- Shari -

We arrive at the gates, with our cloaks on.

I don’t need to make it this easy for the guards.

Due to the late hour, there are no other people at the gates, aside from the guards.

And maybe because no one in the right mind would voluntarily, without a reason travel to Ekoras.

When we are inside, there is a rather pressing issue I have to settle with our adventurer group.

But now to the matter at hand.

"STOP! Who goes there?" (Guard 1)

"Hey, Gilbert! Didn’t I already tell you? We were just venturing out to fetch the rest of our group?" (Jacob)

Impressive how Jacob stays completely natural, even though the smallest slip could end with a disturbingly high number of dead people.

I wouldn’t have judged him as this cunning and now worry a bit about my relationship with him and my safety, regarding this advanced level of acting skills.

"You know what time it is? Just half an hour and we would have closed the gate!" (Gilbert)

"Not much to do about that! The ladies here have a pace, you could carry them an hour and rest two and you would still be faster." (Jacob)

"Ladies?" (Gilbert)

It goes without saying that Liqu was absolutely forbidden, to even lift her hood without being explicitly told to do so.

But I need to act like we are not hiding too much, to make up for it.

"Yes! I need to say that Jacob did a great job escorting the two of us." (Shari)

Okay! We are the nice, defenseless girls in need of a strong man to protect us.

I hope they'll buy this.

"I thought you were going out to do hunting jobs?" (Gilbert)

Shit!

Stupid!

Don’t speak when you lack information about what you can say!

"You see, it was like this: After we got what we wanted, we used the street to travel back. And on the road, we met our acquaintances here and decided to ensure their safety. You know how the streets are sometimes." (Jacob)

"How benevolent of you. I’m sure their gratitude will eventually recompense your efforts. Savior of the lost maidens!" (Gilbert)

He says this with a not-so-ambiguous smirk.

"I do my best!" (Jacob)

Jacob responds with a smirk on his own.

However, I am sure inwardly he’s cringing.

I definitely am.

Still, he displays impressive acting skills.

"Can we now please finish this? You said yourself that we should close this gate. So wrap up your little banter." (Guard 2)

"Something’s wrong, Howard?" (Jacob)

I am not sure, if acting this familiar is not counterproductive in the end, regarding raising suspicion.

But it apparently works out for now.

"Nothing besides the fact that every second you lot loiter around here is keeping me from finishing this shift and finally diving into my bed." (Howard)

"Seems like he is very serious about this, Gilbert. We are then just passing by and you two can call it a day." (Jacob)

"Nah! First I should check these newcomers and fulfill my assigned duty." (Gilbert)

"Since when are you this serious about your work? And what are you even going to check? If they carry weapons, like absolutely every single one of the townspeople, children included?" (Jacob)

I guess it has more to do with the possibility to inspect two women.

"Just doing my job." (Gilbert)

To prevent Liqu from being chosen first I step forward.

"Can we please make it quick?" (Shari)

"Sure ma’am!" (Gilbert)

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

To prepare in advance for an event where I have to open my cloak, I always wore my black shirt and pants since I left home so that my blue color won't shimmer through, while my arms are still covered.

As there is nothing illegal inside the cloak, all I have to fear is that one of the guards touches me too intimately or inspects too inquisitively.

"Could you please lift your hood? I can’t let anyone inside without being able to identify them!" (Gilbert)

Should I believe that you are actually able to remember the faces of all the people passing by?

Once I lift it, the crucial part begins.

I notice how Chris shields Myra who grew uneasy in this situation, as even he knows that their group is already too deep into this as they could now afford that we're getting exposed.

The guard who was called Gilbert immediately grows surprised when he sees my face, but I don’t think he is hostile.

"Why are you looking like this?" (Gilbert)

"It is really rude to point something like that out! But if you need to know, due to a failed experiment my skin has some issues." (Shari)

Naturally, I prepared a backstory for such a risky venture.

"Why failed? It worked out pretty well!" (Liqu)

…Sorry, I have no words.

I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS STUPID SLIMEHEAD!!!

"Ah, you see we study together and she is very dedicated, but to narrate this whole stuff would now waste too much of your precious time." (Shari)

"Yes, sure. I see no reason why you shouldn’t pass. Just go ahead!" (Gilbert)

I believe he is a little downtrodden that there were not the presumed beauties.

Also, the knowledge that delving into this could be more troublesome than he wants, is beneficial too for cutting this short and getting through here.

"Thank you very much!" (Shari)

Thus, I managed to get into a town, despite all the odds against me.

As soon we are out of a range where those guards might be able to hear us, I have a matter to address regarding my distressingly cunning acquaintance Jacob.

"Thank you very much for your help." (Shari)

"No problem, it's not as if you didn’t contribute to getting us through this." (Jacob)

"Sure, but there is a little issue now." (Shari)

He tenses up.

