- Shari -

Currently, I am mentally in a very poor state.

It's a mix of having to torture a young girl in the same way that it happened to me, knowing how much more I still have to do to her as well as that I'm literally turning her into a monster, along with Liqu's constant, most-disturbing encouragement.

Especially, while I still had to fill her stomach with more slime.

I tried going about this as gently as possible, but the act itself was so revolting to me that I retched as much as she probably would've liked to.

That can take its toll on one's mind.

Yeah, I guess the girl has more reason to complain than I do, but she's out cold, so not really affected as of now.

Anyway, I retired to my room once I was done and Liqu assured me she would inform me of any noteworthy development.

Since she has greater expertise than me on the matter of turning humans into slimes, I guess this is just right as it is.

Not like I’ll be able to get any rest in this state of mind.

Still, I need to calm down, as it won't help Nia in any way if I botch this up because of stress.

So I start detaching my mind in the standby mode.

"Where's Nia!?!!" (Okin)

Wha-what!?!

Oh damn, it's the boy.

He's even touching me directly!

Don't dissolve him, Shari!

No matter how much this startled you.

"What's going on? You shouldn't do that. It's dangerous." (Shari)

I look at the tearful face of the boy who apparently tries to shake me.

With expectedly little success.

"Where's Nia?! I can't find her. Where did you take her? Is she... Is she..." (Okin)

Oh my god, he thinks the girl is dead.

"You know... Nia is..." (Shari)

But, I'm at a loss for words, as the real situation isn't much better and to some might even be considered worse.

"No... Nooo!! Whaaaah!" (Okin)

Oh damn, I was too slow with clearing this up.

"She, she's in the cellar!" (Shari)

From one moment to the other, the boy stares blankly at me and then starts off towards the stairway.

Sigh, seems like my break officially ends here.

After quickly getting into my usual outfit, I follow behind at a sedate pace.

Once I'm down and in the back room, I see him rattling against the door.

Yes, of course, I locked it.

If anyone uninvolved would witness what transpires down there I would be so done for.

"Open! Open it now!" (Okin)

"Please, understand. Your sister was dying. We had no other choice but to do something extreme." (Shari)

"Wh-what did you do to Nia!?!" (Okin)

"Okin, Nia is... I don't know how to say this." (Shari)

"Let me to her! What did you do?! Let me in!" (Okin)

He's yelling at me without breaks.

I can't tell him a single thing like this.

"Hear me out. Your sister was in a very bad state." (Shari)

"No! I want her! Let me go to my sister!" (Okin)

"Would you please listen to the giant monster that can devour you whole?!" (Shari)

Okay, that shut him up.

"Okin, your sister is in a very bad state. When I open this door, I need you to promise me that you don't approach her recklessly. That could kill her." (Shari)

He nods.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

This will have to suffice.

So I open the door to the cellar.

After a few steps down the stairway, we're in Liqu's lair.

There she is.

Not looking too great, obviously.

Fixed to the corner with slime, a slightly bulged belly, and the remains of blue slime on her shirt she apparently threw up.

Liqu insisted on the fixation, saying that she shouldn't move too much or her organs might turn into soup before it's the right time.

As that was a rather convincing argument, I had to concur.

I, on the other hand, forced my point that I would absolutely not get her out of her clothes, even if this would've made it easier to check on her state.

It's already looking bad enough as it is.

But no way in hell will I have a naked child bound to the wall in my cellar.

There's a point where you simply can't justify things anymore.

Not even to yourself.

Like right now, for example.

At least, we put her in the most comfortable position we could manage.

Yet I'm not too sure if this will suffice for her brother.

Because at the moment, it looks like we abducted her into our dungeon to torture her.

Which in some way is even the case.

"N-no. NIA!!!" (Okin)

And he's running straight towards her.

So much for promises.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one keeping my oaths here.

Anyway, I should help him to keep his own now or he might mess up Nia's body.

Can't have organ soup inside her.

Rather than running behind him, I use the unique feat of Liqu's cellar and link to the ground.

This way I establish control over the thick layer on the ground, spread my influence below Okin, and let it rise to grasp him.

"Stop this, Okin!" (Shari)

"You! What did you do to her?!" (Okin)

"Do you need help, Shari?" (Liqu)

Oh, she's awake.

Well, she was supposed to be here.

I should answer her.

"No. But please help me watch out that nothing happens that kills the girl." (Shari)

I contemplate how well Liqu usually understands my instructions and decide to add something.

"Naturally, without killing the boy either." (Shari)

"Yes, yes. I understand this is important to you." (Liqu)

At this, I become suddenly aware of Okin again.

"Raaaahh! What did you do to her?!" (Okin)

I have no idea what to say to him.

What happens to his sister is not the kind of thing you can give someone bluntly.

