'm getting closer, I step up my pace, preparing a slime dash to finish this.

I circle the corner as close as I can to make up for my limited walking speed, but don’t immediately see him.

So, following the trace, I turn around slowly, only to see a piece of wood, advertising something about haircuts for a reduced price, swinging in my direction.

"Gotcha!" (boy)

Switching into high-speed processing only serves to establish further how screwed I am.

While there won't be any possible damage from something like this, it will certainly destabilize my form.

Yet with as close as the wood already is, there's no way to dodge using any humanly possible means that won't be any less exposing.

Things being like this, there's nothing I can do about it when this shield bludgeons into my face.

"Splotch"

Now I'm kinda upset.

Though, I still have the slime vision to maintain a basic picture of my surroundings, it takes a moment till my eyes reassemble and I can see clearly again.

The first sight I take in is the appalled impression of the boy.

"Y-you a-aren't..." (boy)

I draw as close as possible to him while he's still in this stupor.

"Listen, I usually don't eat children, but if you decide to spread what you just saw, I might return for a less than pleasant visit! I have memorized your scent, so this is not a baseless threat! Now give me my stuff back and make yourself scarce before I do something you'll regret!" (Shari)

I don't have to tell him this twice to get my book back.

Fortunately, my first checkup reveals no severe faults to its condition.

In the hope that my empty threat will suffice and that a kid like this won't be able to go to the guards with a report about a human-like slime, I store the book away and leave the alley before something else happens.

Okay, that didn't work as well as planned, but I doubt that he wants to give me another reason to come after him after this near-death experience

So much for my day.

Now I can just hope that Liqu won't stir the waters any further than I already did.