- Shari -

Gladly, it seems like Liqu was able to manage the shop by herself.

Gareth departed after providing me the address and some corresponding information for the Moreau estate within the inner district.

Once there's an opening between the occasional customers, I use that timeframe to fill Liqu in.

"So that means I can dissolve them?" (Liqu)

"I'd rather you not. I would prefer not leaving too much of a mess." (Shari)

"But if something happens I can?" (Liqu)

"You're awfully eager about this, Liqu." (Shari)

"Well, it would pose a risk if we can't properly defend ourselves, right?" (Liqu)

Since when is this slime so good at stating convincing arguments?

The thing is, we'd even have a bit of leeway here.

While we can't openly storm in and massacre everyone with the whole town watching everything, I squeezed the assurance out of Gareth that he'd recede patrols in the area and stall sending help if they'd be called.

That's nothing he can overdo, but it would increase the limits which we could operate in.

However, I certainly won't rush this and head out tonight.

Neither will I do it during the daytime, while there are still people out there.

Which means that there's still time.

And this means from me that I have time to prepare.

As the shop is still open, I don't want to abandon Liqu.

Instead, I use some of my stored ingredients to prepare a potent mix of ledia leaves.

I also consider using umbradow.

However, that one is difficult to acquire.

Already smallest dosages of this black-green herb can knock you out, even faster and more effectively than ledia leaves could ever do, at the cost of an awful headache after waking up, accompanied by a lot of other concerning health issues.

This makes it quite obvious why it isn't so easy to get them on the market, as no sane person would ever buy them for personal use.

It's for a reason also called "sleep of death".

I mean, if already the tiniest amount makes you fall unconscious it shouldn't be too surprising to hear what an even slightly higher dosage does.

This stuff is a perfect assassination drug, making for a quick and peaceful, and therefore conveniently quiet, death.

Had I asked in the capital for such a thing I couldn't even have feigned I'd want to use it only on monsters.

However, being now in Ekoras where the law is quite flexible, I should look if I could acquire some of it anytime soon.

It might work especially well with my blades.

Where ledia leaves make drowsy and sluggish, and only work quickly in higher dosages, this would go for a more instantaneous effect.

Maybe my new reputation as a dignified alchemist might help me out on this as well.

Well, I’ve finished preparing everything I could for the time being.

The rest will require further effort outside the house.

First, I open the cellar.

.

.

.

Ehm...

Did I forget to unlock the door?

Once I open up, I look at the two kids who return my gaze with somewhat scrutinizing expressions.

"Ehm, hello. Uh, sorry? I had a somewhat problematic guest who for obvious reasons shouldn't have seen you. I hope this wasn't too bad in here." (Shari)

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

From the looks, I shouldn't set my hopes for understanding reactions too high.

This especially means something if I can clearly see it from the girl who shouldn't even be able to signal anything with her borderless slime eyes.

"Just so you know, I had a very weird time where I had to assure those two that I wouldn’t eat them after you locked them in here with me." (Nia)

Yeah, that comes not unexpected.

"At least, this confirmed to me that this truly was no elaborate play to catch prey. Otherwise, I would be dead now. So you can consider my curiosity sated for the time being. I bid you farewell." (Bokkan)

"Okay... Goodbye." (Shari)

Finally, he's leaving.

The kiddos on the other hand, are still staring at me.

"I was so scared!" (Okin)

Of the slime he stated was his sister a short time ago?

That was a quick change of heart.

Hmm, on second thought, he sounds more excited than scared.

"I felt really, really bad about this, you know?" (Nia)

Ugh, and now wide, round slime eyes look quivering up at me alongside the boy’s.

Fine, I'll admit that I wouldn't want to be in this kind of situation.

"Sigh! Would it help if I give you money as compensation?" (Shari)

Both of them look at each other and then simultaneously back at me.

"Sure!" (Nia/Okin)

I pull out a silver coin from my purse that I store within my body and hand it to the boy.

It might be that I don't trust Nia not to dissolve it yet.

"This is for tomorrow, so you can buy some meat for your sister and yourself a meal. I have my own stuff up and coming and won't be able to take care of you by then." (Shari)

Now it seems like they're slightly overwhelmed by the amount of money I'm willing to spend on them.

"Well, in any case, I need to head off now. Be careful with who enters the house." (Shari)

Once I enter the front hall Liqu once again comes running at me.

"There you are! You have no idea what I went through!" (Liqu)

Coming from her look I can imagine.

"Really? I only left you for a moment. Was it really so bad?" (Shari)

"There are so many adventurers coming!" (Liqu)

Okay, now I'm concerned.

That sounds like an awfully worrisome combination.

"Adventurers?" (Shari)

"Yes! For some reason they keep on pestering me! Coming over and over, wanting stamina or health potions and what else!" (Liqu)

I probably have to be glad that this didn't blow up.

Not sure what I should think about the idea that we are about to become the new hot spot for adventurers.

Is that now good or bad?

I mean, it probably raises the risk, but on the other side, it might make them less inclined to go against us if we'd offer a price reduction.

For now, I should soothe Liqu a bit.

She seems on the verge of a breakdown, which for slimes can be quite literal.

"It's fine. Tomorrow we will close the shop and instead focus on other things. I want to prepare a bit before we directly go for breaking into a supposedly extremely well-guarded estate." (Shari)

"Oh, thank you! I wasn't sure how much more of this I could hold out." (Liqu)

It's questionable how soothing this is exactly to hear for her, but objectively she's brightening up upon hearing this.

To me this course of action only makes sense.

Until now, I never really had the leeway to properly prepare for my suicide missions and had to figure out everything on the way.

For once, while still being on a time limit, I have no immediate need to go out without much of a plan and was able to establish a date for the act.

So it just sounded smart to me to use this advantage to its fullest.

Once I deem I’ve completed everything I could for today, I get ready for my rest.

Naturally, not without pulling out my book.

In there, I directly skim through the chapters about poisons and sleeping drugs.

If I can find a way to improve my sleeping agent this would be a huge deal for me.

Yet while I find some potions that go in the right direction, nothing seems to have the grade of effectiveness I'm looking for.

Yet that one calming potion, or rather paralytic, might be something to consider, even if it apparently needs some time to pack a punch.

Well, for all these troubles there's a convenient solution.

Yet I'm not sure how willing the address I have in mind would be to help me out.

However, maybe it could placate her that I finally might've found a way to pay her out for the book.

Anyway, I should get some rest now.

After all, tomorrow is going to be very busy.