- Shari -

After today's escapades, I can't wait to get back to our home.

Well, there's still no door, but I was far too mentally exhausted to tend to that matter as well.

On the other side, I still wanna set up a bunch of things.

After all, I bought this cooking equipment and have a backroom to spare.

So I prepare everything in that room, which might even have been the kitchen in the past.

Well, at least before anything reminiscent of one got disassembled.

Now there are only some indentions in the wall that remind me of a hearth.

Well, for now, this might suffice.

If I ever get stuck in the wilderness, the workplace won't be much better.

The ingredients I bought are only sufficient to get started, nothing to write home about.

Uh, now that I'm thinking about it, I never interacted with my parents since my departure.

Not even when I had time with the count, as I was never sure it wouldn't be used against me.

Okay, I'm almost at an age when it's expected for you to leave your parental home but completely breaking contact is a bit much.

They must be worried sick.

But I should get back to the task at hand.

The thing is a good part of the techniques to make potions could work without the super-advanced tools at Tamarah's shop.

For example, slime is pretty heat resistant, especially if it gets constantly circulated with more slime.

So I wouldn't need a frame like Tamarah as I can just hold the glass into the fire.

Also, cooking is never too complicated.

The more difficult aspect is the distilling I learned today.

The issue is that it requires very complicated installations which I can't make up for as well with my body, as stuff that isn't my body tends to spread in it without much of an option to contain it since I control the slime itself and not the contents within it.

Yet there are workarounds.

For example, I can expel low-energy slime.

And it should be possible to do the same with intentionally mixed mass.

Or I could use slime to act as a medium to catch the gas I create with the fire.

Yes, it would mix, but if I don't move it around too much, only to a certain degree.

Considering that I intend to mix it with slime anyway, I can just shave off the right amount.

However, the mixing would be an issue in so far as that I can't control the allotment.

I might be able to improve this if I get more of a feeling as to how much is good and the ratio at which I should mix different ingredients while reaching the desired effect.

Yet I should be realistic.

For now, this method will only produce low-quality potions at best, and even if I get better, medium should be the absolute max as it's still only a way of getting around not having any proper equipment.

Still, this idea seems good enough to at least give it a try.

However, once I'm done with setting everything up, I notice the telltale floor creaking of someone entering.

Bracing myself for the worst, and starting to worry if the lack of doors might be a reason of concern if I'm going to be seen while I'm at potioneering, I adjust my getup and move to the entrance hall of this shop.

Oh, it's just Liqu and Michael.

"How did it go?" (Shari)

I kind of ask more in Michael's direction since I think his testimony might be more founded and accurate.

"We got into some trouble with upset adventurers, but in the end, it was resolved peacefully. We'll know more once we return tomorrow." (Michael)

Oh, good to hear.

"And I was so close to annihilating them all!" (Liqu)

Not good to hear!

"But you didn't do so, right?" (Shari)

"You don't like me doing such things, so I held back." (Liqu)

I'm not exactly sure what Liqu considers "holding back", but considering that they made it back here and there's no city alarm going, I probably worry too much.

"Okay, good to hear. My day wasn't so great. Got my stuff snatched by a child and spent half of the day hunting him. Probably scared him half to death. Doubt he's going to repeat this." (Shari)

"If you say 'scared half to death' do you mean to imply what I think this entails?" (Michael)

"It was an accident! A shield hit my face!" (Shari)

"So you did what you keep telling me I’m not supposed to do?" (Liqu)

Oh no, now this slime is acting all high and mighty.

I wasn't really sure if I should tell them about my blunder, but Michael is basically a secret agent and should have more experience with such situations.

So it would be irresponsible to withhold information.

"This isn't good. If one of the slum kids knows about you, you can be sure that word will spread. The question is if anyone is going to report to the guard. They're not exactly well-liked here. Also, our situation is kinda unique. At least Captain Gareth knows who we're working for, so I doubt the guard is going to raid this place." (Michael)

I guess he means that there's no immediate issue we can do anything about and have to wait for what time brings.

"Well, thank you for your input. It's appreciated. If you’ll excuse me, I had some plans for today." (Shari)

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

And those were to get started with potioneering.

I move back to the kitchen-like room and start the fire.

I want to get started with one clearsprout plant.

That might not last for long but this is just training.

Or rather, experimentation, as unrefined as this stage is as of now.

The clearsprout is quickly freed from the unusable parts.

Then I place the rest with a shallow amount of slime into a flask.

This one gets put over the fire.

As I mentioned before, I need to constantly circulate slime to hold it there without a frame.

Especially, as I notice that the heated slime becomes more liquidlike.

I can still control it, but apparently cold slime is sturdier.

This reminds me of how I "flowed" better back then when the count's mansion burned down.

Not by much, as we avoided the flames at that time and I maintained my temperature, but now I notice this difference in composition clearly.

But more interesting is what happens inside the flask.

I'm pretty sure there's a slight change in color.

Spurred by this development, I establish a very weak connection that tells me on one side how stupidly hot the slime got, making me glad that I don't need to worry about sustaining burns, and on the other that the contents of the plant start to spread from the plant.

To push this one step further, I muster what control I can achieve over the mix and guide it to scrape out more of the elements of this plant that hold the effect.

In the end, I hope that from the plant only the empty husk will remain and I can remove it.

Next, the slime-clearsprout mix starts to bubble.

For this reason, I hold my flattened hand above it.

I concentrate very hard, and then I notice the composition change in my hand.

Tiniest fractions of clearsprout gather on its lower surface.

I react immediately.

Slightly similar to my usual expelling, I create a bulge directed downwards in the center of my palm to make everything that doesn't belong ripple back down into the flask.

