- Shari -

I don't really know how it happened, but I somehow ended up brewing potions for my shop that I didn't know I had established in this city.

At some point I just went with the flow.

Something slimes are apparently quite good at.

Though, as this job literally takes its toll "from" my body, at one point I had to send the boy out to buy me something with meat.

Something big.

In hindsight, the silver coin might've been a bit much.

His eyes almost bulged out of his head.

Since his sister is still here he probably won't run with it, and I told him he can keep the change if he gets me a sufficient amount of food.

Now I can only hope that he's motivated enough to want the slime to stay satiated.

Fortunately, I'll probably endure until he returns, as I'm not using too much of my mass at the moment, but instead, mostly control the process of increasing the density of my potion mix.

After all, I want to at least sell something that shows an actual effect.

This might be redundant, but if I ever get exposed as the monster I am, then I kinda don't want people to be able to say: "And aside from being a man-eating abomination, it also scammed us!"

Anyway, it's almost kinda fun.

Like those pretend games I used to play as a kid.

By now the first rush of customers has dwindled down.

Not to a small degree, because Nia increased the prices until it showed an effect.

Naturally, I also pay attention to Nia.

This should be a given, considering that she knows my secret and could really screw me up with this.

So I attempt to stay where I can perceive all of her actions.

"Okin!" (Nia)

Oh, is my food delivery here?

I guess it should be fine to show up in the customer area to receive it.

Naturally, after readjusting my appearance and putting my gloves on.

Prepared like this, I enter the front room.

And start to get quite confused at what I'm seeing.

"What are you doing here?! This isn't your place!" (Nia)

"Shut up! You're not making the calls here, little girl!" (thug 1)

Two obvious ruffians grabbed Okin from behind, who carries a sac that probably contains my meal for today.

Which is reason enough for me to get involved.

"Ahem! You might be right. As this is my shop, I am the one to make the calls here. So would you mind explaining to me what's the meaning of this ruckus?" (Shari)

"Wha- What's up with this mask?!" (thug 1)

Hah, that's the first time someone's actually asked.

"This is my style. Got a problem with that?" (Shari)

Well, he's at least taken aback by my retort.

"Now that that's apparently out of the way, what is going on?" (Shari)

"This is none of your business!" (thug 2)

"Oh sorry. I might have been a bit too unclear. This is my shop. Those two work for me. In fact he's currently holding my dinner. So by all means, this is my business!" (Shari)

"Are you stupid? Listen, you certainly don't want to get involved in this!" (thug 1)

"I still want to know." (Shari)

And maybe I also enjoy it a tiny, little bit to be obnoxious to assholes.

"Wait a moment. This place is new! Could it be you don't know how things work here?" (thug 2)

Hmm, it's getting interesting.

"No, not really. May you explain it to ol' dumb me?" (Shari)

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At this, one of them looks strangely at me, while the other sets up a weird grin.

"Sure. You see, you can't just open a shop here. You need to pay the according taxes." (thug 2)

"Oh, that shouldn't be a problem. I paid more than enough for this building. This should cover it for quite a while." (Shari)

"Oh no. I wasn't talking about the useless folks over there. You'll have to pay a tribute to the local 'neighborhood committee'. And in exchange, they'll protect you. This is in your own best interest, you know? Things can get broken. You wouldn't want that, right?" (thug 2)

"Nah, I guess I'm fine, but thanks for the offer. If you don't have any further business offers I'd like to ask you to leave. Now!" (Shari)

The issue is that they still have Okin.

Therefore, I have to devise a plan to get him out there.

"Are you crazy?! Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?!" (thug 2)

"No, and I don't care. But apparently you don't know me either. Cause if you did, there'd be no way you'd still be here getting on my nerves and risking agitating me even more than I already am." (Shari)

While speaking I take a bottle that Nia apparently placed there.

It looks useable, albeit a little dirty.

"Don't you dare mess with us! Our gang is in charge of this district, and I won't let you screw with us!" (thug 2)

Quite the bold statement, considering they're here in my place.

Still imposing on me.

Not like it would impress me in any way.

"Something's not right here, Visk. Maybe we should retreat for now." (thug 1)

"Do you think I'm going to chicken out because of a random wench, Warren?" (Visk)

With these words, he briskly walks in my direction, while the other one still holds Okin.

Now it's time for the execution of my plan.

So I start dissolving.

"Zsch"

As I assumed, even contained inside the glass, the reaction still sets in.

