- Shari -

I finish my business with Tamarah, yet not without leaving a good chunk of mine with her.

However, I can't say this price wasn't worth it.

Today I learned much more about brewing mundane potions.

The simple stuff, like the ones for curing an upset stomach, detoxification, and treating minor infections, which would've been really great yesterday.

It went even a bit in the direction of cosmetics, something that can only benefit someone with my face.

And to top it all off, I was allowed to take some of Tamarah's older ingredients with me, for practice.

They won't make for great potions, but Tamarah meant that if it works with these then I might actually get something straight if I have something of quality.

Once I'm done, it’s back to Liqu and Michael.

Fortunately, I still have this stone that points me in the right direction.

It kinda soothes me that my little calamity slime can't get lost in this big town.

My path leads me back into the slums.

Gratefully, when I find them, it doesn't look like they're in trouble.

Which means a lot considering I'm talking about Liqu.

Sigh, I always feel nervous to leave her alone.

A sentiment that I'm sure will be interpreted to my disadvantage.

It doesn't take long before Liqu as well gains sight of me.

"Shari!" (Liqu)

Damn. If she wants to she can move quite quickly in her disguise.

"Hi. What are you two doing here?" (Shari)

"The same as the last few days. I'm trying to extract information from the locals. However, the level of success leaves me wanting. It seems the people were forced into submission not to talk. Considering who we're talking about, it wouldn't be farfetched if they also follow up on their threats." (Michael)

Didn't I, for exactly this reason, send Okin to him?

"What about the two kiddos?" (Shari)

"I had to get started at some point, so I left them at your place so the boy can finish up their repairs once we were almost done. I secured my stuff, so it's only your problem if they steal anything." (Michael)

I'm almost certain that he's still irritated about my decision to stray from the mission by doing other stuff.

Yet starting a quarrel wouldn't be productive right now.

So let's be the bigger slime.

"No, I meant if they could add anything helpful to your cause." (Shari)

"They were somewhat helpful. I could confirm that in recent times there's been increased effort on hunting people within the slums. But this is where we find our second obstacle. It seems the whole criminal underground of this town is deeply interconnected with our targets. There are almost ordered structures. They basically take their own taxes from the people and whoever can't pay gets enslaved in the long run if they can't evade the enforcers. It's truly a shame what the marquis of the south let become of his realm." (Michael)

I agree with this statement.

Seriously, criminals claiming taxes?

In other places, they at least call it protection money.

"But if it's so obvious, why can't you find the place we're looking for? It doesn't sound like they're in hiding." (Shari)

"They still kinda are, but the greater problem is how widespread everything became. It was clear from the start that Ekoras is a shithole, just not that the different parties all work together for our enemy. Therefore, it's quite complicated to identify and, more importantly, distinguish the exact place we're looking for. They might even switch between them, or use several at once for the slave trade, depending on the situation. I'm currently trying to gather the locations of the different hideouts, but as I mentioned before, the people here are afraid of answering this kind of question. So it's a grind." (Michael)

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

I can imagine.

Nobody wants to be the next on the list just because some wannabe heroes are asking stupid questions.

However, the two I saved, and also scarred for life, should be aware.

"What about the kids? Couldn't they help you out?" (Shari)

"In exchange for a meal and further provisions, they marked down some hideouts for me. But just as mentioned, I only know that criminals dwell in those. So today we checked those places out. Liqu was quite helpful with that." (Michael)

I think everyone can understand me if I grow concerned at such a statement.

"Helpful? In what way?" (Shari)

"She has quite the ability to shape her humanoid form. So I told her to make herself a bit bigger and stand behind me. Like this, she makes for a very intimidating bodyguard. Not to speak of her profound body control, which allows her to follow up on her looks. This made asking around quite a bit safer and in some cases easier." (Michael)

"You heard this, Shari? I did well!" (Liqu)

Oh my.

Sometimes I worry how easy it is to take advantage of this slime.

She's even happy to do as told.

It might be good that I'm the one she's so fixated on, as I have at least her well-being in mind.

I mean, after all this time together, I wouldn't want something bad to happen to her.

But at least it seems to have worked out in this case.

"Did you learn anything of substance?" (Shari)

"We're making progress, yet it's a drag. There's a difference between hideouts and actual operation bases. Naturally, I'd recommend raiding them all, yet this seems unfeasible. Also, we still need to identify them properly to be able to make sound decisions. Nothing one can achieve in a single day. This is going to be a long-term job." (Michael)

Okay, it works out with my current obligations, but I'd rather see something happening.

"Is there any way to accelerate our progress?" (Shari)

"Nah, we need to stay careful. Being too brazen would alert our targets. I advise you to stay calm. Slow progress is still progress, after all." (Michael)

"I'm free now. How about I help you?" (Shari)

"Please, don't take this as an offense, but we're good. I do the talking and Liqu performs admirably in her role. Too big of a group would just draw unwanted attention." (Michael)

Did he seriously just tell me that he prefers Liqu's participation over mine for something that requires interaction with people?!

It's hard not to feel offended at this.

For real, I always thought that I could at least perform decently as a talker.

Until now I did all the negotiating for our group.

Okay, we might've gotten scammed more than once, but I'm certain it wasn't always my fault.

Oh my, I should stop at this point.

"So to make sure I get you straight, you want me to go back home, right?" (Shari)

"Might be for the best. After all, you took on other duties you have to follow up on, isn't that right?" (Michael)

Okay, now I'm certain that was payback for me doing my thing on this mission.

"Fine, as you please!" (Shari)

"Shari?!" (Liqu)

"Liqu, I'm proud that you're doing so well. And didn't swallow the town. Show more of this and I'll praise you more." (Shari)

"For real!?! Okay, Michael, let's go!! I want to 'check out' five... no, TEN more places!" (Liqu)

"Urgh, this sounds a bit optimistic." (Michael)

Well, consider this payback.

As I was right now essentially excluded from this mission, I don't have anything else to do but to head back home.

Huh, "home" has an interesting ring for me.

It's kinda awesome that I truly have a place to call my own now.

Even if it mostly serves as a hideout for this mission.

But who knows, maybe in the future, after things calm down for this country, I can make a deal to avoid staying cooped up in the palace and instead lead an independent life here in the South.

It doesn't seem too farfetched that the queen wouldn't insist on having us always present.

After all, what would the people say?

Naturally, we would still be constantly monitored, but that might even be good in so far that we might have some kind of security to avoid people from lashing out at us like morons.

This house wouldn't be the worst place to settle down from all the constant trouble.

Ekoras lies far enough away from the center of politics, and we could hunt monsters to make money and refill ourselves.

Those all are, at best, far distant plans, I know.

However, at least no one can argue that I paid for it and am the rightful owner.

So to say, this place I call home is kinda the proof that I made a first step towards a brighter future.

It's important to have dreams, after all.

Now that I'm closing in on our place, I start to worry that they could actually have stolen something.

As I contemplated before, the only thing I have left there would be the slime pots, but those aren't much better than what you could find in the dumpster.

And I mean, we're talking here about slime.

Not everyone in this city is a crazed alchemist searching for potion ingredients.

Finally, I turn into the right street and gain sight of it.

They finished the repairs and I need to say, despite being literal garbage, the new door looks good.

Overall, this place now makes a far better impression.

However, something is amiss.

Ehm...

Why is there a queue in front of my place?