I won't lie, it's an arduous task and the amount of concentration I require to pull off this feat is incredible, and over time I feel the usual heating of my core.

Nonetheless, I prevail until I can no longer feel any kind of emittance from the leaves.

At this part, I carefully remove them by bringing them into position with the flask slime and handing them over to my main body.

After this, all that remains is the liquid mix within.

And here the difficult part starts.

I put out the fire with some extra appendages I can conveniently grow and start removing excess slime.

The more pure the slime, the more responsive it is, so I simply can pull it out again without the part of the plant that shall remain within.

Naturally, not at once but with many careful repetitions.

And truly, it works to a degree.

However, I'm not entirely happy with the concentration once it starts getting too difficult to pull out more.

Yet then I remember something Tamarah said.

Usually, clearsprout is used as a salve.

I already did this once before with somewhat decent results.

This time I'm producing a far more concentrated and pure version by simply letting the liquid slime get into a more solid condition without adding anything to it.

That's not exactly improving the ratio to the slime but it works to concentrate the effect.

After this, the only complicated step remaining is scraping it out into one of my old powder caskets.

And voila!

Here we have low-grade healing balm!

That might not sound like much, but given the price range for such stuff, I'm somewhat sure this should net me around five to eight times the initial costs for the plant.

For a first try, this is decent.

"Yes!" (Shari)

"What are you doing, Shari?" (Liqu)

Oh right, Liqu was there.

"Nothing too special. But I think I managed to create something like a working product." (Shari)

"Oh, really?! This is so great for you! I don't understand much about this, but it's always nice to accomplish one's goals." (Liqu)

Sigh, it doesn't matter what it is, Liqu is showing her appreciation either way.

"It's at most a first step. This isn't too impressive by itself." (Shari)

"No, no, no! Accomplishing interim goals is already great. Progress doesn't have to be quick, it's already positive if there's any of it." (Liqu)

Well, if she insists that it's good then I'm not the kind of person who insists otherwise and can just appreciate her praise.

"If you say so." (Shari)

"Yes! And even if not, I watched you while you were at it. In any case, you concentrated so hard on controlling your body that I'm sure this will help you learn to control more mass! You're getting better and better at being a slime!" (Liqu)

Okay, that wasn't as appreciated to hear.

"What are you two talking about?" (Michael)

Michael?

And what does he want with that bag?

"I was able to create an, in my opinion, somewhat decent healing balm." (Shari)

Nothing too outrageous, but also nothing to scoff at.

"Interesting. I, on the other side, was, next to my other duties, shopping for dinner. Since Liqu didn't wish to leave you for the rest of the day, I assumed you'd require some form of sustenance, and I had the assumption you'd be occupied for a while, which proved to be right, so I went by myself." (Michael)

"Uh, what did you get?" (Shari)

After all, it's not like everything we can consume is useful for us.

"You probably mean what did I get for you. Nothing much. Some leftover scraps from the local butcher. Nice guy, maybe a bit gruff." (Michael)

"We know him." (Shari)

"Oh, I remember! We got our meat from that one!" (Liqu)

Sure she does.

I suppose someone who can supply her with meat is actually more worthy to memorize for her than the king we recently met.

"Sure you do. Anyway, I got a special price for some of the stuff that was close to spoiling. Don't worry, that's going under expenses." (Michael)

"You're always speaking about our finances. In which way does this payment work? I've yet to receive anything out of it." (Shari)

This seems like something quite essential to know.

Especially, if we're ever going to get assigned on a solo mission.

"Pretty simple. We receive a large sum that is supposed to keep us aloft, no matter what. During the mission, I maintain a list with all my expenses. Afterward, when I return the rest of the sum, the list gets checked and everything that is approved is fine. Everything that isn't will be subtracted from my own salary." (Michael)

Good to hear.

"I take it we're going to get paid once we're done?" (Shari)

"I suppose so? I don't know about your concrete contract." (Michael)

Well, the contract was a bit vague in that regard, saying something about "all our needs will be accommodated for" and "reward in accordance to contribution".

I didn't really plan to openly suspect my sovereign of fraud back then.

Rather, I still hope for the legal status they promised to grant us once they are actually in a position to rule this country.

Also, it would seem petty and not be in their favor to deny us a bit of pocket money.

I really hope I wasn't scammed by a king.

"If you're finally done, why don't we eat a bit? I don't know about you, but it's almost evening and I'm hungry." (Michael)

Damn, evening?

I totally lost track of time while I immersed myself in the process.

"Please, excuse me, but I am a bit uncomfortable about eating in another's presence." (Shari)

I think it's already a huge step that I can speak so openly about it.

"Understood. Then I'll just hand yours over and eat in my room. Have a good evening." (Michael)

Well, it seemed fine.

Yet before I get to eat, there's something else I want to take care of.

"Liqu, would you mind if I make use of your cellar?" (Shari)

"No, of course not! Whatever you want to do with me there, I'm open for it!" (Liqu)

This goes alarmingly wrong!

"Not what you're thinking! I only want to dissolve a hole into the ground so we can store some stuff in there." (Shari)

This area is still highly criminal, so everything that we're not always carrying with us should be secured.

Fortunately, such a thing is quite an easy feat for a slime.

Dissolve a hole into the ground, then change the trajectory to the side and only we with our elongating appendages will be able to reach them.

Yet we should put everything into a bag that isn't supposed to get slimed, which mostly involves our clothes.

The book, on the other hand, I'll keep with me.

I wanted to read a bit more in it and am not going to let go of it.

Pleasantly, this task doesn't take too long.

After I'm done, I separate from Liqu as friendly as possible, which might've involved a miniscule linking to get her off my back for the night and head back to my room.

On the way, I grab as much meat as I presume to need and get ready for a reading session through the night.