- Shari -

Everything is currently going according to plan.

At least the first half of it.

I restored my reserves back to full, got to read a bit, unbothered by the dark thanks to my night vision, and was already drifting off into standby mode when I suddenly heard some disturbing noise from below.

Fortunately, I always have everything I need on hand to get back into my disguise and face people, though without the powder.

However, no amount of preparation could've prepared me for what I encounter on the lower floor.

"Look what I caught, Shari!" (Liqu)

There's Liqu with a child embedded inside her.

She swiftly draws closer to me and forcefully adjusts his body in my direction as if she wants to present her prey.

This way I have a clear sight of his terrified brown eyes.

It's the brown-haired brat that pickpocketed me earlier today!

Or rather pickbagged me, as pockets weren't involved?

And then also the expectant look she gives.

God, she's like one of those predator pets.

Though she seems to have left the boy unharmed.

Do I have to praise her now?

Looking closer, there's not as much grime left on the boy’s face as I remember.

Did Liqu eat it?!

"You remember our rule regarding children?" (Shari)

"He's alive at the moment!" (Liqu)

The "at the moment" part is what concerns me the most about this.

"Please keep it that way." (Shari)

Unfortunately for the boy, he probably can't hear all that much with Liqu's slime inside his ears.

So he's understandably quite out of his mind.

"What is going on?" (Michael)

Right, it would be weird if the master spy would sleep through this whole ordeal.

I was only faster because I don't really sleep in the first place.

"We've got an unwanted visitor." (Shari)

A thoroughly slimed visitor who might think his life is drawing to an end.

"Shit. Okay, we need to control the situation. I take it that you're not willing to quietly dispose of him?" (Michael)

"No! Absolutely not! We're not harming children!" (Shari)

"If you say so. Though, it's a waste. With your unique inclination, it would be quite simple for us get rid of the body. First things first though, let's question the boy." (Michael)

That's what I would've suggested as well.

"Liqu, get him to the cellar." (Shari)

Sounds like a smart call to me if we don't want to get watched during the interrogation.

Yet once we reach the, by now, thoroughly slimed cave, the boy isn't much calmer.

"Right... Liqu, could you get him out, please? But controlled. I don't want him to try to escape." (Shari)

"Yes, yes." (Liqu)

"You seem quite composed, despite the situation." (Michael)

"What would you say if I told ya that I was in a similar situation before?" (Shari)

"I'd say you're living quite the eventful life." (Michael)

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Right... Now excuse me, but I don’t plan to report on my experiences regarding dealing with abducted children.

Instead, I just give him a look.

The boy, meanwhile, gets mostly freed from Liqu's body, aside from enough slime at his feet and shoulders to pull him immediately back in.

I suppose I should point this out to him.

So I draw especially close to him to explain how deeply in trouble he is now.

"You shouldn't do anything stupid now, boy, or..." (Shari)

"Sptsh"

This little fucker just spat into my face!

Just what is wrong with the manners of this town's denizens?!

That's so gross that I instinctively activate dissolving.

However, once again this doesn’t relieve any of the feeling of wrongness I'm experiencing from the sensation of taking the saliva apart.

Nor does it help the boy to calm down when I make a dissolving show so close to his face.

"The, the others know I'm here! They'll report you if anything happens to me!" (boy)

Damn... okay, no, this sounds unlikely.

Not only because he seemed so unsure about this, but also because he got caught here on his own.

In any case, I need to get more out of him.

"You know, I'm pretty sure I told you not to cross my path again. However, I'm feeling generous today, so you might make it out of here if you just tell me for what kind of stupid reason you'd risk ending up in your current state." (Shari)

Half-embedded inside a huge slime if I need to be clear about this.

"You, you said something about alchemy and healing potions. Give me one and I'm gone!" (boy)

"Mhm, the issue isn't your presence here, boy, but rather what you'd do once you're gone. Which leaves the question if we should allow you to leave." (Michael)

Thanks for pointing that out, Michael.

However, just now there was an interesting little snippet.

"What do you need a healing potion for?" (Shari)

"You said there was one in this book, so you must have one! Give it to me!" (boy)

Wow, that's some disregard for the current situation if he's still willing to make demands.