"That is?" (Jacob)

"While I am sure that you have an opportunity to sell our goods, I am aware that at this time of the day no such business should be open. And while I trust you to a degree, it goes not so far that I'm going to leave you with all our jointly acquired goods. So I would feel much better when you leave the respective bag with us after you introduced us to a suitable resting place from where we can meet up the next day. At least you can be sure that we have no means to sell them in our situation." (Shari)

"Sigh! If that makes you sleep better." (Jacob)

"I can’t sleep anymore." (Shari)

"It was just a figure of speech." (Jacob)

"I know! And as a small token, since this part is already settled, you can have the proof of subjugation for the guild in advance." (Shari)

"Fine, maybe the guildhall is still open. If you want to go to an inn where they… honor their customer's privacy, I suggest that one three streets down the road then left and straight forward till the end. Nothing fancy, but it should suffice." (Jacob)

"Thank you! It's appreciated!" (Shari)

"E-ehm, goodbye, and thank you for your help!" (Myra)

"You’re welcome! I am glad we met you." (Shari)

"Me too! See you soon, Myra!" (Liqu)

At this prospect, she immediately pales a bit, regardless of how cheerful Liqu did express it.

And she knows her name.

Poor girl.

Without wasting any time, Chris takes Myra by the shoulders and brings her away.

Due to her slightly trembling state, she isn’t even complaining.

We split from their group and are left with the bag that contains my meat and the parts of the rager we wanted to sell.

Despite common belief, the guild is not buying parts that aren't commissioned in the contracts.

So while they kill their prey for the specified part the contractor wants or just the body part that serves as proof, adventurers are in the end stuck with the remains which have still some value.

Because of this, every seasoned adventurer knows the places in town where one can vend these monster parts, like alchemists, tanners, blacksmiths, and so on.

Sometimes introduced through the guild, which still has no intention to take the burden of this logistic terror.

Because that is so, I cannot afford to let this chance slip by, to make the respective acquaintances.

The chance that they might scam us of our share doesn’t weigh even half as severe as losing this opportunity would be in my opinion.

And Jacob knows on the other hand, that we don’t know anyone to sell the parts to.

Also, it's inconvenient for their group to drag this bag full of body parts with them.

A problem we have now to deal with as it's heavy.

"Ahem, Liqu. Can you lift that thing without blowing your cover?" (Shari)

"Hm? Yes, yes, sure." (Liqu)

She seems oddly absent.

"Is something the matter?" (Shari)

Again she blinks as if she awakened from some kind of trance.

"Ah, yeah! It's just…" (Liqu)

"What is the issue?" (Shari)

"This is a town! A real town! With humans! And I am in the middle of it! So much to see! Unbelievable! I can observe! Take part! This is great! Wonderful!" (Liqu)

It's also my first time in a real town and I need to say that it's fairly impressive.

What I find especially interesting is that some of the windows are made of glass.

That was by no means common in my old village, where you could only decide if you kept the wooden frames closed or not if you wanted to see something.

Yet, it seems that Liqu is far more intrigued by this place than I am.

Well, for some reason she has set her whole existence on living close to humans, so that's a given.

Nonetheless…

"Please, if only a little bit, quell your excitement before you're drawing too much attention. Otherwise, your adventure might come to a sudden end." (Shari)

"Yes, fine!" (Liqu)

Unsurprisingly a little disappointed she takes the bag and despite the part, where her height decreases a bit, there is no obvious flaw in her appearance.

But as we start moving she still gets mesmerized by any novel thing she sees.

Be it stalls, buildings, street lamps, or even the street itself.

I grow worried that she might just follow a whim and depart in a random direction.

"Liqu, stay close to me and don’t leave my side, I don't want us to lose sight of each other." (Shari)

At this moment she suddenly stops in her tracks.

I look back to find out what caused this.

"What is…" (Shari)

Euphoria!

No other word can describe this look!

She is past any sane thought and slime tears are already starting to ruin the cover I applied on her.

"You… want me… close to you?" (Liqu)

"W-well, I mean it would be irresponsible to leave you unattained in this environment. And you're carrying the bag." (Shari)

"Ah yes. How stupid of me. Sure, I will always stay with you." (Liqu)

"Okay good! Then follow me so that I know where you are." (Shari)

Did I dodge this?

I don’t know what she would have done if her feelings had gone out of hand, but I know that restraint is no trait of hers if she becomes emotional so I am anxious in that regard.

At least I have four dead adventurers who can attest to this.

However, the whole time we walk to the inn, I feel her eyes, or whatever, on me, despite all the other things around us which fascinated her so much just moments ago.

Just how obsessed is she?

I think I mentioned perfectly fine reasons so that she should calm down.

Can she read more into my words than what I said?

I mean: She stares at me!

I know she likes to take everything one says as given, due to the fact that she simply has no experience in conversations.

But there were no flaws since I, because this is so, mark all my words.

If not…

The part she said!

Damnit, she got me!!!

"I will always stay with you" and I acknowledge it!

She takes everything literally and this was practically me completely giving in, to her!

Did she leave this figurative trap on purpose?

Does she know about my issue regarding how committed I am to keeping my word?

Although my feelings of hate and anger for her are gradually fading away, this is taking things too far.

She might take this as an invitation to do… I don't even know!

This goes extremely too fast!

Sometimes I worry where this path I chose will eventually lead me.