- Shari -

Once we left our new home, I notice how some children are running away.

They probably saw us and instantly their escape instincts kicked in, honed by running from pissed-off theft victims since early childhood.

However, the boy isn't running.

Though, maybe a little unsure and lost about his next steps.

I should probably stop calling him boy.

"Hey, do you have a name?" (Shari)

"O-Okin!" (Okin)

"Relax, I’m not some sicko who eats what they're calling by name." (Shari)

"Oh, I understand this! This makes it always kinda weird." (Liqu)

Right, that it's still a viable possibility for Liqu surely helped him to dissipate his concerns.

Anyway, we proceed to walk through the slums.

If I thought before that there's a limit to how bad an area could be, I'm profusely taught better once we reach it.

At least, the ramshackle buildings from before had doors, aside from ours.

But these are just destitute ruins.

I'm not even sure what keeps those unsupported brick walls standing.

Probably only the fact that the big city walls shut out the gusts of wind that would finally knock them over.

Most of them are simply beyond repair coming from the structural integrity of their remainders.

And that's only the infrastructure.

Let's say, I'm currently quite glad that my slime body's sense of perception can't be bothered by all the stench of filth, death, and decay that's very present in this environment.

At this point, I'm getting profusely irritated at the thought that the officials told me such a grand tale about how living within the walls is a privilege that justifies the high price for a house.

I can't see all that much in this direction here.

Especially, the locals seem to be, even at this time of the day, quite bothered about any passerbies.

That's at least what all the gazes I receive from every nook and cranny tell me.

Still, we pass undisturbed and eventually reach something like a shack behind the ruins of the leftover stone walls of what once was a building.

Yet the shack isn't much better off.

Basically, it's only some pieces of wood leaning against a stone wall that three sides are covered and one could cover the entrance with some rugged fabric.

The boy quickly runs inside.

"Nia, are you okay?!" (Okin)

Well, I won't have to ask for a name.

Inconveniently, this shack wasn't established with someone my size in mind.

Yet this ain't an issue for a slime.

I can easily stoop down to their size, even if it's accompanied by some estranging effects on my self-perception.

However, I can put up with this for a short while.

From the far end of this small makeshift tunnel, I perceive the weak voice of a girl.

"Okin? Is that you?" (must be Nia)

"Yes, it's me! I... I brought help." (Okin)

He's looking at us while saying so, probably being unsure since now is the moment of truth as to whether or not we're only here to devour those who know too much.

Which tells quite a lot about how desperate he must've been.

Luckily for him, I'm not that much of a monster.

"Let me see her." (Shari)

I peek inside this ramshackle shack and gain sight of a rather young thing.

Barely older than her brother, with similarly disheveled brown hair and dark brown eyes, I’d say she’s no older than seven, at most eight

She has a sickly pale complexion where it can be seen through the grime, while also being obviously malnourished.

Yet her tattered clothes aren't much better.

Suddenly, the girl is far more awake once she becomes aware of my presence.

"Who is this, Okin?" (Nia)

"I'm supposed to give you a checkup. Your brother said you're injured?" (Shari)

"H-he's worrying too much. It's just my arm." (Nia)

Her arm?

Now that I look closer, her right arm is bandaged.

If the dirty stripes of former clothing qualify as such.

Wait, the right arm and this black fabric.

That's the robber I crashed into the ground!

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"You are the thief from yesterday!" (Shari)

"Tsk. And you're the wannabe hero making my life more difficult. Who did you just bring here, Okin?" (Nia)

"Uh, you see..." (Okin)

"As of now, apparently your only chance. Please show me the wound. After I came all the way here, I want to at least give it a look." (Shari)

She seems reluctant about it and the way she's wincing while stripping it off tells me that it's certainly not "nothing".

Once the bandages are gone, I can see the full severity.

If there would just be this mix of a bad gash and raw flesh with still-embedded pieces of gravel that claim two-thirds of her forearm up to the elbow it would be bad enough.

However, it festered, wildly.

I can't say anything alleviating about this.

The way the boy looks this severe condition isn't new to him.

"That looks pretty bad for a human!" (Liqu)

"It isn't! Urgh! I-I just have to sleep this off." (Nia)

Sure...

"Why are you trying to downplay this?" (Shari)

The quick glance at her brother says more than enough.

She's trying to play strong for him.

I'm stupid.

"Can you now give her the potion?! You said you have one!" (Okin)

"First, I didn't promise you a thing. Don't forget, you're still the boy who stole my stuff and returned for round two. And second... Goddamnit, if you had used the potion on this you might've killed her!" (Shari)

Conveniently, Tamarah's book not only said how to brew the potions but also how to apply them.

And in the case of the mending one, it was very adamant about not aggravating any kind of bad growth within the flesh.

This especially concerns infections.