Yet Liqu seems to think the same and elongates her neck so her disturbingly wide smiling face ends up cheek to cheek with the boy.

"My Shari asked you something. Would you please answer?" (Liqu)

Well, if that wasn't a reminder about his impending doom.

"M-my sister... she, she's hurt!" (boy)

Sigh.

How do I always end up in situations like this?

"Sure, very sad. What was this about others? Who else knows that you're here?" (Michael)

"I, I told the other kids! They know I'm here!" (boy)

"Great, that means we're safe. The guard won't listen to street urchins otherwise they'd actually investigate on missing person cases. Seems like the lax administration system comes to our aid. We're basically free to do whatever with him in our place." (Michael)

That sounds quite convenient for our needs.

Basically, one of the reasons why I chose Ekoras in the beginning.

Where would I be now if I had taken the road to Siras back then?

Whatever, I need to do something here.

"Damnit. Liqu, let go of him." (Shari)

"Okay!" (Liqu)

In a blink, she's standing next to him in her usual human form.

"Fine. Wait at the door. I'll fetch my stuff. Then you'll bring me to your sister." (Shari)

"Wh-what?" (boy)

"You heard me! Wait there. I'll come in a moment. And if after this I hear that you sold me out to anyone, you're going to regret it." (Shari)

"Are you serious?! That boy just admitted he was here to steal from you." (Michael)

"I don't have anything else that I have to do tonight and abandoning children doesn't sit well with me." (Shari)

"Do I even have to point out to you where this kind of thinking is going to lead you in this environment?" (Michael)

"No, but I'll only take a look. I don't plan on spending any riches here." (Shari)

"Well, it's your decision. But don't expect me to support it." (Michael)

"I'm always supporting my Shari!" (Liqu)

Sadly, Liqu's support isn't that great at helping me shake off the feeling that I'm making a terrible mistake here.

"Well, you won't have much of a choice, Michael, because someone has to stay here and watch our place, which I'd consider very helpful." (Shari)

"Groan! Whatever." (Michael)

Before I head out, I'm first going to store the book away.

My experience with this boy tells me it's not too smart to keep it within his reach.

Instead, I store it in our freshly created treasure pit after I put it inside Liqu's bag, wrapped in several layers of clothes so it hopefully won't get wet.

For myself, I collect my usual equipment as well as my bag with the potions I've created.

He said there's someone injured, so I could at least test how well they work.

Even if it might be a morally questionable thing to do, I doubt they'll complain.

So I'm finally ready to get going.

Liqu is as well, and she mindfully remembered to put on her disguise.

Which doesn't mean we wouldn't be in trouble if we'd encounter a patrol.

So late at night, there's a curfew in place to at least restrict crime in any way in this town.

Not that it would be in any way effective or even maintained here in the southern district, but we should still be careful.

Surprisingly, the boy is truly still waiting at the door.

"I, I don't understand. Are you really going to help me? Help my sister?" (boy)

"My Shari is so nice, right?" (Liqu)

Damn, this is really conflicting with my interests.

I know it isn't smart to not only get involved in other people's circumstances but now also to actively seek it out.

But I’m not one to leave a child suffering.

Maybe I should see it positively.

I'm not totally committed yet and might bail out if it seems like this will get too difficult for me to handle.

And maybe I can get something out of their gratitude.

Something simple like not ratting me out to whoever doesn't know about me yet.

Currently, he still looks more like he doesn't think of us as his saviors.

"Wh-why are you even coming with me? You, you could just give me the potion." (boy)

Either he's afraid that we might plan to get rid of all the witnesses by following him to his place, or he thinks we are stupid and wouldn't check his tearjerker story.

The latter is one of the reasons why I want to see the situation myself.

"Sure, I couldn't think of anything better than spending my nights out in the slums. One of my personal favorite pastimes. However, and now listen closely, a wrongly applied mending potion can be quite dangerous. So I'd suggest you let someone do that who has expertise. That is, if we'll even find your sick sister there." (Shari)

"She is there!! I'll show you!" (boy)

It might be that he isn't the smartest.