- Shari -

With the initial uproar settling down, it seems like we can finally talk civilized.

Actually, I'm personally curious about that noble youngster.

It's rare that someone's not completely freaking out when I reveal myself.

However, Count Kahan also kept his cool.

Might be a nobles thing.

"You're taking this surprisingly well, Lorel. Sir Lorel? The usual response to revealing myself is a bit... more intense." (Shari)

"Please, just Lorel. At this point, all I have might be a formal title but nothing to back it up. Also, you can be sure that I am plenty freaked out, thank you. However, you know, the rumors. It's still outrageous, but at least I had the chance to entertain the idea." (Lorel)

"Rumors?" (Shari)

"You're not aware? Gossip about humanoid slimes is spreading like crazy. Even the kids on the street claim to have seen one." (Lorel)

Oh shit, I'm in trouble.

Was it the boy?

Likely, but there were so many other incidents that could've led to this.

"However, as of now it's more along the line of urban mysteries. Nobody is truly worried at the moment. Which doesn't mean I wasn't concerned the moment the rumors reached me." (Jacob)

"May I add here that we got a complete amnesty for past transgressions? This includes the more monstrous ones as well." (Shari)

I glance at Liqu while saying so.

That she killed a good number of adventurers would definitely have been an issue.

"I still don't really get what that exactly means." (Liqu)

"It basically means that it's okay that you killed people before but don't do it again. If you keep your part, they won't go after you anymore in the future." (Shari)

That is, once they finally get through with officially announcing it.

Till that happens, it won't help us that much with the locals.

But at least we can show our royal emblems, which is a start.

"I take it that quite a lot happened on your side?" (Jacob)

Was it ever in question that the two humanoid slimes wouldn't exactly have a peaceful time?

"But apparently on yours as well." (Shari)

I look at Myra.

"It seems like you grew quite a bit." (Shari)

Especially in the muscles department.

"Didn't have much of a choice. Stuff wouldn't carry itself, and we still had to hunt and fight to make a living. Despite being reduced to two." (Myra)

Fine, I get it.

I caused problems for you.

"And the eye?" (Liqu)

Did you really have to ask that, Liqu?!

I know it's nothing you have to be concerned about yourself, but for a young woman who can't just rearrange her face the way she wants and remove a prominent scar like this, it is a sensitive matter.

Though, I heard there are healers or potions who can do something about it.

I mean, someone told me they're even working on restoring limbs, so this sounds like a step down from this high purpose.

Yet I probably don't need to press the price such a treatment would come with.

Myra scrutinizes Liqu for a moment, but then answers without any greater sign of hostility other than her current general attitude.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"A felira got me. Fighting without a vanguard didn't work too well." (Myra)

"Oh, sorry about that. Wanna become a slime? This wouldn't bother you anymore then." (Liqu)

The moment that crazy slime says this I choke on my throat mass.

And that's still one of the milder reactions in this group.

"Still!?! You seriously come to me with that again?! After everything that happened?!!" (Myra)

"I thought as well that we overcame that!" (Jacob)

"I mean, I offered it back then. I won't insist if you don't want. Just reminding you that there is an alternative if your human body is inconvenient for you." (Liqu)

"No! Seriously, no! I don't want to! Also, I don't mind it. Helps in the guild bar." (Myra)

Well, I guess she's not getting asked out as much anymore since she's got that fierce gaze.

"So, it seems you were able to adjust." (Shari)

"We fell on some hard times but were able to push through. Myra even got a promotion to C-rank while Lorel is standing out. They're continuously improving." (Jacob)

"Wow, that's great! Improving is so important! One needs to find something for oneself or one stagnates. For me, there was so much happening that I could barely process it. We found that boy, met that count, got employed. Being employed is totally weird. Did you know they regularly provide sustenance for you for the same things I'd do either way? Oh, and then there was this princess. That one's really nice. Though, I think her mother doesn't like me as much. But that one employed us as well. And now I'm interacting with so many people that I can barely keep up. But it's still so awesome!" (Liqu)

Oh damn.

Do I need to describe the look everyone gives us now?