Yet like with metal, it seems as if it needs a bit longer to burn through the glass.

This works in my favor, as it's all part of the show.

"Swshh"

"Splzzschch"

I throw the bottle directly below his feet.

It shatters and promptly dissolves a hole in the floor.

Maybe some drops hit this hoodlum, but aside from damaged pants and shoes, as well as local burns, he should be fine.

"Aargh!" (Visk)

Maybe he sees this differently.

At least, Okin uses the distraction to free himself and run to his sister.

"You can try again, but just to tell ya, there's more where that came from." (Shari)

Yet I don't think that I want to disclose that the source is my body.

"What are you doing!?!" (Warren)

"Just a piece of advice. Next time you try to extort someone, make sure that one isn't a seasoned adventurer. If I can kill monsters, then I certainly won't back down against you. So tell whoever you're working for that if they try to make my life difficult, then I'm going to come and pay them a visit. And believe me, I have the means to do some damage and am quite resentful. So it's up to you how far you want to escalate." (Shari)

I think it's the mask, but maybe also the lack of doubt in my voice, or the fact that I just let my knife slide into my glove.

Whatever it is, they seem to take me seriously enough to not want to give it another try and decide to leave.

Quickly.

"And next time, buy something!" (Shari)

This should've been enough.

Maybe it's stupid to get involved like this, but I was always quite bad at enduring assholes.

"Thank you so much! You saved us!" (Okin)

"Yeah. Thanks as well." (Nia)

Well, this part is also something I'm willing to accept.

"No problem. I guess as part of being your employer, I have to watch out for my workforce. By the way, I hope this is my food." (Shari)

"Y-yes, it is. I hope it's alright." (Okin)

Doesn't look like he scammed me, or he's a better actor than I gave him credit for.

Inside the sac, there are all kinds of meats.

Skewers, buns, even a grilled piece.

Great!

Then maybe I can now finally enjoy my meal.

"Just what the fuck is going on here?!!" (Michael)

Would've been too nice, right world?

----------------------------------------

- Renkos -

"Just so I understand you two. You let yourself get bested by a child. It outran you, and you followed it to a shop whose owner scared you so much that you ran with your tail between your legs. Did I miss anything about the trouble you got yourself into?" (Renkos)

"N-no, sir. It happened as you said." (Warren)

I can't believe these idiots.

That boy openly messed with us.

If we let someone off who leads the owners of stolen goods straight to us, people will eventually grow bolder.

This and also we need to meet our quota of people to send over.

Kids are quite low on the priority list the higher-ups send us, as they prefer able-bodied men.

So we didn't bother to skim through town to seek them out.

However, if they present themselves to our men on the open street, there's no excuse not to go after them.

"You realize you're in deep trouble, right? Tell me a reason why I shouldn't send you off instead. You should know that you're expendable. If I'd want, I could always find more recruits who'd certainly do a better job than you." (Renkos)

"It wasn't our fault! That alchemist was a goddamn lunatic!" (Visk)

"Are you crazy? Don't shout at him!" (Warren)

It seems one of them has a bit more common sense than the other.

Not like it would change anything about how screwed they are.

"But it's true! I mean, what kind of person would wear such a creepy mask all the time?" (Visk)

"Mask?" (Renkos)

"Yes. Made from some kind of gold and covering her whole face." (Visk)

That reminds me.

There was this incident with those who killed Cid.

Could such a coincidence really happen?

"Interesting. As for your judgment, stay ready to receive it." (Renkos)

After all, desperate assets can be quite useful regarding the lengths they're willing to go.

I send them away, so they can brood a bit over their misery, and move on to the next meeting.

It seems the man I sent after those adventurers just returned.

"Please, Calios. Tell me you have some good news. I saw enough incompetence for a day." (Renkos)

"Well, as you told me, I followed them all the way and well, they ended up at a potion shop." (Calios)

A potion shop?

That's a bit too much of a coincidence.

"Hmm." (Renkos)

"Is there a problem?" (Calios)

"No. I'm just starting to grow increasingly irritated by this potion shop. Something is weird here. Those two adventurers were asking intimate questions all day. There's clearly something up and I don't appreciate this kind of interest in our business in the slightest." (Renkos)

"Well, there's a simple solution for this." (Calios)

"I know, I know. Make sure it will be done. Without causing too much of a disturbance if possible. We can't afford to draw unnecessary interest towards our operations." (Renkos)