Well, if this won't be treated she'd probably die either way.

At least, it won't be less than an amputation of the rotten limb.

But even if I conveniently got a low-quality mending potion from Tamarah that might suffice to knit that wound back together to a degree, it's common sense that you never take a healing potion against sickness.

Healing works in the way that it strengthens all body processes in the damaged region to get the body to regenerate itself.

However, this stimulation also includes bad processes.

So I don't even want to imagine what might happen to her if we accelerate what makes her flesh rot.

"And now?!" (Okin)

Yes... what now?

I can't apply the potion on the festering surface.

It would only aggravate the condition.

Moreover, I'm very unsure about the quality, as this is just the imperfect result of my alchemist training.

Also, there isn't too much of it.

“Let me think for a moment, please.” (Shari)

"You said you'd help her!" (Okin)

He's getting pretty demanding about my not-exactly-guaranteed help.

"Okin, stop it! You really want to help me? Can you really do this?" (Nia)

"You see, your arm... I have a weak mending potion with me, however, the infection spread pretty badly. As long as it's there, we can't apply it. Yet if we cut it out, the resulting wound might become too big." (Shari)

"You're saying?" (Nia)

"I can offer two options. Neither of them is great." (Shari)

"There's a choice? That's better than I ever had in my life. Urgh. Let's hear!" (Nia)

A more positive reaction than I thought.

Well, let's give it to her.

"First, we could remove your arm, then use a healing potion. A small wound area like this will heal fast. It would be the safest way to go about this." (Shari)

"What?! You can't be serious!" (Okin)

"Okin! Aghk! You said two. What's the second?" (Nia)

"Well, we could do as I said and only try to remove the infection. Yet there might not be enough mending potion to close the wound, and if we cut too shallow this might make it worse." (Shari)

Okin seems to become increasingly uncomfortable.

"So a safe way with unsatisfying results or a high risk, high reward way." (Nia)

"Basically, yes. So, which option do you take?" (Shari)

"Option two, naturally." (Nia)

"Nia, I have to press here that this isn't just a small risk we're talking about and your arm could stay impeded even if it works. I'm not a professional healer. So I want to make it clear to you that you're in grave danger if I do this." (Shari)

"Look, I can't afford to become a burden to Okin. He needs me. So I only have the option to aim for a full recovery. If not for this, it might be better for Okin if I become a goner. So option two please." (Nia)

It's kinda sad how much of an adult this young girl already is.

Kids her age should play catch or hide and seek in a less dangerous manner and not spend so many thoughts on death.

"Shari." (Liqu)

"Yes, Liqu, what is it that you have to say?" (Shari)

"You want to save this girl, right?" (Liqu)

I dread to answer this.

So I do so very cautiously.

"Yes?" (Shari)

"Then, if your other methods are too risky, should I turn her?" (Liqu)

Oh damn.

I don't even want to consider this option.

Yet this time, she’s leaving the choice up to me.

"Not so loud! I thought this wouldn't be an option without preparation?" (Shari)

"Yes, yes, as you wish. Actually, I prepared in case something happens to Anvenia. Wouldn't know what else to do if she gets hurt." (Liqu)

In her own way, she's caring.

In her own very distressing way.

"Didn't you say that you couldn't do that to someone her age?" (Shari)

"It would be very dangerous, but if something were to happen to her, I wouldn’t want to be without any method of helping. She’s nice. However, this one is quite a bit older. I might be able to make it work. Though, there's still a risk." (Liqu)

Even if I try to interpret her idea favorably, this still sounds extremely disturbing.

"Sorry, no. Not if there's any other option." (Shari)

"Hey, what are you two talking about?" (Nia)

Yeah, I get that this might sound slightly disturbing to hear from the sidelines.

“We’re just discussing the best way to go about this. Some of the particulars would be unpleasant to listen to, but that infection has to be removed somehow.” (Shari)

"If you still want to try it your way, and the problem is the bad stuff on her arm, why don't you just dissolve it?" (Liqu)

I already want to scowl at Liqu for being so obvious when I think closer about her proposal.

Not only could this way the consumed amount be kept to a minimum, but we also have more insight into the state of the infection.

This might actually work.

"Uh-ugh, di-did I just hear 'dissolve'? D-do you mean with acid? Are you an alchemist?" (Nia)

"Ehm, kinda? The thing is, I was just made aware of a way to make option two a bit safer. Though, certainly also more unpleasant. Yet it also requires complete confidentiality." (Shari)

"Sure. Whatever. I’ll take what I can get." (Nia)

I move closer to the girl so we're face to face.

"I and my friend aren't your regular citizens. We have our history and circumstances. Most things in this world aren't as simple as they appear to be at first glance. And sometimes... there's simply more to someone than you can see on the surface." (Shari)

And with this, I remove my mask.