"Ahem, is Liqu's report... to be taken seriously?" (Jacob)

"Uh, well. Basically it is." (Shari)

"I'd like to know more about this 'princess' part." (Myra)

"Anvenia is so nice! I really wanted to turn her as well, but it's too soon yet. Also, Shari said I can't. Do you think she's jealous?" (Liqu)

"Ehm, Shari?" (Jacob)

"Please, can we just not talk about this? It's embarrassing enough." (Shari)

"Wh-what does she mean with 'turn'?" (Lorel)

Right, he doesn't know yet.

"You see, I'm a former human. Liqu was desperate for company and problematically has the ability to change a human to be like her. Let's say that in the process of her trying to find a friend, things got veeery messy for me." (Shari)

"Uh, my condolences?" (Lorel)

"I cried quite long after I lost my body, but after a certain point, I realized that I had to continue living and more tears wouldn't help. Especially, as they were just slime I pressed out of my head." (Shari)

"If I may get back to the princess thing. An actual, actual princess?" (Myra)

"This country’s very own." (Shari)

"And if she said you met her mother..." (Myra)

"We kinda got knighted. Though, it might be mostly an act to bind us." (Shari)

"You can't say it didn't work." (Michael)

Almost forgot that he's still here.

"You... are... knights..." (Jacob)

"The Order of the Longing Drop!" (Liqu)

Why the heck did this slimehead memorize this?!!

"Okay, I think those two beat us in who spent the more exciting time." (Myra)

Afterward, we discuss a bit more about our current assignment.

Especially, about how exactly they're planning to go about this investigation.

For starters, they will try to gather information by asking colleagues and looking up intel, while still keeping a low profile so as to not alarm our targets.

It sounds promising, so I'm rather satisfied with the results of this visit.

"So, I suggest we buy something to eat, go back to our place, and then get some sleep." (Shari)

"Sure. This was far more productive than I expected, so I guess we deserved us a break." (Michael)

"Yes, this was so nice!" (Liqu)

Sigh.

Not exactly what I would call it.

Anyway, we proceed with buying our groceries and can then return to our place.

However, once I arrive, I'm somewhat sure someone was here while we were away.

Lifting my mask, I can detect traces of several individuals.

Fortunately, there are no valuables stored at this place that anyone could easily access so there's no harm done.

After I dissolved enough to replenish myself back to full, I get back to brewing potions.

Today I want to try something else.

I use my scan abilities on the ingredients to specifically identify the parts that hold the effect.

For example, in the case of the clearsprout, it's not only in the leaves, but every single part of the plant, only in much shallower concentrations, to the point of being unusable.

By now, I've at least got a sense for identifying and distinguishing the inner substance I want.

Everything else can get dissolved.

Yet there are two obstacles in this method.

The first is that separating good from bad stuff isn't simple.

It requires the finest control over the reaction, and I regularly feel as if I accidentally took too much.

But this is basically the point of this training.

To get better at only dissolving what I want.

Also, I'm sure that improving this kind of dexterity will help me in other areas as well.

The other problematic part is that the stuff I pull out of there is inevitably going to spread in my body.

Preventing this is even more difficult since almost every action is going to make it worse.

However, I've got a great idea on how to counter that issue.

I prepare some bowls with the slime mix and wait.

The idea is as follows: I tried to concentrate the ingredient in my slime as much as possible, which still doesn't amount to much.

Then I simply wait till the unlinked slime evaporates.

If what the alchemist in the capital told me was right, then the dry powder that remains should be something like a concentrated version.

Though this might still cause some impurities, it should still reduce the amount of slime it's diluted into.

As a last step, I simply repeat step one and dissolve the impurities while I mix the ingredient powder with my slime to create the actual potion.

The result is so-so.

I was at least right in so far that my scan tells me that the concentration of the part that causes the effect in the mix slightly increased.

This means this is mostly a question of repetition.

Many repetitions, to be precise.

And due to my forgetful slime mind, I have to label them or I won't know which slime basin is what.

However, the total amount also got a bit smaller when the slime dried away, and the energy decreased considerably.

Nonetheless, it should still do for lower mid-quality potions.

All-in-all, it at least qualifies as a way to create weaker potions on the fly while having no access to any preparation tools and, as such, can be considered as some kind of progress.

Also, Mum once told me that the act of working on improvement is a good thing by itself.

And in some way, I did just that.

I think I deserve another round of our provisions to make up for what I lost during the brewing.

And more importantly, I need a break.

A rest will be totally great for me now.

I've got a feeling that tonight is gonna be a good night.