"She's becoming a slime!" (Liqu)

If your name isn't Liqu that is.

The boy is now staring blankly at us.

"Please, try to understand. Your sister was dying from this infection. What we're doing here will prevent this. It was her choice. She's doing this of her own free will. For you." (Shari)

"... becoming, a, slime?" (Okin)

"Yes. If she transforms, her body isn't going to kill her anymore. You need to trust us on this. If you do something reckless like calling the guards, that's surely going to be her end." (Shari)

It doesn't look like he's willing to trust us on this.

"Liqu, can we wake up the girl? If she tells him directly this might be more convincing." (Shari)

"I wouldn't advise doing so. Sleeping is good. Makes the process smoother. Speaking of it, you should refill her." (Liqu)

At these words all my slime trembles.

"With 'refill' you mean..." (Shari)

"Well, put some good slime inside to keep the process going. But be careful. Her stomach is so much smaller than yours was. That's one of the reasons why I don't recommend doing it to humans of this age. It's quite difficult to balance things out." (Liqu)

"Uh, then you do it, please. Your control is better than mine." (Shari)

"Hm, this is more your thing, Shari. I'm not sure if I should partake like this." (Liqu)

"Please, Liqu. Just a little support." (Shari)

"Well, alright! This time. But you need to do this yourself. This is your responsibility, Shari." (Liqu)

Is this slime seriously berating me about parenting responsibility right now?

At least she's going over there.

"Wh-what are you doing!?" (Okin)

Oh no, he's again trying to run over.

I have no other choice but to grab him.

Yet as my limbs are naturally not very sturdy, the only way I can go about this is to wrap myself around him.

Subduing a child like this isn't all that difficult, but sadly only adds to the things that wear on my delicate mental state.

"Stop interfering! You have no idea how difficult this is on me." (Shari)

"You can't! Nia!" (Okin)

Liqu by now put her hand on Nia's face.

She's making it lose its shape and starts pushing the mass inside, directly down her throat.

Unfortunately, it seems that Nia didn't pass out deeply enough and starts retching halfway through.

"Grurgle, urghl, ooughh!" (Nia)

"Oh my, just good that I avoided blocking the airway. That's something you need to pay attention to when doing it yourself, Shari." (Liqu)

I know it's good advice, but I could've done without it.

On a positive note, Liqu was already mostly done and finishes before it becomes unbearable for the girl.

And for me to watch.

"Cough, cough, cough!" (Nia)

"Nia!" (Okin)

Which part of "no touching" he doesn't get?!

"O-Okin? Wh-what is..." (Nia)

"You, you still remember how you got here, right?" (Shari)

Please, don't let her have a very inconvenient amnesia that will force me to explain her current situation to her all over again.

"No... That was real?! I, I'm... seriously." (Nia)

"It's progressing well." (Liqu)

Stop being insensitive, Liqu!

"Nia! They said you wanted this! What are they doing to you?!" (Okin)

"Nngh. Please, Okin. Quiet. You're too loud. I, I agreed. Yes." (Nia)

She still doesn't sound very good.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" (Shari)

"Like shit? Urbh, I feel sick. I'm so dizzy that probably only the fact that you glued me to the wall keeps me upright. My stomach hurts like hell, and I can't taste my own spit anymore. Also, what's this?" (Nia)

At the last part, she tries moving her arms, which are fixed to the ground with sturdier, stickier slime.

"It's a safety measure. If you move that might aggravate your condition. Please, just bear with it." (Shari)

It's not like she's in any condition to run.

"Urbgh, shit. I wanna puke. This stuff is gross and making me sick. I feel so bad." (Nia)

"If you can persevere two more days I can assure you that it's going to become easier." (Shari)

At least that's when the transformation really starts.

Which might be several magnitudes more unbearable while it happens.

Though, I doubt that it would help her to hear that part.

"Two more days? This is quite long." (Nia)

"I'm sorry, but this is about the time when you'll stop being close to death" (Shari)

"Right... I understand." (Nia)

"Great! It would've been awesome if you'd been just as cooperative, Shari." (Liqu)

"Thanks?" (Nia)

"No need for that. But now we need to proceed with the treatment." (Liqu)

"Oh, shit! You, you really need to repeat this?" (Nia)

"I'm really sorry that we don't have a less-problematic way to go about this. However, I need to tell you that this is quite costly for us as well." (Shari)

"Okay... I'll pity you once there's no more slime dripping out of my face." (Nia)

Well, that's quite bad for her, especially as it probably won't ever come to this point, but it's not like we could do without it.

On that line of thought, I need to replenish my reserves or there won't be a thing I can do.

So I walk to the stairway that leads out here.

"What!? Where you're going?!" (Okin)

"I need to go on a shopping tour now." (Shari)